Charge pump and buck converter for intermediate bus conversion

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include a hybrid power converter including a switched capacitor converter and a buck converter connected in parallel, wherein the buck converter operates in an open loop and unregulated mode; the switched capacitor converter and the buck converter are connected to an input terminal, wherein the switched capacitor converter operates in an open loop and unregulated mode and provides power to a load based on an input voltage, the buck converter operates in an open loop mode and provides power to the load based on a voltage of the input terminal, and a controller enables the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of a voltage of the load or a current of the load.

Description

Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application is a continuation-to-file of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 503,343, filed November 7, 2023, entitled “CHARGE PUMP AND BUCK CONVERTER FOR INTERMEDIATE BUS CONVERSION”, and claims priority and benefit thereto, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] The descriptions in this article pertain to the power supply field, and more specifically to hybrid power converters for efficient power conversion. Background Technology

[0003] Many electronic products, particularly mobile computing and / or communication products and components (e.g., laptops, ultrabooks, tablets, LCD and LED displays), require multiple DC (direct current) voltage levels. For example, RF transmitter power amplifiers may require relatively high voltages (e.g., 12 V or higher), while control circuitry systems may require lower voltage levels (e.g., 1 V to 2 V). Some other circuitry systems may require intermediate voltage levels (e.g., 5 V to 10 V). To meet the power requirements of different components in electronic products, power converters are typically used to generate lower or higher voltages from a common power source such as a battery. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments consistent with this disclosure provide systems, methods, and apparatus for hybrid power converters.

[0005] The currently disclosed embodiments may include an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, comprising a switched-capacitor converter and a buck converter connected in parallel, wherein the buck converter operates in an open-loop, unregulated mode. The apparatus may include: a switched-capacitor converter connected to an input terminal, the switched-capacitor converter including a plurality of capacitors interconnected by a plurality of switches; a buck converter connected to the input terminal, the buck converter including an inductor and a plurality of switches connected to the inductor; and a controller including a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit, wherein the switched-capacitor converter operates in an open-loop, unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on an input voltage at the input terminal, the buck converter operates in an open-loop mode and supplies power to the load based on a voltage at the input terminal, the voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load, the current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched-capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, or the current of the load, and the controller activates the buck converter to supply power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0006] The currently disclosed embodiments may include an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising a switched-capacitor converter and a buck converter connected in parallel, wherein the buck converter operates in a regulated mode. The apparatus may include: a switched-capacitor converter connected to an input terminal; a buck converter connected to an input terminal; and a controller including a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit, wherein the switched-capacitor converter operates in an open-loop, non-regulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on an input voltage at the input terminal, the buck converter operates in a regulated mode and supplies power to the load based on an input voltage, the voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load, the current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched-capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, or the current of the load, and the controller activates the buck converter to supply power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0007] The currently disclosed embodiments may include an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising a switched-capacitor converter and a buck converter connected in parallel, wherein the buck converter operates in peak current mode. The apparatus may include: a switched-capacitor converter connected to an input terminal; a buck converter connected to an input terminal; and a controller including a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit, wherein the switched-capacitor converter operates in an open-loop, unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on an input voltage at the input terminal, the buck converter operates in peak current mode and supplies power to the load based on the input voltage, the voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load, the current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched-capacitor converter, the current of the buck power converter, or the current of the load, and the controller activates the buck converter to supply power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0008] The currently disclosed embodiments may include an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising a switched-capacitor converter and a buck converter connected in parallel, wherein the buck converter operates in a peak current regulation mode. The apparatus may include: a switched-capacitor converter connected to an input terminal; a buck converter connected to an input terminal; and a controller including a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit, wherein the switched-capacitor converter operates in an open-loop, non-regulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on an input voltage at the input terminal, the buck converter operates in a peak current regulation mode and supplies power to the load based on an input voltage, the voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load, the current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched-capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, and the current of the load, and the controller enables the buck converter to supply power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0009] The currently disclosed embodiments may include an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, comprising a switched-capacitor converter and a buck converter connected in parallel, wherein the buck converter operates based on voltage-mode control. The apparatus may include: a switched-capacitor converter connected to an input terminal; a buck converter connected to an input terminal; and a controller including a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit, wherein the switched-capacitor converter operates in an open-loop, non-regulated mode and provides power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on an input voltage at the input terminal, the buck converter operates in voltage-mode control and provides power to the load based on the input voltage, the voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load, and the current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched-capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, and the current of the load, and the controller activates the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0010] The currently disclosed embodiments may include an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, comprising a switched-capacitor converter and a buck converter connected in parallel, wherein the buck converter operates based on voltage-mode control, and wherein the output resistance of the buck converter is less than the output resistance of the switched-capacitor converter. The apparatus may include: a switched-capacitor converter connected to an input terminal; a buck converter connected to an input terminal; and a controller including a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit, wherein the switched-capacitor converter operates in an open-loop, non-regulated mode and provides power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on an input voltage at the input terminal, the buck converter provides power to the load based on an input voltage, the output resistance of the buck converter is less than the output resistance of the switched-capacitor converter, the voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load, the current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched-capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, and the current of the load, and the controller enables the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0011] The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and illustrative only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1A A block diagram illustrating two power converter solutions is shown.

[0013] Figure 1B It shows the basis Figure 1A A graph showing the load current and expected output voltage for a given input voltage in a power converter solution.

[0014] Figure 1C A schematic diagram of an exemplary two-phase charge pump with a voltage source and a current load, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, is shown.

[0015] Figure 2A A block diagram illustrating an exemplary hybrid power converter is shown, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2B The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 2A The graph associated with the hybrid power converter.

[0017] Figure 2C The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 2A The graph associated with the hybrid power converter.

[0018] Figure 2D The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 2A The graph associated with the hybrid power converter.

[0019] Figure 3A An exemplary buck converter consistent with embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0020] Figure 3B An exemplary buck converter consistent with embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 3C The embodiments consistent with the present disclosure are shown. Figure 3A and Figure 3B An exemplary curve illustrating the reduction of ripple current in a buck converter.

[0022] Figure 4A An exemplary hybrid power converter solution consistent with the embodiments described herein is shown.

[0023] Figure 4B An exemplary hybrid power converter solution consistent with the embodiments described herein is shown.

[0024] Figure 4C An efficiency graph consistent with the embodiments described in this disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 5 The components and operation of an exemplary hybrid power converter consistent with embodiments of this disclosure are shown.

[0026] Figure 6A The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 5 An exemplary graph associated with a hybrid power converter.

[0027] Figure 6B The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 5 An exemplary graph associated with a hybrid power converter.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary hybrid power converter, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 8 Exemplary graphs related to an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure, are shown.

[0030] Figure 9 Exemplary graphs related to an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure, are shown.

[0031] Figure 10 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for a hybrid power converter, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 11 An exemplary buck converter and exemplary graphs consistent with embodiments of this disclosure are shown.

[0033] Figure 12 An exemplary graph associated with a hybrid power converter is shown, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure.

[0034] Figure 13 An exemplary hybrid power converter and exemplary graphs consistent with embodiments of this disclosure are shown.

[0035] Figure 14 An exemplary graph associated with an exemplary hybrid power converter is shown, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure.

[0036] Figure 15 An exemplary graph associated with an exemplary hybrid power converter is shown, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure.

[0037] Figure 16 An exemplary configuration of a switched capacitor converter and a buck converter in a hybrid power converter consistent with embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0038] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this detailed description, wherein the same reference numerals may always denote the same parts, which are corresponding and / or similar. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings will now be described in detail with reference to examples thereof. The following description refers to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements unless otherwise stated. The implementations set forth in the following description of the exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with aspects related to the subject matter recited in the appended claims. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims.

[0040] Although the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the embodiments, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.

[0041] It should be understood that, for example, for simplicity and / or clarity of illustration, these figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some aspects may be exaggerated relative to others. Furthermore, it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized. Additionally, structural and / or other changes may be made without departing from the claimed subject matter. Throughout this specification, "subject matter" means subject matter intended to be covered by one or more implementations or any part thereof, and is not necessarily intended to refer to an entire implementation, a particular combination of implementations, or any part thereof. It should also be noted that directions and / or references, such as up, down, top, bottom, etc., may be used to facilitate discussion of the figures and are not intended to limit the application of any particular subject matter. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be considered as limiting the subject matter and / or its equivalents.

[0042] The use of "an implementation," "an implementation," "an embodiment," "an embodiment," etc., throughout this specification means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, etc., described in relation to a particular implementation and / or embodiment is included in at least one implementation and / or embodiment of the subject matter. Therefore, for example, such phrases appearing throughout this specification are not necessarily intended to refer to the same implementation and / or embodiment or to any particular implementation and / or embodiment. Furthermore, it should be understood that the particular features, structures, characteristics, etc., described can be combined in various ways in one or more implementations and / or embodiments, and thus within the scope of the intended use. Of course, as has always been the case with patent application specifications, these and other issues may vary in a particular context of use. In other words, the specific context in which this disclosure is described and / or used provides useful guidance for drawing reasonable inferences; however, likewise, unless further defined, "in that context" generally refers at least to the context of this patent application.

[0043] In the context of this patent application, the terms "connection," "component," and / or similar terms are intended to be physical, but not necessarily tangible. Therefore, whether these terms refer to tangible subject matter may vary in a particular context of use. As an example, a tangible connection and / or tangible connection path can be formed, for instance, by a tangible electrical connection (e.g., a conductive path comprising a metal or other conductor) capable of conducting current between two tangible components. Similarly, a tangible connection path can be at least partially influenced and / or controlled such that, normally, a tangible connection path may sometimes be in an open or closed state due to the influence of one or more externally received signals (e.g., external current and / or voltage for an electrical switch). Non-limiting descriptions of electrical switches include transistors, diodes, etc. However, in a particular context of use, "connection" and / or "component," while physical, can also be intangible, such as a connection between a client and a server via a network, particularly a wireless network, which typically refers to the ability of the client and server to send, receive, and / or exchange communications, as discussed in more detail later.

[0044] Therefore, in specific contexts of use, such as in the context of discussing tangible components, the use of the terms "coupled" and "connected" makes these terms not synonymous. Similar terms can also be used in a manner that expresses a similar intent. Thus, "connected" is used to indicate two or more tangible components, for example, that are in tangible direct physical contact. Thus, using the previous example, two electrically connected tangible components are physically connected via a tangible electrical connection, as previously discussed. However, "coupled" is used to mean that two or more tangible components may be in tangible direct physical contact. However, "coupled" is also used to mean that two or more tangible components, for example, are not necessarily in tangible direct physical contact, but are able to cooperate, communicate, and / or interact, for example, such as through "optical coupling." Similarly, the term "coupled" is also understood to mean an indirect connection. It should also be noted that, in the context of this patent application, since memory, such as memory components and / or memory states, is intended to be non-transient, the term "physical," at least when used in relation to memory, necessarily implies that such memory components and / or memory states (continuing with this example) are tangible.

[0045] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "or" covers all possible combinations unless impractical. For example, if a descriptive component may include A or B, then unless otherwise specified or impractical, the component may include A, or B, or A and B. As a second example, if a descriptive component may include A, B, or C, then unless otherwise specified or impractical, the component may include A, or B, or C, or A and B, or A and C, or B and C, or A and B and C.

[0046] Many power converters include switches and one or more capacitors for powering portable and consumer electronic devices, for example. Switch-mode power converters regulate output voltage or current by utilizing a switching network to switch energy storage elements (e.g., inductors and capacitors) to different electrical configurations. Switched-capacitor converters are switch-mode power converters that primarily use capacitors to transfer energy. In such converters, the number of capacitors and switches increases with the conversion ratio. The switches in the switching network are typically active devices implemented using transistors. The switching network can be integrated on one or more monolithic semiconductor substrates or formed using discrete devices.

[0047] In power conversion, system loads may operate over a wide power consumption range. For example, a computer system including a CPU and computer components may draw power from a power source in the range of 0 to 10 amps, and a switched-capacitor converter (e.g., a charge pump or CP) may be sufficient to supply power to the CPU over most of this range. Switched-capacitor converters can offer high efficiency over a large efficiency range; however, at high power consumption (e.g., when the load draws higher current), they can be an expensive solution due to the number of switches and capacitors. Furthermore, at high efficiency (i.e., at low power consumption), switched-capacitor converters may be less sensitive to the choice of inductors, which allows for a wider range of size options (e.g., low profile) and reduced costs in the design. Another type of power converter can offer better efficiency at higher power consumption compared to switched-capacitor designs.

[0048] For example, a buck converter design based on two switches and an inductor can provide a lower-cost solution for higher power consumption. Compared to switched-capacitor converters, buck converters can be optimized for high efficiency within a smaller window. However, in some cases, buck converters may not be a good solution for lower power consumption. For instance, a buck converter design may need to optimize the inductor for the use case to cover a wider power consumption range and maintain high efficiency over that wider range.

[0049] The embodiments described herein provide methods for achieving high-efficiency power conversion over a range from light to heavy loads during power supply operation. For example, the disclosed embodiments aim to provide a novel method for a hybrid power converter comprising a buck power converter and a switched-capacitor converter connected in parallel, wherein a controller can control the use of both converters to improve the power conversion efficiency of the power supply over the entire load range from light to heavy loads. Figure 1ABlock diagrams of a first power converter solution 101 and a second power converter solution 102 are shown. In some embodiments, the first power converter solution 101 may include a switched capacitor converter 110, a capacitor C1, and a resistor R1. In some embodiments, the second power converter solution 102 may include a buck converter 120, a capacitor C2, a resistor R2, and a feedback line 150. In some embodiments, an input voltage 100 may be provided to both the switched capacitor converter 110 and the buck converter 120. In the block diagrams, power converter solutions 101 and 102 may operate independently, wherein the switched capacitor converter 110 may provide an output voltage 130 and supply a load current 135, and wherein the buck converter 120 may provide an output voltage 140 and supply a load current 145.

[0050] Figure 1B Showing the target Figure 1A The graph 100B shows the expected output voltage 150b of each converter based on the load current 160b at a given input voltage 100. It should be understood that the output voltage 130 of the switched capacitor converter 110 may have a slope 130b based on the load current 160b due to the output resistance of the switched capacitor converter 110. Furthermore, this slope can change as the input voltage 100 decreases (e.g., due to battery depletion causing a low battery voltage). It should also be understood that the output voltage 140b of the buck converter 120 can be regulated and can be substantially consistent over the range of the load current 160b. Therefore, the output characteristics and operation of the two power converters can differ based on the characteristics of the load to which they supply power.

[0051] In some disclosed embodiments of the apparatus described herein, to take advantage of the benefits of each power converter, a switched-capacitor converter and a buck converter can be used in parallel, wherein a controller is configured to control these converters to provide higher efficiency power conversion (e.g., a hybrid power converter). In some examples where the controller can determine that the load power consumption is low, the controller can enable the switched-capacitor converter and disable the buck converter. In some examples where the controller can determine that the load power consumption is high, the controller can disable the switched-capacitor converter and enable the buck converter. Furthermore, in some examples, the controller can determine that the load power consumption can be more efficient when both converters can be used simultaneously, and can therefore enable both the switched-capacitor converter and the buck converter to share the load. It should be understood that the methods for controlling the hybrid power converter proposed in this disclosure can be applied in any way to provide higher efficiency power conversion compared to a single converter.

[0052] In one exemplary example, in a laptop computer system equipped with a 4S-2S battery, a switched-capacitor converter can provide highly efficient intermediate bus conversion for low and medium loads of components such as the CPU, memory, I / O, and other components typically used in the computer system. Under heavy loads, a buck converter can be enabled to provide more efficient power conversion. In addition to providing more efficient power conversion, coupling inductors can be used to reduce the size of the inductors used in the buck converter. Coupling inductors can also provide ripple cancellation. In some implementations, an adiabatic switched-capacitor converter can be used to reduce the total capacitance of the switched-capacitor converter. In some implementations, this design can prevent reverse current flow when the switched-capacitor converter voltage is greater than the buck converter voltage.

[0053] Figure 1C A schematic diagram of an exemplary two-phase 5:1 charge pump 100C with a voltage source and a current load, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure, is shown. The charge pump 100C can be configured to nominally provide a 5:1 (i.e., M=5) voltage drop, such that the output voltage... (Volts) is the input voltage. One-fifth of a volt. The output terminals of the charge pump 100C can be coupled to a current-carrying device. The current load. A two-phase 1:5 (M=5) cascaded multiplier type charge pump 100C may include those marked as... to Fourteen switches and marked as to The eight capacitors. The switch configuration in a possible four-state approach (with states labeled 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b) is shown in the table below: It should be understood that the timing out-of-phase of each segment by 90° results in one segment having a switching configuration of state 1a, while another segment has a switching configuration of state 1b, and so on. Figure 1C In the parallel arrangement, the average input current in each operating cycle is This method is applicable to a variety of charge pump topologies.

[0054] Figure 2A A block diagram illustrating a hybrid power converter 210 consistent with embodiments of this disclosure is shown. In some embodiments, the output voltage 220 provided by at least one of a switched capacitor converter 212 or a buck converter 270 may be based on the input voltage 200 provided to both the switched capacitor converter 212 and the buck converter 270. The switched capacitor converter 212 may include a capacitor C1. The buck converter 270 may include a capacitor C2 and a feedback line 250.

[0055] Figure 2B The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 2A The curve 286 associated with the hybrid power converter 210. Curve 286 shows the relationship with the current load. The voltage at 281 is 285. Curve 282 can correspond to the voltage at the switched capacitor converter 212. Curve 284 can correspond to the voltage of the regulated buck converter 270. In some embodiments, the output voltage 220 can be shown by curve 283. As shown by curve 283, the output voltage 220 can be provided by at least one of the switched capacitor converter 212 or the buck converter 270.

[0056] Figure 2C The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 2A The graph 290 is associated with the hybrid power converter 210. Graph 290 shows that the output current 230 can be based on the load current. 240, the total supply current 260 can be based on the supply current of the switched capacitor 250, the supply current of the buck converter 255, or a combination of the two converters (e.g., load sharing).

[0057] Figure 2D The representation shown is consistent with the embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 2A A block diagram of a hybrid power converter 210 is provided. The hybrid power converter 210 may include an input voltage 200, capacitors C0, C3, and C4, a switch S1 (e.g., a transistor), a switch S2 (e.g., a transistor), inductors L1 and L2, a control system 211, a switched-capacitor converter 212, a buck converter 270, and a load 280. The control system 211 can control the hybrid power converter 210 to determine how to... Figure 2CThe total supply current 260 is provided to the load 280. In some embodiments, the control system 211 may include a controller and a switched capacitor converter 212. Thus, a combined controller of a switched capacitor converter and a buck converter can implement the disclosed hybrid power converter 210. Note that the output inductor L2 of the buck converter 270 can be used to implement the hybrid power converter 210. The controller can determine whether the voltage of the switched capacitor converter 212 drops below a threshold to determine the presence of a heavy load, and thus enable the buck converter 270. In some embodiments, the controller can determine which power converter to enable / disable. For example, under light load, the controller can determine to use only the switched capacitor converter 212. Under medium load, the controller can determine to use both the switched capacitor converter 212 and the buck converter 270. Under heavy load, the controller can determine to use only the buck converter 270. It should be understood that in some embodiments, under heavy load, the switched capacitor converter 212 may operate together with the buck converter 270, similar to a medium load condition. The operating mode of the buck converter 270 can be modified (CCM, DCM, pulse skipping) according to the design (e.g., expected operation) of the hybrid power converter 210.

[0058] Figure 3A The embodiment shown is consistent with the present disclosure and includes a two-phase coupled inductor 322, switches S1A to S4A (e.g., transistors), capacitor C1A, and voltage V. 1A and voltage V 2A An exemplary buck converter 310. Figure 3B An embodiment consistent with this disclosure is shown, comprising a three-phase coupled inductor 324, switches S1B to S6B (e.g., transistors), a capacitor C1B, and a voltage V. 1B and voltage V 2B An example buck converter 320.

[0059] Figure 3C A reduced buck converter (e.g.,) consistent with embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Figure 3A 310 step-down converter Figure 3B A graph 330 illustrates an example of ripple current in a buck converter 320. Graph 330 shows the ripple conduction factor current 331 relative to a duty cycle 333. Ideally, complete current ripple elimination can be achieved for an N-phase inductor with proper duty cycle control due to inductor coupling. For example, complete ripple elimination can be achieved with a two-phase inductor 322 controlled using a 1 / 2 duty cycle. In another example, complete ripple elimination can be achieved with a three-phase inductor 324 controlled using 1 / 3 and 2 / 3 duty cycles. Based on this solution requiring lower leakage inductance, the inductor height can be reduced.

[0060] Figure 4A A 2S hybrid power converter solution consistent with the embodiments of this disclosure is shown, and Figure 4B 3S hybrid power converter solutions are illustrated, each achieving ripple current reduction. The 2S converter 410 illustrates a system with a 2S battery input 411, a switched-capacitor converter 412a connected in parallel with a two-phase buck converter 422, a capacitor C1A, and a load 414. It should be understood that the switched-capacitor converter 412a may include N phases (e.g., a two-phase switched-capacitor converter). Due to the division ratio of 2 in the switched-capacitor converter 412a, the 2S battery input 411 becomes 1S at the node sharing the capacitor C1A and the load 414. The 3S converter 420 illustrates a system with a 3S battery input 421, a switched-capacitor converter 412b connected in parallel with a three-phase buck converter 424, a capacitor C1B, and a load 424. It should be understood that ripple current can be reduced based on inductor selection and duty cycle control (e.g., as shown in the diagram). Figure 3C (As shown in Chart 330).

[0061] Figure 4C A graph 430 showing the efficiency 470 versus load current 472, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure, is illustrated. In some disclosed embodiments of the apparatus described herein, as shown in graph 430, in order to take advantage of the benefits of each power converter, switched capacitor converters (e.g., Figure 4A Switched capacitor converter 412a, Figure 4B Switched capacitor converter 412b) and buck converter (e.g., Figure 4A 422 step-down converter Figure 4BThe buck converters 424 can be used in parallel, wherein the controller is configured to control these converters to provide higher efficiency power conversion (e.g., in a hybrid power converter). In some examples where the controller can determine that the load power consumption is low (e.g., based on the load current I0), the controller can enable the switched-capacitor converter and disable the buck converter (e.g., at point 442, curve 440 corresponding to the efficiency of the switched-capacitor converter shows that the efficiency is higher at a lower load current I0, at which point the switched-capacitor converter can be enabled). In some examples where the controller can determine that the load power consumption is high, the controller can disable the switched-capacitor converter and enable the buck converter (e.g., at point 462, curve 460 corresponding to the efficiency of the buck converter shows that the efficiency is higher at a higher load current I0, at which point the switched-capacitor converter can be disabled and the buck converter can be enabled). Furthermore, in some examples, the controller can determine that the load power consumption can have higher efficiency when these converters can be used simultaneously, and can therefore enable both the switched-capacitor converter and the buck converter to share the load. It should be understood that the methods for controlling hybrid power converters presented in this disclosure can be applied in any way to provide higher efficiency power conversion compared to a single converter.

[0062] Consistent with the disclosed embodiments, inductive converters (e.g., buck converters) and capacitor converters (e.g., switched-capacitor converters or charge pumps) can be connected in parallel to improve efficiency under all load current conditions. Using two different types of converters, the controller may need to manage system operation. Switched-capacitor converters can operate as bus converters in an open-loop and unregulated mode. Buck converters can operate in several different modes. In some embodiments, a buck converter can operate in an open-loop mode similar to a switched-capacitor converter. This operating mode can be a configuration where the switched-capacitor converter can provide an output voltage that may be a divider of the input voltage, and the buck converter can provide the output voltage based on the duty cycle and the input voltage. This configuration can be controlled by setting the output voltage of the hybrid converter based on the input voltage.

[0063] For example, when the output voltage of the switched-capacitor converter is greater than the output voltage of the buck converter, the load can be supplied by the switched-capacitor converter. When the output voltage of the switched-capacitor converter is less than the output voltage of the buck converter, the output can be supplied by the buck converter. In another operating mode, the buck converter can have voltage / current feedback (e.g., voltage mode, peak current mode). In this mode, the output voltage may not sag compared to open-loop mode. When the output voltage of the switched-capacitor converter is greater than the output voltage of the buck converter, the reference voltage can be controlled under different input voltages. For example, the reference voltage of the buck converter can be a function of the input voltage.

[0064] Figure 5 The components and operation of a hybrid power converter 500 consistent with embodiments of this disclosure are shown, wherein the operating modes include operation of a switched capacitor converter and a buck converter in open-loop mode. In some embodiments, the switched capacitor converter 510 may provide an output inductor L1 and an output voltage. This voltage can be generated by The voltage division ratio is defined by dividing by N (e.g., DIV N). The switched capacitor converter 510 corresponds to the switched capacitor converter model 530, where the switched capacitor converter 510 can be modeled using an N:1 transformer including inductors L3 and L4. The associated output resistance ROUTCP is shown as coupled to the current load. The buck converter 520 can provide a duty cycle D based on the buck converter 520 and Output voltage The buck converter 520 corresponds to buck converter model 540, where the buck converter 520 can be modeled using a 1:duty cycle transformer including inductors L5 and L6. The associated output resistance ROUTBK is shown as coupled to the current load. .

[0065] Figure 6A The following diagram shows the no-load output voltage of the switched capacitor converter 510 and the buck converter 520 in open-loop mode, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure. Relative to input voltage The curve represents the situation. (And...) Figure 5 The operation is consistent with that described in the text, and the output voltage of the switched capacitor converter 510 is... 610 can be a fixed voltage divider of the input voltage, and the output voltage... The 620 can be based on the duty cycle of the 520 buck converter.

[0066] Figure 6B The instructions shown are consistent with the embodiments of this disclosure at a fixed input voltage. The curves are shown when both converters are in open-loop mode, including the output voltage. 640 can be relative to the load current The output resistance of the switched capacitor converter 510 changes, and the output voltage... The 630 can be compared to the output resistance and load current of the 520 buck converter. change.

[0067] The parallel operation of the switched capacitor converter 510 and the buck converter 520 can include the following control methods in different operating modes. In the power stage, the voltage division ratio of the switched capacitor converter can determine the maximum output voltage of the switched capacitor converter (e.g., under no-load conditions). A switched capacitor converter can act as a bus converter with an output resistance equivalent to that of the ROUTCP 530. For example, the output voltage of the switched capacitor converter 510... It can be described by the following expression:

[0068] Target output voltage of buck converter 630 can be controlled by the duty cycle, as described by the following expression:

[0069] If the buck duty cycle ("BuckDuty") is fixed, then 630 can be with Similarly, as described in the following expression:

[0070] In parallel operation, the switched capacitor converter 510 can be used for light loads, and the buck converter 520 can be used for heavier loads. The buck converter 520 can be turned on when a heavy load is detected. When enabled, the buck converter 520 can operate in CCM mode. In some embodiments, the total load current can be monitored, and the controller can enable or disable the buck converter based on the measurement results. In some embodiments, an output voltage threshold can be used to enable or disable at least one converter (e.g., a switched capacitor converter, a buck converter, a switched capacitor converter, and a buck converter) based on monitoring of the output voltage.

[0071] Figure 7This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for a hybrid power converter 700 in open-loop mode, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure. The apparatus may include a switched-capacitor converter 720 connected at an input terminal to an input voltage 701. A buck converter 710 may also be connected to the input terminal. The current I from the buck converter 710... CBK Current I from the switched capacitor converter 720 can flow through inductor 781. CCP It can flow through inductor 782. The controller, which includes control device 730, voltage detector circuit 740 and current detector circuit 750, can be part of a hybrid power controller for managing operation.

[0072] Voltage detector circuit 740 can monitor the output voltage (e.g., load voltage) by comparing it to the input voltage 701. Voltage detector circuit 740 can detect whether the output voltage (e.g., load voltage) is lower or higher than a target voltage. The voltage status is then sent to control device 730. The target voltage can represent a voltage threshold at which the buck converter 710 can be charged. The target voltage can be a fixed voltage or a relative voltage (e.g., a function of the input voltage 701). In a non-limiting example, if the switched capacitor converter 720 operates in a three-way voltage divider mode, then... It should be understood that in the previous example, 150 mV is an arbitrary increment value, and any increment value can be used.

[0073] In some embodiments, if the output voltage is less than the target voltage, the voltage detector circuit 740 may send a low output voltage signal to the control device 730. It should be understood that the target voltage may have hysteresis. In other embodiments, the voltage detector circuit 740 may have output voltage overvoltage or undervoltage functionality. The voltage detector circuit 740 may include a noise filtering circuit system, such as a low-pass filter (LPF), a high-pass filter (HPF), a band-pass filter, etc.

[0074] The current detector circuit 750 can convert current information into voltage information. The current detector circuit 750 can monitor the current I of the buck converter. BK Switched capacitor converter current I CP Or at least one of the total output currents. The current detector circuit 750 can provide current information to the control device 730. In some embodiments, the current detector circuit may include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).

[0075] Control device 730 may determine the buck converter operating mode and control the system based on at least one of voltage detector information, current detector information, or voltage detector information and current detector information, or disable it for protection. In other embodiments, control device 730 may use other information, such as fault conditions, to determine buck converter operation. In some embodiments, control device 730 may determine buck converter operation based on an external preparation signal 770 from downstream circuitry (e.g., system CPU) indicating an upcoming higher load operation. Control device 730 may include a tunable filter, such as a timing circuitry, for determining the duration of voltage below a target voltage before turning on buck converter 710 and / or counting the number of switching cycles in which the voltage target is below a threshold before turning on buck converter 710.

[0076] In some implementations, the switched capacitor converter 720 can operate in an open-loop, unregulated mode and can supply power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage 701 at the input terminal. The buck converter 710 can operate in an open-loop mode and can supply power to the load based on the input voltage 701 at the input terminal. A voltage detector circuit 740 can measure the voltage of the system load 760. A current detector circuit 750 can measure at least one of the current of the switched capacitor converter 720, the current of the buck converter 710, or the current of the system load 760. Based on the measurement results, a controller (e.g., control device 730) can enable the buck converter 710 to supply power to the load based on at least one of the voltage or current of the system load 760.

[0077] In some implementations, the switched capacitor converter may be a Dickson switched capacitor converter. Furthermore, a Dickson switched capacitor converter may include a two-phase switching network. It should be understood that the type and design of the switched capacitor converter can be any type of switched capacitor converter or a charge pump with any type of switching network that can be beneficial to the application.

[0078] In some embodiments, the output voltage of the buck converter 710 can be determined by the duty cycle during operation of the buck converter 710. In some embodiments, the buck converter 710 can operate in peak current mode, wherein the peak value of the inductor current of the buck converter 710 is set to a value determined by the control device 730. In some embodiments, the output voltage can vary relative to the load current and the output resistance of the switched capacitor converter, and the output voltage can vary relative to the output resistance of the buck converter and the load current. In some embodiments, the output resistance of the buck converter 710 can be less than the output resistance of the switched capacitor converter 720.

[0079] In some embodiments, the controller can determine the power consumption state based on the load current of the hybrid power converter. In a low-power state, the buck converter 710 can be disabled. Furthermore, the switched-capacitor converter 720 can supply current to the system load 760 during the low-power state. During a medium-power state, both the switched-capacitor converter 720 and the buck converter 710 can supply current to the system load 760. In some embodiments, the buck converter 710 can supply current to the system load 760 during a high-power state. In some embodiments, the buck converter 710 can operate in continuous conduction mode (CCM). In some embodiments, the switched-capacitor converter 720 can supply current to the system load 760 during a high-power state. For example, the buck converter 710 and the switched-capacitor converter 720 can share the current supplied to the system load 760.

[0080] In some implementations, the controller (e.g., control device 730) may determine power consumption (e.g., low power consumption, medium power consumption, high power consumption) based on the load current measured by the current detector circuit 750.

[0081] Consistent with the disclosed embodiments, the switched capacitor converter 720 can provide an ideal fixed voltage ratio output based on the input voltage 701. The switched capacitor converter 720 can be disabled when the load voltage is higher than the ideal fixed voltage ratio output. In some embodiments, the switched capacitor converter 720 can be disabled to mitigate reverse current through it. In some embodiments, the buck converter 710 may also include a coupling inductor, and the duty cycle of the buck converter 710 can be determined based on the output voltage target and the input voltage ratio. Furthermore, the duty cycle of the buck converter 710 can be determined based on the ripple current through the coupling inductor. The duty cycle of a buck converter 710 with N phases can be 1 / N, offset by 360 / N, where N>0. In some embodiments, the duty cycle of a buck converter operating in two phases can be substantially 50%.

[0082] In some embodiments, the output impedance of the buck converter 710 may be less than the output impedance of the switched capacitor converter 720. In some embodiments, the controller may receive a readiness signal corresponding to an upcoming heavy load to activate the buck converter 710. In some embodiments, the hybrid power converter may be bidirectional. In some embodiments, the buck converter 710 may include a feedback loop for output protection.

[0083] Figure 8 Exemplary graphs 810, 820, 830, 840, and 850, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure, are shown in relation to apparatus for hybrid power converters.

[0084] Graph 810 illustrates exemplary load currents of the hybrid power converter over time, including total load current 812, buck converter load current 814, and switched capacitor converter load current 816. Graph 810 also shows the filtered current measured at the point of load (via L-COUT). Graph 820 illustrates exemplary load currents over time, corresponding to the same exemplary hybrid power converter in Graph 810, including buck converter load current 824 and switched capacitor converter load current 826. Graph 820 shows the current measured at the respective inductors of the buck converter and switched capacitor converter.

[0085] Graph 830 illustrates an exemplary logic signal waveform of a hybrid power converter over time. Signal 832 can be generated by a voltage detector circuit (e.g., Figure 7 The voltage detector circuit 740 generates a waveform over time, indicating whether the voltage level is above or below the target voltage level. In this example, when the waveform is high (i.e., high voltage amplitude), Below the target voltage. Signal 834 can be controlled by a control device (e.g., Figure 7 The control device 730—which receives data from a current detector circuit (e.g., Figure 7 The current information of the current detector circuit 750 is a waveform generated over time. In this example, when the waveform is high (i.e., high voltage amplitude), the load (e.g., Figure 7 The system load (760) can be light. Control devices (e.g., Figure 7 The control device 730 can determine the buck converter (e.g., based on signals 832 and 834) according to signals 832 and 834. Figure 7 The operation of the buck converter 710 is shown in graph 850, which illustrates the measured output voltage over time. .

[0086] Graph 840 shows the effect of a controller (e.g., Figure 7 The control device 730 generates a function to enable or disable the buck converter (e.g., Figure 7 The buck converter 710 provides power to the load via an exemplary signal 842. As shown in graph 840, signal 842 can enable the buck converter when signal 832 indicates that the output current I_OUT is low or when signal 834 indicates that the load is not light. As shown in graph 840, signal 842 can disable the buck converter in other conditions.

[0087] Figure 9 Exemplary graphs 910, 920, and 930, consistent with embodiments of this disclosure, are shown in relation to an apparatus for a hybrid power converter.

[0088] Graph 910 illustrates an exemplary output current of the hybrid power converter consistent with embodiments of this disclosure at a load current of 960, including a total output current of 912, a buck converter output current of 914, and a switched capacitor converter output current of 916. Graph 920 illustrates an exemplary input current at a load current of 960, corresponding to the same exemplary hybrid power converter in graph 910, including a buck converter input current of 924 and a switched capacitor input current of 926. As shown in graphs 910 and 920, the hybrid converter enables the buck converter when the load current reaches a threshold (represented by the solid line between 10 and 12 on the horizontal axis) at time 940. As the load current increases, the amount of current supplied to the load by the buck converter increases.

[0089] Graph 930 shows an exemplary output voltage at a load current of 960. As shown in curve 930, at the output voltage Before reaching threshold 942, the hybrid power converter can enable only the switched capacitor converter. When the output voltage... When the threshold 942 is reached, the hybrid converter can enable both the switched capacitor converter and the buck converter to prevent or mitigate reverse current flow from the output of the hybrid power converter.

[0090] Figure 10 This is a block diagram consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, illustrating an apparatus for a hybrid power converter 1000 having a switched-capacitor converter 1020 operating in an open-loop, unregulated mode and a buck converter 1010 operating in a regulated mode. The apparatus may include the switched-capacitor converter 1020 connected at an input terminal to an input voltage 1001. The buck converter 1010 may also be connected to an input terminal. The current I from the buck converter 1010... CBK The current I from the switched capacitor converter 1020 can flow through inductor 1081. CCPA current can flow through inductor 1082. The controller, including control device 1030, voltage detector circuit 1040, and current detector circuit 1050, may be part of a hybrid power controller for managing operation. Voltage detector circuit 1040 may monitor at least one of the output voltage (e.g., load voltage) and input voltage 1001 and provide decision information to control device 1030. Current detector circuit 1050 may monitor at least one of the buck converter current, switched capacitor converter current, or total current and provide decision information to control device 1030. In some embodiments, the decision information is an analog signal. In other embodiments, the decision information may be a digital signal. Control device 1030 may determine buck converter operation based on at least one of the voltage detector information or current detector information. Additionally or alternatively, controller 1030 may determine buck converter operation based on an external readiness signal 1070 from downstream circuitry (e.g., system CPU) indicating upcoming higher load operation.

[0091] In some embodiments, the switched capacitor converter 1020 can operate in an open-loop, unregulated mode and can supply power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage 1001 at the input terminal. The buck converter 1010 can operate in a regulated mode using the feedback line 1012 and supply power to the load based on the feedback line 1012. That is, the buck converter 1010 can have a feedback loop via the feedback line 1012 to regulate either the buck converter voltage or the buck converter current. Advantageously, the regulated buck converter 1010 can provide a stable output voltage under heavy load conditions.

[0092] In some embodiments, the buck converter 1010 can operate in a voltage regulation mode based on voltage-mode control. A feedback voltage measurement of the output voltage of the buck converter 1010 is used to regulate the output voltage of the buck converter 1010. In some embodiments, the buck converter 1010 can operate in a voltage regulation mode based on peak current-mode control. For example, the buck converter 1010 can receive a measurement of its peak inductor current via feedback line 1012 and compare it to a target value that partially regulates the output voltage. For example, the peak inductor current can be compared to an internal voltage reference generated by feedback from a reference voltage and the output voltage to generate a target threshold current. It should be understood that the target value can be used in both average current mode and peak current mode.

[0093] In some implementations, the buck converter 1010 can operate under current regulation mode control, which regulates the output current of the buck converter 1010 based on feedback from a measurement of the output current of the buck converter 1010.

[0094] The buck converter 1010 can regulate its output by a target voltage or a target current. In some embodiments, the buck converter 1010 can be regulated such that its voltage does not exceed the voltage of the switched capacitor converter 1020 under no-load conditions. Advantageously, regulating the buck converter 1010 to meet this target can mitigate or prevent reverse current. For example, the buck converter 1010 can receive feedback via feedback line 1012, alternatively using a feedback circuit instead of feedback line 1012, and its output voltage or output current can be regulated based on the target voltage or target current, respectively. It should be understood that although the line is shown for feedback line 1012, feedback line 1012 can represent a feedback circuit or external circuitry system (no wiring required) that can provide feedback.

[0095] Voltage detector circuit 1040 can measure the voltage of system load 1060. Current detector circuit 1050 can measure at least one of the current of switched capacitor converter 1020, buck converter 1010, or system load 1060. Voltage detector circuit 1040 and current detector circuit 1050 are described in more detail in embodiments of this disclosure (see, for example...). Figure 7 (and its corresponding description). Based on the measurement results, the controller (e.g., control device 1030) can enable the buck converter 1010 to provide power to the load based on at least one of the voltage of the system load 1060 or the current of the system load 1060. The control device 1030 has been described in more detail in embodiments of this disclosure (see, for example, Figure 7 (and its corresponding description).

[0096] In some implementations, the switched capacitor converter may be a Dickson switched capacitor converter. Furthermore, a Dickson switched capacitor converter may include a two-phase switching network. It should be understood that the type and design of the switched capacitor converter can be any type of switched capacitor converter or a charge pump with any type of switching network that can be beneficial to the application.

[0097] In some implementations, the controller determines the power consumption state based on the load current of the hybrid power converter. In a low-power state (low power consumption of the load), the buck converter 1010 can be disabled. Furthermore, the switched-capacitor converter 1020 can supply current to the system load 1060 during the low-power state. During a medium-power state, both the switched-capacitor converter 1020 and the buck converter 1010 can supply current to the system load 1060. In some implementations, the buck converter 1010 can supply current to the system load 1060 during a high-power state. In some implementations, the buck converter 1010 can operate in continuous conduction mode (CCM). In some implementations, the switched-capacitor converter 1020 can supply current to the system load 1060 during a high-power state. For example, the buck converter 1010 and the switched-capacitor converter 1020 can share the current supplied to the system load 1060.

[0098] In some implementations, the controller (e.g., control device 1030) may determine power consumption (e.g., low power consumption, medium power consumption, high power consumption) based on the load current measured by the current detector circuit 1050.

[0099] Consistent with some disclosed embodiments, the switched capacitor converter 1020 can provide an ideal fixed voltage ratio output based on the input voltage 1001. The switched capacitor converter 1020 can be disabled when the load voltage is higher than the ideal fixed voltage ratio output. In some cases, the switched capacitor converter 1020 can be disabled to mitigate reverse current through it.

[0100] In some embodiments, the output impedance of the buck converter 1010 may be less than the output impedance of the switched capacitor converter 1020. In some embodiments, the controller may receive a readiness signal corresponding to an upcoming heavy load to enable the buck converter 1010. In some embodiments, the hybrid power converter may be bidirectional. In some embodiments, the feedback loop of the buck converter 1010 may provide output protection by disconnecting the high-side switch of the buck converter 1010.

[0101] Figure 11 The embodiments shown are consistent with those described in this disclosure (e.g., Figure 10 The exemplary buck converter 1100 of the hybrid converter 1000 and the exemplary graph 1110 showing the change of current 1120 with respect to time 1130.

[0102] like Figure 11 As shown, the buck converter 1100 may include an input voltage. 11S1, 11S2, 11L1, 11C1, and 1102 are a switch (e.g., a transistor), an inductor, a capacitor, and a load.

[0103] In some implementations, the hybrid power converter may experience efficiency degradation due to non-CCM conditions and current sinking of the inductive switching converter. If the average load current 1124 is less than half the inductor current ripple amplitude of the inductor current 1122, the buck converter will absorb some energy from its output due to the negative inductor current. In some implementations, this effect is acceptable for prioritizing a smooth output transition between operating a switched capacitor converter and an operating switched capacitor converter and buck converter. In some implementations, this effect is acceptable for increasing the accuracy of the output voltage during heavy load conditions.

[0104] In some implementations, the ON / OFF transition of the buck converter function can be defined as... ,in To avoid this effect. It is the load current. It is the current of the switched capacitor converter. It is the current of the buck converter, and This refers to the CCM current. In other words, the ON / OFF transition refers to the buck converter being in an enabled (ON) or disabled (OFF) state. In some implementations, this transition definition can improve efficiency under moderate load conditions.

[0105] Figure 12 The embodiments consistent with those described herein are illustrated with those associated with hybrid power converters (e.g., Figure 10 (Example graphs 1210 and 1220 of the hybrid converter 1000)

[0106] Graph 1210 shows the curve relative to the load current. The current of 1214 is 1212. Graph 1210 shows the output voltage. The curves are 1216 for the CCM current Iccm, 1218 for the current of the switched capacitor converter, 1219 for the current of the switched capacitor converter, and 1217 for the current of the buck converter. In some embodiments, as shown in graph 1210, once the voltage of the switched capacitor converter has dropped sufficiently due to the load current, the regulated buck converter can naturally adjust the output voltage. In this case, the buck converter load current 1217 can be less than the CCM current. The value of 1218 begins to gradually increase. This situation may cause a small reverse current, but the losses are small and the output voltage is low. The transition is smooth.

[0107] Graph 1220 shows the curve relative to the load current. The current is 1222 at 1224. Graph 1220 shows the output voltage. Curve 1226, CCM current Curve 1228, curve 1229 of the switched capacitor converter current, and curve 1227 of the buck converter current. In some embodiments, the detector circuit (e.g., Figure 10 The current detector circuit 1050 is set to a current higher than the CCM current. The precise turning point. In this case, high efficiency can be maintained under all load conditions. ,in . It is the load current. It is the current of the switched capacitor converter. It is the current of the buck converter, and It is the CCM current.

[0108] Figure 13 The embodiments shown are consistent with those described in this disclosure (e.g., Figure 10 (Example hybrid power converter 1310 and exemplary graph 1340 of hybrid converter 1000)

[0109] The hybrid power converter 1310 may include an input voltage The circuit consists of a switched capacitor converter 1312, a step-down converter 1314, a detector circuit 1332, an inductor 13L1, an inductor L132, a feedback line 1334, and a capacitor 13C1.

[0110] Graph 1340 shows the curve relative to the input voltage. 1360 output voltage 1350. Graph 1340 includes curve 1352 of the regulated buck converter voltage and the switched capacitor converter voltage. The curve 1354 (where ) and region 1356 corresponding to the reverse current flow in the hybrid power converter 1310.

[0111] As shown in graph 1340, reverse current flow may occur when the voltage of the switched capacitor converter 1312 is less than the voltage of the buck converter 1314. Voltage division ratio ( The threshold for determining the reverse current condition is discussed in more detail below. Detector circuit 1332 can monitor the voltage of switched capacitor converter 1312.

[0112] Figure 14 The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 13 An exemplary graph 1440 is associated with the exemplary hybrid power converter 1310.

[0113] Graph 1440 shows the curve relative to the input voltage. 1460 output voltage 1450. Graph 1440 includes curve 1452 of the regulated buck converter voltage and the voltage of the first switched capacitor converter. The curve 1454 (where ), second switched capacitor converter voltage The curve 1455 (where ), corresponding to region 1456 of reverse current flow in hybrid power converter 1310, and points 14a, 14b and 14c corresponding to transition points during operation of hybrid power converter 1310.

[0114] As shown in graph 1440, reverse current flow may occur when the voltage of the switched capacitor converter 1312 is less than the voltage of the buck converter 1314. Voltage division ratio ( The detector circuit 1332 can monitor the voltage of the switched capacitor converter 1312 to determine the threshold of the reverse current condition. In some embodiments, the detector circuit 1332 may have hysteresis.

[0115] At point 14b, based on the output of detector circuit 1332, hybrid power converter 1310 can disable the operation of switched capacitor converter 1312 to rely entirely on the operation of buck converter 1314. At point 14c, hybrid power converter 1310 can adjust the voltage division ratio of switched capacitor converter 1312 from... Change to In other words, the hybrid power converter 1310 can convert the voltage of the switched capacitor converter 1312 from that of the second switched capacitor converter. Adjust to the voltage of the first switched capacitor converter Similarly, at point 14b, the hybrid power converter 1310 can transfer the voltage from the first switched capacitor converter 1312 to the switched capacitor converter 1312. Adjust to the voltage of the second switched capacitor converter Advantageously, the hybrid power converter can adjust the switched capacitor converter voltage to increase the output voltage and avoid reverse current flow.

[0116] Figure 15 The embodiments consistent with those described herein are shown. Figure 13An exemplary graph 1540 is associated with the exemplary hybrid power converter 1310.

[0117] Graph 1540 shows the curve relative to the input voltage. 1560 output voltage 1550. Graph 1540 includes curve 1552 of the regulated buck converter voltage and the switched capacitor converter voltage. The curve 1554 (where ) and region 1556 corresponding to the reverse current flow in the hybrid power converter 1310.

[0118] As shown in graph 1540, reverse current flow may occur when the voltage of the switched capacitor converter 1312 is less than the voltage of the buck converter 1314. Voltage division ratio ( The threshold for determining the reverse current condition is determined. Detector circuit 1332 can monitor the voltage of switched capacitor converter 1312.

[0119] In some implementations, the regulated buck converter voltage may be a function of the input voltage, either partially or completely, to optimize the system efficiency of the hybrid power converter 1310.

[0120] Figure 16 An exemplary configuration of the switched capacitor converter 1612 and the buck converter 1614 in a hybrid power converter consistent with embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Figure 16 As shown, the switched capacitor converter 1612 can be connected in parallel with the buck converter 1614. In some embodiments, at least one of the switched capacitor converter 1612 or the buck converter 1614 can be bidirectional. That is, through at least one of the switched capacitor converter 1612 or the buck converter 1614, the voltage can be transferred from the voltage converter 1614 to the voltage converter 1614. Flow to voltage and / or from voltage Flow to voltage In some implementations, the buck converter 1614 may be a boost converter, a buck-boost converter, a flyback converter, etc.

[0121] The implementation method may be further described using the following terms:

[0122] 1. An apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising: A switched capacitor converter connected to an input terminal, the switched capacitor converter comprising a plurality of capacitors interconnected by a plurality of switches; A buck converter connected to an input terminal, the buck converter including an inductor and a plurality of switches connected to the inductor; The controller includes a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit; in: The switched capacitor converter operates in an open-loop and unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage at the input terminal; The buck converter operates in open-loop mode and delivers power to the load based on the voltage at the input terminals; A voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load; The current detector circuit measures at least one of the following: the current of the switched capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, or the current of the load; and The controller activates the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0123] 2. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the switched capacitor converter is a Dickson switched capacitor converter.

[0124] 3. The apparatus according to Clause 2, wherein the Dickson switched capacitor converter includes a two-phase switching network.

[0125] 4. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the buck converter operates as a regulating converter.

[0126] 5. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the controller determines the power consumption state based on the current of the load of the hybrid power converter.

[0127] 6. The apparatus according to Clause 5, wherein the buck converter is disabled during a low-power state.

[0128] 7. The apparatus according to Clause 5, wherein the switched capacitor converter supplies current to the load during a low-power state.

[0129] 8. The apparatus according to Clause 5, wherein the switched capacitor converter and the buck converter supply current to the load during a medium power consumption state.

[0130] 9. The apparatus according to Clause 5, wherein the buck converter supplies current to the load during a high-power state.

[0131] 10. The apparatus according to Clause 9, wherein the buck converter operates in continuous conduction mode (CCM).

[0132] 11. The apparatus according to Clause 9, wherein the switched capacitor converter supplies current to the load during a high-power state.

[0133] 12. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the switched capacitor converter provides an ideal fixed voltage ratio output based on the input voltage.

[0134] 13. The apparatus according to Clause 12, wherein the switched capacitor converter is disabled when the load voltage is higher than the ideal fixed voltage ratio output.

[0135] 14. The apparatus according to Clause 12, wherein the switched capacitor converter is disabled to mitigate reverse current through the switched capacitor converter.

[0136] 15. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the buck converter further includes a coupling inductor.

[0137] 16. The apparatus according to Clause 15, wherein the duty cycle of the buck converter is determined based on the ratio of the output voltage target to the input voltage.

[0138] 17. The apparatus according to Clause 15, wherein the duty cycle of the buck converter is determined based on the ripple current through the coupling inductor.

[0139] 18. The apparatus according to Clause 17, wherein the buck converter having N phases has a duty cycle of 1 / N and an offset of 360 / N, where N>0.

[0140] 19. The apparatus according to Clause 17, wherein the duty cycle of the buck converter operating in two phases is substantially 50%.

[0141] 20. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the output impedance of the buck converter is less than the output impedance of the switched capacitor converter.

[0142] 21. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the controller receives a readiness signal corresponding to an upcoming heavy load to enable the buck converter.

[0143] 22. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the hybrid power converter is bidirectional.

[0144] 23. The apparatus according to Clause 1, wherein the buck converter includes a feedback loop for output protection.

[0145] 24. An apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising: A switched capacitor converter connected to the input terminal; A step-down converter connected to the input terminal; The controller includes a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit; in: The switched capacitor converter operates in an open-loop and unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage at the input terminal; The buck converter operates in regulation mode and delivers power to the load based on the input voltage; A voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load; The current detector circuit measures at least one of the following: the current of the switched capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, or the current of the load; and The controller activates the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0146] 25. The apparatus according to Clause 24, wherein the switched capacitor converter is a Dickson switched capacitor converter.

[0147] 26. The apparatus according to Clause 25, wherein the Dickson switched capacitor converter includes a two-phase switching network.

[0148] 27. The apparatus according to Clause 24, wherein the switched capacitor converter provides power to the load during periods of low power consumption of the load.

[0149] 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the controller determines low power consumption based on the load current measured by the current detector circuit.

[0150] 29. The apparatus according to Clause 24, wherein the buck converter operates in a voltage regulation mode.

[0151] 30. The apparatus according to Clause 29, wherein the voltage regulation mode regulates the output voltage of the buck converter based on feedback from a measurement of the output voltage of the buck converter.

[0152] 31. The apparatus according to Clause 24, wherein the buck converter operates in a current regulation mode.

[0153] 32. The apparatus according to Clause 31, wherein the current regulation mode regulates the output voltage based on feedback from a measurement of the current from the buck converter.

[0154] 33. The apparatus according to Clause 24, wherein the voltage regulation mode is based on peak current mode control.

[0155] 34. The apparatus according to Clause 24, wherein the buck converter provides power to the load during periods of high power consumption of the load.

[0156] 35. The apparatus according to Clause 34, wherein the controller determines high power consumption based on the load current measured by the current detector circuit.

[0157] 36. The apparatus according to Clause 24, wherein the output impedance of the buck converter is less than the output impedance of the switched capacitor converter.

[0158] 37. An apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising: A switched capacitor converter connected to the input terminal; A step-down converter connected to the input terminal; The controller includes a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit; in: The switched capacitor converter operates in an open-loop and unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage at the input terminal; The buck converter operates in peak current mode and delivers power to the load based on the input voltage; A voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load; The current detector circuit measures at least one of the following: the current of the switched capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, or the current of the load; and The controller activates the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0159] 38. An apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising: A switched capacitor converter connected to the input terminal; A step-down converter connected to the input terminal; The controller includes a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit; in: The switched capacitor converter operates in an open-loop and unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage at the input terminal; The buck converter operates in peak current regulation mode and delivers power to the load based on the input voltage; The voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load, and the current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, and the current of the load; and The controller activates the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0160] 39. An apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising: A switched capacitor converter connected to the input terminal; A step-down converter connected to the input terminal; The controller includes a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit; in: The switched capacitor converter operates in an open-loop and unregulated mode and supplies power to the load based on the input voltage at the input terminal; The buck converter operates in voltage-mode control and delivers power to the load based on the input voltage; The voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load, and the current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, and the current of the load; and The controller activates the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0161] 40. An apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising: A switched capacitor converter connected to the input terminal; A step-down converter connected to the input terminal; The controller includes a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit; in: The switched capacitor converter operates in an open-loop and unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage at the input terminal. A buck converter delivers power to the load based on the input voltage; The output resistance of the buck converter is less than that of the switched capacitor converter. The voltage detection circuit measures the voltage of the load; The current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, and the current of the load; and The controller activates the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load voltage or the load current.

[0162] It should be recognized that the implementation of this disclosure is not limited to the exact construction described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope.

[0163] Various embodiments of the present invention can be implemented to meet various specifications. Unless otherwise stated above, the selection of appropriate component values ​​is a matter of design choice. Various embodiments of the present invention can be implemented using any suitable integrated circuit (IC) technology (including, but not limited to, MOSFET structures), or in hybrid or discrete circuit form. Integrated circuit embodiments can be fabricated using any suitable substrate and process, including but not limited to standard bulk silicon, high resistivity bulk CMOS, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), and silicon-on-sapphire (SOS). Unless otherwise stated above, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented using other transistor technologies (e.g., bipolar, BiCMOS, LDMOS, BCD, GaAs HBT, GaN HEMT, GaAs pHEMT, and MESFET technologies). However, embodiments of the present invention are particularly useful when fabricated using SOI or SOS-based processes, or when fabricated using processes with similar characteristics. Fabrication in CMOS using SOI or SOS processes enables circuits to have low power consumption, the ability to withstand high power signals during operation due to FET stacking, good linearity, and high-frequency operation (i.e., radio frequency up to and exceeding 300 GHz). Since parasitic capacitances can usually be kept low (or at least uniform across all cells, allowing for compensation) through careful design, monolithic IC implementations are particularly useful.

[0164] Voltage levels can be adjusted and / or voltage and / or logic signal polarity can be reversed according to specific specifications and / or implementation technologies (e.g., NMOS, PMOS, or CMOS, and enhancement-mode or depletion-mode transistor devices). The voltage, current, and power handling capabilities of components can be adapted as needed, for example, by adjusting device size, "stacking" components (especially FETs) in series to handle higher voltages, and / or using multiple components in parallel to handle higher currents. Additional circuit components can be added to enhance the capabilities of the disclosed circuit and / or provide additional functionality without significantly altering its original function.

[0165] The circuits and devices according to the invention can be used alone or in combination with other components, circuits, and devices. Embodiments of the invention can be manufactured as integrated circuits (ICs), which can be packaged in IC packages and / or modules for ease of handling, manufacturing, and / or performance improvement. In particular, IC embodiments of the invention are frequently used in modules in which one or more such ICs are combined with other circuit components or blocks (e.g., filters, amplifiers, passive components, and possible additional ICs) into a package. These ICs and / or modules are then typically combined with other components (often on printed circuit boards) to form part of an end product such as a cellular phone, laptop computer, or tablet computer, or to form a higher-level module that can be used in a wide variety of products such as vehicles, test equipment, medical devices, etc. Through various configurations of modules and components, such ICs are typically capable of implementing communication modes, typically wireless communication.

[0166] Some or all aspects of this invention can be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of both (e.g., a programmable logic array). Unless otherwise stated, the methods included as part of this invention are not inherently associated with any particular computer or other device. In particular, specific functions can be performed using various general-purpose computing machines and programs written in accordance with the teachings herein, or more conveniently using dedicated computers or dedicated hardware (e.g., integrated circuits). Therefore, embodiments of the invention can be implemented by one or more computer programs (i.e., sets of instructions or code) executing on one or more programmed or programmable computer systems (which may have various architectures, such as distributed, client / server, or grid systems), each including at least one processor, at least one data storage system (which may include volatile and non-volatile memory and / or storage elements), at least one input device or port, and at least one output device or port. Program instructions or code are applied to input data to perform the functions described herein and generate output information. The output information is applied to one or more output devices in a known manner.

[0167] Each such computer program can be implemented in any desired computer language (including machine language, assembly language, or high-level procedural language, logic language, object-oriented programming language, or custom language / script) to communicate with a computer system, and can be implemented in a distributed manner, in which different parts of the computation specified by the software are executed by different processors. In any case, the computer language can be a compiled or interpreted language. Some or all of the computer programs implementing this invention can form one or more modules of a larger program or program system. Some or all of the elements of the computer program can be implemented as data structures stored in a computer-readable medium or other organized data conforming to a data model stored in a data repository.

[0168] Each such computer program can be stored on or downloaded to (e.g., by means of a solid-state memory medium or device, or a magnetic or optical medium) a tangible, non-transitory storage medium or device for a period of time (e.g., between refresh periods of a dynamic memory device such as dynamic RAM, or semi-permanently, or permanently), the storage medium or device being readable by a general-purpose or special-purpose programmable computer to configure and operate the computer when the computer system reads the storage medium or device to perform the processes described above. The system of the present invention can also be considered as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured with a computer program, wherein such a storage medium causes the computer system to operate in a particular or predefined manner to perform the functions described above.

[0169] In the foregoing description, various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described. For illustrative purposes, specific details such as quantity, system, and / or configuration have been set forth as examples. In other instances, well-known features have been omitted and / or simplified to avoid obscuring the claimed subject matter. While certain features have been shown and / or described herein, many modifications, substitutions, alterations, and / or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications and / or alterations falling within the claimed subject matter.

[0170] It should be understood that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate, not limit, the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims, and other embodiments are also within the scope of the claims. In particular, the scope of the invention includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the processes, machines, articles of manufacture, or material compositions set forth in the appended claims. Therefore, even if some or all of the dependent claims are prepared by a single reference, it should be understood that this application provides full support for these claims to reference some or all of the other claims by multiple references. (Note that the bracket markings of claim elements are for the convenience of referencing such elements and do not in themselves indicate a particular necessary order or enumeration of elements; furthermore, such markings can be reused in dependent claims as references to other elements without being considered as a conflict-initiating sequence of markings.)

Claims

1. An apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising: A switched capacitor converter connected to an input terminal, the switched capacitor converter comprising a plurality of capacitors interconnected by a plurality of switches; A buck converter connected to the input terminal, the buck converter including an inductor and a plurality of switches connected to the inductor; The controller includes a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit; in: The switched capacitor converter operates in an open-loop and unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage at the input terminal; The buck converter operates in open-loop mode and provides power to the load based on the voltage at the input terminal; The voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load; The current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, or the current of the load; and The controller enables the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load's voltage or the load's current.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The switched capacitor converter is a Dickson switched capacitor converter.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The Dickson switched capacitor converter includes a two-phase switching network.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The buck converter operates as a regulating converter.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The controller determines the power consumption state based on the load current of the hybrid power converter.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The buck converter is disabled during low-power states.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The switched capacitor converter supplies current to the load during a low-power state.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The switched capacitor converter and the buck converter supply current to the load during medium power consumption.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The buck converter supplies current to the load during high-power states.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, The buck converter operates in continuous conduction mode (CCM).

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, The switched capacitor converter supplies current to the load during the high-power state.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The switched capacitor converter provides an ideal fixed voltage ratio output based on the input voltage.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The switched capacitor converter is disabled when the load voltage is higher than the ideal fixed voltage ratio output.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The switched capacitor converter is disabled to mitigate the reverse current flowing through it.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The buck converter also includes a coupling inductor.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, The duty cycle of the buck converter is determined based on the ratio of the target output voltage to the input voltage.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, The duty cycle of the buck converter is determined based on the ripple current through the coupling inductor.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, The buck converter with N phases has a duty cycle of 1 / N and an offset of 360 / N, where N>0.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, The duty cycle of the buck converter operating in two phases is essentially 50%.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The output impedance of the buck converter is less than the output impedance of the switched capacitor converter.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The controller receives a readiness signal corresponding to an upcoming heavy load to activate the buck converter.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The hybrid power converter is bidirectional.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The buck converter includes a feedback loop for output protection.

24. An apparatus for a hybrid power converter, the apparatus comprising: A switched capacitor converter connected to the input terminal; A buck converter connected to the input terminal; The controller includes a voltage detector circuit and a current detector circuit; in: The switched capacitor converter operates in an open-loop and unregulated mode and supplies power to the load of the hybrid power converter based on the input voltage at the input terminal; The buck converter operates in regulation mode and provides power to the load based on the input voltage; The voltage detector circuit measures the voltage of the load; The current detector circuit measures at least one of the current of the switched capacitor converter, the current of the buck converter, or the current of the load; and The controller enables the buck converter to provide power to the load based on at least one of the load's voltage or the load's current.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The switched capacitor converter is a Dickson switched capacitor converter.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein, The Dickson switched capacitor converter includes a two-phase switching network.

27. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The switched capacitor converter provides power to the load during periods of low power consumption.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein, The controller determines low power consumption based on the current of the load measured by the current detector circuit.

29. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The buck converter operates in voltage regulation mode.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein, The voltage regulation mode adjusts the output voltage of the buck converter based on feedback from the measurement results of the output voltage of the buck converter.

31. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The buck converter operates in current regulation mode.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein, The current regulation mode adjusts the output voltage based on feedback from current measurements of the buck converter.

33. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The voltage regulation mode is based on peak current mode control.

34. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The buck converter provides power to the load during periods of high power consumption.

35. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein, The controller determines high power consumption based on the current of the load measured by the current detector circuit.

36. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The output impedance of the buck converter is less than the output impedance of the switched capacitor converter.

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