System and method for dynamic power management of a mobile device

• US 8,760,119 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Winger, Lyall Kenneth, Veselic, Dusan, Guthrie, Martin George Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US13/929,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20130285614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 320/128
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A mobile device adapted for dynamic power management. The mobile device includes an output power port, a voltage converter adapted to convert an input voltage to provide an output voltage to the output power port, and a processor. The processor is adapted to monitor at least one load electrically to determine when the at least one load will become active or inactive, determine a minimum required output voltage to be provided by the voltage converter based on the at least one load that will become active or inactive, control the voltage converter to provide at least the minimum required output voltage on the output power port in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive, and when the input voltage is below the first threshold, control the voltage converter to reduce the output voltage.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic power management of a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a plurality of loads and a battery charger electrically connected to a voltage rail of the mobile device, the method comprising:

monitoring the plurality of loads to determine when at least one of the loads will become active or inactive;

determining a minimum required output voltage level to be provided by the voltage converter based on all active loads voltage level requirement and the at least one load that will become active or inactive voltage level requirement;

adjusting an input voltage level via the voltage converter to provide the minimum required output voltage level on the voltage rail in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive;

monitoring the input voltage level;

determining whether the input voltage level is below a first predetermined threshold; and

when the input voltage level is below the first predetermined threshold, reducing the output voltage level provided by the voltage converter thereby reducing a charging rate of the battery charger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring the output voltage level of the voltage converter;

determining whether the output voltage level of the voltage converter is below a second threshold; and

when the output voltage level of the voltage converter is below the second threshold, control the battery charger to reduce a charging current supplied to a charging battery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the received input voltage level increases the output voltage level to a higher voltage level when the at least one load becomes active.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the received input voltage level comprises reducing the output voltage level to a lower voltage level when the at least one load becomes inactive.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, when more than one load is active, the output voltage level is set at an output voltage level for the active load that has a higher voltage level requirement.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein if the at least one load currently active requires a higher voltage than the load to be activated, then the output voltage level will not be increased.

5. A system for dynamic power management of a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a plurality of loads and a battery charger electrically connected to a voltage rail of the mobile device, the system comprising:

a single voltage converter electrically connected to the voltage rail and configured to receive an input voltage level and adjust the received input voltage level to provide an output voltage level to the voltage rail; and

a processor configured to;

monitor the plurality of loads to determine when at least one of the loads will become active or inactive;

determine a minimum required output voltage level to be provided by the voltage converter based on all active loads and the at least one load that will become active or inactive;

control the voltage converter to adjust the input voltage level to provide the minimum required output voltage level on the voltage rail in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive;

monitor the input voltage level;

determine whether the input voltage level is below a first predetermined threshold; and

when the input voltage level is below the first predetermined threshold, control the voltage converter to reduce the output voltage level thereby reducing a charging rate of the battery charger.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to:

monitor the output voltage level of the voltage converter;

determine whether the output voltage level of the voltage converter is below a second predetermined threshold; and

when the output voltage level of the voltage converter is below the second predetermined threshold, control the battery charger to reduce a charging current supplied to a charging battery.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the adjusting of the received input voltage level comprises increasing the output voltage level to a higher voltage level when the at least one load becomes active.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the adjusting of the received input voltage level comprises reducing the output voltage level to a lower voltage level when the at least one load becomes inactive.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to, when more than one load is active, set the output voltage level at an output voltage level for the active load that has a higher voltage level requirement.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured not to increase the output voltage level if the at least one load currently active requires a higher voltage than the load to be activated.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the voltage converter is a buck/boost convertor.

9. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to:

monitor a plurality of loads connected to a voltage rail to determine when at least one of the loads will become active or inactive;

determine a minimum required output voltage level for the voltage rail based on active loads and the at least one load that will become active or inactive; and

control a single voltage converter to adjust an input voltage level to provide the minimum required output voltage level on the voltage rail in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive;

monitoring the input voltage level;

determining whether the input voltage level is below a first predetermined threshold; and

when the input voltage level is below the first predetermined threshold, reducing the output voltage level provided by the voltage converter thereby reducing a charging rate of the battery charger.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions case the processor to:

monitor the output voltage level of the voltage converter;

determine whether the output voltage level of the voltage converter is below a second predetermined threshold; and

when the output voltage level of the voltage converter is below the second predetermined threshold, control the battery charger to reduce a charging current supplied to a charging battery.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the adjusting of the input voltage level comprises increasing the output voltage level to a higher voltage level in advance of the at least one load becoming active.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the adjusting of the input voltage level comprises decreasing the output voltage level to a lower voltage level in after the at least one load becomes inactive.

18. The computer readable medium claim of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the processor to, when more than one load is active, set the output voltage level at an output voltage level for the active load that has the higher voltage level requirement.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the processor to not increase the output voltage level if the at least one load currently active requires a higher voltage than the load to be activated.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the voltage converter is a buck/boost converter.