US 7,071,838 B2 · Coupling signals via a coupling arrangement

Abstract

A power supply controller has two control units for coupling to primary and secondary sides of controlled power supplies, the units being coupled via a transformer which couples signals between the units, a power supply voltage for the secondary-side unit being derived from signals coupled from the primary-side unit. Initially signals are coupled from the primary unit with an increasing duty cycle to charge a secondary-side power supply capacitor. Subsequently signals are coupled in signal frames in alternating directions between the units, each signal frame from each unit indicating whether or not signal frames are correctly received from the other control unit. The signal frames also provide for downloading information for the control units, and other status signals and commands and acknowledgements.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of coupling signals between first and second units via a transformer, comprising the steps of:

deriving a power supply for the second unit from signals coupled from the first unit to the second unit;
initially coupling signals via the transformer from the first unit to the second unit to charge a power supply capacitor of the second unit thereby to produce a power supply voltage for the second unit;
subsequently coupling signals in signal frames from the first unit to the second unit;
and
in response to signal frames received by the second unit from the first unit, coupling signals in signal frames from the second unit to the first unit;
wherein the signal frames coupled from each unit comprise a signal indicating whether or not signal frames are correctly received from the other unit.

3 more elements

A method of operating a power supply controller comprising first and second control units for coupling to primary and secondary sides, respectively, of a plurality of isolating power supplies controlled by the power supply controller, the first and second control units being coupled via a transformer for coupling signals in both directions between the first and second control units and for producing a power supply for the second control unit from signals coupled from the first control unit to the second control unit, comprising the steps of:

initially coupling signals via the transformer from the first control unit to the second control unit to charge a power supply capacitor of the second control unit thereby to produce a power supply voltage for the second control unit;
and
subsequently coupling signals, for operation of the control units to control the plurality of isolating power supplies by the power supply controller, in signal frames in alternating directions between the first and second control units, the signal frames coupled from each control unit comprising a signal indicating whether or not signal frames are correctly received from the other control unit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Coupling signals via a coupling arrangement

Life of this patent

Coupling signals via a coupling arrangement

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21