Isolated input current sense means for high power factor rectifier

Claim 2

An AC to DC Power Converter connected to an AC line; including: an input rectifier connected to the AC line; a switching regulator connected to receive rectified AC from the input rectifier through an input inductor; sensing means for monitoring a current flow between the rectifier and switching regulator through the input inductor; the sensing means including: a sense winding magnetically coupled to the input inductor; an integrating circuit connected to receive at an input the output voltage of the sense winding; a valley detector connected to an output of the integrating circuit and including circuitry for detecting and storing a voltage minimum of the output of the integrating circuit; and a feedback connection coupling the voltage output of the valley detector to an input of the integrating circuit.

Claim 3

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, further including drift circuitry for allowing a voltage output of the valley detector to drift upward at a controlled rate.

Claim 4

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, further including: control means connected for controlling intermittent switching of a power switch of the switching regulator in response to an output of the integrating means.

Claim 5

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching regulator is a boost converter.

Claim 6

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching regulator is a SEPIC converter.

Claim 7

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching regulator includes an IGBT power switching device.

Claim 8

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching regulator includes a FET power switching device.

Claim 9

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry for allowing a voltage to drift upward includes a RC circuit connected to allow a voltage of its capacitor while charging to control a drift rate of the voltage level at the output.

Claim 10

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rectifier is a full wave bridge rectifier.

Claim 11

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the integrating circuit includes an integrating operational amplifier.

Claim 12

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 1, further including an output, and a diode connecting the input inductor to the output.

Claim 13

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 11, further including a filter capacitor connected to the output.

Claim 14

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the control means includes a PWM controller for controlling conduction of the power switch in short intervals at a frequency substantially greater than that of the AC line.

Claim 15

An AC to DC Power Converter connected to an AC line; including: an input full wave bridge rectifier connected to the AC line; a switching regulator including a power switching device and connected to receive rectified AC from the input rectifier through an input inductor; an output, and a diode connecting the input inductor to the output; sensing means including a sense winding magnetically coupled to the input inductor, for monitoring a current flow between the rectifier and switching regulator through the input inductor; the sensing means including: an integrating circuit including an integrating operational amplifier connected to receive at an input the output voltage of the sense winding; a valley detector connected to an output of the integrating circuit and including circuitry for detecting and storing a voltage minimum of the output of the integrating circuit and the circuitry for storing including a drift control circuit connected to allow a voltage of its capacitor while charging to control a drift rate of the voltage level at the output and operative for allowing a voltage output of the valley detector to drift upward at a controlled rate; and control means including a PWM controller connected for controlling intermittent switching of the power switch of the switching regulator at a frequency greater than that of the AC line in response to an output of the integrating means.

Claim 16

An AC to DC Power Converter connected to an AC line; including: an input full wave bridge rectifier connected to the AC line; a switching regulator including a power switching device and connected to receive rectified AC from the input rectifier through an input inductor; an output, and a diode connecting the input inductor to the output; sensing means including a sense winding magnetically coupled to the input inductor, for monitoring a current flow between the rectifier and switching regulator through the input inductor; the sensing means including: an integrating circuit including an integrating operational amplifier connected to receive at an input the output voltage of the sense winding; a valley detector connected to an output of the integrating circuit and including circuitry for detecting and storing a voltage minimum of the output of the integrating circuit and the circuitry for storing including a drift control circuit connected to allow a voltage of its capacitor while charging to control a drift rate of the voltage level at the output and operative for allowing a voltage output of the valley detector to drift upward at a controlled rate; and control means including a PWM controller connected for controlling intermittent switching of the power switch of the switching regulator at a frequency greater than that of the AC line in response to an output of the integrating means.

Claim 17

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the switching regulator is a boost converter.

Claim 18

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the switching regulator is a SEPIC converter.

Claim 19

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the switching regulator includes a Flit power switching device.

Claim 20

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the switching regulator includes an IGBT power switching device.

Claim 21

A boost power converter connected to be powered from an AC line and operative for enhancing the power factor at its input, comprising: a rectifier connected to receive energy off of the AC line; a boost inductor connected to receive the rectified signal output of the rectifier; a power switch enabled conducting in short intervals as compared to a period of a signal supplied by the AC line and connected to draw current flow from the rectifier through the boost inductor; a diode for coupling an output of the boost inductor to an output terminal; a filter capacitor connected for sustaining a DC output voltage; a PWM controller for controlling the conduction of the power switch in short intervals; current sensing means connected for sensing a current flow through the rectifier and for applying a sense signal to the PWM controller; the current sensing means including: an integrator adapted to compensate for the integration constant and remove offset bias voltages comprising an integrating operational amplifier and a valley detector connected to detect voltage minima of the output of the integrating operational amplifier and supply a feedback signal representing the voltage minima to an input of the integrating operational amplifier.

Claim 22

A boost power converter connected to be powered from an AC line and operative for enhancing the power factor at its input, comprising: a rectifier connected to receive energy off of the AC line; a boost inductor connected to receive the rectified signal output of the rectifier; a power switch enabled conducting in short intervals as compared to a period of a signal supplied by the AC line and connected to draw current flow from the rectifier through the boost inductor; a diode for coupling an output of the boost inductor to an output terminal; a filter capacitor connected for sustaining a DC output voltage; a PWM controller for controlling the conduction of the power switch in short intervals; current sensing means connected for sensing a current flow through the rectifier and for applying a sense signal to the PWM controller; the current sensing means including: an integrator adapted to compensate for the integration constant and remove offset bias voltages comprising an integrating operational amplifier and a valley detector connected to detect voltage minima of the output of the integrating operational amplifier and supply a feedback signal representing the voltage minima to an input of the integrating operational amplifier.

Claim 23

An AC to DC Power Converter connected to an AC line; including: an input rectifier connected to the AC line; a switching regulator connected to receive rectified AC from the input rectifier through an input inductor; sensing means for monitoring a current flow between the rectifier and switching regulator through the input inductor; including: a sense winding magnetically coupled to the input inductor; an integrating circuit connected to receive at an input the output voltage of the sense winding; a peak detector connected to an output of the integrating circuit and including circuitry for detecting and storing a voltage peak of the output of the integrating circuit; and a feedback connection coupling the voltage output of the peak detector to an input of the integrating circuit.

Claim 24

An AC to DC Power Converter connected to an AC line; including: an input rectifier connected to the AC line; a switching regulator connected to receive rectified AC from the input rectifier through an input inductor; sensing means for monitoring a current flow between the rectifier and switching regulator through the input inductor; including: a sense winding magnetically coupled to the input inductor; an integrating circuit connected to receive at an input the output voltage of the sense winding; a peak detector connected to an output of the integrating circuit and including circuitry for detecting and storing a voltage peak of the output of the integrating circuit; and a feedback connection coupling the voltage output of the peak detector to an input of the integrating circuit.

Claim 25

An AC to DC Power Converter as claimed in claim 20, further including drift circuitry for allowing a voltage output of the peak detector to drift downward at a controlled rate.

Claim 26

A boost power converter connected to be powered from an AC line and operative for enhancing the power factor at its input, comprising: a rectifier connected to receive energy off of the AC line; a boost inductor connected to receive the rectified signal output of the rectifier; a power switch enabled conducting in short intervals as compared to a period of a signal supplied by the AC line and connected to draw current flow from the rectifier through the boost inductor; a diode for coupling an output of the boost inductor to an output terminal; a filter capacitor connected for sustaining a DC output voltage; a PWM controller for controlling the conduction of the power switch in short intervals; current sensing means connected for sensing a current flow through the rectifier and for applying a sense signal to the PWM controller; the current sensing means including: an integrator adapted to compensate for the integration constant and remove offset bias voltages comprising an integrating operational amplifier and a peak detector connected to detect voltage peaks of the output of the integrating operational amplifier and including circuitry to supply a feedback signal representing the voltage peaks to an input of the integrating operational amplifier.

Claim 27

A boost power converter connected to be powered from an AC line and operative for enhancing the power factor at its input, comprising: a rectifier connected to receive energy off of the AC line; a boost inductor connected to receive the rectified signal output of the rectifier; a power switch enabled conducting in short intervals as compared to a period of a signal supplied by the AC line and connected to draw current flow from the rectifier through the boost inductor; a diode for coupling an output of the boost inductor to an output terminal; a filter capacitor connected for sustaining a DC output voltage; a PWM controller for controlling the conduction of the power switch in short intervals; current sensing means connected for sensing a current flow through the rectifier and for applying a sense signal to the PWM controller; the current sensing means including: an integrator adapted to compensate for the integration constant and remove offset bias voltages comprising an integrating operational amplifier and a peak detector connected to detect voltage peaks of the output of the integrating operational amplifier and including circuitry to supply a feedback signal representing the voltage peaks to an input of the integrating operational amplifier.