US 11,442,519 B1 · External power supply and method to enhance the output power delivered by an external power supply

Abstract

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of an external power supply and methods to enhance the output power delivered by an external power supply to a power consuming load. As described in more detail below, the embodiments disclosed herein enable an external power supply to deliver a higher than maximum output power for short periods of time when ambient temperatures within the external power supply are low. As the ambient temperature increases, the embodiments disclosed herein throttle (or incrementally reduce) the output power delivered by the external power supply until the maximum output power specified for the power supply is reached. Although not strictly limited to such, the external power supply may be a Universal Serial Bus (USB)-enabled AC/DC adapter, and more specifically, a USB Power Deliver (USB-PD) AC/DC adapter, in some embodiments.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method to enhance an output power delivered by an external power supply to a power consuming load, wherein the external power supply has a maximum output power rating and comprises a transformer coupled to transform an input power to the output power delivered by the external power supply, wherein the method comprises:

detecting an ambient temperature within the external power supply;
comparing the ambient temperature to a plurality of temperature threshold values;
and
determining if current and/or voltage settings for the transformer should be adjusted based on the comparison;
wherein if the method determines that the current and/or voltage settings for the transformer should be adjusted, the method further comprises:
selecting, from a plurality of current/voltage (I/V) curves, an I/V curve corresponding to a lowest temperature threshold value met or exceeded by the ambient temperature;
and
using the selected I/V curve to select I/V settings for the transformer that maximize the output power delivered by the external power supply at the ambient temperature.

5 more elements

An external power supply coupled to convert alternating current (AC) power received from an AC power source to a direct current (DC) output current supplied to a power consuming load, where a maximum output power rating is specified for the external power supply, and wherein the external power supply comprises:

a rectifier circuit coupled to receive the AC power from the AC power source and configured to convert the AC power to DC power;
a transformer coupled to receive a DC input current from the rectifier circuit on a primary side of the transformer, and configured to provide a DC output current and a DC output voltage on a secondary side of the transformer;
and
a controller coupled to monitor the DC output current and the DC output voltage, along with an ambient temperature detected within the external power supply, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically determine and select current/voltage (I/V) settings for the transformer that maximize an output power delivered by the external power supply to the power consuming load based on an internal thermal headroom within the external power supply.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

External power supply and method to enhance the output power delivered by an external power supply

Life of this patent

External power supply and method to enhance the output power delivered by an external power supply

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21