Power supply for airfield lighting

• US 8,575,862 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADB Safegate Americas LLC (ADB Safegate BVBA)
• Original Assignee: ADB Airfield Solutions LLC (ADB Safegate BVBA)
• Inventors: Dubrovsky, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANH Q
• Application Number:
  US13/092,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/382 with galvanic isolation between input and output
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/39 Circuits containing inverter bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a power supply suitable for use with an airfield lighting device. In accordance with an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein, a rectifier that converts a signal from an alternating current (AC) current source to a direct current (DC) voltage. The circuit comprises a current sensor, a controller, and a half active bridge rectifier. The controller receives a signal from the current sensor and controls the operation of the half active bridge rectifier to produce a light emitting diode (LED) current based on the current sensed by the current sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a current sensor for measuring an input current;

a split winding inductor having an input coupled with the current sensor, and an output;

a half active bridge rectifier having a first input coupled with the output of the split winding inductor, a second input, and an output; and

a controller having a first input coupled with the current sensor, a second input coupled with the output of the half active bridge rectifier, and an output coupled with the second input of the half active bridge rectifier;

wherein the controller provides a control signal to the half active bridge rectifier to produce a voltage at the output of the half active bridge rectifier to provide power to at least one light emitting diode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current sensor is a current transformer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current sensor is a Hall-effect current sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an isolation transformer for receiving the input current, the isolation transformer providing a current to the current sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising at least one capacitor coupled interstitial to the isolation transformer and split winding inductor for isolating high frequency and electro-magnetic interference harmonic conversion signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the half active bridge rectifier comprises:

two controllable switching devices coupled in a cascade configuration;

a capacitor coupled across one of the controllable switching devices;

wherein the controller switches the controllable switching devices in order to control a voltage across the capacitor.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a light source coupled with the controller;

a second input for receiving a signal from an external lighting device;

a phantom load coupled across the second input; and

a signal conditioning circuit coupling the second input to the controller;

wherein the controller synchronizes flashing the light source with the signal received from the second input.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein the phantom load comprises a triac.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein the controller is coupled with the phantom load and operable to control the phantom load;

and

wherein the controller changes the phantom load in response to detecting the light source is inoperable.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 7, further comprising a wireless sensor coupled with the controller;

wherein the controller receives programming instructions for controlling the operation of the light source via the wireless sensor.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim 11, wherein the wireless sensor is an infra red sensor.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a current sensor for measuring an input current;

a split winding inductor having an input coupled with the current sensor, and an output;

means for producing a voltage from a current received from the split winding inductor; and

control means for controlling the means for producing a voltage, the control means receives a measurement of the input current from the sensor and provides a control signal to the means for producing a voltage to achieve an output voltage based on the measurement of the input current.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

a light source coupled with the control means;

a second input for receiving a signal from an external lighting device; and

means for providing a phantom load coupled across the second input; and

wherein the controller means flashes the light source in synchronization with the signal received from the second input.

15. The apparatus set forth in claim 13, further comprising a means for sensing a wireless signal coupled with the control means;

wherein the control means receives programming instructions for controlling the operation of the light source via the means for sensing a wireless signal.