Power Supply Unit With Segmented Sub-Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage converters require large and expensive inductors and capacitors for smoothing, which are costly and difficult to miniaturize, especially when operating at high frequencies, and the multiphase type converters complicate the control circuit due to the need for complex pulse width and frequency modulation.
Innovation Solution
A power supply unit with multiple sub-power supply modules, each with a smaller inductor and switching element, sharing a common output terminal, where the ON/OFF operation of switching elements is controlled based on different reference voltages, reducing the overall inductance and capacitance requirements and simplifying the control circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the inductance of the inductor and the capacitance of the capacitor are decreased by increasing the switching frequency, then the size of the power supply unit is reduced, but the chip size of the power MOSFET increases and the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single voltage converter into multiple sub-voltage converters operating in N phases. Each sub-converter handles a portion of the total power conversion, allowing the use of smaller power MOSFETs with lower current ratings while maintaining the overall required power output. This segmentation enables operation at lower switching frequencies for each phase, reducing the need for high-frequency power MOSFETs and their associated size and cost penalties.
2Volume of moving object
If the inductance of the inductor and the capacitance of the capacitor are decreased by increasing the switching frequency, then the size of the power supply unit is reduced, but the loss increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the power conversion into multiple phases, each operating at a lower frequency, the patent reduces the switching losses in the power MOSFETs and the core losses in the inductors. The distributed architecture allows each component to operate in a more efficient regime, reducing overall energy loss while achieving miniaturization.
3Volume of moving object
If a multiphase type voltage converter is used to decrease the frequency and size of components, then the size of the power MOSFET and inductor is reduced, but the control circuit becomes complicated and large in circuit scale
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control functions of multiple sub-voltage converters into a unified control system that manages all N phases. By integrating the control circuits and using a common reference voltage and timing signal distribution, the patent reduces the overall control circuit complexity compared to having separate control circuits for each phase. The control circuits are synchronized to operate in N phases, simplifying the overall architecture while maintaining the benefits of multi-phase operation.
4Volume of moving object
If the inductance of the inductor and the capacitance of the capacitor are decreased, then the size of the power supply unit is reduced, but the smoothing function is insufficient and ripple increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs N-phase periodic switching action where each sub-converter operates in a staggered sequence. This periodic interleaved operation distributes the ripple current and voltage fluctuations across multiple phases, effectively canceling out ripple components. The combined output of all N phases provides superior smoothing compared to a single converter, allowing the use of smaller inductors and capacitors while maintaining low ripple performance.
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 configuration reduces the size and cost of the power supply unit while maintaining efficient voltage smoothing and minimizing ripple, allowing for a smaller, more efficient power supply with reduced circuit complexity.
Implementation Method 1
current is intermittently supplied to the inductor by the ON/OFF switching operation of the switching element, the current is output to the output terminal by electromagnetic energy stored in the inductor
Implementation Method 2
An inductor is disposed between the switching element and the output terminal, and current smoothed by the inductor is output to the output terminal
Implementation Method 3
the inductor and the capacitor are large and expensive, and are normally externally coupled to a power supply chip integrating a switching element and a control circuit
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply unit includes first and second sub-power supply module, each having first and second inductor, first and second switching element which switches current supplied from an input power supply to the first and second inductor, first and second drive control circuit which drives the first and second switching element, and first and second sub-output terminal to which current is output from the first and second inductor respectively; and a common output terminal to which the first sub-output terminal and the second sub-output terminal are coupled, wherein an ON operation of the first switching element is controlled depending on whether or not an output voltage of the common output terminal is lower than a first voltage, and an ON operation of the second switching element is controlled depending on whether or not the output voltage is lower than a second voltage, which is different from the first voltage.