Dynamic maneuvering configuration for multiple control modes in a unified servo system

• US 9,041,378 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crane Electronics, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Crane Electronics, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Lam, Cuon, Song, Sovann, Nguyen, Khoa
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US14/333,705
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 323/268, 323/271, 323/282, 323/285, 363/15, 363/16, 363/20, 363/21.01
• US Class Current: 323/285
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/10 Regulating voltage or current G05F1/02 takes precedence; for electric railways B60M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators

Abstract

Systems and methods that provide control circuits having multiple sub-control inputs that control operation of a power electronics device (e.g., a power converter). Each of the multiple sub-control inputs are output from a separate sub-control circuit that includes a feedback circuit having an input tied to a common control node. The common control node is coupled to an input of a controller (e.g., a PWM controller). Outputs of each of the sub-control circuits are coupled to the common control node by a respective switch (e.g., diode, transistor, etc.) so that each of the sub-control circuits may be selectively coupled to the common control node to provide a control signal to a controller. Since components of each of the feedback compensations circuits are biased at a regulation voltage instead of a higher power supply voltage, the control circuit may switch between control modes with minimal delay.

Claims

1. A control circuit to control the operation of a power electronics device, the control circuit comprising:

a common control node;

a first sub-control circuit that includes;

a first amplifier that includes a first input, a second input, and an output;

a first capacitive feedback circuit that includes an input directly connected to the common control node and an output coupled to the first input of the first amplifier; and

a first switch that includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the output of the first amplifier and the second terminal coupled to the common control node; and

a second sub-control circuit that includes;

a second amplifier that includes a first input, a second input, and an output;

a second capacitive feedback circuit that includes an input directly connected to the common control node and an output coupled to the first input of the second amplifier; and

a second switch that includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the output of the second amplifier and the second terminal coupled to the common control node.

2. The control circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a first reference voltage supply coupled to the second input of the first amplifier; and

a second reference voltage supply coupled to the second input of the second amplifier.

3. The control circuit of claim 2 wherein the first reference voltage supply provides a voltage indicative of a reference output voltage for the power electronics device, and the second reference voltage supply provides a voltage indicative of a reference output current for the power electronics device.

4. The control circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller that includes a control input, the control input electrically coupled to the common control node.

5. The control circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage sense circuit that includes an output indicative of an output voltage of the power electronics device, the output coupled to the first input of the first amplifier; and

a current sense circuit that includes an output indicative of an output current of the power electronics device, the output coupled to the first input of the second amplifier.

6. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the first switch is in the form of a first diode and the second switch is in the form of a second diode.

7. The control circuit of claim 6 wherein the first terminal of the first switch comprises a cathode of the first diode and the second terminal of the first switch comprises an anode of the first diode, and the first terminal of the second switch comprises a cathode of the second diode and the second terminal of the second switch comprises an anode of the second diode.

8. The control circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a third sub-control circuit that includes;

a third amplifier that includes a first input, a second input, and an output;

a third capacitive feedback circuit that includes an input directly connected to the common control node and an output coupled to the first input of the third amplifier; and

a third switch that includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the output of the third amplifier and the second terminal coupled to the common control node.

9. A control circuit to control the operation of a power electronics device, the control circuit comprising:

a common control node;

a first sub-control circuit that includes;

a first forward control portion that includes a first forward control portion input and a first forward control portion output;

a first feedback portion that includes a first feedback portion input directly connected to the common control node and a first feedback portion output coupled to the first forward control portion input, the first feedback portion stores an electrical charge; and

a first switch that includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first forward portion output and the second terminal coupled to the common control node; and

a second sub-control circuit that includes;

a second forward control portion that includes a second forward control portion input and a second forward control portion output;

a second feedback portion that includes a second feedback portion input directly connected to the common control node and a second feedback portion output coupled to the second forward control portion input, the second feedback portion stores an electrical charge; and

a second switch that includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the second forward portion output and the second terminal coupled to the common control node.

10. The control circuit of claim 9 wherein at least one of the second feedback portion and the first feedback portion includes a capacitor.

11. The control circuit of claim 9 wherein the first switch is in the form of a first diode and the second switch is in the form of a second diode.

12. The control circuit of claim 11 wherein the first terminal of the first switch comprises a cathode of the first diode and the second terminal of the first switch comprises an anode of the first diode, and the first terminal of the second switch comprises a cathode of the second diode and the second terminal of the second switch comprises an anode of the second diode.

13. The control circuit of claim 9 wherein at least one of the first switch or the second switch include a transistor.

14. The control circuit of claim 9 wherein during operation of the power electronics device, one of the first switch and the second switch is opened and the other of the first switch and the second switch is closed.

15. The control circuit of claim 9, further comprising:

a third sub-control circuit that includes;

a third forward control portion that includes a third forward control portion input and a third forward control portion output;

a third feedback portion that includes a third feedback portion input directly connected to the common control node and a third feedback portion output coupled to the third forward control portion input, the third feedback portion stores an electrical charge; and

a third switch that includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the third forward portion output and the second terminal coupled to the common control node.

16. The control circuit of claim 9 wherein the first forward control portion comprises a first amplifier and the second forward control portion comprises a second amplifier.

17. The control circuit of claim 9, further comprising:

a voltage sense circuit that includes an output indicative of an output voltage of the power electronics device, the output coupled to the first forward control portion input; and

a current sense circuit that includes an output indicative of an output current of the power electronics device, the output coupled to the second forward control portion input.

18. The control circuit of claim 9 wherein the power electronics device comprises a power converter, and the common control node is electrically coupled to an input of a controller for the power converter.