Battery power supply with automatic load sensing

• US 9,837,895 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClevX LLC
• Original Assignee: ClevX LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Simon B.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEBERADINIS, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US15/083,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20160211746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 307150
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators

Abstract

A power supply, and a method of operation thereof, includes: a power source; a microcontroller for comparing a first sense potential with a second sense potential for generating a potential booster enable; and a relative isolation unit for isolating the first sense potential from the second sense potential; and a potential booster for controlling an output potential, the potential booster controlled by the potential booster enable from the microcontroller.

Claims

1. A method of operation for a power supply comprising:

measuring a first sense potential of a power source;

measuring a second sense potential coupled to the first sense potential in parallel across a relative isolation unit;

comparing the first sense potential to the second sense potential with a microcontroller to generate a potential booster enable;

providing a potential booster controlled by the potential booster enable from the microcontroller; and

controlling an output potential based on the potential booster.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein controlling the output potential includes turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential is above a first threshold potential.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein controlling the output potential includes turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential is below a first threshold potential and above a second threshold potential.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein controlling the output potential includes turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential equal to the second sense potential.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein controlling the output potential includes turning on the relative isolation unit and turning on the potential booster where the first sense potential is below a second threshold potential.

6. A method of operation for a power supply comprising:

measuring a first sense potential for determining a power source potential of a power source;

measuring a second sense potential through a relative isolation unit controlled by an isolation control;

comparing the first sense potential with the second sense potential with a microcontroller to generate a potential booster enable and the isolation control;

providing a potential booster controlled by the potential booster enable from the microcontroller; and

controlling an output potential based on the potential booster.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein controlling the output potential includes turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential is above a first threshold potential.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein controlling the output potential includes turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential is below a first threshold potential and above a second threshold potential.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein controlling the output potential includes turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential equal to the second sense potential.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein controlling the output potential includes turning on the relative isolation unit and turning on the potential booster where the first sense potential is below a second threshold potential.

11. A power supply comprising:

a power source;

a microcontroller for comparing a first sense potential with a second sense potential for generating a potential booster enable;

a relative isolation unit for isolating the first sense potential from the second sense potential; and

a potential booster for controlling an output potential, the potential booster controlled by the potential booster enable from the microcontroller.

12. The power supply as claimed in claim 11 wherein the output potential is determined by turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential is above a first threshold potential.

13. The power supply as claimed in claim 11 wherein the output potential is determined by turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential is below a first threshold potential and above a second threshold potential.

14. The power supply as claimed in claim 11 wherein the output potential is determined by turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential equal to the second sense potential.

15. The power supply as claimed in claim 11 wherein the output potential is determined by turning on the relative isolation unit and turning on the potential booster where the first sense potential is below a second threshold potential.

16. The power supply as claimed in claim 11 further comprising an isolation control for controlling the relative isolation unit, the isolation control calculated by the microcontroller based on the difference between the first sense potential and the second sense potential.

17. The power supply as claimed in claim 16 wherein the output potential is determined by turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential is above a first threshold potential.

18. The power supply as claimed in claim 16 wherein the output potential is determined by turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential is below a first threshold potential and above a second threshold potential.

19. The power supply as claimed in claim 16 wherein the output potential is determined by turning off the relative isolation unit and turning off the potential booster where the first sense potential equal to the second sense potential.

20. The power supply as claimed in claim 16 wherein the output potential is determined by turning on the relative isolation unit and turning on the potential booster where the first sense potential is below a second threshold potential.