Universal power module
US6031749A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 31, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 29, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 31, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B47/165
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A switch-mode power converter uses a digital signal processor (DSP) to control operation of power semiconductors through gate drive amplifiers, further using the DSP's internal analog-to-digital converters to measure necessary currents, voltages and timings within the main power circuit. Using values captured by the A-to-D converters, software controlling the DSP manipulates duty cycle and timing parameters of the main semiconductor switches to provide at least three different modes of operation for serving a wide range of lighting loads. This power system reduces the size, cost, and weight, of circuitry needed to operate stage lighting equipment. The DSP's microprocessor eliminates most of the complex and dedicated analog circuitry commonly used for electronic power conversion, and a common power circuit topology provides an identical hardware platform for each luminaire circuit. Overall reliability is enhanced because of the reduction in circuit complexity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.