Programmable microtransformer

• US 7,298,238 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Daily, Robert M., Eaton, Deran S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tuyen T.
• Application Number:
  US11/650,759
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 336/65, 336/83, 336/150, 336/192, 336/200, 336/232, 361 35- 38, 323255-258
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2021/125 Printed variable inductor with taps, e.g. for VCO
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/12 discontinuously variable, e.g. tapped
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/693 Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00

Abstract

A programmable transformer incorporating windings embedded in a thin film substrate. The windings are flat wire traces embedded into the substrate, primary on one side and secondary on the other. The secondary windings may be planar or different coils spatially arrayed throughout a thickness of the substrate. The secondary winding may include multiple tap points, effectively providing multiple secondary coils referenced to the single primary coil. Each tap point is bridged to a field effect or CMOS transistor path by which a digital controls permit dynamic adjustment of the turns ratio. The final secondary output depends on the activated transistor paths. Multiple secondary outputs from a single secondary coil and a digitally programmable turns ratio are available aspects.

Claims

1. A programmable transformer, comprising:

a circuit board substrate;

a primary winding comprising a flat-wire trace being embedded on one side of said substrate, and a pair of input leads connecting to said primary winding;

a secondary winding comprising a multiple-coil wire trace being embedded on another side of said substrate;

a plurality of tap leads each connecting to one of the multiple-coils of said secondary windings; and

a transistor switching circuit comprising a plurality of gated FETs each gated FET including an anode connecting to one of the plurality of tap leads for selectively connecting at least one of the coils of said secondary windings to a pair of output leads,

wherein gates of said plurality of gated FETs are controlled by digital controls to permit dynamic adjustment of effective turns ratio of said programmable transformer.

2. The programmable transformer according to claim 1, wherein said circuit board substrate is FR-4 fiberglass.

3. The programmable transformer according to claim 1, wherein said circuit board thickness between the primary winding and the secondary winding is predetermined to adjust the effective turns ratio of said programmable transformer.

4. The programmable transformer according to claim 2, further comprising a magnetic core material interposed between said primary winding and said secondary winding.

5. A programmable transformer, comprising:

a plurality of layers of circuit board substrate;

a primary winding comprising a flat-wire wire trace being printed on one of said circuit board substrate layers, and a pair of input leads connecting to said primary winding;

a secondary winding comprising a multiple-coil wire trace printed on other of said circuit board substrate layers;

a plurality of tap leads each connecting to one of the multiple-coil wire traces of said secondary winding; and

a transistor switching circuit comprising a plurality of gated FETs each gated FET including an anode connecting to one of the plurality of tap leads for selectively connecting at least one of the multiple-coil wire traces of said secondary windings to a pair of output leads,

wherein gates of said plurality of gated FETs are controlled by digital controls to permit dynamic adjustment of effective turns ratio of said programmable transformer.

6. The programmable transformer according to claim 5, wherein each coil of said multiple-coil wire trace of said secondary winding comprises a single coil printed on one of said circuit board substrate layers, and said plurality of tap leads comprises a corresponding number of tap leads each resident on and connected to a corresponding said multiple-coil wire trace of said secondary winding.

7. The programmable transformer according to claim 5, further comprising a magnetic core material interposing between said primary winding and said secondary winding.

8. The programmable transformer according to claim 7, wherein said magnetic core material is an embedded thin film deposition of electromagnet core material in said circuit board substrate situated between said flat wire trace and said multiple-coil wire trace.

9. The programmable transformer according to claim 5, wherein a thickness of said plurality of layers of circuit board substrate is predetermined to adjust the effective turns ratio of said programmable transformer.

10. A programmable microtransformer, comprising:

a circuit board substrate;

a primary winding comprising a flat-wire trace being embedded into one side of said circuit board substrate, and a pair of input leads connecting to said primary winding;

a secondary winding comprising at least one multiple-coil wire trace embedded into another side of said circuit board substrate;

a plurality of tap leads each connecting to one of the multiple-coils of said secondary winding;

a transistor switching circuit comprising a plurality of gated FETs each gated FET including an anode connecting to one of the tap leads for selectively connecting at least one of the multiple-coil wire traces of said secondary windings to a pair of output leads;

whereby gates of said plurality of gated FETs are controlled by digital controls to permit dynamic adjustment of the effective turns ratio of said programmable transformer.

11. The programmable transformer according to claim 10, wherein each of coil of said multiple-wire trace of said secondary winding comprises a single coil printed on one of said circuit board substrate layer, and said plurality of tap leads comprises a corresponding number of tap leads each resident on and connected to said corresponding coil of said secondary winding.

12. The programmable transformer according to claim 10, further comprising a magnetic core material interposing between said primary winding and said secondary winding.

13. The programmable transformer according to claim 12, wherein said magnetic core material is an embedded thin film deposition of electromagnet core material in said circuit board substrate between said flat-wire trace and said multiple coil wire trace.

14. The programmable transformer according to claim 10, wherein a thickness of plurality of layers of said circuit board substrate is predetermined for adjustment of an effective turns ratio of said programmable transformer.

15. The programmable transformer according to claim 10, wherein said primary winding and said secondary winding each include a radial arc symmetry, and wherein said primary winding is asymmetric in relation to said secondary winding.

16. The programmable transformer according to claim 12, wherein said magnetic core material is an iron washer-shaped core embedded in the circuit board substrate between said primary winding and said secondary winding.

17. A programmable transformer, comprising:

a circuit board substrate;

a primary winding comprising a multiple-coil wire trace being embedded on one side of said substrate, and a pair of input leads connecting to said primary winding;

a secondary winding comprising a single-wire trace being embedded on another side of said substrate;

a plurality of tap leads each connecting to said single-wire trace of said secondary windings; and

a transistor switching circuit comprising a plurality of gated FETs each gated FET including an anode connecting to one of the plurality of tap leads for selectively connecting at least one of the coils of said secondary windings to a pair of output leads,

wherein gates of said plurality of gated FETs are controlled by digital controls to permit dynamic adjustment of effective turns ratio of said programmable transformer.