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US 8,233,301 B1Granted
Impedance dropping dc power supply having an impedance controlled converter
AssigneeSensorlink Corporation
InventorZhijiang Guo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An impedance dropping dc power supply having an impedance controlled converter whose impedance adaptively changes as a function of the power supply's load impedance, to maintain the ac voltage across the primary winding of its power transformer below a predetermined maximum level, and to minimize the waste heat generated by the power supply that would otherwise have to be dissipated.
Claims39
An impedance dropping power supply that is operable to convert a high ac input voltage from an ac source into a dc output voltage for a load having a load impedance;
- wherein said power supply comprises an impedance controlled converter having an average converter input impedance;
- wherein said converter comprises an ac switch, a dc switch, a power transformer, a diode, a controller, a rectifier, and a driver;
- wherein said power transformer comprises a primary winding that is operable to receive a primary winding ac input voltage from said ac source;
- wherein said converter is operable to control said average converter input impedance as a function of said load impedance to keep said primary winding ac input voltage at a voltage which is less than a predetermined maximum voltage;
- wherein said converter is operable to decrease said average converter input impedance as said load impedance increases, and is operable to increase said average converter input impedance as said load impedance decreases;
- wherein said converter is operable to control said primary winding ac input voltage as a function of said load impedance, is operable to decrease said primary winding ac input voltage as said load impedance increases, and is operable to increase said primary winding ac input voltage as said load impedance decreases;
- wherein said controller comprises a Schmidt trigger and at least one controller capacitor;
- wherein a discharge rate of said at least one controller capacitor is at least partially a function of said load impedance;
- wherein said Schmidt trigger circuit is operable to generate controller control signals as a function of said load impedance;
- wherein said driver is operable to generate driver control signals as a function of said controller control signals;
- wherein said power transformer is operable to convert said primary winding ac input voltage into a secondary winding ac output current;
- wherein said rectifier is operable to convert at least some of said secondary winding ac output current into a rectifier dc output current;
- wherein said ac switch is operable to selectively permit and prevent a receipt by said rectifier of at least some of said secondary winding ac output current;
- wherein said ac switch is operable to periodically open and close as a function of said driver control signals;
- wherein said dc switch is operable to selectively permit and prevent a receipt by said controller of at least some of said rectifier dc output current;
- wherein said dc switch is operable to periodically open and close as a function of said controller control signals;
- wherein said at least one controller capacitor is operable to continue to supply electrical energy to said load, to said ac switch, to said dc switch, to said Schmidt trigger and to said driver for a period of time while said ac switch is operable to selectively prevent a receipt by said rectifier of at least some of said secondary winding ac output current and while said dc switch is operable to prevent a receipt by said controller of at least some of said rectifier dc output current;
- and
- wherein said diode is operable to block at least some of a flow of electrical current from said controller to said dc switch while said dc switch is operable to prevent a receipt by said controller of at least some of said rectifier dc output current.
16 more elements
An impedance dropping power supply that is operable to convert a high ac input voltage from an ac source into a dc output voltage for a load having a load impedance;
- wherein said power supply comprises an impedance controlled converter having an average converter input impedance;
- wherein said converter comprises a controller, a dc switch, a rectifier, an ac switch, and power transformer;
- wherein said power transformer comprises a primary winding that is operable to receive a primary winding ac input voltage from said ac source;
- wherein said converter is operable to control said average converter input impedance as a function of said load impedance to keep said primary winding ac input voltage at a voltage which is less than a predetermined maximum voltage;
- wherein said controller is operable to generate controller control signals as a function of said load impedance;
- wherein said power transformer is operable to convert said primary winding ac input voltage into a secondary winding ac output current;
- wherein said rectifier is operable to convert at least some of said secondary winding ac output current into a rectifier dc output current;
- wherein said ac switch is operable to selectively permit and prevent a receipt by said rectifier of at least some of said secondary winding ac output current;
- wherein said ac switch is operable to periodically open and close as a function of said controller control signals;
- and
- wherein said dc switch is operable to selectively permit and prevent a receipt by said controller of at least some of said rectifier dc output current;
- wherein said dc switch is operable to periodically open and close as a function of said controller control signals.
9 more elements
An impedance dropping power supply that is operable to convert a high ac input voltage from an ac source into a dc output voltage for a load having a load impedance;
- wherein said power supply comprises an impedance controlled converter having an average converter input impedance;
- wherein said converter comprises a power transformer;
- wherein said power transformer comprises a primary winding that is operable to receive a primary winding ac input voltage from said ac source;
- wherein said converter is operable to control said average converter input impedance as a function of said load impedance to keep said primary winding ac input voltage at a voltage which is less than a predetermined maximum voltage;
- and
- wherein said converter is operable to decrease said average converter input impedance as said load impedance increases, and is operable to increase said average converter input impedance as said load impedance decreases.
3 more elements
An impedance dropping power supply that is operable to convert a high ac input voltage from an ac source into a dc output voltage for a load having a load impedance;
- wherein said power supply comprises an impedance controlled converter having an average converter input impedance;
- wherein said converter comprises a power transformer;
- wherein said power transformer comprises a primary winding that is operable to receive a primary winding ac input voltage from said ac source;
- wherein said converter is operable to control said average converter input impedance as a function of said load impedance to keep said primary winding ac input voltage at a voltage which is less than a predetermined maximum voltage;
- wherein said converter comprises a controller, a dc switch, and a rectifier that is operable to convert a rectifier ac input current into a rectifier dc output current;
- and
- wherein said dc switch is operable to selectively permit and prevent a receipt by said controller of at least some of said rectifier dc output current;
- wherein said controller is operable to generate controller control signals as a function of said load impedance;
- and wherein said dc switch is operable to periodically open and close as a function of said controller control signals.
6 more elements
An impedance dropping power supply that is operable to convert a high ac input voltage from an ac source into a dc output voltage for a load having a load impedance;
- wherein said power supply comprises an impedance controlled converter having an average converter input impedance;
- wherein said converter comprises a power transformer;
- wherein said power transformer comprises a primary winding that is operable to receive a primary winding ac input voltage from said ac source;
- wherein said converter is operable to control said average converter input impedance as a function of said load impedance to keep said primary winding ac input voltage at a voltage which is less than a predetermined maximum voltage;
- wherein said converter comprises a controller, an ac switch, and a rectifier;
- wherein said power transformer is operable to convert said primary winding ac input voltage into a secondary winding ac output current;
- wherein said rectifier is operable to convert at least some of said secondary winding ac output current into a rectifier dc output current;
- wherein said ac switch is operable to selectively permit a receipt by said power transformer of at least some of said primary winding ac input current to, in turn, selectively permit a receipt by said controller of at least some of said rectifier dc output current;
- wherein said ac switch is operable to selectively prevent a receipt by said power transformer of at least some of said primary winding ac input voltage to, in turn, selectively prevent a receipt by said controller of at least some of said rectifier dc output current;
- and
- wherein said controller is operable to generate controller control signals as a function of said load impedance;
- and wherein said ac switch is operable to periodically open and close as a function of said controller control signals.
9 more elements
An impedance dropping power supply that is operable to convert a high ac input voltage from an ac source into a dc output voltage for a load having a load impedance;
- wherein said power supply comprises an impedance controlled converter having an average converter input impedance;
- wherein said converter comprises a power transformer;
- wherein said power transformer comprises a primary winding that is operable to receive a primary winding ac input voltage from said ac source;
- wherein said converter is operable to control said average converter input impedance as a function of said load impedance to keep said primary winding ac input voltage at a voltage which is less than a predetermined maximum voltage;
- and
- wherein said power supply further comprises a temperature controlled fault control device that is operable to prevent a receipt by said converter of at least some of said ac input voltage when a predetermined temperature limit is reached by said fault control device.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.