Line switcher for power converters

• US 8,289,741 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Jungreis, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Nguyen
• Application Number:
  US12/687,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20110170325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 363/65, 363/67, 363/68, 363/69, 363/70, 363/71, 363/72
• US Class Current: 363/69
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0085 Partially controlled bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/219 in a bridge configuration

Abstract

A regulated power supply apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes a converter circuit for generating a regulated voltage signal. The converter circuit includes a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit both coupled with an output circuit. A first and a second transformer include a first and a second secondary, which are coupled with each other in series or alternatively, coupled with each other in parallel. An input rectifier circuit is coupled with the first and the second switching circuit. The input rectifier circuit is configured for receiving an AC input voltage and for generating a rectified voltage. The input rectifier circuit includes controlled switches and a first and second configuration of a bridge rectifier that couples the first and second switching circuits in series or parallel depending if the AC input power signal is “high-line” or “low-line.” A controller circuit is provided for enabling either the first configuration or the second configuration. A configuration switch is controlled by the controller circuit for coupling the first and second switching circuits together.

Claims

1. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a converter circuit comprising a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit both coupled with an output circuit;

an input rectifier circuit configured for receiving an AC input voltage and for generating a rectified voltage, the input rectifier circuit coupled with a first and a second input of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively, the input rectifier circuit including one or more controlled switches, the input rectifier circuit including a first configuration of a bridge rectifier and a second configuration of the bridge rectifier; and

a controller circuit coupled with a configuration switch and coupled with the input rectifier circuit for providing a control signal for enabling either the first configuration or the second configuration according to a parameter of the AC input voltage, the first configuration couples the first and second input of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively, in series, whereas the second configuration couples the first and second input of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively, in parallel, wherein the configuration switch is controlled by the controller circuit for coupling the first and second switching circuits together, wherein the first configuration includes a first set of switches comprising a first pair and a second pair of semiconductor switches and the second configuration includes a second set of switches comprising the first set of switches and the one or more controlled switches, wherein the one or more controlled switches comprise a first pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches and a second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a first switching device coupled with a first primary, the second switching circuit comprising a second switching device coupled with a second primary, the first and second primary included in a first and second transformer of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first configuration comprises the bridge rectifier coupled through an enabled configuration switch, wherein the second configuration comprises the configuration switch being disabled and the first and second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches being enabled.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a gate drive circuit is coupled with the first and the second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches, the gate drive circuit being enabled by the control signal generated by the controller circuit, wherein the enabled gate drive circuit provides a gate current to the first and the second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second configuration couples the first and second input of the first and the second switching circuit in parallel by coupling each of the first and the second input across the same rectified voltage generated by the input rectifier circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the parameter of the AC input voltage comprises a voltage in either a high-line range (180 VAC-264 VAC) or a voltage in a low-line range (85 VAC-132 VAC).

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control signal enables the configuration switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the configuration switch comprises a semiconductor switch.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the configuration switch comprises a gate-driven semiconductor switch.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the configuration switch comprises a mechanical switch including mechanical contacts.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reset switch comprising a gate-driven semiconductor switch, which is enabled by the controller circuit when the controller circuit determines a change in the AC input voltage from a low-line level to a high-line level.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and the second transformer include a first and a second secondary, which are coupled with each other in series.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and the second transformer include a first and a second secondary, which are coupled with each other in parallel.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and the second transformer include a first and a second secondary, which are coupled with each other via an ORed diode.

15. A method of regulating a power supply apparatus comprising:

receiving an AC input voltage at an input rectifier circuit, the input rectifier circuit including one or more controlled switches, the input rectifier circuit including a first configuration of a bridge rectifier and a second configuration of the bridge rectifier;

sensing a parameter of the AC input voltage with a controller circuit, the controller circuit coupled with a configuration switch and coupled with the input rectifier circuit for providing a control signal for enabling either the first configuration or the second configuration according to the parameter of the AC input voltage, the first configuration couples a first and second input of a first and a second switching circuit, respectively, in series, whereas the second configuration couples the first and second input of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively, in parallel, wherein the configuration switch is controlled by the controller circuit for coupling the first and second switching circuits together;

generating a rectified voltage according to the parameter of the AC input voltage either with the first configuration or the second configuration; and

generating an output voltage signal with a converter circuit that is coupled with the input rectifier circuit, the converter circuit comprising the first switching circuit and the second switching circuit both coupled with an output circuit, wherein the first configuration includes a first set of switches comprising a first pair and a second pair of semiconductor switches and the second configuration includes a second set of switches comprising the first set of switches and the one or more controlled switches, wherein the one or more controlled switches comprise a first pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches and a second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a first switching device coupled with a first primary, the second switching circuit comprising a second switching device coupled with a second primary, the first and second primary included in a first and second transformer of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first configuration comprises the bridge rectifier coupled through an enabled configuration switch, wherein the second configuration comprises the configuration switch being disabled and the first and second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches being enabled.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling a gate drive circuit by generating the control signal, the gate drive circuit being coupled with the first and the second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches, wherein the enabled gate drive circuit provides a gate current to the first and the second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the second configuration coupling the first and second input of the first and the second switching circuit in parallel such that each of the first and the second input is coupled across the same rectified voltage generated by the input rectifier circuit.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the parameter of the AC input voltage comprises a voltage in either a high-line range (180 VAC-264 VAC) or a voltage in a low-line range (85 VAC-132 VAC).

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling the configuration switch with the control signal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the configuration switch comprises a semiconductor switch.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the configuration switch comprises a gate-driven semiconductor switch.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling a reset switch with the controller circuit when the controller circuit determines a change in the AC input voltage from a low-line level to a high-line level, the reset switch comprising a gate-driven semiconductor switch.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the first and the second transformer such that a first and a second secondary are coupled with each other in series.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the first and the second transformer such that a first and a second secondary are coupled with each other in parallel.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the first and the second transformer such that a first and a second secondary are coupled with each other via an ORed diode.

28. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a converter circuit comprising a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit both coupled with an output circuit;

an input rectifier circuit configured for receiving an AC input voltage and for generating a rectified voltage, the input rectifier circuit coupled with a first and a second input of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively, the input rectifier circuit including one or more controlled switches, the input rectifier circuit including a first configuration of a bridge rectifier and a second configuration of the bridge rectifier; and

a controller circuit coupled with a configuration switch and coupled with the input rectifier circuit for providing a control signal for enabling either the first configuration or the second configuration according to a parameter of the AC input voltage, the first configuration couples a first and second input of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively, in series, whereas the second configuration couples the first and second input of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively, in parallel, wherein the configuration switch is controlled by the controller circuit for coupling the first and second switching circuits together, the control signal used in enabling or disabling the configuration switch, wherein the first configuration includes a first set of switches comprising a first pair and a second pair of semiconductor switches and the second configuration includes a second set of switches comprising the first set of switches and the one or more controlled switches, wherein the one or more controlled switches comprise a first pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches and a second pair of gate-driven semiconductor switches.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first switching circuit comprises a first switching device coupled with a first primary, the second switching circuit comprising a second switching device coupled with a second primary, the first and second primary included in a first and second transformer of the first and the second switching circuit, respectively.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the second configuration couples the first and second input of the first and the second switching circuit in parallel by coupling each of the first and the second input across the same rectified voltage generated by the input rectifier circuit.