Volterra Semiconductor Corporation

Apple Inc.

Jieli Li

Charles Roger Sullivan

Anthony J Stratakos

Angel Gentchev

Aaron M Schultz

Alexandr Ikriannikov

David B Lidsky

Michael D McJimsey

Charles Nickel

Biljana Beronja

XunGuang Xu

Zifeng Shen

Xunguang Xu

In general, techniques are disclosed for efficiently transferring power from a portable power bank to an electronic device. More particularly, a disclosed power bank incorporates a switching mechanism capable of routing battery voltage (novel) or a stepped-up voltage (e.g., from a boost regulator) directly to a common portion of an output connector. In addition, electronic devices as described herein also incorporate a switching mechanism to allow them to accept direct battery output (novel) or a stepped-up voltage at a common portion of the device's connector (e.g., a USB connector). When used in combination, the disclosed portable power bank can transfer power to the electronic device with no more than half the loss attributable to voltage conversion operations of the prior art.

Smart power bank system for efficient energy transfer

An M phase coupled inductor includes a magnetic core including a first end magnetic element, a second end magnetic element, and M legs disposed between and connecting the first and second end magnetic elements. M is an integer greater than one. The coupled inductor further includes M windings, where each winding has a substantially rectangular cross section. Each one of the M windings is at least partially wound about a respective leg.

Method for making magnetic components with M-phase coupling, and related inductor structures

Methods and structures for constructing a magnetic core of a coupled inductor. The method provides for constructing N-phase coupled inductors as both single and scalable magnetic structures, where N is an integer greater than 1. The method additionally describes how such a construction of the magnetic core may enhance the benefits of using the scalable N-phase coupled inductor. The first and second magnetic cores may be formed into shapes that, when coupled together, may form a single scalable magnetic core. For example, the cores can be fashioned into shapes such as a U, an I, an H, a ring, a rectangle, and a comb, that cooperatively form the single magnetic core.

Method for making magnetic components with N-phase coupling, and related inductor structures

A multi-phase, coupled-inductor, DC-DC voltage converter operates in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) when the system is operated at low output power demand. An embodiment of the converter switches to operating in continuous conduction mode (CCM) when the system is operated at high output power demand. Operation in single-drive and rotating phase DCM operation at low power are described. An alternative embodiment operates in a multiple-drive, rotating-phase, discontinuous conduction mode during at least one condition of output power demand.

Method and apparatus for multi-phase DC-DC converters using coupled inductors in discontinuous conduction mode

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Jieli Li