Adaptive power systems and techniques

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12249859-B2
Application number	US-202117331522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2021
Priority date	May 27, 2020
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for adaptively providing power. In example implementations, an apparatus includes a power adapter coupler, at least one transistor, a first charger, and a second charger. The first charger and the second charger are coupled between the power adapter coupler and the transistor. The apparatus also includes a first switch, a second switch, and a charging controller. The first switch is coupled in series with the first charger between the power adapter coupler and the transistor. The second switch is coupled in series with the second charger between the power adapter coupler and the transistor. The charging controller is coupled to the first switch and the second switch. The charging controller is configured to selectively close the first switch to connect the first charger to the at least one transistor or close the second switch to connect the second charger to the at least one transistor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for adaptively providing power, the apparatus comprising:
a housing comprising:
a power adapter coupler;
at least one transistor;
a first charger coupled between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor;
a second charger coupled between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor;
a first switch coupled in series with the first charger between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor, the first switch separate from the first charger;
a second switch coupled in series with the second charger between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor, the second switch separate from the second charger; and
a charging controller coupled to the first switch and the second switch, the charging controller configured to selectively:
close the first switch to connect the first charger to the at least one transistor; or
close the second switch to connect the second charger to the at least one transistor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power adapter coupler comprises at least one of:
a socket configured to accept a plug of a charging cable; or
an inductive loop configured to be electromagnetically coupled to a wireless power source adapter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one power storage unit, wherein:
the at least one transistor comprises a power field-effect transistor (FET), the power FET comprising a first channel terminal and a second channel terminal;
the first switch is coupled between the first charger and the first channel terminal of the power FET;
the second switch is coupled between the second charger and the first channel terminal of the power FET; and
the at least one power storage unit is coupled between the second channel terminal and a ground.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
the power FET comprises a gate terminal;
the charging controller is coupled to the gate terminal of the power FET; and
the charging controller is configured to selectively enable or disable current flow from the first charger or the second charger to the at least one power storage unit using the gate terminal of the power FET.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first charger comprises a switched-mode charger; and
the second charger comprises a bypass charger.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the switched-mode charger comprises a buck-boost charger.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first charger comprises a capacitive voltage-adjuster charger; and
the second charger comprises a bypass charger.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third charger coupled between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor; and
a third switch coupled in series with the third charger between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor, wherein:
the charging controller is coupled to the third switch; and
the charging controller is configured to selectively close the third switch to connect the third charger to the at least one transistor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the first charger comprises a switched-mode charger;
the second charger comprises a capacitive voltage-adjuster charger; and
the third charger comprises a bypass charger.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first charger comprises:
a multi-output charging circuit comprising a first output and a second output, the first output coupled to a first power domain, the second output coupled to a second power domain.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the multi-output charging circuit comprises:
a switched capacitive voltage-adjuster charger comprising the first output and the second output.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the multi-output charging circuit comprises:
a switched capacitive voltage-adjuster charger comprising the first output; and
a step-down or step-up voltage regulator comprising the second output.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the charging controller is configured to:
connect at least one of the first charger or the second charger to the at least one transistor based on a charging type of a power source adapter that is coupled to the power adapter coupler.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the charging type of the power source adapter comprises at least one of:
a fixed-voltage charging type corresponding to one or more fixed voltages; or
a variable-voltage charging type corresponding to one or more variable voltages.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the variable-voltage charging type comprises:
a first variable-voltage charging type configured to provide a first maximum voltage level; and
a second variable-voltage charging type configured to provide a second maximum voltage level, the first maximum voltage level different from the second maximum voltage level.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the charging type of the power source adapter comprises at least one of:
a constant-voltage (CV) charging type; or
a constant-current (CC) charging type.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the charging controller is configured to:
determine at least one estimated performance characteristic of a power source adapter that is coupled to the power adapter coupler; and
charge a power storage unit using the power source adapter based on the at least one estimated performance characteristic.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the charging controller is configured to:
receive from the power source adapter at least one indication of an advertised performance characteristic; and
override the advertised performance characteristic based on the at least one estimated performance characteristic.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the advertised performance characteristic comprises at least one of:
an ability to provide constant-current charging; or
a capability to maintain a constant current within a current range comprising an upper current threshold level and a lower current threshold level.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display screen coupled to the first charger or the second charger; and
a processor operatively coupled to the display screen and configured to present one or more graphical images on the display screen,
wherein the charging controller is configured to provide power to at least the display screen using the first charger or the second charger.

21. An apparatus for adaptively providing power, the apparatus comprising:
a housing comprising:
a power adapter coupler configured to couple to a power source adapter;
at least one transistor;
a first charger coupled between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor;
a second charger coupled between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor;
a first switch coupled in series with the first charger between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor, the first switch separate from the first charger;
a second switch coupled in series with the second charger between the power adapter coupler and the at least one transistor, the second switch separate from the second charger;
a charging controller coupled to the first switch and the second switch, the charging controller configured to selectively:
close the first switch to connect the first charger to the at least one transistor; or
close the second switch to connect the second charger to the at least one transistor; and

means for controlli

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Paparrizos Georgios Konstantinos
• Li Haoyan
• Kun Cheong

Classifications

• H02J7/80

  including monitoring or indicating arrangements · CPC title

• H02J7/933 Primary

  the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters · CPC title

• H02J7/90

  Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage · CPC title

• H02J7/02

  for charging batteries from AC mains by converters · CPC title

• H02M3/1582

  Buck-boost converters (H02M3/1584 takes precedence) · CPC title