O2 Micro, Incorporated

O2micro International Limited

Lyft, Inc.

Woven Planet North America, Inc.

Catalin Popovici

Laszlo Lipcsei

Alin Gherghescu

Chen-yu Hsieh

Wei Zhang

Wei Zhong

Siyuan Gao

In general, one or more loads on a vehicle can be connected to both a first voltage source on the vehicle and a backup vehicle power system on the vehicle. If the voltage provided by the first voltage source to the one or more loads satisfies a voltage threshold, the backup vehicle power system does not provide power to the one or more loads. However, if the voltage provided by the first voltage source to the one or more loads falls below the voltage threshold, the backup vehicle power system provides power to the one or more loads.

Vehicle redundant energy system

In general, one or more loads, such as a sensor suite of an autonomous (or semi-autonomous) vehicle, may be configured to draw power from a supercapacitor. A switching mechanism can selectively connect or disconnect the one or more loads and the supercapacitor from a voltage source of a vehicle power system. By systematically disconnecting the voltage source from the supercapacitor and the one or more loads, the exposure of the voltage source to the one or more loads is minimized. Accordingly, the exposure of the voltage source of the vehicle power system to potentially damaging short circuits or power surges that may arise in relation to the one or more loads can also be minimized.

Supercapacitor power buffer for vehicle power system

A power converter for converting input power to output power includes a first transformer circuit, a second transformer circuit, and balance circuitry. The first transformer circuit includes a first primary winding for receiving a first part of the input power and a first secondary winding for generating a first part of the output power. The second transformer circuit includes a second primary winding for receiving a second part of the input power and a second secondary winding for generating a second part of the output power. The balance circuitry is coupled to a first terminal of the first secondary winding and a second terminal of the second secondary winding, and operable for balancing the first and second parts of the output power by passing a signal between the first and second terminals. The first and second terminals have the same polarity.

Power converters

A controller for a DC/DC converter controls a first, second, third, and fourth switches according to pulse signals generated alternately. The controller turns off the third switch on detection of a first edge of a first pulse signal, turns on the first switch after a delay from the detection of the first edge, turns off the fourth switch on detection of a second edge of the first pulse signal, turns on the second switch after a delay from the detection of the second edge, turns off the first switch on detection of a third edge of a second pulse signal, turns on the third switch after a delay from the detection of the third edge, turns off the second switch on detection of a fourth edge of the second pulse signal, and turns on the fourth switch after a delay from the detection of the fourth edge.

Full-bridge switching DC/DC converters and controllers thereof

An apparatus for managing power in an electric vehicle includes a control circuit and a first switch. The control circuit is configured to generate a first control signal based on a current of a battery operable for powering the electric vehicle, and to generate a second control signal based on a voltage of the battery. The first switch is configured to control connection of the battery to a power source and a load in the electric vehicle according to the first control signal. The first control signal controls a voltage at a terminal of the first switch to maintain the current of the battery to be substantially equal to a current setting, and the second control signal controls the battery to switch between a first state and a second state.

Power management for electric vehicles

In a controller for a power converter, a control terminal can provide a control signal to control a power converter. A cycle of the control signal includes a first time interval and a second time interval. The control circuitry can increase a primary current flowing through a primary winding of transformer circuitry and a secondary current flowing through a secondary winding of the transformer circuitry in the first time interval, and can terminate the increasing of the primary current in the second time interval. The control circuitry can also control the first time interval to be inversely proportional to an input voltage provided to the primary winding.

Controllers for power converters

Generally, a system includes a control circuitry configured to detect a current wherein the detected current is one of a battery discharge current or a battery charging current; a first transistor configured to disconnect a load from at least one of a battery and a DC/DC converter if the battery discharge current exceeds a maximum battery discharge current setting; and a second transistor configured to adjust the charging current to maintain the charging current at or near a charge current setting.

Power topology with battery charging and discharge current protection capabilities

The present disclosure is directed towards a method for power conversion. The method may include controlling a first rectifier switch coupled to one end of a secondary winding of a transformer via a first control signal. The method may further include controlling a first low side switch via said first control signal, said first low side switch and a first high side switch coupled in series along a first path of a full bridge circuit, a first node located between said first high side switch and said first low side switch. The method may also include controlling a second rectifier switch coupled to an opposite end of said secondary winding via a second control signal. The method may additionally include controlling a second low side switch via said second control signal, said second low side switch and a second high side switch coupled in series along a second path of said full bridge circuit, a second node located between said second high side switch and said second low side switch, wherein said primary winding is coupled between said first node and said second node. Of course additional embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

Power converter

A controller for providing out of phase drive signals to a power converter having at least a first power unit and second power unit. The controller may comprise input circuitry adapted to receive a first signal from a first path and a second signal from a second path and provide an output signal in response to a difference between the first and second signals. The first signal may be representative of a current level of the first power unit during a first time interval and the first signal representative of a current level of the second power unit during a second time interval. The controller may further comprise output circuitry responsive to the output signal from the input circuitry to provide the out of phase drive signals to the first and second power unit.

Controller for power converter

A power converter includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and a plurality of switches coupled to the primary and secondary winding, the plurality of switches responsive to at least one control signal to short both the primary and secondary winding during a first reset time interval. An electronic device including such a power converter and related methods are also provided. A power converter having a plurality of DC to DC converters coupled in parallel is also provided.

Power converter switch control

A power converter may include a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding. A first high side switch and a first low side switch may be coupled in series along a first path of a full bridge circuit, having a first node between the first high side switch and the first low side switch. The power converter may also comprise a second high side switch and a second low side switch coupled in series along a second path of the full bridge circuit, having a second node between the second high side switch and the second low side switch. The power converter may further comprise a first path capable of providing a first rectifier drive signal from the first node to a second rectifier switch, and a second path capable of providing a second rectifier drive signal from the second node to a first rectifier switch.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Catalin Popovici