Power selection control

Abstract

A system and method for power supply selection control. Multiple power supplies of a power supply unit are each connected to a high-power load via multiple switching circuits, each switching circuit including at least one pair of transistors connected in a common source configuration and located between the positive lead of a corresponding power supply and the high-power load. A control unit detects the presence of current from at least one of the multiple power supplies and, accordingly, selects one power supply and activates the corresponding switching circuit of the multiple switching circuits to conduct current from the selected corresponding power supply to the high-power load.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Related applications This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 195,972, filed on May 11, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Technical field Some embodiments described in this disclosure relate to power supply control, more specifically, power source selection control, but are not limited thereto.

Background Art

[0003] Electric devices that use and / or include multiple, sometimes different types of power sources, used singly and / or in combination for energy supply to each device during operation, have become increasingly popular in various fields and applications in recent years.

[0004] One particularly prominent example where the use of multiple power sources is common is in the case of portable and / or mobile electronic devices, electric vehicles, and / or similar systems, where a stand-alone energy supply device independent of the main power line may be required during normal operation.

[0005] In many such devices, one or more of the power sources may be a rechargeable power source and / or energy reservoir such as a battery, optionally inside the device and not directly accessible to the user.

[0006] In some cases, this type of rechargeable, internal battery must first be charged by an external power supply and / or charger before the device itself can be used. The power supply may typically supply the device with direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) voltage, optionally via a special connector. The battery and / or similarly rechargeable power supply may, on the other hand, supply DC or voltage. Once charging is complete or has reached a sufficient level, the power supply can be disconnected, and the device will continue to operate for a short period until the battery is depleted. Exemplary devices of this type include, for example, electric vehicles, shaving machines, medical laser devices, and rechargeable power tools.

[0007] In other cases, the device may be used interchangeably with one of two or more power sources. For example, the device may be plugged into and / or connected via an outlet to a mains power line and / or another similar AC / DC power source such as a generator, and operate for a period of time using such external power supply. Alternatively, the device may be unplugged and / or disconnected from an external energy source at other times, and during either a pre-charging phase and / or while being powered by an external power source such as a mains power line, it may rely on a rechargeable power source and the energy stored in that power source within the device. [Overview of the project]

[0008] The purpose of this disclosure is to describe a system and method for power supply selection control.

[0009] The above and other objectives are achieved by the features of the independent claims. Further implementations are evident from the dependent claims, specification and drawings.

[0010] According to one aspect of several embodiments of the subject matter disclosed, a system for power supply selection control is provided, comprising at least one control unit, the at least one control unit configured to connect to a plurality of power supplies of a power supply device configured to supply current to a high-power load through at least one of the plurality of power supplies, and a plurality of switching circuits corresponding to the plurality of power supplies, each of the plurality of switching circuits including at least one pair of transistors connected in a common source configuration and located between the positive lead of one of the plurality of power supplies and the high-power load, the at least one control unit is further configured to detect the presence of current from at least one of the plurality of power supplies, and in response to the detection, to select the corresponding power supply from the plurality of power supplies and to activate one of the plurality of switching circuits corresponding to conduct current from the selected corresponding power supply to the high-power load.

[0011] According to another aspect of some embodiments of the subject matter disclosed, a method for power supply selection control is provided, comprising connecting to a plurality of power supplies and a plurality of switching circuits corresponding to the plurality of power supplies of a power supply device configured to supply current to a high-power load through at least one of the plurality of power supplies, and each of the plurality of switching circuits including at least a pair of transistors connected in a common source configuration and located between the positive lead of one of the plurality of power supplies and the high-power load, and connected to the plurality of power supplies and controlling the plurality of switching circuits, the method comprising detecting the presence of current from at least one of the plurality of power supplies, in response to the detection, selecting a corresponding power supply from the plurality of power supplies, and activating one of the plurality of switching circuits corresponding to conduct current from the selected corresponding power supply to the high-power load.

[0012] Optionally, each of the plurality of switching circuits includes a voltage converter, which is connected to the at least one control unit and configured to drive the pair of transistors.

[0013] Optionally, each of the aforementioned power supplies is connected to a common ground.

[0014] Optionally, for each of the at least one control units, the power supply channel to each of the at least one control units is electrically disconnected from each of the plurality of power sources.

[0015] Optionally, at least one energy reservoir is connected to at least one of the plurality of power supplies and is configured to supply current to the at least one control unit during the transition from one of the plurality of power supplies to another, which occurs depending on the selection.

[0016] Optionally, the plurality of power supplies include at least one of a DC power supply and an AC power supply.

[0017] Optionally, at least one charging circuit is connected to at least one pair of power sources, which include a rechargeable power source, and is configured to charge the rechargeable power source using current from at least one other power source among the pair of power sources.

[0018] Optionally, the at least pair of transistors include at least one pair of metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

[0019] Optionally, the pair of transistors in the at least pair of transistors are connected in series and positioned facing each other.

[0020] Optionally, the at least pair of transistors include at least one of a pair of N-channel field-effect transistors and a pair of P-channel field-effect transistors.

[0021] Other systems, methods, features, and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following drawings and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be included herein, within the scope of this disclosure, and protected by the appended claims.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and / or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those understood by those skilled in the art of the embodiments. Similar or equivalent methods and materials described herein may be used in the implementation or testing of the embodiments, but exemplary methods and / or materials are described below. In case of any conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, shall prevail. Furthermore, materials, methods, and examples are illustrative and not necessarily intended to be limiting.

[0023] Several embodiments are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, merely as examples. A closer, more specific reference to the drawings emphasizes that the details shown are illustrative and intended to illustrate the embodiments. In this regard, the description with reference to the drawings will make it clear to those skilled in the art how the embodiments may be carried out. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] [Figure 1] Schematic block diagram of an exemplary architecture of a system for power selection control according to several embodiments. [Figure 2] Schematic block diagram of an exemplary power supply section of a system for power selection control according to several embodiments. [Figure 3]Schematic block diagram of an exemplary control unit of a system for power supply selection control according to some embodiments [Figure 4] Schematic block diagram of an exemplary power consumption unit of a system for power supply selection control according to some embodiments [Figure 5] Flowchart schematically showing an optional flow of operations for power supply selection control according to some embodiments

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] Some embodiments described in this disclosure relate to power supply control, more specifically, power supply selection control, but are not limited thereto.

[0026] One of the technical problems addressed by the disclosed subject matter is to select a single power supply from multiple power supplies and supply high power to a system including one or more control modules and a high load in a reasonable and fail-safe manner. When such a selection is made and / or while one power supply is switched to another power supply, there is a risk of power loss in any one of the control modules.

[0027] Another technical problem addressed by the disclosed subject matter is to consider various states of the system from the perspective of which of the multiple power supplies is connected to the system at a specific point in time. Optionally, all of the multiple power supplies may be connected to the system, or a single power supply may be connected, or any number of power supplies may be connected. When one or more power supplies are connected, it may be required to limit the leakage current between the power supplies to a minimum and / or completely eliminate it so as not to damage the power supplies.

[0028] Existing tools and / or technologies that use power supply selection and / or provide high power loads have many disadvantages, deficiencies and / or limitations, and thus are not suitable for addressing the current technical problems.

[0029] One existing exemplary approach to power supply selection is employed in mobile computing devices such as notebook and / or tablet computers. Here, two separate power supplies may be used in a controlled and interchangeable manner: a primary power supply driven by external current from, for example, a mains power line, and a secondary power supply such as a rechargeable battery. However, since each of these power supplies typically uses less than 100W, any power loss on the switch is practically negligible, and therefore, a solution to current leakage between power supplies that relies on simple electrical isolation by diodes is acceptable. However, naturally, the loss in the diode increases rapidly as the power increases. Also, since there are no high loads that could draw all and / or most of the energy in the system during power supply selection, there is no need to mitigate any potential power loss to the control module during that time by, for example, providing a high-energy reservoir.

[0030] Another exemplary existing approach for power selection and / or supplying high-power loads is employed in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is an electrical device that can supply emergency and / or backup power to a load when its input power and / or mains power fails. However, because UPS devices are usually very large and heavy, power relays can be used to mitigate any leakage and / or loss. Furthermore, UPS devices do not need to be single-fault safe.

[0031] Another exemplary existing approach for providing high-power loads can be found in the context of high-power medical laser devices. Such devices have both a power source that can be connected to a mains outlet, etc., and a rechargeable battery, eliminating the need to switch between the two power sources during operation. Thus, the battery is the sole power source for operation, and the mains power source is used only for charging (i.e., low-power application).

[0032] The disclosed subject matter provides power supply options for high-power loads that overcome the shortcomings of existing approaches and offer further improvements to them.

[0033] In some embodiments, each power supply may be connected to a load via a switch in order to select one of several power supplies for supplying power to a high load. A suitable control unit and / or control module may sense the presence of each power supply and activate the switch for the desired power supply while simultaneously deactivating all other switches. The switches may comprise at least a pair of transistors, preferably field-effect transistors (FETs), more preferably N-channel FETs, connected in a common-source configuration and used as high-side switches (i.e., positioned between the positive lead of the power supply and the high load, and not between the load and the negative lead of the power supply). Such switches may be connected to each of the potentially available power supplies, i.e., power supplies connected to and supplying power to the high load channel, and / or power supplies intended to be connected to and supplying power to the high load channel.

[0034] In some embodiments, to support continuous operation, an energy reservoir or the like may be used to supply power to high loads and / or control modules during power transitions. The energy reservoir may be rechargeable and may further include a corresponding charging circuit. The charging circuit may use power from a power source connected to an external energy supply device, such as a mains power line.

[0035] In some embodiments, one or more control modules may be electrically isolated from high-load channels, for example, by placing diodes between each power supply and the control module, so that current does not flow from the control modules to the high-load channels.

[0036] Optionally, energy reservoirs and / or similar components used to provide power during transitions between power sources may be required to provide power only to the control module, for example, by isolation from each of the multiple power sources, as discussed herein. For this reason, the power required by the control module may be much less than, for example, the power required by the high load, and may be less by the square of the ratio of the power consumption of the high load to the power consumption of the control module.

[0037] Optionally, all power supplies may be connected to a common ground (for example, a negative potential may be connected between all power supplies) to enable the operation of at least one control module (e.g., a single central hardware and / or software control module) regardless of which power supply is selected.

[0038] Optionally, at least a pair of transistors used in each switch, by which one of the power supplies can be connected to and / or disconnected from a high-power load, may be driven by the control module via a charge pump and / or any similar voltage conversion technique, such as a DC-DC converter. Additionally or alternatively, other energy sources with a higher voltage (i.e., with respect to the voltage of each power supply connected via the switch, etc.) may be used to drive the pair of FETs.

[0039] Optionally, at least one pair of transistors in at least one of the multiple switching circuits may include and / or a pair of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). Additionally or alternatively, other suitable FETs may be used.

[0040] In some embodiments, the pair of transistors may be connected in series and / or arranged facing each other.

[0041] In some embodiments, at least one pair of transistors in at least one of a plurality of switching circuits may include and / or a pair of N-channel FETs (N-FETs). Additionally or alternatively, at least one pair of transistors (e.g., FETs and / or MOSFETs) may include and / or P-channel FETs (P-FETs). While using P-FETs as switches for a power supply eliminates the need for voltage converters such as charge pumps to drive the FETs, such an approach may be less energy efficient and more costly to manufacture and / or operate compared to each switching circuit using N-FETs as described herein.

[0042] Optionally, multiple power sources may include direct current (DC) power sources, alternating current (AC) power sources, and / or any similar power sources, and / or combinations thereof.

[0043] Optionally, one or more power sources may be rechargeable, and one or more charging circuits may be provided to charge any one of the rechargeable power sources using power from one or more power sources connected to an external power supply device, such as a main power line.

[0044] One of the technical benefits of utilizing the disclosed subject matter is to provide energy-efficient high-load power supply selection control. By using transistors (e.g., FETs) in the switching circuit, the amount of self-power consumed required and / or used is reduced, thus saving and / or reducing energy consumption.

[0045] Another technical benefit of utilizing the disclosed subject matter is the provision of lower ON resistance, which can be achieved by using transistors such as FETs in switching circuits. This, in turn, allows for greater power to be supplied to the load.

[0046] Another technical benefit of utilizing the disclosed subject matter is the elimination of the use of any moving parts and / or elements containing them. This reduces the mean time between failures (MTBF), i.e., the predicted time elapsed between inherent failures of any mechanical and / or electrical system components.

[0047] Another technical benefit of utilizing the disclosed subject matter is that cooling is unnecessary for transistors (e.g., FETs) and / or switching circuits incorporating them. This is due to their energy efficiency, as discussed herein.

[0048] As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, as discussed herein, by using a common source configuration for a pair of transistors (e.g., FETs), it is possible to prevent current from flowing back into one power supply from the other, thereby achieving the objective of protecting each power supply from leakage current that could damage each power supply.

[0049] As is even more obvious to those skilled in the art, by using a charge pump and / or any similar voltage conversion technology and / or other energy sources with higher voltages to drive transistors (e.g., N-channel FETs, etc.) by a control module where applicable, their operation as high-side switches (since FETs, especially N-channel FETs, may typically be designed to be used as low-side switches) can be enabled without compromising their excellent efficiency and low ON resistance.

[0050] As will be even more obvious to those skilled in the art, in some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, the use of a high-side switch may be essential to isolate the control module from high power.

[0051] By considering this disclosure, other and / or further technical challenges, approaches, and / or effects may become apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0052] One practical application in which the disclosed subject matter technology may be useful and / or advantageous is the rapid heating of fluids. This may optionally occur in field conditions where power supply from the main power lines is unavailable. For example, during blood transfusions and / or other intravenous (IV) therapies, it may be desirable to warm the blood and / or fluid to be administered to body temperature, and to do so as quickly as possible. Thus, such tasks may require a high energy load on the one hand, but on the other hand, heating devices that serve such purposes may need to be as lightweight and robust as possible to provide portability and usability. Therefore, by utilizing the disclosed subject matter, the above requirements can be achieved cost-effectively.

[0053] Before describing at least one embodiment in detail, it should be understood that the embodiments are not necessarily limited in their application to the configuration and arrangement details of the components and / or methods described below and / or shown in the drawings and / or examples. The implementations described herein may enable other embodiments or be practiced or carried out in a variety of ways.

[0054] Embodiments may be systems, methods, and / or computer program products. A computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium (or a plurality of computer-readable storage media) having computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the embodiment.

[0055] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium may, but is not limited to, electronic storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. A more specific list of computer-readable storage media includes, but is not exhaustive, portable computer diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, and any suitable combination thereof. As used herein, computer-readable storage media should not be interpreted as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0056] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device, or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network may include copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmissions, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface within each computing / processing device receives computer-readable program instructions from the network and transfers the computer-readable program instructions for storage on a computer-readable storage medium within each computing / processing device.

[0057] The computer-readable program instructions for performing the operations of the embodiments may be assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the C programming language or a similar programming language. The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially executed on the user's computer as a standalone software package, or partially executed on the user's computer and partially executed entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be to an external computer (for example, via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, for example, an electronic circuit including a programmable logic circuit, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA) may be personalized by executing computer-readable program instructions by utilizing state information of computer-readable program instructions in order to perform an aspect of the embodiment.

[0058] In this specification, aspects of the embodiments will be described with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to the embodiments. It will be understood that each block in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, and each combination of blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0059] These computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so as to create means for instructions executed via the processor of a computer or other programmable data processing device to implement functions / operations specified in blocks of flowcharts and / or block diagrams. Alternatively, these computer-readable program instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium on which the instructions are stored, so as to provide a product containing instructions that perform modes of functions / operations specified in blocks of flowcharts and / or block diagrams, thereby instructing a computer, a programmable data processing device, and / or other device to function in a particular manner.

[0060] Furthermore, computer-readable program instructions may be loaded into a computer, other programmable data processing device, or other device so that the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing device, or other device implement the functions / operations specified in the blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram, thereby generating a process implemented on the computer by causing the computer, other programmable data processing device, or other device to execute a series of operational steps.

[0061] Flowcharts and block diagrams in drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions described in a block may be performed in a different order than shown in the drawing. For example, two consecutively shown blocks may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or blocks may be executed in reverse order depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, as well as combinations of blocks in a block diagram and / or flowchart, may be implemented by a special-purpose hardware-based system that performs a specified function or operation, or implements a combination of special-purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0062] Now refer to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary architecture of a system 100 for power supply selection control according to several embodiments. Also refer to Figures 2 to 4. Figures 2 to 4 are schematic block diagrams of an exemplary power supply unit 101, control unit 102, and power consumption unit 103 of a system 100 for power supply selection control according to several embodiments. Also refer to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart schematically showing an optional flow of operations for power supply selection control according to several embodiments. One or more operations of the optional flow described with reference to Figure 5 may be implemented by the system 100 for power supply selection control described with reference to Figure 1, for example, by the control unit 102 described with reference to Figure 3 utilizing the power supply unit 101 described with reference to Figure 2 and the power consumption unit 103 described with reference to Figure 4.

[0063] As shown in Figure 1, a power selection control system such as 100 may include a power supply unit such as 101, a control unit such as 102, and a power consumption unit such as 103. The power supply unit 101 may include multiple power supplies such as 110 and 113, which may optionally be of different types as described herein. The multiple power supplies 110, 113 may include, for example, direct current (DC) power supplies, alternate current (AC) power supplies, AC / DC power supplies, and any combination thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the multiple power supplies may include one or more rechargeable power supplies, one or more non-rechargeable power supplies, and / or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more of the multiple power supplies of the power supply unit 101 may optionally be connectable to an external power supply device such as a mains power line or a generator. Additionally or alternatively, the multiple power supplies may include one or more batteries. As a non-limiting example, the power supply unit 101 may include a power supply device such as 110 configured to be connected to the power lines of the main power supply, and a battery such as 113, which may optionally be a rechargeable battery. The power supply device 110 may optionally be a DC power supply device.

[0064] In some embodiments, the power supply unit 101 may include an energy reservoir such as 114, which may be configured to provide a stable power supply input to the control unit 102 regardless of whether one or more of the power supplies 110, 113 of the power supply unit 101 are operating and / or switched on / off at that time, as may be done in 502. The energy reservoir 114 may provide load balancing and / or stabilization of the power supply to the control unit 102 through interruption and / or switching of the power supplies 110, 113.

[0065] The control unit 102 may comprise and / or be implemented as one or more microcontrollers (MCUs), microprocessors, state machines, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. The control unit 102 may also comprise memory (not shown) capable of storing code instructions executable by the control unit 102, such as random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM). This memory may store code instructions that implement one or more operations of the optional flow of operations for power supply selection control, as described herein with reference to Figure 5. Additionally or alternatively, one or more operations of the optional flow of operations in Figure 5 may be implemented in hardware.

[0066] The control unit 102 may be connected to and / or communicate with each of the multiple power supplies 110, 113 of the power supply unit 101. For example, as shown in Figure 1, and in more detail in Figures 2 and 3, the positive leads of each of the power supplies 110, 113 may be provided as inputs to the control unit 102, and the presence and / or availability of each of the power supplies 110, 113 may be detected by the control unit 102, for example, as can be done in 506.

[0067] The power supply unit 101 may be configured to supply current flowing from at least one of a plurality of power supplies 110, 113 to a high-power load such as 135 of the power consumption unit 103. The high-power load 135 may be required to perform and / or in the process of performing a high-power function of the power consumption unit 103, such as high-speed and / or high-temperature heating. Each of the plurality of power supplies 110, 113 may be connected to and / or disconnected from the high-power load 135 via a corresponding one of a plurality of switch circuits of the power consumption unit 103, such as 130, 133, which are connected to and controlled by the control unit 102. In some embodiments, the control unit may be connected to the high-power load 135 and / or its channel to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, for example, for current control.

[0068] As shown in Figure 2, the power supply unit 101 may further include a charging module such as 112, which may be configured to recharge one or more rechargeable power sources of the power supply unit 101, such as a battery 113, as may be done in 526. The charging module 112 may use one or more non-rechargeable power sources of the power supply unit 101, such as a power supply device 110, during operation and / or when performing its self-charging function. The charging module 112 may supply and / or use alternate current (AC) to charge the battery 113. Optionally, the charging module 112 may charge and / or recharge an energy reservoir 114 directly and / or via the battery 113, as may be further done in 526 and / or elsewhere. The energy reservoir 114 may receive current from the battery 113 and / or from the power supply device 110 via the charging module 112 in the event of unstable input. As a result, the energy reservoir 114 can provide a stable input to the control unit 102 of current with an appropriate load balance. Multiple power sources of the power supply unit 101, such as the power supply device 110 and the battery 113, and optionally the energy reservoir 114, may also be connected to a common ground, for example, at the negative leads of each power source. To prevent current leakage between power sources 110 and 113, and / or to isolate the control unit 102 from high-load channels, one or more unidirectional and / or asymmetric current-conducting elements, such as diodes, may be placed in appropriate locations, for example, before the inputs to the battery 113 and / or the energy reservoir 114 that supply power to the control unit 102. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the diodes may be placed along the input from the charging module 112 to the battery 113. Similarly, (further) diodes may be placed at the input from the battery 113 to the energy reservoir 114.

[0069] As shown in Figure 3, the control unit 102 may be connected to the energy reservoir 114 as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 in order to receive a stable input power supply current from the energy reservoir 114. The control unit 102 may be connected to each of the multiple power sources of the power supply unit 101, such as the power supply device 110 and the battery 113, so as can be done in 510, it may detect the presence of each of the multiple power sources of the power supply unit 101, and based on that detection, it may select one power source to be used to operate the power consumption unit 103. The control unit 102 may be connected to each of the multiple switching circuits 130, 133 of the power consumption unit 103, corresponding to the multiple power sources 110, 113 of the power supply unit 101, so as can be done in 514, it may control the starting of the selected power source and / or, as can be done in 518, it may control the stopping of the operation of the other power sources. The control unit 102 may control the power supply startup and / or shutdown using, for example, a charge pump drive in a corresponding switching circuit 130, 133, etc. Optionally, the control unit 102 may be connected to a high-power load channel to provide, for example, a power width modulation (PWM) signal, as may be done in 522. Optionally, the control unit 102 may be connected to the same common ground as the power supplies 110, 113 and the energy reservoir 114.

[0070] As shown in Figure 4, each of the switching circuits 130 and 133 of the power consumption unit 103 may include a pair of N-channel field-effect transistors (FETs) connected in a common source configuration and positioned between the positive lead of a corresponding power supply among a plurality of power supplies 110 and 113 and the high-power load 135. In some embodiments, the pair of N-channel field-effect transistors may be connected in series and / or positioned opposite each other. The pair of N-channel FETs may be driven by voltage converters (e.g., charge pumps) such as N-channel FET drivers 310 and 313. The N-FET drivers (e.g., charge pumps) 310 and 313 may be connected to and controlled by the control unit 102 via their respective high-power switch control channels. The high-power load 135 may be connected to the control unit 102 and controlled by the control unit 102 via their respective control channels, for example, using a PWM signal. Optionally, the high-power load 135 may be connected to the same common ground as the power supplies 110, 113, the energy reservoir 114, and / or the control unit 102. Optionally, the high-power load 135 may be connected to the control channel and / or common ground via (further) N-channel FETs, as shown in Figure 4.

[0071] While descriptions of various embodiments are presented for illustrative purposes, it is not intended to exhaustively describe various embodiments, nor to limit the descriptions of various embodiments to those disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the embodiments described. The terms used herein have been selected to best describe the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or technical improvements to technologies available on the market, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0072] During the term of the patent granted by this application, it is anticipated that many related power supply devices and / or electrical energy storage tools and / or technologies will be developed, and the scope of terms such as “power supply” and “battery” is intended to a priori include all such new technologies.

[0073] As used herein, the term "about" refers to a range of ±10%.

[0074] The terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," and "having," and their cognates, all mean "including but not limited to." This term encompasses the terms "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of."

[0075] The phrase "consisting essentially of" means that the composition or method may include further components and / or steps, but only if the further components and / or steps do not substantially alter the basic and novel properties of the claimed composition or method.

[0076] As used herein, unless otherwise clearly indicated by the context, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to multiple objects. For example, the term “a compound” or “at least one compound” may refer to multiple compounds, including mixtures thereof.

[0077] The term “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, case, or illustration.” Any embodiment described as “exemplary” is not necessarily construed to be preferable or advantageous to other embodiments, and / or to exclude the incorporation of features from other embodiments.

[0078] The term "optionally" is used herein to mean "is provided in some embodiments and not provided in other embodiments." Any particular embodiment may include several "optional" features, provided that these features do not conflict with each other.

[0079] Throughout this application, various embodiments may be presented in range form. It should be understood that the range form is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be interpreted as an irrevocable limitation on the scope of the embodiments. Therefore, a range description should be considered as specifically disclosing all conceivable sub-ranges and individual numerical values ​​within that range. For example, a range description such as 1 to 6 should be considered as specifically disclosing not only sub-ranges such as 1 to 3, 1 to 4, 1 to 5, 2 to 4, 2 to 6, 3 to 6, etc., but also individual numerical values ​​within that range, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This applies regardless of the width of the range.

[0080] Where a numerical range is given herein, it is understood to include any quoted number (fraction or integer) within that range. In this specification, the expressions “ranging / ranges between” a first number and a second number, and “from” the first number to the second number, are used interchangeably and mean including the first number, the second number, and all fractions and integers between them.

[0081] It is understood that certain features described in the context of separate embodiments for clarity may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment for brevity may be provided separately, in any suitable secondary combination, or as appropriate in any other described embodiment. Certain features described in the context of different embodiments should not be considered essential features of those embodiments unless the embodiments would not function without those elements.

[0082] While embodiments have been described in relation to their specific embodiments, it is obvious that numerous alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended to encompass all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and broader scope of the appended claims.

[0083] All publications, patents, and patent applications referenced herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application were specifically and individually referenced where it is mentioned that they are incorporated herein by reference. In addition, any citation or specification of any reference in this application should not be construed as an acknowledgment that such reference is available as prior art of the present invention. Where section headings are used, they should not necessarily be construed as restrictive. In addition, any priority document (or more priority documents) of this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Claims

1. A system for power supply selection control, It comprises at least one control unit, and the at least one control unit is Multiple power supplies, a power supply device configured to supply current to a high-power load via at least one of the multiple power supplies, Multiple switching circuits corresponding to the multiple power supplies, Configured to connect to, Each of the plurality of switching circuits is connected in a common source configuration and includes at least one pair of transistors located between the positive lead of one of the plurality of power supplies and the high-power load. The at least one control unit, The presence of current from at least one of the aforementioned multiple power sources is detected, The system is further configured to select a corresponding power supply from among the plurality of power supplies in response to the detection, and to activate one corresponding switching circuit from among the plurality of switching circuits in order to conduct current from the selected corresponding power supply to the high-power load. The aforementioned system.

2. Each of the plurality of switching circuits includes a voltage converter, which is connected to the at least one control unit and configured to drive the pair of transistors. The system according to claim 1.

3. Each of the aforementioned power supplies is connected to a common ground. The system according to claim 1.

4. For each of the at least one control units, the power supply channel to each of the at least one control units is electrically disconnected from each of the plurality of power sources. The system according to claim 1.

5. The system further comprises at least one energy reservoir connected to at least one of the plurality of power sources and configured to supply current to the at least one control unit during a transition from one of the plurality of power sources to another, which occurs depending on the selection. The system according to claim 1.

6. The plurality of power sources include at least one of a DC power source and an AC power source. The system according to claim 1.

7. The system further comprises at least one charging circuit connected to at least one pair of power sources, which include a rechargeable power source, and configured to charge the rechargeable power source using current from at least one other power source among the pair of power sources. The system according to claim 1.

8. The at least pair of transistors includes at least one pair of metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors. The system according to claim 1.

9. The pair of transistors in the aforementioned pair of transistors are connected in series and are arranged facing each other. The system according to claim 1.

10. The at least pair of transistors includes at least one of a pair of N-channel field-effect transistors and a pair of P-channel field-effect transistors. The system according to claim 1.

11. A method for power supply selection control, The plurality of power supplies of a power supply device configured to supply current to a high-power load through at least one of the plurality of power supplies, Multiple switching circuits corresponding to the multiple power supplies, Connecting to and Each of the plurality of switching circuits is connected in a common source configuration and includes at least one pair of transistors located between the positive lead of one of the plurality of power supplies and the high-power load. Connected to the plurality of power supplies and controlled by at least one control unit that controls the plurality of switching circuits, The presence of current from at least one of the aforementioned multiple power sources is detected, In response to the detection, a corresponding power supply is selected from the plurality of power supplies, and one corresponding switching circuit is activated from the selected corresponding power supply to the high-power load. The method, including the method described above.

12. Each of the plurality of switching circuits includes a voltage converter, which is connected to the at least one control unit and configured to drive the pair of transistors. The method according to claim 11.

13. Each of the aforementioned power supplies is connected to a common ground. The method according to claim 11.

14. For each of the at least one control units, the power supply channel to each of the at least one control units is electrically disconnected from each of the plurality of power sources. The method according to claim 11.

15. At least one energy reservoir is connected to at least one of the plurality of power sources and is configured to supply current to the at least one control unit during the transition from one of the plurality of power sources to another, which occurs depending on the selection. The method according to claim 11.

16. The plurality of power sources include at least one of a DC power source and an AC power source. The method according to claim 11.

17. At least one charging circuit is connected to at least one pair of power sources from a plurality of power sources, which include a rechargeable power source, and the method further includes charging the rechargeable power source using current from at least one other power source from the pair of power sources. The method according to claim 11.

18. The at least pair of transistors includes at least one pair of metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors. The method according to claim 11.

19. The pair of transistors in the aforementioned pair of transistors are connected in series and are arranged facing each other. The method according to claim 11.

20. The at least pair of transistors includes at least one of a pair of N-channel field-effect transistors and a pair of P-channel field-effect transistors. The method according to claim 11.

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