Programmable Shunt Regulator for Dynamic USB-PD Voltage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic circuits lack the flexibility to dynamically adjust output voltage within a wide range (3V to 22V) with small increments, and current supply, to meet diverse application demands, especially in power delivery systems.
Innovation Solution
A serial bus-compatible power supply device with a shunt regulator and current digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that receives programmable power supply commands to adjust output voltage and current, using a closed-loop feedback system with an error amplifier and resistor network to maintain precise voltage control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing electronic circuits use fixed voltage regulation, then circuit design is simple, but flexibility to dynamically adjust output voltage is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic voltage adjustment by replacing fixed voltage regulation with a programmable shunt regulator that can change its operating parameters in real-time. The regulator responds to digital commands to dynamically adjust the output voltage across a wide range (3V to 22V), transforming a static circuit into an adaptive system that can reconfigure itself based on external control signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The shunt regulator is designed to perform multiple functions: it can regulate voltage across a wide range (3V to 22V), accept various digital control formats (I2C, SPI, or direct digital input), and provide precise voltage control with small increments (20mV). This multi-functionality allows a single device to replace multiple fixed-voltage regulators, enhancing adaptability while managing complexity through integration.
2Measurement precision
If existing circuits use discrete voltage levels, then control is simple, but ability to provide small voltage increments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves precise voltage control by implementing fine-grained parameter adjustments. The shunt regulator can modify its output voltage in small increments of 20mV across the entire 3V to 22V range, allowing for precise voltage setting. This is accomplished through digital control that adjusts the regulator's internal parameters, enabling high measurement precision without requiring complex analog control circuits.
3Adaptability or versatility
If power delivery systems lack programmability, then system design is straightforward, but ability to meet diverse application demands is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The power delivery system is transformed from a static configuration to a dynamic, programmable system. The shunt regulator can be reconfigured through digital commands to meet different application requirements, allowing the same hardware to serve multiple purposes. This dynamic reconfigurability enables the system to adapt to diverse demands while maintaining a relatively simple underlying architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
Example apparatus, systems, and methods receive, by a current digital-to-analog converter (DAC) of a shunt regulator, a first digital code indicative of a first programmable power supply command specifying a first programmable output voltage (Vbus) to be delivered to a voltage bus of a USB-compatible device. The programmable power supply command is compatible with a universal serial bus—power delivery (USB-PD) standard. Responsive to receipt of the first digital code, adjust, by the current DAC, a sink current delivered to a feedback node to adjust an output voltage to the first Vbus for dynamic programmability. The feedback node is coupled to a first input of an amplifier of the shunt regulator and the first Vbus is programmable.