Proportional distribution of power from a plurality of power sources

• US 6,525,435 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Broadband TelCom Power, Inc. (E.ON SE)
• Original Assignee: Broadband TelCom Power, Inc. (E.ON SE)
• Inventors: Lau, James L., Jin, Xiao Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): POLK, SHARON A
• Application Number:
  US09/929,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 307/44, 307/58, 307/52, 307/82, 307/55
• US Class Current: 307/52
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4208 Arrangements for improving power factor of AC input
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A power distributing mechanism includes a regulating circuit disposed between at least two circuit portions. The regulating circuit includes bifilar-wound windings electrically coupled to the circuit portions. In a first embodiment, the two circuit portions withdraw power from two separate power sources. The regulating circuit, in response to power withdrawn from the power sources passing through the circuit portions, proportionally allocates the withdrawn power between the circuit portions. In a second embodiment, the two circuits portions withdraw power from a single power source. The two circuit portions serve as redundant reliability backup to each other. In the event of circuit failure in one of the circuit portions, the regulating circuit in response to the failure proportionally allocates power to the remaining functioning circuit portion.

Claims

1. A power distributing circuit for distributing power from a plurality of alternating-current power sources, comprising:

a first circuit electrically coupled to one of said power sources;

a second circuit electrically coupled to another of said power sources; and

a regulating circuit having bifilar-wound windings electrically coupled to said first and second circuits, said regulating circuit proportionally allocates power between said first and second circuits from said power sources in response to power passing through said first and second circuits.

2. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second circuits respectively include first and second inductors, said regulating circuit includes first and second windings, wherein said first inductor being electrically coupled to said first winding and said second inductor being electrically coupled to said second winding, said first winding being bifilar-wound with respect to said second winding.

3. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second circuits respectively include first and second outputs commonly driving a load.

4. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second circuits include first and second power factor correction circuits, respectively.

5. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said regulating circuit further including first and second windings and a core, said first winding being bifilar-wound with respect to said second winding around said core such that during normal operation, said first winding generates a magnetic flux in said core substantially opposite to the corresponding magnetic flux generated by said second winding.

6. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said power sources are single-phase electrical power outlets.

7. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 1 further including a control circuit electrically coupled between said first and second circuits.

8. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 7 wherein said control circuit is a pulse-width control circuit.

9. A power distributing circuit comprising:

a first circuit including a first inductor;

a second circuit including a second inductor; and

a regulating circuit having first and second windings, wherein said first inductor being electrically coupled to said first winding and said second inductor being electrically coupled to said second winding, said first winding being bifilar-wound with respect to said second winding.

10. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first and second circuits respectively include first and second outputs commonly driving a load.

11. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first and second circuits respectively include first and second power factor correction circuits.

12. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 9 wherein said regulating circuit further including a core, said first winding being bifilar-wound with respect to said second winding via said core such that during normal operation, said first winding generates a magnetic flux in said core substantially opposite to the corresponding magnetic flux generated by said second winding.

13. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first circuit withdraws power from a first power source and said second circuit withdraws power from a second power source, said regulating circuit in response to said withdrawn power passing through said first and second circuits proportionally allocates said withdrawn power between said first and second circuits.

14. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 13 wherein said first and second power sources are single-phase electrical power outlets.

15. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 9 further including a control circuit electrically coupled between said first and second circuits.

16. A power distributing circuit driving a load, comprising:

a first circuit having a first output;

a second circuit having a second output, said first and second outputs being electrically connected together driving said load; and

a regulating circuit having bifilar-wound windings electrically coupled between said first and second circuits for selectively regulating power passing through said first and second circuits.

17. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 16 wherein said regulating circuit comprises first and second windings bifilar-wound with respect to each other, said first and second circuits further respectively including first and second inductors which are respectively electrically coupled to said first and second windings.

18. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 17 wherein said first circuit further including a first rectifier electrically disposed between said first inductor and a first transformer, said second circuit further including a second rectifier electrically disposed between said second inductor and a second transformer, said first and second transformers being electrically coupled to and withdrawing powering from a common power source.

19. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 18 further including:

a capacitor electrically coupled across said load;

first and second diodes;

first and second switches electrically coupled across said load respectively through said first and second diodes; and

first and second control circuits respectively electrically disposed in said first and second circuits, each of said control circuits having a control output electrically coupled to and driving one of said switches.

20. The power distributing circuit as set forth in claim 19 wherein said switches are field-effect transistors and said control circuit is a pulse-width control circuit.