Power converter with load switch fault protection
First Claim
1. An apparatus for delivering power to a load having load circuitry configured to draw power from the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- a power converter configured and arranged to convert input power at a primary side of the power converter to output power and to a supply voltage at a node on a secondary side of the power converter;
on the primary side of the power converter, a primary-side control circuitry configured and arranged to limit an extent to which the power converter is capable of supplying power for providing the supply voltage at an output of the power converter;
on the secondary side of the power converter, a load switch configured and arranged along a current path between the node and the load having the load circuitry configured to draw power from the apparatus;
on the secondary side of the power converter, secondary-side control circuitry configured and arranged to receive the supply voltage and a converter output voltage, and to control the load switch to operate in an ON mode, in which the current path is used to provide current to the load, and in response to a fault condition corresponding to a voltage drop across the load switch exceeding a threshold voltage, activates circuitry on the secondary side; and
the secondary side of the power converter including the circuitry configured and arranged, in response to the fault condition in which the voltage drop across the load switch exceeds the threshold voltage, to cause the primary-side control circuitry to limit an extent to which the power converter is capable of supplying power;
wherein the secondary-side control circuitry is configured and arranged to monitor the voltage drop across the load switch by detecting a difference between the supply voltage at the secondary side and the converter output voltage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for delivering power to a load, which comprises a power converter that converts input power at a primary side to an output power and to a supply voltage to a secondary side. On the secondary side, a load switch is located on a current path to the load. A secondary-side control circuitry controls the load switch to operate in an ON mode in which current is provided to the load, and in response to a fault condition corresponding a voltage drop across the load switch exceeding a threshold value, activates circuitry on the secondary side. The circuitry, in response to the fault condition, causes the primary-side control circuitry to limit an extent to which the power converter is capable of supplying power.
11 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for delivering power to a load having load circuitry configured to draw power from the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
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a power converter configured and arranged to convert input power at a primary side of the power converter to output power and to a supply voltage at a node on a secondary side of the power converter; on the primary side of the power converter, a primary-side control circuitry configured and arranged to limit an extent to which the power converter is capable of supplying power for providing the supply voltage at an output of the power converter; on the secondary side of the power converter, a load switch configured and arranged along a current path between the node and the load having the load circuitry configured to draw power from the apparatus; on the secondary side of the power converter, secondary-side control circuitry configured and arranged to receive the supply voltage and a converter output voltage, and to control the load switch to operate in an ON mode, in which the current path is used to provide current to the load, and in response to a fault condition corresponding to a voltage drop across the load switch exceeding a threshold voltage, activates circuitry on the secondary side; and the secondary side of the power converter including the circuitry configured and arranged, in response to the fault condition in which the voltage drop across the load switch exceeds the threshold voltage, to cause the primary-side control circuitry to limit an extent to which the power converter is capable of supplying power; wherein the secondary-side control circuitry is configured and arranged to monitor the voltage drop across the load switch by detecting a difference between the supply voltage at the secondary side and the converter output voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for delivering power to a load having load circuitry configured to draw power from the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
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a power converter configured and arranged to convert input power at a primary side of the power converter to output power and to a supply voltage at a node on a secondary side of the power converter; on the primary side of the power converter, a primary-side control circuitry configured and arranged to limit an extent to which the power converter is capable of supplying power for providing the supply voltage; on the secondary side of the power converter, a load switch configured and arranged along a current path between the node and the load having the load circuitry configured to draw power from the apparatus; on the secondary side of the power converter, a USB power-delivery controller circuit configured and arranged to receive the supply voltage and a converter output voltage, and to control the load switch to operate in an ON mode in which the current path is used to provide current to the load, and in response to a fault condition of the load switch corresponding to a voltage drop across the load switch exceeding a threshold voltage, activates circuitry on the secondary side; and the secondary side of the power converter including the circuitry configured and arranged, in response to the fault condition in which the voltage drop across the load switch exceeds the threshold voltage, to cause the primary-side control circuitry to limit an extent to which the power converter is capable of supplying power; wherein the USB power-delivery controller circuit is further configured and arranged to, monitor the voltage drop across the load switch by detecting a difference between the supply voltage and the converter output voltage; and in response the voltage drop across the load switch exceeding the threshold voltage for greater than a threshold period of time, activate the circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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converting input power at a primary side of a power converter to output power and providing a supply voltage at a node on a secondary side of the power converter, wherein the supply voltage is one of multiple voltages that is selected based on feedback from a load to a control circuitry; receiving the supply voltage at the node and passing the supply voltage along a current path from the node to the load; in response to a presence of the supply voltage at the control circuitry, controlling a load switch to operate in an ON mode in which the current path is used to provide current to the load; and in response to a fault condition corresponding to a voltage drop across the load switch exceeding a threshold voltage for greater than a threshold period of time, providing a control signal to the control circuitry to limit an extent to which the power converter is capable of supplying power for providing the supply voltage. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification