Energy efficient controlled magnetic field generator circuit

• US 9,590,601 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Mabry, James P., Krause, James Michael, Pepa, Elton
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Danny
• Application Number:
  US14/680,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20150288352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 361/139, 361/144
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 4/06 having triangular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

A magnetic waveform generator circuit includes a first switch coupled to a first rectifier element at a first node, a first capacitor coupled, at a second node to the first switch, and to a fourth node, a second capacitor coupled, at a third node to the first rectifier element, and to the fourth node, and an inductor coupled between the first and the fourth nodes. The first switch is operable to be in an ON state during a first time period and in an off state during a second time period. The first switch and the first rectifier element are configured to enable the inductor to generate, during the first and the second time periods, a magnetic field having a waveform resembling a positive half-cycle of a triangular waveform.

Claims

1. A magnetic waveform generator circuit, the circuit comprising:

a first switch coupled to a first rectifier element at a first node;

a first capacitor coupled, at a second node to the first switch, and to a fourth node;

a second capacitor coupled, at a third node to the first rectifier element, and to the fourth node;

an inductor coupled between the first and the fourth nodes;

a second switch coupled to a second rectifier element at the first node, wherein the first switch is coupled in parallel to the second diode and the second switch is coupled in parallel to the first diode; and

a first and a second dipole switch and a third and fourth capacitor,

wherein;

the first switch is operable to be in an ON state during a first time period and in an off state during a second time period,

the first switch and the first rectifier element are configured to enable the inductor to generate, during the first and the second time periods, a magnetic field having a waveform resembling a positive half-cycle of a triangular waveform,

the second switch and the second rectifier element are configured to enable the inductor to generate, during a third and a fourth time periods, a magnetic field having a waveform resembling a negative half-cycle of the triangular waveform,

the first dipole switch is operable, in a first state, to couple the second node through the third capacitor to the first capacitor, and

the second dipole switch is operable, in a first state, to couple the third node through the fourth capacitor to the second capacitor to allow generation of a high amplitude triangular magnetic field waveform.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first switch is configured to allow the first capacitor to discharge through the inductor in the first time period and the rectifier element is configured to allow the second capacitor to charge through the inductor in the second time period.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second switch is operable to be in an ON state during the third time period to allow the second capacitor to discharge through the inductor in the third time period, wherein the second rectifier element is configured to allow the first capacitor to charge through the inductor in the fourth time period, wherein the first and second switches comprise transistor switches and the rectifier elements comprise diodes, and wherein the first and second switches comprise semiconductor switches and the rectifier elements comprise semiconductor diodes.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first dipole switch and the second dipole switch are operable, in second states, to isolate the third and fourth capacitors to allow a low amplitude triangular magnetic field waveform, and wherein the low amplitude triangular magnetic field waveform has an amplitude that is one-third of the high amplitude triangular magnetic field waveform.

5. A method for providing a magnetic waveform generator, the method comprising:

coupling, at a first node, a first switch to a first rectifier element;

coupling a first capacitor, at a second node to the first switch, and to a fourth node;

coupling a second capacitor, at a third node to the first rectifier element, and to the fourth node;

coupling an inductor coupled the first and the fourth nodes;

coupling a second switch to a second rectifier element at the first node, and coupling the first switch in parallel to the second diode and the second switch in parallel to the first diode; and

providing a first and a second dipole switch and a third and a fourth capacitor,

wherein;

the first switch is operable to be in an ON state during a first time period and in an off state during a second time period,

the first switch and the first rectifier element are configured to enable the inductor to generate, during the first and the second time periods, a magnetic field having a waveform resembling a positive half-cycle of a triangular waveform,

configuring the second switch and the second rectifier element to enable the inductor to generate, during a third and a fourth time periods, a magnetic field having a waveform resembling a negative half-cycle of the triangular waveform,

configuring the first dipole switch to be operable, in a first state, to couple the second node through the third capacitor to the first capacitor, and

configuring the second dipole switch to be operable, in a first state, to couple the third node through the fourth capacitor to the second capacitor to allow generation of a high amplitude triangular magnetic field waveform.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the first switch to allow the first capacitor to discharge through the inductor in the first time period and configuring the rectifier element to allow the second capacitor to charge through the inductor in the second time period.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the second switch to be operable to be in an ON state during the third time period to allow the second capacitor to discharge through the inductor in the third time period, and configuring the second rectifier element to allow the first capacitor to charge through the inductor in the fourth time period.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the first dipole switch and the second dipole switch to be operable, in second states, to isolate the third and fourth capacitors to allow a low amplitude triangular magnetic field waveform, and wherein the low amplitude triangular magnetic field waveform has an amplitude that is one-third of the high amplitude triangular magnetic field waveform.

9. A magnetic waveform generator circuit, the circuit comprising:

a first switch coupled to a first rectifier element at a first node;

a second switch coupled to a second rectifier element at a second node

a first capacitor coupled, at a third node to the first switch, and to a fifth node;

a second capacitor coupled, at a fourth node to the second switch, and to the fifth node; and

an inductor coupled between the first and the second nodes,

wherein;

the first switch and the second switch are operable to be in an ON state during a first time period and in an off state during a second time period, and

the first switch, the second switch, the first rectifier element, and the second rectifier element are configured to enable the inductor to generate, during the first and the second time periods, a magnetic field having a waveform resembling a positive half-cycle of a triangular waveform.

10. The circuit of claim 9, wherein the first switch and the second switch are configured to allow the first capacitor and the second capacitor to discharge through the inductor in the first time period and the first rectifier element and the second rectifier element are configured to allow the first capacitor and the second capacitor to charge through the inductor in the second time period.

11. The circuit of claim 9, further comprising a third switch coupled between the third node and the second node and, a fourth switch coupled between the first node and the fourth node, a third rectifier element coupled in parallel with the second switch, and a fourth rectifier element coupled in parallel to the first switch.

12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the third switch, the fourth switch, the second rectifier element, and the first rectifier element are configured to enable the inductor to generate, during a third and a fourth time periods, a magnetic field having a waveform resembling a negative half-cycle of the triangular waveform.

13. The circuit of claim 12, wherein the third switch and the fourth switch are operable to be in an ON state during the third time period to allow the first capacitor and the second capacitor to discharge through the inductor in the third time period, wherein the third rectifier element and the fourth rectifier element are configured to allow the first capacitor and the second capacitor to charge through the inductor in the fourth time period, and wherein switches comprise semiconductor switches and rectifier elements comprises semiconductor diodes.

14. The circuit of claim 12, further comprising a fifth switch coupled between the third and a sixth node, a sixth switch coupled between the fourth node and the sixth node, a fifth rectifier element coupled in parallel to the sixth switch, and a sixth rectifier element coupled in parallel to the fifth switch, and a second inductor coupled between the sixth node and the first node, wherein addition of the fifth switch, fifth rectifier element, the sixth switch, and the sixth rectifier element allows generation of amplitude modulated triangular waveform magnetic field.