Active circuit filter for reducing conducted radiation from a load back to its power supply

• US 5,408,193 A
• Filed: 09/03/1993
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodal, Eric B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, DINH THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/116,896
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 307/556, 307/520, 307/521, 307/542, 307/542.1, 307/543, 328/167, 330/109, 330/107, 323/186, 323/190
• US Class Current: 327/559
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/565 sensing a condition of the system or its load in addition to means responsive to deviations in the output of the system, e.g. current, voltage, power factor G05F1/563 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/14 Arrangements for reducing ripples from dc input or output

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention comprises a series pass transistor with its emitter arranged to receive a source of DC power, its collector arranged to supply a DC load, and its base connected to the junction of a capacitor to ground and an inductor to the collector. An output capacitor from the collector to ground is alternatively included. In a second embodiment of the present invention, an operational amplifier is inserted in the base circuit to increase the effective circuit gain.

Claims

1. A power supply filter for blocking the coupling of noise generated in a DC load by a switching power supply from coupling back to an input source of DC power, comprising:

a bipolar junction transistor with an emitter coupled to an input power supply connection, a collector coupled to an output load connection and a base;

a capacitor connected between said base and a ground common;

said impedance means connected between said base and said collector for supplying a DC bias current to said base to turn on the transistor and for dropping noise voltages coming in from said output load connection, wherein noise generated in said DC load is inhibited from coupling upstream to said input source of DC power; and

an operational amplifier (op-amp) inserted between said base and a junction of the capacitor and said impedance means such that an output of the op-amp drives said base, a non-inverting input connects to said junction and an inverting input connects to said emitter, wherein the effective gain of the transistor is increased.

2. A power supply filter for blocking the coupling of noise generated in a DC load by a switching power supply from coupling back to an input source of DC power, comprising:

a field effect transistor (FET) with a source coupled to an input power supply connection, a drain coupled to an output load connection and a gate;

a capacitor connected between said gate and a ground common;

said impedance means connected between said gate and said drain for supplying a DC bias current to said gate to turn on the FET and for dropping noise voltages coming in from said output load connection, wherein noise generated in said DC load in inhibited coupling through back upstream to said input source of DC power; and

an operational amplifier (op-amp) inserted between said gate and a junction of the capacitor and said impedance means such that an output of the op-amp drives said gate, a non-inverting input connects to said junction and an inverting input connects to said source, wherein the effective gain of the FET is increased thereby.