Digital Voltage Controller for Dynamic Minimum Energy Point Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for finding the minimum energy point (MEP) in digital circuits are inefficient due to reliance on analog circuitry, off-chip capacitors, and inability to dynamically track MEP without advanced knowledge of workload characteristics, leading to hardware overheads and operational delays.
Innovation Solution
A digital voltage controller with embedded digital circuitry and logic that tracks and finds the MEP for both the load and the voltage controller, avoiding off-chip capacitors and requiring no advanced knowledge of workload characteristics, enabling dynamic MEP tracking and reducing hardware overheads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional analog circuitry is used to find MEP, then measurement precision may be improved, but device complexity and hardware overheads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces analog circuitry with a digital system consisting of an ADC, processor, and digital algorithms. The processor calculates MEP by analyzing voltage and current measurements through digital computation rather than analog circuit operations, thereby reducing hardware complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital sampling and measurement of voltage and current waveforms, creating digital copies of the electrical signals. These digital representations are then processed to determine MEP, avoiding the need for complex analog measurement circuits while preserving the essential information needed for accurate MEP detection.
2Reliability
If off-chip capacitors are used for MEP tracking, then reliability may be improved, but device complexity and hardware overheads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the MEP tracking function from external off-chip capacitors and implements it entirely within the integrated circuit using digital processing. The processor calculates MEP by analyzing the relationship between voltage and current measurements, eliminating the need for external passive components and reducing hardware overheads while maintaining tracking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor serves multiple functions: it controls the ADC, processes voltage and current measurements, calculates energy consumption, determines MEP, and adjusts the output voltage accordingly. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated hardware components for each function, reducing overall device complexity.
3Productivity
If advanced knowledge of workload characteristics is required for MEP tracking, then productivity may be improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically measuring its own voltage and current consumption, calculating energy usage, and determining MEP without requiring external input about workload characteristics. The processor continuously monitors system parameters and autonomously adjusts the output voltage to maintain optimal energy efficiency, making the system easy to operate regardless of workload complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where the processor continuously measures voltage and current, calculates energy consumption, compares it with previous measurements, and adjusts the output voltage to maintain MEP. This automatic feedback mechanism eliminates the need for manual workload analysis while maintaining high tracking efficiency.
4Use of energy by moving object
If conventional MEP tracking methods are used, then energy consumption may be reduced, but loss of time due to operational delays increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous real-time monitoring and adjustment of the output voltage to maintain MEP. The processor continuously measures voltage and current, calculates energy consumption, and adjusts the voltage dynamically without interruption to the load operation. This eliminates operational delays while maintaining energy efficiency, as the system adapts continuously rather than in discrete steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations of energy consumption and MEP determination based on measured voltage and current waveforms before making voltage adjustments. This allows the system to proactively optimize energy efficiency without causing operational delays, as the calculations are performed in advance of the actual voltage change needed to maintain MEP.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a power switching unit to receive a first voltage and provide a second voltage having a value based on a value of the first voltage, a first loop to provide digital control information to control a switching of the power switching unit in order to maintain a relationship between the value of the second voltage and a value of a reference voltage, and a second loop coupled to the power switching unit and the first loop to calculate a value of energy consumption of at least a portion of the apparatus based at least on the digital control information.