Transformer coupled current capping power supply topology

• US 10,461,572 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Harris, Shaun L., Peterson, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Joel
• Application Number:
  US15/233,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20170005513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4208 Arrangements for improving power factor of AC input
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33515 with digital control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

Described is a technology by which magnetic flux is used to provide backup power. A transformer has a line power source controllably coupled to a first input winding, and secondary power source controllably coupled to a second input winding. A controller monitors the line power and switches to the secondary power source if the line power voltage drops too low, or uses the secondary power source to augment the line power source if the line power current gets too high. Also described is incrementally transitioning from the secondary power source back to the line power source.

Claims

1. A load transfer system for switching a load in a transformer having a first input winding corresponding to a primary side and a second input winding corresponding a secondary side, the load transfer system comprising:

a first source of power selectively supplied to the first input winding through activation of a first duty cycle associated with a first switch coupled to the first input winding;

a second source of power selectively supplied to the second input winding through activation of a second duty cycle associated with a second switch coupled to the second input winding; and

a controller configured to;

monitor an input voltage (Vin) supplied to the first input winding that is inductively transferring power to the output winding,

determine Vin is below a threshold input voltage,

incident to said determination, adjust the second duty cycle associated with the second switch to supply the second source of power to the second input winding to inductively transfer additional power from the second input winding with the inductively transferred power from the first input winding to the output winding, and

increase the first duty cycle associated with the first switch by a step rate based on the additional supply of the second source of power to the second input winding.

2. The load transfer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a power condition experienced by the load,

detect that the power condition comprises a power supply having a current value that exceeds a current protection threshold, and

incident to the current value exceeding the current protection threshold, adjust the second duty cycle associated with the second switch.

3. The load transfer system claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to:

determine a power condition experienced the power condition comprises a supply voltage provided to the first input winding being less than a voltage protection threshold.

4. The load transfer system claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to:

monitor the supply voltage after the second source of power is supplied to the second input winding of the transformer,

determine that the supply voltage is within an acceptable level of the voltage protection threshold, and

incident to the supply voltage being within the acceptable level of the voltage protection threshold, transitioning power supplied to the transformer from the second source of power to the first source of power.

5. The load transfer system of claim 1, wherein the second source of power is a battery providing AC-rectified power to the second input winding that, when applied, induces magnetic flux on the first input winding.

6. The load transfer system of claim 1, further comprising one or more switching mechanisms that are selectively controlled by the controller to selectively couple and decouple the first source of power to the first input winding and the second source of power to the second input winding.

7. The load transfer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

monitor a current associated with the first source of power,

detect that the current associated with the first source of power exceeds a current protection threshold, and

reduce power supplied to the transformer from the first source of power based upon the current associated with the first source of power exceeding the current protection threshold.

8. The load transfer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to incrementally transition power supplied to the transformer from the second source of power back to the first source of power.

9. The load transfer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the power condition experienced by the load by detecting that a voltage at the load is within an acceptable voltage range of a voltage protection threshold and a current at the load exceeds a current protection threshold.

10. The load transfer system claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to supply the first source of power to a load based on the voltage at the load being within the acceptable voltage range and the current at the load exceeding the current protection threshold.

11. The load transfer system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more computing devices configured to;

receive the first duty cycle,

determine the power condition, and

remotely signal the controller over a network to switch from the first source of power to the second source of power.

12. The load transfer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is connected on the primary side of the transformer with respect to voltage and ground.

13. The load transfer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is connected on the secondary side with respect to voltage and ground.

14. A method for controlling load transfer in a transformer having a first input winding supplied with a first source of power that is selectively supplied by varying a first duty cycle to a first switch and corresponding to a primary side, a second input winding supplied with a second power source that is selectively supplied by varying a second duty cycle to a second switch and corresponding to a secondary side, the method comprising:

monitoring an input voltage (Vin) supplied to the first input winding that is inductively transferring power to the output winding;

determining Vin is below a threshold input voltage;

incident to said determination, adjusting the second duty cycle associated with the second switch to supply the second source of power to the second input winding to inductively transfer additional power from the second input winding with the inductively transferred power from the first input winding to the output winding; and

increasing the first duty cycle associated with the first switch by a step rate based on the additional supply of the second source of power to the second input winding.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a power condition is outside of an acceptable value range of a current protection threshold or a voltage protection threshold; and

incident to the power condition being outside of the acceptable value range of the current protection threshold or the voltage protection threshold, adjusting the duty cycle of the second switch to adjust the supply of the second source of power to the second input winding.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the power condition further comprises the voltage being below the voltage protection threshold and the current exceeding the current protection threshold.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the power condition further comprises voltage exceeding the voltage protection threshold.

18. One or more computer-storage media comprising computer-executable instructions for controlling load transfer in a transformer having a first input winding corresponding to a primary side that is selectively supplied by varying a first duty cycle to a first switch and a second input winding corresponding a secondary side that is selectively supplied by varying a second duty cycle to a second switch, the computer-executable instructions causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

monitoring an input voltage (Vin) supplied to the first input winding that is inductively transferring power to the output winding;

determining Vin is below a threshold input voltage;

incident to said determination, adjusting the second duty cycle associated with the second switch to supply the second source of power to the second input winding to inductively transfer additional power from the second input winding with the inductively transferred power from the first input winding to the output winding; and

increasing the first duty cycle associated with the first switch by a step rate based on the additional supply of the second source of power to the second input winding.

19. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 18, further comprising:

monitoring the voltage at the first input winding after coupling of the second supply to the second input winding;

determining that the voltage at the first input winding is within an acceptable range of the voltage protection threshold; and

incident to the voltage at the first input winding being within the acceptable range of the voltage protection threshold, decoupling the second supply from the second input winding and re-coupling the first supply to the first input winding.

20. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 18, further comprising:

monitoring the current at the first input winding after coupling of the second supply to the second input winding;

determining that the current at the first input winding is less than the current protection threshold; and

incident to the current at the first input winding being less than the current protection threshold, decoupling the second supply from the second input winding and re-coupling the first supply to the first input winding.