Abstract: A system may include a control circuit and a multi-level power converter comprising a plurality of switches and a power inductor electrically coupled to the plurality of switches, wherein the power inductor is coupled to a switching node of the multi-level power converter, wherein the multi-level power converter is capable of applying three or more switching voltages to the switching node. The control circuit may generate control signals that define a sequence of switching of the plurality of switches of the power converter, the control circuit configured to, during a switching cycle of the converter in which the power inductor is magnetized and demagnetized, control switching of the plurality of switches among at least three switch configurations during magnetization and demagnetization of the power inductor such that a voltage on the switching node experiences a different respective magnitude of voltage in each of the at least three switch configurations.

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A driver circuit has first and second switching drivers for driving the transducer in a bridge-tied-load configuration, each of the switching drivers having a respective output stage for controllably switching the respective driver output node between high and low switching voltages with a controlled duty cycle. Each of switching drivers is operable in a plurality of different driver modes, wherein the switching voltages are different in said different driver modes. A controller controls the driver mode of operation and the duty cycle of the switching drivers based on the input signal. The controller is configured to control the duty cycles of the first and second switching drivers within defined minimum and maximum limits of duty cycles; and to transition between driver modes of operation when the duty cycle of one of the switching drivers reaches a duty cycle limit.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a power converter system may comprise a plurality of power converter stages in a cascaded arrangement, the power converter stages comprising at least a first power converter stage and a second power converter stage configured to modify an operational state and/or an operational mode of the second power converter stage responsive to feedforward information associated with the first power converter stage.

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A switching driver has first and second supply node for receiving supply voltages and includes an output bridge stage, a capacitor and a network of switches. The network of switches is operable in different switch states to provide different switching voltages to the output bridge stage. A controller is configured to control the switch state of the network of switches and a duty cycle of output switches of the output bridge stage based on an input signal to generate an output signal for driving the transducer.

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A driver circuit has first and second switching drivers for driving the transducer in a bridge-tied-load configuration, each of the switching drivers having a respective output stage for controllably switching the respective driver output node between high and low switching voltages with a controlled duty cycle. Each of switching drivers is operable in a plurality of different driver modes, wherein the switching voltages are different in said different driver modes. A controller controls the driver mode of operation and the duty cycle of the switching drivers based on the input signal. The controller is configured to control the duty cycles of the first and second switching drivers within defined minimum and maximum limits of duty cycles; and to transition between driver modes of operation when the duty cycle of one of the switching drivers reaches a duty cycle limit.

Abstract: A method for estimating equivalent circuit model parameters of a battery may include measuring a battery voltage across terminals of the battery and a battery current drawn from the battery, decomposing the battery voltage and the battery current into a plurality of sub-bands, each sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands based on a time constant that characterizes a temporal behavior of the battery, for each sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands, estimating an equivalent resistance for such sub-band based on a spectral content of the battery voltage and battery current for such sub-band, and estimating an open circuit voltage of the battery based at least on the spectral content of the battery voltage and battery current present in one of the plurality of sub-bands and the equivalent resistances of the plurality of sub-bands.

Abstract: A method for intelligently generating a stimulus for use in characterization of parameters of a model of a battery may include dynamically analyzing a current drawn from the battery by a load, based on analysis of the current, determining an augmented current for augmenting the current drawn by the load, and generating the augmented current based on a determined need to update the parameters.

Abstract: A method for intelligently generating a stimulus for use in characterization of parameters of a model of a battery may include dynamically analyzing a current drawn from the battery by a load, based on analysis of the current, determining a sink current for augmenting the current drawn by the load, and generating the sink current based on a determined need to update the parameters.

Abstract: A power delivery system may include an inductive power converter comprising a shared connection to a shared voltage from a battery, multiple inductive phases, each of the multiple inductive phases configured to generate a respective voltage from the shared voltage, multiple regulated voltage connections, and one or more switches configured and arranged to selectively assign at least one of the multiple inductive phases to a regulated voltage connection selected from the multiple regulated voltage connections.

Abstract: A power management system for use in a device comprising a battery and one or more components configured to draw electrical energy from the battery may include a first power converter configured to electrically couple between charging circuitry configured to provide electrical energy for charging the battery and the one or more downstream components and a bidirectional power converter configured to electrically couple between the charging circuitry and the battery, wherein the bidirectional power converter is configured to transfer charge from the battery or transfer charge from the battery based on a power requirement of the one or more components and a power available from the first power converter.

Abstract: A system may include a power converter having a maximum allowable input power drawn from a power source, an energy storage element coupled to an output of the power converter at a top plate of the energy storage element, wherein the energy storage element is configured to store excess energy, and control circuitry configured to, when an input power of the power converter exceeds the maximum allowable input power, cause excess energy stored in the energy storage element to be consumed by circuitry coupled to the output of the power converter, and in order to maintain positive voltage headroom for the circuitry coupled to the output of the power converter, selectively couple a bottom plate of the energy storage element to the power source such that excess energy stored by the circuitry coupled to the output of the power converter is consumed from the energy storage device when the input power of the power converter exceeds the maximum allowable input power.

Abstract: A power management system for use in a device comprising a battery and one or more components configured to draw electrical energy from the battery may include a first power converter configured to electrically couple between charging circuity configured to provide electrical energy for charging the battery and the one or more downstream components and a bidirectional power converter configured to electrically couple between the charging circuitry and the battery, wherein the bidirectional power converter is configured to transfer charge from the battery or transfer charge from the battery based on a power requirement of the one or more components and a power available from the first power converter.

Abstract: The application describes a switched driver (401) for outputting a drive signal at an output node (402) to drive a load such as a transducer. The driver receives respective high-side and low-side voltages (VinH, VinL) defining an input voltage at first and second input nodes and has connections for first and second capacitors (403H, 403L). A network of switching paths is configured such that each of the first and second capacitors can be selectively charged to the input voltage, the first input node can be selectively coupled to a first node (N1) by a path that include or bypass the first capacitor, and the second input node can be selectively coupled to a second node (N2) by a path that includes or bypasses the second capacitor. The output node (402) can be switched between two switching voltages at the first or second nodes. The driver is selectively operable in different operating modes, where the switching voltages are different in each of said modes.

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A driver circuit has first and second switching drivers for driving the transducer in a bridge-tied-load configuration, each of the switching drivers having a respective output stage for controllably switching the respective driver output node between high and low switching voltages with a controlled duty cycle. Each of switching drivers is operable in a plurality of different driver modes, wherein the switching voltages are different in said different driver modes. A controller controls the driver mode of operation and the duty cycle of the switching drivers based on the input signal. The controller is configured to control the duty cycles of the first and second switching drivers within defined minimum and maximum limits of duty cycles; and to transition between driver modes of operation when the duty cycle of one of the switching drivers reaches a duty cycle limit.

Abstract: A battery charging system may include a first current source for charging a battery that provides a direct current for charging the battery and a second current source for charging the battery that provides an alternating current for charging the battery and that provides electrical energy for operation of a system load of the battery during discharging of the battery. Further, a battery charging system may include a first current source for charging a battery that provides a direct current for charging the battery and a second current source for charging the battery that provides an alternating current at a frequency of at least 5 KHz for charging the battery.

Abstract: A power converter system may include a first power converter configured to couple via its input to a power source and configured to convert an input voltage provided by the power source to an intermediate voltage, a second power converter coupled via its input to an output of the first power converter and configured to convert the intermediate voltage to a regulated output voltage, a capacitor coupled at one of its terminals to an electrical node of the intermediate voltage. Based on one or more electrical parameters of the power converter, the second power converter is controlled to regulate the regulated output voltage at a substantially constant level and the first power converter is controlled to control the intermediate voltage to maintain the intermediate voltage between a maximum voltage and a minimum voltage and regulate an input current drawn from the power source at a substantially constant level.

Abstract: A method of adapting a battery charging profile of a battery may include monitoring one or more parameters associated with the battery during normal operation of a device powered from the battery and while the battery is simultaneously charged by a charger and is discharged by a dynamic system load of the device, determining an impedance of the battery based on the one or more parameters, determining a condition of the battery based on the impedance and the one or more parameters, and adapting the battery charging profile based on the condition.

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A switching driver has first and second supply node for receiving supply voltages and includes an output bridge stage, a capacitor and a network of switches. The network of switches is operable in different switch states to provide different switching voltages to the output bridge stage. A controller is configured to control the switch state of the network of switches and a duty cycle of output switches of the output bridge stage based on an input signal to generate an output signal for driving the transducer.

Abstract: The application describes a switched driver (401) for outputting a drive signal at an output node (402) to drive a load such as a transducer. The driver receives respective high-side and low-side voltages (VinH, VinL) defining an input voltage at first and second input nodes and has connections for first and second capacitors (403H, 403L). A network of switching paths is configured such that each of the first and second capacitors can be selectively charged to the input voltage, the first input node can be selectively coupled to a first node (N1) by a path that include or bypass the first capacitor, and the second input node can be selectively coupled to a second node (N2) by a path that includes or bypasses the second capacitor. The output node (402) can be switched between two switching voltages at the first or second nodes. The driver is selectively operable in different operating modes, where the switching voltages are different in each of said modes.

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers where the switching driver has an output bridge stage for switching an output node between switching voltages and a modulator for controlling the duty cycle of the output bridge stage based on an input signal. The switching driver also includes a voltage controller for providing the switching voltages which is operable to provide different switching voltages in different driver modes. A controller is provided to control the driver mode of operation and the duty cycle of the switching driver based on the input signal, and the controller is configured to transition from a present driver mode to a new driver mode by controlling the voltage controller to provide the switching voltages for the new mode and controlling the modulator to vary the duty cycle of the output bridge stage. The change in duty cycle is controlled such that there is no substantial discontinuity in switching ripple due to the mode transition.