Control interface with droop compensation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an upstream regulator having a regulator input for receiving power from a source, a regulator output for delivering power at an output current and a controlled voltage, and an upstream signal interface (“
USI”
);
a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) having a VTM input for receiving power from the regulator output, a VTM output for supplying power to a load, and a downstream signal interface (“
DSI”
) for connection to the USI, the VTM having an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and providing isolation between the VTM input and VTM output;
the upstream regulator being adapted to provide a first control signal to activate the VTM via the USI-DSI connection; and
the VTM being adapted to provide feedback to the upstream regulator via the USI-DSI connection.
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Abstract
A droop compensation system includes a controlled current source that provides a scaled model of the PRM output current or VTM input current on an interface connection. A controlled resistance modeling the VTM effective series input resistance is connected across the interface terminal. The voltage developed across the controlled resistance by the controlled current establishes a correction signal representative of the VTM droop that is used to adjust the PRM output thereby compensating for the droop. A VTM control interface provides a mechanism for enabling and disabling the VTM. The VTM control circuitry may be powered by the interface connection, allowing the VTM to operate and process power when the VTM input voltage is below its normal minimum operating voltage, increasing the VTM dynamic range and allowing “soft start” into a capacitive load.
39 Citations
62 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an upstream regulator having a regulator input for receiving power from a source, a regulator output for delivering power at an output current and a controlled voltage, and an upstream signal interface (“
USI”
);a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) having a VTM input for receiving power from the regulator output, a VTM output for supplying power to a load, and a downstream signal interface (“
DSI”
) for connection to the USI, the VTM having an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and providing isolation between the VTM input and VTM output;the upstream regulator being adapted to provide a first control signal to activate the VTM via the USI-DSI connection; and the VTM being adapted to provide feedback to the upstream regulator via the USI-DSI connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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an upstream regulator at a first location having a regulator input for receiving power from a source, a regulator output for delivering power at an output current and a controlled voltage, and an upstream signal interface (“
USI”
);a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) at a remote location separated by a distance from the first location having a VTM input for receiving power from the regulator output, a VTM output for supplying power to a load, and a downstream signal interface (“
DSI”
) for connection to the USI, the VTM having an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and providing isolation between the VTM input and VTM output; andthe VTM being adapted to provide a compensation signal representative of imperfections in the VTM to the upstream regulator via the USI-DSI connection, and the upstream regulator being adapted to adjust the controlled voltage in response to the compensation signal.
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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an upstream regulator having a regulator input for receiving power from a source, a regulator output for delivering power at an output current and a controlled voltage, and an upstream signal interface (“
USI”
);a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) having a VTM input for receiving power from the regulator output, a VTM output for supplying power to a load, and a downstream signal interface (“
DSI”
) for connection to the USI, the VTM having an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and providing isolation between the VTM input and VTM output;the VTM including control circuitry adapted to receive a first control signal via the DSI and to activate the VTM in response to the first control signal and adapted to run off of power derived from the first control signal; the regulator being adapted to send the first control signal via the USI terminal to activate the VTM.
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12. A method comprising:
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using an upstream regulator having an upstream signal interface (“
USI”
) to receive power from a source and deliver power at an output current and a controlled voltage to a regulator output;using a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) having a downstream signal interface (“
DSI”
) for connection to the USI, an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and isolation between a VTM input and a VTM output to receive power from the regulator output via the VTM input and to supply power to a load via the VTM output;providing a connection between the USI and the DSI; sending a first control signal via the USI-DSI connection to activate the VTM; and using the VTM to provide feedback to the upstream regulator via the USI-DSI connection. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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using an upstream regulator at a first location, the regulator having an upstream signal interface (“
USI”
) to receive power from a source and deliver power at an output current and a controlled voltage to a regulator output;using a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) at a remote location separated by a distance from the first location, the VTM having a downstream signal interface (“
DSI”
) for connection to the USI, an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and isolation between a VTM input and a VTM output to receive power from the regulator output via the VTM input and to supply power to a load via the VTM output;providing a connection between the USI and the DSI; using the VTM to provide a compensation signal representative of imperfections in the VTM to the upstream regulator via the USI-DSI connection, and using the upstream regulator to adjust the controlled voltage in response to the compensation signal.
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22. A method comprising:
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using an upstream regulator having an upstream signal interface (“
USI”
) to receive power from a source and deliver power at an output current and a controlled voltage to a regulator output;using a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) having a downstream signal interface (“
DSI”
) for connection to the USI, an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and isolation between a VTM input and a VTM output to receive power from the regulator output via the VTM input and to supply power to a load via the VTM output;providing a connection between the USI and the DSI; sending a first control signal via the USI-DSI connection to activate the VTM and to power the VTM.
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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a voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) having a VTM input for receiving power at a controlled voltage from a power regulator, a VTM output, and circuitry for converting power received from the VTM input via a transformer, delivering power to a load at the VTM output, and providing isolation between the VTM input and VTM output;the VTM being characterized by an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN, where VOUT is the voltage at the VTM output and VIN is the voltage at the VTM input, and an effective VTM series resistance; control circuitry for operating the VTM; and an interface circuit adapted to interface to the power regulator and adapted to generate a signal representative of imperfections in the VTM; wherein the VTM is packaged separately from the power regulator. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus comprising:
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a voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) having a VTM input, a VTM output, and circuitry for converting power received from the VTM input via a transformer, delivering power to a load at the VTM output, and providing isolation between the VTM input and VTM output;the VTM being characterized by an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN, where VOUT is the voltage at the VTM output and VIN is the voltage at the VTM input, and an effective VTM series resistance; an interface circuit adapted to receive a first control signal and activate the VTM in response to receipt of the first control signal; control circuitry adapted to operate the VTM and to run off of power derived from the first control signal. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A method comprising:
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providing a voltage transformation circuit having an input, an output, and a signal interface, to convert power received at a controlled voltage from an external power regulator via the input and to supply power to an external load via the output using an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and providing isolation between the input and the output, the circuit having an effective series resistance; providing an interface circuit adapted to interface to the power regulator and adapted to generate a signal representative of imperfections in the voltage transformation circuit; and enclosing the voltage transformation circuit and interface circuit in a first package separately from the power regulator. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method comprising:
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providing a voltage transformation circuit having an input, an output, and a signal interface, to convert power received at a controlled voltage from an external power regulator via the input and to supply power to an external load via the output using an essentially fixed voltage transformation ratio K=VOUT/VIN and providing isolation between the input and the output, the circuit having an effective series resistance; providing an interface circuit adapted to activate the voltage transformation circuit in response to receipt of a first control signal from the signal interface, wherein the voltage transformation circuit is adapted to be powered by the first control signal; and enclosing the voltage transformation circuit and interface circuit in a first package separately from the power regulator.
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43. An apparatus comprising:
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a power regulator module (“
PRM”
) having an input for receiving power from a source,an output for delivering power to a voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) at an output current and a controlled voltage,an interface circuit having an upstream interface (“
USI”
) terminal for connection to a downstream interface (“
DSI”
) terminal at the VTM,the interface circuit being adapted to receive a compensation signal via the USI terminal representative of imperfections in the VTM and adjust the controlled voltage in response to the compensation signal, the interface circuit being adapted to send a first control signal via the USI terminal to activate the VTM. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. An apparatus comprising:
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a power regulator module (“
PRM”
) having an input for receiving power from a source,an output for delivering power to a voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) at an output current and a controlled voltage,regulation circuitry for maintaining the controlled voltage, an interface circuit having an upstream interface (“
USI”
) terminal for connection to a downstream interface (“
DSI”
) terminal at the VTM, a source circuit having an output adapted to send a first signal to the VTM via the USI terminal, and a sense circuit having an input adapted to receive a compensation signal via the USI terminal representative of imperfections in the VTM and an output connected to the regulation circuitry to adjust the controlled voltage in response to the compensation signal. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. An apparatus comprising:
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a power regulator module (“
PRM”
) having an input for receiving power from a source,an output for delivering power from the PRM to a voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
) at an output current and a controlled voltage, andinterface circuitry having an upstream signal interface (“
USI”
) terminal for connection to a downstream signal interface (“
DSI”
) terminal at the VTM,the interface circuitry being adapted to communicate with the VTM via the USI, the interface circuitry being adapted to provide power to the VTM via the USI independently of the power delivered from the output.
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54. A method comprising:
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using a power regulator circuit having an input for receiving power from a source, to deliver power at a controlled voltage and at an output current to an output for a downstream VTM, the power regulator circuit having an interface terminal, using the interface terminal to receive a compensation signal and adjust the controlled voltage in response to the compensation signal, and using the interface terminal to send a first control signal to activate the VTM. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method comprising:
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using a power regulator circuit having an input for receiving power from a source, to deliver power at a controlled voltage and at an output current to an output for a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
),the power regulator circuit having an interface terminal, using the interface terminal to send a first signal to the VTM and to receive a compensation signal representative of imperfections in the VTM and adjust the controlled voltage in response to the compensation signal. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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62. A method comprising:
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using a power regulator circuit having an input for receiving power from a source, to deliver power at a controlled voltage and at an output current to an output for a downstream voltage transformation module (“
VTM”
),the power regulator circuit having an interface terminal, using the interface terminal to receive a compensation signal and adjust the controlled voltage in response to the compensation signal, and connecting a source for powering the VTM to the interface terminal.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeVicor Corporation
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Original AssigneeVLT Incorporated (Vicor Corporation)
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InventorsVinciarelli, Patrizio
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Primary Examiner(s)Laxton; Gary L
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Application NumberUS10/910,524Publication NumberTime in Patent Office981 DaysField of Search323/266, 323/225, 323268-272, 323/283, 323/285, 323/351, 700/297, 700/298, 713/300, 713/340US Class Current323/266CPC Class CodesH02M 1/007 Plural converter units in c...H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopp...H02M 3/285 Single converters with a pl...H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation bet...
