Low voltage drop closed loop unidirectional electronic valve

• US 8,169,252 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fahrenbruch, Shawn Anthony, Liu, George
• Primary Examiner(s): O' NEILL, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/815,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20110006232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 327/427, 327/434, 136/243, 136/244, 136/252, 307/117, 307/127, 307/130, 361/88
• US Class Current: 327/434
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/063 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A low voltage drop unidirectional electronic valve constituted of: a first terminal; a second terminal; a first electronically controlled switch coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a first charge pump arranged to close the first electronically controlled switch when the voltage potential at the first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by a first value. The first charge pump is arranged in a closed loop with the first electronically controlled switch so as to continuously maintain the voltage potential at the first terminal greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by the first value.

Claims

1. A low voltage drop unidirectional electronic valve, comprising:

a first terminal;

a second terminal;

a first electronically controlled switch coupled between said first terminal and said second terminal; and

a first charge pump, said first electronically controlled switch responsive to an output of said first charge pump; and

a start up unit coupled to said first terminal and arranged to provide initial power to said first charge pump responsive to a voltage potential at said first terminal being greater than a voltage potential at said second terminal by at least a first predetermined value;

said first charge pump in a closed loop arrangement with said first electronically controlled switch so as to set, and maintain, said voltage potential at said first terminal greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by a second predetermined value without requiring refresh, said second predetermined value less than said first predetermined value.

2. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve of claim 1, further comprising:

a bypass element coupled in parallel with said first electronically controlled switch, said bypass element arranged to allow the flow of current from said first terminal to said second terminal when the voltage potential at said first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value.

3. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve of claim 2, wherein said first electronically controlled switch is constituted of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor exhibiting a body diode, said body diode being said bypass element.

4. A low voltage unidirectional electronic valve, comprising:

a first terminal;

a second terminal;

a first electronically controlled switch coupled between said first terminal and said second terminal;

a first charge pump, said first electronically controlled switch responsive to an output of said first charge pump;

a start up unit coupled to said first terminal and arranged to provide initial power to said first charge pump responsive to a voltage potential at said first terminal being greater than a voltage potential at said second terminal by at least a first predetermined value; and

a bypass element coupled in parallel with said first electronically controlled switch, said bypass element arranged to allow the flow of current from said first terminal to said second terminal when the voltage potential at said first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value,

said first charge pump in a closed loop arrangement with said first electronically controlled switch so as to set, and maintain, said voltage potential at said first terminal greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value less than said first predetermined value,

wherein said start up unit comprises;

an oscillator operative responsive to said voltage potential at said first terminal being greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value;

a second charge pump responsive to said oscillator; and

a second electronically controlled switch responsive to said second charge pump, said second electronically controlled switch arranged to couple said second terminal to an internal common node when said second charge pump is active.

5. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve according to claim 4, wherein said start up unit further comprises:

a third charge pump operative responsive to said oscillator,

said third charge pump arranged to provide said initial power to said first charge pump.

6. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve of claim 5, wherein said start up unit further comprises:

a unidirectional valve circuit coupled between said oscillator and said second terminal, said unidirectional valve circuit arranged to provide an initial return path for said oscillator.

7. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve of claim 6, further comprising a bootstrap circuit coupled between the output of said first charge pump and the power input of said first charge pump.

8. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve of claim 7, further comprising a third electronically controlled switch connected between said second terminal and said internal common node, said third electronically controlled switch responsive to said bootstrap circuit.

9. A method of enabling a low voltage drop unidirectional current flow, the method comprising:

providing an electronically controlled switch coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal;

closing said provided electronically controlled switch when a voltage potential at said first terminal is greater than a voltage potential at said second terminal by a first predetermined value, thereby setting said voltage potential at said first terminal greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value less than said first predetermined value; and

continuously maintaining said voltage potential at said first terminal greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said second predetermined value in a closed loop, while continuously maintaining said provided electronically controlled switch in the closed state without requiring refresh.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a first charge pump, said continuously maintaining said provided electronically controlled switch in the closed state being responsive to said provided first charge pump.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a bypass element coupled in parallel with said provided electronically controlled switch, said bypass element arranged to allow the flow of current from the first terminal to the second terminal when the voltage potential at the first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by said first predetermined value; and

providing initial power to said provided first charge pump responsive to said voltage potential at said first terminal being greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

coupling said second terminal to an internal common node.

13. A low voltage drop unidirectional electronic valve, comprising:

a first terminal;

a second terminal;

a first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting, said first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting arranged to alternately connect said first terminal to said second terminal and disconnect said first terminal from said second terminal; and

a first means for increasing a voltage potential, said first means for increasing a voltage potential arranged to connect said first terminal to said second terminal via said first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting when a voltage potential at said first terminal is greater than a voltage potential at said second terminal by a first predetermined value, said connection of said first terminal to said second terminal thereby setting said voltage at said first terminal greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value less than said first predetermined value,

said first means for increasing a voltage potential arranged in a closed loop with said electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting so as to maintain said voltage potential at said first terminal greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said second predetermined value while maintaining said first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting in a closed state without requiring refresh.

14. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve of claim 13, further comprising:

a means for bypassing coupled in parallel with said first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting, said means for bypassing arranged to allow the flow of current from said first terminal to said second terminal when the voltage potential at said first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value; and

a means for start up coupled to said first terminal and arranged to provide initial power to said first means for increasing a voltage potential responsive to said voltage potential at said first terminal being greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value.

15. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve according to claim 14, wherein said means for start up comprises:

a means for oscillating operative responsive to said voltage potential at said first terminal being greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value;

a third means for increasing a voltage potential, said third means for increasing a voltage potential operative responsive to said means for oscillating,

said third means for increasing a voltage potential arranged to provide said initial power to said first means for increasing a voltage potential.

16. A low voltage unidirectional electronic valve comprising:

a first terminal;

a second terminal;

a first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting, said first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting arranged to alternately connect said first terminal to said second terminal and disconnect said first terminal from said second terminal;

a first means for increasing a voltage potential, said first means for increasing a voltage potential arranged to connect said first terminal to said second terminal via said first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting when a voltage potential at said first terminal is greater than a voltage potential at said second terminal by a first predetermined value, said connection of said first terminal to said second terminal thereby setting said voltage at said first terminal greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value less than said first predetermined value, said first means for increasing a voltage potential arranged in a closed loop with said electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting so as to continuously maintain said voltage potential at said first terminal greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said second predetermined value;

a means for bypassing coupled in parallel with said first electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting, said means for bypassing arranged to allow the flow of current from said first terminal to said second terminal when the voltage potential at said first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value; and

a means for start up coupled to said first terminal and arranged to provide initial power to said first means for increasing a voltage potential responsive to said voltage potential at said first terminal being greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value,

wherein said means for start up comprises;

a means for oscillating operative responsive to said voltage potential at said first terminal being greater than the voltage potential at said second terminal by said first predetermined value;

a second means for increasing a voltage potential, said second means for increasing a voltage potential responsive to said means for oscillating; and

a second electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting, said second electronically controlled means for alternately connecting and disconnecting responsive to said second means for increasing a voltage potential and arranged to couple said second terminal to an internal common node when said second means for increasing a voltage potential is active.

17. The low voltage unidirectional electronic valve according to claim 16, wherein said means for start up further comprises:

a third means for increasing a voltage potential, said third means for increasing a voltage potential operative responsive to said means for oscillating,

said third means for increasing a voltage potential arranged to provide said initial power to said first means for increasing a voltage potential.