System and method providing over current and over power protection for power converter

• US 7,684,220 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Orthosie Investment Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Orthosie Investment Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Shifeng, Li, Bo, Chen, Zhiliang, Fang, Lieyi
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane; Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grubb; Matthew
• Application Number:
  US11/752,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 363/50, 363/55, 363/56.01, 363/56.03, 363/56.07, 363/56.1, 361/93.1, 361/93.2, 361/93.7, 361/93.9
• US Class Current: 363/56.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/12 for static converters or rectifiers for discharge lamp power supplies using static converters H05B41/2851, H05B41/2921, H05B41/2981
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/1203 Circuits independent of the type of conversion

Abstract

System and method for protecting a power converter. A system includes a threshold generator configured to generate a threshold signal, and a first comparator configured to receive the threshold signal and a first signal and to generate a comparison signal. The first signal is associated with an input current for a power converter. Additionally, the system includes a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a modulation signal in response to the comparison signal, and a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and adjust the input current for the power converter. The threshold signal is associated with a threshold magnitude as a function of time. The threshold magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first period, and the threshold magnitude increases with time at a second slope during a second period. The first slope and the second slope are different.

Claims

1. A system for protecting a power converter, the system comprising:

a threshold generator configured to generate a threshold signal;

a first comparator configured to receive the threshold signal and a first signal and to generate a comparison signal, the first signal being associated with an input current for a power converter;

a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a modulation signal in response to the comparison signal; and

a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and adjust the input current for the power converter;

wherein;

the threshold signal is associated with a threshold magnitude as a function of time;

the threshold magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first substantial period of time;

the threshold magnitude increases with time at a second slope during a second substantial period of time; and

the first slope and the second slope are different.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the threshold magnitude is periodic with a threshold period, the threshold period including at least the first substantial period of time and the second substantial period of time.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the threshold period further includes a third period.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the threshold magnitude increases from a first threshold value to a second threshold value during the first substantial period of time;

the threshold magnitude increases from the second threshold value to a third threshold value during the second substantial period of time; and

the threshold magnitude remains constant during the third period.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the power converter includes an inductive winding; and

the input current flows through the inductive winding.

6. The system of claim 1, and further comprising a first resistor configured to convert the input current for the power converter to a first voltage, the first voltage represented by the first signal.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the threshold signal represents a threshold voltage.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the modulation signal turns off the switch if the comparison signal indicates a first amplitude for the first signal is equal to or larger than the threshold amplitude.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the pulse-width-modulation generator comprises a pulse-width-modulation comparator, a logic controller, and a gate driver.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the logic controller is configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a control signal; and

the gate driver is configured to receive the control signal and generate the modulation signal.

11. A system for protecting a power converter, the system comprising:

a threshold generator configured to generate a first threshold signal;

a first comparator configured to receive the first threshold signal and a first input signal and to generate a first comparison signal, the first input signal being associated with an input current for a power converter, the first threshold signal being associated with a first threshold magnitude as a function of time;

a second comparator configured to receive a second threshold signal and the first input signal and to generate a second comparison signal, the second threshold signal being associated with a second threshold magnitude;

a logic component configured to receive the first comparison signal and the second comparison signal and generate an output signal;

a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the output signal and to generate a modulation signal in response to the output signal; and

a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and adjust the input current for the power converter;

wherein;

the first threshold magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first substantial period of time;

the first threshold magnitude increases with time at a second slope during at least a second substantial period of time; and

the first slope and the second slope are different.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the second threshold magnitude is constant.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the first threshold magnitude is periodic with a threshold period, the threshold period including at least the first substantial period of time and the second substantial period of time.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein:

the power converter includes an inductive winding; and

the input current flows through the inductive winding.

15. The system of claim 11, and further comprising a first resistor configured to convert the input current for the power converter to a first voltage, the first voltage represented by the first input signal.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein:

the first threshold signal represents a first threshold voltage; and

the second threshold signal represents a second threshold voltage.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the logic component is an AND gate.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein:

the modulation signal turns off the switch if a first input amplitude for the first input signal is equal to or larger than an effective threshold amplitude;

the effective threshold amplitude is equal to the first threshold magnitude if the first threshold magnitude is equal to or smaller than the second threshold magnitude; and

the effective threshold amplitude is equal to the second threshold magnitude if the first threshold magnitude is higher than the second threshold magnitude.

19. A system for protecting a power converter, the system comprising:

a current generator configured to generate a first current flowing into the current generator;

a comparator configured to receive a threshold signal and a first signal and to generate a comparison signal, the first signal being a sum of a second signal and a third signal, the second signal being associated with the first current, the third signal being associated with an input current for a power converter;

a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a modulation signal in response to the comparison signal; and

a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and adjust the input current for the power converter;

wherein;

the first current is associated with a current magnitude as a function of time;

the current magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first substantial period of time;

the current magnitude increases with time at a second slope during a second substantial period of time; and

the first slope and the second slope are different.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the threshold signal is associated with a threshold magnitude, the threshold magnitude being constant.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the current magnitude is periodic with a magnitude period, the magnitude period including at least the first substantial period of time and the second substantial period of time.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the magnitude period further includes a third period.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein:

the current magnitude increases from a first current value to a second current value during the first substantial period of time;

the current magnitude increases from the second current value to a third current value during the second substantial period of time; and

the current magnitude remains constant during the third period.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein:

the power converter includes an inductive winding; and

the input current flows through the inductive winding.

25. The system of claim 19, and further comprising:

a first resistor configured to convert the first current to a first voltage, the first voltage represented by the second signal; and

a second resistor configured to convert the input current for the power converter to a second voltage, the second voltage represented by the third signal.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the threshold signal represents a threshold voltage.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein the modulation signal turns off the switch if the comparison signal indicates a first amplitude for the first signal is equal to or larger than a threshold amplitude for the threshold signal.

28. The system of claim 19 wherein the pulse-width-modulation generator comprises a pulse-width-modulation comparator, a logic controller, and a gate driver.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein:

the logic controller is configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a control signal; and

the gate driver is configured to receive the control signal and generate the modulation signal.

30. A method for protecting a power converter, the method comprising:

generating a threshold signal;

receiving the threshold signal and a first signal, the first signal being associated with an input current for a power converter;

processing information associated with the threshold signal and the first signal;

generating a comparison signal based on at least information associated with the threshold signal and the first signal;

processing information associated with the comparison signal;

generating a modulation signal based on at least information associate with the comparison signal; and

adjusting the input current for the power converter in response to the modulation signal;

wherein;

the threshold signal is associated with a threshold magnitude as a function of time;

the threshold magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first substantial period of time;

the threshold magnitude increases with time at a second slope during a second substantial period of time; and

the first slope and the second slope are different.

31. A method for protecting a power converter, the method comprising:

generating a first threshold signal, the first threshold signal being associated with a first threshold magnitude as a function of time;

receiving the first threshold signal and a first input signal, the first input signal being associated with an input current for a power converter;

processing information associated with the first threshold signal and the first input signal;

generating a first comparison signal based on at least information associated with the first threshold signal and the first input signal;

receiving a second threshold signal and the first input signal, the second threshold signal being associated with a second threshold magnitude;

processing information associated with the second threshold signal and the first input signal;

generating a second comparison signal based on at least information associated with the second threshold signal and the first input signal;

receiving the first comparison signal and the second comparison signal;

generating an output signal based on at least information associated with the first comparison signal and the second comparison signal;

processing information associated with the output signal;

generating a modulation signal based on at least information associated with the output signal; and

adjust the input current for the power converter in response to the modulation signal;

wherein;

the first threshold magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first substantial period of time;

the first threshold magnitude increases with time at a second slope during at least a second substantial period of time; and

the first slope and the second slope are different.

32. A method for protecting a power converter, the method comprising:

generating a first current flowing into a current generator;

receiving a threshold signal and a first signal, the first signal being a sum of a second signal and a third signal, the second signal being associated with the first current, the third signal being associated with an input current for a power converter;

processing information associated with the threshold signal and the first signal;

generating a comparison signal based on at least information associated with the threshold signal and the first signal;

processing information associated with the comparison signal;

generating a modulation signal based on at least information associated with the comparison signal; and

adjusting the input current for the power converter in response to the modulation signal;

wherein;

the first current is associated with a current magnitude as a function of time;

the current magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first substantial period of time;

the current magnitude increases with time at a second slope during a second substantial period of time; and

the first slope and the second slope are different.