Circuits and methods for controlling power in a battery operated system
AssigneeSummit Microelectronics, Inc.
InventorsM Abid Hussain, Takashi Kanamori
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods of controlling power in battery operated systems. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a switching regulator for boosting voltage on a depleted battery to power up a system. The system may communicate with an external system to increase the current received from the external system. Embodiments of the present invention include circuits for controlling power received from external power sources such as a USB power source. In another embodiment, input-output control techniques are disclosed for controlling the delivery of power to a system or charging a system battery, or both, from an external power source.
Claims43
An electronic circuit comprising:
- an input to receive power from a Universal Serial Bus (USB) system;
- a switching regulator having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal configured provide power to system electronics, wherein the second terminal is coupled to a battery;
- and
- a detection circuit to detect a voltage of the battery,
- wherein, before enumeration with said USB system, when the voltage of the battery is below a first voltage level sufficient to power up said system electronics, and after the USB system is connected to said input, the switching regulator is configured to boost the voltage of the battery to provide a voltage and a current to said system electronics to power up said system electronics.
A method comprising:
- determining if an external power source of a USB system has sufficient power to power up system electronics, wherein the external power source of the USB system is connected to a circuit, the circuit comprising a switching regulator having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal configured to provide power to the system electronics, and wherein the second terminal is coupled to a battery;
- detecting a voltage of the battery;
- and
- boosting, by the switching regulator, the voltage of the battery to provide a voltage and a current to said system electronics to power up said system electronics,
- wherein said boosting is performed before enumeration with said USB system when the voltage of the battery is below a first voltage level sufficient to power up said system electronics and after the external power source of the USB system is connected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.