Charge-based switching power converter controller

• US 7,019,506 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Exar Corporation (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FYRE Storm Incorporated (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kernahan, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/298,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20040095120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 363/65, 323/282, 323/284, 323/285
• US Class Current: 323/284
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/262 using field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0012 Control circuits using digital or numerical techniques in DC/DC converters H02M3/157, H02M3/33515; in DC-AC converters H02M7/53873
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0845 digitally controlled (or with digital control)
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/157 with digital control
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1588 comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 5/08 Code representation by pulse width
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2828 using control circuits for the switching elements H05B41/2827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A control system and method for simultaneously regulating the operation of a plurality of different types of switching power converters. The system utilizes in regulating the power converters sampled data and nonlinear feedback control loops.

Claims

1. A switching power converter controller, wherein the switching power converter controller controls a plurality of pulse-width-modulated switching power converters, comprising:

a processor configured to control the pulse widths for each switching power convener to regulate the corresponding power from each switching power converter, wherein the pulse widths for the switching power converters are defined with respect to a single period; and

wherein the processor is further configured to control the pulse widths for each switching power convener in a given period based upon feedback information from each power converter in previous periods, and wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the power transferred from an at least one power source to each switching power converter and to calculate the charge remaining in the at least one power source based upon the calculated transferred power.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the at least one power source comprises an at least one battery.

3. The controller of claim 2, wherein the at least one battery comprises a plurality of batteries, and wherein the processor is configured to select a given one of the batteries to provide the power to the switching power converters based upon the calculated charge remaining in the given battery.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the power transferred from the at least one power source on a pulse-by-pulse basis.

5. The controller of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to report the calculated charge remaining in the given one of the batteries to a host processor.

6. The controller of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to determine impending non-operation of the given one of the batteries based upon the calculated remaining charge.

7. The controller of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to report the impending non-operation of the given one of the batteries to a host processor.

8. The controller of claim 2, wherein a given one of the switching power converters is configured as a boost converter for the at least one battery, and wherein the power transferred to the remaining switching power converters is provided by the given switching power converter.

9. The controller of claim 2, wherein a load of a given one of the switching power converters comprises a load battery.

10. The controller of claim 3, wherein a given one of the switching power converters is configurable to charge a capacitor to a supply voltage using power from the given one of the batteries, and wherein the remaining switching power converters are configurable to be powered from the supply voltage.

11. The controller of claim 10, wherein the processor includes a first mode of operation in which it calculates the power transferred from the given one of the batteries to the remaining switching power converters by measuring changes in the supply voltage over time and processing the measured changes.

12. The controller of claim 10, wherein the processor includes a second mode of operation in which the processor calculates the power transferred from the given one of the batteries to the remaining switching power converters by measuring voltages on sense resistors associated with one or more of each of the remaining switching power converters.

13. The controller of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to operate in the first mode of operation during periods of relatively low power demand from the remaining switching power converters and wherein the processor is configured to operate in the second mode of operation during periods of relatively high power demand from the remaining switching power converters.

14. The controller of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to measure the changes in the voltage supply over time by measuring the changes during periods when a power switch in the given one of the power converters is switched off to isolate the given one of the batteries from the supply voltage.

15. The controller of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to process the measured changes by multiplying them with a capacitance of the capacitor.

16. The controller of claim 10, wherein the given one of the switching power converter is operable in a first mode of operation in which it does not boost the supply voltage with respect to a battery voltage from the given one of the batteries and wherein the given one of the switching power converters is operable in a second mode of operation in which it does boost the supply voltage with respect to the battery voltage, the processor being configured to drive the given one of the switching power converter into either of the first or second modes of operation based upon the battery voltage.

17. The controller of claim 2, wherein the at least one battery comprises a plurality of batteries and wherein the processor is configured to drive the plurality of switching power converters to discharge the plurality of batteries in an order determined responsive to a rule.

18. The controller of claim 17, wherein the rule is a function of the calculated power transferred from the batteries.

19. The controller of claim 2, wherein the at least one battery comprises a plurality of batteries and wherein the processor is configured to drive the plurality of switching power converters to charge the plurality of batteries in an order determined responsive to a rule.

20. The controller of claim 19, wherein the rule is a function of the calculated transferred power to the batteries.