# US 9,438,129 B2 · Input/output power and signal transfer isolator device

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- Number: US 9,438,129 B2
- Document ID: US9438129B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/618,067
- Filed: 2012-09-14
- Published: 2013-04-11
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-10-06
- Applicants: Cesar Ladron de Guevara; Leonard Davidson
- Inventors: Cesar Ladron de Guevara; Leonard Davidson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438129B2

## CPC

- H02M 5/08: using capacitors only
- H01G 4/385: {Single unit multiple capacitors, e.g. dual capacitor in one coil}
- H01G 4/40: Structural combinations of fixed capacitors with other electric elements, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations
- H02M 1/4266: {using passive elements}
- H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
- Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- 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)
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Input/output power and signal transfer and power and signal isolator device using pulsed, alternating or high frequency signal current having a capacitive structure which provides power and signal limiting control, unidirectional power and signal transfer and input/output decoupling and transceiver-receiver isolation barrier. The device includes at least two decoupled input electrodes arranged in parallel to each other, and at least two decoupled output electrodes arranged in parallel to each other. Each electrode is connected to at least one terminal. Each electrode has a surface that which is opposed to another electrode surface with at least one layer of dielectric material therebetween. The input electrodes are decoupled from the output electrodes by dielectric material and are disposed such that two output electrodes are separately disposed external to the two input electrodes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A capacitive device for an alternating current (AC) circuit interposed between an AC source and a load, comprising:
a set of terminals comprising at least first and second input terminals and at least first and second output terminals that are different than said first and second input terminals, said first and second input terminals and said first and second output terminals being configured in the capacitive device such that when said first and second input terminals are connected to the AC source and said first and second output terminals are connected to the load, electrical power from the AC source enters the capacitive device through said first and second input terminals and is moved forward unidirectional to the load through the capacitive device and said first and second output terminals; and
at least one power transfer and isolator module that transfers power from said first and second input terminals to said first and second output terminals, each of said least one power transfer and isolator module comprising:
a first set of two electrode assemblies comprising two decoupled input electrodes, a first one of said input electrodes being coupled to said first input terminal and a second one of said input electrodes being coupled to said second input terminal; and
a second set of electrode assemblies comprising two decoupled output electrodes, a first one of said output electrodes being coupled to said first output terminal and a second one of said output electrodes being coupled to said second output terminal;
said first and second input electrodes both being situated between said first and second output electrodes,
said first and second input electrodes being spaced apart from one another and being spaced apart from an adjacent one of said first and second output electrodes to enable capacitance to develop between each of said first and second input electrodes and each of said first and second output electrodes when current flows through the AC circuit,
whereby properties of the first and second input electrodes, the first and second output electrodes and the dielectric material are such that an equivalent differential capacitance of input capacitance is greater than a value of output capacitance.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one layer of dielectric material between each adjacent pair of said input and output electrodes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one power transfer and isolator module comprises a plurality of power transfer and isolator modules arranged in a parallel wiring configuration.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second input electrodes are decoupled from said first and second output electrodes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a high frequency digital isolator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a capacitive barrier for radio frequency signals.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one power transfer and isolator module further comprises:
a third set of two electrode assemblies comprising two decoupled input electrodes, a first one of said input electrodes of said third set being coupled to said first input terminal and a second one of said input electrodes of said third set being coupled to said second input terminal;
said first and second input electrodes of said third set being situated on an opposite side of said second output electrode of said second set from said first and second input electrodes of said first set; and
a fourth set of two electrode assemblies comprising two decoupled output electrodes, a first one of said output electrodes of said fourth set being coupled to said first output terminal and a second one of said output electrodes of said fourth set being coupled to said second output terminal;
said first and second input electrodes of said third set both being situated between said first and second output electrodes of said fourth set,
said first and second input electrodes of said third set being spaced apart from one another and being spaced apart from an adjacent one of said first and second output electrodes of said fourth set to enable capacitance to develop between each of said first and second input electrodes of said third set and each of said first and second output electrodes of said fourth set when current flows through the AC circuit;
said second output electrode of said second set being the same as said first output electrode of said fourth set.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a voltage monitor connected between said second input terminal and said second output terminal;
a current monitor configured to be connected in series with said first output terminal and the load; and
a power transfer and voltage controller connected to said first input terminal and said second input terminal in series with said at least one power transfer and isolator module.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein said voltage monitor comprises a voltage comparator that compares voltage at said second output terminal to voltage at said second input terminal, said voltage comparator being coupled to said power transfer and voltage controller to enable said power transfer and voltage controller to control said at least one power transfer and isolator module based on comparison of voltage at said second output terminal to voltage at said second input terminal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein said current monitor comprises a current sensor that senses current at said first output terminal, said current sensor being coupled to said power transfer and voltage controller to enable said power transfer and voltage controller to control said at least one power transfer and isolator module based on current sensed at said first output terminal.

### Claim 11

A method of moving power forward from an alternating current (AC) source to a load through an AC circuit using a capacitive arrangement including at least one power transfer and isolator module comprising first and second decoupled output electrodes, first and second decoupled input electrodes arranged between the first and second output electrodes, and dielectric material disposed between each adjacent pair of electrodes, the method comprising:
connecting the first and second input electrodes to the AC source via first and second input terminals, the first input electrode being connected to the AC source via the first input terminal and the second input electrode being connected to the AC source via the second input terminal;
connecting the first and second output electrodes to the load via first and second output terminals that are different than the first and second input terminals, the first output electrode being connected to the load via the first output terminal and the second output electrode being connected to the load via the second output terminal; and
inducing a potential across the first and second output electrodes connected to the load by capacitance between each of the first and second input electrodes connected to the AC source and each of the first and second output electrodes connected to the load such that electrical power from the AC source enters the capacitive arrangement through the first and second input terminals and is moved forward unidirectional to the load through the capacitive arrangement and the first and second output terminals, and
whereby properties of the first and second input electrodes, the first and second output electrodes and the dielectric material are such that an equivalent differential capacitance of input capacitance is greater than a value of output capacitance,
whereby input circuitry connected to the first and second input terminals is isolated from being compromised by a condition resulting from a fault experienced in output circuitry connected to the first and second output terminals.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second input electrodes are electrically AC-AC and high frequency signal input electrodes, further comprising decoupling and insulating the electrically AC-AC and high frequency signal input electrodes from the first and second output electrodes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting the first and second input electrodes, the first and second output electrodes and the dielectric material such that power transfer from the first and second input electrodes to the first and second output electrodes is directly proportional to an equivalent decoupled capacitance value existing between the first input electrode and the first output electrode and the capacitance value between the second input electrode to the second output electrode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting the first and second input electrodes, the first and second output electrodes and the dielectric material such that power transfer from the first and second input electrodes to the first and second output electrodes is proportional to equivalent cross capacitances produced by a capacitance relationship between the first input electrode and the second output electrode and the second input electrode in relation with the first output electrode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting the first and second input electrodes, the first and second output electrodes and the dielectric material such that the equivalent differential capacitance of input capacitance is at least twice the value of output capacitance.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting the first and second input electrodes, the first and second output electrodes and the dielectric material such that an equivalent differential capacitance between input capacitance and output capacitance provides the unidirectional movement of power forward from an input side of the capacitive arrangement to an output side of the capacitive arrangement.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
sensing a voltage between an input side of the capacitive arrangement and an output side of the capacitive arrangement;
sensing current at the output side when connected to the load; and
controlling the at least one power transfer and isolator module based on the sensed voltage and sensed current to provide adjustable set point and range of operation or maintain an output voltage within a predetermined range.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one power transfer and isolator module comprises a plurality of power transfer and isolator modules, further comprising configuring the plurality of power transfer and isolator modules in a parallel wired configuration to increase power transfer capability.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
sensing a voltage between an input side of the capacitive arrangement and an output side of the capacitive arrangement;
sensing current at the output side when connected to the load; and
controlling the power transfer and isolator modules based on the sensed voltage and sensed current to provide adjustable set point and range of operation or maintain an output voltage within a predetermined range.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
sensing a voltage between an input side of the capacitive arrangement and an output side of the capacitive arrangement;
sensing a current at the output side when connected to the load; and
controlling the power transfer and isolator modules to at least one of:
sequentially and individually engage functionality of the power transfer and isolator modules to follow an increment of power in the load being provided with power through the capacitive arrangement based on changes in the sensed voltage, and
sequentially and individually disengage functionality of the power transfer and isolator modules to follow a decrement of power in the load based on changes in the sensed current.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

An electrical system, comprising:
the device of claim 1;
the load;
the AC source;
input circuitry for connecting said first and second input terminals to the AC source; and
output circuitry for connecting said first and second output terminals to the load.

### Claim 22 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the dielectric material is dielectric film.