# US 9,882,472 B2 · Techniques for power supply topologies with capacitance management to reduce power loss associated with charging and discharging when cycling between power states > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,472 B2 - Document ID: US9882472B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/496,838 - Filed: 2014-09-25 - Published: 2016-03-31 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-25 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Nicholas P. Cowley; Ruchir Saraswat; Richard J. Goldman; David T. Bernard; Gordon J. Walsh; Michael Langan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882472B2 ## CPC - H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators - G05F 1/56: using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices (G05F1/461 takes precedence) - H02M 1/36: Means for starting or stopping converters - H02M 1/0032: {Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode} - H02M 1/009: {having two or more independently controlled outputs (for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561)} - H02M 3/1566: {with means for compensating against rapid load changes, e.g. with auxiliary current source, with dual mode control or with inductance variation} - 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) - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract In at least one embodiment there is provided a method for managing bulk capacitance of a power supply system. The method includes precharging first and second bulk capacitors of the power supply system to approximately a first output voltage level and a second output voltage level, respectively; receiving a first command signal to generate, by the power supply, the first output voltage level; coupling the first bulk capacitance to load circuitry coupled to the power supply; receiving a second command signal to generate, by the power supply, the second output voltage level; and coupling the second bulk capacitance to the load circuitry coupled to the power supply. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power supply system comprising: power train circuitry configured to generate a first output voltage level associated with a full power state and a second output voltage level associated with a low power state, based on, at least in part, a first output level control signal and a second output level control signal, respectively, to deliver power to load circuitry coupled to the power train circuitry, wherein the first output voltage level is greater than the second output voltage level; first bulk capacitor circuitry and a second bulk capacitor circuitry, wherein the first bulk capacitor circuitry comprises a plurality of capacitors, and wherein the first bulk capacitor circuitry is configured to be precharged to approximately the first output voltage level and the second bulk capacitor circuitry is configured to be precharged to approximately the second output voltage level; capacitive management circuitry configured to couple the first bulk capacitor circuitry to the load circuitry based on the first output level control signal, the first output level control signal being proportional to the first output voltage level, or to couple the second bulk capacitor circuitry to load circuitry based on the second output level control signal, the second output level control signal being proportional to the second output voltage level; and wherein the capacitive management circuitry is configured to electrically couple each of the plurality of capacitors in series with each other in response to the first output level control signal and to electrically couple each of the plurality of capacitors in parallel with each other in response to the second output level control signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising: reference signal management circuitry configured to generate a first reference signal, in response to the first output level control signal, to control the power train circuitry to generate the first output voltage level; and to generate a second reference signal, in response to the second output level control signal, to control the power train circuitry to generate the second output voltage level. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power supply system of claim 2, wherein the power train circuitry comprises comparator circuitry configured to compare the first and second reference signals to the first and second output voltage levels, respectively. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The power supply system of claim 3, wherein the power train circuitry further comprises power switch circuitry coupled to an input voltage source and wherein a conduction state of the power switch circuitry is configured to be controlled by an output of the comparator circuitry to generate the first output voltage level or the second output voltage level. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The power supply system of claim 3, wherein the power train circuitry further comprises pulse width modulation (PWM) control circuitry, high side switch circuitry and low side switch circuitry; wherein the PWM control circuitry is configured to generate a PWM signal to control a conduction state of the high side switch circuitry and a complimentary PWM signal to control a conduction state of the low side switch circuitry; wherein a duty cycle of the PWM signal is controlled by an output of the comparator circuitry to generate the first output voltage level or the second output voltage level. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the power train circuitry is further configured to cycle between the first output voltage level and the second output voltage level, based on, at least in part, the first output level control signal and the second output level control signal, respectively. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the capacitive management circuitry is further configured to decouple the first bulk capacitor circuitry from the load circuitry when the second bulk capacitor circuitry is coupled to the load circuitry, and decouple the second bulk capacitor circuitry from the load circuitry when the first bulk capacitor circuitry is coupled to the load circuitry. ### Claim 8 A method for managing bulk capacitance of a power supply system, comprising: precharging first and second bulk capacitors of the power supply system to approximately a first output voltage level associated with a full power state and a second output voltage level associated with a low power state, respectively, wherein the first bulk capacitor comprises a plurality of capacitors, and wherein the first output voltage level is greater than the second output voltage level; receiving a first command signal to generate, by the power supply system, the first output voltage level, the first command signal being proportional to the first output voltage level; in response to receiving the first command signal, coupling the first bulk capacitor to load circuitry coupled to the power supply and electrically coupling the plurality of capacitors in series with each other; receiving a second command signal to generate, by the power supply, the second output voltage level, the second command signal being proportional to the second output voltage level; and in response to receiving the second command signal, coupling the second bulk capacitor to the load circuitry coupled to the power supply and electrically coupling the plurality of capacitors in parallel with each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: generating a first reference signal, in response to the first command signal, to control the power supply system to generate the first output voltage level; and generating a second reference signal, in response to the second command signal, to control the power supply system to generate the second output voltage level. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: comparing the first and second reference signals to the first and second output voltage levels, respectively. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: controlling, by a result of the comparing, power switch circuitry to generate the first output voltage level or the second output voltage level. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: controlling, by a result of the comparing, PWM control circuitry to generate a PWM signal to control a conduction state of high side switch circuitry and a complimentary PWM signal to control a conduction state of low side switch circuitry; wherein a duty cycle of the PWM signal is controlled by the result of the comparing to generate the first output voltage level or the second output voltage level. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising cycling between the first output voltage level and the second output voltage level, based on, at least in part, the first command signal and the second command signal, respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising decoupling the first bulk capacitor from the load circuitry when the second bulk capacitor is coupled to the load circuitry, and decoupling the second bulk capacitor from the load circuitry when the first bulk capacitor is coupled to the load circuitry. ### Claim 15 A system, comprising: a power supply and load circuitry, the power supply comprising: power train circuitry configured to generate a first output voltage level associated with a full power state and a second output voltage level associated with a low power state, based on, at least in part, a first output level control signal and a second output level control signal, respectively, to deliver power to the load circuitry coupled to the power train circuitry, wherein the first output voltage level is greater than the second output voltage level; first bulk capacitor circuitry and a second bulk capacitor circuitry, wherein the first bulk capacitor circuitry comprises a plurality of capacitors, and wherein the first bulk capacitor circuitry is configured to be precharged to approximately the first output voltage level and the second bulk capacitor circuitry is configured to be precharged to approximately the second output voltage level; and capacitive management circuitry configured to: in response to the first output level control signal, couple the first bulk capacitor circuitry to the load circuitry, and electrically couple the plurality of capacitors in series with each other, the first output level control signal being proportional to the first output voltage level; and, in response to the second output level control signal, couple the second bulk capacitor circuitry to the load circuitry, and electrically couple the plurality of capacitors in parallel with each other, the second output level control signal being proportional to the second output voltage level; and wherein the load circuitry comprising processor circuitry and memory circuitry. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the power train circuitry is further configured to cycle between the first output voltage level and the second output voltage level, based on, at least in part, the first output level control signal and the second output level control signal, respectively. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the capacitive management circuitry is further configured to decouple the first bulk capacitor circuitry from the load circuitry when the second bulk capacitor circuitry is coupled to the load circuitry, and decouple the second bulk capacitor circuitry from the load circuitry when the first bulk capacitor circuitry is coupled to the load circuitry. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the load circuitry is an Internet of Things (IoT) device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the load circuitry is a wearable device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the load circuitry further comprises baseband management controller circuitry configured to generate the first output level control signal and the second output level control signal. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the power train circuitry is a linear regulator power supply. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the power train circuitry is a switched DC/DC converter power supply.