Optical power converter
First Claim
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1. An optical converter comprising:
- an emitter array having a plurality of emitter units in a first circuit arrangement and operable to emit light in response to a voltage input; and
a receiver array arranged to receive said light, said receiver array having a plurality of receiver units in a second circuit arrangement distinct from said first circuit arrangement with respect to an electrical interconnection between said receiver units and an electrical interconnection between said emitter units such that said receiver array is operable to generate a voltage output having a voltage level different than a voltage level of said voltage input to said emitter array by greater than efficiency losses, thereby transforming said voltage input into a voltage output of a different voltage level using said optical converter.
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Abstract
An optical voltage converter has an emitter array and a receiver array. Each of the emitter array and the receiver array have at least one LED. The LEDs are arranged such that light from the emitter LED directly strikes the receiver LED.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An optical converter comprising:
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an emitter array having a plurality of emitter units in a first circuit arrangement and operable to emit light in response to a voltage input; and a receiver array arranged to receive said light, said receiver array having a plurality of receiver units in a second circuit arrangement distinct from said first circuit arrangement with respect to an electrical interconnection between said receiver units and an electrical interconnection between said emitter units such that said receiver array is operable to generate a voltage output having a voltage level different than a voltage level of said voltage input to said emitter array by greater than efficiency losses, thereby transforming said voltage input into a voltage output of a different voltage level using said optical converter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for controlling power electronics using a low voltage control signal comprising the steps of:
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receiving a low voltage control signal from a controller into an optical DC/DC converter; transforming said low voltage control signal into a power voltage control signal of a different voltage level using said optical DC/DC converter, said transforming including transmitting said low voltage signal from an emitter array of said optical DC/DC converter to a receiver array of said optical DC/DC converter, said emitter array having a plurality of emitter units in a first circuit arrangement and operable to emit light and said receiver array arranged to receive said light, said receiver array having a plurality of receiver units in a second circuit arrangement distinct from said first circuit arrangement with respect to an electrical interconnection between said receiver units and an electrical interconnection between said emitter units; and transmitting said power voltage control signal to a power electronics device, thereby controlling said power electronics device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification