METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMISSION OF ENERGY AND DATA

• US 20100283327A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Original Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Inventors: Pechstein, Torsten, Scheibe, Sven-Matthias, Buschnakowski, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 8,928,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0211 with control of the supply voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0238 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/321 Use of a microprocessor in an amplifier circuit or its control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/541 Transformer coupled at the output of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2176 Class E amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0266 Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling

Abstract

In a method and in an apparatus for transmission of energy and data, with a primary side, on which an amplifier is arranged, with a secondary side, on which a data source, e.g. a measuring sensor, is arranged, and with a plug-together assembly inductively coupling, galvanically completely isolated, the primary side and the secondary side, to minimize power losses and disturbing influences of fluctuating parameters, power from the plug-together assembly and from the amplifier, preferably a Class-E-amplifier, is controlled to a predeterminable, desired value. For this, a microcontroller taps the primary voltage on the primary winding and produces for the amplifier a controlled operating voltage as well as a controlled operating frequency, in order to keep the working point of the amplifier always in the optimal region.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method for the transmission of energy and data, wherein a primary side with an amplifier and a secondary side with a data source are provided, comprising the steps of:

inductively coupling, galvanically completely isolating the amplifier and the data source by means of a plug-together assembly;

inductively transmitting energy;

from the amplifier to the data source on the secondary side in the opposing direction from the data source to the amplifier; and

controlling the power drawn by the plug-together assembly and the data source by means of a microcontroller.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of:

controlling the operating frequency for the amplifier by means of the microcontroller as a function of primary voltage on the primary winding.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of:

controlling the operating voltage for the amplifier by means of the microcontroller as a function of the primary voltage on the primary winding.

22. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the microcontroller supplies the amplifier with the operating frequency.

23. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the microcontroller controls a DC-DC converter for producing the controlled operating voltage for the amplifier.

24. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the amplifier is a Class-E amplifier.

25. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the method is provided in a measurement installation for measuring physical variables.

26. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the data source is a digital, measuring sensor.

27. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

supplementally, inductive data transmission occurs from the primary side to the secondary side.

28. The apparatus for the transmission of energy and data, comprising:

a primary side with an amplifier and a secondary side with a data source;

a microcontroller; and

a plug-together assembly, wherein;

said amplifier and said data source are inductively coupled, galvanically completely isolated by said plug-together assembly;

energy is inductively transmittable from the amplifier to the data source on the secondary side and data are inductively transmittable in the opposing direction from the data source to the amplifier; and

power drawn by said plug-together assembly and said data source is controllable by means of said microcontroller.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

the operating frequency for said amplifier is controllable by means of said microcontroller as a function of primary voltage on said primary winding.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

the operating voltage for said amplifier is controllable by means of said microcontroller as a function of the primary voltage on said primary winding.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

said amplifier is suppliable with the operating frequency by means of said microcontroller.

32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

a DC-DC converter is operable by means of said microcontroller for producing the controlled operating voltage for said amplifier.

33. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

said amplifier is a Class-E amplifier.

34. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

the apparatus is provided in a measurement installation for measuring physical variables.

35. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

said data source is a digital, measuring sensor.

36. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

supplementally, inductive data transmission is provided from said primary side to said secondary side.