Reconfigurable Hardware Management Architecture for Scalable Power Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic systems face complexity in power management due to multiple operating voltages and sequencing requirements, leading to inefficiencies and reduced reliability, as standard off-the-shelf power management ICs require pin partitioning and often result in costly, time-consuming design solutions for each application.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable and scalable hardware management architecture that includes a digital controller managing analog sense chips to monitor and control voltage, current, and temperature, using a star configuration with dedicated interfaces for real-time communication, allowing for synchronous operation and seamless scaling by adding or removing ASCs as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If standard off-the-shelf power management ICs are used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to pin partitioning requirements and design tradeoffs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power management function by distributing control logic across multiple independent devices instead of using a single integrated IC. Each device manages a portion of the power supply domain, allowing independent operation and eliminating the need for pin partitioning while maintaining high reliability through distributed architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universal control logic that can manage multiple power supply domains through a single device or across multiple identical devices. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for application-specific custom designs and standard IC pin partitioning, achieving both low complexity and high reliability through standardized, reusable control units.
2Device complexity
If a single integrated component handles all power management functions, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to wasteful design for simple applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic scalability where the number and configuration of control devices can be adjusted based on application requirements. Simple applications use fewer devices with reduced functionality, while complex applications scale up by adding more devices. This dynamic adaptation eliminates the waste of designing single integrated solutions for all applications, improving design efficiency across the board.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows changing key parameters such as the number of control devices, the number of power supply domains per device, and the specific functionality allocated to each device. This parameter flexibility enables optimized designs for different application complexities without requiring complete redesign, significantly improving productivity while maintaining low complexity through standardized building blocks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pin partitioning is used in power management ICs, then adaptability is improved for different applications, but device complexity increases due to partitioning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the adaptability function by using multiple identical, standardized control devices instead of partitioning a single complex IC. Each device has the same simple interface and control logic, but the system achieves application-specific adaptability by varying the number and arrangement of devices. This eliminates pin partitioning complexity while maintaining full adaptability through configurable system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves adaptability through parameter changes in the system configuration rather than through pin partitioning within a single device. The number of devices, their interconnections, and their assigned functions can be changed to match different applications. This approach maintains simple, standardized device complexity while achieving versatile application adaptability through system-level configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a reconfigurable and scalable hardware management architecture includes a digital controller for controlling two or more analog sense-and-control (ASC) circuits, where each ASC monitors voltage, current, and temperature of one or more power supplies, ICs, or a circuit board. The controller and ASCs are connected in a star architecture, where each ASC is connected to the controller via a different, dedicated interface to communicate regarding the power supplies being monitored. The controller and the ASCs are also connected in a bus architecture via a shared interface. The architecture can be re-configured by adding one or more additional ASCs or by removing one or more existing ASCs, where each additional ASC is (i) connected to a different I/O interface of the digital controller via a different, dedicated interface and (ii) connected to the digital controller and the two or more existing ASCs via the shared interface.