Battery hot plug

Abstract

Techniques and apparatus for replacing a primary power supply (e.g., a primary battery) while powering a portable device using an auxiliary power supply (e.g., a backup battery or supercapacitor). An example integrated circuit (IC) for power management generally includes a first power node; a second power supply node; a first port for coupling to a main power source; a first switch coupled between the first power supply node and the first port; a second port for coupling to an auxiliary power source; a second switch coupled between the first power supply node and the second port; and a third switch coupled between the first power supply node and the second power supply node. For certain aspects, the IC also includes a third power supply node, a voltage regulator coupled between the first power supply node and the third power supply node, and a fourth switch coupled between the second power supply node and the third power supply node.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. patent application No. 18 / 188,971, filed on March 23, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to power circuits and, more particularly, to techniques and apparatus for hot swapping batteries. Background Art

[0004] A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) is used to manage the power needs of a host system and may include and / or control one or more voltage regulators (e.g., buck converters or boost converters). PMICs may be used in portable devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearable devices, etc.), where power is typically provided by one or more batteries, which may be rechargeable (e.g., via wired and / or wireless solutions). In such battery-powered portable devices, a PMIC may be used to control the flow and direction of power within the device. A PMIC may perform various functions for the device, such as DC-DC conversion (e.g., using voltage regulators such as those described above), battery charging, power source selection, voltage scaling, power sequencing, overvoltage protection, and the like. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The systems, methods, and devices of the present disclosure each have several aspects, no single aspect of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the present disclosure as expressed in the appended claims, some features will now be briefly discussed. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled "Detailed Description," one will understand how the features of the present disclosure provide the advantages described herein.

[0006] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) for power management. The IC generally includes: a first power node; a second power node; a first port for coupling to a primary power source; a first switch coupled between the first power node and the first port; a second port for coupling to an auxiliary power source; a second switch coupled between the first power node and the second port; and a third switch coupled between the first power node and the second power node.

[0007] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a portable device including an IC as described herein. The portable device may also include: a main power supply coupled to the first port of the IC; an auxiliary power supply coupled to the second port of the IC; and one or more circuits coupled to the second power supply node and configured to receive power via the second power supply node.

[0008] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an IC for power management. The IC generally includes: a power node; a first port for coupling to a primary power source; a first switch coupled between the power node and the first port; a second port for coupling to an auxiliary power source; a first voltage regulator coupled between the power node and the second port; a third port for coupling to the auxiliary power source; a second voltage regulator including a first node coupled to the third port; and a second switch coupled between the power node and a second node of the second voltage regulator.

[0009] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a portable device including an IC as described herein. The portable device may also include: a main power supply coupled to the first port of the IC; an auxiliary power supply coupled to the second port of the IC; an inductive element coupled between the third port of the IC and the auxiliary power supply; and one or more circuits coupled to the power supply node and configured to receive power via the power supply node.

[0010] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a power supply circuit for a portable device. The power supply circuit generally includes: a first power supply node; a second power supply node for coupling to a main power supply; a first switch coupled between the first power supply node and the second power supply node; a third power supply node for coupling to an auxiliary power supply; a first voltage regulator including an input coupled to the first power supply node and an output coupled to the third power supply node; a second voltage regulator including an input coupled to the third power supply node and an output coupled to the first power supply node; and an IC including a first port coupled to the first power supply node and a second port coupled to the third power supply node, and configured to sense a parameter associated with the auxiliary power supply, wherein the IC is configured to control charging of the auxiliary power supply based on the sensed parameter.

[0011] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for signal generation. The method generally includes determining whether to enter a replacement mode for removing a primary power source; generating a first regulated voltage based on a voltage from an auxiliary power source; and providing the first regulated voltage to a power output node in response to the determination.

[0012] To achieve the foregoing and related ends, one or more aspects include the features fully described below and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the accompanying drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative features of these one or more aspects. However, these features are indicative of only some of the various ways in which the principles of the various aspects can be employed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In order that the manner in which the above-described features of the present disclosure are understood in detail, a more particular description, briefly summarized above, may be obtained by reference to the various aspects, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only certain typical aspects of the present disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, as the description may admit to other equally effective aspects.

[0014] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example wireless device in which aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced.

[0015] Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of an example power circuit having a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) in which aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced.

[0016] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an example power supply circuit with a voltage regulator external to a PMIC, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 4A 、 Figure 4B and Figure 4C Example current paths for power supply circuits according to certain aspects of the present disclosure are illustrated.

[0018] Figure 5 is a state diagram illustrating example operational behavior of a power supply circuit with a voltage regulator external to a PMIC, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an example power supply circuit with voltage regulation circuitry within a PMIC, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 7A 、 Figure 7B and Figure 7C Example current paths for a power circuit having a voltage regulation circuit inside a PMIC according to certain aspects of the present disclosure are illustrated.

[0021] Figure 8 is a state diagram illustrating the operation of a power supply circuit with a voltage regulation circuit inside a PMIC according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 9A is a block diagram of a hardware interface for controlling battery hot swapping according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 9B An example display for controlling battery hot swapping using software is illustrated in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 10 is a flow chart illustrating example operations for battery hot swapping according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 11 is a block diagram of an example power supply circuit with a PMIC that supports true hot swap, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 12A 、 Figure 12B and Figure 12C Example current paths of a power supply circuit supporting true hot swap according to certain aspects of the present disclosure are illustrated.

[0027] Figure 13 is a state diagram illustrating the operation of a power supply circuit supporting true hot swap according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 14 is a flow chart of example operations for powering, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0029] To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one aspect may be beneficially utilized on other aspects without specific recitation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatus for replacing (also referred to as hot swapping) a primary power source (e.g., a main battery) while powering an electrical device (e.g., a portable device) using an auxiliary power source (e.g., a backup battery or supercapacitor). For example, once the primary power source is removed (e.g., to replace or charge the battery of the electrical device), one or more regulators can be used to provide the voltage required for operation of the electrical device. In some aspects, the electrical device can operate in a low-power state when the primary power source is removed for charging or replacement. Some aspects provide a true hot swap technology, wherein, as described in more detail herein, the electrical device can continue to operate normally (e.g., without entering a low-power state) when the primary power source is removed. As used herein, true hot swap generally refers to a replacement technology that helps reduce device operation interruptions during replacement compared to other replacement technologies described herein. Although some examples provided herein are described with respect to portable devices, aspects of the present disclosure can be used for battery replacement of any suitable electrical device.

[0031] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to any specific structure or function presented throughout the present disclosure. Instead, these aspects are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and the scope of the present disclosure will be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. Based on the teachings of this article, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any aspect of the disclosure disclosed herein, whether it is implemented independently or in combination with any other aspect of the disclosure. For example, any number of aspects set forth herein can be used to implement a device or practice method. In addition, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover such devices or methods that are practiced using other structures, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to or different from the various aspects of the disclosure set forth herein. It should be understood that any aspect of the disclosure disclosed herein can be embodied by one or more elements of the claims.

[0032] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects.

[0033] As used herein, the term "connected with" in various tenses of the verb "connect" may mean that element A is directly connected to element B or that other elements may be connected between element A and element B (i.e., element A is indirectly connected to element B). In the context of electronic components, the term "connected with" may also be used herein to mean that wires, traces, or other conductive materials are used to electrically connect element A and element B (and any components electrically connected therebetween).

[0034] Example device

[0035] It should be understood that various aspects of the present disclosure can be used in a variety of applications. Although the present disclosure is not limited in this respect, the circuits disclosed herein can be used in any of a variety of suitable devices, such as power supplies, battery charging circuits or power management circuits for communication systems, video codecs, audio equipment (such as music players and microphones), televisions, camera equipment, and test equipment (such as oscilloscopes). By way of example only, communication systems intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure include cellular radiotelephone communication systems, satellite communication systems, two-way radio communication systems, one-way pagers, two-way pagers, personal communication systems (PCS), personal digital assistants (PDAs), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and the like.

[0036] Figure 1 An example device 100 is illustrated in which aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented. Device 100 may be a battery-powered device such as a cellular phone, PDA, handheld device, wireless device, laptop, tablet, smartphone, IoT device, wearable device, augmented reality device, etc.

[0037] Device 100 may include a processor 104 that controls the operation of device 100. Processor 104 may also be referred to as a central processing unit (CPU). Memory 106, which may include both read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM), provides instructions and data to processor 104. Portions of memory 106 may also include non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM). Processor 104 typically performs logical and arithmetic operations based on program instructions stored within memory 106.

[0038] In some aspects, device 100 may also include a transmitter 110 and / or a receiver 112 to allow for the transmission and / or reception, respectively, of data between device 100 and a remote location. In some cases, transmitter 110 and receiver 112 may be combined into a transceiver 114. One or more antennas 116 may be attached to or otherwise coupled to housing 108 of device 100 and electrically coupled to transceiver 114. For some aspects, device 100 may include multiple transmitters, multiple receivers, and / or multiple transceivers (not shown).

[0039] Device 100 may also include a signal detector 118, which may be used to detect and quantify the level of a signal received by transceiver 114 (or receiver 112). Signal detector 118 may detect signal parameters such as total energy, energy per subcarrier per symbol, and power spectral density, among other signal parameters. Device 100 may also include a digital signal processor (DSP) 120 for processing digital signals.

[0040] The device 100 may also include a battery 122 for powering the various components of the device 100 . Figure 1 The illustrated battery 122 may represent multiple portable power sources, such as a main battery and a backup battery (or supercapacitor). In some cases, the battery 122 may be rechargeable.

[0041] Device 100 may also include a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) 124 (also known as a "power management unit (PMU)") for managing power, for example, from battery 122 to various components of device 100. In addition to managing power distribution, PMIC 124 may also perform various other functions for the device, such as DC-DC conversion, battery charging, power source selection, voltage scaling, power sequencing, and the like. For example, PMIC 124 may include battery charging circuitry for charging battery 122 (or multiple portable power sources represented by battery 122). To assist with battery charging or for other DC-DC conversion purposes, PMIC 124 may include at least a portion of power supply circuitry, which may include a voltage regulator.

[0042] A voltage regulator provides a constant direct current (DC) output voltage based on an input voltage that may vary over time. Voltage regulators can be classified as either linear or switching regulators. While linear regulators tend to be small and compact, many applications can benefit from the higher efficiency of switching regulators (also known as "switching converters"). For example, a linear regulator can be implemented as a low dropout (LDO) regulator. A switching regulator can be implemented as a switch mode power supply (SMPS), such as a Figure 1 SMPS circuit 125 is illustrated. The SMPS circuit can be implemented using any of a variety of suitable switch-mode power supply circuit topologies, such as a buck converter, a boost converter, a buck-boost converter, or a charge pump. For example, a buck converter is a type of SMPS that typically includes: (1) a high-side switch coupled between a relatively high voltage rail and a switch node, (2) a low-side switch coupled between the switch node and a relatively low voltage rail, and (3) an inductive element coupled between the switch node and a load. The high-side switch and the low-side switch can be implemented using transistors, although in some implementations, the low-side switch can alternatively be implemented using a diode.

[0043] The various components of device 100 may be coupled together by a bus system 126. In addition to a data bus, bus system 126 may also include a power bus, a control signal bus (e.g., a system power management interface (SPMI) or an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus), and / or a status signal bus.

[0044] Example power supply circuit for electrical equipment

[0045] Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of an example power supply circuit 200 with battery charging capability in which aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced. Power supply circuit 200 may include four transistors Q1-Q4, control logic 220, gate drivers 222, 223, inductive element L1, battery logic 234, and gate driver 236. Transistors Q2 and Q3 and inductive element L1 may form a switching regulator between node 232 (labeled "MID_CHG") and node 215 (labeled "VPH_PWR"). As described in more detail herein, the switching regulator may perform either buck or boost operations. Capacitive element 203 may be coupled to node 215. A load may also be coupled to node 215, such as an electrical device (such as Figure 1 One or more circuits of the electrical device 100).

[0046] In some cases, transistors Q1 through Q4 may be implemented as n-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistors or a combination of NMOS and p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistors, such as Figure 2 In this case, the drain of transistor Q2 can be coupled to node 232, the drain of transistor Q3 can be coupled to the source of transistor Q2 at node 204, and the source of transistor Q3 can be coupled to a reference potential node 229 of the circuit (e.g., electrical ground, labeled "PGND_CHG"). Inductive element L1 can have a first terminal 212 coupled to node 204 (also referred to as a "switch node") and a second terminal 214 coupled to node 215.

[0047] Control logic 220 may control the operation of power circuit 200. For example, control logic 220 may control transistors Q2 and Q3 via output signals to inputs of respective gate drivers 222 and 223. Outputs of gate drivers 222 and 223 are coupled to respective gates of transistors Q2 and Q3.

[0048] During operation of the buck converter in the power supply circuit 200, the control logic component 220 may have two distinct phases. In the first phase (referred to as the "high-side phase" or "on-state"), transistor Q2 is activated and transistor Q3 is deactivated to energize (e.g., charge) the inductive element L1. In the second phase (referred to as the "low-side phase" or "off-state"), transistor Q2 is deactivated and transistor Q3 is activated, coupling the switch node (e.g., node 204) to the reference potential node (e.g., PGND_CHG) and de-energizing (e.g., discharging) the inductive element L1.

[0049] Transistor Q4 may be referred to as a battery field-effect transistor (BATFET) and may be implemented as an NMOS transistor as depicted. The drain of transistor Q4 may be coupled to node 215 (VPH_PWR), and the source of transistor Q4 may be coupled to a terminal (e.g., a positive terminal) of battery 230 (labeled "VBATT_PWR"). The gate of transistor Q4 may be controlled by battery logic 234 and gate driver 236, as shown, wherein Q4 may be activated to charge battery 230 or provide power from the battery to node 215 (VPH_PWR) for powering one or more circuits of an electrical device.

[0050] The power supply circuit 200 may further include a capacitor element C1, a reverse current blocking transistor Q1, a capacitor element C2, and a battery capacitor element C BAT . Transistor Q1 may be coupled between an input voltage node (labeled “USB_IN” for coupling to a universal serial bus (USB) power source) and the drain of transistor Q2 at node 232. Capacitive element C1 may be coupled in parallel between input voltage node USB_IN and reference potential node 229, and capacitive element C2 may be coupled in parallel between node 232 and reference potential node 229. Reverse current blocking transistor Q1 may be implemented as an NMOS transistor, with a source of transistor Q1 coupled to input voltage node USB_IN and a drain of transistor Q1 coupled to node 232. Battery capacitive element C BAT May be coupled in parallel with battery 230 (in parallel between VBATT_PWR and reference potential node 229 ).

[0051] At least a portion of the power supply circuit 200 may be implemented in an integrated circuit 250 (eg, a PMIC or other IC for managing power). Figure 2 As shown, the integrated circuit 250 may include at least transistors Q1-Q4, a control logic component 220, gate drivers 222, 223, and 226, and a battery logic component 234. Capacitive elements C1, C2, C3, and C BAT, the inductor element L1 and the battery 230 may be implemented outside the integrated circuit 250 .

[0052] Example power supply circuit to support battery hot swapping

[0053] Battery hot swapping is a feature that enables the replacement of a main power source with reduced interruption compared to conventional implementations. During battery hot swapping using the hot swapping functionality described herein, the electrical device 100 may have to perform a complete cold boot when replacing the main power source (e.g., a battery). Conversely, when the main power source is removed, the electrical device 100 can operate in a low power state and can return to normal device operation (e.g., normal operating mode) after insertion into a charging main power source. It is generally preferred that electrical devices (e.g., Internet of Things (IoT) devices) support battery hot swapping. However, conventional battery replacement functionality generally does not facilitate continuous operation of the electrical device 100, which is desirable in many applications. Therefore, there is an ongoing need for improved battery hot swapping for portable devices.

[0054] Thus, aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatus for detecting a battery replacement and providing power from an auxiliary power source while maintaining intended electrical device operation. For example, aspects of the present disclosure may allow an electrical device in a remote location (e.g., unable to charge the main power source) to switch to an auxiliary power source without losing data extraction / operational activity. As a result, the electrical device may be able to continue electrical device operation with virtually no interruption. In another example, aspects of the present disclosure may allow an electrical device that performs continuous video recording to perform a replacement of the main power source without interrupting the video recording operation. In yet another example, aspects of the present disclosure may allow an electrical device used for inventory management to continue normal operation without a device cold start or device charging time. In yet another example, aspects of the present disclosure may allow an electrical device used as a shopping cart (e.g., for payment at checkout) to perform a battery replacement of the main power source without losing products that have been added to the shopping cart.

[0055] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an example power supply circuit 300 having a PMIC 310 and external voltage regulators (e.g., a boost converter 340, an LDO regulator 350) for charging and providing power from a secondary power supply (SPS) 330, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure. The power supply circuit 300 may include the PMIC 310, a primary power supply (PPS) 320 coupled to a node 370, the SPS 330, the boost converter 340, and the LDO regulator 350. According to certain aspects, the SPS 330 may be implemented as a supercapacitor, and the PPS 320 may be implemented as a battery.

[0056] For certain aspects, the PMIC 310 can be coupled to an input voltage node (labeled "VUSB" or "USB_IN") at port 374 and an SPS voltage node 372 (labeled "Vsps"). The PMIC 310 can also include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to sense the voltage of the SPS 330 (e.g., via port 364 coupled to the SPS voltage node 372). For example, the SPS voltage node 372 (Vsps) can be coupled to the ADC. The PMIC 310 can be coupled to an enable input (EN) node 366 via a general-purpose input / output port (labeled "GPIO_1"), to an enable input (EN1) node 368 via a second GPIO port (labeled "GPIO_2"), and to a PPS voltage node (labeled "VBATT_PWR"). The PMIC 310 can also be coupled to an output node (labeled "VPH_PWR") that can provide power to one or more circuits of the electrical device 100. Node 366 (EN) may be coupled to the input of boost converter 340 to enable / disable boost converter 340, and node 368 (EN1) may be coupled to the input of LDO regulator 350 to enable / disable LDO regulator 350. A PPS voltage node (VBATT_PWR) may couple PMIC 310 to PPS 320. The operation of power supply circuit 300 is described herein with respect to Figure 4A 、 Figure 4B and Figure 4C Described in more detail.

[0057] Figure 4A is a circuit diagram of an example power supply circuit 400 according to certain aspects of the present disclosure, illustrating an example current path 410 for charging the PPS 320 and an example current path 415 for charging the SPS 330. The power supply circuit 400 may be similar to the power supply circuit 300 and may include the PMIC 310, the PPS 320, the SPS 330, a boost converter 340, and an LDO regulator 350. The PMIC 310 of the power supply circuit 400 may be coupled to an input voltage node (USB_IN) via a port 374 of the PMIC 310. The PMIC 310 may also be coupled to a node 366 (EN), a node 368 (EN1), and a voltage PPS node 370 (VBATT_PWR). The PMIC 310 may be coupled to an SPS voltage node 372 (Vsps) via a port 364 of the PMIC 310 and to an output node 362 (VPH_PWR) via a port 360 of the PMIC 310. Figure 4AIn the example of FIG. 3 , transistors Q2 and Q3, along with inductive element L1 and load capacitance element LI, can form a buck converter (e.g., in the forward direction by generating a buck voltage at output node 362 based on the voltage at node 370). As described herein, transistors Q2, Q3, and inductive element L1 can also form a boost converter when operating in the reverse direction (e.g., generating a boost voltage at port 374 based on the voltage at output node 362).

[0058] According to certain aspects, power supply circuit 400 can connect to and receive power from an input voltage node (USB_IN) via port 374. Received power can flow from port 374 to PPS node 370 (VBATT_PWR) and PPS 320 (as illustrated by current path 410), as well as to SPS voltage node 372 (Vsps) and SPS 330 (e.g., using current path 415). For example, power can be provided from port 374 via transistor Q1. Transistors Q2 and Q3 and inductive element L1 perform a step-down operation to generate a regulated voltage at output node 362. Power from output node 362 can be provided to LDO regulator 350. The LDO regulator provides current-controlled voltage regulation, which is provided to SPS voltage node 372 (Vsps) and SPS 330 (e.g., to charge SPS 330). In this example, power can also be provided from output node 362 to PPS voltage node 370 (VBATT_PWR) and PPS 320 (e.g., to charge PPS 320). Here, transistor Q4 (e.g., a switch) is activated (e.g., closed) to allow power to be provided from the input voltage node (USB_IN) to PPS 320. In some aspects, power can also be provided from port 360 to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) to power one or more circuits of electrical device 100.

[0059] Figure 4B According to certain aspects of the present disclosure Figure 4A Example current paths for PPS operation and SPS charging phase (also referred to as charging mode) in an example power supply circuit 400. According to certain aspects, when power from the input voltage node (USB_IN) is not available, the power supply circuit 400 can operate using power from the PPS 320 (e.g., Figure 1The PPS 320 provides power to the electronic device 100 until a configurable safe discharge threshold is reached (e.g., 70% state of charge (SoC)). If the PPS 320 reaches the safe discharge threshold, the LDO regulator 350 may be disabled. During the PPS phase using current path 420, the PPS 320 may supply power to the output node 362 (VPH_PWR). During the SPS charging phase, power may also be provided to the LDO regulator 350 for generating a regulated voltage (Vsps) at the SPS voltage node 372 for charging the SPS 330. In some aspects, the regulated voltage at the SPS voltage node 372 may also be used as a backup supply voltage.

[0060] During the PPS phase, power can be provided from PPS 320 to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) via transistor Q4. During the SPS charging phase, power can also be provided to LDO regulator 350. As described, LDO regulator 350 can generate a regulated voltage to charge SPS 330. As described, transistor Q4 (e.g., a switch) is activated (e.g., closed) to allow power to be routed from PPS 320 to output node 362 (VPH_PWR). The regulated voltage generated by LDO regulator 350 can be provided to SPS voltage node 372 (Vsps) and SPS 330 to charge SPS 330.

[0061] Figure 4C An example current path 430 associated with the SPS phase of an example power supply circuit 400 is illustrated in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. According to certain aspects, the power supply circuit 400 may operate using power from the PPS 320 (as described above with respect to FIG. Figure 4B described), and can be used with the SPS 330 Figure 1 The PPS 320 can be replaced while the SPS 330 is providing power to the electrical device 100. In this case, the SPS 330 can supply power to the output node 362 (VPH_PWR) (using current path 430) to power the electrical device 100. For example, power can be provided from the SPS 330 to the boost converter 340. The boost converter 340 can generate a regulated boosted voltage (VPH_PWR) that is provided to the output node 362. Here, the transistor Q4 (e.g., switch) is deactivated (e.g., opened), allowing the PPS 320 to be decoupled from the output node 362 and replaced.

[0062] Figure 5 is a power supply circuit (such as Figure 3 The power supply circuit 300 or Figure 4A 、 Figure 4B and Figure 4C4. A state diagram of example operations 500 of the power supply circuit 400 of FIG. 4 is provided. For example, the operations 500 may be facilitated by the PMIC 310.

[0063] Operations 500 may optionally begin at state 504, where the power supply circuit may be in a normal state (e.g., corresponding to a state related to Figure 4B In the normal state, the PPS 320 can provide power to the electrical device 100, and the electrical device 100 can operate in an active (e.g., normal) power mode or a low power mode. The LDO regulator 350 and the boost converter 340 are both disabled in the normal state (e.g., by controlling the enable nodes 366, 368), and the voltage at the SPS voltage node (Vsps or the voltage of the SPS 330, also referred to as V supercap , assuming a supercapacitor is used as the SPS) may be equal to the SPS specification voltage (e.g., Vspec). When the voltage at the SPS voltage node (Vsps) is less than Vspec and the main battery voltage is above the safe discharge configuration threshold (e.g., the state of charge is above 70%), the PMIC 310 may enable the LDO regulator 350 using node 368 (EN1), and the operation 500 proceeds to state 502 (e.g., corresponding to the state of charge). Figure 4B SPS charging phase as described).

[0064] In state 502, the PPS 320 provides power to the SPS 330, as described with respect to Figure 4B As described. Additionally, the LDO regulator 350 is enabled and the boost converter 340 is disabled in the SPS charging state 502. As described, the LDO regulator 350 generates a regulated voltage to charge the SPS 330. The PMIC 310 can sense when the voltage at the SPS voltage node (Vsps) 372 becomes substantially equal to Vspec and disable the LDO regulator 350 using node 368 (EN1) to stop charging the SPS 330. When charging of the SPS 330 stops, the operation 500 proceeds to state 504, as described above.

[0065] Once the PMIC determines that the PPS is to be replaced (e.g., based on user input), the operation 500 proceeds to state 506. In state 506, the PPS 320 may continue to provide power to the electrical device 100, and the electrical device 100 may operate in a low power mode (e.g., to conserve residual power in the PPS 320). In addition, the PMIC 310 may enable the boost converter 340 using node 366 (EN) to generate a boost voltage at the output node 362 (VPH_PWR) using power from the SPS 330, as described above with respect to Figure 4CAs described. In some aspects, a system-on-chip (SoC) (e.g., electrical device 100) may provide battery replacement confirmation using an indicator device (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED)). Operation 500 may transition from state 506 to state 508. Furthermore, electrical device 100 may provide at least one indication of battery replacement. This indication may be visual (e.g., an LED, which may be constant or flashing during hot-swap mode) and / or audible (e.g., a speaker tone, a periodic beep, or vibration). In some aspects, the PMIC may include a BATT ID or BATT THERM port coupled to the PPS 320. The BATT ID / BATT THERM port may provide an indication of whether the PPS 320 has been removed (e.g., when the PPS 320 is removed, the BATT ID / BATT THERM port may be left floating). During the transition from state 506 to state 508, the PPS 320 may be removed. The PMIC may determine that the PPS 320 has been removed via the BATT ID / BATT THERM port.

[0066] At state 508, after the PPS 320 (eg, battery) has been removed, the SPS 330 may provide power to the electrical device 100 (eg, during a replacement mode), as described above with respect to Figure 4C In this state, the electrical device 100 may operate in a low power mode. Additionally, during state 508, the boost converter 340 remains enabled and the LDO regulator 350 remains disabled. When a new or charged PPS 320 is inserted, the operation 500 may transition from state 508 to state 504.

[0067] If, at state 508, the SPS 330 is discharged to a voltage equal to or less than a threshold (e.g., an undervoltage lockout (UVLO) threshold), operations 500 may transition from state 508 to state 510. In state 510, circuits of the power supply circuit may be de-energized, and the electrical device 100 may be de-energized. For example, the LDO regulator 350 may be disabled during state 510. In some aspects, the boost converter 340 may remain enabled during state 510 until the system is gracefully shut down. If a new PPS 320 (e.g., a new battery) is inserted, the power supply circuit may perform a cold start, and operations 500 may proceed to state 504.

[0068] According to certain aspects, the PMIC 310 may include various integrated components for performing the techniques described herein. For example, the PMIC 310 may include switches for generating a power supply voltage and charging a power supply, as described with respect to FIG. Figure 6 、 Figure 7A 、 Figure 7B and Figure 7C Described in more detail.

[0069] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an example power supply circuit 600 having a PMIC 611 according to certain aspects of the present disclosure, the PMIC including switches for charging a primary power supply and / or an auxiliary power supply (e.g., PPS 320, SPS 330). The auxiliary power supply may be a battery or a supercapacitor. The power supply circuit 600 may include the PMIC 611, the PPS 320, the SPS 330, a current control switch 610 (e.g., a transistor for controlling the charging current to the SPS 330), a switching regulator 630, and a transistor 620 (Q1). In certain aspects, the current control switch 610 may be comprised of a transistor (e.g., transistor Q6, as shown). Figure 7A 、 Figure 7B and Figure 7C exemplified) implementation.

[0070] According to certain aspects, the SPS 330 can provide power to the output node 362 (VPH_PWR). For example, when the voltage at the output node 362 (VPH_PWR) is less than the voltage of the SPS 330, the SPS 330 can provide power to the output node 362 (VPH_PWR) via transistor Q5 (e.g., switch Q5). In this case, transistor Q5 is activated (e.g., closed) to allow power to be provided, transistor Q7 can be turned off, and the switching regulator 630 can be disabled.

[0071] According to certain aspects, PMIC 611 can be coupled to an input voltage node (labeled "USB_IN"). Transistor 620 can be coupled to switching regulator 630 and transistor Q7 via node 232 (labeled "MID_CHG"). Switching regulator 630 can be coupled to transistor Q7, transistor Q4, and current control switch 610 via node 640 (labeled "VPH_REG"). Transistors Q5 and Q7 can be coupled to output node 362 (VPH_PWR), as shown.

[0072] Figure 7A is a circuit diagram of an example power supply circuit 700 according to certain aspects of the present disclosure, illustrating an example current path 770 for charging the PPS 320 and an example current path 760 for charging the SPS 330. The power supply circuit 700 may be similar to the power supply circuit 600 and may include a PMIC 710 (e.g., corresponding to a PMIC 710). Figure 6 The power supply circuit 600 includes a transistor Q6 (eg, corresponding to the current control switch 610) and a transistor Q1 (eg, corresponding to the current control switch 610). Figure 6In some aspects, the PMIC may include transistors Q2 and Q3 and an inductive element L1 to implement a switching regulator (eg, corresponding to switching regulator 630 ) coupled to a regulated voltage node 640 (VPH_REG). Figure 7A In the example shown, the switching regulator can form a buck converter coupled between node 232 (labeled MID_CHG) and node 640 (VPH_REG). According to certain aspects, PMIC 710 can be coupled to GPIO port 732 (labeled "GPIO") and GPIO port 734 (labeled "GPIO_PWM"), and can also be coupled to PPS 320 via port 726 of PMIC 710. PMIC 710 can also be coupled to SPS 330 via port 728 of PMIC 710.

[0073] In certain aspects, power supply circuit 700 can be connected to and receive power from an input voltage node (USB_IN) via port 374. Power received from port 374 can be used to charge PPS 320 (as illustrated by current path 770) and SPS 330 (as illustrated by current path 760). PPS 320 and SPS 330 can be charged to a power threshold via power from the input voltage node at port 374. For example, power can be provided from port 374 to transistor Q2 via transistor Q1. Transistors Q2, Q3, and inductive element L1 can perform a step-down operation to generate a regulated voltage at node 640. Power can be provided from node 640 to SPS 330 via port 728 through transistor Q6 (e.g., to charge SPS 330). In this example, power can also be provided from node 640 to PPS 320 through transistor Q4 (e.g., to charge PPS 320). Here, transistors Q4 and Q6 can be activated (e.g., closed) to allow power to be routed from the input voltage node (USB_IN) to both PPS 320 and SPS 330. According to certain aspects, power can also be routed from node 640 through transistor Q5 to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) to provide power to one or more circuits of electrical device 100.

[0074] Figure 7BExample current paths for PPS operation (e.g., using current path 790) and SPS charging operation (e.g., using current path 780) according to certain aspects of the present disclosure are illustrated. For certain aspects, when power from the input voltage node (USB_IN) via port 374 is unavailable, power supply circuit 700 can operate using power from PPS 320. In this case, PPS 320 can supply power to both output node 362 (VPH_PWR) (using current path 790) and to SPS 330 via port 728 (using current path 780), thereby powering electronic device 100 and charging SPS 330 when the charge of the PPS is above a configurable safe discharge threshold (e.g., 70% state of charge). If PPS 320 is discharged below the configurable safe discharge threshold, SPS 330 charging can be disabled by turning off transistor Q6. For example, power can be provided from PPS 320 to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) via transistors Q4 and Q5. Here, transistors Q4 and Q5 (e.g., switches) are activated (e.g., closed) to allow power to be routed to SPS 330. Power can also be routed from PPS 320 to SPS 330 (e.g., to charge SPS 330) via transistors Q4 and Q6. Here, transistors Q4 and Q6 (e.g., switches) are activated (e.g., closed) to allow power to be routed. Transistor Q6 may be a current-controlled linear charger that can be used to control the current provided to charge SPS 330. If SPS 330 is a supercapacitor, charging can be terminated to a safe operating voltage (e.g., 2.8 volts) based on ADC sensed voltage measurements. If SPS 330 is implemented using a low-capacity battery, charging can be terminated after the battery reaches a rated termination voltage.

[0075] Figure 7C An example current path 750 for SPS operation during battery swap mode, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure, is illustrated. Figure 7C In the example of FIG, transistors Q2 and Q3 and inductive element L1 may form a boost converter topology to generate a boosted voltage based on power from SPS 330. For example, transistors Q2 and Q3 may perform a boost operation to generate the boosted voltage.

[0076] As described, the PPS 320 may be replaced when using the SPS 330 to provide power to the electrical device 100. For example, the SPS 330 may supply power to the output node 362 (VPH_PWR) to power the electrical device 100.

[0077] For certain aspects, where a battery is used to implement the SPS, power may be provided from the SPS 330 to the node 362 through transistors Q6 and Q5 (eg, via current path 751 ). Here, transistors Q2 , Q3 , Q4 , and Q7 may be disabled.

[0078] For certain aspects, if the SPS 330 is implemented using a supercapacitor, power can be provided from the SPS 330 via transistor Q6 and inductive element L1. Transistors Q2 and Q3 can be controlled to generate a boosted voltage (VPH_PWR) at the output node 362 (e.g., as shown via current path 750) when transistor Q7 is activated. Here, transistor Q4 (e.g., a switch) can be disabled, allowing the PPS 320 to be decoupled from the PMIC 710 and replaced. Additionally, transistor Q5 and transistor 620 (Q1) can be disabled (e.g., disconnected). The boosted voltage at VPH_PWR can be the same as or slightly higher than the minimum system operating voltage (e.g., 3.2 volts).

[0079] Figure 8 is a power supply circuit (e.g., Figure 6 The power supply circuit 600 or 7A to 7C 700). Operation 800 may be facilitated by a PMIC (eg, PMIC 611 or PMIC 710). Operation 800 may be similar to that described with respect to Figure 5 Operation 500 is described.

[0080] Operation 800 may optionally begin at state 504, where the power supply circuit may operate in a normal state, as described herein. In some aspects, if the voltage of the SPS 330 (e.g., V supercap ) is less than Vspec, operation 800 proceeds to state 502 and the PMIC closes the current control switch 610 (eg, activates or enables transistor Q6 ) to charge the SPS 330 , as described herein.

[0081] When the power of PPS 320 reaches a certain threshold, a battery replacement may be performed. For example, operation 800 may proceed to state 806. Figure 7A Port 732 (GPIO) may receive a control signal for enabling hot-swap mode. The control for enabling hot-swap mode may be an active high level or an active low level based on user configuration. In state 806, PPS 320 provides power to electrical device 100, and electrical device 100 may operate in low power mode. In state 806, Figure 6The described switching regulator 630 (e.g., associated with the boost operation performed by transistors Q2, Q3) may remain disabled. Operation may transition from state 806 to state 508. The electrical device 100 may provide at least one indication of battery replacement via any suitable indication device. The indication may be visual (e.g., an LED, which may be constant or flashing during hot swap mode) and / or audible (e.g., a speaker tone, a periodic beep, or a vibration). Figure 7A The depicted GPIO port 734 (GPIO_PWM) may be coupled to an indication device for indicating that hot-swap mode is enabled.

[0082] In state 508, the PMIC may enable switching regulator 630 (enabling boost operation via transistors Q2 and Q3). Via the switching regulator (or via the boost operation of transistors Q2 and Q3), the voltage of the SPS 330 may be boosted to generate a voltage at output node 362 for operating the electrical device 100. Transistor Q7 may be active (e.g., closed). If the SPS 330 is discharged (e.g., the voltage at the SPS node (Vsps) is less than a threshold (e.g., UVLO)), operations 800 may transition from state 508 to state 510, in which the PMIC and the electrical device are shut down.

[0083] Figure 9A 9 is a block diagram of an example power supply circuit 900 (e.g., corresponding to power supply circuits 300, 400, 600, or 700) according to certain aspects of the present disclosure, the example power supply circuit having a hardware interface for controlling battery replacement and an example indicator device (e.g., LED 920). The indicator device can be configured to provide an indication of hot swap mode (e.g., whether hot swap mode is enabled). The indicator can be visual (e.g., an LED that can be constant or flashing during hot swap mode), a display (e.g., Figure 9B The hot-swap mode may be activated by a user (e.g., display 940 in the display) and / or by an auditory (e.g., speaker tone or periodic beep) or tactile vibration. Entering and exiting hot-swap mode may be controlled by a user via hardware actions. For example, PMIC 910 (e.g., corresponding to PMIC 310, PMIC 611, or PMIC 710) may include port 734 (GPIO_PMW) and port 732 (GPIO).

[0084] According to certain aspects, port 734 (GPIO_PMW) can be coupled to LED 920, and port 732 (GPIO) can be coupled to interface 930. Interface 930 can be associated with electrical device 100 and can be used to selectively control electrical device 100 to enter hot plug mode. Interface 930 can include a slider switch (labeled as "slider"), a toggle switch, or a push button switch. For example, a user can slide a slider (e.g., a slide switch) of interface 930 from Figure 9A The illustrated first position (coupling nodes 1 and 2 together) is manipulated to the second position (coupling nodes 2 and 3 together) to trigger a battery hot swap. Depending on user preference, either the first or second position of the slider can be configured as a trigger for the power circuit to enter hot swap mode. Figure 9A An example technique for entering the battery replacement mode is provided, but any suitable technique may be used. For example, port 732 may be used to provide an indication of entering the battery replacement mode as described herein.

[0085] Figure 9B An example display 940 illustrating a visual indication for battery hot swap control and software usage according to certain aspects of the present disclosure is shown, showing two different states (e.g., states 900B and 900C). As shown, the electrical device 100 (e.g., an IoT device) may include a screen or touchscreen that displays an indicator associated with hot swap mode (e.g., indicating whether hot swap mode is enabled). In this example, if hot swap mode is not enabled (illustrated by state 900B), the display 940 may display an "off" indicator, or if hot swap mode is enabled (illustrated by state 900C), the display may display an "on" indicator. This indication via display 940 may also be accompanied by other indications, which may include visual indications (e.g., an LED, which may be solid or flashing during hot swap mode) and / or audible indications (e.g., a speaker tone, a periodic beep, or a tactile vibration).

[0086] Figure 10 is a flow diagram illustrating example operations 1000 for battery hot swapping according to certain aspects of the present disclosure. Operations 1000 may be performed, for example, by a PMIC (eg, PMIC 310, PMIC 611, or PMIC 710) of a power circuit (eg, power circuit 300, 400, 600, or 700).

[0087] Operations 1000 may begin at block 1002, where the power supply circuit may enter hot-swap mode. After entering hot-swap mode, operations may transition to block 1004, where the PMIC may transition the electrical device 100 to low-power mode (LPM). In some aspects, prior to entering hot-swap mode, the PMIC may be in a charging state for the PPS 320 and / or the SPS 330. Operations 1000 may proceed to block 1006, where the PMIC may disable charging of the PPS 320. Operations 1000 may also proceed to block 1008, where the PMIC may disable charging of the SPS 330 (e.g., disabling the LDO regulator 350 or disconnecting the current-controlled switch 610) and enable reverse boost. For example, the PMIC may enable boost mode (e.g., enabling boost converter 340, switching regulator 630, or boost operation via transistors Q2 and Q3), so that the SPS 330 can provide power to the output node 362. Operation 1000 may then proceed to block 1010, where a flashing LED indication (e.g., or any other type of indication) may indicate that the PPS 320 (e.g., battery) may be safely removed. In some aspects, the flashing LED indication may be a constant or flashing LED indication and may be accompanied by an audible indication (e.g., a speaker tone or a periodic beep). At block 1012, a determination may be made as to whether the PPS 320 has been removed. If the PPS 320 has been removed, operation 1000 may proceed to block 1024.

[0088] At block 1024, the SPS 330 may begin supplying power to the output node 362 (VPH_PWR), as described herein with respect to Figure 4C and Figure 7C As described. Operation 1000 may then proceed to block 1026, where the PMIC may detect that the PPS 320 (e.g., the battery) has been removed (e.g., the BATT ID / BATT THERM port is left unconnected). Operation 1000 may then proceed to block 1028, where the battery fuel gauge (e.g., the register indicating the residual voltage of the PPS 320) may be disabled, and all fuel gauge configuration registers may be reset. Additionally, when the PPS 320 is removed, the PMIC may set the software override parameter BATT_THERM to a configured level (e.g., corresponding to 25 degrees Celsius) to avoid any functional impact on the electrical device 100 (e.g., due to thermal throttling).

[0089] Operation 1000 may then proceed to block 1030, where the PMIC may determine whether the SPS 330 voltage is less than a threshold (e.g., a UVLO threshold). If the SPS 330 voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold, operation 1000 may proceed to block 1032, and the PMIC may determine whether a battery has been inserted. If the SPS 330 voltage is less than or equal to the threshold, operation 1000 may proceed to block 1034, where the PMIC may perform an emergency shutdown of the power circuit and electrical device 100, as described herein. If the PMIC determines at block 1032 that a battery has been inserted, operation may proceed to block 1044.

[0090] At block 1044, the flashing LED indication may be turned off, and operation 1000 may proceed to block 1046. At block 1046, the PMIC may load a configuration file associated with the inserted battery (e.g., PPS 320), perform an open circuit voltage (OCV) estimation, and enable a fuel gauge (register) configured to display the voltage of PPS 320. Operations may then proceed to block 1048, where the charger module may be enabled (e.g., to enable charging of SPS 330). Operations 1000 may then proceed to block 1050, where boost operation (e.g., boost converter 340 or switching regulator 630) may be disabled, and SPS operation (e.g., operation for providing power to output node 362 via the SPS) may be enabled. Operations 1000 may then proceed to block 1052, where the PMIC may exit low power mode and enter normal power mode. Operations 1000 may then proceed to block 1054 where the PMIC 710 may operate in normal mode, as described herein.

[0091] Example power supply circuit for true hot swap

[0092] Certain aspects of the present disclosure have described battery hot-swap technology. With battery hot-swap technology, an electrical device may not undergo a complete cold start when replacing a battery. Instead, the electrical device enters a low-power state once the battery (e.g., PPS 320) is removed and returns to its original state (e.g., normal operating state) after the insertion of a rechargeable battery. The hot-swap state may be initiated by user input. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to hot-swap technology (e.g., also known as true hot-swap) that allows the removal of a battery (e.g., PPS) without the electrical device entering a low-power state and, in some aspects, without manual intervention (e.g., receiving user input indicating entry into replacement mode).

[0093] Performing true hot swapping can improve the productivity of the electronic device 100 because the electronic device 100 can continue to operate normally while the battery is being replaced (eg, the SPS can immediately take over to facilitate normal operation). Thus, true battery hot swapping can provide uninterrupted electrical device operation.

[0094] Figure 11 FIG1 is a block diagram of an example power circuit 1100 having a PMIC 1110 that supports true hot swap or warm swap, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure. The power circuit 1100 may include the PMIC 1110, the PPS 320, the SPS 330, a voltage regulator 1120, a controller 1130, a voltage regulator 1140, and an LDO regulator 1150. According to certain aspects, the PMIC 1110 may include the voltage regulator 1120, the controller 1130, the voltage regulator 1140, and the LDO regulator 1150.

[0095] Transistor Q1 (e.g., a switch) may be coupled between the input voltage node (USB_IN) and voltage regulator 1120. Voltage regulator 1120 may be coupled to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) and inductive element L1 (e.g., via port 360). Voltage regulator 1120 may also be coupled to controller 1130 via port 360, inductor L1, and transistor Q4. Controller 1130 may be coupled to PPS 320 via port 726 and to voltage regulator 1140 via transistor Q8. Second voltage regulator 1140 may be coupled to SPS 330 via port 728 and inductive element L2. LDO 1150 may be coupled to port 1160 and SPS 330. In certain aspects, voltage regulator 1140 may be implemented using a current control loop (e.g., for controlling charging current to SPS 330), and the output current of voltage regulator 1140 may be based on a programmable set value.

[0096] Figure 12A is a circuit diagram of an example power supply circuit 1200 (e.g., corresponding to power supply circuit 1100 ) according to certain aspects of the present disclosure, illustrating example current paths for charging a PPS (e.g., using current path 1220 ) and charging an SPS (e.g., using current path 1210 ). Power supply circuit 1200 may be similar to power supply circuit 1100 and may include a PMIC 1110, a voltage regulator 1120, a controller 1130, a voltage regulator 1140, and an LDO 1150. In certain aspects, voltage regulator 1120 may be implemented as a switching regulator via transistors Q2 and Q3 and an inductive element L1 coupled to output node 362 (VPH_PWR). Voltage regulator 1140 may be implemented as a switching regulator formed by transistors Q9 and Q10 and an inductive element L2 coupled to SPS 330.

[0097] According to certain aspects, power supply circuit 1200 can be connected to and receive power from an input voltage node (USB_IN) via port 374. Power received from port 374 can be used to charge PPS 320 (as shown by current path 1220) and to charge SPS 330 (as shown by current path 1210). PPS 320 and SPS 330 can be charged to a threshold voltage and PMIC 1110 (e.g., using controller 1130).

[0098] When USB input power is available, software can be programmed to configure the charging current of PPS 320 and SPS 330 (e.g., by controlling transistors Q4, Q8 and / or voltage regulator 1140). For example, if the input power is 10 watts (W), 8 W can be used to charge PPS 320 and 2 W can be used to charge SPS 330.

[0099] Power can be provided from port 374 to transistor Q2 via transistor Q1. Transistors Q2, Q3, and inductive element L1 can perform a step-down operation to generate a regulated voltage at output node 362. Power can be provided from output node 362 to regulator 1140 via transistor Q8. Transistors Q9 and Q10 of regulator 1140, as well as inductive element L2, can perform a step-down operation to generate a regulated voltage for charging SPS 330 via port 728. In this example, power can also be provided from output node 362 via transistor Q4 to charge PPS 320 via port 726. Here, transistor Q4 is activated to provide power to PPS 320.

[0100] Figure 12B Example current paths for PPS operation (eg, using current path 1230 ) and SPS charging (eg, using current path 1250 ), as well as example paths for optional USB On-The-Go (OTG) operation (eg, using current path 1240 ), are illustrated in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0101] exist Figure 12BIn the example shown, voltage regulator 1120 can perform a boost operation to generate a boosted voltage at port 374 based on the voltage VPH_PWR at output node 362. According to certain aspects, when power from the input voltage node (USB_IN) via port 374 is unavailable, power supply circuit 1200 can operate using power from PPS 320. In this case, PPS 320 can supply power to both output node 362 (VPH_PWR) (e.g., using current path 1230) and to SPS 330 via port 728 (e.g., using current path 1250) to power electrical device 100 and charge SPS 330. For example, power can be provided from PPS 320 to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) via transistor Q4. Power can then be provided from PPS 320 to LDO regulator 1150 via transistor Q4. The LDO regulator 1150 can generate a regulated voltage that is provided to the port 1160 and the SPS 330 for charging. The regulated voltage also provides a backup voltage (V backup ). Additionally, the LDO regulator 1150 can be enabled and control current to allow charging of the SPS 330. Although the SPS 330 may not provide a system load when the PPS 320 is in use, there may be power leakage from the SPS 330, resulting in a decrease in the SPS charge. In some cases, the software can be configured to receive a voltage measurement associated with the SPS and activate SPS charging from the master PPS 320 (e.g., based on the voltage measurement meeting a programmable threshold), as described herein.

[0102] USB OTG allows a USB device (e.g., electrical device 100) to act as a host, allowing other electrical devices (e.g., a USB flash drive, digital camera, mouse, or keyboard) to be attached and powered. The use of USB OTG allows an electrical device to switch back and forth between the roles of host and device. When a device is detected at port 374 (USB_IN), USB OTG mode can be enabled. For example, when PPS 320 is supplying power to electrical device 100 and USB OTG mode is enabled, power can be provided from PPS 320 to port 374 for powering the attached device. For example, voltage regulator 1120 can perform a boost operation to generate a boosted voltage at port 374 based on the power supplied by PPS 320 at output node 362.

[0103] In some aspects, when PPS 320 is used to supply power to output node 362, SPS 330 can be used to generate a boosted voltage at the source of transistor Q8 (e.g., using current 1920), thereby allowing power to be quickly supplied from SPS 330 in the event that PPS 320 is removed. For example, transistors Q9, Q10, and inductive element L2 can be used to perform a boost operation to generate a boosted voltage at the source of transistor Q8. Once PPS 320 is removed, transistor Q8 can be activated to supply power to output node 362 via SPS 330, as described in greater detail herein.

[0104] Figure 12C Illustrated are example current paths 1250 for SPS operation during battery hot swap, and example current paths 1260 for optional USB OTG operation, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0105] According to certain aspects, power supply circuit 1200 can operate using power from PPS 320. While SPS 330 is providing power to electrical device 100, PPS 320 can be hot-swapped. In this case, SPS 330 can supply power to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) to power electrical device 100. For example, power from SPS 330 can be provided to regulator 1140, which includes transistors Q9 and Q10. Transistors Q9 and Q10, along with inductive element L2, can perform a boost operation to generate a boosted voltage at the source of transistor Q8. In this way, when PPS 320 is removed, power is available at the source of transistor Q8 to provide power to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) to power electrical device 100. In other words, when PPS 320 is removed, transistor Q4 can be deactivated, and transistor Q8 can be activated to supply power from SPS 330 to output node 362. SPS 330 may continue to provide power to output node 362 (VPH_PWR) until a new PPS 320 is inserted. Here, transistor Q4 (e.g., a switch) is disconnected, allowing PPS 320 to be removed and replaced. Furthermore, voltage regulator 1120 may perform a boost operation to generate a boosted voltage at port 374 based on the voltage at output node 362 (VPH_PWR) for USB OTG.

[0106] Figure 13 is a state diagram illustrating operation 1300 of a power circuit according to certain aspects of the present disclosure (eg, performed by power circuit 1100 or 1200 ). Operation 1300 may be facilitated, for example, by PMIC 1110 of power circuit 1100 , 1200 .

[0107] Operation 1300 may optionally begin at state 1304, in which the power supply circuit may operate in a normal state (e.g., normal power mode). In the normal state, PPS 320 may provide power to electrical device 100. In the normal state, SPS 330 is not used to provide power to electrical device 100. Electrical device 100 may operate in the normal power mode. In some aspects, voltage regulator 1120 may be disabled (e.g., when USB OTG is disabled) or may be configured in the normal state as a boost converter (when USB OTG is enabled) to provide power at port 374. Voltage regulator 1140 may also be configured as a boost converter in the normal state, providing power at the source of transistor Q8, as described.

[0108] In some cases, voltage regulator 1140 may maintain a voltage (e.g., 3.2V) at the drain of transistor Q8 that is lower than the voltage of PPS 320 (e.g., equal to the minimum system operating voltage or less than the 5% SOC equivalent voltage of PPS 320). In some aspects, the PMIC may monitor the voltage at the source and drain of transistor Q8 as an indicator of whether the system is using PPS power or SPS power. For example, a voltage at the source of transistor Q8 that is less than the voltage at the drain of transistor Q8 may indicate that power is coming from PPS 320. On the other hand, a voltage at the source of transistor Q8 that is greater than the voltage at the drain of transistor Q8 may indicate that power is coming from SPS 330.

[0109] Transistor Q4 can be active (e.g., closed) to allow power to be provided from PPS 320 to output node 362 (VPH_PWR), and transistor Q8 can be turned off (e.g., transistor Q4 can be turned off, but conduction can occur through the body diode of transistor Q8). Voltage regulator 1140 can maintain a voltage (e.g., 3.2V) at the drain of transistor Q8 that is lower than the voltage of PPS 320. When the SPS voltage drops to a threshold, regulator 1150 can be activated to charge the SPS. Once the SPS has reached the charging threshold, regulator 1150 can be disabled, and regulator 1140 can be activated for reverse boost. As long as the voltage of SPS 330 is equal to or less than a specified safety voltage (labeled "Vsafe"), the power supply circuit can continue to operate in a normal state. When the voltage at SPS 330 is less than the specified voltage (Vsafe), operation 1300 can proceed to state 1302.

[0110] In state 1302, the PMIC may determine whether the power supply circuits 1100, 1200 can be charged from port 374 (USB_IN). When no voltage is available at port 374 (USB_IN), the voltage regulator 1120 may be suspended (e.g., disabled). When voltage is available at port 374 (USB_IN), the voltage regulator 1120 may be enabled and configured as a buck converter to enable charging of the PPS 320 and provide power to the output node 362. The voltage regulator 1140 may be enabled and configured as a buck converter to enable charging of the SPS 330 (via power from port 374 (USB_IN) and / or the PPS 320). Furthermore, transistors Q4 and Q8 may be activated (e.g., closed) in state 1302 to allow power to be routed to both the PPS 320 and the SPS 330.

[0111] When the voltage at the SPS 330 is less than Vsafe, the power circuit may continue to operate in state 1302. When the voltage of the SPS 330 becomes equal to Vsafe, the operation 1300 proceeds to state 1304.

[0112] For a true hot swap, when the PPS 320 (e.g., a battery) is removed, operations 1300 proceed to state 1306. Transistor Q4 is deactivated, and transistor Q8 is activated. The SPS 330 can provide power to the output node 362. Similarly, when USB On-The-Go (OTG) is operating with the PPS 320 (e.g., a battery) removed, the regulator 1120 can generate a voltage at port 374. In this manner, the power supply circuit provides power to the electrical device 100 until a new PPS 320 (e.g., a new battery or a previously charged battery) is attached. In certain aspects, for a warm swap use case, port 732 can be used to set a warm swap active state, in which the device (e.g., device 100) enters a low-power mode, and port 734 provides a safe battery removal indication.

[0113] According to certain aspects, the voltage regulator 1120 can be disabled (e.g., when USB OTG is disabled) or can be configured as a boost converter (e.g., when USB OTG is enabled). As long as the voltage of the SPS 330 is greater than or equal to a threshold (e.g., a UVLO threshold voltage), the power supply circuit can continue to operate in state 1306.

[0114] During state 1306, the PMIC 1110 may communicate (e.g., to the processor 104) that the PMIC is operating on backup power. The power consumption of the electrical device 100 may be adjusted based on user configuration to reduce power consumption (e.g., by dimming the display brightness or reducing the core operating frequency). When a new PPS 320 (e.g., a battery) is inserted, operations 1300 may proceed to state 1304, as described above. If, in state 1306, the SPS 330 is discharged below a threshold (e.g., a UVLO threshold voltage), operations 1300 proceed to state 1308.

[0115] At state 1308, the power supply circuit may operate in shutdown mode. In shutdown mode, voltage regulator 1120 may be disabled. Voltage regulator 1140 may also be disabled in shutdown mode. The power supply circuit may continue in shutdown mode until a new battery is inserted and a cold boot is performed, at which point operation 1300 returns to state 1304.

[0116] Example Operations for Power Supply

[0117] Figure 14 1400 is a flow diagram illustrating example operations 1400 for signal generation in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. Operations 1400 may be performed by a device (eg, device 100) including a power supply circuit (such as power supply circuit 400, power supply circuit 600, power supply circuit 700, power supply circuit 1100, or power supply circuit 1200).

[0118] At block 1402, the device may determine whether to enter a replacement mode for removing the primary power source (e.g., PPS 320). At block 1404, the device may generate a first regulated voltage based on a voltage from an auxiliary power source (e.g., SPS 330). In some aspects, the first regulated voltage may be generated via a boost converter (e.g., boost converter 340, or a boost converter implemented via transistors Q2 and Q4). At block 1406, the device may provide the first regulated voltage to a power output node (e.g., output node 362) in response to this determination. In some aspects, the device may configure the device, which has an auxiliary power source, to be in a low-power state during replacement mode.

[0119] In some aspects, the device can also generate a second regulated voltage based on the voltage from the main power supply and charge the auxiliary power supply via the second regulated voltage. In some aspects, the device can generate a second regulated voltage based on the voltage from the main power supply and charge the auxiliary power supply via the second regulated voltage. Figure 7B Transistor Q6) provides charging voltage from the main power supply to the auxiliary power supply.

[0120] In some aspects, the device can generate a first output voltage based on an input voltage from a port (e.g., USB port 374) via an SMPS operating as a buck converter (e.g., implemented via transistors Q2 and Q3). The device can provide the first output voltage to a power output node. The device can also generate a second output voltage based on a voltage from a main power source via the SMPS operating as a boost converter, and provide the second output voltage to the port.

[0121] In some aspects, before entering the replacement mode, the switch (e.g., Figure 12B A first regulated voltage is generated at a first terminal of a transistor Q8 of the switch, and a second terminal of the switch is coupled to the power output node. Providing the first regulated voltage to the power output node may include closing the switch in response to the main power source being removed.

[0122] Example aspects

[0123] In addition to the various aspects described above, specific combinations of the various aspects are also within the scope of the present disclosure, and details of some of the specific combinations are as follows:

[0124] Aspect 1. An integrated circuit (IC) for power management, the IC comprising: a first power node; a second power node; a first port, the first port being used to couple to a main power supply; a first switch, the first switch being coupled between the first power node and the first port; a second port, the second port being used to couple to an auxiliary power supply; a second switch, the second switch being coupled between the first power node and the second port; and a third switch, the third switch being coupled between the first power node and the second power node.

[0125] Aspect 2. The IC according to Aspect 1 further comprises: a third power supply node; a voltage regulator coupled between the third power supply node and the first power supply node; and a fourth switch coupled between the third power supply node and the second power supply node.

[0126] Aspect 3. An IC according to Aspect 2, wherein for hot swap mode: the first switch is configured to be open so that the main power supply can be replaced; the third switch is configured to be open; the second switch and the fourth switch are configured to be closed; and the voltage regulator is configured to be enabled in a reverse boost direction so that the auxiliary power supply can provide power to the second power supply node via the second switch, the voltage regulator and the fourth switch.

[0127] Aspect 4. The IC of aspect 3, wherein the voltage regulator is configured as a buck converter in the forward direction and as a boost converter in the reverse boost direction.

[0128] Aspect 5. The IC according to any one of aspects 3 to 4, further comprising a fourth port configured to receive a control signal for enabling the hot-swap mode.

[0129] Aspect 6. The IC according to aspect 5, further comprising a fifth port for coupling to an indicator for indicating that the hot-swap mode is enabled.

[0130] Aspect 7. An IC according to any one of Aspects 2 to 6, wherein the IC further includes: a third port, the third port being used to couple to a charger; and a fifth switch, the fifth switch being coupled between the third port and the third power supply node, wherein for a charging mode: the fourth switch is configured to be open; the first switch, the second switch, the third switch and the fifth switch are configured to be closed; and the voltage regulator is configured to be enabled in a forward direction, so that the charger can: charge the main power supply via the fifth switch, the voltage regulator and the first switch; charge the auxiliary power supply via the fifth switch, the voltage regulator and the second switch; and provide power to the second power supply node via the fifth switch, the voltage regulator and the third switch.

[0131] Aspect 8. The IC of aspect 1, wherein for a normal operating mode, the first switch and the third switch are configured to be closed so that the main power supply can provide power to the second power supply node.

[0132] Aspect 9. The IC of aspect 8, wherein for the normal operating mode, the second switch is configured to close when a voltage associated with the auxiliary power supply is below a threshold voltage, enabling the main power supply to charge the auxiliary power supply.

[0133] Aspect 10. An IC according to any one of Aspects 1 to 9, wherein for hot swap mode: the second switch and the third switch are configured to be closed so that the auxiliary power supply can provide power to the second power supply node; and the first switch is configured to be open so that the main power supply can be replaced.

[0134] Aspect 11. A portable device comprising an IC according to claims 1 to 10, the portable device further comprising: the main power supply, the main power supply coupled to the first port of the IC; the auxiliary power supply, the auxiliary power supply coupled to the second port of the IC; and one or more circuits, the one or more circuits coupled to the second power supply node and configured to receive power via the second power supply node.

[0135] Aspect 12. The portable device according to aspect 11, wherein the primary power source comprises a first battery, and wherein the auxiliary power source comprises a second battery or a supercapacitor.

[0136] Aspect 13. The portable device according to any one of aspects 11 to 12, wherein the portable device comprises an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

[0137] Aspect 14. A portable device according to any one of Aspects 11 to 13, the portable device further comprising: an interface for a user of the portable device to selectively control the portable device to enter a hot plug mode; and an indicator configured to indicate to the user that the portable device is in the hot plug mode.

[0138] Aspect 15. The portable device according to aspect 14, further comprising a display, wherein the display is configured to display at least one of the interface or the indicator.

[0139] Aspect 16. The portable device according to any one of aspects 14 to 15, wherein the interface comprises a slider switch, a toggle switch, or a push button switch.

[0140] Aspect 17. The portable device according to any one of aspects 14 to 16, wherein the indicator comprises a light emitting diode, a speaker, or a vibration device.

[0141] Aspect 18. An integrated circuit (IC) for power management, the IC comprising: a power node; a first port, the first port being used to couple to a main power supply; a first switch, the first switch being coupled between the power node and the first port; a second port, the second port being used to couple to an auxiliary power supply; a first voltage regulator, the first voltage regulator being coupled between the power node and the second port; a third port, the third port being used to couple to the auxiliary power supply through an inductive element; a second voltage regulator, the second voltage regulator comprising a first node coupled to the third port; and a second switch, the second switch being coupled between the power node and a second node of the second voltage regulator.

[0142] Aspect 19. The IC of aspect 18, wherein the first voltage regulator comprises a low dropout (LDO) regulator, and wherein the second voltage regulator comprises: a buck converter in a forward direction from the second node to the first node, and a boost converter in a reverse direction from the first node to the second node.

[0143] Aspect 20. An IC according to any one of Aspects 18 to 19, wherein for hot swap mode: the second switch is configured to be closed; the second voltage regulator is configured to be enabled in a reverse boost configuration so that the auxiliary power supply can provide power to the power supply node via the second voltage regulator and the second switch; and the first switch is configured to be opened after the main power supply is removed.

[0144] Aspect 21. The IC according to aspect 20, further comprising a fourth port configured to receive a control signal for enabling the hot-swap mode.

[0145] Aspect 22. The IC according to aspect 21, further comprising a fifth port for coupling to an indicator for indicating that the hot-swap mode is enabled.

[0146] Aspect 23. An IC according to any one of Aspects 18 to 22, wherein for a normal operating mode: the first switch is configured to be closed; and the second switch is configured to be open, so that the main power supply can provide power to the power supply node and can charge the auxiliary power supply via the first voltage regulator.

[0147] Aspect 24. The IC of aspect 23, wherein for the normal operating mode, the second voltage regulator is configured to be enabled in a reverse boost configuration.

[0148] Aspect 25. An IC according to any one of Aspects 18 to 24, wherein the IC further includes: a fourth port, the fourth port being used to couple to a charger; a fifth port being used to couple to the power supply node; a third voltage regulator, the third voltage regulator including a first node coupled to the fifth port; and a third switch, the third switch being coupled between the fourth port and the second node of the third voltage regulator.

[0149] Aspect 26. An IC according to Aspect 25, wherein for a charging mode: the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are configured to be closed; the third voltage regulator is configured to be enabled so that the charger can charge the main power supply via the third voltage regulator; and the second voltage regulator is configured to be enabled so that the charger can charge the auxiliary power supply via the third voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0150] Aspect 27. A portable device comprising an IC according to claim 18, the portable device further comprising: the main power supply, the main power supply coupled to the first port of the IC; the auxiliary power supply, the auxiliary power supply coupled to the second port of the IC; an inductive element, the inductive element coupled between the third port of the IC and the auxiliary power supply; and one or more circuits, the one or more circuits coupled to the power supply node and configured to receive power via the power supply node.

[0151] Aspect 28. The portable device of aspect 27, wherein the primary power source comprises a first battery, and wherein the auxiliary power source comprises a second battery or a supercapacitor.

[0152] Aspect 29. The portable device of any one of aspects 27 to 28, wherein the portable device comprises an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

[0153] Aspect 30. A portable device according to any one of Aspects 27 to 29, the portable device further comprising: an interface for a user of the portable device to selectively control the portable device to enter a hot plug mode; and an indicator configured to indicate to the user that the portable device is in the hot plug mode.

[0154] Aspect 31. The portable device according to aspect 30, further comprising a display, wherein the display is configured to display at least one of the interface or the indicator.

[0155] Aspect 32. The portable device according to any one of aspects 30 to 31, wherein the interface comprises a slider switch, a toggle switch, or a push button switch.

[0156] Aspect 33. The portable device according to any one of aspects 30 to 32, wherein the indicator comprises a light emitting diode (LED) or a speaker or a vibration device.

[0157] Aspect 34. A power supply circuit for a portable device, the power supply circuit comprising: a first power supply node; a second power supply node, the second power supply node being used to couple to a main power supply; a first switch, the first switch being coupled between the first power supply node and the second power supply node; a third power supply node, the third power supply node being used to couple to an auxiliary power supply; a first voltage regulator, the first voltage regulator comprising an input terminal coupled to the first power supply node and an output terminal coupled to the third power supply node; a second voltage regulator, the second voltage regulator comprising an input terminal coupled to the third power supply node and an output terminal coupled to the first power supply node; and an integrated circuit (IC), the integrated circuit (IC) comprising a first port coupled to the first power supply node and a second port coupled to the third power supply node, and being configured to sense a parameter associated with the auxiliary power supply, wherein the IC is configured to control charging of the auxiliary power supply based on the sensed parameter.

[0158] Aspect 35. The power supply circuit of aspect 34, wherein the IC further comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) comprising an input coupled to the second port of the IC.

[0159] Aspect 36. A power supply circuit according to any one of Aspects 34 to 35, wherein the IC further comprises a third port coupled to an enable input of the first voltage regulator, and wherein the IC is configured to selectively enable the first voltage regulator using the third port based on a parameter sensed at the second port.

[0160] Aspect 37. The power supply circuit of aspect 36, wherein the IC further comprises a fourth port coupled to the second voltage regulator enable input.

[0161] Aspect 38. The power supply circuit of aspects 34 to 37, wherein the first voltage regulator comprises a low dropout (LDO) regulator, and wherein the second voltage regulator comprises a boost converter.

[0162] Aspect 39. A power supply circuit according to any one of Aspects 34 to 38, wherein for hot plug mode: the first switch is configured to be disconnected so that the main power supply can be replaced; the first voltage regulator is configured to be disabled; and the second voltage regulator is configured to be enabled so that the auxiliary power supply can provide power to one or more circuits of the portable device via the second voltage regulator and the first power supply node.

[0163] Aspect 40. A power supply circuit according to any one of Aspects 34 to 39, wherein for one or more circuits of the portable device, the normal operating mode is configured to be powered by the main power supply: the first switch is configured to be closed; the first voltage regulator is configured to be enabled; and the second voltage regulator is configured to be disabled, so that the main power supply can charge the auxiliary power supply via the first voltage regulator.

[0164] Aspect 41. The power supply circuit according to any one of aspects 34 to 40, wherein the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator are configured to be disabled based on a voltage at the second port being above a threshold.

[0165] Aspect 42. A method for signal generation, the method comprising: determining whether to enter a replacement mode for removing a main power source; generating a first regulated voltage based on a voltage from an auxiliary power source; and providing the first regulated voltage to a power output node in response to the determination.

[0166] Aspect 43. The method of aspect 42, wherein the first regulated voltage is generated via a boost converter.

[0167] Aspect 44. The method according to any one of aspects 42 to 43, further comprising: generating a second regulated voltage based on the voltage from the main power source; and charging the auxiliary power source via the second regulated voltage.

[0168] Aspect 45. The method according to any one of aspects 42 to 44, further comprising providing a charging voltage from the primary power supply to the auxiliary power supply via a transistor configured as a current-controlled linear charger.

[0169] Aspect 46. The method according to any one of aspects 42 to 45, further comprising: configuring the wireless device having the auxiliary power supply to be in a low power state during the replacement mode.

[0170] Aspect 47. The method of any one of Aspects 42 to 46, further comprising: generating a first output voltage based on an input voltage from a port via a switch mode power supply (SMPS) operating as a buck converter; providing the first output voltage to the power output node; generating a second output voltage based on a voltage from the main power supply via the SMPS operating as a boost converter; and providing the second output voltage to the port.

[0171] Aspect 48. The method of aspect 47, wherein the port comprises a universal serial bus (USB) port.

[0172] Aspect 49. A method according to any one of Aspects 42 to 48, wherein the first regulated voltage is generated at a first terminal of a switch before entering the replacement mode, a second terminal of the switch is coupled to the power output node, wherein providing the first regulated voltage to the power output node includes closing the switch in response to the main power source being removed.

[0173] Additional Notes

[0174] The various operations of the methods described above may be performed by any suitable means capable of performing the corresponding functions. The means may include various hardware and / or software components and / or modules, including but not limited to circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or processors. Generally speaking, where there are operations illustrated in the figures, those operations may have corresponding means-plus-function components with similar numbers.

[0175] As used herein, the term "determining" encompasses a wide variety of actions. For example, "determining" may include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, searching (e.g., searching in a table, database, or another data structure), ascertaining, and the like. Furthermore, "determining" may include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory), and the like. Furthermore, "determining" may include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.

[0176] As used herein, a phrase referring to "at least one of" a list of items refers to any combination of those items (including single members). By way of example, "at least one of a, b, or c" is intended to encompass: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, and abc, as well as any combination with multiples of the same elements (e.g., aa, aaa, aab, aac, abb, acc, bb, bbb, bbc, cc, and ccc, or any other ordering of a, b, and c).

[0177] The methods disclosed herein include one or more steps or actions for implementing the described methods. The steps and / or actions of the methods may be interchangeable with each other without departing from the scope of the claims. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is specified, the order and / or use of specific steps and / or actions may be modified without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0178] It is to be understood that the claims are not limited to the precise configuration and components illustrated above. Various modifications, changes and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the methods and apparatus described above without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) for power management, the IC comprising: a first power supply node; a second power supply node; a first port for coupling to a main power source; a first switch coupled between the first power supply node and the first port; a second port for coupling to an auxiliary power source; a second switch coupled between the first power node and the second port; and A third switch is coupled between the first power supply node and the second power supply node.

2. The IC of claim 1 , further comprising: a third power supply node; a voltage regulator coupled between the third power supply node and the first power supply node; and A fourth switch is coupled between the third power supply node and the second power supply node.

3. The IC of claim 2, wherein for hot-swap mode: The first switch is configured to be opened so that the main power source can be replaced; The third switch is configured to be open; The second switch and the fourth switch are configured to be closed; and The voltage regulator is configured to be enabled in a reverse boost direction such that the auxiliary power supply can provide power to the second power supply node via the second switch, the voltage regulator, and the fourth switch. 4 . The IC of claim 3 , wherein the voltage regulator is configured as a buck converter in the forward direction and as a boost converter in the reverse boost direction.

5. The IC of claim 2 , further comprising: a third port, the third port being configured to be coupled to a charger; and a fifth switch coupled between the third port and the third power supply node, wherein for a charging mode: The fourth switch is configured to be open; The first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fifth switch are configured to be closed; and The voltage regulator is configured to be enabled in the forward direction, enabling the charger to: charging the main power source via the fifth switch, the voltage regulator, and the first switch; charging the auxiliary power supply via the fifth switch, the voltage regulator, and the second switch; as well as Power is provided to the second power supply node via the fifth switch, the voltage regulator, and the third switch. 6 . The IC of claim 1 , wherein for a normal operating mode, the first switch and the third switch are configured to be closed such that the main power supply can provide power to the second power supply node.

7. The IC of claim 6, wherein for the normal operating mode, the second switch is configured to close when a voltage associated with the auxiliary power supply is below a threshold voltage, enabling the main power supply to charge the auxiliary power supply.

8. The IC of claim 1 , wherein for hot-swap mode: The second switch and the third switch are configured to be closed so that the auxiliary power supply can provide power to the second power supply node; and The first switch is configured to open so that the primary power source can be replaced.

9. A portable device comprising the IC according to claim 1, the portable device further comprising: the main power supply, the main power supply coupled to the first port of the IC; the auxiliary power supply, the auxiliary power supply coupled to the second port of the IC; and One or more circuits are coupled to the second power supply node and configured to receive power via the second power supply node.

10. The portable device of claim 9, wherein the primary power source comprises a first battery, and wherein the auxiliary power source comprises a second battery or a supercapacitor.

11. The portable device according to claim 9, further comprising: an interface for a user of the portable device to selectively control the portable device to enter a hot-swap mode; and An indicator is configured to indicate to the user that the portable device is in the hot-swap mode.

12. An integrated circuit (IC) for power management, the IC comprising: Power node; a first port for coupling to a main power source; a first switch coupled between the power supply node and the first port; a second port for coupling to an auxiliary power source; a first voltage regulator coupled between the power supply node and the second port; a third port, the third port being configured to be coupled to the auxiliary power supply via an inductive element; a second voltage regulator comprising a first node coupled to the third port; and A second switch is coupled between the power supply node and a second node of the second voltage regulator.

13. The IC of claim 12, wherein the first voltage regulator comprises a low dropout (LDO) regulator, and wherein the second voltage regulator comprises: A buck converter in a forward direction from the second node to the first node, and a boost converter in a reverse direction from the first node to the second node.

14. The IC of claim 12, wherein for hot-swap mode: The second switch is configured to be closed; the second voltage regulator being configured to be enabled in a reverse boost configuration such that the auxiliary power supply can provide power to the power supply node via the second voltage regulator and the second switch; and The first switch is configured to open after main power is removed.

15. The IC of claim 12, wherein for normal operating mode: The first switch is configured to be closed; and The second switch is configured to be opened, so that the main power supply can provide power to the power supply node and can charge the auxiliary power supply via the first voltage regulator.

16. The IC of claim 15, wherein for the normal operating mode, the second voltage regulator is configured to be enabled in a reverse boost configuration.

17. The IC of claim 12, further comprising: a fourth port, the fourth port being configured to be coupled to a charger; a fifth port, the fifth port being configured to be coupled to the power supply node; a third voltage regulator comprising a first node coupled to the fifth port; and A third switch is coupled between the fourth port and a second node of the third voltage regulator.

18. The IC of claim 17, wherein for charging mode: The first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are configured to be closed; The third voltage regulator is configured to be enabled so that the charger can charge the main power source via the third voltage regulator; and The second voltage regulator is configured to be enabled so that the charger can charge the auxiliary power supply via the third voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

19. A portable device comprising the IC according to claim 12, the portable device further comprising: the main power supply, the main power supply coupled to the first port of the IC; the auxiliary power supply, the auxiliary power supply coupled to the second port of the IC; an inductor element coupled between the third port of the IC and the auxiliary power supply; and One or more circuits are coupled to the power supply node and configured to receive power via the power supply node.

20. The portable device according to claim 19, further comprising: an interface for a user of the portable device to selectively control the portable device to enter a hot-swap mode; and An indicator is configured to indicate to the user that the portable device is in the hot-swap mode.

21. A power supply circuit for a portable device, the power supply circuit comprising: a first power supply node; a second power supply node for coupling to a main power supply; a first switch coupled between the first power supply node and the second power supply node; a third power supply node, the third power supply node being configured to be coupled to an auxiliary power supply; a first voltage regulator comprising an input coupled to the first power supply node and an output coupled to the third power supply node; a second voltage regulator comprising an input coupled to the third power supply node and an output coupled to the first power supply node; and An integrated circuit (IC) includes a first port coupled to the first power supply node and a second port coupled to the third power supply node, and is configured to sense a parameter associated with the auxiliary power supply, wherein the IC is configured to control charging of the auxiliary power supply based on the sensed parameter.

22. The power supply circuit of claim 21, wherein the IC further comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) comprising an input coupled to the second port of the IC.

23. The power supply circuit of claim 21 , wherein the IC further comprises a third port coupled to an enable input of the first voltage regulator, and wherein the IC is configured to selectively enable the first voltage regulator using the third port based on a parameter sensed at the second port.

24. The power supply circuit of claim 21, wherein the first voltage regulator comprises a low dropout (LDO) regulator, and wherein the second voltage regulator comprises a boost converter.

25. The power supply circuit of claim 21 , wherein for hot-swap mode: The first switch is configured to be opened so that the main power source can be replaced; The first voltage regulator is configured to be disabled; and The second voltage regulator is configured to be enabled so that the auxiliary power supply can provide power to one or more circuits of the portable device via the second voltage regulator and the first power supply node.

26. The power supply circuit of claim 21 , wherein for a normal operating mode in which one or more circuits of the portable device are configured to be powered by the main power supply: The first switch is configured to be closed; The first voltage regulator is configured to be enabled; and The second voltage regulator is configured to be disabled so that the primary power supply can charge the auxiliary power supply via the first voltage regulator. 27 . The power supply circuit of claim 21 , wherein the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator are configured to be disabled based on a voltage at the second port being above a threshold.

28. A method for signal generation, the method comprising: determining whether to enter a replacement mode for removing main power; generating a first regulated voltage based on a voltage from an auxiliary power supply; as well as The first regulated voltage is provided to a power output node in response to the determination.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising: generating a first output voltage based on an input voltage from the port via a switch mode power supply (SMPS) operating as a buck converter; providing the first output voltage to the power output node; generating a second output voltage based on a voltage from the main power supply via the SMPS operating as a boost converter; as well as The second output voltage is provided to the port.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the first regulated voltage is generated at a first terminal of a switch prior to entering the replacement mode, a second terminal of the switch being coupled to the power output node, wherein providing the first regulated voltage to the power output node comprises closing the switch in response to the main power source being removed.

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