# US 7,609,043 B2 · Power array system and method

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- Number: US 7,609,043 B2
- Document ID: US7609043B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/080,645
- Filed: 2008-04-04
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2002-07-10
- Assignees: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
- Inventors: Sehat Sutardja; Runsheng He; Jiancheng Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609043B2

## CPC

- H02M 3/157: with digital control
- H02M 1/088: for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
- H02M 1/38: Means for preventing simultaneous conduction of switches
- H02M 3/158: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
- H02M 3/1588: {comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element (H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence)}
- H03K 5/1565: {the output pulses having a constant duty cycle}
- H03K 17/122: {in field-effect transistor switches}
- H03K 17/167: {using parallel switching arrangements}
- H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter}
- 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 1/0048: {Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses (using snubbers H02M1/34)}
- H03K 17/6871: {the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor}
- 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)
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

A method of sensing current comprises providing a current sensor having a gain resolution; setting the gain resolution of the current sensor to an initial resolution; sensing current flowing through the current sensor; evaluating an amplitude of the current; and changing the gain resolution of the current sensor based on the evaluating.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of sensing current, comprising:
providing a current sensor having a gain resolution;
setting the gain resolution of the current sensor to an initial resolution;
sensing current flowing through the current sensor;
evaluating an amplitude of the current; and
changing the gain resolution of the current sensor based on the evaluating.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the sensing includes indirectly sensing the current.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method claim 2 wherein the indirectly sensing includes;
measuring a voltage across a predetermined impedance; and
calculating the amplitude of the current based on the voltage and the predetermined impedance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising using the current sensor in an output regulator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein the output regulator operates at a switching frequency, wherein the gain resolution is adjustable at a sampling frequency, and wherein the sampling frequency is at least 100 times greater than the switching frequency.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the changing includes:
estimating a maximum resolution based on the amplitude of the current; and
setting the gain resolution of the current sensor to the maximum resolution.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the changing includes evaluating a resolution trigger.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising selecting the resolution trigger based on the amplitude of the current.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the current flows through parallel power switches and wherein the resolution trigger is selected based on a number of the parallel power switches that are enabled.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the current flows through parallel power switches and wherein the resolution trigger is selected based on a predetermined time in a conduction cycle of the parallel power switches.