Method and system for communicating filter compensation coefficients for a digital power control system

• US 7,249,267 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bel Power Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Power-One Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Chapuis, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen; Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman; Fahmida
• Application Number:
  US10/889,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20040246754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0012 Control circuits using digital or numerical techniques in DC/DC converters H02M3/157, H02M3/33515; in DC-AC converters H02M7/53873
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/157 with digital control
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33515 with digital control

Abstract

A method and system is provided for programming the digital filter compensation coefficients of a digitally controlled switched mode power supply within a distributed power system. The distributed power system comprises a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators each comprising at least one power switch adapted to convey power to a load and a digital controller adapted to control operation of the power switch responsive to a feedback measurement. The digital controller further comprises a digital filter having a transfer function defined by plural filter coefficients. A serial data bus operatively connects each of the plurality of POL regulators. A system controller is connected to the serial data bus and is adapted to communicate digital data to the plurality of POL regulators via the serial data bus. The digital data includes programming data for programming the plural filter coefficients. The system controller further comprises a user interface adapted to receive the programming data therefrom.

Claims

1. A power control system comprising:

a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators each comprising at least one power switch adapted to convey power to a load and a digital controller adapted to control operation of said at least one power switch responsive to a feedback measurement, said digital controller further comprising a digital filter having a transfer function defined by plural filter coefficients;

a serial data bus operatively connecting said plurality of POL regulators; and

a system controller connected to said serial data bus and adapted to communicate digital data to said plurality of POL regulators via said serial data bus, said digital data including programming data for programming said plural filter coefficients.

2. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said system controller further comprises a user interface adapted to receive said programming data therefrom.

3. The power control system of claim 1, wherein said digital filter further comprises an infinite impulse response filter.

4. The power control system of claim 3, wherein said infinite impulse response filter provides the following transfer function G(z):

5. A power control system comprising:

a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators each comprising at least one power switch adapted to convey power to a load and a digital controller adapted to control operation of said at least one power switch responsive to a feedback measurement, said digital controller further comprising a digital filter having a transfer function defined by plural filter coefficients;

a serial data bus operatively connecting said plurality of POL regulators; and

a system controller connected to said serial data bus and adapted to communicate digital data to said plurality of POL regulators via said serial data bus, said digital data including programming data for programming said plural filter coefficients;

wherein said digital controller further comprises;

an analog-to-digital converter providing a digital error signal representing a difference between said feedback measurement and a reference value, said digital filter providing a digital control output based on a sum of current and previous error signals and previous control outputs;

an error controller adapted to modify operation of said digital filter upon an error condition; and

a digital pulse width modulator providing a control signal to said at least one power switch, said control signal having a pulse width corresponding to said digital control output.

6. A method of controlling a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators each comprising at least one power switch adapted to convey power to a load and a digital controller adapted to control operation of said at least one power switch responsive to a feedback measurement, said digital controller further comprising a digital filter having a transfer function defined by plural filter coefficients, the method comprising:

receiving programming data for programming said plural filter coefficients;

transmitting said programming data serially over a common data bus operably connected to said plurality of POL regulators; and

programming said plural filter coefficients of respective ones of said POL regulators in accordance with said programming data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving step further comprises receiving said programming data from a user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said programming step further comprises programming said digital filter to provide the following transfer function G(z):

9. A method for programming a power control system including a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators each comprising at least one power switch adapted to convey power to a load and a digital controller adapted to control operation of said at least one power switch responsive to a feedback measurement, said digital controller further comprising a digital filter having a transfer function defined by plural filter coefficients, the method comprising:

displaying at least one screen simulating operation of an exemplary point-of-load regulator, said at least one screen including user selectable values for characteristics of at least one of said plurality of point-of-load regulators;

receiving user input to select said user selectable values;

calculating digital filter coefficients corresponding to said user input; and

selectively communicating data corresponding to said calculated filter coefficients to said at least one of said plurality of point-of-load regulators for programming said digital filter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said user selectable values include at least one of component values, output voltage, output current, and load.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising programming said digital filter of said at least one of said plurality of point-of-load regulators using said data corresponding to said calculated filter coefficients.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of selectively communicating further comprises receiving said user input to selectively communicate said data to a selected one of said plurality of point-of-load regulators, plural ones of said plurality of point-of-load regulators assigned to a group, and all of said plurality of point-of-load regulators of said power control system.