High voltage generation method at battery system
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a supply node configured for direct or indirect coupling to a supply voltage;
a converter coupled between an input node and an output node, wherein the converter is configured to operate in a forward mode or a reverse mode;
wherein the converter generates a voltage at the converter output node for charging a battery when operating in the forward mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node is less than a magnitude of the supply voltage;
wherein the converter generates a voltage at the converter input node when operating in the reverse mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node is different than a magnitude of a voltage provided by the battery;
a control circuit coupled to and configured to control operation of the converter in the forward mode or the reverse mode;
wherein the converter comprises a high side transistor, a low side transistor, and an inductor, wherein the high side transistor is coupled between the converter input node and a common node, wherein the converter input node is directly or indirectly coupled to the supply node wherein the low side transistor is coupled between the common node and a ground node, wherein the inductor is coupled between the common node and the converter output node, wherein the converter output node is configured for direct or indirect coupling to the battery;
wherein the control circuit is configured to drive gates of the high side and low side transistors with complementary high side and low side square wave signals, respectively;
wherein the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node depends on a duty cycle of the high side square wave signal and the magnitude of the supply voltage, while the converter operates in the forward mode;
wherein the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node depends on the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal and the magnitude of the voltage provided by the battery, while the converter operates in the reverse mode;
a voltage monitor circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to monitor the voltage at the converter input node and the voltage at the converter output node;
wherein the voltage monitor circuit generates a signal to decrease the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal if the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node falls below a first predetermined value while the converter operates in the reverse mode;
wherein the voltage monitor circuit generates a signal to increase the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal if the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node falls below a second predetermined value while the converter operates in the forward mode.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for generating a high voltage at a battery system. The apparatus in one embodiment includes a supply node configured for direct or indirect coupling to a supply voltage. A converter is coupled between an input node and an output node, wherein the converter is configured to operate in a forward mode or a reverse mode. The converter generates a voltage at the converter output node for charging a battery when operating in the forward mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node is less than a magnitude of the supply voltage. The converter generates a voltage at the converter input node when operating in the reverse mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node is different than a magnitude of a voltage provided by the battery. A control circuit is coupled to and configured to control operation of the converter in the forward mode or the reverse mode.
25 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a supply node configured for direct or indirect coupling to a supply voltage; a converter coupled between an input node and an output node, wherein the converter is configured to operate in a forward mode or a reverse mode; wherein the converter generates a voltage at the converter output node for charging a battery when operating in the forward mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node is less than a magnitude of the supply voltage; wherein the converter generates a voltage at the converter input node when operating in the reverse mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node is different than a magnitude of a voltage provided by the battery; a control circuit coupled to and configured to control operation of the converter in the forward mode or the reverse mode; wherein the converter comprises a high side transistor, a low side transistor, and an inductor, wherein the high side transistor is coupled between the converter input node and a common node, wherein the converter input node is directly or indirectly coupled to the supply node wherein the low side transistor is coupled between the common node and a ground node, wherein the inductor is coupled between the common node and the converter output node, wherein the converter output node is configured for direct or indirect coupling to the battery; wherein the control circuit is configured to drive gates of the high side and low side transistors with complementary high side and low side square wave signals, respectively; wherein the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node depends on a duty cycle of the high side square wave signal and the magnitude of the supply voltage, while the converter operates in the forward mode; wherein the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node depends on the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal and the magnitude of the voltage provided by the battery, while the converter operates in the reverse mode; a voltage monitor circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to monitor the voltage at the converter input node and the voltage at the converter output node; wherein the voltage monitor circuit generates a signal to decrease the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal if the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node falls below a first predetermined value while the converter operates in the reverse mode; wherein the voltage monitor circuit generates a signal to increase the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal if the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node falls below a second predetermined value while the converter operates in the forward mode. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A system comprising:
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a first mobile device comprising; a first battery; a first supply node configured for direct or indirect coupling to a first supply voltage; a first converter coupled between a first input node and a first output node, wherein the first converter is configured to operate in a forward mode or a reverse mode; wherein the first converter generates a voltage at the first converter output node for charging the first battery when operating in the forward mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the first converter output node is less than a magnitude of the first supply voltage; wherein the first converter generates a voltage at the first converter input node when operating in the reverse mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the first converter input node is different than a magnitude of a voltage provided by the first battery; a first control circuit coupled to and configured to control operation of the first converter in the forward mode or the reverse mode; wherein the first converter comprises a high side transistor, a low side transistor, and an inductor, wherein the high side transistor is coupled between the first converter input node and a first common node, wherein the first converter input node is directly or indirectly coupled to the first supply node, wherein the low side transistor is coupled between the first common node and a first ground node, wherein the a first inductor is coupled between the first common node and the first converter output node, wherein the first converter output node is configured for direct or indirect coupling to the first battery; wherein the control circuit is configured to drive gates of the high side and low side transistors with complementary high side and low side square wave signals, respectively; wherein the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node depends on a duty cycle of the high side square wave signal and the magnitude of the supply voltage, while the converter operates in the forward mode; wherein the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node depends on the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal and the magnitude of the voltage provided by the battery, while the converter operates in the reverse mode; a voltage monitor circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to monitor the voltage at the converter input node and the voltage at the converter output node; wherein the voltage monitor circuit generates a signal to decrease the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal if the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node falls below a first predetermined value while the converter operates in the reverse mode; wherein the voltage monitor circuit generates a signal to increase the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal if the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node falls below a second predetermined value while the converter operates in the forward mode. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A system comprising:
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a first mobile device comprising; a first battery; a first supply node configured for direct or indirect coupling to a first supply voltage; a first converter coupled between a first input node and a first output node, wherein the first converter is configured to operate in a forward mode or a reverse mode; wherein the first converter generates a voltage at the first converter output node for charging the first battery when operating in the forward mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the first converter output node is less than a magnitude of the first supply voltage; wherein the first converter generates a voltage at the first converter input node when operating in the reverse mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the first converter input node is different than a magnitude of a voltage provided by the first battery; a first control circuit coupled to and configured to control operation of the first converter in the forward mode or the reverse mode; wherein the first converter comprises;
a first component coupled between the first converter input node and a first common node, wherein the first converter input node is directly or indirectly coupled to the first supply node;
a second component coupled between the first common node and a first ground node, and a first inductor coupled between the first common node and the first converter output node, wherein the first converter output node is configured for direct or indirect coupling to the first battery;a second mobile device comprising; a second battery; a second supply node configured for direct or indirect coupling to a second supply voltage; a second converter coupled between a second input node and a second output node, wherein the second converter is configured to operate in the forward mode or the reverse mode; wherein the second converter generates a voltage at the second converter output node for charging the second battery when operating in the forward mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the second converter output node is less than a magnitude of the second supply voltage; wherein the second converter generates a voltage at the second converter input node when operating in the reverse mode, wherein a magnitude of the voltage generated at the second converter input node is different than a magnitude of a voltage provided by the second battery; a second control circuit coupled to and configured to control operation of the second converter in the forward mode or the reverse mode. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a converter coupled between an input node and an output node, wherein the converter is configured to operate in a forward mode or a reverse mode; wherein the converter generates a voltage at the converter output node when operating in the forward mode; wherein the converter generates a voltage at the converter input node when operating in the reverse mode; a control circuit coupled to and configured to control operation of the converter in the forward mode or the reverse mode; wherein the converter comprises a high side transistor, a low side transistor, and an inductor, wherein the high side transistor is coupled between the converter input node and a common node, wherein the low side transistor is coupled between the common node and a ground node, wherein the inductor is coupled between the common node and the converter output node; wherein the control circuit is configured to drive gates of the high side and low side transistors with complementary high side and low side square wave signals, respectively; wherein the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output node, while the converter operates in the forward mode, depends on a duty cycle of the high side square wave signal and the magnitude of the voltage at the input node; wherein the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node, while the converter operates in the reverse mode, depends on the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal and the magnitude of the voltage at the output node; a voltage monitor circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to monitor the voltage at the converter input node; wherein the voltage monitor circuit generates a signal to decrease the duty cycle of the high side square wave signal if the magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter input node falls below a first predetermined value, while the converter operates in the reverse mode.
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Specification