Bypass Capacitor Energy Conservation During Power Collapse
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Solution Overview
Problem
In portable devices, the collapse of power supply voltage leads to discharge of bypass capacitors, requiring additional power to recharge them, which increases energy consumption and reduces battery life.
Innovation Solution
A controller-managed system that includes a bypass capacitor, a power source with a switchable output voltage, and a transistor switch to decouple the discharge path of the bypass capacitor, allowing the controller to turn off the output supply voltage and transistor switch to conserve energy stored in the capacitor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the power supply voltage is collapsed to reduce power consumption, then energy savings are achieved, but the bypass capacitors discharge requiring additional power to recharge them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bypass capacitor discharge path from the main power domain by introducing a separate controlled path. When the power domain is collapsed, the bypass capacitors are decoupled from the discharged power rail through a control switch, preventing their energy from being wasted on recharging the collapsed domain. This separation allows the capacitors to retain their charge for use when the power domain is reactivated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by proactively disconnecting the bypass capacitors from the power domain before the power collapse occurs or at the moment of collapse. The control switch is activated to open the discharge path, preserving the energy stored in the capacitors. This preliminary disconnection prevents the energy loss that would otherwise occur during the power cycle.
2Reliability
If bypass capacitors are used to reduce noise on power supply voltage, then power quality is improved, but additional power is required to recharge them during power collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bypass capacitor energy management from the常规 power supply path by creating a separate controlled discharge path. The control switch isolates the capacitors from the collapsed power domain, allowing them to maintain their charge and continue providing noise filtering capability without requiring recharging from the collapsed domain, thus reducing additional power consumption.
3Ease of operation
If the power domain is brought back up to operating voltage levels, then functional operations are restored, but additional power is consumed to recharge the bypass capacitors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bypass capacitor recharging process from the normal power domain restoration sequence. By maintaining the capacitors in a decoupled state during power collapse and only reconnecting them when needed, the system avoids the energy loss associated with recharging these capacitors during each power cycle, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining operational capability.
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 approach minimizes the discharging of bypass capacitors, reducing the need for recharging and thereby saving power, which extends battery life and reduces overall energy consumption in portable devices.
Implementation Method 1
a bypass capacitor operable to filter the output supply voltage
Implementation Method 2
a transistor switch operable to decouple a discharge path of the bypass capacitor through the load circuit when the transistor switch is disabled
Data Source
AI summary
Energy stored in bypass capacitors in a portable device may be conserved when a power supply voltage is collapsed reducing the need to recharge the bypass capacitors and thereby saving power. A bypass charge saving circuit includes a bypass capacitor, a power source having an output supply voltage that is switchable, a load circuit of the portable device coupled to the output supply voltage, and the bypass capacitor operable to filter the output supply voltage. Also, a transistor switch is operable to decouple a discharge path of the bypass capacitor through the load circuit when the transistor switch is disabled. Further, a controller is operable to turn off the output supply voltage and the transistor switch in order to conserve energy stored in the bypass capacitor.