Method of transmitting power and data across a galvanic isolation barrier, corresponding system and apparatus

• US 10,298,408 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Ragonese, Egidio, Greco, Nunzio, Palmisano, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/138,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20170070354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 329329
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2200/0076 Power combination of several oscillators oscillating at the same frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1215 the current source or degeneration circuit being in common to both transistors of the pair, e.g. a cross-coupled long-tailed pair
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1228 the amplifier comprising one or more field effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1234 and comprising means for varying the output amplitude of the generator H03B5/1278 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 1/36 by means of semiconductor device having at least three electrodes H03C1/34, H03C1/50, H03C1/52, H03C1/62 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/691 using transformer coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

Power and data are transmitted via a transformer including primary side and secondary side. A primary side signal is generated by coupling a first oscillator signal modulated with a data signal with a second oscillator signal that is selectively switched on and off. At the secondary side a secondary signal is generated. A demodulator demodulates the secondary signal to recover the data signal. A rectifier processes the secondary signal to recover a power supply signal controlled by switching on and off the second oscillator.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting power and data via a transformer including a primary side and a secondary side, wherein a primary side signal at the primary side of the transformer generates a secondary side signal at the secondary side of the transformer, the method including:

producing the primary side signal at the primary side of the transformer by coupling a first oscillator signal modulated with a data signal for transmission to the secondary side of the transformer with a second oscillator signal selectively switched on and off to control power supply transmission to the secondary side of the transformer, wherein the first oscillation signal is applied to the primary side of the transformer both when the second oscillator signal is switched on and when the second oscillator signal is switched off, and

with respect to the secondary side signal generated at the secondary side of the transformer performing;

i) demodulation to recover at the secondary side of the transformer said data signal modulating said first oscillator signal, and

ii) rectification to recover at the secondary side of the transformer a power supply controlled by said switching on and off said second oscillator.

2. The method of claim 1, including:

coupling to the secondary side of the transformer a further data signal for transmission to the primary side of the transformer, and

applying demodulation at the primary side of the transformer to recover at the primary side of the transformer said further data signal.

3. The method of claim 2, further including discontinuing modulating said first oscillator signal with said data signal while said further data signal is coupled to the secondary side of the transformer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein coupling to the secondary side winding is performed by superposition to said rectification.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein applying demodulation at the primary side is performed with respect to said first oscillator signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a power of said second oscillator signal is higher than a power of said first oscillator signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling said first oscillator signal and coupling said second oscillator signal includes feeding said first oscillator signal and said second oscillator signal to at least one respective winding of a stacked winding at the primary side of said transformer.

8. The method of claim 1, further including synchronizing data signals transmitted via said transformer with said selectively switching on and off said second oscillator signal for controlling power supply transmission to the secondary side of the transformer.

9. A system for transmitting power and data via a transformer including a primary side and a secondary side, wherein a primary side signal at the primary side of the transformer generates a secondary side signal at the secondary side of the transformer, the system including:

mutually coupled first and second oscillators at the primary side of the transformer, wherein the first oscillator is connected to a first winding of the primary side, said first winding having a center tap connected to receive a power supply voltage, and wherein the second oscillator is connected to a second winding of the primary side, said second winding having a center tap connected to receive said power supply voltage;

wherein the first oscillator is coupled to a modulator to produce a first oscillator signal modulated with a data signal for transmission to the secondary side of the transformer;

wherein the second oscillator is selectively switchable on and off to control power supply transmission to the secondary side of the transformer; and

a demodulator and a rectifier configured to receive a secondary side signal generated at the secondary side of the transformer;

wherein the demodulator is configured to recover at the secondary side of the transformer said data signal modulating said first oscillator signal; and

wherein the rectifier is configured to recovering at the secondary side of the transformer a power supply controlled by said switching on and off said second oscillator.

10. The system of claim 9, further including:

a further modulator configured to couple to the secondary side of the transformer at said rectifier a further data signal for transmission to the primary side of the transformer, and

a further demodulator at the primary side of the transformer configured to recover at the primary side of the transformer at said first oscillator said further data signal.

11. The system of claim 9, further including coupling said modulator to said first oscillator at the primary side of the transformer by setting the modulator between said first oscillator and ground.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said transformer includes a stacked primary side winding including respective pairs of windings driven by said first oscillator and said second oscillator to provide mutual coupling therebetween.

13. A circuit, comprising:

a gate driver configured to drive a gate of a transistor; and

a galvanic input-output isolation circuit coupled to an input of the gate driver, said galvanic input-output isolation circuit comprising;

a transformer including a primary side and a secondary side;

mutually coupled first and second oscillators at the primary side of the transformer, wherein the first oscillator is connected to a first winding of the primary side, said first winding having a center tap connected to receive a power supply voltage, and wherein the second oscillator is connected to a second winding of the primary side, said second winding having a center tap connected to receive said power supply voltage;

wherein the first oscillator is coupled to a modulator to produce a first oscillator signal modulated with a data signal for transmission to the secondary side of the transformer;

wherein the second oscillator is selectively switchable on and off to control power supply transmission to the secondary side of the transformer;

a demodulator configured to receive a secondary side signal generated at the secondary side of the transformer and recover at the secondary side of the transformer said data signal modulating said first oscillator signal for application to the input of the gate driver; and

a rectifier configured to receive the secondary side signal generated at the secondary side of the transformer and recover at the secondary side of the transformer a power supply signal controlled by said switching on and off said second oscillator for application to a power supply input of the gate driver.

14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein said transformer includes a stacked primary side winding including respective pairs of windings driven by said first oscillator and said second oscillator to provide mutual coupling therebetween.