Current stabilizer with step-up transformer

• US 5,751,566 A
• Filed: 06/24/1996
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Vongehr, Otto
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US08/666,449
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 363/23, 363/25, 363/26, 363/61, 363/65, 363/71, 363/100, 363/134, 363/17, 363/56, 363/98, 363/21, 363/97, 315/137, 315/141, 315/144, 315/160, 315/246, 315/276, 315/279, 315/307, 315/219, 323/234, 323/247, 323/259
• US Class Current: 363/71
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/30 semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/048 with reverse phase control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

Constant-current regulators are required, for example, in systems for airfield lighting and have units for nominal-value presetting and actual-value detection as well as for actual value/nominal value comparison. According to the present invention, a constant-current regulator having a step-up transformer is designed in such a manner that the primary of the step-up transformer is assigned a unit for selection of a basic voltage, and in such a manner that a switch-mode regulator module supplies a power which is applied to the basic voltage.

Claims

1. In a lighting system a constant-current regulator comprising:

a first unit for selecting a basic voltage;

a step-up transformer including a first primary winding coupled to the first unit, wherein an additional power for supplementing the basic voltage is produced using one of a second primary winding of the step-up transformer and a second transformer which includes the second primary winding and a secondary winding;

a switch-mode regulator module for regulating the additional power, wherein the switch-mode regulator module drives the second primary winding; and

a drive circuit by which the switch-mode regulator module drives the second primary winding.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the basic voltage provides approximately 90% of the power, and wherein approximately 10% of the power is provided to the second primary winding.

3. The system according to claim 1 comprising a second unit for presetting a nominal value, wherein the second unit activates the first unit.

4. The system according to claim 1 comprising a third unit for detecting an actual value, the third unit being an analog current transformer.

5. The system according to claim 4, further comprising an A/D converter coupled to a resistor, the A/D converter positioned downstream from the analog current transformer for generating a digital representation of the actual value.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a digital switching means for comparing an actual value and a nominal value.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transistor circuit includes MOSFETs and respective reverse-connected diodes.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transistor circuit includes bipolar transistors.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the switch-mode regulator module and the transistor circuit form a driving regulator, the driving regulator driving the first primary winding of the first step-up transformer.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the step-up transformer allows substantially interference-free data transmission in a region of a voltage zero crossing.