HIGH-EFFICIENCY CONVERTER WITH A CONFIGURABLE SWITCHING ELEMENT
According to an embodiment, a method of operating an M-level buck converter in a battery charging circuit is provided. The M-level buck converter includes 2×N×(M−1) number of transistors. M and N are greater than one. The method includes operating the M-level buck converter in a first mode of the battery charging circuit corresponding to a high-current charge mode. The method further includes operating the M-level buck converter in a second mode of the battery charging circuit corresponding to a low-current charge mode. In the first mode, 2×N×(M−1) number of transistors are switched ON and OFF. In the second mode, 2×(M−1) number of transistors are switched ON and OFF and 2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) number of transistors are fully deactivated.
1 . 2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)1. A method of operating an M-level buck converter in a battery charging circuit, the M-level buck converter comprising number of transistors, M and N being greater than one, the method comprising:
2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1) operating the M-level buck converter in a first mode of the battery charging circuit corresponding to a high-current charge mode, wherein the number of transistors are switched ON and OFF; and
2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1) operating the M-level buck converter in a second mode of the battery charging circuit corresponding to a low-current charge mode, wherein at least but less than number of transistors are switched ON and OFF.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the M-level buck converter has a multiple of N number of transistors greater than a second M-level buck converter with 2×(M−1) number of transistors, each transistor in the M-level buck converter has a transistor area 1/N of each transistor in the second M-level buck converter.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein, in the first mode, switch resistance losses in the M-level buck converter are equal to switch resistance losses in the second M-level buck converter, and wherein, in the second mode, switch charge losses are reduced in reference to switch charge losses in the second M-level buck converter.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the M-level buck converter is a two-level (2L) buck converter having four total transistors, wherein all four transistors are operating in a first switch-mode power supply configuration during the first mode, and wherein a first pair of transistors are activated in a second switch-mode power supply configuration during the second mode, and a second pair of transistors are fully deactivated in the second switch-mode power supply configuration.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the M-level buck converter is a three-level (3L) buck converter having six total transistors, wherein all six transistors are activated in a first switch-mode power supply configuration during the first mode, and wherein a first set of three transistors are activated in a second switch-mode power supply configuration during the second mode, and a second set of three transistors are fully deactivated in the second switch-mode power supply configuration.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling, by a controller coupled to the M-level buck converter, an operation of the 2×N×(M−1) number of transistors in the first mode and the second mode.
2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1)7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) selectively activating and deactivating the number of transistors in the first mode; and
2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) selectively activating and deactivating the number of transistors and fully deactivating the number of transistors in the second mode.
2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1)8. An M-level buck converter of a battery charging circuit, M being greater than one, the M-level buck converter comprising:
2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) number of transistors, N being greater than one, wherein the M-level buck converter is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the first mode corresponding to a high-current charge mode of the battery charging circuit, the second mode corresponding to a low-current charge mode of the battery charging circuit,
2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) wherein, in the first mode, number of transistors are switched ON and OFF, and
2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) wherein, in the second mode, number of transistors are switched ON and OFF, and number of transistors are fully deactivated.
9 . The M-level buck converter of claim 8 , wherein the M-level buck converter has a multiple of N number of transistors greater than a second M-level buck converter with 2×(M−1) number of transistors, each transistor in the M-level buck converter has a transistor area 1/N of each transistor in the second M-level buck converter.
10 . The M-level buck converter of claim 9 , wherein, in the first mode, switch resistance losses in the M-level buck converter are equal to switch resistance losses in the second M-level buck converter, and wherein, in the second mode, switch charge losses are reduced in reference to switch charge losses in the second M-level buck converter.
11 . The M-level buck converter of claim 8 , wherein the M-level buck converter is a two-level (2L) buck converter having four total transistors, wherein all four transistors are activated in a first switch-mode power supply configuration during the first mode, and wherein a first pair of transistors are activated in a second switch-mode power supply configuration during the second mode, and a second pair of transistors are fully deactivated in the second switch-mode power supply configuration.
12 . The M-level buck converter of claim 8 , wherein the M-level buck converter is a three-level (3L) buck converter having six total transistors, wherein all six transistors are activated in a first switch-mode power supply configuration during the first mode, and wherein a first set of three transistors are activated in a second switch-mode power supply configuration during the second mode, and a second set of three transistors are fully deactivated in the second switch-mode power supply configuration.
13 . The M-level buck converter of claim 8 , wherein the M-level buck converter is coupled to a controller providing control signals to the 2×N×(M−1) number of transistors to control an operation of the 2×N×(M−1) number of transistors in the first mode and the second mode.
2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1)14. The M-level buck converter of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) selectively activate and deactivate the number of transistors in the first mode; and
2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) selectively activate and deactivate the number of transistors and fully deactivating the number of transistors in the second mode. 2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1)15. A system, comprising:
2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) a battery; and
2×N×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)2×(M−1)2×N×(M−1)−2×(M−1) a battery charging circuit comprising an M-level buck converter, M being greater than one, the M-level buck converter comprising:
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number of transistors, N being greater than one, wherein the M-level buck converter is configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the first mode corresponding to a high-current charge mode of the battery charging circuit, the second mode corresponding to a low-current charge mode of the battery charging circuit,
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wherein, in the first mode, number of transistors are switched ON and OFF, and
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wherein, in the second mode, number of transistors are switched ON and OFF, and number of transistors are fully deactivated.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the M-level buck converter has a multiple of N number of transistors greater than a second M-level buck converter with 2×(M−1) number of transistors, each transistor in the M-level buck converter has a transistor area 1/N of each transistor in the second M-level buck converter.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein, in the first mode, switch resistance losses in the M-level buck converter are equal to switch resistance losses in the second M-level buck converter, and wherein, in the second mode, switch charge losses are reduced in reference to switch charge losses in the second M-level buck converter.
18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the M-level buck converter is a two-level (2L) buck converter having four total transistors, wherein all four transistors are activated in a first switch-mode power supply configuration during the first mode, and wherein a first pair of transistors are activated in a second switch-mode power supply configuration during the second mode, and a second pair of transistors are fully deactivated in the second switch-mode power supply configuration.
19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the M-level buck converter is a three-level (3L) buck converter having six total transistors, wherein all six transistors are activated in a first switch-mode power supply configuration during the first mode, and wherein a first set of three transistors are activated in a second switch-mode power supply configuration during the second mode, and a second set of three transistors are fully deactivated in the second switch-mode power supply configuration.
20 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising a controller, the controller configured to provide control signals to the 2×N×(M−1) number of transistors to control an operation of the 2×N×(M−1) number of transistors in the first mode and the second mode.