Patent ID: 6201977
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: H02J,H04B,H04W,Y02D

Abstract:
A portable communication package comprising:a first battery-powered communication device and a second battery-powered communication device, said second communication device having power consumption requirements which are at least an order of magnitude greater than those of the first communication device;an exhaustible supply of electricity for powering both communication devices, said exhaustible supply of electricity including at least one single electrochemical storage device having first and second output terminals, said first output terminal having a potential that is positive with respect to the potential of said second output terminal;a power management unit for providing an uninterrupted flow of electricity to said first communication device for a predetermined period although said exhaustible supply of electricity has insufficient capacity for providing an uninterrupted flow of electricity to said second communication device for said predetermined period, said power management unit comprising:an oscillator for producing a clock signal;an inverter including a P-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel which couples said first output terminal to an output node and an N-channel FET having a gate also coupled to said clock signal and a channel which couples said second output terminal to said output node;a current-limiting resistor;an intermediate FET having a gate and a channel which, in series with said current-limiting resistor, couples said first output terminal to said second output terminal;a plurality of series-coupled diodes which couple said output node to the gate of said intermediate FET; anda flyback inductor through which current from a storage device intermittently flows, such intermittent flow being controlled by said intermediate FET, such intermittent flow providing a pulsating flyback voltage that is rectified and filtered to give an output voltage that powers said second communication device.