US-12627287-B2 - Power input multiplexer

Abstract

Systems and devices for power multiplexing are described. A device can include a first power input circuit including a first power driver having a first gate that is configured to receive power from a first power input channel and output power to a power output channel. The device includes a second power input circuit including a second power driver having a second gate that is configured to receive power from a second power input channel and output power to the power output channel. The device includes a charge pump connected to the power output channel that generates an output having a voltage greater than a voltage on the power output channel. The device includes a switching circuit connected to the output of the charge pump that is configured to selectively control the first and second power input circuits to output power to the power output channel.

Inventors

• Sercan IPEK

Assignees

• RENESAS ELECTRONICS AMERICA INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20231219

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A power multiplexer device comprising: a first power input circuit, the first power input circuit comprising a first power driver comprising a first gate, the first power input circuit being configured to receive power from a first power input channel and to output power to a power output channel via the first power driver; a second power input circuit, the second power input circuit comprising a second power driver comprising a second gate, the second power input circuit being configured to receive power from a second power input channel and to output power to the power output channel via the second power driver; a charge pump connected to the power output channel, the charge pump being configured to generate an output having a voltage greater than a voltage on the power output channel; and a switching circuit connected to the output of the charge pump, the switching circuit being configured to selectively control the first and second gates to drive the first and second power input circuits to output power to the power output channel, wherein: the switching circuit comprises a current generator, a first transistor switch corresponding to the first power input circuit and a second transistor switch corresponding to the second power input circuit; each of the first and second transistor switches is configured as a current mirror driven by a reference current output of the current generator; and the switching circuit is further configured to: selectively supply a first current output of the first transistor switch to the first gate of the first power driver to selectively control the first gate; and selectively supply a second current output of the second transistor switch to the second gate of the second power driver to selectively control the second gate.
2. 2 . The power multiplexer device of claim 1 , wherein the switching circuit is configured to selectively supply the first and second current outputs of the first and second transistor switches to the first and second gates based on at least one control signal received from a controller.
3. 3 . The power multiplexer device of claim 2 , wherein the first and second power input circuits are in a high voltage domain and the at least one control signal controls the switching circuit in a low voltage domain.
4. 4 . The power multiplexer device of claim 1 , wherein: the current generator comprises an adjustable current generator that is configured to adjust the reference current output; the first current output of the first transistor switch is configured to change based on changes in the reference current output, changes to the first current output being configured to drive a change in a slew strength of the first gate; and the second current output of the second transistor switch is configured to change based on changes in the reference current output, changes to the second current output being configured to drive a change in a slew strength of the second gate.
5. 5 . The power multiplexer device of claim 1 , wherein the first power input circuit comprises a passive protection device, the passive protection device being configured to pull down the first gate to the first power input channel.
6. 6 . The power multiplexer device of claim 5 , wherein the passive protection device comprises a resistor that is configured to slowly pull down the first gate to the first power input channel when the first gate is unpowered by the switching circuit.
7. 7 . The power multiplexer device of claim 5 , wherein the passive protection device comprises a Zener diode that is configured to pull down the first gate to the first power input channel when a current of the first gate is above a predetermined threshold.
8. 8 . The power multiplexer device of claim 5 , wherein the first power input circuit comprises an active device that is configured to rapidly pull down the first gate to the first power input channel based on a signal received from a controller.
9. 9 . The power multiplexer device of claim 1 , wherein: the second power input circuit further comprises a third power driver comprising a third gate; the second power input circuit is configured to receive power from the second power input channel and to output power to the power output channel via the second and third power drivers; and the switching circuit is configured to selectively supply a current output of a transistor switch to both the second gate of the second power driver and the third gate of the third power driver to selectively control the second and third gates.
10. 10 . The power multiplexer device of claim 1 , wherein: the second power input circuit further comprises a third power driver comprising a third gate; the second power input circuit is configured to receive power from the second power input channel and to output power to the power output channel via the second and third power drivers; the switching circuit comprises a transistor switch corresponding to the second power input circuit; the transistor switch is configured as a current mirror driven by a reference current output of a current generator in the switching circuit; and the switching circuit is configured to selectively supply a current output of the transistor switch to the third gate of the third power driver to selectively control the third gate separately from the second gate.
11. 11 . A semiconductor device comprising: a first power input circuit, the first power input circuit comprising a first power driver comprising a first gate, the first power input circuit being configured to receive power from a first power input channel and to output power to a power output channel via the first power driver; a second power input circuit, the second power input circuit comprising a second power driver comprising a second gate, the second power input circuit being configured to receive power from a second power input channel and to output power to the power output channel via the second power driver; and a switching circuit comprising a current generator, a first transistor switch corresponding to the first power input circuit and a second transistor switch corresponding to the second power input circuit, each of the first and second transistor switches being configured as a current mirror driven by a reference current output of the current generator, the switching circuit being configured to: selectively supply a first current output of the first transistor switch to the first gate of the first power driver to selectively control the first gate; and selectively supply a second current output of the second transistor switch to the second gate of the second power driver to selectively control the second gate.
12. 12 . The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the switching circuit is configured to selectively supply the first and second current outputs of the first and second transistor switches to the first and second gates based on at least one control signal received from a controller.
13. 13 . The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein the first and second power input circuits are in a high voltage domain and the at least one control signal controls the switching circuit in a low voltage domain.
14. 14 . The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein: the current generator comprises an adjustable current generator that is configured to adjust the reference current output; the first current output of the first transistor switch is configured to change based on changes in the reference current output, changes to the first current output being configured to drive a change in a slew strength of the first gate; and the second current output of the second transistor switch is configured to change based on changes in the reference current output, changes to the second current output being configured to drive a change in a slew strength of the second gate.
15. 15 . The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the first power input circuit comprises a passive protection device, the passive protection device being configured to pull down the first gate to the first power input channel, the passive protection device comprising at least one of a resistor and a Zener diode.
16. 16 . The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the semiconductor device further comprises a charge pump connected to the power output channel, the charge pump being configured to generate an output having a voltage greater than a voltage on the power output channel, the switching circuit being connected to the output of the charge pump.
17. 17 . A semiconductor device comprising: a wireless power transfer circuit that is configured to output a first power input channel; a power multiplexer circuit comprising: a first power input circuit, the first power input circuit comprising a first power driver comprising a first gate, the first power input circuit being configured to receive power from the first power input channel and to output power to a power output channel via the first power driver; a second power input circuit, the second power input circuit comprising a second power driver comprising a second gate, the second power input circuit being configured to receive power from a second power input channel and to output power to the power output channel via the second power driver; a charge pump connected to the power output channel, the charge pump being configured to generate an output having a voltage greater than a voltage on the power output channel; and a switching circuit connected to the output of the charge pump, the switching circuit being configured to selectively control the first and second gates to drive the first and second power input circuits to output power to the power output channel; and a battery charger circuit that is configured to receive the power output channel, the battery charger circuit being configured to charge a battery based on the power output channel, wherein: the switching circuit comprises a current generator, a first transistor switch corresponding to the first power input circuit and a second transistor switch corresponding to the second power input circuit; each of the first and second transistor switches is configured as a current mirror driven by a reference current output of the current generator; and the switching circuit is configured to: selectively supply a first current output of the first transistor switch to the first gate of the first power driver to selectively control the first gate; and selectively supply a second current output of the second transistor switch to the second gate of the second power driver to selectively control the second gate.
18. 18 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein: the switching circuit is configured to selectively supply the first and second current outputs of the first and second transistor switches to the first and second gates based on at least one control signal received from a controller; the first and second power input circuits are in a high voltage domain; and the at least one control signal controls the switching circuit in a low voltage domain.

Description

BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates in general to apparatuses and methods for power input multiplexing. Powered systems typically have a dedicated power input channel that supplies power from an external component such as, e.g., a wall outlet, for use by the integrated circuitry within the powered system. As powered systems become more sophisticated, many system solutions have expanded to multiple power inputs channels that source power from a variety of different sources. Power multiplexers (MUXs) are utilized to switch between power inputs channels, e.g., based on the availability of each power source, the reliability of each power source, the capability of each power source or for any other reason. Such power multiplexers often include a charge pump and level shifters in the high voltage domain for each power input channel, each of which may occupy a significant area of circuit board real-estate. SUMMARY In an embodiment, a power multiplexer device is disclosed. The power multiplexer device comprises a first power input circuit. The first power input circuit comprises a first power driver comprising a first gate. The first power input circuit is configured to receive power from a first power input channel and to output power to a power output channel via the first power driver. The power multiplexer device further comprises a second power input circuit. The second power input circuit comprises a second power driver comprising a second gate. The second power input circuit is configured to receive power from a second power input channel and to output power to the power output channel via the second power driver. The power multiplexer device further comprises a charge pump connected to the power output channel. The charge pump is configured to generate an output having a voltage greater than a voltage on the power output channel. The power multiplexer device further comprises a switching circuit connected to the output of the charge pump. The switching circuit is configured to selectively control the first and second gates to drive the first and second power input circuits to output power to the power output channel. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device comprises a first power input circuit. The first power input circuit comprises a first power driver comprising a first gate. The first power input circuit is configured to receive power from a first power input channel and to output power to a power output channel via the first power driver. The semiconductor device further comprises a second power input circuit. The second power input circuit comprising a second power driver comprising a second gate. The second power input circuit is configured to receive power from a second power input channel and to output power to the power output channel via the second power driver. The semiconductor device further comprises a switching circuit comprising a current generator, a first transistor switch corresponding to the first power input circuit and a second transistor switch corresponding to the second power input circuit. Each of the first and second transistor switches is configured as a current mirror driven by a reference current output of the current generator. The switching circuit is configured to selectively supply a first current output of the first transistor switch to the first gate of the first power driver to selectively control the first gate and selectively supply a second current output of the second transistor switch to the second gate of the second power driver to selectively control the second gate. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device comprises a wireless power transfer circuit that is configured to output a first power input channel and a power multiplexer circuit. The power multiplexing circuit comprises a first power input circuit. The first power input circuit comprises a first power driver comprising a first gate. The first power input circuit is configured to receive power from the first power input channel and to output power to a power output channel via the first power driver. The power multiplexing circuit further comprises a second power input circuit. The second power input circuit comprises a second power driver comprising a second gate. The second power input circuit is configured to receive power from a second power input channel and to output power to the power output channel via the second power driver. The power multiplexing circuit further comprises a charge pump connected to the power output channel. The charge pump is configured to generate an output having a voltage greater than a voltage on the power output channel. The power multiplexing circuit further comprises a switching circuit connected to the output of the charge pump. The switching circuit is configured to selectively control the first and second gates to drive the first and second power input circuits to output power to the