/Patent Tracker
SonyPatent applicationChips & hardwareInterest 3/10

Sony patents power supply design that switches modes to save energy

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Sony describes a power supply system for electrical equipment that uses two different conversion paths to deliver electricity. When the device is using little power, it switches to a secondary path designed to reduce energy loss, improving overall efficiency.

Why it mattersThis design could help electronics like TVs or computers use less electricity when they are idle or running at low power, which is a standard improvement in hardware efficiency.

In the filing’s own words

To improve efficiency of a power supply device by suppressing a power loss when load power decreases. There are provided: a first power conversion unit being of an insulation type and configured to be input with a DC input voltage to obtain a first power supply output of a DC voltage having a first value; a second power conversion unit being of an insulation type and configured to be input with the DC input voltage to obtain a second power supply output of a DC voltage having a second value different from the first value; and a third power conversion unit being of a non-insulation type and configured to be input with the DC voltage obtained by the second power conversion unit and having the second value to obtain a third power supply output of a DC voltage having the first value. In a second mode (light load mode) in which load power of a first load unit is equal to or less than a threshold, the third power supply output is output from a switching unit and supplied to the first load unit, and it becomes possible to improve efficiency of a power supply device by suppressing a power loss when load power decreases.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. An electrical equipment device comprising: a first load unit; a second load unit; and a power supply device, wherein the power supply device includes: an input voltage generation unit configured be input with a commercial alternating current (AC) power supply to generate a direct current (DC) input voltage; a first power conversion unit being of an insulation type and configured to be input with the DC input voltage to obtain a first power supply output of a DC voltage having a first value; a second power conversion unit being of an insulation type and configured to be input with the DC input voltage to obtain a second power supply output of a DC voltage having a second value different from the first value; a third power conversion unit being of a non-insulation type and configured to be input with the DC voltage having the second value to obtain a third power supply output of a DC voltage having the first value; a switching unit configured to selectively output the first power supply output or the third power supply output; a power supply output supply unit configured to supply a power supply output that is output from the switching unit to the first load unit, and supply the second power supply output to the second load unit; and a control unit configured to cause the switching unit to output the first power supply output in a first mode in which load power of the first load unit is larger than a threshold, and cause the switching unit to output the third power supply output in a second mode in which load power of the first load unit is equal to or less than the threshold.

Facts

Company
Sony (SONY GROUP CORPORATION)
Official title
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT DEVICE, DISPLAY DEVICE, AND POWER SUPPLY DEVICE
Publication number
US20260332053A1
Application number
19114078
Filed
Sep 20, 2023
Published
Oct 22, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
20

Classified under

H02M 3/28 Electricity & electronicsH02M 1/4208 Electricity & electronics

More from Sony in Chips & hardware

Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.