Bi-directional Charge Discharge Management System for Portable Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices face power limitations due to increased functionality, leading to reduced service time, and existing movable power sources struggle with voltage management when charging and discharging batteries, especially with multiple batteries, making it difficult to determine the relationship between input and output voltages.
Innovation Solution
A bi-directional charge and discharge management system with a power converter that includes switches and an inductor, coupled with a charge and discharge control circuit, allowing the power converter to operate in both buck and boost modes regardless of battery or load voltage, enabling flexible voltage management and interchangeable input/output relationships.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a movable power source uses a simple charging circuit without bi-directional voltage management, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot effectively manage voltage relationships when charging and discharging multiple batteries with different voltages
Solution Approach 1:
The power converter is designed to perform multiple functions: it can operate in both buck and boost modes, handle charging from external power supplies, discharge to external loads, and manage multiple batteries with different voltages. This multi-functional design allows a single circuit to adapt to various voltage scenarios without requiring separate dedicated circuits for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit dynamically adjusts the operating mode of the power converter based on real-time voltage conditions. When the battery voltage is higher than the external voltage, it operates in buck mode; when the battery voltage is lower, it operates in boost mode. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain optimal performance across varying voltage conditions without requiring a complex fixed-structure circuit.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the power converter operates in fixed mode (either buck or boost), then the control circuit is simple, but it cannot adapt to different voltage relationships between batteries and external power supplies or loads
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit continuously monitors the voltage relationship between the battery and the external power supply or load, and adjusts the power converter's operating mode accordingly. When the battery voltage is detected to be higher than the external voltage, the control circuit switches to buck mode; when lower, it switches to boost mode. This feedback mechanism enables automatic adaptation to voltage conditions without requiring complex manual intervention or overly sophisticated control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The power management system is designed to automatically determine and switch between buck and boost modes based on voltage conditions without external intervention. The control circuit self-adjusts the converter's operation based on real-time voltage measurements, enabling the system to serve itself by making intelligent decisions about operating modes without requiring complex external control or manual configuration.
3Duration of action of moving object
If multiple batteries with different voltages are used to extend service time, then the duration of action is improved, but it becomes difficult to determine the relationship between input and output voltages
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit incorporates voltage detection and comparison functionality that continuously monitors the voltage of each battery in the multi-battery system. By comparing these voltages with the external power supply or load voltage, the control circuit automatically determines the appropriate operating mode (buck or boost) for each charging or discharging operation, eliminating the difficulty of manually determining voltage relationships in multi-battery configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The power converter acts as an intermediary between the multi-battery system and the external power supply or load. It provides voltage conversion and regulation functionality that bridges the voltage differences between multiple batteries with different voltages and the external interface, making the voltage relationship management transparent and automatic rather than requiring direct comparison and manual control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively prolongs the service time of portable electronic devices by allowing flexible charging and discharging, regardless of voltage relationships, and can be used in a wide variety of applications, addressing the limitations of existing movable power sources.
Implementation Method 1
a power converter that includes switches and an inductor
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus can include: (i) a first switch coupled to an external interface and an inductor; (ii) a second switch coupled to ground and a common node between the first switch and the inductor; (ii) a third switch coupled to ground and a common node between the inductor and a fourth switch, where the inductor and first, second, third, and fourth switches form a power converter; (iii) a charge and discharge control circuit coupled to the power converter, and being configured to control the first, second, third, and fourth switches; and (iv) a chargeable battery coupled to the fourth switch, where the power converter is configured to provide a current to the battery when the external interface is coupled to an external power supply, and where the power converter is configured to provide a current to a load when the external interface is coupled to the load.