APPARATUS FOR POWER MANAGEMENT

• US 20170244268A1
• Filed: 02/24/2016
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Villar Pique, Gerard, Bergveld, Hendrik Johannes
• Granted Patent: US 10,003,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/10 Regulating voltage or current G05F1/02 takes precedence; for electric railways B60M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• 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 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

One example discloses, an apparatus for power management, having: a power input node configured to receive charge from a primary power source at a first power level; a power-converter, having an enabled state and a disabled state, and coupled to receive the charge from the power input node; an energy buffer, coupled to receive and store the charge from the power-converter, and configured to release the charge at a second power level; a power output node, coupled to receive the charge from the energy buffer, and configured to supply the charge at the second power level to a load; wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level; and wherein the power-converter switches between the enabled state and the disabled state based on whether the charge is supplied to the load.

Claims

1. An apparatus for power management, comprising:

a power input node configured to receive charge from a primary power source at a first power level;

a power-converter, having an enabled state and a disabled state, and coupled to receive the charge from the power input node;

an energy buffer, coupled to receive and store the charge from the power-converter, and configured to release the charge at a second power level;

a power output node, coupled to receive the charge from the energy buffer, and configured to supply the charge at the second power level to a load;

wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level; and

wherein the power-converter switches between the enabled state and the disabled state based on whether the charge is supplied to the load.

2. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the power-converter is in the disabled state when the charge is supplied to the load.

3. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the power-converter is configured to switch between the enabled state and the disabled state in response to a signal from at least one of;

the load, the energy buffer, a power-controller or the power-converter itself.

4. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the power-converter includes a sensor coupled to the power output node and is configured to determine if load is drawing current; and

wherein the power-converter is configured to enter the disabled state in response to a signal from the sensor that the load is drawing current.

5. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the power-converter is configured to generate a noise signal which is disruptive to the load when the power-converter is in the enabled state.

6. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the power-converter is configured to output a power-converter state signal indicating whether the power-converter in the enabled state or the disabled state;

wherein the power-converter is configured to input a power-converter control signal configured to command the power-converter to enter either the enabled state or the disabled state;

further comprising a power-controller, configured to receive the power-converter state signal and generate the power-converter control signal;

wherein the power-controller is configured to receive a load state signal indicating whether the load is in an enabled state or a disabled state; and

wherein the power-controller is configured to generate a load control signal configured to command the load to enter either the enabled state or the disabled state.

7. The apparatus of claim 6:

wherein the power-controller is configured to set the power-converter control signal to place the power-converter in the disabled state, if the load state signal indicates the load is in the enabled state.

8. The apparatus of claim 6:

wherein the power-controller is configured to set the load control signal to place the load in the disabled state, if the power-converter state signal indicates the power-converter is in the enabled state.

9. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the primary power source is at least one of;

a battery, an ambient energy harvesting device, a solar cell, a mains-powered ultra-low-power supply, or any source that can deliver limited output power from a large energy supply.

10. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the energy buffer is at least one of;

an energy storage element or a supercapacitor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein both the power-converter and the energy buffer are directly connected to the power output node.

12. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the power-converter is a DC-to-DC power-converter.

13. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the power input node is configured to receive a maximum current from the primary power source;

wherein the energy buffer is configured to have a maximum output current; and

wherein the energy buffer maximum output current is greater than the primary power source maximum current.

14. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the power output node is configured to supply an operational current to the load;

wherein the power-converter is configured to supply a maximum output current; and

wherein the operational current to the load is greater than the maximum output current of the power-converter.

15. The apparatus of claim 14:

wherein the energy buffer is configured to supply a maximum output current; and

wherein the operational current to the load is less than the maximum output current of the energy buffer.

16. An article of manufacture including at least one non-transitory, tangible machine readable storage medium containing executable machine instructions for power management, comprising:

wherein the article includes;

a power input node configured to receive charge from a primary power source at a first power level;

a power-converter, having an enabled state and a disabled state, and coupled to receive the charge from the power input node;

an energy buffer, coupled to receive and store the charge from the power-converter, and configured to release the charge at a second power level;

a power output node, coupled to receive the charge from the energy buffer, and configured to supply the charge at the second power level to a load;

wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level; and

wherein the instructions include;

switching between the enabled state and the disabled state based on whether the charge is supplied to the load.

17. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

placing the power-converter in the disabled state, if a load state signal which indicates that the load is in an enabled state is received.

18. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

generating a disable the load signal, if the power-converter is in the enabled state.