Voltage set point control scheme

• US 20040179382A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bel Power Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Power-One Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Chapuis, Alain, Thaker, Mahesh Natverlal
• Granted Patent: US 7,080,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/74
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0025 Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/157 with digital control

Abstract

A system and method is provided for determining a voltage output of a programmable power converter based on programming voltage data received from one of a variety of alternate sources. Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, a control unit is adapted to monitor a digital data serial interface, a digital data parallel interface, and an analog data interface to determine whether programming voltage data has been received. If programming voltage data has been received, the data is used to determine an output voltage for the programmable power converter. If more than one set of programming voltage data has been received, a determination is made as to which set of data takes priority. The selected set of data is then used to determine an output voltage for the programmable power converter.

Claims

1. A programmable power converter comprising:

at least three data interfaces including a digital data serial interface, a digital data parallel interface, and an analog data interface;

a control unit connected to said at least three data interfaces and adapted to determine an output voltage based upon a set of programming voltage data received from at least one of said at least three data interfaces; and

an output voltage builder adapted to produce said output voltage.

2. The programmable power converter of claim 1, further comprising a storage device adapted to store said set of programming voltage data if said set of programming voltage data is received from said digital data serial interface.

3. The programmable power converter of claim 1, further comprising a storage device adapted to store look-up table data, said look-up table data being used by said control unit to determine said output voltage if said set of programming voltage data is received from one of said digital data parallel interface and said digital data serial interface.

4. The programmable power converter of claim 1, further comprising a resistor network connected to said analog data interface.

5. The programmable power converter of claim 1, wherein said control unit further comprises:

an analog circuit connected to said analog interface for converting an analog set of programming voltage data into a digital set of programming voltage data; and

a digital processor connected to said analog circuit, said digital data serial interface, and said digital data parallel interface, said digital processor being adapted to determine said output voltage.

6. A method of producing a power converter output in accordance with a set of programming voltage data, comprising:

determining whether programming voltage data has been received by at least one of a digital data serial interface, a digital data parallel interface, and an analog data interface;

identifying a most relevant set of programming voltage data; and

determining an output voltage based upon said most relevant set of programming voltage data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of identifying a most relevant set of programming voltage data further comprises identifying a set of programming voltage data received by said digital data serial interface to be more relevant than a set of programming voltage data received by said digital data parallel interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of identifying a most relevant set of programming voltage data further comprises identifying a set of programming voltage data received by said digital data serial interface to be more relevant than a set of programming voltage data received by said analog data interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of identifying a most relevant set of programming voltage data further comprises identifying a set of programming voltage data received by said digital data parallel interface to be more relevant than a set of programming voltage data received by said analog data interface.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing said most relevant set of programming voltage data if said most relevant set of programming voltage data is received by said digital data serial interface.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing look-up table data; and

using said look-up table data to determine said output voltage if said most relevant set of programming voltage data is received by one of said digital data parallel interface and said digital data serial interface.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing a set of programming voltage data corresponding to a desired output voltage over a serial data bus to said digital data serial interface.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing a set of programming voltage data corresponding to a desired output voltage over a parallel data bus to said digital data parallel interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of providing a set of programming voltage data corresponding to a desired output voltage is performed by a digital processor.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of providing a set of programming voltage data corresponding to a desired output voltage is performed by hard wiring said parallel data bus.

16. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing a set of programming voltage data corresponding to a desired output voltage over at least one wire to said analog data interface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of providing a set of programming voltage data corresponding to a desired output voltage is performed by hard wiring a resistor network to said at least one wire.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of providing a set of programming voltage data corresponding to a desired output voltage is performed by hard wiring a resistor network including at least one potentiometer to said at least one wire and adjust said at least one potentiometer.

19. A programmable power converter system comprising:

a programming apparatus; and

a programmable power converter connected to said programming apparatus comprising;

a digital data serial interface;

a digital data parallel interface;

an analog data interface;

a control unit connected to said digital data serial interface, said digital data parallel interface, and said analog data interface and adapted to determine an output voltage based upon a set of programming voltage data received from one of said digital data serial interface, said digital data parallel interface, and said analog data interface; and

an output voltage builder adapted to produce said output voltage.

20. The programmable power converter system of claim 19, wherein said programming apparatus is selected from a list of programming devices consisting of a resistor network, a plurality of fixed digital values, and a processor.