US6574124B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plural power converters with individual conditioned error signals shared on a current sharing bus
Assignee: NETPOWER TECHNOLOGIES Inc
•
Filing: 2002-09-11
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Granted: 2003-06-03
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Expires: 2022-09-11
Abstract
Abstract A power distribution system is provided including current sharing circuitry, current sensing and over-current protection. The system includes a plurality of power converter modules each having a current sharing signal terminal on an input side and power output terminals on an output side, the corresponding power output terminals of the several modules being connected together and adapted to power a common load; an interconnecting signal bus coupled across the current sharing signal terminals on the input side; a plurality of feedback circuits, each of which is associated with one of said modules, each feedback circuit including a comparator (error amplifier) for comparing a feedback voltage on the output side with a reference voltage to provide an error signal to the input side; the error signal conditioned to provide a current command signal to said signal bus, wherein the signal bus provides a common current command signal to drive the power converter modules.
Inventors
- 👤 Feng Lin
- 👤 Ning Sun
- 👤 Hengchun Mao
- 👤 Yimin Jiang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 03:26
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/02; H02M3/04; H02M3/10; H02M3/145; H02M3/155; H02M3/156; H02M3/158; H02M3/1584; H02M3/22; H02M3/24; H02M3/28; H02M3/285; H02M3/325; H02M3/335; H02M3/33569; H02M3/33576; H02M3/33592; H02M1/00; H02M1/32; H02M3/01; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A power distribution system comprising: a plurality of power converter modules each having a current sharing signal terminal on an input side and power output terminals on an output side, the corresponding power output terminals of the several modules being connected together and adapted to power a common load; an interconnecting signal bus coupled across the current sharing signal terminals on the input side; a plurality of feedback circuits, each of which is associated with one of said modules, for comparing a feedback voltage on the output side of a respective power converter module with a reference voltage to provide an error signal to the input side of the respective power converter module; conditioning the error signal to provide a current command signal to said signal bus; and conditioning the current command signal to provide a control signal to drive a respective current supplied by the power converter modules.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
A power distribution system comprising: a plurality of power converter modules each having a current sharing signal terminal on an input side and power output terminals on an output side, the corresponding power output terminals of the several modules being connected together and adapted to power a common load; an interconnecting signal bus coupled across the current sharing signal terminals on the input side; a plurality of feedback circuits, each of which is associated with one of said modules, for comparing a feedback voltage on the output side of a respective power converter module with a reference voltage to provide an error signal to the input side of the respective power converter module; conditioning the error signal to provide a current command signal to said signal bus; and conditioning the current command signal to provide a control signal to drive a respective current supplied by the power converter modules.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein said feedback circuits further comprise isolation circuitry.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The power distribution system of claim 2 wherein said isolation circuitry is provided to electrically isolate the error signal from the input side.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The power distribution system of claim 3 wherein said isolation circuitry comprises an opto-isolator apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein each of the feedback circuits-further comprises an error amplifier.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The power distribution system of claim 5 wherein the error amplifier drives the input of an opto-isolator apparatus such that the error signal is electronically isolated from the input side.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the error signal is conditioned by a first buffer to provide the current command signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The power distribution system of claim 7 wherein the first buffer comprises a first operational amplifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The power distribution system of claim 8 wherein an output of the first operational amplifier is the current command signal provided to the signal bus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The power distribution system of claim 9 further comprising a diode serially coupled to the output of the first operational amplifier such that the highest current command signal of all power converter modules is provided to the signal bus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The power distribution system of claim 10 wherein the diode results in a master-slave scheme for controlling the power converter modules.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The power distribution system of claim 8 wherein the first operational amplifier compares the error signal with a second reference voltage to provide the current command signal provided to the signal bus.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The power distribution system of claim 12 wherein the second reference voltage is generated from a bias voltage.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The power distribution system of claim 12 wherein the second reference voltage is generated from a reference voltage from a pulse-width modulated (PWM) controller.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The power distribution system of claim 12 wherein a time delay is introduced to the second reference voltage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The power distribution system of claim 15 wherein the time delay is implemented as an R-C circuit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The power distribution system of claim 7 further comprising a second buffer to condition the common current command signal from the signal bus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The power distribution system of claim 17 wherein the second buffer comprises a second operational amplifier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The power distribution system of claim 18 wherein an output of the second operational amplifier adjusts a control signal of the power converter module associated therewith.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The power distribution system of claim 19 wherein the power converter module is driven by a pulse-width modulated (PWM) controller having the output of the operational amplifier as an input thereto.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The power distribution system of claim 20 wherein the PWM controller further comprises a ramp compensation signal input and a current sense input thereto.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The power distribution system of claim 17 wherein the second buffer comprises a compensator that compares the common current command signal from the signal bus with a sensed signal related to output current.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The power distribution system of claim 22 wherein an output of the compensator adjusts a control signal of the power converter module associated therewith.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The power distribution system of claim 23 wherein the power converter module is controlled by a pulse-width modulated (PWM) controller having the output of the compensator as an input thereto.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The power distribution system of claim 24 wherein the PWM controller further comprises a ramp compensation signal input and a current sense input thereto.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The power distribution system of claim 22 wherein a time delay is introduced to a reference signal to the compensator.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the power converter modules comprise standard DC-DC converter modules.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
116 words
A current share circuit for power converters in parallel operation, the circuit comprising: an interconnecting signal bus coupled across current sharing signal terminals on an input side of said power converters; a plurality of feedback circuits, each of which is associated with one of said modules, for comparing a feedback voltage on the output side of a respective power converter module with a reference voltage to provide an error signal to the input side of the respective power converter module; conditioning the error signal to provide a current command signal to said signal bus; and conditioning the current command signal to provide a control signal to drive a respective current supplied by the power converter modules.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
116 words
A current share circuit for power converters in parallel operation, the circuit comprising: an interconnecting signal bus coupled across current sharing signal terminals on an input side of said power converters; a plurality of feedback circuits, each of which is associated with one of said modules, for comparing a feedback voltage on the output side of a respective power converter module with a reference voltage to provide an error signal to the input side of the respective power converter module; conditioning the error signal to provide a current command signal to said signal bus; and conditioning the current command signal to provide a control signal to drive a respective current supplied by the power converter modules.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The current share circuit of claim 28 wherein the error signal is conditioned by a first operational amplifier to provide the current command signal to the signal bus as an output thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
The current share circuit of claim 29 further comprising a diode series coupled to the output of the first operational amplifier such that the highest current command signal of all power converters is provided to the signal bus.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The current share circuit of claim 29 further comprising a second buffer to condition the common current command signal from the signal bus.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The current share circuit of claim 31 wherein the power converter is controlled by a pulse width modulated (PWM) controller having an output of the second buffer an input thereto.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
The current share circuit of claim 31 wherein the second buffer comprises a compensator that compares the common current command signal from the signal bus with a sensed signal related to output current.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The current share circuit of claim 28 further comprising isolation circuitry to electrically isolate the error signal from the input side.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
The current share circuit of claim 28 wherein the power converters comprise standard DC-DC converter modules.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for current sharing in parallel operated power converters, the method comprising: interconnecting a signal bus across current sharing signal terminals on an input side of said power converters; providing a plurality of feedback circuits, each of which is associated with one of said converters, for comparing a feedback voltage on the output side of a respective power converter module with a reference voltage to provide an error signal to the input side of the respective power converter module; conditioning the error signal to provide a current command signal to said signal bus; and conditioning the current command signal to provide a control signal to drive a respective current supplied by the power converter modules.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for current sharing in parallel operated power converters, the method comprising: interconnecting a signal bus across current sharing signal terminals on an input side of said power converters; providing a plurality of feedback circuits, each of which is associated with one of said converters, for comparing a feedback voltage on the output side of a respective power converter module with a reference voltage to provide an error signal to the input side of the respective power converter module; conditioning the error signal to provide a current command signal to said signal bus; and conditioning the current command signal to provide a control signal to drive a respective current supplied by the power converter modules.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method for current sharing of claim 36 wherein the error signal is conditioned by a first operational amplifier to provide the current command signal to the signal bus as an output thereof.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method for current sharing of claim 37 further comprising providing a second buffer to condition the common current command signal from the signal bus.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method for current sharing of claim 38 wherein the power converter is controlled by a pulse-width modulated (PWM) controller having an output of the second buffer as an input thereto.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method for current sharing of claim 38 wherein the second buffer comprises a compensator that compares the common current command signal from the signal bus with a sensed signal related to output current.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method for current sharing of claim 37 further comprising providing a diode series coupled to the output of the first operational amplifier such that the highest current command signal of all power converters is provided to the signal bus.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method for current sharing of claim 36 further comprising providing isolation circuitry to electrically isolate the error signal from the input side.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
16 words
The current share method of claim 36 wherein the power converters comprise standard DC-DC converter modules.
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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) | 2006-06-02 | 2006-12-02 | 2007-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-06-02 | 2010-12-02 | 2011-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-06-02 | 2014-12-02 | 2015-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |