US7235957B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Power supply with current-sharing control and current-sharing method thereof
Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC
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Filing: 2005-06-08
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Granted: 2007-06-26
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Expires: 2025-06-08
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a power-supply apparatus with a current-sharing circuit and a current-sharing method thereof. The power supply with a current-sharing function uses a bus terminal as a current-sharing control interface. A power circuit provides an output voltage and an output current to an output terminal; and it generates a current-sense signal according to the output current. A feedback control circuit controls the power circuit according to the output of the power-supply apparatus. A current-sharing unit generates and outputs a bus signal to the bus terminal according to the current-sense signal. The current-sharing unit also generates and outputs a reference signal according to a reference voltage, the bus signal, and the output current so as to regulate the output of the power-supply apparatus through the feedback control circuit. The bus communication circuit monitors and/or controls the power-supply apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Ta-Yung Yang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:01
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/02; H02M3/04; H02M3/10; H02M3/145; H02M3/155; H02M3/156; H02M3/158; H02M3/1584; H02M7/00; H02M7/02; H02M7/04; H02M7/06; H02M7/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control, comprising: an input terminal; an output terminal; a bus terminal, coupled to a bus to provide a bus communication interface and a current-sharing control interface; a power circuit, receiving an input voltage from said input terminal to provide an output voltage and an output current to said output terminal, wherein said power circuit generates a current-sense signal corresponding to said output current; a feedback control circuit, coupled to said output terminal, for generating a feedback signal according to an output of said power-supply apparatus and a reference signal; a control unit, coupled to said power circuit and said feedback control circuit, for controlling said power circuit according to said feedback signal to regulate said output of said power-supply apparatus; a current-sharing unit, coupled to said bus terminal and said feedback control circuit, for outputting a bus signal according to said current-sense signal and a reference voltage, and outputting said reference signal to regulate said feedback signal according to said reference voltage, said bus signal, and said current-sense signal; and a bus communication circuit, coupled to said bus, said current-sharing unit and said control unit, for monitoring and/or controlling said power-supply apparatus according to data transmitted by said bus terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
A power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control, comprising: an input terminal; an output terminal; a bus terminal, coupled to a bus to provide a bus communication interface and a current-sharing control interface; a power circuit, receiving an input voltage from said input terminal to provide an output voltage and an output current to said output terminal, wherein said power circuit generates a current-sense signal corresponding to said output current; a feedback control circuit, coupled to said output terminal, for generating a feedback signal according to an output of said power-supply apparatus and a reference signal; a control unit, coupled to said power circuit and said feedback control circuit, for controlling said power circuit according to said feedback signal to regulate said output of said power-supply apparatus; a current-sharing unit, coupled to said bus terminal and said feedback control circuit, for outputting a bus signal according to said current-sense signal and a reference voltage, and outputting said reference signal to regulate said feedback signal according to said reference voltage, said bus signal, and said current-sense signal; and a bus communication circuit, coupled to said bus, said current-sharing unit and said control unit, for monitoring and/or controlling said power-supply apparatus according to data transmitted by said bus terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 1 , wherein said feedback control circuit comprises: a divider, coupled to said output terminal to divide said output voltage and to generate a sensing voltage corresponding thereto; and an amplifier, wherein a negative terminal thereof is coupled to said divider to receive said sensing voltage, a positive terminal thereof is coupled to said current-sharing unit to receive said reference signal, and an output terminal thereof outputs said feedback signal to said control unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
141 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 1 , wherein said current-sharing unit comprises: a pull-up voltage unit, generating a pull-up voltage according to said reference voltage; a pull-up resistor, coupled between said pull-up voltage unit and the bus terminal; a current generating circuit, generating a first current signal and a second current signal corresponding to said current-sense signal; an input unit, coupled to said bus terminal, for generating a third current signal according to said pull-up voltage and said bus signal; an output unit, coupled to said bus terminal, for generating said bus signal according to said second current signal and said pull-up voltage; and a regulation unit, coupled to said input unit and said current generating unit, for generating and regulating said reference signal according to said reference voltage, said third current signal, and said first current signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
121 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 3 , wherein said input unit comprises: an input resistor, a first terminal thereof being supplied with said pull-up voltage; a level detection unit, coupled to said bus terminal, for detecting said bus signal from said bus terminal to output a bias signal; and a buffer amplifier, a positive terminal thereof connecting to said level detection unit via an offset voltage source to receive said bias signal, a negative terminal thereof being coupled to a first output terminal thereof and a second terminal of said input resistor, a second output terminal thereof generating said third current signal according to said pull-up voltage, said bias signal, said offset voltage source, and said input resistor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 4 , wherein said level detection unit comprises: a multi-sampling unit, sampling a high level of said bus signal from said bus terminal to generate a plurality of sampled signals; and a buffer-high amplifier, coupled to said multi-sampling unit, for determining said bias signal according to one of the sampled signals with a highest voltage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
130 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 3 , wherein said output unit comprises: an output resistor, a first terminal thereof being supplied with said pull-up voltage; a unit-gain amplifier, a positive terminal thereof being coupled to a second terminal of said output resistor, a negative terminal thereof being coupled to said bus terminal and an output terminal of said unit-gain amplifier to generate said bus signal, wherein said output terminal of the unit-gain amplifier is an open-collector or open-drain type; and an output current mirror, coupled to said positive terminal of said unit-gain amplifier, for generating a voltage drop across said output resistor according to said second current signal, wherein said bus signal is generated according to said output resistor, said pull-up voltage, and said second current signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 3 , wherein said regulation unit comprises: a regulation current mirror, for generating an regulation current signal according to said third current signal and said first current signal; a regulation resistor, coupled to said regulation current mirror, for receiving said regulation current signal to generate said reference signal; and a unit-gain buffer, an input terminal thereof receiving said reference voltage, an output terminal thereof being coupled to said regulation resistor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 1 , wherein said bus is a serial bus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 1 , wherein said power-supply apparatus is a power supply.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
161 words
A power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control, comprising: an input terminal; an output terminal; a bus terminal, coupled to a bus to provide a bus communication interface and a current-sharing control interface; a power circuit, receiving an input voltage of said input terminal to provide an output voltage and an output current to said output terminal; a feedback control circuit, coupled to said output terminal, for generating a feedback signal according to an output of said power-supply apparatus; a control unit, coupled to said power circuit and said feedback control circuit, for controlling said power circuit according to said feedback signal; and a current-sharing unit, coupled to the power circuit, the bus terminal and the feedback control circuit, for outputting a bus signal to said bus terminal according to said output current of said power-supply apparatus, and outputting a reference signal to regulate said feedback signal according to a reference voltage, said bus signal, and said output current of the power-supply apparatus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
161 words
A power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control, comprising: an input terminal; an output terminal; a bus terminal, coupled to a bus to provide a bus communication interface and a current-sharing control interface; a power circuit, receiving an input voltage of said input terminal to provide an output voltage and an output current to said output terminal; a feedback control circuit, coupled to said output terminal, for generating a feedback signal according to an output of said power-supply apparatus; a control unit, coupled to said power circuit and said feedback control circuit, for controlling said power circuit according to said feedback signal; and a current-sharing unit, coupled to the power circuit, the bus terminal and the feedback control circuit, for outputting a bus signal to said bus terminal according to said output current of said power-supply apparatus, and outputting a reference signal to regulate said feedback signal according to a reference voltage, said bus signal, and said output current of the power-supply apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 10 , wherein said feedback control circuit comprises: a divider, coupled to said output terminal to divide said output voltage and to generate a sensing voltage corresponding thereto; and an amplifier, a negative terminal thereof being coupled to said divider to receive said sensing voltage, a positive terminal thereof being coupled to said current-sharing unit to receive said reference signal, and an output terminal thereof outputs said feedback signal to said control unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 10 , wherein said current-sharing unit comprises: a pull-up voltage unit, generating a pull-up voltage according to said reference voltage; a pull-up resistor, coupled between said pull-up voltage unit and said bus terminal; an input unit, coupled to said pull-up voltage unit, for generating a third current signal according to said pull-up voltage and said bus signal; an output unit, coupled to said bus terminal, for generating said bus signal according to said second current signal and said pull-up voltage; and a regulation unit, coupled to said input unit, for generating and regulating said reference signal according to said reference voltage, said third current signal and said output current of said power-supply apparatus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
121 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 12 , wherein said input unit comprises: an input resistor, a first terminal thereof being coupled to the pull-up voltage; a level detection unit, coupled to said bus terminal, for detecting said bus signal from said bus terminal to output a bias signal; and a buffer amplifier, a positive terminal thereof connecting to said level detection unit via an offset voltage source to receive said bias signal, a negative terminal thereof being coupled to a first output terminal thereof and a second terminal of said input resistor, a second output terminal thereof generating said third current signal according to said pull-up voltage, said bias signal, said offset voltage source and said input resistor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 13 , wherein said level detection unit comprises: a multi-sampling unit, sampling a high level of said bus signal from said bus terminal to generate a plurality of sampled signals; and a buffer-high amplifier, coupled to said multi-sampling unit, for determining said bias signal according to one of the sampled signals having a highest voltage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
133 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 12 , wherein said output unit comprises: an output resistor, a first terminal thereof being supplied with said pull-up voltage; a unit-gain amplifier, a positive terminal thereof being coupled to a second terminal of said output resistor, a negative terminal thereof being coupled to said bus terminal and an output terminal of said unit-gain amplifier to generate said bus signal, wherein said output terminal thereof is an open-collector or open-drain type; and an output current mirror, coupled to a positive terminal of said unit-gain amplifier, for generating a voltage drop across said output resistor according to said output current of said power-supply apparatus, wherein said bus signal is generated according to said output resistor, said pull-up voltage, and said output current of said power-supply apparatus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
80 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 12 , wherein said regulation unit comprises: a regulation current mirror, generating a regulation current signal according to said third current signal and said output current of said power-supply apparatus; a regulation resistor, coupled to said regulation current mirror, for receiving said regulation current signal to generate said reference signal; and a unit-gain buffer, an input terminal thereof receiving said reference voltage, an output terminal thereof being coupled to said adjusting resistor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The power-supply apparatus with current-sharing control of claim 10 , wherein said power-supply apparatus is a power supply.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
121 words
A current-sharing method of a power supply, adapted for a plurality of parallel power-supply apparatuses to automatically self-regulate their own outputs to supply a total output, wherein each of said power-supply apparatuses is coupled to a bus to provide a bus communication interface for contacting with an external personal computer or microprocessor, the current-sharing method comprising: a step of transmitting a bus signal among said power-supply apparatus through said bus according to an output status of each of said power-supply apparatuses; and a step of self-regulating an output of each of said power-supply apparatuses according to said output status of each of said power-supply apparatuses and said bus signal of said bus, and providing said total output by a current-sharing mechanism.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
121 words
A current-sharing method of a power supply, adapted for a plurality of parallel power-supply apparatuses to automatically self-regulate their own outputs to supply a total output, wherein each of said power-supply apparatuses is coupled to a bus to provide a bus communication interface for contacting with an external personal computer or microprocessor, the current-sharing method comprising: a step of transmitting a bus signal among said power-supply apparatus through said bus according to an output status of each of said power-supply apparatuses; and a step of self-regulating an output of each of said power-supply apparatuses according to said output status of each of said power-supply apparatuses and said bus signal of said bus, and providing said total output by a current-sharing mechanism.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
76 words
The current-sharing method of said power supply of claim 18 , wherein said step of transmitting said bus signal among said power-supply apparatus through said bus according to said output status of each of said power-supply apparatus comprises: providing a reference voltage; detecting an output current of each of said power-supply apparatuses, and generating said bus signal according to a detecting result of said output current and said reference voltage by each of said power-supply apparatuses.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
114 words
The current-sharing method of said power supply of claim 18 , wherein said step of self-regulating said output of each of said power-supply apparatuses according to said output status of each of said power-supply apparatuses and said bus signal of said bus, and providing said total output by a current-sharing mechanism comprises: providing a reference voltage; self-regulating and generating a control signal according to said output status of each of said power-supply apparatuses and said reference voltage; and self-regulating and outputting an output voltage and an output current by each of said power-supply apparatuses corresponding to said control signal, wherein said output voltage and said output current are said output of said power-supply apparatus.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The current-sharing method for power supply of claim 18 , wherein each of said power-supply apparatuses is a power supply.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-06-25 | 2010-12-25 | 2011-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-06-25 | 2014-12-25 | 2015-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-06-25 | 2018-12-25 | 2019-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |