Power line current fed power supplies producing stable load currents and related methods
First Claim
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1. A power supply circuit, comprising:
- a current transformer comprising a winding wrapped at least partially around a core, the core adapted to be placed at least partially around a power line, and the winding configured to provide a current transformer output current when the core is placed at least partially around the power line; and
an inductive circuit coupled to the winding to receive the current transformer output current, the inductive circuit comprising an inductor configured in series with the current transformer, wherein the inductive circuit is configured to provide a substantially constant direct current (DC) current in response to an amplitude-varying alternating current in the power line for at least one mode of operation of the power supply circuit wherein the current transformer is configured to operate in magnetic saturation.
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Abstract
Power line current fed power supplies producing stable load currents and related methods are described. The power supplies may include a current transformer coupled to an inductive network. In some embodiments, the current transformer operates in saturation mode. In some embodiments, a substantially constant DC current is generated having a magnitude that remains substantially constant despite variations of the magnitude of AC current in the power line.
30 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A power supply circuit, comprising:
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a current transformer comprising a winding wrapped at least partially around a core, the core adapted to be placed at least partially around a power line, and the winding configured to provide a current transformer output current when the core is placed at least partially around the power line; and an inductive circuit coupled to the winding to receive the current transformer output current, the inductive circuit comprising an inductor configured in series with the current transformer, wherein the inductive circuit is configured to provide a substantially constant direct current (DC) current in response to an amplitude-varying alternating current in the power line for at least one mode of operation of the power supply circuit wherein the current transformer is configured to operate in magnetic saturation. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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2. A power supply circuit, comprising:
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a current transformer comprising a winding wrapped at least partially around a core, the core adapted to be placed at least partially around a power line, and the winding configured to provide a current transformer output current when the core is placed at least partially around the power line; and an inductive circuit coupled to the winding to receive the current transformer output current, the inductive circuit comprising an inductor configured in series with the current transformer, wherein the inductive circuit is configured to provide a substantially constant direct current (DC) current in response to an amplitude-varying alternating current in the power line for at least one mode of operation of the power supply circuit.
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10. The power supply circuit of 1, wherein the inductor is configured to operate in a linear mode.
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24. A method of operating a power supply, comprising:
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producing a transformer output current from a secondary winding of a current transformer in response to an amplitude-varying alternating current being input to the current transformer; receiving the transformer output current at an input of an inductive circuit coupled to the current transformer; and providing a substantially constant direct current (DC) current from the inductive circuit in response to receiving the transformer output current at the input of the inductive circuit for at least one mode of operation of the power supply. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A power circuit for converting an alternating current (AC) input current to a direct current (DC) current, the power circuit comprising:
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a current transformer couplable to a power line, the current transformer comprising a toroidal magnetic core configured to be placed about the power line, the current transformer further comprising a secondary winding wound around at least a portion of the toroidal magnetic core; an inductor coupled in series with the secondary winding and configured to operate in a linear mode;
a rectification circuit coupled to the inductor;a first supercapacitor; and a second supercapcitor in series with the first supercapacitor wherein the inductor and the rectification circuit are configured in combination to receive a current from the secondary winding of the current transformer and to provide a substantially constant DC current from a first terminal corresponding to a first terminal of the first supercapacitor in response to an AC input current in the power line for at least one mode of operation of the power circuit. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification