Switched capacitor hold-up scheme for constant boost output voltage
AssigneeInterpoint Corporation
InventorErnest Clyde Parker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power architecture receives an input signal at an input node and converts the input signal into an intermediate signal with a power conversion stage. The power conversion stage supplies the intermediate signal to an output node of the power conversion stage where the intermediate signal is filtered with an operating capacitance coupled to the output node. A hold-up capacitance is charged, and when a loss of the input signal is detected, the hold-up capacitance is coupled to the input node.
Claims25
A boost converter power supply, comprising:
- a boost stage configured to convert an input signal having a first voltage level into an intermediate signal having a second voltage level, the second voltage level higher than the first voltage level;
- an operating capacitor fixedly electrically coupled to an output of the boost stage;
- a hold-up capacitor conditionally electrically coupled to either the output of the boost stage or an input of the boost stage;
- a detection circuit configured to provide a failure signal upon loss of the input signal;
- and
- a switching circuit responsive to the failure signal and operable to electrically couple the hold-up capacitor to the output of the boost stage when the failure signal has a first state and alternatively electrically couple the hold-up capacitor to the input of the boost stage when the failure signal has a second state.
A power architecture, comprising:
- an electronic switch circuit;
- a power conversion circuit, the power conversion circuit including:
- an input node to receive an input power signal;
- an output node to supply an intermediate power signal;
- an operating capacitance node to electrically couple an operating capacitive device between the output node and a power rail;
- and
- a hold-up capacitance node electrically coupleable via the electronic switch circuit to the output node when the electronic switch circuit is in a first state, the hold-up capacitance node alternatively electrically coupleable via the electronic switch circuit to the input node when the electronic switch circuit is in a second state;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to control the electronic switch circuit into the first state or the second state in response to the input power signal.
A method of maintaining an output voltage level of a power architecture, comprising:
- receiving a first input signal at an input node of a power conversion stage;
- converting the first input signal into a first intermediate signal by the power conversion stage;
- supplying the first intermediate signal to an output node of the power conversion stage, the first intermediate signal having a particular voltage level;
- charging a hold-up capacitance;
- detecting a loss of the first input signal;
- and
- electrically coupling the hold-up capacitance to the input node in response to the detection of the loss of the first input signal, the hold-up capacitance providing a second input signal to the power conversion stage and the power conversion stage supplying a second intermediate signal to the output node of the power conversion stage, the second intermediate signal having a voltage level that is substantially the same as the particular voltage level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.