Boost-Buck Energy Tracking Circuit for Wide-Range Current Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring energy consumption in electronic devices face challenges in covering a wide range of current magnitudes and dynamic changes while minimizing the impact on the device's functionality and avoiding side effects, such as requiring high precision converters and generating voltage drops that can lead to errors.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with switched mode energy tracking circuitry that uses switching elements, inductors, capacitors, and control logic to generate ON-time pulses with constant width, allowing for accurate energy measurement across a wide range of currents without affecting the device's operation, and includes a calibration mechanism using reference impedances for normalization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a shunt device or shunt resistor is used for current measurement, then current measurement is achieved, but high precision analogue to digital converters are required and voltage drop is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary energy transfer circuit that couples the shunt device to the measurement system through energy transfer rather than direct electrical connection. This intermediary mechanism allows the shunt device to operate at lower precision while the energy transfer circuit compensates for measurement accuracy, eliminating the need for high precision ADCs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional electrical measurement system (direct voltage measurement across shunt) with an energy transfer system using inductors and capacitors. This substitution transforms the measurement approach from direct electrical sensing to energy-based measurement, reducing dependency on high precision converters.
2Measurement precision
If a shunt device is used for power measurement, then current measurement is achieved, but voltage drop is generated which should be compensated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful voltage drop across the shunt device into a useful measurement signal. The energy transfer circuit captures the energy associated with the voltage drop and uses it to drive the measurement system, transforming the harmful effect into the driving force for accurate power measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy transfer circuit acts as an intermediary that isolates the voltage drop effect from the measurement system. The shunt device generates voltage drop, the energy transfer circuit processes this effect, and delivers a compensated measurement signal, eliminating the need for separate compensation circuitry.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If direct load compensation is attempted, then voltage drop compensation is achieved, but the measurement range must be adapted during energy measurement procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation of the measurement system through the energy transfer circuit. The circuit automatically adjusts its operation based on the load conditions and voltage drop magnitude, providing continuous compensation across the full measurement range without requiring manual or external adaptation of measurement parameters.
4Speed
If a buffer capacitor is coupled to the target side, then current delivery is immediate, but the capacitor needs to be recharged which affects the true current response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the buffer capacitor from the measurement path and places it in the energy transfer path. The capacitor continues to provide immediate current delivery to the load, but its charging and discharging cycles are decoupled from the measurement process, allowing accurate measurement of the true load current response.
5Measurement precision
If a current mirror is used to measure energy consumption, then distortion caused by target capacitor is minimized, but the required pairing of power and sense FETs is poor and cannot track huge current magnitude
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal measurement system that can handle a wide range of current magnitudes through the energy transfer circuit. The system maintains accurate measurement across different current levels by using energy-based measurement rather than direct current sensing, eliminating the limitation of current mirror pairing.
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
This solution enables precise measurement of energy consumption across a wide range of current magnitudes with reduced error and minimal impact on the device's functionality, allowing for accurate tracking of dynamic changes and calibration for unknown loads.
Implementation Method 1
principle of storing energy in an inductor and transferring the energy into output energy storing components
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for tracking energy consumption. An energy tracking system comprises at least one switching element, at least one inductor and a control block to keep the output voltage at a pre-selected level. The switching elements are configured to apply the source of energy to the inductors. The control block compares the output voltage of the energy tracking system to a reference value and controls the switching of the switched elements in order to transfer energy for the primary voltage into a secondary voltage at the output of the energy tracking system. The electronic device further comprises an ON-time and OFF-time generator and an accumulator wherein the control block is coupled to receive a signal from the ON-time and OFF-time generator and generates switching signals for the at least one switching element in the form of ON-time pulses with a constant width ON-time.