Enhanced transient response to supply power from energy harvesters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9812952-B2
Application number	US-201414316334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2014
Priority date	Jun 26, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods may provide for a transient response apparatus that includes a single stage conversion module having a power input, a power output, and a control input, and a compensation module including a feedback input. The compensation module may be coupled to the power input, the power output and the control input of the single stage conversion module. Additionally, a feedback module may be coupled to the power output of the single stage conversion module and the feedback input of the compensation module. In one example, the feedback module includes a loop controller having a plurality of programmable inputs and an error output, and a modulus unit coupled to the error output of the loop controller and the feedback input of the compensation module.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system comprising:
a load including one or more of a processor, a memory device or a display;
a transient response apparatus including:
a single stage conversion module having a power input, a power output coupled to the load, and a control input,
a compensation module including a feedback input, the compensation module coupled to the power input, the power output and the control input of the single stage conversion module,
a feedback module coupled to the power output of the single stage conversion module and the feedback input of the compensation module, and
a multiplier to generate a scaled correction signal based on an unscaled correction signal and the feedback signal.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the feedback module includes:
a loop controller having a plurality of programmable inputs and an error output; and
a modulus unit coupled to the error output of the loop controller and the feedback input of the compensation module.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the error output is to be a function of the power output and one or more of the plurality of programmable inputs.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of programmable inputs include one or more of a maximum charge current, a maximum output voltage or a minimum output voltage.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single stage conversion module includes:
a converter having a modulation input, the converter coupled to the power input and the power output of the single stage conversion module; and
a pulse width modulation controller coupled to the modulation input of the converter and a transfer function output of the compensation module.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the compensation module includes:
a compensator having a transfer function output coupled to the control input of the single stage conversion module;
a compensation controller coupled to the power input of the single stage conversion module; and
the multiplier coupled to the compensator, the compensation controller and the feedback input of the compensation module.

7. The system of claim 1 , further including:
an energy harvester coupled to the load and the transient response apparatus, wherein the energy harvester includes one or more of a photovoltaic source or a piezoelectric source; and
a battery coupled to the energy harvester, the load and the transient response apparatus.

8. A transient response apparatus comprising:
a single stage conversion module including a power input, a power output and a control input;
a compensation module including a feedback input, the compensation module coupled to the power input, the power output and the control input of the single stage conversion module;
a feedback module coupled to the power output of the single stage conversion module and the feedback input of the compensation module; and
a multiplier to generate a scaled correction signal based on an unscaled correction signal and the feedback input.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the feedback module includes:
a loop controller having a plurality of programmable inputs and an error output; and
a modulus unit coupled to the error output of the loop controller and the feedback input of the compensation module.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the error output is to be a function of the power output and one or more of the plurality of programmable inputs.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of programmable inputs include one or more of a maximum charge current, a maximum output voltage or a minimum output voltage.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the single stage conversion module includes:
a converter having a modulation input, the converter coupled to the power input and the power output of the single stage conversion module; and
a pulse width modulation controller coupled to the modulation input of the converter and a transfer function output of the compensation module.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the compensation module includes:
a compensator having a transfer function output coupled to the control input of the single stage conversion module; and
a compensation controller coupled to the power input of the single stage conversion module; and
the multiplier coupled to the compensator, the compensation controller and the feedback input of the compensation module.

14. A method of operating a transient response apparatus, comprising:
generating, by a single stage conversion module, system power for a power output of the single stage conversion module based on source power from a power input of the single stage conversion module and a control signal from a control input of the single stage conversion module;
generating, by a compensation module, the control signal based on the source power, the system power, and a feedback signal from a feedback input of the compensation module;
generating, by a feedback module, the feedback signal based on the system power; and
generating, by a multiplier of the compensation module, a scaled correction signal based on an unscaled correction signal and the feedback signal.

15. The method of claim 14 , further including:
generating, by a loop controller of the feedback module, an error signal via an error output of the loop controller based on a plurality of programmable inputs and the system power; and
taking, by a modulus unit of the feedback module, an absolute value of the error signal, wherein the absolute value of the error signal is applied to the feedback input of the compensation module.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the error output is a function of the power output and one or more of the plurality of programmable inputs.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of programmable inputs include one or more of a maximum charge current, a maximum output voltage or a minimum output voltage.

18. The method of claim 14 , further including:
converting, by a converter of the single stage conversion module, the source power based on a modulation signal from a modulation input of the converter; and
generating, by a pulse width modulation controller of the single stage conversion module, the modulation signal based on a transfer function signal from a transfer function output of the compensation module.

19. The method of claim 14 , further including:
generating, by a compensator of the compensation module, a transfer function signal for a transfer function output of the compensation module based on the scaled correction signal; and
generating, by a compensation controller of the compensation module, the unsealed correction signal based on the source power.

20. At least one computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to:
generate, by a compensation module, a control signal based on source power from a power input of a single stage conversion module, system power from a power output of the single stage conversion module, and a feedback signal from a feedback input of the compensation module;
generate, by a feedback module, the feedback signal based on the system power; and
generate, by a multiplier of the compensation module, a scaled correction signal based on a unsealed correction signal and the feedback signal.

21. The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a computing system to:
generate, by a loop controller of the feedback module, a

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Huang Lilly
• Chen Yang-Lin
• Vaidya Vaibhav

Classifications

• H02M2001/0048

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02B70/1491

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H02M3/156

  with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators · CPC title

• H02M3/04 Primary

  by static converters · CPC title

• H02J7/34 Primary

  Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title