Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to a hybrid voltage divider and buck converter circuit. For example, certain aspects provide a power supply circuit, including: a first charge pump coupled between an input voltage (VIN) node of the power supply circuit and a charge pump output node of the power supply circuit, an inductive element having a first terminal coupled to the charge pump output node and a second terminal coupled to an output voltage (VOUT) node of the power supply circuit, and an output capacitive element coupled to the VOUT node of the power supply circuit.

Abstract: A three-level buck converter circuit configurable to transition between a three-level buck converter mode and a two-level buck converter mode and methods for regulating power using such a circuit. One example power supply circuit generally includes a three-level buck converter circuit and a control circuit coupled to the three-level buck converter circuit and configured to control operation of the three-level buck converter circuit between a three-level buck converter mode and a two-level buck converter mode. The three-level buck converter circuit generally includes a first switch, a second switch coupled to the first switch via a first node, a third switch coupled to the second switch via a second node, a fourth switch coupled to the third switch via a third node, a first capacitive element coupled between the first node and the third node, and an inductive element coupled between the second node and an output node.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for parallel charging of at least one power storage unit. In example implementations, an apparatus includes a charging system. The charging system includes a first charger having a first current path and a second charger having a second current path. The charging system also includes a charging controller coupled to the first current path. The charging system further includes an indication path coupled between the second current path and the charging controller.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatus for supplying power, including battery charging. One example power supply circuit generally includes a switching regulator including an output node, a first power supply node coupled to the output node of the switching regulator, a first charge pump including a first terminal coupled to the first power supply node and including a second terminal coupled to a second power supply node, a first battery node for coupling to a first battery, and a first switch including a first terminal coupled to the first power supply node and including a second terminal connected to the first battery node.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to a three-level buck converter operating in a two-level buck converter mode with a delay between deactivating transistors when transitioning between charge and discharge phases. For example, certain aspects provide a power supply circuit generally including: a first transistor and a second transistor coupled between an input node of the power supply circuit and a switching node of the power supply circuit; a third transistor and a fourth transistor coupled between a reference potential node of the power supply circuit and the switching node of the power supply circuit; and logic configured to control activation states of the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor. In some aspects, the activation states of the first transistor and the second transistor are configured to be switched at different times between the charge phase and the discharge phase.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatus for supplying power, including battery charging. One example power supply circuit generally includes a switching regulator including an output node; a first battery node for coupling to a first battery; a second battery node for coupling to a second battery; a first switch coupled between the output node of the switching regulator and the first battery node; and a second switch coupled between the output node of the switching regulator and the second battery node. Such a power supply circuit may independently control and monitor the charging of multiple independent batteries without using multiple chargers, may balance the batteries during discharging, and may operate without a current limit switch.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for parallel charging of at least one power storage unit. In example implementations, an apparatus includes a charging system. The charging system includes a first charger having a first current path and a second charger having a second current path. The charging system also includes a charging controller coupled to the first current path. The charging system further includes an indication path coupled between the second current path and the charging controller.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for adaptive multi-mode charging. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes at least one charger having a first node and a second node. The at least one charger is configured to accept an input voltage at the first node. The at least one charger is also configured to selectively operate in a first mode to generate a first output voltage at the second node that is greater than or less than the input voltage or operate in a second mode to generate a second output voltage at the second node that is substantially equal to the input voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for adaptive multi-mode charging. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes at least one charger having a first node and a second node. The at least one charger is configured to accept an input voltage at the first node. The at least one charger is also configured to selectively operate in a first mode to generate a first output voltage at the second node that is greater than or less than the input voltage or operate in a second mode to generate a second output voltage at the second node that is substantially equal to the input voltage.

Abstract: A three-level buck converter circuit configurable to transition between a three-level buck converter mode and a two-level buck converter mode and methods for regulating power using such a circuit. One example power supply circuit generally includes a three-level buck converter circuit and a control circuit coupled to the three-level buck converter circuit and configured to control operation of the three-level buck converter circuit between a three-level buck converter mode and a two-level buck converter mode. The three-level buck converter circuit generally includes a first switch, a second switch coupled to the first switch via a first node, a third switch coupled to the second switch via a second node, a fourth switch coupled to the third switch via a third node, a first capacitive element coupled between the first node and the third node, and an inductive element coupled between the second node and an output node.

Abstract: A three-level buck converter circuit configurable to transition between a three-level buck converter mode and a two-level buck converter mode and methods for regulating power using such a circuit. One example power supply circuit generally includes a three-level buck converter circuit and a control circuit coupled to the three-level buck converter circuit and configured to control operation of the three-level buck converter circuit between a three-level buck converter mode and a two-level buck converter mode. The three-level buck converter circuit generally includes a first switch, a second switch coupled to the first switch via a first node, a third switch coupled to the second switch via a second node, a fourth switch coupled to the third switch via a third node, a first capacitive element coupled between the first node and the third node, and an inductive element coupled between the second node and an output node.

Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C and power delivery port with scalable power architecture is disclosed. In one aspect, at least two circuits for a USB port are consolidated into a single integrated circuit (IC). At least one of the at least two circuits is part of a Type-C port controller (TCPC) group of circuits including sensors associated with detecting whether a voltage and current are present at pins of a USB receptacle. At least the other one of the at least two circuits is selected from a battery-related group of circuits including a battery charging circuit, an over-voltage protection circuit, and a conditioning circuit. The more circuitry integrated into the single IC the more readily scalable the end product is for a multi-port device. Additional circuitry such as a light emitting diode (LED) driver may also be included in the single IC.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to an adaptive combination power supply circuit. The adaptive combination power supply circuit may be capable of switching between performing as a three-level buck converter and as a divide-by-two charge pump. One example power supply circuit generally includes a first transistor; a second transistor coupled to the first transistor via a first node; a third transistor coupled to the second transistor via a second node; a fourth transistor coupled to the third transistor via a third node; a capacitive element having a first terminal coupled to the first node and a second terminal coupled to the third node; an inductive element having a first terminal coupled to the second node; and a switch having a first terminal coupled to the first terminal of the inductive element, the switch having a second terminal coupled to a second terminal of the inductive element.

Abstract: Power supply circuit having low quiescent current for a bypass mode. One example power supply circuit generally includes a transistor; a switching node coupled to a source of the transistor; a power supply rail; a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the power supply rail and having a second terminal coupled to the switching node; a gate driver having an output coupled to a gate of the transistor, having a first power input coupled to the power supply rail, and having a second power input coupled to the switching node; logic having a first input coupled to the first terminal of the capacitor, having a second input coupled to the second terminal of the capacitor, and having a first output; and a pullup circuit having a control input coupled to a second output of the logic and having an output coupled to the gate of the transistor.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for operating a charge pump in a high-efficiency low-ripple burst mode. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes a charge pump with a flying capacitor, a switching circuit, and a burst-mode controller. The switching circuit is coupled to the flying capacitor and configured to selectively: be in a burst configuration to charge and discharge the flying capacitor based on a clock signal; or be in a pulse-skipping configuration. The burst-mode controller is coupled to the switching circuit and configured to trigger the switching circuit to transition from the pulse-skipping configuration to the burst configuration at a time that occurs between rising edges of the clock signal. The burst-mode controller is also configured to cause charging of the flying capacitor to occur for approximately half a period of the clock signal responsive to triggering the switching circuit to transition from the pulse-skipping configuration to the burst configuration.

Abstract: A three-level buck converter circuit configurable to transition between a three-level buck converter mode and a two-level buck converter mode and methods for regulating power using such a circuit. One example power supply circuit generally includes a three-level buck converter circuit and a control circuit coupled to the three-level buck converter circuit and configured to control operation of the three-level buck converter circuit between a three-level buck converter mode and a two-level buck converter mode. The three-level buck converter circuit generally includes a first switch, a second switch coupled to the first switch via a first node, a third switch coupled to the second switch via a second node, a fourth switch coupled to the third switch via a third node, a first capacitive element coupled between the first node and the third node, and an inductive element coupled between the second node and an output node.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for controlling gate drivers of a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) circuit—such as a three-level buck converter, a divide-by-two charge pump, or an adaptive combination power supply circuit capable of switching therebetween—in a power-saving mode (e.g., a pulse-skipping mode). During such a power-saving mode in which a capacitor of a charge pump is disconnected from at least one power supply rail (e.g., first and second input nodes of the charge pump) and is coupled to power terminals of one or more drivers of the SMPS circuit, the capacitor is temporarily disconnected from the power terminals and temporarily coupled to the at least one power supply rail (e.g., for a few microseconds).

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for supplying power to gate drivers of a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) circuit. One example power supply circuit generally includes a SMPS circuit having a first input voltage node and a second input voltage node, and a charge pump. The charge pump generally includes a first capacitive element having a first terminal and a second terminal; a first switch coupled between a first input node of the charge pump and the first terminal of the first capacitive element; a second switch coupled between the second terminal of the first capacitive element and a second input node of the charge pump; a third switch coupled between the first terminal of the first capacitive element and the first input voltage node of the SMPS circuit; and a fourth switch coupled between the second terminal of the first capacitive element and the second input voltage node of the SMPS circuit.

Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C and power delivery port with scalable power architecture is disclosed. In one aspect, at least two circuits for a USB port are consolidated into a single integrated circuit (IC). At least one of the at least two circuits is part of a Type-C port controller (TCPC) group of circuits including sensors associated with detecting whether a voltage and current are present at pins of a USB receptacle. At least the other one of the at least two circuits is selected from a battery-related group of circuits including a battery charging circuit, an over-voltage protection circuit, and a conditioning circuit. The more circuitry integrated into the single IC the more readily scalable the end product is for a multi-port device. Additional circuitry such as a light emitting diode (LED) driver may also be included in the single IC.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for trickle charging and precharging a dead multi-cell-in-series battery. One example battery charging circuit generally includes a charge pump circuit comprising a plurality of switches, being coupled to first and second power supply nodes, and being configured to multiply (or divide) a first voltage at the first power supply node to generate a second voltage at the second power supply node; a driver circuit configured to drive the plurality of switches in the charge pump circuit; and an arbiter having a first input coupled to the first power supply node, a second input coupled to the second power supply node, a third input coupled to a third power supply node having a third voltage, and an output coupled to a power supply terminal of the driver circuit, the arbiter being configured to select between the first, second, and third voltages to power the driver circuit.