SWITCHED MODE POWER SUPPLY

• US 20140132179A1
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IKON Semiconductor Limited
• Original Assignee: IKON Semiconductor Limited
• Inventors: McAuliffe, Conor, Grogan, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,270,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/385 using flyback topology
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

The present application relates to switched mode power supplies and provides a method of control in which control is effected at the midpoint of the period in which the input switch is conducting.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a switched mode power supply to convert an input to an output, the switched mode power supply comprising a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side,

and a switch on the primary side of the transformer, the method comprising:

switching the switch on to connect the primary side of the transformer to the input, and

switching the switch off to disconnect the primary side of the transformer to the input, effecting control of the switch at the mid point of the on-time being the period between the switching on of the switch and the switching off of the switch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein effecting control comprises determining the value of a successive on-time for the switch based on a measurement obtained at the mid point of a previous on-time for the switch.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the measurement is one of the current on the primary side of the switched mode power supply.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the on-time is based on an estimate of a value on the secondary side of the switched mode power supply, wherein said estimate is determined from the measurement obtained at the mid point of previous on-time for the switch.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the estimate is compared to a set point to produce an error signal representative of the difference there between and wherein the error signal is processed to as to provide the successive value for the on time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein effecting control comprises switching on the switch and waiting a time period until the primary current has reached a desired level and then waiting the same time period before switching off the switch.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the desired level is a predetermined set value.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the desired level is obtained by comparing a secondary side estimate with a setpoint.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the secondary side estimate is based upon a measurement of the current on the primary side of the switched mode power supply.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparison results in an error signal representative of the difference between the estimate and the set point and wherein the error signal is processed to provide a desired set point for successive cycles.

23. The method of claim 9, wherein the set point is a predetermined value.

24. The method of claim 9, wherein the set point is a predetermined value modulated by the input voltage to the primary side of the SMPS.

29. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mid-point of the on-time of the switch is determined relative to on-time of a control signal.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the relative positioning of the on-time of the switch and the on-time of the control signal is determined by reference to at least one delay between the two.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one delay comprises a delay with respect to the start of an ‘

on-time’

on the control signal and the start of the ‘

on-time’

of the switch.

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein at least one delay comprises a delay with respect to the end of an ‘

on-time’

on the control signal and the end of the ‘

on-time’

of the switch.

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34. A controller for effecting control of a switch in a switch mode power supply by providing a switching signal to the switch to cause it to be switched on for an on-time of a switching period, the controller being configured to effect control of the switch at the mid point of the on-time.

35. The controller of claim 34, wherein to effect control at the mid point, the controller determines the value of on-time for the switch for a successive switching period based on a measurement obtained at the mid point of a previous on-time for the switch.

36. The controller of claim 35, wherein the measurement is one of the current on the primary side of the switched mode power supply.

37. The controller of claim 35, wherein the on-time is determined by the controller based on an estimate of a value on the secondary side of the switched mode power supply, wherein said estimate is determined from the measurement obtained at the mid point of a previous on-time for the switch.

43. The controller of claim 34, wherein the controller effects control by switching on the switch and waiting a time period until the primary current has reached a desired level and then waiting the same time period before switching off the switch.

44. The controller of claim 43, wherein the desired level is a predetermined set point.

45. The controller of claim 44, further comprising an estimator for providing an estimate of a value from a secondary side of the SMPS and where, wherein the controller sets the desired level based on a comparison between the output of the estimator and a setpoint.

55. A controller according to claim 34, wherein the controller is configured to generate a control signal to effect the switching signal and where the controller determines the mid-point of the switching signal based on the relative position of the mid-point of the ‘

on-time’

of the control signal.

56. A controller according to claim 55, wherein controller is configured to determine the relative position of the mid-point of the switching signal and the mid-point of the control signal by reference to at least one delay between the two.

57. A controller according to claim 56, further comprising at least one timer for measuring the at least one delay.

58. A controller according to claim 56, wherein the at least one delay comprises a delay with respect to the start of an ‘

on-time’

on the control signal and the start of the ‘

on-time’

of the switch.

59. A controller according to claim 56, wherein the at least one delay comprises a delay with respect to the end of an ‘

on-time’

on the control signal and the end of the ‘

on-time’

of the switch.

60. A controller according to claim 59, further comprising a comparator for determining the start of on-time of the switching signal by comparing the level of the switching signal to a threshold value.

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61. A Switched Mode Power Supply (SMPS) for converting an input to an output, the SMPS comprising:

a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side,

a switch for switchably connecting the primary side of the transformer to the input;

a controller for effecting control of a switch in a switch mode power supply by providing a switching signal to the switch to cause it to be switched on for an on-time of a switching period, the controller being configured to effect control of the switch at the mid point of the on-time.

62. The SMPS of claim 61, wherein the SMPS is configured as a flyback converter.

63. The SMPS of claim 61, further comprising a rectifier for rectifying a mains input voltage and providing this mains rectified voltage as the input to the SMPS.

64. The SMPS of claim 61, further comprising a light comprising at least one LED wherein the at least one LED is driven by the output from the SMPS.

66. The SMPS of claim 61, further comprising a luminaire having a connector for engaging with a light socket providing a mains voltage, the luminaire light fitting further comprising an LED driven by the output from the SMPS.

65. (canceled)

67. A light comprising:

a fitting for engaging with a light socket and receiving mains power,

a main body connected to the fitting and housing electronic circuitry;

a head section comprising at least one LED driven by the electronic circuitry, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises;

a rectifier circuit for rectifiying the received mains power;

an SPMS circuit, for providing a drive current to the at least one LED, comprising a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side with the at least one LED being driven by the secondary side, a switch for switchably connecting the primary side of the transformer to the rectified mains power;

wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to effect control of the operation of the switch at the mid point of the on-time of the switch.