# US 2019/0245357 A1 · Power supply device having hierarchical structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0245357 A1 - Document ID: US20190245357A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/248,864 - Filed: 2019-01-16 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-06 - Assignees: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute - Applicants: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute - Inventors: Yil Suk YANG; Jimin OH; Young-Gi LEE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190245357A1 ## CPC - H02J 7/34: Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H02J 2207/40: adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract Provided is a power supply device for supplying power to load elements. The power supply device includes a main power module including a main battery, a main power controller configured to control charging and discharging of the main power module, a sub-power module including sub-batteries respectively corresponding to the load elements, and a sub-power controller configured to control charging and discharging of the sub-power module, Based on a remaining capacity of the main battery and a remaining capacity of the sub-batteries, the power supply device is selectively operated in a first mode in which charging and discharging are possible for both the main power module and the sub-power module, a second mode in which charging and discharging are possible only for the sub-power module, or a third mode in which charging and discharging are possible only for the main power module. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power supply device for supplying power to load elements, the device comprising: a main power module including a main battery; a main power controller configured to control charging and discharging of the main power module; a sub-power module including sub-batteries respectively corresponding to the load elements; and a sub-power controller configured to control charging and discharging of the sub-power module, wherein based on a remaining capacity of the main battery and a remaining capacity of the sub-batteries, the power supply device is selectively operated in a first mode in which charging and discharging are possible for both the main power module and the sub-power module, a second mode in which charging and discharging are possible only for the sub-power module, or a third mode in which charging and discharging are possible only for the main power module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein the main power module further comprises at least one power source of a USB power source, an AC power source, and an energy harvester power source, wherein the main power controller charges the main battery using power discharged from the at least one power source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein the main power controller transforms a power discharged from the main power module and supplies the transformed power to the sub-power module or the load elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein an operating voltage and a storage capacity of each of the sub-batteries depend on characteristics of a load element corresponding to each of the sub-batteries. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein the sub-power controller transforms a power discharged from the sub-batteries and supplies the transformed power to the load elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein the sub-batteries comprise a first sub-battery and a second sub-battery, wherein the sub-power controller charges the second sub-battery using a power discharged from the first sub-battery. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein when the remaining capacity of the main battery is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and the remaining capacity of each of the sub-batteries is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, the power supply device is operated in the first mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein when operating in the first mode, at least one of an operation of charging the main battery, a charging operation of the sub-batteries, and an operation of supplying power to the load elements is performed, wherein the charging operation of the sub-batteries comprises a mutual charging operation between the sub-batteries. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein when the remaining capacity of the main battery is lower than a first threshold value, the power supply device is operated in the second mode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein when operating in the second mode, at least one of a mutual charging operation between the sub-batteries and an operation of supplying power to the load elements is performed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, further comprising a first selector configured to select one of a power discharged from the main power controller and a power discharged from the sub-power controller, and output the selected power to the sub-power module. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The power supply device of claim 11, wherein when operating in the second mode, the first selector selects a power discharged from the sub-power controller under a received control signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein when the remaining capacity of at least one of the sub-batteries is lower than a second threshold value, the power supply device is operated in the third mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein when operating in the third mode, at least one of a charging operation of the main battery and an operation of supplying power to the load elements is performed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, further comprising a second selector configured to select one of a power discharged from the main power controller and a power discharged from the sub-power controller, and output the selected power to the load elements, wherein the second selector comprises multiplexers respectively corresponding to the load elements. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The power supply device of claim 15, wherein when operating in the third mode, the second selector selects a power discharged from the main power controller under a received control signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The power supply device of claim 1, wherein each of the load elements comprises an AP core, a memory, a peripheral device, a sensor, a display, or an input/output port.