US-20260128665-A1 - POWER CONVERTERS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING POWER CONVERTERS

US20260128665A1US 20260128665 A1US20260128665 A1US 20260128665A1US-20260128665-A1

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments may include a power converter having a first and a second terminal, a charge pump power conversion circuit, and a protection circuit. The first terminal may be to receive an input voltage. The second terminal may be to output an output voltage. The charge pump power conversion circuit may be electrically coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal, and to convert the input voltage to the output voltage. The protection circuit may be electrically coupled to the charge pump power conversion circuit. The protection circuit may include a first switching device to, in response to a control signal, block a power flow from the first terminal to the second terminal, and from the second terminal to the first terminal.

Inventors

Gregory Szczeszynski
David Giuliano
Aichen Low

Assignees

PSEMI CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251231

Claims (1)

1 . A power converter, comprising: a first terminal to receive an input voltage; a second terminal to output an output voltage; a charge pump power conversion circuit electrically coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal, and to convert the input voltage to the output voltage; and a protection circuit electrically coupled to the charge pump power conversion circuit, the protection circuit comprising a first switching device to, in response to a control signal, block a power flow from the first terminal to the second terminal, and from the second terminal to the first terminal.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17/651,572 filed February 17, 2022, entitled “POWER CONVERTERS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING POWER CONVERTERS,” which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/165,519, filed on March 24, 2021, entitled “BATTERY MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE,” which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to power electronic devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to DC-DC power converters. BACKGROUND Many electronic products, particularly mobile computing and/or communication products and components (e.g., notebook computers, ultra-book computers, tablet devices, LCD and LED displays), require multiple voltage levels. For example, radio frequency transmitter power amplifiers may require relatively high voltages (e.g., 12V or more), and logic circuitry may require a low voltage level (e.g., 1-2V). Some other circuitry may require an intermediate voltage level (e.g., 5-10V). Power converters are often used to generate a lower or higher voltage from a common power source, such as a battery, in order to meet the power requirements of different components in electronic products. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a power converter. The power converter includes a first and a second terminal, a charge pump power conversion circuit, and a protection circuit. The first terminal is to receive an input voltage. The second terminal is to output an output voltage. The charge pump power conversion circuit is electrically coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal, and to convert the input voltage to the output voltage. The protection circuit is electrically coupled to the charge pump power conversion circuit. The protection circuit includes a first switching device to, in response to a control signal, block a power flow from the first terminal to the second terminal, and from the second terminal to the first terminal. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a power converter. The power converter includes a controller, and a switched-capacitor network. The controller is to implement a deadtime interval based, at least in part on one or more timing signals, and to output a control signal in response to a detection of a fault, to block a power flow in either direction between a first terminal of the power converter and a second terminal of the power converter. The switched-capacitor network is electrically coupled to the controller and to convert a first voltage at the first terminal to a second voltage at the second terminal. The switched-capacitor network includes a plurality of switches to switch between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the controller controls the plurality of switches to connect a plurality of capacitors to form a first capacitor network in the first configuration, and to form a second capacitor network in the second configuration. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a power converter. The power converter includes a power conversion circuit, two or more switching circuits, and one or more detecting circuits. The power conversion circuit includes a first, second, and third terminals, and to convert a first voltage received from at least one of the first, second, and third terminals to a second voltage outputted at least of one of the first, second, third terminals of the power converter. Two or more switching circuits are electrically coupled to the power conversion circuit and to provide or block a bidirectional current path between one of the first, second, and third terminals and another one of the first, second, and third terminals according to a control signal in response to a fault. The one or more detecting circuits are electrically coupled to the one of the first, second, and third terminals and to detect whether the fault occurs. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for protecting a charge pump power converter that receives a first voltage from a first terminal and provides a second voltage on a second terminal. The method includes: converting, by the charge pump power converter, the first voltage to the second voltage; and in response to a control signal, blocking, by a protection circuit electrically coupled to the charge pump power conversion circuit, a power flow from the first terminal to the second terminal and from the second terminal to the first terminal. Additional features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be set forth in part in the following description, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the embodiments. The features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments may be realized and attained by the elements and combinations set forth in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments and various aspects of the present disclo