Patent · US Active

Power management efficiency using DC-DC and linear regulators in conjunction

US9088176B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
71References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 2007
Grant dateJul 21, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 12, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02M1/008
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A power management unit for improving power efficiency of an electronic device. The power management unit includes a first and a second stage power regulator and a control circuitry. The first stage power regulator includes a switching regulator to efficiently adjust an input voltage based on a feedback signal. The adjusted input voltage provides the second stage power regulator that includes low dropout voltage regulators with an input voltage close to its output. Thus, power dissipation in the second stage is reduced by reducing the voltage differential between the input and desired output voltages. The second stage turns on/off power to units of the electronic device. The control circuitry generates the feedback signal based on dropout voltages of the low dropout voltages, the desired output voltage and the adjusted input voltage. The largest dropout voltage is selected and adds it to the desired output voltage to generate the feedback signal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.