Apparatus for impedance matching

• US 8,766,614 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert-Ludwigs-Universitã¤T Freiburg
• Original Assignee: Albert-Ludwigs-Universitã¤T Freiburg
• Inventors: Maurath, Dominic, Manoli, Yiannos
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US13/884,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20140043001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 323208-211, 323282-290
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1588 comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

An apparatus for impedance matching of an electrical load to a generator has input connections for connection to the generator and output connections for connection to the load. The apparatus has a converter which connects the input connections to the output connections. An input voltage which is applied between the input connections can be converted into an output voltage. The converter has energy storage means connected to one of the output connections by an active diode, a controllable switching device, and an actuation device. The switching device can be moved to a first and a second switching state so that energy from the generator is stored in the energy storage means in the first switching state. Energy which is stored can be output to the load in the second switching state. A detector is connected to the input connections for detecting a measurement signal for the impedance matching. The actuation device has an activation signal and can be moved to a first and a second operating state. The energy which is output by the generator is temporarily stored in an input capacitor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the impedance matching of an electric load to the source impedance of a generator wherein the apparatus has input connections for connecting to the generator and output connections for connecting to the load;

wherein the apparatus has a converter, which connects the input connections to the output connections by means of which an input voltage, which is applied between the input connections, can be converted into an output voltage different from this input voltage between the output connections;

wherein the converter has an energy storage means, a controllable switching device which is connected to said energy storage means and an actuation device for said switching device;

wherein the switching device is designed and can be moved to a first and a second switching state in such a way that, in the first switching state, energy from the generator can be stored in the energy storage means and, in the second switching state, energy stored in the energy storage means can be output to the load;

wherein the apparatus has a detector, which is connected to the input connections, for detecting a measurement signal for the impedance matching;

wherein the actuation device has an activation input by means of which it can be moved to a first and a second operating state;

wherein the actuation device is designed in such a way that the first switching state is avoided in the first operating state and a changeover is made between the switching states in the second operating state; and

wherein the detector is connected with its measurement signal output to the activation input characterized by the fact that the energy storage device is connected to at least one of the output connections by way of an active diode;

that the active diode has a controllable switching element and a comparator having a first comparator input connected to a first load connection of the switching element and a second comparator input connected to a second load connection of the switching element; and

that the output of the comparator is connected to a control connection of the switching element and a control input of the switching device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device has at least one inductor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the comparator exhibits hysteresis.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output of the comparator is connected to the control input of the switching device by way of a delay element.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input connections are connected to one another by way of an input capacitor serving as a buffer.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching element is a field effect transistor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuation device has a clock generator for generating a clock signal;

and that the output of the comparator is connected to the switching device to provide a control signal synchronized with the clock signal by way of a synchronization device connected to the clock generator.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage means connects a first input connection of the apparatus to a node;

and that the node can be connected to one output connection of the apparatus via the switching element and to a second input connection of the apparatus via the switching device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first input connection of the apparatus can be connected to a node via the switching device and a second input connection of the apparatus can be connected to a node by way of the switching element;

and that the node can be connected to one output connection of the apparatus by way of the energy storage means.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first input connection of the apparatus can be connected to a node via the switching device and an output connection of the apparatus can be connected to a node by way of the switching element;

and that the node can be connected to a second input connection of the apparatus by way of the energy storage means.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector has a current sensor for measuring the input current flowing through the input connections;

that the current sensor is connected to a first input of a comparison device by way of a current-to-voltage converter;

that a second input of the comparison device is connected to a reference voltage source; and

that the output of the comparison device is connected to the measurement signal output of the detector.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an output capacitor is connected in parallel with the output connections for smoothing the output voltage.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching device is a switching transistor.