Method and apparatus for electronic power control

• US 20030052658A1
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David F. Baretich, Gregory P. Wiegand
• Original Assignee: David F. Baretich, Gregory P. Wiegand
• Inventors: Baretich, David F., Wiegand, Gregory P.
• Application Number:
  US10/068,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052658A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/284
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/613 using semiconductor devices in parallel with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4208 Arrangements for improving power factor of AC input
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/293 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

The method of the invention in one aspect involves electronic power control by varying the amplitude of an electrical power supply voltage, independent of frequency, whereby the output frequency will always be the same as the input frequency. An electrical circuit apparatus for accomplishing this function in a preferred embodiment is also disclosed herein. The preferred circuitry of this aspect of the invention uses four solid state switches, such as IGBT'"'"'s, four diodes, an inductor, input and output filters and novel controlling circuitry. The controller apparatus and methods of the invention may be used to implement all otherwise conventional converter types, buck, boost, and inverting (and duals of these) versions to obtain different regulating characteristics, including galvanic isolation of the output from the input. The inventive methods and devices may be used in power factor correction, voltage and/or current harmonic filtering and neutralization, line and load conditioning, control of power transfer between two power grids, and programmable control of surges, sags, dropouts and most other voltage regulation problems.

Claims

1. A power controller having quadrant modes based upon an input voltage and an error circuit output, whereby a positive input voltage will determine that either Quadrant I or Quadrant II will be employed, and whereby a negative input voltage will determine that either Quadrant III or Quadrant IV will be employed;

wherein selection of Quadrant I vs. Quadrant II or Quadrant III vs. Quadrant IV is dependent upon the error circuitry.

2. The power controller of claim 1 wherein the error circuitry compares output voltage to a reference and determines both the required direction of current flow and the required amount of modulation by way of an error amplitude output to maintain controller output regulation.

3. The power controller of claim 1 further comprising a capacitor connected across an output and a return of the controller whereby the combination of controller and capacitor functions as a variable capacitor.

4. The power controller of claim 1 further comprising an inductor connected across an output and a return of the controller whereby the combination of controller and inductor functions as a variable inductor.