Vehicle inverter for powering consumer electronic devices
First Claim
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1. An inverter for use in a vehicle having a DC power supply, the inverter comprising:
- a primary stage having switching devices operable in response to primary stage control signals to boost a first DC output of the DC power supply to a second DC output;
a secondary stage having switching devices operable in response to secondary stage control signals to invert the second DC output into an AC output;
a primary stage controller configured to output the primary stage control signals used to control the switching devices of the primary stage to boost the first DC output to the second DC output;
a secondary stage controller configured to output a frequency modulated signals representative of the secondary stage control signals needed to control the switching devices of the secondary stage to invert the second DC output into the AC output;
a signal converter configured to convert the frequency modulated signals into the secondary stage controls signals used to control the switching devices of the secondary stage to invert the second DC output into the AC output; and
a regulator configured to power both of the primary and secondary stages using the first DC output of the DC power supply.
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Abstract
An inverter for inverter DC power, such as but not limited to the type commonly employed in vehicle power systems, in to AC power, such as but not limited to the type commonly employed to power consumer electronic devices. The inverter may be configured to electrically isolate primary and secondary stages without requiring separate primary and secondary stage power supplies.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inverter for use in a vehicle having a DC power supply, the inverter comprising:
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a primary stage having switching devices operable in response to primary stage control signals to boost a first DC output of the DC power supply to a second DC output; a secondary stage having switching devices operable in response to secondary stage control signals to invert the second DC output into an AC output; a primary stage controller configured to output the primary stage control signals used to control the switching devices of the primary stage to boost the first DC output to the second DC output; a secondary stage controller configured to output a frequency modulated signals representative of the secondary stage control signals needed to control the switching devices of the secondary stage to invert the second DC output into the AC output; a signal converter configured to convert the frequency modulated signals into the secondary stage controls signals used to control the switching devices of the secondary stage to invert the second DC output into the AC output; and a regulator configured to power both of the primary and secondary stages using the first DC output of the DC power supply. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An inverter for use in a vehicle having a DC power supply, the inverter comprising:
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a primary stage having switching devices operable in response to primary stage control signals to boost a first DC output of the DC power supply to a second DC output; a secondary stage having switching devices operable in response to secondary stage control signals to invert the second DC output into an AC output; a primary stage controller configured to output the primary stage control signals; a secondary stage controller configured to output a frequency modulated signals representative of the secondary stage control signals at a frequency of more than 200 Hz; and a signal converter configured to convert the frequency modulated signals into the secondary stage controls signals, the signal converter being further configured to output the secondary stage controls signals at a frequency of less than 200 Hz. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An inverter for use in a vehicle having a DC power supply, the inverter comprising:
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a primary stage having switching devices selectably operable between active and inactive states to boost a first DC output of the DC power supply to a second DC output; a secondary stage having switching devices selectably operable between active and inactive states to invert the second DC output into an AC output; a primary stage controller configured to output primary stage control signals used to selectably operate the switching devices between the active and inactive states required to boost the first DC output of the DC power supply to the second DC output; a secondary stage controller configured to output a frequency modulated signal representative of secondary stage control signals needed to selectably operate the switching devices between the active and inactive states required to invert the second DC output into the AC output; wherein the secondary stage controller switches an output frequency of the frequency modulated signal between a first frequency, a second frequency, and a third frequency to shape the AC output, the first frequency being output during a positive portion of the AC output, the second frequency being output during a negative portion of the AC output, and the third frequency being output during a zero crossings between the positive and negative cycles; and a signal converter configured to receive the frequency modulated signals and to passively converter the frequency modulated signal into the secondary stage control signals used to selectively activate and deactivate each one of the switching devices of the secondary stage as a function of whether the frequency modulated signal is at the first, second, and third frequency. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification