# US 11,121,644 B2 · Power supply system for optimizing overall efficiency using artificial intelligence > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,121,644 B2 - Document ID: US11121644B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/547,803 - Filed: 2019-08-22 - Published: 2020-10-01 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-25 - Assignees: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC - Applicants: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC - Inventors: Jefferson W. Hall; Ajay Karthik Hari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11121644B2 ## CPC - H02M 1/44: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters - G05B 13/024: {in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance} - G05B 13/0265: {the criterion being a learning criterion} - G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) - G06F 1/32: Means for saving power - G06N 3/045: Combinations of networks - G06N 3/0464: Convolutional networks [CNN, ConvNet] - G06N 3/08: Learning methods - H02J 13/00: Circuit arrangements for providing remote monitoring or remote control of equipment in a power distribution network - H02M 1/083: {for the ignition at the zero crossing of the voltage or the current} - H02M 1/4233: {using a bridge converter comprising active switches} - H02M 7/53873: {with digital control} - H02M 1/0012: {Control circuits using digital or numerical techniques (in DC/DC converters H02M3/157, H02M3/33515; in DC-AC converters H02M7/53873)} - H02M 1/0025: {Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter} - H02M 1/0032: {Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode} - H02M 1/0035: {using burst mode control} - H02M 1/0058: {by employing soft switching techniques, i.e. commutation of transistors when applied voltage is zero or when current flow is zero (using an auxiliary actively switched resonant commutation circuit connected to an intermediate DC voltage or between two push-pull branches of an inverter bridge H02M7/4811; in resonant inverters H02M7/4815; in inverters operating from a resonant DC source H02M7/4826)} - 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 - 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) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract According to an aspect, a power supply system includes a plurality of power stages configured to receive an input voltage and generate an output voltage, and a system host device connected to the plurality of power stages. The system host device includes a system performance controller configured to set or update one or more control parameters for controlling the plurality of power stages using overall energy conversion efficiency. The system host device includes an efficiency computation circuit configured to compute the overall energy conversion efficiency based on measured conditions, and a control manipulation module configured to modify the one or more control parameters until the overall energy conversion efficiency achieves a threshold condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power supply system comprising: a plurality of power stages configured to receive an input voltage and generate an output voltage; a metering circuit connected to the plurality of power stages, the metering circuit configured to obtain measured conditions, the metering circuit including an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); and a system host device connected to the plurality of power stages and the metering circuit, the system host device including a system performance controller configured to set or update one or more control parameters for controlling the plurality of power stages using overall energy conversion efficiency, the system host device including: an efficiency computation circuit configured to compute the overall energy conversion efficiency based on the measured conditions; and a control manipulation module configured to modify the one or more control parameters until the overall energy conversion efficiency achieves a threshold condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the one or more control parameters include phase transition parameters defining one or more efficiency transition points that indicate a timing of when to deactivate or activate one or more of the plurality of power stages. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the one or more control parameters include an intermediate bus voltage indicating a voltage on a power bus between two adjacent power stages. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the one or more control parameters include at least one of input conditions or output conditions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power stages are connected in series. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power states are connected in parallel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the efficiency computation circuit is configured to compute the overall energy conversion efficiency based on the input voltage, an input current, the output voltage, and an output current. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the system performance controller is configured to update the one or more control parameters in response to a triggering event. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power supply system of claim 8, wherein the triggering event includes activation of the plurality of power stages, detection of a change in the measured conditions of the plurality of power stages, or detection of the overall energy conversion efficiency not achieving the threshold condition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power stages includes a first power stage and a second power stage, the system host device being connected to the first power stage via a first power communication bus, the system host device being connected to the second power stage via a second power communication bus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the control manipulation module is configured to execute an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm defining a neutral network having an input layer, one or more hidden layers, and an output layer, the control manipulation module configured to apply training data to the neutral network to predict one or more values for the one or more control parameters that result in the overall energy conversion efficiency achieving the threshold condition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the metering circuit includes a multiplexer. ### Claim 13 A power supply system comprising: a plurality of power stages configured to receive an input voltage and generate an output voltage, the plurality of power stages including a first power stage and a second power stage; a metering circuit connected to the plurality of power stages, the metering circuit configured to obtain measured conditions, the metering circuit including an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); and a system host device connected to the plurality of power stages, the system host device storing a control parameter for controlling the plurality of power stages, the system host device including a system performance controller configured to receive the measured conditions from the metering circuit, and, in response to a triggering event, to update the control parameter based on the measured conditions, the system performance controller including: an efficiency computation circuit configured to compute the overall energy conversion efficiency based on the measured conditions; and a control manipulation module configured to modify the control parameter until the overall energy conversion efficiency achieves a threshold condition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The power supply system of claim 13, wherein the control parameter includes a phase transition point to deactivate the first power stage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The power supply system of claim 13, wherein the control parameter includes a phase transition point to activate the first power state. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The power supply system of claim 13, wherein the control parameter includes an intermediate bus voltage, the intermediate bus voltage being a voltage between the first power stage and the second power stage. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The power supply system of claim 13, wherein the control parameter includes an input voltage or output voltage of the first power stage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The power supply system of claim 13, wherein the triggering event includes detection of a change in the measured conditions or detection of the overall energy conversion efficiency not achieving the threshold condition. ### Claim 19 A method of controlling a plurality of power stages using overall energy conversion efficiency, the method comprising: detecting a triggering event of the plurality of power stages, the plurality of power stages including a first power stage and a second power stage connected in series or in parallel with the first power stage; obtaining, by a metering circuit, measured conditions of the plurality of power stages, the metering circuit including an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that converts the measured conditions from an analog format to a digital format; updating a value for a control parameter that controls the plurality of power stages based on the overall energy conversion efficiency, the control parameter including a phase transition parameter, an intermediate bus voltage, or an input or output condition of an individual power stage, the updating including: receiving the measured conditions from the metering circuit; computing the overall energy conversion efficiency based on the measured conditions; and modifying the control parameter until the overall energy conversion efficiency achieves a threshold condition. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the triggering event includes activation of the plurality of power stages, detection of a change in the measured conditions, or detection of the overall energy conversion efficiency not achieving the threshold condition. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the overall energy conversion efficiency is computed based on input voltage, input current, output voltage, and output current.