Power supply and power supply method with power sharing and overshoot preventing
AssigneeMonolithic Power Systems, Inc.
InventorsMing Lu, Pengjie Lai, Jian Jiang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power supply covering power sharing and overshoot preventing functions. In the power supply, a first eFuse is used to deliver a first input power source to a first load at a first bus terminal, and a second eFuse is used to deliver a second input power source to a second load at a second bus terminal. When the current flowing through one eFuse hits its current limit threshold, the other input power source kicks in to provide power support. The current limit threshold of each eFuse is set to be lower than its maximum rated current.
Claims20
A power supply, comprising:
- a first eFuse, configured to deliver a first input power source to a first bus terminal, to provide a first bus voltage, wherein the first eFuse has a maximum rated current;
- a second eFuse, configured to deliver a second input power source to a second bus terminal, to provide a second bus voltage, wherein the second eFuse has a maximum rated current;
- a power sharing converter, coupled between the first bus terminal and the second bus terminal, to selectively provide an electrical path between the first bus terminal and the second bus terminal;
- and
- a controller, configured to control the first eFuse, the second eFuse and the power sharing converter in response to a current flowing through the first eFuse;
- wherein if the current flowing through the first eFuse hits a first current limit threshold, the second input power source kicks in via the power sharing converter to provide power support, wherein the first current limit threshold is lower than the maximum rated current of the first eFuse.
A method of controlling a power supply to supply power, wherein the power supply comprises a first eFuse configured to deliver a first input power source to a first load at a first bus terminal and a second eFuse configured to deliver a second input power source to a second load at a second bus terminal, and wherein the first eFuse and the second eFuse each has a maximum rated current, the method comprising:
- establishing an electrical path between the first bus terminal and the second bus terminal;
- enabling the power supplying from the second input power source to the first load through the electrical path if the current flowing through the first eFuse hits a first current limit threshold, wherein the first current limit threshold is lower than the maximum rated current of the first eFuse.
A method of controlling a power supply to supply power, wherein the power supply comprises a first eFuse configured to deliver a first input power source to a first load at a first bus terminal, and a second eFuse configured to deliver a second input power source to a second load at a second bus terminal, and wherein the first eFuse and the second eFuse each has a maximum rated current, the method comprising:
- establishing an electrical path between the first bus terminal and the second bus terminal;
- supplying power from the second input power source to the first load through the electrical path if the current flowing through the first eFuse hits a first current limit threshold, wherein the first current limit threshold is lower than the maximum rated current of the first eFuse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.