Auxiliary power supply circuit, electronic device, and method of operating auxiliary power supply circuit

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an auxiliary power supply circuit that can measure a first time for a voltage level of a capacitor to drop from a first level to a second level due to a leakage current of the capacitor, can charge the capacitor to a third level, can measure a second time for the voltage level of the capacitor to drop from the third level to a fourth level due to the leakage current of the capacitor and a discharge current of a current source, can calculate a capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first level, the second level, the first time, the third level, the fourth level, the second time, and the discharge current of the current source, and can determine a state of the capacitor based on the calculated capacitance value of the capacitor.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0037043, filed on March 25, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Various embodiments generally relate to an auxiliary power supply circuit, electronic device, and method of operating the auxiliary power supply circuit. Background Technology

[0004] Electronic devices can use batteries or externally supplied DC or AC power as their power source.

[0005] Electronic devices may experience unexpected sudden power outages (SPO). Sudden power outages can be caused by at least one of a variety of reasons, such as a power supply failure or a disconnection of the electrical connection between the electronic device and its power source.

[0006] When an electronic device experiences a sudden power outage, it may suffer irreparable damage. In particular, when the electronic device includes electronic storage media such as memory for storing user data, the user data may be lost or corrupted due to a sudden power interruption, which may compromise the reliability of the electronic device. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Various embodiments relate to an auxiliary power supply circuit, an electronic device, and a method of operating the auxiliary power supply circuit, which is capable of calculating the capacitance value of a capacitor by correcting the leakage current of a capacitor in the auxiliary power supply circuit.

[0008] In an embodiment, an auxiliary power supply circuit may include: at least one capacitor configured to store backup power; a current source configured to discharge a charge charged into the capacitor; a voltage detector configured to detect the voltage level of the capacitor; and an auxiliary power supply controller configured to, while monitoring the state of the capacitor, measure the voltage level of the capacitor at a first time due to the leakage current of the capacitor dropping from a first level to a second level, charge the capacitor to a third level, measure the voltage level of the capacitor at a second time due to the leakage current of the capacitor and the discharge current of the current source dropping from the third level to a fourth level, calculate the capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first level, the second level, the first time, the third level, the fourth level, the second time, and the discharge current of the current source, and determine the state of the capacitor based on the calculated capacitance value.

[0009] In an embodiment, an electronic device may include: a memory unit configured to store data; a power management circuit configured to supply power to the memory unit; and an auxiliary power circuit including at least one capacitor storing backup power and a current source for discharging charge charged into the capacitor. The auxiliary power circuit is configured to supply the backup power stored in the capacitor to the power management circuit in the event of a sudden power outage, and while monitoring the state of the capacitor, measure the voltage level of the capacitor at a first time as the leakage current of the capacitor drops from a first level to a second level, charge the capacitor to a third level, measure the voltage level of the capacitor at a second time as the leakage current of the capacitor and the discharge current of the current source drop from the third level to a fourth level, calculate the capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first level, second level, first time, third level, fourth level, second time, and discharge current of the current source, and determine the state of the capacitor based on the calculated capacitance value.

[0010] In an embodiment, a method for operating an auxiliary power supply circuit may include: measuring a first time during which the voltage level of a capacitor drops from a first level to a second level due to the leakage current of the capacitor; charging the capacitor to a third level; measuring a second time during which the voltage level of the capacitor drops from the third level to a fourth level due to the leakage current of the capacitor and the discharge current of a current source; calculating the capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first level, the second level, the first time, the third level, the fourth level, the second time, and the discharge current of the current source; and determining the state of the capacitor based on the calculated capacitance value.

[0011] According to embodiments of the disclosed technology, the capacitance value of a capacitor can be calculated more accurately by correcting the leakage current of the capacitor in the auxiliary power supply circuit. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 An electronic device is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

[0013] Figure 2 An auxiliary power supply circuit according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0014] Figure 3 The current path of the auxiliary power controller measuring the first time is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

[0015] Figure 4 The current path of the auxiliary power controller measuring the second time is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

[0016] Figure 5 The voltage level applied to the capacitor by the auxiliary power controller is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an auxiliary power controller determining the state of a capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

[0018] Figure 7 The operation of detecting the short-circuit state of a capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0019] Figure 8 A bidirectional buck / boost converter according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0020] Figure 9 A method for operating an auxiliary power supply circuit according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0021] Figure 10 A computing system according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the following, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Figure 1 An electronic device 10 is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

[0024] Reference Figure 1 The electronic device 10 may include a power supply device 100 and a memory unit 200 for storing data.

[0025] The memory unit 200 may include a memory device and a memory controller.

[0026] The memory device of memory cell 200 may include one or more of the following memory devices: DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory), LPDDR4 (Fourth Generation Low Power Double Data Rate) SDRAM, GDDR (Graphics Double Data Rate) SDRAM, LPDDR (Low Power DDR) SDRAM, RDRAM (Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory), NAND flash memory, 3D NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, resistive random access memory (RRAM), phase change memory (PRAM), magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM), etc.

[0027] The memory controller can control write (or program) operations, read operations, erase operations, and background operations on the memory device. For example, background operations may include at least one of garbage collection (GC) operations, wear leveling (WL) operations, bad block management (BBM) operations, etc.

[0028] A memory controller can control the operation of a memory device based on requests from an external source (e.g., a host). In contrast, a memory controller can control the operation of a memory device regardless of requests from the host.

[0029] The power supply device 100 can provide the electronic device 10 with power Vin from the power input via the power connector.

[0030] The power supply device 100 may include a power management circuit 110 that supplies power to the memory unit 200 and an auxiliary power supply circuit 120 that provides backup (or reserved) power.

[0031] The power management circuit 110 can rectify, convert, transform, and distribute the input power Vin to activate components included in the electronic device 10, such as the memory unit 200.

[0032] In the event of a sudden power outage (SPO), the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 can provide backup power to the memory cell 200 within a predetermined time to ensure the reliability of the data stored in the memory cell 200.

[0033] The power management circuit 110 and the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 can be configured by separate integrated circuits (ICs) or by a single integrated circuit.

[0034] When a sudden power outage occurs, the electronic device 10 can detect the occurrence of the sudden power outage and perform power outage protection (PLP) operation.

[0035] Since electronic device 10 relies solely on the power of auxiliary power circuit 120 after a power outage, ensuring the reliability of auxiliary power circuit 120 is crucial. Auxiliary power circuit 120 can charge capacitor elements with backup power and provide backup power to electronic device 10 in the event of a sudden power failure. Auxiliary power circuit 120 can monitor the state of capacitor elements to ensure their reliability. Capacitors can be used as capacitor elements.

[0036] Figure 2 An auxiliary power supply circuit 120 according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown. Figure 2 The auxiliary power supply circuit 120 shown can correspond to Figure 1 The auxiliary power supply circuit 120 shown is shown.

[0037] Reference Figure 2 The auxiliary power supply circuit 120 may include at least one capacitor 122 for storing backup power, a current source 124 for discharging the charge stored in the capacitor 122, a voltage detector 126 for detecting the voltage level of the capacitor 122, and an auxiliary power controller 128 for controlling the operation of the current source 124 and the voltage detector 126.

[0038] The capacitor 122 can store backup power and provide backup power to temporarily power the electronic device 10 in the event of a sudden power outage.

[0039] However, leakage current may exist in capacitor 122, meaning that the charge stored in capacitor 122 may discharge from capacitor 122. Figure 2 In this circuit, the parallel resistor RLKG connected in parallel with capacitor 122 can be a path for leakage current. Therefore, unless power is continuously supplied to the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 from the outside, the backup power of capacitor 122 may be discharged through leakage current, and thus the voltage level of capacitor 122 may decrease.

[0040] Depending on the material used to form the dielectric, the capacitor 122 can be an electrolyte capacitor, a tantalum capacitor, a film capacitor, a ceramic capacitor, etc.

[0041] Electrolytic capacitors use a thin oxide layer as the dielectric and aluminum as the electrode. Because the dielectric can be made thinner in an electrolytic capacitor, the capacitor volume is relatively large, thus allowing for a larger capacitance value relative to its volume. An electrolytic capacitor consists of two electrodes, such as a cathode and an anode.

[0042] In a tantalum capacitor, the electrodes are made of tantalum, and the capacitor includes a cathode and an anode. In a tantalum capacitor, the capacitance value changes very little due to temperature and the DC voltage of the circuit.

[0043] Film capacitors can have a structure in which a polypropylene dielectric film is placed between electrodes made of aluminum and / or copper and then wound into a roll. The characteristics of film capacitors can be varied depending on their materials and manufacturing processes. Among film capacitors, Mylar capacitors use polyester film and have a cylindrical structure.

[0044] In ceramic capacitors, materials with high dielectric constants, such as barium titanate, can be used as the dielectric. Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), a type of ceramic capacitor, can utilize high-k ceramics with a multilayer structure.

[0045] As described above, capacitor 122 can be made of various materials and have various structures. The capacitors of the types described above are examples, and embodiments of the disclosed technology are not limited thereto.

[0046] As described above, the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 may include at least one capacitor 122. When the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 includes multiple capacitors 122, the capacitors 122 may be connected to each other in various ways, such as in series, in parallel, or a combination of series and parallel. When the capacitors 122 are connected in parallel, their capacitance increases. On the other hand, when the capacitors 122 are connected in series, their capacitance decreases but a higher voltage can be applied to them.

[0047] Current source 124 measures the capacitance of capacitor 122 by discharging the charge stored in capacitor 122. Auxiliary power supply circuit 120 allows a discharge current ICS to flow through current source 124. Current source 124 operates under the control of auxiliary power supply controller 128. When auxiliary power supply circuit 120 operates to charge capacitor 122 with backup power, current source 124 can cut off current flow to prevent the charge stored in capacitor 122 from discharging through current source 124. When auxiliary power supply circuit 120 operates to monitor the state of capacitor 122, current source 124 can provide discharge current ICS for a specific time period.

[0048] Voltage detector 126 can detect the voltage level formed in capacitor 122 and can provide information about the detected voltage level of capacitor 122 to auxiliary power controller 128.

[0049] The auxiliary power controller 128 can calculate the capacitance value of capacitor 122 and determine the state of capacitor 122 based on the calculated capacitance value.

[0050] The auxiliary power controller 128 can measure the voltage level of capacitor 122 at the first time when the leakage current of capacitor 122 drops from the first level to the second level, charge capacitor 122 to the third level, and measure the voltage level of capacitor 122 at the second time when the leakage current of capacitor 122 drops from the third level to the fourth level due to the discharge current ICS of current source 124.

[0051] The auxiliary power controller 128 can calculate the capacitance value of capacitor 122 based on the first level, the second level, the first time, the third level, the fourth level, the second time, and the discharge current ICS of the current source 124.

[0052] The leakage current of capacitor 122 has a relatively large value in the initial stage of discharge, and then the value of the leakage current enters the saturation region, where the value of the leakage current becomes constant.

[0053] When the capacitance of capacitor 122 is calculated based solely on the discharge current ICS, the calculated capacitance may be inaccurate because the characteristics of capacitor 122 are not taken into account. Therefore, errors may occur in determining the state of capacitor 122.

[0054] According to embodiments of the disclosed technology, when measuring the capacitance value of capacitor 122, errors caused by leakage current can be corrected by separately measuring the first moment when the voltage level of capacitor 122 drops due to the leakage current of capacitor 122. Therefore, the capacitance value of capacitor 122 can be calculated more accurately. In particular, since the initial leakage current of capacitor 122 has a large value, the difference in accuracy between measuring the capacitance value of capacitor 122 without considering the leakage current and measuring the capacitance value of capacitor 122 with the leakage current in mind can be significant.

[0055] Figure 3 The auxiliary power controller 128 according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown measuring the current path at a first time T1.

[0056] Figure 4 The auxiliary power controller 128 according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown measuring the current path at a second time T2.

[0057] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The auxiliary power controller 128 can measure the first time T1 and the second time T2.

[0058] When monitoring the state of capacitor 122, auxiliary power controller 128 can set the discharge current ICS of current source 124 to 0 to measure the first time T1. Furthermore, auxiliary power controller 128 can charge capacitor 122 to a first level V1 and stop charging capacitor 122. Since the charge stored in capacitor 122 is not discharged through current source 124 with the discharge current ICS set to 0, the decrease in voltage level of capacitor 122 can be due to leakage current generated through the parallel resistor RLKG of capacitor 122. Therefore, when measuring the first time T1, the path of discharge current of capacitor 122 is formed only through the parallel resistor RLKG, as... Figure 3 As shown.

[0059] The auxiliary power controller 128 can use the voltage detector 126 to detect changes in the voltage level of the capacitor 122, and can measure the first time T1 when the voltage level of the capacitor 122 drops from the first level V1 to the second level V2.

[0060] To measure the second time T2, the auxiliary power controller 128 can set the discharge current ICS of the current source 124 to a non-zero value, such as IDISS. Furthermore, the auxiliary power controller 128 can charge the capacitor 122 to the third level V3 and stop charging the capacitor 122. Thus, the charge stored in the capacitor 122 is discharged through the current source 124 up to IDISS, and the decrease in the voltage level of the capacitor 122 can be due to the leakage current through the parallel resistor RLKG and the discharge current IDISS of the current source 124. Accordingly, as... Figure 4 As shown, the discharge current of capacitor 122 forms two paths: one through the parallel resistor RLKG; and the other through the current source 124.

[0061] The auxiliary power controller 128 can detect the change in voltage level of capacitor 122 through voltage detector 126, and can measure the second time T2 when the voltage level of capacitor 122 drops from the third level V3 to the fourth level V4.

[0062] The auxiliary power controller 128 can use Equation 1 to calculate the capacitance value of capacitor 122.

[0063] Equation 1

[0064]

[0065] Where C cap I is the capacitance value of capacitor 122. D V1 is the discharge current of current source 124, V2 is the first level, V3 is the second level, V4 is the fourth level, T1 is the first time and T2 is the second time.

[0066] The auxiliary power controller 128 can compensate for the value corresponding to the leakage current of the capacitor 122 when calculating the capacitance value of the capacitor 122 by measuring at the first time T1, thereby further improving the accuracy of the capacitance value of the capacitor 122.

[0067] Figure 5 The voltage level applied to capacitor 122 by auxiliary power controller 128 is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

[0068] Reference Figure 5 Voltage level V cap The voltage level of capacitor 122 is indicated by the test enable signal TB, the discharge current ICS represents the discharge current of current source 124, the clock signal CLK represents the signal used for time measurement, and the test completion signal TD indicates whether the test has been completed.

[0069] The third level V3, which serves as the basis for calculating the capacitance value of capacitor 122, can be the same as the first level V1, and the fourth level V4 can be the same as the second level V2.

[0070] When the third level V3 is set to be the same as the first level V1 and the fourth level V4 is set to be the same as the second level V2, the calculation process of the capacitor value of the auxiliary power controller 128 can be simplified.

[0071] In the following description, the assumption will be based on the third level V3 being set to be the same as the first level V1 and the fourth level V4 being set to be the same as the second level V2. Figure 5 .

[0072] The auxiliary power controller 128 can charge the capacitor 122 to a voltage level V that is the same as or higher than the first level V1. cap At this time, the test completion signal TD may have a first value (e.g., 1 or high level) until the measurement for calculating the capacitance value of capacitor 122 is completed, and the test enable signal TB may have a second value (e.g., 0 or low level) before running the test for measurement.

[0073] When the auxiliary power controller 128 stops charging the capacitor 122 and the voltage level of the capacitor 122 V cap Therefore, as the voltage drops, the test enable signal TB can change from the second value to the first value. In response to the test enable signal TB with the first value, the auxiliary power controller 128 performs an operation to measure the capacitance value of the capacitor 122.

[0074] The auxiliary power controller 128 can control the voltage level V from the capacitor 122. cap The number of times the clock signal CLK, which is generated starting from the time point when the first level V1 is reached, is toggled is counted, and the clock signal CLK has a predetermined frequency. As the frequency of the clock signal CLK increases, the accuracy of measuring the first time point T1 will improve.

[0075] Subsequently, when the voltage level V of capacitor 122 cap When the second level V2 is reached, the triggering of the clock signal CLK will stop.

[0076] The auxiliary power controller 128 can derive the first time T1 based on the number of times the clock signal CLK is triggered and the frequency of the clock signal CLK.

[0077] For example, when assuming in Figure 5 If the frequency of the clock signal CLK is 1kHz and the clock signal CLK is triggered 10 times during the first time T1 measurement, then the first time T1 can be 10ms.

[0078] In order to measure the second time T2, the auxiliary power controller 128 can charge the capacitor 122 to a voltage level V that is the same as or higher than the third level V3. cap .

[0079] The auxiliary power controller 128 can stop charging the capacitor 122 and set the discharge current ICS of the current source 124 to IDIS to discharge the charge stored in the capacitor 122.

[0080] The auxiliary power controller 128 can control the voltage level V from the capacitor 122. cap The number of times the clock signal CLK, which is generated starting at the point when the third level V3 is reached, is triggered is counted. Afterwards, when the voltage level V of capacitor 122... cap When the fourth level V4 is reached, the triggering of the clock signal CLK will stop.

[0081] The auxiliary power controller 128 can derive a second time T2 based on the number of times the clock signal CLK is triggered and the frequency of the clock signal CLK.

[0082] For example, when assuming in Figure 5 If the frequency of the clock signal CLK is 1kHz and the clock signal CLK is triggered 4 times during the measurement of the second time T2, then the second time T2 can be 4ms.

[0083] After measuring the second time T2, the auxiliary power controller 128 can set the test enable signal TB and the test completion signal TD to a second value. The test completion signal TD being set to a second value indicates that the process of calculating the capacitance value of capacitor 122 is complete.

[0084] The first level V1, the second level V2, the third level V3, and the fourth level V4 can be set according to the characteristics of capacitor 122, the value of discharge current ICS of current source 124, and the frequency of clock signal CLK corresponding to the time measurement accuracy, taking into account the magnitude of leakage current.

[0085] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of determining the state of capacitor 122 according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. (Refer to...) Figure 2 The auxiliary power supply circuit 120 shown is used to describe this. Figure 6 The operation.

[0086] Reference Figure 6The auxiliary power controller 128 of the auxiliary power circuit 120 can measure a first time T1 (S610). The auxiliary power controller 128 can determine whether the first time T1 is shorter than a first threshold time TL1 or longer than a second threshold time TL2 (S620). When the first time T1 is shorter than the first threshold time TL1 or when the first time T1 is longer than the second threshold time TL2 (S620 - Yes), the auxiliary power controller 128 can determine that the capacitor 122 is in a fault state (S630). The second threshold time TL2 is longer than the first threshold time TL1.

[0087] Since the first time T1 is measured in relation to the leakage current of capacitor 122, the first threshold time TL1 and the second threshold time TL2 can be used as references to determine whether the leakage current of capacitor 122 is normal.

[0088] If the leakage current of capacitor 122 is greater than the leakage current under normal conditions, capacitor 122 may be in a short circuit state. If the leakage current of capacitor 122 is less than the leakage current under normal conditions, capacitor 122 may be in an open circuit state.

[0089] If capacitor 122 is in a short-circuit or open-circuit state, even if the electronic device 10 experiences a sudden power outage, the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 will not be able to respond to the sudden power outage and provide backup power.

[0090] The first threshold time TL1 and the second threshold time TL2 can be set to values ​​that ensure the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 provides backup power to the electronic device 10, based on the leakage current characteristics of the capacitor 122, the arrangement of the capacitor 122 such as series or parallel, the number of capacitors 122, the first level V1 and the second level V2.

[0091] For example, the maximum leakage current, which is guaranteed to be the maximum value of the leakage current according to the specifications of capacitor 122, can be used to determine the first threshold time TL1.

[0092] For example, when using at least two capacitors 122, the leakage current varies depending on the arrangement of the capacitors 122, such as series or parallel. When the capacitors 122 are arranged in parallel, the leakage current of the capacitors 122 increases. In this case, if the first threshold time TL1 is set to a reference only for one capacitor 122, the state of the capacitor 122 may be determined as a false fault state. Therefore, when the capacitors 122 are arranged in parallel and the number of capacitors 122 increases, the first threshold time TL1 can be set to a larger value.

[0093] Furthermore, the first time T1 can vary based on the difference between the first level V1 and the second level V2. For example, if the difference between the first level V1 and the second level V2 is larger, the first time T1 can be increased, and the first threshold time TL1 and the second threshold time TL2 can also be set larger corresponding to the first level V1 and the second level V2 to avoid the state of capacitor 122 being determined as a false fault state.

[0094] The auxiliary power controller 128 can determine whether the capacitor 122 is in a fault state by measuring only the first time T1 without calculating the capacitance value of the capacitor 122. Therefore, when the capacitor 122 is determined to be in a fault state by measuring only the first time T1, the auxiliary power controller 128 does not need to measure the second time T2.

[0095] When the first time T1 is equal to or longer than the first threshold time TL1 and equal to or shorter than the second threshold time TL2 (S620 - No), the auxiliary power controller 128 can measure the second time T2 (S640).

[0096] The auxiliary power controller 128 can calculate the capacitance value C of capacitor 122 based on the first time T1, the second time T2, the first level V1, the second level V2, the third level V3, the fourth level V4, and the discharge current ICS of the current source 124 used for the measurement of the first time T1 and the second time T2. cap (S650).

[0097] The auxiliary power controller 128 can determine the calculated capacitance value C of capacitor 122. cap Is it less than the reference threshold capacitance value CL (S660)? When the calculated capacitance value C of capacitor 122... cap When the capacitance value is less than the reference threshold CL (S660 - Yes), the auxiliary power controller 128 can determine that the capacitor 122 is in a fault state (S630).

[0098] The reference threshold capacitance value CL can vary depending on the configuration of the electronic device 10 and can be set to a value used to ensure the reliability of the electronic device 10 through power-off protection operation.

[0099] When the capacitance value C of capacitor 122 cap When the capacitance value is less than the reference threshold CL, it cannot be guaranteed that the electronic device 10 will correctly execute the corresponding power-off protection operation in the event of a sudden power failure. Therefore, the reliability of the electronic device 10 may be reduced.

[0100] On the other hand, when the capacitance value C of capacitor 122 capWhen the capacitance value is equal to or greater than the reference threshold capacitance value CL (S660 - No), the determination of the state of capacitor 122 can be terminated (S670).

[0101] When the state of capacitor 122 is determined to be faulty, electronic device 10 can perform an operation to prepare for a sudden power outage to ensure data reliability without receiving backup power from capacitor 122. This operation may include flushing data temporarily stored in a buffer to the memory device of memory cell 200 or performing a forced cell access (FUA) to force access to the memory device without going through the buffer.

[0102] Figure 7 The operation of detecting the short-circuit state of capacitor 122 according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0103] Reference Figure 7 When a short circuit is detected in capacitor 122, the auxiliary power controller 128 can monitor the state of capacitor 122.

[0104] When the voltage level V of the operating capacitor 122 cap When the voltage drops below the fifth level V5, the auxiliary power controller 128 can generate an interrupt signal to notify other components of the electronic device 10 of malfunction. Furthermore, the auxiliary power controller 128 can change the power good signal PGS from a first value to a second value. The interrupt signal can be reset after a predetermined time has elapsed since its generation.

[0105] When the voltage level V of capacitor 122 cap When the signal drops below the fifth level V5 and then rises above the sixth level V6, the auxiliary power controller 128 can change the power good signal PGS from the second value to the first value.

[0106] When the power good signal PGS recovers from the second value to the first value, the auxiliary power controller 128 can perform the operation of monitoring the state of capacitor 122. The recovery of the power good signal PGS from the second value to the first value can signify the voltage level V formed in capacitor 122. cap It was fully recovered to measure the first time T1 and the second time T2.

[0107] The operation of monitoring the state of capacitor 122 may include measuring a first time T1 and a second time T2, and calculating the capacitance value C of capacitor 122 based on a first level V1, a second level V2, a first time T1, a third level V3, a fourth level V4, a second time T2, and the discharge current ICS of current source 124. cap And based on the capacitance value C of capacitor 122 cap Determine the state of capacitor 122.

[0108] After the operation of detecting the short-circuit state of capacitor 122 is completed, the capacitance value C of capacitor 122 is calculated. cap The auxiliary power controller 128 determines the state of capacitor 122 and ensures the reliability of capacitor 122.

[0109] Figure 8 A diagram showing an auxiliary power supply circuit 120 including a bidirectional buck / boost converter according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is provided. Figure 8 The auxiliary power supply circuit 120 shown can correspond to Figure 1 The auxiliary power supply circuit 120 shown is shown.

[0110] Reference Figure 8 The auxiliary power supply circuit 120 may include a bidirectional buck / boost converter 129 that charges the capacitor 122 and supplies power to the power management circuitry (e.g., in the event of a sudden power outage) in the event of a sudden power failure. Figure 1 110) provides backup power to the capacitor 122.

[0111] A buck / boost converter is a DC / DC converter that can increase or decrease the input voltage and output an increased or decreased input voltage.

[0112] The bidirectional buck / boost converter 129 is a buck / boost converter designed to achieve bidirectional power delivery. The bidirectional buck / boost converter 129 can provide power in direction (A) while charging the capacitor 122, and can provide the backup power stored in the capacitor 122 in direction (B) in the event of a sudden power outage, allowing the electronic device 10 to operate using the backup power for a predetermined time.

[0113] The bidirectional buck / boost converter 129 may include inductors, capacitors, switches, or diodes to boost or buck the input voltage.

[0114] The bidirectional buck / boost converter 129 can perform buck or boost operations by switching between a boost mode for boosting and a buck mode for bucking.

[0115] when Figure 1 When the electronic device 10 performs a power outage protection (PLP) operation in response to a sudden power failure, the voltage level output from the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 and the voltage level formed in the capacitor 122 may be different from each other. The bidirectional buck / boost converter 129 can boost or buck the voltage formed in the capacitor 122 and output the boosted or bucked voltage, allowing the electronic device 10 to utilize backup power.

[0116] Figure 9A method 900 for operating an auxiliary power supply circuit according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 4 Description of operation 900.

[0117] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 9 Method 900 may include measuring the first time (S910) when the voltage level of capacitor 122 drops from a first level to a second level due to the leakage current of capacitor 122. The measurement of the first time may be performed by voltage detector 126 and auxiliary power controller 128 of auxiliary power circuit 120.

[0118] Measuring the first time may include determining the state of capacitor 122 as faulty when the first time is shorter than a first threshold time or longer than a second threshold time. The second threshold time is longer than the first threshold time.

[0119] The first threshold time and the second threshold time can be determined based on the leakage current characteristics of capacitor 122, the arrangement of capacitor 122 such as series or parallel connection, the number of capacitors 122, the first level and the second level.

[0120] The method 900 of operating the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 may include charging the capacitor 122 to a third level and measuring a second time (S920) during which the voltage level of the capacitor 122 drops from the third level to a fourth level due to the leakage current of the capacitor 122 and the discharge current of the current source 124. The measurement of the second time may be performed by the current source 124, the voltage detector 126, and the auxiliary power supply controller 128 of the auxiliary power supply circuit 120.

[0121] The third level can be the same as the first level, and the fourth level can be the same as the second level.

[0122] The method 900 for operating the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 may include calculating the capacitance value of capacitor 122 based on a first level, a second level, a first time, a third level, a fourth level, a second time, and the discharge current of current source 124 (S930). The calculation of the capacitance value of capacitor 122 may be performed by the auxiliary power controller 128 of the auxiliary power supply circuit 120.

[0123] The capacitance of capacitor 122 can be calculated using Equation 2.

[0124] Equation 2

[0125]

[0126] Where C cap I is the capacitance value of capacitor 122. DV1 is the discharge current of current source 124, V2 is the first level, V3 is the second level, V4 is the fourth level, T1 is the first time and T2 is the second time.

[0127] The method 900 for operating the auxiliary power supply circuit 120 may include determining the state of the capacitor 122 based on a calculated capacitance value (S940). Determining the state of the capacitor 122 may be performed by the auxiliary power controller 128 of the auxiliary power supply circuit 120.

[0128] In S940, when the capacitance value of capacitor 122 is less than the reference threshold capacitance value, the state of capacitor 122 can be determined as a fault state.

[0129] Figure 10 A computing system according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0130] Reference Figure 10 The computing system 1000 based on the disclosed technology may include an electronic device 10, a central processing unit (CPU) 1010 for controlling the general operation of the computing system 1000, a RAM 1020 for storing data and information related to the operation of the computing system 1000, a UI / UX (user interface / user experience) module 1030 for providing a user environment, a communication module 1040 for communicating with external devices in a wired and / or wireless manner, and a power management module 1050 for managing the power used by the computing system 1000, all of which are electrically connected to a system bus 1060.

[0131] The computing system 1000 may include a PC (personal computer), a smartphone, a mobile terminal such as a tablet computer, or various electronic devices.

[0132] The computing system 1000 may further include a battery for providing operating voltage, and may further include application chips, graphics-related modules, camera image processors, DRAM, etc. Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains that the computing system 1000 may include other components.

[0133] Electronic device 10 may include not only devices that store data on disks, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), but also devices that store data in non-volatile memory, such as solid-state drives (SDDs), universal flash memory (UFS) devices, and embedded MMC (eMMC) devices. Non-volatile memory may include ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Electrically Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), flash memory, PRAM (Phase-Change RAM), MRAM (Magnetic RAM), RRAM (Resistive RAM), and FRAM (Ferroelectric RAM). Furthermore, electronic device 10 can be implemented as various types of storage devices and can be installed in various electronic devices.

[0134] Although exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings should be considered merely descriptive and not intended to limit the scope of the technology. The technical scope of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The spirit and scope of this disclosure should be interpreted in conjunction with the appended claims and cover all equivalent solutions falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An auxiliary power supply circuit, comprising: At least one capacitor stores backup power; A current source discharges the charge stored in the capacitor; A voltage detector detects the voltage level of the capacitor; as well as The auxiliary power controller, while monitoring the state of the capacitor, measures the first time it takes for the capacitor's voltage level to drop from a first level to a second level due to the capacitor's leakage current, charges the capacitor to a third level, and then measures the second time it takes for the capacitor's voltage level to drop from the third level to a fourth level due to the capacitor's leakage current and the discharge current of the current source. Based on the first level, the second level, the first time, the third level, the fourth level, the second time, and the discharge current of the current source, the controller calculates the capacitance value of the capacitor and determines the state of the capacitor based on the calculated capacitance value. The auxiliary power controller calculates the capacitance value of the capacitor as follows: Where C cap Let I be the capacitance value of the capacitor. D V1 is the discharge current of the current source, V2 is the first level, V3 is the third level, V4 is the fourth level, T1 is the first time and T2 is the second time.

2. The auxiliary power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, The third level is equal to the first level, and the fourth level is equal to the second level.

3. The auxiliary power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, When the capacitance value of the capacitor is less than the reference threshold capacitance value, the auxiliary power controller determines that the capacitor is in a fault state.

4. The auxiliary power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, When the first time is shorter than the first threshold time or longer than the second threshold time, the auxiliary power controller determines that the capacitor is in a fault state, and the second threshold time is longer than the first threshold time.

5. The auxiliary power supply circuit according to claim 4, wherein, The first threshold time and the second threshold time are determined based on the leakage current characteristics of the capacitor, the arrangement of the capacitor, and the number of the capacitor.

6. The auxiliary power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, When a short circuit is detected in the capacitor, the auxiliary power controller monitors the state of the capacitor.

7. An electronic device comprising: Memory unit, used to store data; The power management circuit provides power to the memory unit; as well as An auxiliary power supply circuit includes at least one capacitor for storing backup power and a current source for discharging the charge stored in the capacitor. In the event of a sudden power outage, the auxiliary power supply circuit supplies the backup power stored in the capacitor to the power management circuit. When monitoring the capacitor's state, it measures the first time the capacitor's voltage level drops from a first level to a second level due to the capacitor's leakage current, then charges the capacitor to a third level. It then measures the second time the capacitor's voltage level drops from the third level to a fourth level due to the capacitor's leakage current and the discharge current of the current source. Based on the first level, the second level, the first time, the third level, the fourth level, the second time, and the discharge current of the current source, it calculates the capacitor's capacitance value and determines the capacitor's state based on the calculated capacitance value. The auxiliary power supply circuit calculates the capacitance value of the capacitor as follows: Where C cap Let I be the capacitance value of the capacitor. D V1 is the discharge current of the current source, V2 is the first level, V3 is the third level, V4 is the fourth level, T1 is the first time and T2 is the second time.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein, The auxiliary power supply circuit includes a bidirectional buck / boost converter that charges the capacitor and provides the power management circuit with the backup power stored in the capacitor in the event of a sudden power outage.

9. A method of operating an auxiliary power supply circuit, the auxiliary power supply circuit comprising at least one capacitor and a current source, the method comprising: The voltage level of the capacitor is measured at the first time that the leakage current of the capacitor drops from a first level to a second level. The capacitor is charged to a third level, and the voltage level of the capacitor is measured at a second time as the leakage current of the capacitor and the discharge current of the current source drop from the third level to the fourth level. The capacitance value of the capacitor is calculated based on the first voltage level, the second voltage level, the first time, the third voltage level, the fourth voltage level, the second time, and the discharge current of the current source. and The state of the capacitor is determined based on the calculated capacitance value. Calculating the capacitance value of the capacitor includes the following steps: Where C cap Let I be the capacitance value of the capacitor. D V1 is the discharge current of the current source, V2 is the first level, V3 is the third level, V4 is the fourth level, T1 is the first time and T2 is the second time.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The third level is equal to the first level, and the fourth level is equal to the second level.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Determining the state of the capacitor includes determining that the capacitor is in a fault state when its capacitance value is less than a reference threshold capacitance value.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising: When the first time is shorter than the first threshold time or longer than the second threshold time, the capacitor is determined to be in a fault state, wherein the second threshold time is longer than the first threshold time.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The first threshold time and the second threshold time are determined based on the leakage current characteristics of the capacitor, the arrangement of the capacitor, the number of capacitors, the first level, and the second level.

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