# US 10,770,980 B2 · Electronic converter and related method of operating an electronic converter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,980 B2 - Document ID: US10770980B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/766,026 - Filed: 2016-10-04 - Published: 2019-04-18 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-06 - Assignees: OSRAM GmbH - Applicants: OSRAM GmbH - Inventors: Daniele Luccato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770980B2 ## CPC - H05B 45/382: with galvanic isolation between input and output - H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters - H02M 1/14: Arrangements for reducing ripples from DC input or output - H02M 3/335: using semiconductor devices only - H02M 3/3353: {having at least two simultaneously operating switches on the input side, e.g. "double forward" or "double (switched) flyback" converter} - H02M 3/33592: {having a synchronous rectifier circuit or a synchronous freewheeling circuit at the secondary side of an isolation transformer} - H05B 45/39: Circuits containing inverter bridges - Y02B 20/30: Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED] - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract An electronic half-bridge converter includes an input comprising two terminals for receiving a first power signal, and an output comprising two terminals for providing a second power signal. The converter includes a transformer and a half-bridge, wherein the half-bridge is interposed between input and primary winding of transformer. On the secondary side of transformer, the converter includes a rectifier circuit configured for converting the current provided via secondary winding into a rectified current, and a filter circuit configured for providing said second power signal by means of a filtering of the rectified current provided by rectifier circuit. The filter circuit includes: a first branch connected between both input terminals of the filter circuit and comprising a first inductor and a first capacitor connected in series, and a second branch connected in parallel with the first branch and comprising a second inductor and the output connected in series. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic half-bridge converter, comprising: an input comprising two input nodes, wherein the input of the electronic half-bridge converter is configured to receive a first power signal; an output comprising two output nodes, wherein the output of the electronic half-bridge converter is configured to provide a second power signal; a transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding; a half-bridge comprising a first electronic switch and a second electronic switch, wherein the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are connected in series, wherein the half-bridge is between the input of the electronic half-bridge converter and the primary winding of the transformer; a rectifier circuit configured to convert current provided via the secondary winding into a rectified current; and a filter circuit configured to provide the second power signal by filtering the rectified current provided by the rectifier circuit, wherein the filter circuit comprises: an input comprising a first input node and a second input node, wherein the input of the filter circuit is configured to receive the rectified current provided by the rectifier circuit; a first branch connected between the first input node of the filter circuit and the second input node of the filter circuit, wherein the first branch comprises a first inductor and a first capacitor, wherein the first inductor of the first branch and the first capacitor of the first branch are connected in series; and a second branch connected in parallel with the first branch, wherein the second branch comprises a second inductor, wherein the second inductor of the second branch and the output of the electronic half-bridge converter are connected in series, wherein the first inductor of the first branch and the second inductor of the second branch share the first input node of the filter circuit, wherein current provided by the rectifier circuit comprises at least one period during which the current provided by the rectifier circuit is zero, and wherein, during the at least one period, current flowing through the first inductor of the first branch corresponds to current flowing through the second inductor of the second branch, but with an opposite polarity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 1, wherein the filter circuit further comprises: a second capacitor connected in parallel with the output of the electronic half-bridge converter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 2, wherein the first capacitor of the first branch is connected to the rectifier circuit, and wherein the second capacitor of the filter circuit is connected to the rectifier circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 1, wherein the rectifier circuit comprises: a diode connected in series with the secondary winding of the transformer, or a bridge rectifier comprising: two input nodes, wherein the two input nodes of the bridge rectifier are connected to the secondary winding, and two output nodes, wherein the two output nodes of the bridge rectifier are connected to the filter circuit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 1, wherein the secondary winding comprises a first node, a second node, and an intermediate connection, and wherein rectifier circuit comprises: a first output node and a second output node, wherein the first output node of the rectifier circuit and the second output node of the rectifier circuit are connected to the filter circuit, wherein the intermediate connection of the secondary winding is connected to the second output node of the rectifier circuit; a first diode connected between the first node of the secondary winding and the first output node of the rectifier circuit; and a second diode connected between the second node of the secondary winding and the first output node of the rectifier circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 1, further comprising: at least one capacitor; and an intermediate node between the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, wherein the two input nodes of the electronic half-bridge converter comprise a first input node and a second input node, wherein the at least one capacitor and the primary winding are connected in series between the intermediate node and the first input node of the electronic half-bridge converter and/or the second input node of the electronic half-bridge converter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 1, further comprising: a control unit configured to: detect a current through the output of the electronic half-bridge converter; and drive the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch as a function of the detected current. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 7, wherein at least one LED is connected to the output of the electronic half-bridge converter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 1, further comprising: a control unit configured to: drive the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first electronic switch is closed and the second electronic switch is opened during a first time interval. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to drive the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first electronic switch is opened and the second electronic switch is opened during a second time interval, and wherein the second time interval follows the first time interval. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to drive the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first electronic switch is opened and the second electronic switch is closed during a third time interval; and wherein the third time interval follows the second time interval. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to drive the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first switch is opened and the second switch is opened during a fourth time interval, and wherein the fourth time interval follows the third time interval. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 12, wherein the control unit is further configured to drive the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first time interval, the second time interval, the third time interval, and the fourth time interval are periodically repeated. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 1, wherein the first inductor of the first branch and the first capacitor of the first branch are directly connected in series between the first input node of the filter circuit and the second input node of the filter circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electronic half-bridge converter of claim 1, wherein the second inductor of the second branch and the output of the electronic half-bridge converter are directly connected in series between the first input node of the filter circuit and the second input node of the filter circuit. ### Claim 16 A method of an electronic half-bridge converter, the electronic half-bridge converter comprising: an input comprising two input nodes, wherein the input of the electronic half-bridge converter is configured to receive a first power signal; an output comprising two output nodes, wherein the output of the electronic half-bridge converter is configured to provide a second power signal; a transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding; a half-bridge comprising a first electronic switch and a second electronic switch, wherein the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are connected in series, wherein the half-bridge is between the input of the electronic half-bridge converter and the primary winding of the transformer; a rectifier circuit configured to convert current provided via the secondary winding into a rectified current; and a filter circuit configured to provide the second power signal by filtering the rectified current provided by the rectifier circuit; wherein the filter circuit comprises: an input comprising a first input node and a second input node, wherein the input of the filter circuit is configured to receive the rectified current provided by the rectifier circuit; a first branch connected between the first input node of the filter circuit and the second input node of the filter circuit, wherein the first branch comprises a first inductor and a first capacitor, wherein the first inductor of the first branch and the first capacitor of the first branch are connected in series; and a second branch connected in parallel with said first branch, wherein the second branch comprises a second inductor, wherein the second inductor of the second branch and the output of the electronic half-bridge converter are connected in series, wherein the first inductor of the first branch and the second inductor of the second branch share the first input node of the filter circuit; the method comprising: driving the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that current provided by the rectifier circuit comprises at least one period during which the current provided by the rectifier circuit is zero, wherein, during the at least one period, current flowing through the first inductor of the first branch corresponds to current flowing through the second inductor of the second branch, but with an opposite polarity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: driving the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first electronic switch is closed and the second electronic switch is opened during a first time interval; and driving the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first electronic switch is opened and the second electronic switch is opened during a second time interval, wherein the second time interval follows the first time interval. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: driving the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first electronic switch is opened and the second electronic switch is closed during a third time interval; and wherein the third time interval follows the second time interval. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: driving the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch, such that the first switch is opened and the second switch is opened during a fourth time interval, and wherein the fourth time interval follows the third time interval. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the first electronic switch and the second electronic switch are driven, such that the first time interval, the second time interval, the third time interval, and the fourth time interval are periodically repeated.