GALVANIC ISOLATION SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20170154727A1
• Filed: 05/24/2016
• Published: 06/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Palmisano, Giuseppe, Ragonese, Egidio, Greco, Nunzio, Spina, Nunzio
• Granted Patent: US 9,978,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/146 in combination with capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/642 Capacitive arrangements H01L23/49589, H01L23/645, H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence; capacitive effects between wiring layers on the semiconductor body H01L23/5222
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/06 using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 15/00 Generation of oscillations using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices, or using superconductivity effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0266 Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling

Abstract

A galvanic isolation system includes a first isolation barrier and a second isolation barrier. The first isolation barrier includes a transformer. The second isolation barrier includes an inductive circuit connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. The first and the second isolation barriers are coupled to form an LC resonant network.

Claims

1. A galvanic isolation system, comprising:

a first isolation barrier including a transformer, and

a second isolation barrier cascaded to said first isolation barrier, wherein the first and the second isolation barriers coupled to form an LC resonant network.

2. The galvanic isolation system of claim 1, wherein the second isolation barrier includes at least one inductor.

3. The galvanic isolation system of claim 2, wherein said at least one inductor comprises a series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor.

4. The galvanic isolation system of claim 2, wherein said at least one inductor comprises:

a first series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor coupled to a first terminal of a secondary winding of the transformer of the first isolation barrier, and

a second series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor coupled to a second terminal of the secondary winding of the transformer of the first isolation barrier.

5. The galvanic isolation system of claim 1, wherein the first and second isolation barriers are respectively integrated to two separated integrated circuit chips.

6. A galvanic isolation system, comprising:

a first isolation barrier, and

a second isolation barrier including a transformer cascaded to said first isolation barrier, wherein the first and the second isolation barriers coupled to form an LC resonant network.

7. The galvanic isolation system of claim 6, wherein the first isolation barrier includes at least one inductor.

8. The galvanic isolation system of claim 7, wherein said at least one inductor comprises a series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor.

9. The galvanic isolation system of claim 7, wherein said at least one inductor comprises:

a first series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor coupled to a first terminal of a primary winding of the transformer of the second isolation barrier, and

a second series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor coupled to a second terminal of the primary winding of the transformer of the second isolation barrier.

10. The galvanic isolation system of claim 6, wherein the first isolation barrier includes at least one capacitor coupled to a first terminal of a primary winding of the transformer of the second isolation barrier.

11. The galvanic isolation system of claim 10, further comprising a tank oscillator coupled in series with said at least one capacitor.

12. The galvanic isolation system of claim 10, wherein the first isolation barrier further includes a further capacitor coupled to a second terminal of the primary winding of the transformer of the second isolation barrier.

13. The galvanic isolation system of claim 6, wherein the first and second isolation barriers are respectively integrated to two separated integrated circuit chips.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a galvanic isolation system comprising;

a first isolation barrier including a transformer, and

a second isolation barrier cascaded to said first isolation barrier, wherein the first and the second isolation barriers coupled to form an LC resonant network; and

at least one of;

a data transmitter coupled to one of said first and second isolation barriers and a data receiver coupled to another of said first and second isolation barriers,

a power source coupled to one of said first and second isolation barriers and an ac-dc power converter coupled to another of said first and second isolation barriers.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said ac-dc power converter includes a rectifier.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second isolation barrier includes at least one inductor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said at least one inductor comprises a series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said at least one inductor comprises:

a first series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor coupled to a first terminal of a secondary winding of the transformer of the first isolation barrier, and

a second series-coupling of an inductor and a capacitor coupled to a second terminal of the secondary winding of the transformer of the first isolation barrier.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second isolation barrier includes at least one capacitor coupled to a first terminal of a first winding of the transformer of the first isolation barrier.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a tank oscillator coupled in series with said at least one capacitor.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second isolation barrier further includes a further capacitor coupled to a second terminal of the first winding of the transformer of the first isolation barrier.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second isolation barriers are respectively integrated to two separated integrated circuit chips.

23. A system, comprising:

a first integrated circuit chip including a transformer having a primary winding configured to receive an input signal and a secondary winding;

a second integrated circuit chip including an inductor-capacitor network comprising an inductor coupled in series with a capacitor;

a wiring line connecting a terminal of the secondary winding with a terminal of the inductor-capacitor network;

wherein the transformer and inductor-capacitor network form an LC resonant network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the input signal is a data signal, and wherein the first integrated circuit chip includes a data transmitter coupled supply the input signal to the transformer and wherein the second integrated circuit includes a data receiver coupled to an output of the inductor-capacitor network.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the input signal is a power signal, and wherein the first integrated circuit chip includes a supply circuit coupled to supply the input signal to the transformer and wherein the second integrated circuit includes power converter coupled to an output of the inductor-capacitor network.

26. A system, comprising:

a first integrated circuit chip including an inductor-capacitor network configured to receive an input signal and comprising an inductor coupled in series with a capacitor;

a second integrated circuit chip including a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding;

a wiring line connecting a terminal of the primary winding with a terminal of the inductor-capacitor network;

wherein the transformer and inductor-capacitor network form an LC resonant network.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the input signal is a data signal, and wherein the first integrated circuit chip includes a data transmitter coupled supply the input signal and wherein the second integrated circuit includes a data receiver coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the input signal is a power signal, and wherein the first integrated circuit chip includes a supply circuit coupled to supply the input signal and wherein the second integrated circuit includes power converter coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the supply circuit is a tank oscillator and the inductor of the inductor-capacitor network is provided by an inductive load of the tank oscillator.