IP Library Granted Patent US 11,437,914
Granted Patent B2
US 11,437,914 · App. 16/789,054 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Providing a wide variety of voltages with a power supply that uses an LLC topology

Inventors: Wei-Cheng Yu (New Taipei, TW); Merle Jackson Wood, III (Round Rock, TX); Tsung-Cheng Liao (Taoyuan, TW); Geroncio Ong Tan (Austin, TX); James C C Wu (Taipei, TW); Wen-Yung Chang (Taoyuan, TW)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H02M3/33576G06F1/32H02M1/4208H02M1/007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,437,914
App. No.
16/789,054
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

As an example, a power supply may provide a particular voltage of multiple voltages based on a power profile provided by a universal serial bus Type C (USB-C) integrated circuit (IC) built-in to a USB-C port of a computing device. A power factor correction (PFC) converter may provide an output voltage that varies according to the power profile. The output voltage of the PFC converter may be used as an input to an inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) converter. The LLC converter may produce an output voltage that varies in voltage level proportionally to the PFC converter output voltage. The PFC converter may provide a voltage to the LLC converter that causes the LLC converter to provide an amount of voltage indicated in the power profile sent by the USB-C IC of the computing device.

Claims (84)

1. A power supply comprising:

a first stage comprising:

a power factor correction controller; and

a power factor correction module;

a second stage comprising:

an inductor-inductor-capacitor controller; and

an inductor-inductor-capacitor module;

a single optocoupler in a feedback loop between the first and second stages; and

dual optocouplers including first and second optocouplers;

wherein the first stage is configured to:

receive, from a computing device that is connected to the power supply, a power profile associated with the computing device; and

output a first particular voltage based at least in part on the power profile;

wherein the second stage is configured to:

receive the first particular voltage from the first stage; and

output, based on the first particular voltage, a second particular voltage to the computing device, wherein the second particular voltage is specified by the power profile; and

wherein the dual optocouplers are configured to:

indicate an amount of voltage to be provided by the power supply to the computing device based on a selected power state combination of a plurality of power state combinations of the first and second optocouplers.

2. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein:

a universal serial bus type-C (USB-C) cable connects the power supply to the computing device; and

a jack of the USB-C cable is plugged into a USB-C port of the computing device.

3. The power supply of claim 2 , wherein:

the power profile is sent by a USB-C power delivery (PD) integrated circuit (IC) that is built-in to a USB-C port of the computing device in response to the USB-C PD IC determining that the USB-C cable is plugged into the USB-C port of the computing device.

4. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein:

when the first optocoupler is off and the second optocoupler is off the second particular voltage comprises 5 volts.

5. The power supply of claim 4 , further comprising:

when the first optocoupler is off and the second optocoupler is on the second particular voltage comprises 9 volts.

6. The power supply of claim 4 , further comprising:

when the first optocoupler is on and the second optocoupler is off the second particular voltage comprises 15 volts.

7. The power supply of claim 4 , further comprising:

when the first optocoupler is on and the second optocoupler is on the second particular voltage comprises 20 volts.

8. A power supply comprising:

a power factor correction converter comprising:

a power factor correction controller; and

a power factor correction module;

an inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) converter comprising:

an LLC controller; and

an LLC module;

a single optocoupler in a feedback loop between the power factor correction converter and the LLC converter; and

dual optocouplers including first second optocouplers;

wherein the power factor correction converter is configured to:

receive, from a computing device that is connected to the power supply, a power profile associated with the computing device; and

output a first particular voltage based at least in part on the power profile; and

wherein the LLC converter is configured to:

receive the first particular voltage from the power factor correction converter; and

output, based on the first particular voltage, a second particular voltage to the computing device, wherein the second particular voltage is specified by the power profile; and

wherein the dual optocouplers are configured to:

indicate an amount of voltage to be provided by the power supply to the computing device based on a selected power state combination of a plurality of power state combinations of the first and second optocouplers.

9. The power supply of claim 8 , wherein:

the power profile is sent by a USB-C power delivery (PD) integrated circuit (IC) that is built-in to a USB-C port of the computing device.

10. The power supply of claim 8 , wherein:

when the first optocoupler is off and the second optocoupler is off the second particular voltage comprises 5 volts.

11. The power supply of claim 10 , further comprising:

when the first optocoupler is off and the second optocoupler is on the second particular voltage comprises 9 volts.

12. The power supply of claim 10 , further comprising:

when the first optocoupler is on and the second optocoupler is off the second particular voltage comprises 15 volts.

13. The power supply of claim 10 , further comprising:

when the first optocoupler is on and the second optocoupler is on the second particular voltage comprises 20 volts.

14. A power supply comprising:

a power factor correction converter comprising:

a power factor correction controller; and

a power factor correction module;

an inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) converter comprising:

an LLC controller; and

an LLC module;

a single optocoupler in a feedback loop between the power factor correction converter and the LLC converter; and

dual optocouplers including first second optocouplers;

wherein the power factor correction converter is configured to:

receive, from a computing device that is connected to the power supply, a power profile associated with the computing device; and

output a first particular voltage based at least in part on the power profile; and

wherein the LLC converter is configured to:

receive the first particular voltage from the power factor correction converter; and

output, based on the first particular voltage, a second particular voltage to the computing device, wherein the second particular voltage is specified by the power profile;

wherein a filter is used to remove ripple and noise from the second particular voltage to create filtered voltage; and

wherein the dual optocouplers are configured to:

indicate an amount of voltage to be provided by the power supply to the computing device based on a selected power state combination of a plurality of power state combinations of the first and second optocouplers.

15. The power supply of claim 14 , wherein:

the power profile is sent by a USB-C power delivery (PD) integrated circuit (IC) that is built-in to a USB-C port of the computing device.

16. The power supply of claim 14 , wherein:

the power factor correction converter determines the first particular voltage based at least in part on the dual optocouplers.

17. The power supply of claim 14 , wherein:

when the first optocoupler is off and the second optocoupler is off the second particular voltage comprises 5 volts;

when the first optocoupler is off and the second optocoupler is on the second particular voltage comprises 9 volts;

when the first optocoupler is on and the second optocoupler is off the second particular voltage comprises 15 volts;

when the first optocoupler is on and the second optocoupler is on the second particular voltage comprises 20 volts.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052851/0081) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0441 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052851/0917) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0509 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052852/0022) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0582 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052771 FRAME 0906 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0298 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052851/0081 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052851/0917 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052852/0022 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0169 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052771/0906 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2020
From: YU, WEI-CHENG; WOOD, MERLE JACKSON, III; LIAO, TSUNG-CHENG; TAN, GERONCIO ONG; WU, JAMES CC; CHANG, WEN-YUNG
To: DELL PRODUCTS L. P.
Reel/Frame 051810/0111 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,413,091