# US 10,120,429 B2 · Current control circuit and a method therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,429 B2 - Document ID: US10120429B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/303,244 - Filed: 2014-04-11 - Published: 2017-02-02 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-11 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) - Inventors: Sverker Sander; Kjell-Arne Remnås - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120429B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/28: Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision - G06F 13/385: {for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices} - G06F 13/409: {Mechanical coupling (back panels H05K7/1438)} - H02H 9/004: {in connection with live-insertion of plug-in units (involving communication with a central processing unit G06F13/40)} - H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters - H02M 1/36: Means for starting or stopping converters - H02M 3/155: using semiconductor devices only - H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators - H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter} - H02M 1/0045: {Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode} - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A method and a current control circuit 100 therefor. The method for a current control circuit 100 comprising determining 201 a state of the current control circuit 100, select 202 a first mode of operation 203 if the determined state is a first state indicative of a hot plug-in of the input terminal 101 to a connectable DC voltage bus. The method further comprises selecting 202 a second mode of operation 204 if the determined state is a second state different from the first state. The method further comprises controlling 205 the output current using the selected mode of operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A current control circuit comprising: an input terminal configured to be connected to a DC voltage bus; an output terminal; detection circuitry configured to detect a parameter of the current control circuit; switching circuitry connected to the input terminal via current detection circuitry and further connected to the output terminal via an output circuit, wherein the switching circuitry is configured to provide a controllable resistance; processing circuitry connected to the current detection circuitry and further connected to the detection circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: receive a first signal indicative of a current flowing from the input terminal to the output terminal, determine whether the current control circuit is in a first state indicative of a hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus, wherein determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state comprises comparing a detected parameter of the switching circuitry to a predetermined threshold, select between i) a first mode of operation of operation and ii) a second mode of in dependence on whether the current control circuit is determined to be in the first state indicative of the hot-plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus such that the processing circuitry selects the first mode of operation as a result of determining that the current control circuit is in the first state and otherwise the processing circuitry selects the second mode of operation, and control an output current using the selected mode of operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein said detection circuitry comprises a voltage detector and the detected parameter of the current control circuit is an output voltage at the output terminal, and determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state indicative of the hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus comprises: comparing the output voltage to a first predetermined threshold voltage, and determining that the current control circuit is in the first state as a result of determining that the output voltage is below the first predetermined threshold voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein said detection circuitry comprises a voltage detector and the detected parameter of the current control circuit is an input voltage at the input terminal, and determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state indicative of the hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus comprises: comparing the input voltage to a second predetermined threshold voltage, and determining that the current control circuit is in the first state as a result of determining that the input voltage is below the second predetermined threshold voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein said detection circuitry comprises a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the switching circuitry, the detected parameter of the switching circuitry is the detected temperature, and the predetermined threshold is a first predetermined threshold temperature, and determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state indicative of the hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus comprises: determining that the current control circuit is in the first state as a result of determining that the detected temperature is below the first predetermined threshold temperature. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein said detection circuitry comprises a timer configured to detect a lapsed time from a start of the current control circuit and the detected parameter of the current control circuit is the lapsed time, and determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state indicative of the hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus comprises: comparing the detected lapsed time to a first predetermined time, and determining that the current control circuit is in the first state as a result of determining that the detected lapsed time is shorter than the first predetermined time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein the first mode of operation comprises linear control of the switching circuitry. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein the second mode of operation comprises switch mode control of the switching circuitry. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein the second mode of operation comprises controlling the switching circuitry of using a waveform from a group of piece-wise linear, saw-tooth, sinusoidal or spline. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein the switching circuitry comprises a transistor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein the current detection circuitry comprises a resistor and the processing circuitry comprises a voltage detector configured to measure a voltage across said resistor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The current control circuit of claim 1, wherein the output circuit comprises an inductor arranged in series with the output terminal, and a diode connected from an input of the output circuit to ground. ### Claim 12 A method for a current control circuit comprising: receiving a first signal indicative of a current flowing from an input terminal to an output terminal, the input terminal configured to be connected to a DC voltage bus; determining a state of the current control circuit; selecting a mode of operation based on said determined state of the current control circuit; and controlling an output current using the selected mode of operation, wherein selecting the mode of operation based on said determined state of the current control circuit comprises: determining whether the determined state is a first state indicative of a hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus, wherein determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state comprises comparing a detected parameter of switching circuitry to a predetermined threshold, the switching circuitry connected to the input terminal via current detection circuitry and further connected to the output terminal via an output circuit and configured to provide a controllable resistance; and selecting between i) a first mode of operation and ii) a second mode of operation in dependence on whether the determined state is the first state indicative of the hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus such that the first mode of operation is selected as a result of determining that the determined state is the first state and otherwise the second mode is selected. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said determining the state involves measuring an output voltage at the output terminal and the detected parameter of the current control circuit is the measured output voltage, and determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state comprises: comparing the output voltage to a first predetermined threshold voltage, and determining that the current control circuit is in the first state as a result of determining that the output voltage is below the first predetermined threshold voltage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said determining the state involves measuring an input voltage at the input terminal and the detected parameter of the current control circuit is the measured input voltage, and determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state comprises: comparing the input voltage to a second predetermined threshold voltage, and determining that the current control circuit is in the first state as a result of determining that the input voltage is below the second predetermined threshold voltage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said determining the state involves measuring a temperature of the switching circuitry, the detected parameter of the current control circuit is the measured temperature, and the predetermined threshold is a first predetermined threshold temperature, and determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state comprises: determining that the current control circuit is in the first state as a result of determining that the measured temperature is below the first predetermined threshold temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said determining the state involves measuring a lapsed time from starting the current control circuit and the detected parameter of the current control circuit is the lapsed time, and determining whether the current control circuit is in the first state comprises: comparing the detected lapsed time to a first predetermined time, and determining that the current control circuit is in the first state as a result of determining that the measured lapsed time is shorter than a first predetermined time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first mode of operation comprises a linear control of the output current using the switching circuitry. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the second mode of operation comprises switch mode control of the output current using the switching circuitry. ### Claim 19 A control circuit, comprising: an input terminal configured to be connected to a DC voltage bus; an output terminal; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: receive a first signal indicative of a current flowing from the input terminal to the output terminal, determine whether the control circuit is in a first state indicative of a hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus, wherein determining whether the control circuit is in the first state comprises comparing a detected parameter of switching circuitry to a predetermined threshold, the switching circuitry connected to the input terminal via current detection circuitry and further connected to the output terminal via an output circuit and configured to provide a controllable resistance, select between i) a first mode of operation and ii) a second mode of operation in dependence on whether the control circuit is determined to be in the first state indicative of the hot plug-in of the input terminal to the connectable DC voltage bus such that the processor selects the first mode of operation as a result of determining that the control circuit is in the first state and otherwise the processor selects the second mode of operation, and control an output current using the selected mode of operation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to control the output current using the first mode of operation by changing the output current at a first speed, and the processor is configured to control the output current using the second mode of operation by changing the output current at a second speed, wherein the first speed is slower than the second speed.