Controlling power in a multi-port USB power delivery system

• US 9,755,449 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nge, Chee Lim, Uan-Zo-Li, Alexander B., Dunstan, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIBENEDETTO, MICHAEL N
• Application Number:
  US14/495,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20160094071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 320103, 320138, 320116, 307 44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Systems and methods may provide for a charger that includes a converter with a battery port, a first bypass switch coupled to a first bus port and the battery port, and a second bypass switch coupled to a second bus port and the battery port. Additionally, a charge controller may use one or more control signals to manage power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port, and power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port.

Claims

1. A charger comprising:

a bi-directional converter including a battery port;

a first bypass switch coupled to a first bus port and the battery port;

a second bypass switch coupled to a second bus port and the battery port;

a first contract voltage switch coupled between the first bus port and a contract voltage port of the converter;

a second contract voltage switch coupled between the second bus port and the contract voltage port of the converter;

a charge controller;

a first communication line to carry a first control signal from the charge controller to the first bus port, wherein the first control signal is to indicate a first real-time voltage level associated with power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port;

a second communication line to carry a second control signal from the charge controller to the second bus port, wherein the second control signal is to indicate a second real-time voltage level associated with power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port;

a plurality of current sensors to conduct independent current measurements with respect to the first bypass switch, the second bypass switch and the battery port; and

a voltage sensor to conduct one or more voltage measurements with respect to the battery port, wherein the charge controller is to generate the one or more control signals based on one or more of the independent current measurements or the one or more voltage measurements, and use the one or more control signals to manage the power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port, and the power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port,

wherein the first communication line includes a first enablement switch and the second communication line includes a second enablement switch.

2. The charger of claim 1, wherein the charge controller is to control the first enablement switch and the second enablement switch based on one or more mode signals.

3. The charger of claim 1, further including:

a mode controller;

a first configuration line to carry a first mode signal between the first bus port and the mode controller; and

a second configuration line to carry a second mode signal between the first bus port and the mode controller, wherein the first mode signal is to indicate whether the charger assumes a power provider status or a power consumer status relative to a first device coupled to the first bus port and the second mode signal is to indicate whether the charger assumes the power provider status or the power consumer status relative to a second device coupled to the second bus port.

4. The charger of claim 1, further including:

a first contract voltage switch coupled between the first bus port and a contract voltage port of the converter; and

a second contract voltage switch coupled between the second bus port and the contract voltage port of the converter, wherein the charge controller is to control the first contract voltage switch and the second contract voltage switch based on a status of one or more of first control signal or the second control signal.

5. A system comprising:

a load including one or more of a processor, a chipset or a memory device;

a first bus port;

a second bus port; and

a charger comprising;

a bi-directional converter including a battery port coupled to the load,

a first bypass switch coupled to a first bus port and the battery port,

a second bypass switch coupled to a second bus port and the battery port,

a first contract voltage switch coupled between the first bus port and a contract voltage port of the converter;

a second contract voltage switch coupled between the second bus port and the contract voltage port of the converter;

a first communication line;

a second communication line, and

a charge controller to use one or more control signals to manage power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port, and power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port,

wherein the first communication line includes a first enablement switch and the second communication line includes a second enablement switch.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the first communication line is to carry a first control signal from the charge controller to the first bus port, wherein the first control signal is to indicate a first real-time voltage level associated with the power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port; and

the second communication line is to carry a second control signal from the charge controller to the second bus port, wherein the second control signal is to indicate a second real-time voltage level associated with the power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the charge controller is to balance the power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port with the power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the charge controller is to control the first enablement switch and the second enablement switch based on one or more mode signals.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the charger further includes:

a mode controller,

a first configuration line to carry a first mode signal between the first bus port and the mode controller, and

a second configuration line to carry a second mode signal between the second bus port and the mode controller, wherein the first mode signal is to indicate whether the charger assumes a power provider status or a power consumer status relative to a first device coupled to the first bus port and the second mode signal is to indicate whether the charger assumes the power provider status or the power consumer status relative to a second device coupled to the second bus port.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the charge controller is to control the first contract voltage switch and the second contract voltage switch based on a status of the one or more control signals.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the charger further includes:

a plurality of current sensors to conduct independent current measurements with respect to the first bypass switch, the second bypass switch and the battery port, and

a voltage sensor to conduct one or more voltage measurements with respect to the battery port, wherein the charge controller is to generate the one or more control signals based on one or more of the independent current measurements or the one or more voltage measurements.

12. A method of operating a charger, comprising:

using one or more control signals to manage power to be delivered from a first bus port through a first bypass switch to a battery port of a bi-directional converter, and power to be delivered from a second bus port through a second bypass switch to the battery port,

sending, via a first communication line, a first control signal from a charge controller to the first bus port,

sending, via a second communication line, a second control signal from the charge controller to the second bus port, and

controlling a first enablement switch of the first communication line and a second enablement switch of the second communication line based on one or more mode signals;

wherein a first contract voltage switch is coupled between the first bus port and a contract voltage port of the converter, and wherein a second contract voltage switch is coupled between the second bus port and the contract voltage port of the converter.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein the first control signal indicates a first real-time voltage level associated with the power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port;

and

wherein the second control signal indicates a second real-time voltage level associated with the power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port.

14. The method of claim 13, further including balancing the power delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port with the power delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port.

15. The method of claim 12, further including:

transferring, via a first configuration line, a first mode signal between the first bus port and a mode controller; and

transferring, via a second configuration line, a second mode signal between the second bus port and the mode controller, wherein the first mode signal indicates whether the charger assumes a power provider status or a power consumer status relative to a first device coupled to the first bus port and the second mode signal indicates whether the charger assumes the power provider status or the power consumer status relative to a second device coupled to the second bus port.

16. The method of claim 12, further including controlling the first contract voltage switch and the second contract voltage switch based on a status of the one or more control signals.

17. The method of claim 12, further including:

conducting independent current measurements with respect to the first bypass switch, the second bypass switch and the battery port;

conducting one or more voltage measurements with respect to the battery port; and

generating the one or more control signals based on one or more of the independent current measurements or the one or more voltage measurements.

18. A charger comprising:

a bi-directional converter including a battery port;

a first bypass switch coupled to a first bus port and the battery port;

a second bypass switch coupled to a second bus port and the battery port;

a charge controller to use one or more control signals to manage power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port, and power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port;

a first communication line to carry a first control signal from the charge controller to the first bus port;

a second communication line to carry a second control signal from the charge controller to the second bus port;

a first contract voltage switch coupled between the first bus port and a contract voltage port of the converter; and

a second contract voltage switch coupled between the second bus port and the contract voltage port of the converter,

wherein the first communication line includes a first enablement switch and the second communication line includes a second enablement switch.

19. The charger of claim 18, further including:

wherein the first control signal is to indicate a first real-time voltage level associated with the power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port; and

wherein the second control signal is to indicate a second real-time voltage level associated with the power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port.

20. The charger of claim 19, wherein the charge controller is to balance the power delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port with the power delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port.

21. The charger of claim 19, wherein the charge controller is to control the first enablement switch and the second enablement switch based on one or more mode signals.

22. The charger of claim 18, further including:

a mode controller;

a first configuration line to carry a first mode signal between the first bus port and the mode controller; and

a second configuration line to carry a second mode signal between the first bus port and the mode controller, wherein the first mode signal is to indicate whether the charger assumes a power provider status or a power consumer status relative to a first device coupled to the first bus port and the second mode signal is to indicate whether the charger assumes the power provider status or the power consumer status relative to a second device coupled to the second bus port.

23. The charger of claim 18, wherein the charge controller is to control the first contract voltage switch and the second contract voltage switch based on a status of the one or more control signals.

24. The charger of claim 18, further including:

a plurality of current sensors to conduct independent current measurements with respect to the first bypass switch, the second bypass switch and the battery port; and

a voltage sensor to conduct one or more voltage measurements with respect to the battery port, wherein the charge controller is to generate the one or more control signals based on one or more of the independent current measurements or the one or more voltage measurements.