Trimmable Transformer Arrangement

• US 20100226064A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: McConnell, Roderick, Strzalkowski, Bernhard
• Granted Patent: US 9,117,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/270
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/42 Circuits specially adapted for the purpose of modifying, or compensating for, electric characteristics of transformers, reactors, or choke coils circuits for controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, for the purpose of obtaining a desired output H02P13/00; impedance networks H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 30/08 without magnetic core

Abstract

A circuit arrangement includes a coreless transformer. A trimming device is connected to the transformer and includes a variable capacitance and/or inductance.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement comprising:

a coreless transformer having a first winding and a second winding;

a trimming device connected to the first or the second winding, the trimming device including at least one of a variable capacitive component and/or a variable inductive component.

2. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the trimming device comprises a variable inductive component that comprises a parallel circuit having a number of inductances that are connected in parallel and that are adapted to be activated or deactivated independently of each other, the parallel circuit being connected in series with the first or the second winding.

3. The circuit arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising an activation element connected in series with at least one of the inductances.

4. The circuit arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the activation element comprises a fuse or a switch.

5. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the trimming device comprises a variable capacitive component that comprises a parallel circuit having a number of capacitances that are connected in parallel and that are adapted to be activated or deactivated independently of each other, the parallel circuit being connected in parallel with one of the first or second windings.

6. The circuit arrangement according to claim 5, further comprising an activation element connected in series to at least one of the capacitances.

7. The circuit arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the at least one of the variable inductive component and/or variable capacitive component is adapted to receive a control signal that adjusts one of an inductance value and/or a capacitance value.

8. The circuit arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the trimming device comprises a control circuit for providing a control signal.

9. The circuit arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the control circuit comprises a programmable circuit.

10. The circuit arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the control circuit is adapted to receive a load characteristic signal and is adapted to provide the control signal dependent on the load characteristic signal.

11. The circuit arrangement according to claim 10, further comprising:

an evaluation circuit that is adapted to evaluate a parameter and generate a load characteristic signal dependent on the evaluated parameter, the parameter comprising one of input power of the circuit arrangement;

input impedance of the circuit arrangement;

output power of the circuit arrangement;

or output impedance of the circuit arrangement.

12. A method for signal or power transmission through a circuit arrangement that comprises:

input terminals;

a coreless transformer having a first winding and a second winding;

a trimming device that is connected to one of the first and second windings and that includes at least one of a variable capacitive component and/or a variable inductive component, the variable capacitive component having an adjustable capacitance and the variable inductive component having an adjustable inductance;

the circuit arrangement having a maximum efficiency frequency (MEF) and a maximum impedance frequency (MIF) that is dependent on one of capacitance and inductance;

the method comprising;

applying an input signal that has an input frequency to the input terminals;

adjusting one of the MEF and MIF of the circuit arrangement differ from the input frequency by less than a given frequency difference by adjusting at least one of the adjustable capacitance and the adjustable inductance.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the frequency difference is less than 10% of the input frequency.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the frequency difference is less than 5% of the input frequency.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the frequency difference is substantially zero.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the one of the MEF and MIF of the circuit arrangement is adjusted during operation of the circuit arrangement.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

evaluating a parameter selected from the group consisting of;

an input power of the circuit arrangement;

an input impedance of the circuit arrangement;

an output power of the circuit arrangement, and;

an output impedance of the circuit arrangement; and

adjusting the at least one of the adjustable capacity and adjustable inductivity dependent on the evaluated parameter.