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US 8,710,820 B2Granted
Switched capacitor hold-up scheme for constant boost output voltage
AssigneeCrane Electronics, Inc.
InventorErnest Clyde Parker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims23
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 electrically coupled to an output of the boost stage;
- a hold-up capacitor electrically coupled to the output of the boost stage under a first condition and electrically coupled to an input of the boost stage under a second condition;
- a detection circuit configured to provide a failure signal upon loss of the input signal;
- a slow transient response circuit coupled to the input signal;
- a fast transient response circuit coupled to the input signal;
- a switching circuit that, responsive to receipt of the failure signal from the detection circuit, isolates the slow transient response circuit from the input signal and couples the fast transient response circuit to the input signal;
- and
- a controllable switching circuit having a first controllable switch element and a second controllable switch element, the first and second controllable switch elements each having a first node directly connected to the holdup capacitor, the first controllable switch element having a second node directly connected to the output of the boost stage, the second controllable switch element having a second node electrically coupled to the input of the boost stage, the controllable switching circuit responsive to the failure signal and operable to disconnect, via the second controllable switch element, the hold-up capacitor from the input of the boost stage and connect, via the first controllable switch element, the hold-up capacitor to the output of the boost stage in parallel with the operating capacitor in the first condition when the failure signal has a first state, the controllable switching circuit further operable to disconnect, via the first controllable switch element, the hold-up capacitor from the output of the boost stage and connect, via the second controllable switch element, the hold-up capacitor to the input of the boost stage in the second condition when the failure signal has a second state.
6 more elements
A power architecture, comprising:
- an electronic switch circuit having a first controllable switch and a second controllable switch;
- 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;
- a slow transient response circuit coupled to the input node;
- a fast transient response circuit coupled to the input node;
- a switching circuit that responsive to a loss of the input power signal, isolates the slow transient response circuit from the input node and couples the fast transient response circuit to the input node;
- and
- a hold-up capacitance node directly connected to a first node of the first controllable switch and a first node of the second controllable switch, the hold-up capacitance node disconnected, via the second controllable switch, from the input node and connected, via the first controllable switch, to the output node when the electronic switch circuit is in a first state, the hold-up capacitance node disconnected, via the first controllable switch, from the output node and connected, via the second controllable switch, 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.
9 more elements
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;
- controlling the power conversion stage using one of a slow transient response circuit or a fast transient response circuit coupled to the input node;
- 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;
- connecting the hold-up capacitance to the output node of the power conversion stage through a closed first controllable switch, the first controllable switch having a first node directly connected to the hold-up capacitance and a second node directly connected to the output node;
- detecting a loss of the first input signal;
- responsive to a loss of the input power signal, isolating the slow transient response circuit from the input node and coupling the fast transient response circuit to the input node;
- opening the closed first controllable switch in response to the detection of the loss of the first input signal;
- disconnecting the hold-up capacitance from the output node of the power conversion stage as a result of opening the closed first controllable switch;
- and
- electrically coupling the hold-up capacitance to the input node through a second controllable switch in response to the detection of the loss of the first input signal, the second controllable switch having a first node directly connected to the hold-up capacitance, 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.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.