System and method for voltage positioning a regulator and regulator employing the same

• US 5,917,312 A
• Filed: 06/16/1998
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABB Power Electronics Inc. (ABB Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Brkovic, Milivoje Slobodan
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US09/098,281
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 323/266, 323/280, 323/282, 323/285, 323/351, 323/352, 323/275, 323/277, 363/17, 363/20, 363/21, 363/98
• US Class Current: 323/282
• 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

Abstract

A system for, and method of, voltage positioning a regulator and a regulator employing the system or the method. The regulator has an input coupled to a switching network and an output coupled to a load. In one embodiment, the voltage positioning system, includes a current sensor, coupled to the output, that senses an output current of the regulator and generates a proportional voltage. The system further includes a voltage sensor, coupled to the load, that senses a load voltage and the proportional voltage. The system still further includes a controller, coupled to the voltage sensor, that generates a signal to control the switching network as a function of the load voltage and the proportional voltage.

Claims

1. For use with a regulator having an input coupled to a switching network and an output coupled to a load, a voltage positioning system, comprising:

a current sensor, coupled to said output, that senses an output current of said regulator and generates a proportional voltage;

a voltage sensor, coupled to said load, that senses a load voltage and said proportional voltage; and

a controller, coupled to said voltage sensor, that generates a signal to control said switching network as a function of said load voltage and said proportional voltage.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said current sensor comprises:

an inline resistor coupled in series with said output;

an operational amplifier coupled to said inline resistor and having noninverting and inverting inputs; and

first and second scaling resistors coupled to said noninverting and inverting inputs, respectively.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said switching network comprises first and second switches and said current sensor comprises first and second current transformers coupled to said first and second switches, respectively.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said voltage sensor comprises a voltage divider network coupled to said current sensor and said controller.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said voltage sensor comprises:

a plurality of summing resistors coupled to said load and said current sensor; and

an operational amplifier coupled to said plurality of summing resistors and said controller.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said load is coupled to said output via a pair of conductors having corresponding impedances associated therewith.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said switching network comprises a switch selected from the group consisting of:

a controllable switch, and

a diode.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said regulator is a selected from the group consisting of:

a linear regulator, and

a switched-mode regulator.

9. For use with a regulator having an input coupled to a switching network and an output coupled to a load, a method of voltage positioning said regulator, comprising:

sensing an output current of said regulator and generating a proportional voltage;

sensing a load voltage and said proportional voltage; and

generating a signal to control said switching network as a function of said load voltage and said proportional voltage.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein sensing an output current is performed by a current sensor comprising:

an inline resistor coupled in series with said output;

an operational amplifier coupled to said inline resistor and having noninverting and inverting inputs; and

first and second scaling resistors coupled to said noninverting and inverting inputs, respectively.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said switching network comprises first and second switches and said sensing said output current is performed by a current sensor comprising first and second current transformers coupled to said first and second switches, respectively.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said sensing said load voltage is performed by a voltage sensor comprising a voltage divider network coupled to said load.

13. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said sensing said load voltage is performed by a voltage sensor comprising:

a plurality of summing resistors coupled to said load and said current sensor; and

an operational amplifier coupled to said plurality of summing resistors and said controller.

14. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said load is coupled to said output via a pair of conductors having corresponding impedances associated therewith.

15. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said switching network comprises a switch selected from the group consisting of:

a controllable switch, and

a diode.

16. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said regulator is a selected from the group consisting of:

a linear regulator, and

a switched-mode regulator.

17. A regulator having an input and an output coupled to a load, comprising:

a switching network coupled to said input,

a filter coupled to said output, and

a voltage positioning system, comprising;

a current sensor, coupled to said output, that senses an output current of said regulator and generates a proportional voltage;

a voltage sensor, coupled to said load, that senses a load voltage and said proportional voltage; and

a controller, coupled to said voltage sensor, that generates a signal to control said switching network as a function of said load voltage and said proportional voltage.

18. The regulator as recited in claim 17 wherein said current sensor comprises:

an inline resistor coupled in series with said output;

an operational amplifier coupled to said inline resistor and having noninverting and inverting inputs; and

first and second scaling resistors coupled to said noninverting and inverting inputs, respectively.

19. The regulator as recited in claim 17 wherein said switching network comprises first and second switches and said current sensor comprises first and second current transformers coupled to said first and second switches, respectively.

20. The regulator as recited in claim 17 wherein said voltage sensor comprises a voltage divider network coupled to said current sensor and said controller.

21. The regulator as recited in claim 17 wherein said voltage sensor comprises:

a plurality of summing resistors coupled to said load and said current sensor; and

an operational amplifier coupled to said plurality of summing resistors and said controller.

22. The regulator as recited in claim 17 wherein said load is coupled to said output via a pair of conductors having corresponding impedances associated therewith.

23. The regulator as recited in claim 17 wherein said switching network comprises a switch selected from the group consisting of:

a controllable switch, and

a diode.

24. The regulator as recited in claim 17 wherein said regulator is a selected from the group consisting of:

a linear regulator, and

a switched-mode regulator.