Power supply unit with auxiliary boost control in bootloader mode
AssigneeAstec International Limited
InventorsChih-hao Hsu, Chang-Chieh Yu, Carl Walker, Chun-Wei Chang, Po-Tso Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The technology described herein is directed to a DC input power supply unit with an auxiliary boost control circuit (or controller) that facilitates continuous supply of power to a standby output load of the power supply unit in a bootloader mode. More specifically, the auxiliary boost circuit (or controller) is configured to assume control of a primary power boost stage from a primary controller in a bootloader mode so that the power supply unit can continue to supply power to the standby output with a protection function regardless of the state of the power supply unit or primary controller.
Claims20
A power supply unit, comprising:
- an input configured to receive a direct current (DC) input voltage from a voltage source;
- a filter coupled to the input and configured to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the input voltage;
- a boost stage circuit coupled with the filter and configured to regulate step up of an output of the filter to a minimum threshold voltage based on a boost regulator signal;
- a primary controller coupled with the boost stage circuit and configured to control the boost regulator signal;
- a boost auxiliary circuit coupled with the primary controller and configured to assume control of the boost regulator signal during a bootloader mode;
- a buck stage circuit coupled with the boost stage circuit and configured to regulate step down of an output voltage of the boost stage circuit to a predetermined DC output voltage based on a buck regulator signal;
- a secondary controller coupled with the buck stage circuit and configured to control the buck regulator signal;
- a bias module coupled with the boost stage circuit and configured to regulate the output voltage of the boost stage circuit to a nominal DC output voltage;
- a main output configured to supply the predetermined DC output voltage to a load;
- and
- a standby output configured to supply the nominal DC output voltage to the load.
A method of continuously supplying power to a standby output of a power supply unit in a bootloader mode, the method comprising:
- receiving, by an input port of the power supply unit, a direct current (DC) input voltage from a voltage source;
- filtering, by an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter, the DC input voltage;
- driving, by a primary controller of the power supply unit, a boost regulator signal to control regulation by a boost stage circuit;
- regulating, by the boost stage circuit, step up of the filtered input voltage to a minimum threshold voltage based on the boost regulator signal;
- asserting, by the primary controller, a bootloader signal in response to receiving a request to enter the bootloader mode;
- and
- responsive to detecting assertion of the bootloader signal, assuming, by a boost auxiliary circuit coupled with the primary controller, control of driving the boost regulator signal to continuously supply the power to the standby output of the power supply unit in the bootloader mode.
An auxiliary boost control circuit for a low voltage direct current (LVDC) input power supply unit, the auxiliary boost control circuit comprising:
- means for monitoring for assertion of a bootloader signal in an idle state, wherein the bootloader signal indicates that a primary controller of the LVDC input power supply unit is entering a bootloader mode;
- and
- means for transitioning the auxiliary boost control circuit from the idle state to an auxiliary protection state responsive to assertion of the bootloader signal, wherein the auxiliary boost control circuit is configured to assume control of a boost regulator signal for controlling regulation of a boost stage circuit for stepping up an input to a minimum threshold voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.