Bidirectional power management techniques

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9780590-B2
Application number	US-201514601526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2007
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

Power management techniques are disclosed. For instance, an apparatus may include a bidirectional voltage converter circuit, and a control module that selectively operates the bidirectional voltage converter circuit in a charging mode and a delivery mode. The charging mode converts a voltage provided by an interface (e.g., a USB interface) into a charging voltage employed by an energy storage module (e.g., a rechargeable battery). Conversely, the delivery mode converts a voltage provided by the energy storage module into a voltage employed by the interface. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a battery;
a bidirectional voltage converter to operate in a charging mode or a delivery mode; and
a voltage converter control module to
receive a control signal, the control signal to indicate whether to operate in the charging mode or in the delivery mode; and
based on the received control signal, selectively operate the bidirectional voltage converter in the charging mode or the delivery mode, the charging mode to convert a voltage supplied by a device into a charging voltage, the charging voltage to at least charge the battery, and the delivery mode to convert a voltage provided by the battery into a voltage to at least be used by the device.

2. The system of claim 1 , the control signal is received from the device on a control signal line.

3. The system of claim 1 , the device comprises a voltage adapter.

4. The system of claim 1 , the voltage converter control module comprising a diode, the diode to switch between a first node and a second node to allow a first current to flow from the device to the battery in charging mode and to allow a second current to flow from the battery to the device in delivery mode.

5. The system of claim 4 , the diode to switch at a particular frequency.

6. The system of claim 4 , the voltage converter control module comprising an inductance placed on a power delivery line coupling the battery and the diode.

7. The system of claim 1 , the voltage converter control module to operate in the charging mode when the device provides charging power for the battery.

8. The system of claim 1 , the voltage converter control module to operate in the delivery mode when the device requires operational power from the battery.

9. A system comprising:
a battery;
a bidirectional voltage converter to operate in a charging mode or a delivery mode; and
a voltage converter control module to
operate the bidirectional voltage converter in the charging mode, the charging mode to convert a voltage supplied by a device into a charging voltage, the charging voltage to at least charge the battery;
receive a control signal, the control signal to include an indication to operate in the delivery mode;
based on the received control signal, selectively operate the bidirectional voltage converter in the delivery mode, the delivery mode to convert a voltage provided by the battery into a voltage to at least be used by the device.

10. The system of claim 9 , the control signal is received from the device on a control signal line.

11. The system of claim 9 , the device comprising a voltage adapter.

12. The system of claim 9 , the voltage converter control module comprising a diode, the diode to switch to allow a first current to flow from the device to the battery in charging mode and to allow a second current to flow from the battery to the device in delivery mode.

13. The system of claim 12 , the diode to switch at a particular frequency.

14. The system of claim 12 , the voltage converter control module comprising an inductance placed on a power delivery line coupling the battery and the diode.

15. The system of claim 9 , the voltage converter control module to operate in the charging mode when the device provides charging power for the battery.

16. The system of claim 9 , the voltage converter control module to operate in the delivery mode when the device requires operational power from the battery.

17. A system comprising:
a battery;
a bidirectional voltage converter;
an interface, the interface to allow for an exchange of information between an attached apparatus and a voltage control module and a flow of power between the attached apparatus and the bidirectional voltage converter; and
a voltage converter control module to
receive a control signal through the interface, the control signal to include an indication to operate in a delivery mode;
based on the received control signal, selectively operate the bidirectional voltage converter in a delivery mode, the delivery mode to convert a voltage provided by the battery into a voltage to at least be used by the attached apparatus.

18. The system of claim 17 , the voltage converter control module to operate in a charging mode when the attached apparatus provides charging power for the battery.

19. The system of claim 17 , the voltage converter control module to operate in the delivery mode when the attached apparatus requires operational power from the battery.

20. The system of claim 17 , the voltage converter control module comprising a diode, the diode to switch to allow a first current to flow from the attached apparatus to the battery in a charging mode and to allow a second current to flow from the battery to the attached apparatus in delivery mode.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Nguyen Don J

Classifications

• H02J7/971

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

• H02J7/875

  Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation · CPC title

• H02J7/865 Primary

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/00 Primary

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• H02J2207/20

  Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter · CPC title