Power loss protection integrated circuit
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
- an input voltage terminal (VIN);
an output voltage terminal (VOUT);
a current switch circuit that can receive a current of up to a maximum input current from the input voltage terminal VIN and can conduct that current to the output voltage terminal VOUT, wherein the current switch circuit outputs a digital undervoltage signal and a digital high current signal;
a storage capacitor terminal (STR);
a switch terminal (SW);
a feedback terminal (FB); and
a buck/boost controller coupled to the switch terminal SW and to the feedback terminal FB, wherein the buck/boost controller is adapted to operate in a buck mode and in a boost mode, wherein in the buck mode the buck/boost controller drives the switch terminal SW so that the buck/boost controller in combination with an external inductor can operate as a buck converter, wherein in the buck mode the buck converter receives a relatively high input supply voltage from the storage capacitor terminal STR, wherein in the boost mode the buck/boost controller drives the switch terminal SW so that the buck/boost controller in combination with the external inductor operates as a boost converter and outputs a relatively high voltage onto the storage capacitor terminal STR, wherein the buck/boost controller is made to begin operating in the buck mode if the digital undervoltage signal is asserted, and wherein the buck/boost controller is prevented from operating in the boost mode if the digital high current signal is asserted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power loss protection integrated circuit includes a current switch circuit (eFuse), a VIN terminal, a VOUT terminal, a buck/boost controller, and a storage capacitor terminal STR. The controller is adapted to work: 1) as a boost to take a low voltage from the VOUT terminal and to output a larger charging voltage onto the STR terminal, or 2) as a buck to take a higher voltage from the STR terminal and to buck it down to a lower voltage required on the VOUT terminal. The current switch circuit outputs a digital undervoltage signal (UV) and a digital high current signal (HC). These signals are communicated on-chip to the controller. Asserting UV causes the converter to begin operating in the buck mode. Asserting HC prevents the converter from operating in the boost mode.
5 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit comprising:
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an input voltage terminal (VIN); an output voltage terminal (VOUT); a current switch circuit that can receive a current of up to a maximum input current from the input voltage terminal VIN and can conduct that current to the output voltage terminal VOUT, wherein the current switch circuit outputs a digital undervoltage signal and a digital high current signal; a storage capacitor terminal (STR); a switch terminal (SW); a feedback terminal (FB); and a buck/boost controller coupled to the switch terminal SW and to the feedback terminal FB, wherein the buck/boost controller is adapted to operate in a buck mode and in a boost mode, wherein in the buck mode the buck/boost controller drives the switch terminal SW so that the buck/boost controller in combination with an external inductor can operate as a buck converter, wherein in the buck mode the buck converter receives a relatively high input supply voltage from the storage capacitor terminal STR, wherein in the boost mode the buck/boost controller drives the switch terminal SW so that the buck/boost controller in combination with the external inductor operates as a boost converter and outputs a relatively high voltage onto the storage capacitor terminal STR, wherein the buck/boost controller is made to begin operating in the buck mode if the digital undervoltage signal is asserted, and wherein the buck/boost controller is prevented from operating in the boost mode if the digital high current signal is asserted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An integrated circuit comprising:
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an input voltage terminal (VIN); an output voltage terminal (VOUT); an eFuse means for receiving a current from the input voltage terminal VIN and for conducting that current to the output voltage terminal VOUT, wherein the eFuse means is for decoupling the input voltage terminal VIN from the output voltage terminal VOUT in a fault condition such that in the fault condition there is no current flow between the input voltage terminal VIN and the output voltage terminal VOUT, wherein the eFuse means is also for outputting a digital undervoltage signal and a digital high current signal; a storage capacitor terminal (STR); a switch terminal (SW); a feedback terminal (FB); and a buck/boost controller coupled to the switch terminal SW and to the feedback terminal FB, wherein the buck/boost controller is adapted to operate in a buck mode and in a boost mode, wherein in the buck mode the buck/boost controller drives the switch terminal SW so that the buck/boost controller in combination with an external inductor can operate as a buck converter, wherein in the buck mode the buck converter receives a relatively high input supply voltage from the storage capacitor terminal STR, wherein in the boost mode the buck/boost controller drives the switch terminal SW so that the buck/boost controller in combination with the external inductor operates as a boost converter and outputs a relatively high voltage onto the storage capacitor terminal STR, wherein the buck/boost controller is made to begin operating in the buck mode if the digital undervoltage signal is asserted, and wherein the buck/boost controller is prevented from operating in the boost mode if the digital high current signal is asserted. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An integrated circuit comprising:
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an input voltage terminal (VIN); an output voltage terminal (VOUT); an eFuse means for receiving a current from the input voltage terminal VIN and for conducting that current to the output voltage terminal VOUT, wherein the eFuse means is for decoupling the input voltage terminal VIN from the output voltage terminal VOUT in a fault condition such that in the fault condition there is no current flow between the input voltage terminal VIN and the output voltage terminal VOUT, wherein the eFuse means is also for outputting a digital undervoltage signal; a storage capacitor terminal (STR); a switch terminal (SW); a feedback terminal (FB); and a buck controller coupled to the switch terminal SW and to the feedback terminal FB, wherein the buck controller is adapted to operate in combination with components external to the integrated circuit as part of a buck converter, wherein the buck converter is adapted to receive a relatively high voltage from the storage capacitor terminal STR and to buck the relatively high voltage down to a relatively low voltage that is supplied onto the output voltage terminal VOUT, and wherein asserting of the digital undervoltage signal causes the buck converter to begin operating and to begin supplying the relatively low voltage onto the output voltage terminal VOUT.
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Specification