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  • Power Converter With Isolated and Regulated Stages (US Patent 7272021)

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    U.S. patent 7272021: Power converter with isolated and regulated stages. Granted to Schlecht et. al. (2 total) on 2007-09-18 (filed 2006-04-20) and assigned to SynQor, Inc.. Currently involved in at least 1 patent litigation: Vicor Corporation v. Synqor, Inc. (Massachusetts). See http://news.priorsmart.com for more info.

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    Power converter with isolated and regulated stages (US patent 7272021)

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    U.S. patent 7272021: Power converter with isolated and regulated stages. Granted to Schlecht et. al. (2 total) on 2007-09-18 (filed 2006-04-20) and assigned to SynQor, Inc.. Currently involved in at least 1 patent litigation: Vicor Corporation v. Synqor, Inc. (Massachusetts). See http://news.priorsmart.com for more info.

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    1K views14 pages

    Power Converter With Isolated and Regulated Stages (US Patent 7272021)

    Uploaded by

    PriorSmart
    U.S. patent 7272021: Power converter with isolated and regulated stages. Granted to Schlecht et. al. (2 total) on 2007-09-18 (filed 2006-04-20) and assigned to SynQor, Inc.. Currently involved in at least 1 patent litigation: Vicor Corporation v. Synqor, Inc. (Massachusetts). See http://news.priorsmart.com for more info.

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    c2) United States Patent (sy as), By) ay 2 6) () @ oy (32) Schlecht et al. POWER CONVERTER WITH ISOLATED AND REGULATED STAGI Inventors: Martin F, Schlecht, Lexington, MA (US); Richard W. Farrington, Heath TX (US) Assignee: SynQor, Inc. Boxborough, MA (US) Notice: Subject w any diselime, the tem of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 USC, 1540) by 0 days. This patent is subject to a terminal dis- claimer. Appl. No. 11/407,699 Filed: Apr. 20, 2006 Prior Publication Data US 200610262575 AI Nov. 23, 2006 Related US. CContinuation-in-part of application No. 10729430, filed on Dec. 5, 2003, now Pa, No. 7.050.309, which is » continuation-in-part of application No. 108 314, filed on Mar. 29, 2004, now Pat. No, 7.072.190, Which is a continuation af application No. 10355, 4457 filed on Feb. 5, 2003, now Pat, No, 6,731,520, ‘which is a division of application No, 091817,867, filed on Oot. 13,1999, now Pat, No, 6,222,742, which is division of epplication No. 091012,475, fled oa Jan, 23, 1996, now Pat. No, 5,999,417, which is a ‘ontiauation of application No, 091821, 655, filed on Mar. 29, 2001, now Pat, No. 6,594,159 Application Data Provisional application No, 60/431,673, filed on Dee. 6, 2002 provisional application No, 609036,245, filed on Jan, 24, 1997 Int. cl. HORM 3335 (2000601) us.Cl 363/17, 3697 USO 107272021 US 7,272,021 B2 *Sep. 18, 2007 (10) Patent No.: (45) Date of Paten (58) Field of Classification Search seas, 363/18, 20, 21.01, 95, 97,125, 131,17 ‘See application file for complete search history. 66) References Cited US, PATENT DOCUMEN: BOORL A S9T2 Pasa {Continued FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS sio90 BL 7993 i sivas a2 2002 » 06315263 AL Wo WORKOOS4 AL 111988 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Movons . Haachitaba, otal, A High-Eiincy 1.5 RW, 390-50 V Talbidge Converter Operted at 100% Dury-Rato IEEE, 1992, pp. 723730. (Continued) Primary Examiner (74) Atormes, Agent, oF Firm Reynokds, PC Adolf Berhane Hamilton, Brook, Smith & on Ina power converte, the duty eyele ofa primary winding circuit causes near continuous flow of power through the Primary and secondary winding circuits during normal ‘operation, By providing no regulation during noanal opera- tion, a very eficent circuit is obtained with a synchronous reclfier in the secondary operating at all times. However, during certain conditions such as start up or a shoet-cecut, the duty cycle of the primary may be reduced 10 cause freewheeling periods, nomally on-regulating isolation stage may be followed by plural non-solating regulation stages. To simplify the gate crive, the synchronous rectifiers ‘may be allowed t0 tur off for a portion ofthe eyele when the duty eyce is reduced. filter inductance of the second: ary wining citcut is sulicent to minimize ripple during formal operation, but allows large siple when the duty cele is reduce. By accepting large ripple during other than normal operation, a smaller fier inductance ean be vse. ABSTRACT 48 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets US 7,272,021 B2 Page 2 US, PATENT DOCUMENTS 443841 A 4984 Robin tal AS86LID A, 6 Suton 4788450 A LL988 Wagner AT6M A LLIORK Schlecht a 4812672 A M4989 Cowan ea SOIV9S4 A $1991 Bourges ta. S512 A, Fisher etal 527856 A, Loftus, Je S30R138 A, Rooman S3038 A. ‘hina a S306a12 A Barge Sa5M A, Coke a 551092 A, Goebel a Kikinis etal a Roman a Uilestate a Rooman a Warn etl a ‘Yamashita a S771160 A, Seong S774350 4, Noto S870299 A, Rozman SHM05 A, Loftus, Jeet Ss80.949 A, Melhem ea. Sos9a70 A Pa 59994417 A. Schlecht 6016258 A, Shin ta 6.046920 A, aha eta 6.6594 A. Hastings etal 088.329 A, Libary a 6252781 BI 62001 Rinne ea 6487093 BI 11/2002 Vogman 6504267 BI 1.2009 Giannopoulos 6552917 BI 42003 Bouillon 6 700,365 B2 42001 Isham ta 6788 BI 4.2004 Chen ea 6.735004 B2 $2004 Stigrvald et 6853568 B2_ 22005 Li eta 71050300 B2* $2006 Farington 3617 797190 B2 12006 Sebleht 2080174822 AL 92003 Xu etal. 2o0sosTi77 AL 32008 “Tita 20060209872 AL 92006 Schlecht 20060285368 AL 122006 Schlecht OTHER PUBLICATIONS -Mcen, Loveday Haacitaba, “The Design of Front-End DC-DC Converters of Distributed Power Supply Systems with Improved ficiency and Stability Thesis, Masschusts Isitte of Tech- ology, Sep. 192, pp. L184 Casey, Leo Francis, “Celt Design For 1-10 MHZ DC-DC Con. ‘vasion.” MIT Doctoral Thesis, 8h. 1989, pp. 1-216 Toten, Andeew. "A 250° W High Density Poin-fLoad Con. ater” MIT Masior of Science Thasis, Sep. 1989, pp. 1-117 ‘Moan, Bijan, MOSFET Synchronous Rector Achieve 90% ciency Pat Land Pat I, PCIM, Tan 1991, pp 10:13 & $8461 (Cobos A. ot al, "Resonant Resut Forward Topologies for Low ‘Ovuput Volage On Board Converters” IEEE, 195, pp. 703-708. “abl, WA, eal, "A MOSFET Resonant Synchronous Resor Foy High-Frequeney DC DC Converters" Procelingsof he Power lecwones Specialists Conference, San Antonio, TX, Jun 1-18, 1990, pp 769.779. Wiogmin, HLLN, al, “A Dual Active Bridge SMPS Using Synchronous Rests.” HEPC May 1990 Proeadings, pp. 336+ 346 Shoyama, Mash, & al, ‘Magntzing Cumese of Transformer st Push-Pull Cea si “Zax Notage Switch Pash-Pall DC- 229. ‘ino, Li. et al "Sof Swichel PWM. DCIDC Converter With ‘Syachronous Retr” IEEE 196, pp. 476-484 ‘Blanchard, Richard, ets, “The Dsigh ofa High Eicione, Low ‘Voltage Power Supply Using MOSFET Synchronous Resifcation snl Cusent Mode Contol IEEE, 1988 p. 385-361 Sitar, fone Dan, tal, “High Eiciency DC-DC Convent." EEE, 1904p. 638-644, Harpur, DJ, tal, "Contoled Synchronous Rest,” HEPC May 1988 Proceedings, pp. 165172 Acker, Brin, etal. “Currea-Contoled Synchronous Recifica- tion” IEEE 1994, pp. 185-191 ‘Mura, Naoki al ~A High Eceny 30-W Board Mousted Power Suply Mole IEEE 1991, pp. 122 (Casey, Lan Fe al, "A High Freqeney, Low Volume, Ponto Load Power Supply for Disibuted Power Systems” IEEE L087, pp. 489-450, Schlecht, Marin F., “Research Rests frm the Sty of A High [ciency Highly Manuactunble DC-DC Convert” unpub lished pp. 1-32, ‘Gachora, Jon Moun, “Design ofa FourPhase Switched High ciency Power Supply.” MIT Master of Engineering. Thess, 1994, op. 166 [Blanchard Reta, "MOSFETs Move n On Low Voge Reat- ‘eation” Oficial Procedigs of the Ninth Intersil PCY "84 Confrence, Ot 2-31, 1984, pp. 213-222 Garcia, Oca, "Zero Voge Switching In The PW Hal Beige ‘Topology With Complementary Cont And Synchronous Retil- cation,” Reson ofthe Amn Power Electronics Specialist Com Terence, Pes, lana, Ju, 12-15, 1995, vl 1, No. CONF 26 un 12,1995, IEEE, pp. 286-291. “ZeroVolage Switching Realized by at * cited by examiner U.S. Patent Sep. 18, 2007 Sheet 1 of 8 US 7,272,021 B2 oO g 3 Zz Z FIG. 1 S < 2 w 8 Q v ~ 9 7 2 US 7,272,021 B2 Sheet 2 of 8 Sep. 18, 2007 USS. Patent é Old US 7,272,021 B2 Sheet 3 of 8 Sep. 18, 2007 USS. Patent € Old US 7,272,021 B2 Sheet 4 of 8 Sep. 18, 2007 USS. Patent INIT ND acl ‘ano 7 gino 30] v LN0S TTT} v1no a4! vg 2 aaUA aca diNoo corn PLL awoo: | SPs |S cod ote Oh ‘¥}e0|29} | jous: anol _ 'so0a “NN ’s008 NN NA NIH oh nor NiH| oa xe or aan) an TO} 008: Leto: +NIA| pes b-oorrt 0017 rolls gona Tin US 7,272,021 B2 Sheet 5 of 8 Sep. 18, 2007 USS. Patent ar ols “On [b-Loze |t-oozr +0A SOVLS LNdiNO US 7,272,021 B2 Sheet 6 of 8 Sep. 18, 2007 USS. Patent HELO 8clO : 1 SauA doo! v-301N Lele US 7,272,021 B2 Sheet 7 of 8 Sep. 18, 2007 USS. Patent -OA ar ‘ola |b-bozr |-oozr +0A Lunoulo dwv1o BOVLS LNdLNO U.S. Patent Sep. 18, 2007 Sheet 8 of 8 US 7,272,021 B2 501 503 bv 12v Isolation + Regulation 503 Regulation 503 ( 1.8v Regulation FIG. 5 US 7,272,021 B2 1 POWER CONVERTER WITH ISOLATED "AND REGULATED STAGES RELATED APPLICATIONS ‘This application is Continuation-i-Part of US. appl cation Set No. 10/729,430, filed on Dee. 5, 2003 now US. Pat, No, 7.050.309, which claims the benefit of U.S, Provi- sional Application No. 60/431,673, fled Dee. 6, 2002 and a Continuationin-Partt U.S. application Ser. No. 10812, 314, fled Mar. 29, 2004 now U.S. Pat, No. 7,072,190, whieh is a comtinvation of application Ser, No, 10/389,457, fled Feb. 5, 2003 now US. Pat. No. 6,731,520, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/831,685, fled Ma 29, 2001, now US. Pa. No. 6,594,159, which isa divisional ‘of application Se. No. 09/417,867, filed Oct. 13, 1999, now US. Pat, No, 6,222,742, which is a divisional of Ser. No. (09/012.475, fled Jan. 23, 1998, now US. Pat. No. 5,999, AIT, whic claims the benefit of US. Provisional Applica. tion 60(036,245 fil Jan, 24, 1997. The entre teachings of the above applications are incoxpornted herein by reference BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ‘This invention pertains to switching power converters. A ™ specific example of a power converter is a DC-DC power supply that draws 100 watts of power from a 48 volt DC source and convents it 0 a5 volt DC output to drive logic circuitry. The seminal valves and ranges of the input and ‘output voliges, as well as the maximum power handling capability of the converter, depend on the application, Tris common today for switching power supplies to have a switching frequency of 100 kHz or higher, Such a high switching frequency permits the capacitors, inductors, and ‘runsfomier: in the converter to be physically small. The reduction inthe overall volume of the converter that results is desirable to the uses of such supplies Aooiher important attbute of a power supply is its eficiency. The higher the elicieney, the less heat that is dissipated within the supply, and the less design effort, volume, weight, and cost that must be devoted to remove thisheat. A higher efficiency is therefore also desirable othe users of these supplies A significant faction ofthe energy dissipated in a power supply is due to the on-state (or conduction) loss of the diodes used, paricuary if the load and/or source voltages are low (eg. 33, 5, of 12 vols). In onder to reduce this, conduction lss, the diodes are sometimes replaced with ‘wansistors whose on-state voltages are auch smaller. These ‘eansistors, called synchronous rectfes, are typically power MOSFETs for converters switching in the 100 kHz and higher range. ‘The use of trasisiors as synchronous wetter in high switching frequency converters presents sever technical challenges. One isthe need w provide properly timed dives. tothe contol terminals ofthese transistors, This tasks made ‘more complicated when the converter provides electrical isolation between is input and outpat because the synchro ‘ous reife drives ae thea isolated fom the dees ofthe 6 sain, primary side transistors. Another challenge i the peed to minimize losses during the switch transitions of the synchronous rectifiers. An important portion ofthese switch ing losses is due to the aced to charge and discharge the parasitic capacitances ofthe transistors, the parasitic induc> 6S tances of interconnections, and the leakage inductance of transformer windings. 2 ‘SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In certain embodiments of the invention, a power con- verter system comprises a normally non-reguating isolation sage and a plurality of non-isoatng regulation stages, each receiving the output ofthe isolation stage and regulating a regulation stage output. The aoa-regulating isolation stage ‘may comprise a primary winding circuit and a secondary ‘winding creit coupled wo the primary winding circuit, The secondary Winding circuit comprises 4 secondary tan former winding in series with controllod rectifier having @ paral uncontrolled reetifie.A contra ert eontols duty cyele ofthe primary’ winding ctcit, the duy cycle causing, substantially uninterrupted contol of power through the Primary and secondary winding circuits during normal operation, The duty cycle ofthe primary winding circuit may be reduced to cause freewheeling periods in other than normal ‘operation. Duty eyele might be reduced during the startup or to limit curent and may be a function of sensed current, The primary winding creuit may include a single primary winding, and the secondary winding circuit may include plural secondary windings coupled to the single primary ‘winding. The primary winding may ben a fll ridge circuit. having a capacitor in series with the primary winding. In one ‘implementation ofthe fll bridge circuit, during freewheel. ‘ng, only v0 top FETS or two bottom FETS are turned off contol signal ofthe controlled rectifier may be derived from a waveform of the secondary winding circuit. The secondary winding etcut may include a filter indvtor and hhave a capacita coupled across its output, The isolation stage may be a step down stage. For example, it may provide an output of about 12 vols from a DC power source that provides a voltage varying over the range of 36-75 volts. The regulation stages may be down, converters to provide outputs of voltage levels to drive logic circuitry. A regulation stage ouipat may, for example, be 5 vols or less, such as 3.3 volts, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent fom the following more particular description of prefered embodiments of the jventioa, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings ia which like reference characters refer to the same parts ‘throughout the different views, The drawings are not noc: cesarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illus- ‘rating the principles of the invention. FIG. 1 shows a fall-bridge, single-ransforme, voltage fed isolation stage that incomporates concepts of the “417 patent FIG. illustrates the adliion ofa capacitor to the primary winding of FIG. 1. IG. 3illstates the addition of an output filter indvetor to the cirevitof FIG. 2. FIGS. 4A-4C show a contro circuit for the circuits of FIGS. 13 and embodying the present invention, and FIG. 4D shows an allemative to the circuit of FIG. 4B. FIG, § shows an Intermediate Bus Architecture (IBA) ‘implementation ofthe invention. US 7,272,021 B2 3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A description of prefered embodiments ofthe invention follows FIG. 1 shows a full-bridge, single-tansformer, voltae fed isolation stage that incorporates synchronous rectifiea- tion and the concepts ofthe “417 patent. The operation of this isolation stage is as follows. For the first half of the cyele, MOSFETs 101 and 103 are tumed on while MOS- FETs 102 and 104 are let off and the vokage Vis applied positively (according to the “dot” convention) across the {ransfomer’s primary winding 107. This voltage, modified by the transfonmer’stumsrato, appears across the second ary windings with the appropriate polarity. Power ows into the transformer’s primary winding, and out of the first secondary winding 108 tothe output. The volage at Node B is approximately twice the output voltage, and it eauses the MOSFET synchronous rettier 105 10 be turned on. The voltage at Node Ais therefore slightly below ground, which ceases the MOSFET synchronous rectifier 106 to be turned off These states ofthe rectifier switches are consistent with, the power flowing out ofthe frst sscondary winding, ‘During the second half of the eyele, MOSFETS 102 and 104 are tumed on while MOSFETs 191 and 103 ae eft off, and the voltage Vis applied neyatively across the trans former's primary ‘Winding. This negative polarity causes MOSFET 106 10 be tured oa, MOSFET 105 to be tumed ‘off, and power to flow into the primary winding and cut of the second secondary winding 109 to the output across capacitor 10, ‘The secondary windings are not tightly coupled to each other, as indicaed withthe parasitic inductances 113 and 114, to achieve the advantages discussed inthe "417 patent A similar setup was shown inthe topology of FIG. 9 ofthe “417 patent since it also used a single wansloeme. Care must be taken in this isolation stage topology to ingore thatthe magnetizing inductance of the transformer does not saturate One way to do this isto place a large capacitor 218 in series with the primary winding a show in FIG. 2. This capacitor will assume a de voltage across it that counters any imbalance there may bein the positive and negative volt-seconds of the waveforms ereated by Mi FETs 101-104. Altemativey, several well-known tech niques to sense the magnetizing inductor’sewrent could be sed to modify the durations of the first and second halves of the eee ‘The filters atthe output ofthe isolation stages in the “417 patent are composed of one of more cepaciive and inductive lements. When the isolation stage is voltage-fe, it may be desirable to have the output itr bepin with an indctoe 316, as shown in FIG. 3. One benefit this approach provides is that the voltage-fed isolation stages can now be operated with a variable duty eyele control strategy to provide a sofestart capability orto limit curent ow ina shortciecuit condition. These functions could be provided by the regu lation stages in the topologies depicted in the 417 patent, but if the isolation stage is not combined diretly with a regulation stage in a single product, then it may be desirable to include these functional capabilities in the isolation stage, as well ‘Under variable duty eyele contol, the pereentage of the coveral eycle (the duty cycle) that MOSFETS 101 and 103 (or MOSFETS 102 and 104) conduct is reduced from the 50% value described shove, For the remaining, freewheeling fraction of the half-eyele, ether all of the primary-side [MOSFFTS are tured of, or at east the two top MOSFETS x“ 4 101 and 104 or the two bottom MOSFETs 102 and 108 are tured off. During the freewiheTing part of the evel, both diodes 111 and 112 conduct the cunteat Bowing through indvctor 316, and the voltage across the transformer wind ings is approximately oro As is well know, this additional portion ofthe eyele penis the ouput voltage to be less than ‘Vo divided by the rrinsformer’s tms-rati. How much less

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