Programmable Hardware Element Pre-Regulator
AssigneeNational Instruments Corporation
InventorsKenneth A. Reindel, George C. Topala, Gustavo Jesus Castro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
System and method for providing a programmable power supply. The programmable power supply may include a programmable hardware element (PHE) that couples to a power supply (DC-DC converter) and which in turn couples to a linear regulator. The PHE may implement a PID control algorithm that receives a measurement of the output power and may use PID and/or non-linear control to ensure that the power supply and the linear regulator maintain similar power levels. The PHE may be configured based on a graphical program, thus enabling fast and efficient modifications to the programmable power supply.
Claims21
A programmable power supply system, comprising:
- a programmable hardware element (PHE) having an input for receiving a signal specifying a desired output power, wherein the PHE generates a PHE output signal;
- a power supply coupled to the PHE operable to receive the PHE output signal from the PHE and generate a power signal;
- a linear regulator coupled to receive the power signal output from the power supply;
- voltage measurement logic for measuring the power signal output from at least one of the power supply or the linear regulator;
- at least one analog to digital converter (ADC) for converting the measured power signal into a digital signal;
- wherein the PHE is operable to receive the digital signal and implement PID (proportional integral derivative) control to adjust the PHE output signal to maintain stability of the power signal.
A method for providing programmable power, the method comprising:
- receiving input specifying a desired output power;
- and
- generating an output signal to control a power supply in response to the input specifying the desired output power and a feedback signal, wherein the feedback signal is generated based on a measurement of an output of the power supply, wherein said generating uses a combination of proportional integral derivative (PID) and non-linear control techniques.
A system for providing programmable power comprising:
- means for receiving input specifying a desired output power;
- and
- means for generating an output signal to control a power supply in response to the input specifying the desired output power and a feedback signal, wherein the feedback signal is generated based on a measurement of an output of the power supply, wherein said generating uses a combination of proportional integral derivative (PID) and non-linear control techniques.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.