Energy management system for series connected amplifiers
AssigneeHarman International Industries, Incorporated
InventorsJoel P. Gegner, Gerald R. Stanley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An energy management controller (EMC) for use with series connected amplifier modules monitors the rail voltage across an energy storage capacitor which drives the amplifier modules, and compares the rail voltage with a reference voltage. The EMC controls the direction of energy flow to either provide power to one of the amplifier modules to add energy to the energy storage capacitor, or to provide power to the load.
Claims40
An amplifier system for driving a load, including:
- first and second amplifier modules, each having a signal output connected in series with the load for providing output power to the load;
- and
- a controller receiving a feedback signal indicative of a stored energy associated with the second amplifier module, and outputting a control signal to the amplifier modules responsive to the feedback signal to decrease the second amplifier module output power and increase the first amplifier module output power.
An amplifier system for driving an inductive load, including:
- first and second amplifier modules having outputs connected in series with the load for providing output power to the load, the first amplifier module having a power input for receiving input power, and a signal input, the second amplifier module having a power input for receiving input power, and a signal input;
- and
- a controller having a feedback signal input for monitoring the second amplifier module input power, and an output for providing a control signal to the first and second amplifier module signal inputs in response to a condition of the second amplifier module input power, the control signal decreasing the second amplifier module output power and increasing the first amplifier module output power such that the first amplifier module provides output power lo the second amplifier module.
A gradient amplifier system for driving a gradient coil in a magnetic resonance imaging system, the gradient amplifier system including:
- a ground-referenced amplifier module for providing an first output voltage across the coil;
- a floating amplifier module connected in series with the ground-referenced amplifier module and the load for providing a second output voltage across the coil, the first and second output voltages resulting in a net coil voltage, the floating amplifier module having a stored energy;
- and
- a controller coupled to the amplifier modules, the controller receiving a feedback signal indicative of the floating amplifier module stored energy, the controller responding to a feedback signal indicating low floating amplifier module stored energy by outputting a control signal to the ground-referenced amplifier module to increase the first output voltage and to the floating amplifier module to decrease the second output voltage by a substantially equal amount, thereby transferring power from the ground-referenced amplifier module to the floating amplifier module while maintaining the net coil voltage.
An amplifier system for driving a load, including:
- first means for powering the load;
- second means for powering the load, the first and second powering means being connected in series with the load to provide a net power to the load;
- means for controlling the first and second powering means, the controlling means outputting a control signal to the first and second powering means responsive to a signal indicating an energy associated with the second powering means, the control signal changing the output power of the first and second powering means such that the energy associated with the second powering means is increased and the net power at the load is substantially unchanged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.