Patent US6034513A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6034513A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System and method for controlling power factor and power converter employing the same
Assignee: Lineage Overseas Corp
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Filing: 1997-04-02
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Granted: 2000-03-07
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Expires: 2017-04-02
Abstract
Abstract A power factor controller, a method of controlling power factor and a power converter employing either the controller or the method. The controller includes: (1) a ramp circuit that senses an output voltage of a converter being controlled and generates an intermediate waveform that rises as a function of a magnitude of the output voltage and (2) a drive circuit, coupled to the ramp circuit, that senses a current in the converter and causes the intermediate waveform to fall at a time that is a function of a magnitude of the current, the drive circuit generating a drive signal for the converter from the intermediate waveform.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard William Farrington
- 👤 Mark Elliott Jacobs
- 👤 Hengchun Mao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 05:51
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M1/00; H02M1/42; H02M1/4208; H02M1/4225; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A power factor controller, comprising: a ramp circuit that senses an output voltage of a converter being controlled and generates an intermediate waveform that rises as a function of a magnitude of said output voltage; a bias circuit, coupled to said ramp circuit, that establishes a value substantially greater than zero for, and adjusts a rate of rise of, said intermediate waveform; and a drive circuit, coupled to said ramp circuit, that senses a current in said converter and causes said intermediate waveform to fall at a time that is a function of a magnitude of said current, said drive circuit generating a drive signal for said converter from said intermediate waveform.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A power factor controller, comprising: a ramp circuit that senses an output voltage of a converter being controlled and generates an intermediate waveform that rises as a function of a magnitude of said output voltage; a bias circuit, coupled to said ramp circuit, that establishes a value substantially greater than zero for, and adjusts a rate of rise of, said intermediate waveform; and a drive circuit, coupled to said ramp circuit, that senses a current in said converter and causes said intermediate waveform to fall at a time that is a function of a magnitude of said current, said drive circuit generating a drive signal for said converter from said intermediate waveform.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said ramp circuit comprises an error amplifier that compares said output voltage with a voltage reference.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said drive circuit comprises: a clock; a flip-flop coupled to said clock that generates said drive signal; and a controllable switch coupled to said ramp circuit that causes said intermediate waveform to fall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said current represents one of the group consisting of: converter inductor current, converter switch current, and converter diode current.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said bias circuit is a voltage bias circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said drive circuit comprises a current bias circuit that adjusts an occurrence of said time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said drive circuit employs said drive signal to cause said intermediate waveform to fall.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of controlling power factor, comprising the steps of: generating an intermediate waveform that rises as a function of a magnitude of an output voltage of a converter being controlled; causing said intermediate waveform to fall at a time that is a function of a magnitude of a current in said converter; establishing a substantially greater than zero value for said intermediate waveform; adjusting a rate of rise of said intermediate waveform; and generating a drive signal for said converter from said intermediate waveform.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of controlling power factor, comprising the steps of: generating an intermediate waveform that rises as a function of a magnitude of an output voltage of a converter being controlled; causing said intermediate waveform to fall at a time that is a function of a magnitude of a current in said converter; establishing a substantially greater than zero value for said intermediate waveform; adjusting a rate of rise of said intermediate waveform; and generating a drive signal for said converter from said intermediate waveform.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step of generating comprises the step of comparing said output voltage with a voltage reference.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step of causing comprises the steps of: generating a clock signal; driving a flip-flop with said clock signal; and driving a controllable switch coupled to said flip flop to cause said intermediate waveform to fall.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said current represents one of the group consisting of: converter inductor current, converter switch current, and converter diode current.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the step of adjusting is performed by a bias circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of adjusting an occurrence of said time.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step of causing comprises the step of employing said drive signal to cause said intermediate waveform to fall.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
168 words
An AC-DC power converter, comprising: a power train, including: a controllable switch, an inductive element coupled to said controllable switch, and a capacitive element coupled to said inductive element, said controllable switch, inductive element and capacitive element cooperating to convert AC input power to DC output power; and a power factor controller that controls an operation of said controllable switch, including: a ramp circuit that senses a voltage of said DC output power and generates an intermediate waveform that rises as a function of a magnitude of said voltage, a bias circuit, coupled to said ramp circuit, that establishes a value substantially greater than zero for, and adjusts a rate of rise of, said intermediate waveform; and a drive circuit, coupled to said ramp circuit, that senses a current in said power train and causes said intermediate waveform to fall at a time that is a function of a magnitude of said current, said drive circuit generating a drive signal for said controllable switch from said intermediate waveform.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
168 words
An AC-DC power converter, comprising: a power train, including: a controllable switch, an inductive element coupled to said controllable switch, and a capacitive element coupled to said inductive element, said controllable switch, inductive element and capacitive element cooperating to convert AC input power to DC output power; and a power factor controller that controls an operation of said controllable switch, including: a ramp circuit that senses a voltage of said DC output power and generates an intermediate waveform that rises as a function of a magnitude of said voltage, a bias circuit, coupled to said ramp circuit, that establishes a value substantially greater than zero for, and adjusts a rate of rise of, said intermediate waveform; and a drive circuit, coupled to said ramp circuit, that senses a current in said power train and causes said intermediate waveform to fall at a time that is a function of a magnitude of said current, said drive circuit generating a drive signal for said controllable switch from said intermediate waveform.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said ramp circuit comprises an error amplifier that compares said output voltage with a voltage reference.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said drive circuit comprises: a clock; a flip-flop coupled to said clock that generates said drive signal; and a drive circuit controllable switch coupled to said ramp circuit that causes said intermediate waveform to fall.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said current represents one of the group consisting of: converter inductor current, converter switch current, and converter diode current.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said bias circuit is a voltage bias circuit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said drive circuit comprises a current bias circuit that adjusts an occurrence of said time.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said drive circuit employs said drive signal to cause said intermediate waveform to fall.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
The converter as recited in claim 21 wherein said converter is selected from the group consisting of: a boost converter, a buck-boost converter, a flyback converter, a sepic converter, a Cuk converter, and a zeta converter.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-07 | 2003-09-06 | 2004-03-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-07 | 2007-09-06 | 2008-03-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-07 | 2011-09-06 | 2012-03-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |