Active current compensator capable of detecting malfunctions

Abstract

An active current compensation device is provided that actively compensates for noise input in common mode onto two or more large current paths connected to a power system. [Solution] The present invention provides an active current compensation device 100 that actively compensates for noise generated in common mode in at least two or more large current paths 111, 112, and includes a sensing unit 120 that generates an output signal corresponding to the common mode noise current in the large current path, an amplifier unit 130 that amplifies the output signal to generate an amplified current, a compensation unit 160 that generates a compensation current based on the amplified current and can flow the compensation current in each of the at least two or more large current paths, and a malfunction detection unit 180 that detects malfunction of the amplifier unit, and at least a part of the amplifier unit 130 and the malfunction detection unit 180 are built into a single integrated circuit (IC) chip 500.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an active current compensation device capable of detecting malfunctions, and relates to an active current compensation device that actively compensates for noise input in common mode on two or more large current paths connected to a power system.

[0002] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an active current compensation device including a built-in power conversion unit, which actively compensates for noise currents input in common mode on two or more large current paths connected to a power system.

[0003] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an active current compensation device including an integrated circuit part and a non-integrated circuit part, and relates to an active current compensation device that actively compensates for noise input in common mode on two or more large current paths connected to a power system.

[0004] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an active current compensation device including a one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC), which actively compensates for noise input in common mode on two or more large current paths connected to a power system. [Background technology]

[0005] Generally, electronic devices such as home appliances, industrial appliances, and electric vehicles emit noise during operation. For example, noise can be emitted through power lines due to the switching operation of power conversion devices within electronic devices. If left unchecked, this noise can not only be harmful to humans, but can also cause malfunctions or failures in surrounding components and other electronic devices. The electronic interference that electronic devices cause to other devices is called EMI (Electromagnetic Interference), and the noise transmitted via wires and circuit board wiring is called Conducted EMI (CE) noise.

[0006] To ensure that electronic devices operate without damaging peripheral components and other devices, EMI noise emissions from all electronic products are strictly regulated. Therefore, most electronic products must include noise reduction devices (e.g., EMI filters) to reduce EMI noise currents in order to comply with noise emission regulations. For example, EMI filters are essential in white goods such as air conditioners, electric vehicles, aircraft, and energy storage systems (ESS). Conventional EMI filters use common mode chokes to reduce common mode (CM) noise, which is a type of conducted emission (CE) noise. Common mode (CM) chokes are passive filters that act to suppress common mode noise currents.

[0007] On the other hand, to maintain the noise reduction performance of passive EMI filters in high-power systems, the common-mode chokes must be larger or their number increased, which means that the size and cost of passive EMI filters increase significantly in high-power products.

[0008] To overcome the limitations of passive EMI filters, there has been growing interest in active EMI filters. Active EMI filters can eliminate EMI noise by detecting EMI noise and generating a signal that cancels the noise through an active circuit. Active EMI filters include an active circuit that can generate an amplified signal in response to the detected noise signal. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] To overcome the limitations of passive EMI filters, there has been growing interest in active EMI filters. Active EMI filters can eliminate EMI noise by detecting the EMI noise and generating a signal that cancels the noise. Active EMI filters include an active circuit section that can generate an amplified signal from the detected noise signal.

[0010] However, there are problems in that the failure of the active circuit unit is difficult to identify with the naked eye, and in that the active EMI filter only performs a noise reduction function, and the power system can still operate normally even if the active circuit unit fails, so it is difficult to determine whether the active circuit unit has failed based on the current situation.

[0011] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and aims to provide an active current compensation device capable of detecting malfunctions, particularly an active current compensation device in which both an active circuit unit and a malfunction detection circuit are built into a single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

[0012] However, such problems are exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0013] In an active EMI filter, the active circuit section must be supplied with power in order to operate. For example, the output of a switching mode power supply (SMPS) can be used as the power supply for the active circuit section. The active circuit section may require a specific voltage (e.g., 12V), and the required voltage may not exist in existing systems. In other words, there is a problem that the DC voltage input to the active circuit section varies depending on the system.

[0014] In summary, depending on the system, the SMPS may not output the specific voltage required to drive the active circuit section, causing the problem of unstable operation of the active circuit section.

[0015] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised to overcome the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an active current compensation device including a built-in power conversion unit.

[0016] However, such problems are exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0017] However, in order to actually apply active EMI filters to electronic products, mass production of semiconductor devices is required to meet various demands. If discrete devices (or components) are used to manufacture active EMI filters for actual use, the number of devices for the active circuit increases and various components are required to improve the functionality of the active EMI filter. Therefore, there is a problem that the size and cost of the active EMI filter increase to achieve higher functionality.

[0018] Therefore, to overcome this problem, there is a need for an active EMI filter that uses customized integrated circuits (ICs) that can be used in a variety of power systems.

[0019] The present invention has been devised to overcome the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an active current compensation device including an integrated circuit portion and a non-integrated circuit portion. The integrated circuit portion is a single chip including essential components of the active current compensation device, and the non-integrated circuit portion can be configured to realize active EMI filters of various designs.

[0020] Active EMI filters can include, for example, a BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor). However, when current flows through a BJT and heat is generated, the current gain of the BJT increases (or the internal resistance of the BJT decreases). This causes a positive feedback loop in which the increased current generates more heat. This positive feedback loop can cause the BJT to continue to increase in heat, potentially damaging it or causing it to lose its original characteristics. This phenomenon is called thermal runaway.

[0021] When using BJTs to configure the amplifier section of an active EMI filter, this thermal runaway problem must be solved.

[0022] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised to overcome the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an active current compensation device including a one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC).

[0023] However, such problems are exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an active current compensation device that actively compensates for noise generated in a common mode in each of at least two or more large current paths includes a sensing unit that generates an output signal corresponding to a common mode noise current in the large current path, an amplifier unit that amplifies the output signal to generate an amplified current, a compensation unit that generates a compensation current based on the amplified current and can flow the compensation current in each of the at least two or more large current paths, and a malfunction detection unit that detects malfunction of the amplifier unit, and at least a portion of the amplifier unit and the malfunction detection unit can be built into a single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

[0025] According to an embodiment, signals at two nodes included in the amplifier may be differentially input to the malfunction detector.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the amplifying unit may include a first transistor and a second transistor, and one node of the first transistor and one node of the second transistor may be connected to an input terminal of the malfunction detecting unit.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the malfunction detection unit can detect a differential DC voltage at two nodes included in the amplification unit and detect whether the differential DC voltage is within a predetermined range.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the integrated circuit chip may include terminals for connection to a power supply device that supplies power to the amplifier unit and the malfunction detection unit, terminals for connection to a reference potential of the amplifier unit and the malfunction detection unit, and an output terminal of the malfunction detection unit.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the integrated circuit chip may include a terminal connected to a switch for selectively supplying power to the malfunction detection unit.

[0030] Other aspects, features, and advantages, in addition to those described above, will become apparent from the following drawings, claims, and detailed description of the invention.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an active current compensation device for actively compensating for common-mode noise generated in each of at least two or more large current paths includes: a sensing unit for generating an output signal corresponding to a common-mode noise current in the large current path; a power management unit for receiving a first voltage from a power supply device that supplies power and converting it into a second voltage of a predetermined magnitude; an amplifier unit driven by the second voltage for amplifying the output signal to generate an amplified current; and a compensation unit for generating a compensation current based on the amplified current and flowing the compensation current to each of the at least two or more large current paths, wherein the active elements included in the amplifier unit and the active elements included in the power management unit can be built into a single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the power management unit may include a power conversion unit that generates a switching signal for outputting a second voltage of a constant magnitude from a first voltage of an arbitrary magnitude, a feedback unit that transmits the voltage signal output from the power conversion unit back to the power conversion unit, thereby enabling the power management unit to output the second voltage of a constant magnitude, and a filter unit that passes only the DC component of the voltage signal.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the power conversion unit may be built into the direct circuit chip, and at least a portion of the feedback unit and the filter unit may be discrete components located outside the direct circuit chip.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the power conversion unit may include a regulator that generates a low DC voltage for driving an internal circuit of the power conversion unit.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the power conversion unit may include a pulse width modulation circuit that generates the switching signal using the DC low voltage provided from the regulator, and a first switch and a second switch that are selectively turned on in response to the switching signal.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the at least two or more high current paths transmit high current supplied by a second device to a first device, and the power supply device can be a power supply device of the first device or the second device.

[0037] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an active current compensation device for actively compensating for common-mode noise generated in each of at least two or more large current paths includes at least two or more large current paths that transmit power supplied by a second device to a first device, a sensing unit that generates an output signal corresponding to a common-mode noise current in the large current paths, an amplifier that amplifies the output signal to generate an amplified current, and a compensation unit that generates a compensation current based on the amplified current and can pass the compensation current through each of the at least two or more large current paths, wherein the amplifier includes a non-integrated circuit unit and a one-chip integrated circuit unit, and the non-integrated circuit unit is designed according to at least one power system of the first device and the second device, and the one-chip integrated circuit unit is independent of the rated power specifications of the first device and the second device.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the non-integrated circuit part can be designed according to the power rating of the first device.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the one-chip integrated circuit portion may include a first transistor, a second transistor, and one or more resistors.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the non-integrated circuit part may include a first impedance Z1 that connects the emitter node sides of the first transistor and the second transistor to the input terminal of the compensation part, and a second impedance Z2 that connects the base node sides of the first transistor and the second transistor to the input terminal of the compensation part.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the sensing unit includes a sensing transformer, and the compensating unit includes a compensating transformer. The value of the first impedance or the value of the second impedance is determined based on a winding ratio of the sensing transformer and the compensating transformer and a target current gain of the amplifier unit. A configuration of the one-chip direct circuit unit may be independent of the winding ratio and the target current gain.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the one-chip integrated circuit unit can be used as a first device of various power systems depending on the design of the first impedance and the second impedance.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an active current compensation device for actively compensating for common-mode noise generated in each of at least two or more large current paths includes: a sensing unit that generates an output signal corresponding to a common-mode noise current in the large current path; an amplifier that amplifies the output signal to generate an amplified current; and a compensation unit that generates a compensation current based on the amplified current and causes the compensation current to flow in each of the at least two or more large current paths. The amplifier unit includes a non-integrated circuit part and a one-chip integrated circuit. The one-chip integrated circuit has a built-in active element whose element characteristics change in response to temperature changes. The one-chip integrated circuit can be designed so that the amplifier unit maintains performance within a certain range even when the temperature changes.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the one-chip integrated circuit has an npn BJT and a pnp BJT built in, and a diode can be connected between the base node of the npn BJT and the base node of the pnp BJT.

[0045] According to one embodiment, a resistor may be connected between the emitter node of the npn BJT and the emitter node of the pnp BJT.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the diode may serve to reduce the emitter current flowing through the resistor.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the diode and the resistor can adjust the DC bias current of the npn BJT and the pnp BJT.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the emitter current through the resistor can be maintained within a predetermined range as the temperature changes.

[0049] Other aspects, features, and advantages, in addition to those described above, will become apparent from the following drawings, claims, and detailed description of the invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0050] The active current compensation devices according to various embodiments of the present invention configured as described above can reduce the cost, area, volume, weight, and heat generation in high power systems compared to passive filters configured with CM chokes.

[0051] Additionally, the active current compensation device according to various embodiments of the present invention is capable of detecting a failure or malfunction of the active circuitry.

[0052] Furthermore, various embodiments of the present invention can provide a single integrated circuit (IC) chip in which both the active circuit unit and the malfunction detection unit are built in. By building the malfunction detection unit into a chip in which the active circuit unit is integrated, the size and cost can be reduced compared to when the malfunction detection unit is separately constructed using general practical elements.

[0053] Furthermore, by integrating the active circuit section and the malfunction detection section into a single IC chip, the IC chip can be put into practical use as an independent component with versatility.

[0054] In addition, a current compensation device including the IC chip can be manufactured and put into practical use as an independent module, which can detect malfunctions as an independent module regardless of the characteristics of the surrounding electrical system.

[0055] The active current compensation devices according to the various embodiments of the present invention configured as described above can be applied to any of a variety of systems by having a built-in power conversion unit.

[0056] In various embodiments of the present invention, the active circuitry and power conversion unit are integrated into a single integrated circuit (IC) chip, which can be used as an independent component with versatility.

[0057] In addition, a current compensator including the IC chip can be manufactured as an independent module for practical use. The active circuit unit included in such a current compensator can operate stably regardless of the characteristics of the surrounding electrical system.

[0058] The active current compensation devices according to various embodiments of the present invention configured as described above can reduce the cost, area, volume, weight, and heat generation in high power systems compared to passive filters configured with CM chokes.

[0059] Additionally, the active current compensation devices according to various embodiments of the present invention minimize size compared to devices including discrete semiconductor devices.

[0060] Furthermore, the integrated circuit portion according to various embodiments of the present invention can be universally applied to active current compensation devices of various designs.

[0061] In addition, the active current compensation devices including the integrated circuit unit according to various embodiments of the present invention can be used in various power electronic products regardless of their power ratings, and therefore can be extended to high-power and high-noise systems.

[0062] Additionally, active current compensation devices including integrated circuit components according to various embodiments of the present invention can be easily mass-produced.

[0063] Furthermore, the active current compensation device and / or one-chip integrated circuit unit according to various embodiments of the present invention can be put into practical use as an independent module with versatility.

[0064] The active current compensation device according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above can reduce the cost, area, volume, weight, and heat generation in a high-power system compared to a passive filter configured with a CM choke.

[0065] In addition, the active current compensation device according to the embodiment of the present invention can prevent thermal runaway. The active current compensation device according to the embodiment of the present invention can maintain a constant current range even when the temperature changes by utilizing both positive and negative feedback with respect to the BJT temperature.

[0066] In addition, in the active current compensation device according to the embodiment of the present invention, elements having temperature characteristics are formed in a one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) and share temperatures, so it is easy to predict the characteristics of the elements depending on temperature.

[0067] Therefore, it is possible to design an active circuit section (or amplifier section) that is controllable and predictable even with temperature changes.

[0068] The amplifier according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a one-chip integrated circuit, which allows the amplifier to be designed to have controllable current-voltage (IV) characteristics compared to when it is configured with practical discrete elements. That is, the one-chip integrated circuit according to the embodiment of the present invention can be customized. That is, the current and voltage within the one-chip integrated circuit can be controlled.

[0069] Furthermore, the one-chip integrated circuit and the active current compensation device including the same according to the embodiment of the present invention can be mass-produced with only a small increase in production cost, and the increase in size due to an increase in the number of semiconductor elements can be small.

[0070] Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited to such effects. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0071] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a system including an active current compensation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing the inclusion relationship between an amplifier section 130, a malfunction detector section 180, and an IC chip 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and is a diagram showing an outline of an active current compensation device 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation device 100A-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating another more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, and is a diagram illustrating an active current compensation device 100A-2 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a malfunction detection unit 180 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a logic circuit 184 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a circuit diagram of an active element section 132 and a malfunction detection section 180 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an active current compensation apparatus 100B according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a system including an active current compensation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of an amplifier unit 130 and a power management unit 180 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation device 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13]FIG. 13 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation device 100A-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a power management unit 180 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 15 is a diagram illustrating a more specific example of the power conversion unit 181 illustrated in FIG. 14. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an active current compensation device 100A-2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a system including an active current compensation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, and is a diagram showing an outline of an active current compensation device 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 18, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation device 100A-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an active current compensation device 100A-2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an active current compensation device 100A-3 according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an active current compensation apparatus 100B according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a system including an active current compensation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 23, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation device 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a more specific example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 24, and is a diagram showing an outline of an active current compensation device 100A-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of a one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) 131A according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] 27 is a diagram showing the results of a simulation of the bias voltage and current depending on the temperature of the one-chip integrated circuit 131A shown in FIG. 26. FIG. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an active current compensation device 100A-2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0072] The present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, and specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as methods for achieving them, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and may be embodied in various forms.

[0073] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing with reference to the drawings, the same or corresponding components will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

[0074] In the following embodiments, terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used not for the purpose of limitation but to distinguish one component from another. In the following embodiments, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the following embodiments, terms such as "include" or "have" mean the presence of a feature or component described in the specification and do not preclude the possibility that one or more other features or components may be added. In the drawings, the size of components may be exaggerated or reduced for the sake of clarity. In the following embodiments, when components, parts, units, modules, etc. are referred to as being connected, this includes not only cases where the components, parts, units, modules, etc. are directly connected, but also cases where the components, parts, units, modules, etc. are indirectly connected via another component, part, unit, or module interposed therebetween.

[0075] Meanwhile, the embodiments described in the detailed description of this specification may be conveniently classified into one of four classes of embodiments. The four classes of embodiments are as follows: [1] Active current compensation device capable of detecting malfunctions [2] Active current compensation device including a built-in power conversion unit [3] An active current compensator including an integrated circuit part and a non-integrated circuit part [4] Active current compensation device including a single-chip integrated circuit

[0076] The four classifications of embodiments [1] to [4] above have been distinguished for the sake of convenience of explanation, and it goes without saying that each embodiment described in the specification may overlap with multiple classifications.

[0077] In addition, the drawings attached to this specification may belong to one of the classifications of embodiments. More specifically, FIGS. 1 to 9 may belong to classification [1], FIGS. 10 to 16 may belong to classification [2], FIGS. 17 to 22 may belong to classification [3], and FIGS. 23 to 28 may belong to classification [4]. In this specification, the same reference numerals may be used for the same or corresponding components in drawings within the same classification. However, the same reference numerals may be used for the same components in drawings within different classifications. For example, the malfunction detection unit 180 in FIG. 1, which belongs to classification [1], and the power management unit 180 in FIG. 10, which belongs to classification [2], may be used for the same components but may refer to different components.

[0078] [1] Active current compensation device capable of detecting malfunctions 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a system including an active current compensation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100 can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 (e.g., EMI noise currents) input in common mode (CM) from a first device 300 via two or more large current paths 111 and 112.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 1, the active current compensation device 100 may include a sensing unit 120, an amplifying unit 130, a malfunction detection unit 180, and a compensating unit 160.

[0080] In this specification, the first device 300 may be any of various types of power systems that use the power source supplied by the second device 200. For example, the first device 300 may be a load that is driven using the power source supplied by the second device 200. Furthermore, the first device 300 may be a load (e.g., an electric vehicle) that stores energy using the power source supplied by the second device 200 and is driven using the stored energy. However, the first device 300 is not limited to this.

[0081] The second device 200 in this specification may be a system of various types for supplying power in the form of current and / or voltage to the first device 300. For example, the second device 200 may be a device that generates and supplies power, or may be a device that supplies power generated by another device (e.g., an electric vehicle charging device). Of course, the second device 200 may also be a device that supplies stored energy, but is not limited thereto.

[0082] A power conversion device may be located on the first device 300 side. For example, first currents I11 and I12 may be input to the current compensation device 100 through a switching operation of the power conversion device. That is, the first device 300 side may correspond to a noise source, and the second device 200 side may correspond to a noise receiver.

[0083] The two or more large current paths 111, 112 may be paths that transmit the power supplied by the second device 200, i.e., the second currents I21, I22, to the first device 300, and may be, for example, power lines. For example, each of the two or more large current paths 111, 112 may be a live line and a neutral line. At least a portion of the large current paths 111, 112 may pass through the current compensation device 100. The second currents I21, I22 may be AC ​​currents having a frequency in a second frequency band. The second frequency band may be, for example, a 50 Hz to 60 Hz band.

[0084] Furthermore, the two or more large current paths 111 and 112 may be paths through which noise generated in the first device 300, i.e., first currents I11 and I12, are transmitted to the second device 200. The first currents I11 and I12 may be input in a common mode to each of the two or more large current paths 111 and 112. The first currents I11 and I12 may be currents unintentionally generated in the first device 300 due to various causes. For example, the first currents I11 and I12 may be noise currents generated by virtual capacitance between the first device 300 and the surrounding environment. Alternatively, the first currents I11 and I12 may be noise currents generated by the switching operation of the power conversion device of the first device 300. The first currents I11 and I12 may be currents having a frequency in a first frequency band. The first frequency band may be a frequency band higher than the second frequency band described above. The first frequency band may be, for example, a 150 KHz to 30 MHz band.

[0085] Meanwhile, the two or more high current paths 111, 112 may include two paths as shown in Fig. 1, three paths as shown in Fig. 9, or four paths. The number of high current paths 111, 112 may vary depending on the type and / or form of the power source used by the first device 300 and / or the second device 200.

[0086] The sensing unit 120 may detect first currents I11 and I12 in two or more large current paths 111 and 112 and generate output signals corresponding to the first currents I11 and I12. That is, the sensing unit 120 may refer to a means for detecting the first currents I11 and I12 in the large current paths 111 and 112. At least a portion of the large current paths 111 and 112 may pass through the sensing unit 120 to sense the first currents I11 and I12, but a portion of the sensing unit 120 where an output signal is generated based on the sensing may be insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. For example, the sensing unit 120 may be implemented as a sensing transformer. The sensing transformer may detect the first currents I11 and I12 in the large current paths 111 and 112 while being insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may be differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130 .

[0088] The amplifier 130 is electrically connected to the sensing unit 120 and amplifies the output signal output by the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified output signal. In the present invention, "amplification" by the amplifier 130 may refer to adjusting the magnitude and / or phase of the signal to be amplified. The amplifier 130 may be implemented by various means and may include active elements. In one embodiment, the amplifier 130 may include a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). For example, the amplifier 130 may include a plurality of passive elements, such as resistors and capacitors, in addition to the BJT. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any means for "amplification" described herein may be used without limitation as the amplifier 130 of the present invention. The second reference potential 602 of the amplifier 130 and the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 may be distinguished from each other.

[0089] The malfunction detection unit 180 may detect a malfunction or failure of the amplifier unit 130. According to one embodiment, signals from two nodes included in the amplifier unit 130 may be differentially input to the malfunction detection unit 180. The malfunction detection unit 180 may detect the differential signal between the two nodes included in the amplifier unit 130. The malfunction detection unit 180 may detect a malfunction of the amplifier unit 130 using the input differential signal. For example, the malfunction detection unit 180 may detect a malfunction of the amplifier unit 130 by determining whether the differential signal satisfies a predetermined condition. The malfunction detection unit 180 may output a signal indicating whether the amplifier unit 130 has failed. According to one embodiment, the malfunction detection unit 180 may include an active element.

[0090] At least a part of the amplifier unit 130 and the malfunction detector unit 180 can be physically built into one integrated circuit (IC) chip 500.

[0091] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the inclusion relationship between the amplifier section 130, the malfunction detector section 180, and the IC chip 500 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] 2, the amplifier unit 130 may include a passive element unit 131 and an active element unit 132. The passive element unit 131 is composed of only passive elements, while the active element unit 132 includes active elements. In one embodiment, the active element unit 132 may include not only active elements but also passive elements. An example of a detailed configuration of the amplifier unit 130 including the passive element unit 131 and the active element unit 132 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0093] 1 and 2 , the combination of the passive element unit 131 and the active element unit 132 may function to generate an amplified signal from the output signal output from the sensing unit 120. The amplified signal may be input to the compensation unit 160.

[0094] As described above, signals from two nodes included in the amplifier 130 may be differentially input to the malfunction detector 180. The malfunction detector 180 may detect the differential signal from the two nodes. The two nodes may be two nodes included in the active element unit 132. In one embodiment, the two nodes may also be connected to the passive element unit 131.

[0095] In one embodiment, the active element unit 132 of the amplifier unit 130 and the malfunction detection unit 180 may be physically integrated into a single IC chip 500. However, this is merely one embodiment, and it goes without saying that in other embodiments, the passive element unit 131, the active element unit 132, and the malfunction detection unit 80 of the amplifier unit 130 may also be physically integrated into a single IC chip 500.

[0096] The malfunction detection unit 180 may include an active element. Here, the reference potential of the malfunction detection unit 180 may be the same as the second reference potential 602, which is the reference potential of the amplifier unit 130. The reference potential of the malfunction detection unit 180 may be different from the first reference potential 601, which is the reference potential of the current compensation device 100 (e.g., the reference potential of the compensation unit 160).

[0097] The amplifier 130 and the malfunction detector 180 may be supplied with power from a power supply 400, which is distinct from the first device 300 and / or the second device 200. The amplifier 130 may receive power from the power supply 400 and amplify the output signal output from the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified current. The malfunction detector 180 may receive power from a power supply 600 and generate an output signal indicating whether the differential input signal from the amplifier 130 is within a predetermined range. The output signal may indicate whether the amplifier 130 has failed.

[0098] The power supply device 400 may be a device that receives power from a power source independent of the first device 300 and the second device 200 and generates input power for the amplifier unit 130 and the malfunction detection unit 180. Alternatively, the power supply device 400 may be a device that receives power from either the first device 300 or the second device 200 and generates input power for the amplifier unit 130 and the malfunction detection unit 180.

[0099] The IC chip 500 may include a terminal t1 for connection to the power supply device 400, a terminal t2 for connection to the second reference potential 602, and a terminal t3 for outputting an output signal from the malfunction detection unit 180. The IC chip 500 may further include other terminals.

[0100] For example, in an embodiment in which only the active element unit 132 of the amplifier unit 130, excluding the passive element unit 131, is integrated into the IC chip 500 together with the malfunction detection unit 180, the other terminal may be connected to the passive element unit 131.

[0101] As another example, in an embodiment in which the passive element unit 131, the active element unit 132, and the malfunction detection unit 180 included in the amplifier unit 130 are all integrated into a single IC chip 500, the other terminals can be connected to the output terminal of the sensing unit 120 and the input terminal of the compensation unit 160.

[0102] The compensating unit 160 may generate a compensation current based on the output signal amplified by the amplifying unit 130. An output side of the compensating unit 160 may be connected to the large current paths 111 and 112 to pass compensation currents IC1 and IC2 through the large current paths 111 and 112, but may be isolated from the amplifying unit 130. For example, the compensating unit 160 may include a compensation transformer for the isolation. For example, the output signal of the amplifying unit 130 may flow through a primary side of the compensating transformer, and a compensation current based on the output signal may be generated on a secondary side of the compensating transformer.

[0103] The compensator 160 may inject compensation currents IC1 and IC2 into the two or more large current paths 111 and 112, respectively, to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12. The compensation currents IC1 and IC2 may have the same magnitude and opposite phase as the first currents I11 and I12.

[0104] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, and is a schematic diagram illustrating an active current compensation apparatus 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100A can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 (e.g., noise currents) input in common mode to two large current paths 111 and 112 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0105] Referring to FIG. 3, the active current compensation device 100A may include a sensing transformer 120A, an amplifier unit 130, a malfunction detection unit 180, and a compensation unit 160A.

[0106] In one embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may include a sensing transformer 120A. In this case, the sensing transformer 120A may be a means for detecting the first currents I11 and I12 on the large current paths 111 and 112 while being insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. The sensing transformer 120A may sense the first currents I11 and I12, which are noise currents input from the first device 300 to the large current paths 111 and 112 (e.g., power lines).

[0107] The sensing transformer 120A may include a primary side 121A disposed on the large current paths 111 and 112 and a secondary side 122A differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130. The sensing transformer 120A may generate an induced current in the secondary side 122A (e.g., a secondary winding) based on a magnetic flux density induced by the first currents I11 and I12 in the primary side 121A (e.g., a primary winding) disposed on the large current paths 111 and 112. The primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A may be, for example, a winding in which the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112 are wound around one core. However, the primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A may be a type in which the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112 pass through the core.

[0108] Specifically, the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I11 on the first large current path 111 (e.g., live line) and the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I12 on the second large current path 112 (e.g., neutral line) can be configured to overlap (or reinforce) each other. In this case, second currents I21 and I22 also flow through the large current paths 111 and 112, but the magnetic flux density induced by the second current I21 on the first large current path 111 and the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I22 on the second large current path 112 can be configured to cancel each other out. Also, as an example, the sensing transformer 120A can be configured so that the magnitude of the magnetic flux density induced by the first currents I11 and I12 in a first frequency band (e.g., a band having a range of 150 KHz to 30 MHz) is greater than the magnitude of the magnetic flux density induced by the second currents I21 and I22 in a second frequency band (e.g., a band having a range of 50 Hz to 60 Hz).

[0109] In this way, the sensing transformer 120A is configured to cancel out the magnetic flux densities induced by the second currents I21 and I22, so that only the first currents I11 and I12 are detected. That is, the current induced in the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be a current obtained by converting the first currents I11 and I12 at a constant rate.

[0110] For example, if the winding ratio of the primary side 121A to the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A is 1:Nsen and the self-inductance of the primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A is Lsen, the secondary side 122A may have a self-inductance of Nsen2.Lsen. In this case, the current induced in the secondary side 122A is 1 / Nsen times the first currents I11 and I12. For example, the primary side 121A and secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be coupled with a coupling coefficient of ksen.

[0111] The secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130. For example, the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130 to supply an induced current to the amplifier unit 130.

[0112] The amplifier 130 may amplify the current sensed by the sensing transformer 120A and induced in the secondary side 122A. For example, the amplifier 130 may amplify the magnitude of the induced current at a certain rate and / or adjust the phase.

[0113] The malfunction detection unit 180 may detect a malfunction or failure of the amplifier unit 130. According to one embodiment, a differential signal between two nodes included in the amplifier unit 130 may be input to the malfunction detection unit 180. The malfunction detection unit 180 may detect whether the input differential signal is within a predetermined range, thereby detecting whether the amplifier unit 130 has failed. The malfunction detection unit 180 may output a signal indicating whether the amplifier unit 130 has failed via an output terminal t3. The malfunction detection unit 180 may include an active element.

[0114] According to various embodiments of the present invention, at least a part of the amplifier section 130 and the malfunction detector section 180 can be physically integrated into one IC chip 500.

[0115] The amplifier 130 and the malfunction detector 180 may be connected to a second reference potential 602, which may be distinguished from a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 (or the compensation unit 160A). The amplifier 130 and the malfunction detector 180 may be connected to the power supply device 400.

[0116] The IC chip 500 may include a terminal t1 for connection to the power supply device 400, a terminal t2 for connection to the second reference potential 602, and a terminal t3 for outputting the output signal of the malfunction detection section 180.

[0117] According to one embodiment, only the active element unit 132 of the amplifier unit 130, excluding the passive element unit 131, may be integrated into the IC chip 500 together with the malfunction detection unit 180. In this case, the IC chip 500 may further include a terminal for connection with the passive element unit 131.

[0118] According to another embodiment, both the passive element unit 131 and the active element unit 132 included in the amplifier unit 130 may be integrated into the IC chip 500 together with the malfunction detection unit 180. In this case, the IC chip 500 may further include a terminal to be connected to the output terminal of the sensing unit 120 and a terminal to be connected to the input terminal of the compensation unit 160.

[0119] The compensating unit 160A may be an example of the above-described compensating unit 160. The compensating unit 160A may include a compensating transformer 140A and a compensating capacitor unit 150A. The amplified current amplified by the above-described amplifying unit 130 flows to the primary side 141A of the compensating transformer 140A.

[0120] Compensation transformer 140A can be a means for isolating amplifier unit 130 including active elements from large current paths 111 and 112. In other words, compensation transformer 140A can be a means for generating (on secondary side 142A) a compensation current to be injected into large current paths 111 and 112 based on the amplified current while being isolated from large current paths 111 and 112.

[0121] The compensation transformer 140A may include a primary side 141A differentially connected to the output terminal of the amplifier unit 130 and a secondary side 142A connected to the large current paths 111 and 112. The compensation transformer 140A may induce a compensation current in the secondary side 142A (e.g., a secondary winding) based on the magnetic flux density induced by the amplified current flowing in the primary side 141A (e.g., a primary winding).

[0122] In this case, the secondary side 142A may be disposed on a path connecting a compensation capacitor unit 150A (described later) and a first reference potential 601 of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. That is, one end of the secondary side 142A may be connected to the large current paths 111 and 112 via the compensation capacitor unit 150A, and the other end of the secondary side 142A may be connected to the first reference potential 601 of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. Meanwhile, the primary side 141A of the compensation transformer 140A, the amplifier unit 130, the malfunction detection unit 180, and the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be connected to a second reference potential 602 that is distinguished from the remaining components of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. The first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A and the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier unit 130 may be distinguished.

[0123] Therefore, in one embodiment, the present invention uses a reference potential (i.e., the second reference potential 602) for the components that generate the compensation current that is different from that of the remaining components, and uses a separate power supply device 400, thereby allowing the components that generate the compensation current to operate in an isolated state, thereby improving the reliability of the active current compensation device 100A.

[0124] In compensation transformer 140A, if the winding ratio of primary side 141A to secondary side 142A is 1:Ninj and the self-inductance of primary side 141A of compensation transformer 140A is Linj, then secondary side 142A can have a self-inductance of Ninj2.Linj. In this case, the current induced in secondary side 142A is 1 / Ninj times the current flowing in primary side 141A (i.e., the amplified current). Primary side 141A and secondary side 142A of compensation transformer 140A can be coupled with a coupling coefficient of kinj.

[0125] The current converted through the compensation transformer 140A can be injected as compensation currents IC1 and IC2 into the large current paths 111 and 112 (e.g., power lines) through the compensation capacitor unit 150A. Therefore, the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 can have the same magnitude and opposite phase as the first currents I11 and I12 to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12. Therefore, the magnitude of the current gain of the amplifier unit 130 can be designed to be Nsen and Ninj.

[0126] The compensation capacitor unit 150A can provide a path through which the current generated by the compensation transformer 140A flows to each of the two large current paths 111 and 112, as described above.

[0127] The compensation capacitor unit 150A may include two Y-capacitors (Y-capacitors) having one end connected to the secondary side 142A of the compensation transformer 140A and the other end connected to the large current paths 111 and 112. One end of each of the two Y-capacitors may share a node connected to the secondary side 142A of the compensation transformer 140A, and the opposite ends of each of the two Y-caps may have nodes connected to the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112, respectively.

[0128] The compensation capacitor unit 150A can cause the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 induced by the compensation transformer 140A to flow through the power line. The compensation currents IC1 and IC2 compensate for (or cancel out) the first currents I11 and I12, allowing the current compensation device 100A to reduce noise.

[0129] On the other hand, the compensation capacitor section 150A can be configured so that the current IL1 flowing between the two large current paths 111, 112 via the compensation capacitor is less than a first threshold value. Also, the compensation capacitor section 150A can be configured so that the current IL2 flowing between each of the two large current paths 111, 112 and the first reference potential 601 via the compensation capacitor is less than a second threshold value.

[0130] The active current compensation device 100A can achieve an isolated structure by using a compensation transformer 140A and a sensing transformer 120A.

[0131] Fig. 4 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensator 100A-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensator 100A-1 shown in Fig. 4 is an example of the active current compensator 100A shown in Fig. 3. An amplifier 130A-1 included in the active current compensator 100A-1 is an example of the amplifier 130 of the active current compensator 100A.

[0132] The amplifier 130A-1 included in the active current compensation device 100A-1 according to an embodiment may include a passive element section and an active element section. The passive element section of the amplifier 130A-1 may include Cb, Ce, Z1, Z2, and Cdc. The active element section of the amplifier 130A-1 may include a first transistor 11, a second transistor 12, a diode 13, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re.

[0133] In one embodiment, the first transistor 11 may be an npn BJT, and the second transistor 12 may be a pnp BJT. For example, the amplifier unit 130A-1 may have a push-pull amplifier structure including an npn BJT and a pnp BJT.

[0134] The induced current induced in the secondary side 122A by the sensing transformer 120A can be differentially input to the amplifier 130A-1. Cb and Ce included in the amplifier 130A-1 can selectively couple only alternating current (AC) signals.

[0135] The power supply device 400 supplies a direct current (DC) voltage Vdd referenced to a second reference potential 602 to drive the amplifier section 130A-1 and the malfunction detection section 180. Cdc is a DC decoupling capacitor for Vdd, and can be connected in parallel between the power supply device 400 and the second reference potential 602. Cdc can selectively couple only AC signals between the collectors of both the first transistor 11 (e.g., npn BJT) and the second transistor 12 (e.g., pnp BJT).

[0136] In the active element section of the amplifier unit 130A-1, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re can adjust the operating points of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. Rnpn is the collector terminal of the first transistor 11 (e.g., npn BJT) and can connect the power supply device 400 terminal and the base terminal of the first transistor 11 (e.g., npn BJT). Rpnp is the collector terminal of the second transistor 12 (e.g., pnp BJT) and can connect the second reference potential 602 and the base terminal of the second transistor 12 (e.g., pnp BJT). Re can connect the emitter terminal of the first transistor 11 and the emitter terminal of the second transistor 12.

[0137] The secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A according to an embodiment may be connected between the base and emitter sides of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. The primary side 141A of the compensation transformer 140A according to an embodiment may be connected between the collector and base sides of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. Here, the term "connection" includes an indirect connection. The amplifier unit 130A-1 according to an embodiment may have a recurrent structure that injects the output current back into the bases of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. Due to the recurrent structure, the amplifier unit 130A-1 can stably obtain a constant current gain for the operation of the active current compensation device 100A-1.

[0138] When the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A-1 is a positive swing greater than 0, the first transistor 11 (e.g., an npn BJT) operates. At this time, an operating current flows through a first path passing through the first transistor 11. When the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A-1 is a negative swing less than 0, the second transistor 12 (e.g., a pnp BJT) operates. At this time, an operating current flows through a second path passing through the second transistor 12.

[0139] In various embodiments, it may be desirable to use a power supply 400 with as high a voltage as possible, as there may be a large noise level to compensate for according to the first device 300. For example, the power supply 400 may be separate from the first device 300 and the second device 200.

[0140] The nodes of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12 can swing widely in common mode when power is supplied from the power supply device 400. For example, the voltages at the base nodes and emitter nodes of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12 can swing in common mode.

[0141] By checking whether the active element section of the amplifier section 130A-1 operates normally as described above, it is possible to check whether the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 itself is operating normally. In other words, by checking whether the DC bias of the amplifier section 130A-1 is normal, it is possible to check whether the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 is operating normally.

[0142] As described above, since the voltage swings widely in common mode at the node of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12, it is possible to sense a malfunction by detecting only the differential DC voltage between the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. That is, in order to sense a malfunction of the amplifier unit 130A-1, it is possible to selectively detect only the differential DC voltage between the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12.

[0143] For example, if the differential DC voltage between one node of the first transistor 11 and one node of the second transistor 12 satisfies a predetermined condition, it can be determined that the active current compensation device 100A-1 is normal.

[0144] Therefore, the malfunction detection unit 180 according to an embodiment can output a signal indicating a malfunction of the amplification unit 130A-1 using the differential DC voltage between two nodes included in the amplification unit 130A-1.

[0145] For example, a differential signal between one node of the first transistor 11 and one node of the second transistor 12 can be input to the malfunction detection unit 180. In one embodiment, the differential signal can be a differential DC voltage between the emitter of the first transistor 11 and the emitter of the second transistor 12.

[0146] According to one embodiment, the malfunction detection unit 180 can output a signal indicating normality via the output terminal t3 when the differential DC voltage between the emitter of the first transistor 11 and the emitter of the second transistor 12 is within a predetermined range. If the differential DC voltage is outside the predetermined range, the malfunction detection unit 180 can output a signal indicating a fault via the output terminal t3.

[0147] In an embodiment of the present invention, at least a part of the amplifier section 130A-1 and the malfunction detector section 180 can be physically integrated into one IC chip 500A-1.

[0148] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the active element section of the amplifier section 130A-1 and the malfunction detection section 180 can be integrated into a single IC chip 500A-1. For example, the first transistor 11, the second transistor 12, the diode 13, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re of the active element section, and the malfunction detection section 180 can be integrated into a single IC chip 500A-1. In this case, the IC chip 500A-1 can include a terminal t1 for connection to the power supply device 400, a terminal t2 for connection to the second reference potential 602, a terminal t3 for outputting an output signal of the malfunction detection section 180, and terminals (e.g., t4, t5, t6, and t7) for connection to the passive element section. For example, the terminals for connection to the passive element section can include a terminal t4 corresponding to the emitter of the first transistor 11 and a terminal t5 corresponding to the emitter of the second transistor 12. 4, the two terminals t4 and t5 corresponding to the emitters can also correspond to differential inputs of the malfunction detection unit 180. The terminals t4 and t5 corresponding to the emitters can each be connected to the passive element unit Ce. Furthermore, the terminals for connection to the passive element unit can include a terminal t6 corresponding to the base of the first transistor 11 and a terminal t7 corresponding to the base of the second transistor 12. The terminals t6 and t7 corresponding to the bases can each be connected to the passive element unit Cb.

[0149] However, the present invention is not limited to this. In another embodiment, the IC chip 500A-1 may further include at least a portion of the passive element unit of the amplifier unit 130A-1. In another embodiment, the IC chip 500A-1 may include all of the active element unit, passive element unit, and malfunction detection unit 180 of the amplifier unit 130A-1.

[0150] According to the embodiment of the present invention, by incorporating the malfunction detection unit 180 into the IC chip 500A-1 on which the active element section of the amplifier section 130A-1 is integrated, it is possible to reduce the size and cost compared to when the malfunction detection unit 180 is separately configured using general practical elements. Furthermore, by integrating at least a part of the amplifier section 130A-1 and the malfunction detection unit 180 into one IC chip 500A-1, the IC chip 500A-1 or the current compensation device 100A-1 can be put into practical use as an independent component with versatility.

[0151] The malfunction detection unit 180 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS.

[0152] Fig. 5 shows another more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensator 100A-2 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensator 100A-1 shown in Fig. 5 is an example of the active current compensator 100A shown in Fig. 3. The amplifier 130A-2 included in the active current compensator 100A-2 is an example of the amplifier 130 of the active current compensator 100A.

[0153] 5 corresponds to the amplifier 130A-1 shown in FIG. 4, and only the position where the malfunction detection unit 180 is connected can be different. Specifically, in the IC chip 500A-2, the differential DC voltage between the base of the first transistor 11 and the base of the second transistor 12 can be input to the malfunction detection unit 180. Therefore, the explanation regarding the amplifier 130A-2 corresponds to the explanation regarding the amplifier 130A-1, and will be given briefly.

[0154] In one embodiment, the passive element section of the amplifier unit 130A-2 may include Cb, Ce, Z1, Z2, and Cdc. The active element section of the amplifier unit 130A-2 may include a first transistor 11, a second transistor 12, a diode 13, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re. In one embodiment, the first transistor 11 may be an npn BJT, and the second transistor 12 may be a pnp BJT. For example, the amplifier unit 130A-2 may have a push-pull amplifier structure including an npn BJT and a pnp BJT. In one embodiment, the amplifier unit 130A-2 may have a recurrent structure that injects output current back into the bases of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12.

[0155] When the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A-2 has a positive swing greater than 0, the first transistor 11 (e.g., an npn BJT) can operate. When the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A-2 has a negative swing less than 0, the second transistor 12 (e.g., a pnp BJT) can operate.

[0156] By supplying power from the power supply device 400, the voltages at the base nodes and emitter nodes of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12 can swing widely in common mode. Here, by checking whether the DC bias of the amplifier unit 130A-2 is normal, it can be checked whether the active current compensation device 100A-2 is operating normally.

[0157] As described above, since the voltages at the base node and emitter node of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12 swing widely in common mode, malfunction can be sensed by detecting only the differential DC voltage between one node of the first transistor 11 and one node of the second transistor 12.

[0158] 5, the differential DC voltage between the base of the first transistor 11 and the base of the second transistor 12 can be input to the malfunction detection unit 180. If the differential DC voltage between the base of the first transistor 11 and the base of the second transistor 12 is within a predetermined range, the malfunction detection unit 180 can output a signal indicating normal operation via the output terminal t3. If the differential DC voltage between the base of the first transistor 11 and the base of the second transistor 12 is outside the predetermined range, the malfunction detection unit 180 can output a signal indicating a fault via the output terminal t3.

[0159] In an embodiment of the present invention, at least a part of the amplifier section 130A-2 and the malfunction detector section 180 can be physically integrated into one IC chip 500A-2.

[0160] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the active element section of the amplifier section 130A-2 and the malfunction detection section 180 can be integrated into a single IC chip 500A-2. For example, the first transistor 11, the second transistor 12, the diode 13, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re of the active element section, and the malfunction detection section 180 can be integrated into a single IC chip 500A-2. In this case, the IC chip 500A-2 can include a terminal t1 for connection to the power supply device 400, a terminal t2 for connection to the second reference potential 602, a terminal t3 for outputting an output signal of the malfunction detection section 180, and terminals (e.g., t4, t5, t6, and t7) for connection to the passive element section. For example, the terminals for connection to the passive element section can include a terminal t4 corresponding to the emitter of the first transistor 11 and a terminal t5 corresponding to the emitter of the second transistor 12. The terminals t4 and t5 corresponding to the emitters can be connected to the Ce of the passive element section, respectively. Furthermore, the terminals for connection to the passive element unit may include a terminal t6 corresponding to the base of the first transistor 11 and a terminal t7 corresponding to the base of the second transistor 12. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the two terminals t6 and t7 corresponding to the bases may also correspond to differential inputs of the malfunction detection unit 180. The terminals t6 and t7 corresponding to the bases may each be connected to Cb of the passive element unit.

[0161] However, the present invention is not limited to this. In another embodiment, the IC chip 500A-2 may further include at least a portion of the passive element unit of the amplifier unit 130A-2. In another embodiment, the IC chip 500A-2 may include all of the active element unit, passive element unit, and malfunction detection unit 180 of the amplifier unit 130A-2.

[0162] The malfunction detection unit 180 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS.

[0163] Hereinafter, the description of the amplifier 130 can also be applied to the amplifiers 130A-1 and 130A-2.

[0164] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the malfunction detection unit 180 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0165] 6, the malfunction detection unit 180 may include a subtractor 181, a first comparator 182a, a second comparator 182b, a first level shifter 183a, a second level shifter 183b, and a logic circuit 184. However, this is merely an embodiment, and the malfunction detection unit 180 of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0166] The malfunction detection unit 180 can be applied to the IC chips 500, 500A-1, and 500A-2 according to the various embodiments described above.

[0167] In various embodiments, signals from two nodes included in the amplifier units 130, 130A-1, and 130A-2 may be differentially input to the subtractor 181 of the malfunction detection unit 180. As described above, a signal from one node of the first transistor 11 and a signal from one node of the second transistor 12 may be differentially input to the subtractor 181.

[0168] The subtractor 181 can selectively detect only the differential DC voltage between the node of the first transistor 11 and the node of the second transistor 12. Since the subtractor 181 differentially detects the voltages at the two nodes, it can ignore the common-mode swing of the two nodes. The subtractor 181 can output the detected differential DC voltage Vsub.

[0169] 4, the subtractor 181 can output a differential DC voltage Vsub between the emitter of the first transistor 11 and the emitter of the second transistor 12. In this case, the input terminal of the subtractor 181 can share a node with the emitters of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12.

[0170] 5, the subtractor 181 can output a differential DC voltage Vsub between the base of the first transistor 11 and the base of the second transistor 12. In this case, the input terminal of the subtractor 181 can share a node with the bases of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12.

[0171] Meanwhile, the voltage at each input terminal of the subtractor 181 can swing, and the swing can correspond to the magnitude of the rated voltage Vdd of the amplifier unit 130. Therefore, the subtractor 181 may need to have a rated voltage corresponding to the rated voltage Vdd of the amplifier unit 130. Therefore, the subtractor 181 can be driven by being supplied with the supply voltage Vdd of the power supply device 400 as is.

[0172] Since the malfunction detection unit 180 must not affect the operation of the amplification unit 130, the subtractor 181 of the malfunction detection unit 180 may have a high input impedance. For example, the subtractor 181 may be configured as a circuit having an input impedance greater than 10 kOhm.

[0173] According to one embodiment, subtractor 181 may include a rail-to-rail Op-amp.

[0174] The first comparator 182a and the second comparator 182b detect whether the magnitude of the differential DC voltage Vsub output from the subtractor 181 is within a predetermined range. If the magnitude of the differential DC voltage Vsub is within the predetermined range, the amplifier unit 130 may be determined to be normal. If the magnitude of the differential DC voltage Vsub is outside the predetermined range, the amplifier unit 130 may be determined to be faulty. For example, if the differential DC voltage Vsub is between a maximum reference voltage Vref,max and a minimum reference voltage Vref,min, the amplifier unit 130 may be normal. If the differential DC voltage Vsub is higher than the maximum reference voltage Vref,max or lower than the minimum reference voltage Vref,min, the amplifier unit 130 may be faulty.

[0175] The maximum reference voltage Vref,max and the minimum reference voltage Vref,min may be preset according to various embodiments. Below, the criteria for setting the maximum reference voltage Vref,max and the minimum reference voltage Vref,min will be described.

[0176] In one embodiment such as that shown in FIG. 4, the subtractor 181 may detect a differential DC voltage Vsub between the emitter of the first transistor 11 and the emitter of the second transistor 12. When the amplifier unit 130 operates normally, the differential DC voltage Vsub may correspond to Ie×Re. Re is a resistor connecting the emitter terminal of the first transistor 11 and the emitter terminal of the second transistor 12, and Ie represents the current flowing through Re. Ie and Re may be determined by design. In this embodiment, the maximum reference voltage Vref,max may be set higher than Ie×Re by a specified amount. The minimum reference voltage Vref,min may be set lower than Ie×Re by a specified amount.

[0177] In one embodiment such as that shown in FIG. 5, the subtractor 181 detects a differential DC voltage Vsub between the base of the first transistor 11 and the base of the second transistor 12. When the amplifier unit 130 operates normally, the differential DC voltage Vsub may correspond to (Ie×Re+2Vbe,bjt). Re is a resistor connecting the emitter terminal of the first transistor 11 and the emitter terminal of the second transistor 12, and Ie is a current flowing through Re. Ie and Re can be determined by design. Vbe,bjt represents the voltage between the base and emitter of the first transistor 11 or the second transistor 12. In this embodiment, the maximum reference voltage Vref,max can be set higher than (Ie×Re+2Vbe,bjt) by a specified amount. The minimum reference voltage Vref,min can be set lower than (Ie×Re+2Vbe,bjt) by a specified amount. For example, the maximum reference voltage Vref,max can be set to 2 V, and the minimum reference voltage Vref,min can be set to 1.4 V. However, this is not limited to this.

[0178] The first comparator 182a may output a first signal a1 indicating whether the differential DC voltage Vsub is lower than a maximum reference voltage Vref,max, and the second comparator 182b may output a second signal b1 indicating whether the differential DC voltage Vsub is higher than a minimum reference voltage Vref,min.

[0179] Meanwhile, since a high voltage may still be generated at the input terminals of the first comparator 182a and the second comparator 182b, the first comparator 182a and the second comparator 182b may have a rated voltage corresponding to the rated voltage Vdd of the amplifier unit 130. Therefore, the first comparator 182a and the second comparator 182b may be driven by receiving the supply voltage Vdd of the power supply device 400 as is.

[0180] According to one embodiment, the first comparator 182a and the second comparator 182b may include an open-loop 2-stage Op-amp. The first level shifter 183a and the second level shifter 183b can reduce the voltage of the output signals of the comparators 182a and 182b.

[0181] Because the gate voltage of the MOSFET included in the logic circuit 184 is lower than the rated voltage Vdd of the comparators 182a and 182b, the voltage levels of the first signal a1 and the second signal b1 must be lowered before being input to the logic circuit 184. Therefore, using level shifters 183a and 183b, the signs of the first signal a1 and the second signal b1 can be maintained while only the magnitude of the voltages can be lowered.

[0182] The first signal a1 output from the first comparator 182a can be input to the first level shifter 183a, which can output a third signal a2 that is a voltage level lowered version of the first signal a1.

[0183] The second signal b1 output from the second comparator 182b can be input to the second level shifter 183b, which can output a fourth signal b2 that is a voltage level lowered version of the second signal b1.

[0184] The rated voltage of the input terminals of the level shifters 183a and 183b may correspond to the supply voltage Vdd of the power supply device 400. The rated voltage of the output terminals of the level shifters 183a and 183b may be lower than the supply voltage Vdd.

[0185] For example, the supply voltage Vdd of the power supply device 400 may be 12V, and the rated voltage at the output terminals of the level shifters 183a and 183b may be 5V.

[0186] The third signal a2 and the fourth signal b2 can be input to the logic circuit 184. The logic circuit 184 can output a fifth signal c1 indicating whether the differential DC voltage Vsub is between the maximum reference voltage Vref,max and the minimum reference voltage Vref,min using the third signal a2 and the fourth signal b2. The fifth signal c1 can be a digital signal that is either 0 or 1. For example, if the fifth signal c1 indicates 0, the amplifier unit 130 is in a normal state, and if the fifth signal c1 indicates 1, the amplifier unit 130 is in a fault state. Of course, the reverse is also possible.

[0187] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of logic circuitry 184 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0188] 7, a third signal a2, which is the output of the first level shifter 183a, and a fourth signal b2, which is the output of the second level shifter 183b, can be input to a logic circuit 184. The logic circuit can output a fifth signal c1 based on the third signal a2 and the fourth signal b2, which are input. For example, the logic circuit 184 can have a truth table such as Table 1 below. [Table 1]

[0189] In one embodiment, the first comparator 182a may output a high signal indicating 1 when the differential DC voltage Vsub is lower than the maximum reference voltage Vref,max. In this case, since the first signal a1 indicates 1, the third signal a2 may also indicate 1.

[0190] In one embodiment, the second comparator 182b may output a low signal indicating 0 when the differential DC voltage Vsub is higher than the minimum reference voltage Vref,min. In this case, since the second signal b1 indicates 0, the fourth signal b2 may also indicate 0.

[0191] According to the above-described embodiment, if the fifth signal c1 in Table 1 indicates 0, it can be determined that the amplifier unit 130 operates normally. If the fifth signal c1 indicates 1, it can be determined that the amplifier unit 130 malfunctions.

[0192] 7 and the truth table are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto. In various embodiments, the malfunction detection unit 180 may be designed to output a fifth signal c1 indicating whether the amplifier unit 130 is malfunctioning.

[0193] 7, the LED driver 14 may be connected to the output terminal t3 of the logic circuit 184. The LED driver 14 may drive the LED 15 outside the IC chip 500 based on the fifth signal c1.

[0194] For example, when the fifth signal c1 indicates 1, the LED driver 14 can turn on the external LED 15. The turned-on external LED 15 can indicate a malfunction. When the fifth signal c1 indicates 0, the LED driver 14 can turn off the external LED 15. The turned-off external LED 15 can indicate a normal state.

[0195] The logic circuit 184 can be implemented with a small-sized MOSFET for efficiency. The fifth signal c1 output from the logic circuit 184 can be, for example, greater than or equal to 0 V and less than or equal to 5 V. The LED driver 14 connected to the output terminal t3 of the logic circuit 184 can be, for example, an NMOS LED driver.

[0196] Meanwhile, as described above, the output terminals of the level shifters 183a and 183b and the logic circuit 184 may have a lower rated voltage than the subtractor 181, the comparators 182a and 182b and the input terminals of the level shifters 183a and 183b.

[0197] Therefore, Vdd can be supplied to the input terminals of the subtractor 181, the comparators 182a, 182b, and the level shifters 183a, 183b. A supply voltage lower than Vdd can be supplied to the output stages of the level shifters 183a, 183b and the logic circuit 184. For example, the input terminals of the subtractor 181, the comparators 182a, 182b, and the level shifters 183a, 183b can be driven to 12V. The output stages of the level shifters 183a, 183b and the logic circuit 184 can be driven to 5V. Therefore, referring to FIG. 6, the input terminals of the subtractor 181, the comparators 182a, 182b, and the level shifters 183a, 183b are shown as being in a high supply voltage domain, and the output terminals of the level shifters 183a, 183b and the logic circuit 184 are shown as being in a low supply voltage domain. The high supply voltage domain and the low supply voltage domain do not represent actual physical domains, but are terms used to distinguish between components powered by a high supply voltage and components powered by a low supply voltage.

[0198] FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of the active element section 132 and the malfunction detection section 180 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0199] Referring to FIG. 8, the active element unit 132 of the amplifier unit 130 may include a first transistor 11, a second transistor 12, a diode 13, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re.

[0200] The malfunction detection unit 180 may include a subtractor 181, a first comparator 182a, a second comparator 182b, a first level shifter 183a, a second level shifter 183b, and a logic circuit 184. The malfunction detection unit 180 may further include an LED driver 14 at the output end of the logic circuit 184.

[0201] Since the malfunction detection unit 180 must not affect the operation of the amplifier unit 130 including the active element unit 132, the subtractor 181 of the malfunction detection unit 180 can have a high input impedance.

[0202] The malfunction detection unit 180 does not need to operate all the time, but only needs to operate when a malfunction check is required. Therefore, in order to reduce unnecessary power consumption, a switch 16 is provided to selectively turn off only the malfunction detection unit 180.

[0203] The switch 16 may be located outside the IC chip 500. The IC chip 500 may further include a separate terminal t8 for selectively supplying power to the malfunction detection unit 180 based on the state of the switch 16. The switch 16 may be connected between the power supply device 400 and the terminal t8.

[0204] Meanwhile, the malfunction detection unit 180 may include components driven by a high supply voltage and components driven by a low supply voltage. For example, the input terminals of the subtractor 181, the comparators 182a and 182b, and the level shifters 183a and 183b may be driven by a high supply voltage Vdd. The output terminals of the level shifters 183a and 183b and the logic circuit 184 may be driven by a voltage lower than the supply voltage Vdd by the voltage divider circuit 17.

[0205] In one embodiment, the active element unit 132 and the malfunction detection unit 180 may be physically integrated into one IC chip 500. For example, the IC chip 500 may include a terminal t1 for connection to the power supply device 400, a terminal t2 for connection to the second reference potential 602, an output terminal t3 of the malfunction detection unit 180, terminals (e.g., t4, t5, t6, t7) for connection to the passive element unit, and a terminal t8 for turning on and off the operation of the malfunction detection unit 180.

[0206] On the other hand, while FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which the emitter nodes of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12 are connected to the input terminal of the subtractor 181, according to other embodiments, the base nodes of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12 may also be connected to the input terminal of the subtractor 181.

[0207] 9 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an active current compensation apparatus 100B according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the following, a description that overlaps with the description made with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 will be omitted.

[0208] Referring to FIG. 9, the active current compensation device 100B can actively compensate for first currents I11, I12, and I13 input in common mode to large current paths 111B, 112B, and 113B connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0209] For this purpose, an active current compensation device 100B according to another embodiment of the present invention may include three large current paths 111B, 112B, 113B, a sensing transformer 120B, an amplifier section 130B, a malfunction detection section 180, a compensation transformer 140B, and a compensation capacitor section 150B.

[0210] Compared with the active current compensators 100A, 100A-1, and 100A-2 according to the above-described embodiments, the active current compensator 100B according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 9 includes three large current paths 111B, 112B, and 113B, which differ from the active current compensator 100B in terms of the sensing transformer 120B and the compensation capacitor unit 150B. Therefore, the following description of the active current compensator 100B will focus on the above-described differences.

[0211] The active current compensation apparatus 100B may include a first large current path 111B, a second large current path 112B, and a third large current path 113B that are distinct from one another. According to an embodiment, the first large current path 111B may be an R-phase power line, the second large current path 112B may be an S-phase power line, and the third large current path 113B may be a T-phase power line. The first currents I11, I12, and I13 may be input in common mode to the first large current path 111B, the second large current path 112B, and the third large current path 113B, respectively.

[0212] The primary side 121B of the sensing transformer 120B is disposed on each of the first large current path 111B, the second large current path 112B, and the third large current path 113B, and can generate an induced current on the secondary side 122B. The magnetic flux densities generated in the sensing transformer 120B by the first currents I11, I12, and I13 on the three large current paths 111B, 112B, and 113B can reinforce each other.

[0213] Meanwhile, in the active current compensation apparatus 100B, the amplifier 130B may be implemented as one of the amplifiers including the amplifier 130A-1 and the amplifier 130A-2. In FIG. 9, the amplifier 130B corresponding to the amplifier 130A-1 is shown as an example.

[0214] At least a portion of the amplifier unit 130B and the malfunction detection unit 180 can be physically integrated into a single IC chip 500B. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the active element unit of the amplifier unit 130B and the malfunction detection unit 180 can be integrated into a single IC chip 500B. The active element unit can include, for example, a first transistor 11, a second transistor 12, a diode 13, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least a portion of the components of the passive element unit, including Cb, Ce, Z1, Z2, and Cdc, can also be integrated into the IC chip 500B.

[0215] 9 illustrates an embodiment in which the voltage of the emitter node of the first transistor 11 and the voltage of the emitter node of the second transistor 12 are differentially input to the malfunction detection unit 180. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and according to another embodiment, the voltage of the base node of the first transistor 11 and the voltage of the base node of the second transistor 12 may be differentially input to the malfunction detection unit 180. The first transistor 11 may be an npn BJT, and the second transistor 12 may be a pnp BJT.

[0216] The IC chip 500B may include a terminal t1 for connection to the power supply device 400, a terminal t2 for connection to the second reference potential 602, a terminal t3 for outputting an output signal of the malfunction detection unit 180, and terminals (e.g., t4, t5, t6, and t7) for connection to the passive element unit. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and according to another embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, the IC chip 500B may further include a terminal t8 connected to a switch 16 for selectively supplying power to the malfunction detection unit 180. In this case, the switch 16 may be connected between the power supply device 400 and the terminal t8.

[0217] Although not shown in Fig. 9, according to one embodiment as shown in Fig. 8, the LED driver 14 and the external LED 15 may be connected to the output terminal t3 of the malfunction detection unit 180. The external LED 15 may indicate whether the active current compensation device 100B is operating normally or malfunctioning.

[0218] Meanwhile, the compensation capacitor unit 150B can provide paths through which the compensation currents IC1, IC2, and IC3 generated by the compensation transformer 140B flow to the first large current path 111B, the second large current path 112B, and the third large current path 113B, respectively.

[0219] The active current compensation apparatus 100B may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170B on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). One end of each capacitor included in the decoupling capacitor unit 170B may be connected to the first large current path 111B, the second large current path 112B, and the third large current path 113B, respectively. The opposite end of each capacitor may be connected to a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100B.

[0220] The decoupling capacitor section 170B can prevent the output performance of the compensation current of the active current compensator 100B from fluctuating significantly due to changes in the impedance value of the second device 200. The impedance ZY of the decoupling capacitor section 170B can be designed to have a value smaller than a value specified in the first frequency band that is the target of noise reduction. By incorporating the decoupling capacitor section 170B, the current compensator 100B can be used as an independent module in any system (e.g., a three-phase three-wire system).

[0221] According to one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor section 170B may be omitted in the active current compensation device 100B.

[0222] The active current compensation device 100B according to such an embodiment can be used to compensate (or cancel) first currents I11, I12, I13 transferred to a power source at a load in a three-phase, three-wire power system.

[0223] It goes without saying that the active current compensation devices according to the various embodiments of the present invention can be modified to be applicable to a three-phase four-wire system.

[0224] The active current compensation devices 100, 100A, 100A-1, 100A-2, and 100B according to various embodiments have only a small increase in size and heat generation in high-power systems compared to passive EMI filters. By integrating the active circuitry and malfunction detection unit into a single IC chip 500, 500A-1, 500A-2, and 500B, the IC chip 500, 500A-1, 500A-2, and 500B can be implemented as an independent component with versatility. Furthermore, the current compensation devices 100, 100A, 100A-1, 100A-2, and 100B including the IC chip 500, 500A-1, 500A-2, and 500B can be fabricated and implemented as an independent module. Such current compensation devices 100, 100A, 100A-1, 100A-2, and 100B can detect malfunctions as an independent module regardless of the characteristics of the surrounding electrical system.

[0225] [2] Active current compensation device including a built-in power conversion unit 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a system including an active current compensation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100 can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 (e.g., EMI noise currents) input in common mode (CM) from a first device 300 via a plurality of large current paths 111 and 112.

[0226] Referring to FIG. 10, the active current compensation device 100 may include a sensing unit 120, an amplifier unit 130, a power management unit 180, and a compensation unit 160.

[0227] In this specification, the first device 300 may be any of various types of power systems that use the power source supplied by the second device 200. For example, the first device 300 may be a load that is driven using the power source supplied by the second device 200. Furthermore, the first device 300 may be a load (e.g., an electric vehicle) that stores energy using the power source supplied by the second device 200 and is driven using the stored energy. However, the first device 300 is not limited to this.

[0228] The second device 200 in this specification may be a system of various types for supplying power in the form of current and / or voltage to the first device 300. The second device 200 may also be, but is not limited to, a device that supplies stored energy.

[0229] A power conversion device may be located on the first device 300 side. For example, first currents I11 and I12 may be input to the current compensation device 100 through a switching operation of the power conversion device. That is, the first device 300 side may correspond to a noise source, and the second device 200 side may correspond to a noise receiver.

[0230] The two or more large current paths 111, 112 may be paths that transmit the power supplied by the second device 200, i.e., the second currents I21, I22, to the first device 300, and may be, for example, power lines. For example, each of the two or more large current paths 111, 112 may be a live line and a neutral line. At least a portion of the large current paths 111, 112 may pass through the current compensation device 100. The second currents I21, I22 may be AC ​​currents having a frequency in a second frequency band. The second frequency band may be, for example, a 50 Hz to 60 Hz band.

[0231] Furthermore, the two or more large current paths 111 and 112 may be paths through which noise generated in the first device 300, i.e., first currents I11 and I12, are transmitted to the second device 200. The first currents I11 and I12 may be input in a common mode to each of the two or more large current paths 111 and 112. The first currents I11 and I12 may be currents unintentionally generated in the first device 300 due to various causes. For example, the first currents I11 and I12 may be noise currents generated by virtual capacitance between the first device 300 and the surrounding environment. Alternatively, the first currents I11 and I12 may be noise currents generated by the switching operation of the power conversion device of the first device 300. The first currents I11 and I12 may be currents having a frequency in a first frequency band. The first frequency band may be a frequency band higher than the second frequency band described above. The first frequency band may be, for example, a 150 KHz to 30 MHz band.

[0232] Meanwhile, the two or more high current paths 111, 112 may include two paths as shown in Fig. 10 or three paths as shown in Fig. 16. Furthermore, the two or more high current paths 111, 112 may include four paths. The number of high current paths 111, 112 may vary depending on the type and / or form of the power source used by the first device 300 and / or the second device 200.

[0233] The sensing unit 120 may detect first currents I11 and I12 in two or more large current paths 111 and 112 and generate output signals corresponding to the first currents I11 and I12. That is, the sensing unit 120 may refer to a means for detecting the first currents I11 and I12 in the large current paths 111 and 112. At least a portion of the large current paths 111 and 112 may pass through the sensing unit 120 to sense the first currents I11 and I12, but a portion of the sensing unit 120 where an output signal is generated based on the sensing may be insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. For example, the sensing unit 120 may be embodied as a sensing transformer. The sensing transformer may detect the first currents I11 and I12 in the large current paths 111 and 112 while being insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. However, the sensing unit 120 is not limited to a sensing transformer.

[0234] According to an embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may be differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130 .

[0235] The amplifier 130 is electrically connected to the sensing unit 120 and amplifies the output signal output by the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified output signal. In the present invention, "amplification" by the amplifier 130 may refer to adjusting the magnitude and / or phase of the signal to be amplified. The amplifier 130 may be embodied by various means and may include active elements. In one embodiment, the amplifier 130 may include a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). For example, the amplifier 130 may include multiple passive elements such as resistors and capacitors in addition to the BJT. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any means for "amplification" described herein may be used without limitation as the amplifier 130 of the present invention.

[0236] According to one embodiment, the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier 130 and the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 can be distinguished from each other. For example, when the amplifier 130 is insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112, the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier 130 and the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 can be distinguished from each other.

[0237] However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the amplifier 130 is not insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112, the reference potential of the amplifier and the reference potential of the current compensation device may not be distinguished.

[0238] The amplifier 130 may be supplied with power from a power supply device 400 that is distinct from the first device 300 and / or the second device 200. The amplifier 130 may receive power from the power supply device 400 and amplify the output signal output from the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified current.

[0239] The power supply device 400 may be, for example, a device that receives power from either the first device 300 or the second device 200 and generates input power for the amplifier unit 130. The power supply device 400 may be, for example, a switching mode power supply (SMPS) for the first device 300 or the second device 200. The power supply device 400 may output a direct current (DC) voltage VI referenced to a second reference potential 602. The output voltage VI of the power supply device 400 may be used to drive the amplifier unit 130.

[0240] On the other hand, even if an optimized DC voltage level required for the amplifier unit 130 exists, the power supply device 400 may not be able to output the optimized voltage level required for the amplifier unit 130. Specifically, the output DC voltage VI of the power supply device 400 may vary depending on the system (e.g., the first device 300 or the second device 200). For example, the optimal supply voltage for the amplifier unit 130 is 12V, but the output voltage VI of the power supply device 400 may vary, such as 15V, 24V, or 48V, depending on the system. Therefore, if the output voltage VI of the power supply device 400 is directly supplied to the amplifier unit 130, the operation of the amplifier unit 130 may become unstable or may malfunction.

[0241] Therefore, the active current compensation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a power management unit 180 between the amplifier unit 130 and the power supply device 400. The power management unit 180 receives a voltage V I output from the power supply device 400 and converts it into an output voltage V O. The output voltage V O of the power management unit 180 may be input to the amplifier unit 130. V O may vary depending on the system, such as 15V, 24V, or 48V, but V O is a fixed value that is an optimized voltage level required for the amplifier unit 130.

[0242] The power management unit 180 may be a DC-DC converter or a power management IC (PMIC).

[0243] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of the amplifier unit 130 and at least a portion of the power management unit 180 may be integrated into a single IC chip. For example, by incorporating at least a portion of the amplifier unit 130 and at least a portion of the power management unit 180 into a single IC chip, the IC chip can be used as an independent component with versatility.

[0244] The compensating unit 160 can generate compensation currents IC1 and IC2 based on the output signal amplified by the amplifying unit 130. The output side of the compensating unit 160 can be connected to the large current paths 111 and 112 to pass the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 through the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0245] According to an embodiment, the output side of the compensating unit 160 may be isolated from the amplifying unit 130. For example, the compensating unit 160 may include a compensating transformer for the isolation. For example, the output signal of the amplifying unit 130 may flow through a primary side of the compensating transformer, and a compensating current based on the output signal may be generated on a secondary side of the compensating transformer.

[0246] However, the present invention is not limited to this. According to another embodiment, the output side of the compensating unit 160 may be non-insulated from the amplifying unit 130. In this case, the amplifying unit 130 may be non-insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0247] The compensator 160 may inject compensation currents IC1 and IC2 into the two or more large current paths 111 and 112, respectively, to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12. The compensation currents IC1 and IC2 may have the same magnitude and opposite phase as the first currents I11 and I12.

[0248] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the amplifier unit 130 and the power management unit 180 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0249] 11, the amplifier unit 130 may include an active circuit unit 131 and a passive circuit unit 132. The passive circuit unit 132 is composed of only passive elements, while the active circuit unit 131 includes active elements. The active circuit unit 131 may include not only active elements but also passive elements. An example of a detailed configuration of the amplifier unit 130 including the active circuit unit 131 and the passive circuit unit 132 will be described later with reference to FIG. 13.

[0250] The power management unit 180 may include a power conversion unit 181, a feedback unit 182, and a filter unit 183. The power conversion unit 181 can convert an arbitrary input voltage VI into an output voltage VO. The feedback unit 182 is a feedback control system that enables an arbitrary input voltage VI to output the same output voltage VO. The filter unit 183 is a DC voltage / current filter. The filter unit 183 may be located at the input end or the output end of the power management unit 180. An example of a detailed configuration of the power management unit 180 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0251] According to one embodiment, the active circuit unit 131 of the amplifier unit 130 and the power conversion unit 181 of the power management unit 180 may be physically integrated into a single IC chip 500. However, this is merely one embodiment, and in other embodiments, at least some of the elements of the active circuit unit 131, the power management unit 180, and the feedback unit 182 may be physically integrated into a single IC chip 500. It goes without saying that in still other embodiments, the entire amplifier unit 130 and the power management unit 180 may be physically integrated into a single IC chip 500.

[0252] The power management unit 180 may include an active element. Here, the reference potential of the power management unit 180 may be the same as the second reference potential 602, which is the reference potential of the amplifier unit 130. The reference potential of the power management unit 180 may be different from the first reference potential 601, which is the reference potential of the current compensation device 100 (e.g., the reference potential of the compensation unit 160).

[0253] The amplifier 130 may receive power from the power supply device 400 via the power management unit 180. The amplifier 130 receives the output voltage VO from the power management unit 180 and amplifies the output signal output from the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified current. The amplified current may be input to the compensation unit 160.

[0254] Fig. 12 is a diagram illustrating a more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, and is a diagram illustrating an active current compensation apparatus 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100A can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 (e.g., noise currents) input in common mode to two large current paths 111 and 112 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0255] Referring to FIG. 11, an active current compensation device 100A may include a sensing transformer 120A, an amplifier unit 130, and a compensation unit 160A.

[0256] In one embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may include a sensing transformer 120A. In this case, the sensing transformer 120A may be a means for detecting the first currents I11 and I12 on the large current paths 111 and 112 while being insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. The sensing transformer 120A may sense the first currents I11 and I12, which are noise currents input from the first device 300 to the large current paths 111 and 112 (e.g., power lines).

[0257] The sensing transformer 120A may include a primary side 121A disposed on the large current paths 111 and 112 and a secondary side 122A differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130. The sensing transformer 120A may generate an induced current in the secondary side 122A (e.g., a secondary winding) based on a magnetic flux density induced by the first currents I11 and I12 in the primary side 121A (e.g., a primary winding) disposed on the large current paths 111 and 112. The primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A may be, for example, a winding in which the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112 are wound around one core. However, the primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A may be a type in which the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112 pass through the core.

[0258] Specifically, the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I11 on the first large current path 111 (e.g., live line) and the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I12 on the second large current path 112 (e.g., neutral line) can be configured to overlap (or reinforce) each other. In this case, second currents I21 and I22 also flow through the large current paths 111 and 112, but the magnetic flux density induced by the second current I21 on the first large current path 111 and the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I22 on the second large current path 112 can be configured to cancel each other out. Also, as an example, the sensing transformer 120A can be configured so that the magnitude of the magnetic flux density induced by the first currents I11 and I12 in a first frequency band (e.g., a band having a range of 150 KHz to 30 MHz) is greater than the magnitude of the magnetic flux density induced by the second currents I21 and I22 in a second frequency band (e.g., a band having a range of 50 Hz to 60 Hz).

[0259] In this way, the sensing transformer 120A is configured to cancel out the magnetic flux densities induced by the second currents I21 and I22, so that only the first currents I11 and I12 are detected. That is, the current induced in the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be a current obtained by converting the first currents I11 and I12 at a constant rate.

[0260] For example, if the winding ratio of the primary side 121A to the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A is 1:Nsen and the self-inductance of the primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A is Lsen, the secondary side 122A may have a self-inductance of Nsen2.Lsen. In this case, the current induced in the secondary side 122A is 1 / Nsen times the first currents I11 and I12. In one example, the primary side 121A and secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be coupled with a coupling coefficient of ksen.

[0261] The secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130. For example, the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130 to provide an induced current or an induced voltage to the amplifier unit 130.

[0262] The amplifier 130 may amplify the current sensed by the sensing transformer 120A and induced in the secondary side 122A. For example, the amplifier 130 may amplify the magnitude of the induced current at a certain rate and / or adjust the phase.

[0263] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the amplifier section 130 may include an active circuit section 131 and a passive circuit section 132 that is configured other than the active circuit section.

[0264] The active circuit unit 131 may include an active element. The active circuit unit 131 may be connected to the power supply device 400 to drive the active element. The active circuit unit 131 may receive power from the power supply device 400 via the power management unit 180. The power management unit 180 may receive an arbitrary DC voltage VI from the power supply device 400 and output a uniform output voltage VO to the active circuit unit 131. The power supply device 400, the power management unit 180, and the amplifier unit 130 may all be connected to a second reference potential 602. Therefore, the input voltage VI and the output voltage VO of the power management unit 180 are both voltages referenced to the second reference potential 602. The second reference potential 602 may be distinguished from the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100A (or the compensation unit 160A).

[0265] The power management unit 180 may include a filter unit 183, a feedback unit 182, and a power conversion unit 181, which is another component. According to one embodiment, the active circuit unit 131 of the amplifier unit 130 and the power conversion unit 181 of the power management unit 180 may be physically built into a single IC chip 500. The IC chip 500 can convert any input voltage VI level into a voltage VO level optimized for the active circuit unit 131 to operate the active circuit unit 131. Such an IC chip 500 can be put into practical use as an independent component with versatility.

[0266] The compensating unit 160A may be an example of the compensating unit 160. In one embodiment, the compensating unit 160A may include a compensating transformer 140A and a compensating capacitor unit 150A. The amplified current amplified by the amplifying unit 130 may flow to the primary side 141A of the compensating transformer 140A.

[0267] The compensation transformer 140A according to one embodiment may be a means for isolating the amplifier unit 130 including the active elements from the large current paths 111 and 112. That is, the compensation transformer 140A may be a means for generating (on the secondary side 142A) a compensation current to be injected into the large current paths 111 and 112 based on the amplified current while being isolated from the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0268] The compensation transformer 140A may include a primary side 141A differentially connected to the output terminal of the amplifier unit 130 and a secondary side 142A connected to the large current paths 111 and 112. The compensation transformer 140A may induce a compensation current in the secondary side 142A (e.g., a secondary winding) based on the magnetic flux density induced by the amplified current flowing in the primary side 141A (e.g., a primary winding).

[0269] In this case, the secondary side 142A may be disposed on a path connecting a compensation capacitor unit 150A (described later) and a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A. That is, one end of the secondary side 142A may be connected to the large current paths 111 and 112 via the compensation capacitor unit 150A, and the other end of the secondary side 142A may be connected to the first reference potential 601 of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. Meanwhile, the primary side 141A of the compensation transformer 140A, the amplifier unit 130, and the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be connected to a second reference potential 602 that is distinct from the remaining components of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. The first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A according to an embodiment may be distinct from the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier unit 130.

[0270] In this way, the current compensation device 100A according to one embodiment uses a reference potential (i.e., the second reference potential 602) for the components that generate the compensation current that is different from that for the remaining components, thereby allowing the components that generate the compensation current to operate in an isolated state, thereby improving the reliability of the active current compensation device 100A. However, the current compensation device according to the present invention is not limited to such an isolated structure.

[0271] In one embodiment of compensation transformer 140A, if the winding ratio of primary side 141A to secondary side 142A is 1:Ninj and the self-inductance of primary side 141A of compensation transformer 140A is Linj, then secondary side 142A may have a self-inductance of Ninj2.Linj. In this case, the current induced in secondary side 142A is 1 / Ninj times the current flowing in primary side 141A (i.e., the amplified current). In one example, primary side 141A and secondary side 142A of compensation transformer 140A may be coupled with a coupling coefficient of kinj.

[0272] The current transformed through the compensation transformer 140A may be injected as compensation currents IC1 and IC2 into the large current paths 111 and 112 (e.g., power lines) through the compensation capacitor unit 150A. Therefore, the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 may have the same magnitude and opposite phase as the first currents I11 and I12 to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12. Therefore, the magnitude of the current gain of the amplifier unit 130 may be designed to be Nsen.Ninj. However, because magnetic coupling loss may occur in an actual situation, the target current gain of the amplifier unit 130 may be designed to be higher than Nsen.Ninj.

[0273] The compensation capacitor unit 150A can provide a path through which the current generated by the compensation transformer 140A flows to each of the two large current paths 111 and 112, as described above.

[0274] The compensation capacitor unit 150A may include a Y-capacitor (Y-cap) having one end connected to the secondary side 142A of the compensation transformer 140A and the other end connected to each of the large current paths 111 and 112. For example, one end of two Y-caps may share a node connected to the secondary side 142A of the compensation transformer 140A, and the opposite ends of the two Y-caps may have nodes connected to the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112, respectively.

[0275] The compensation capacitor unit 150A can cause the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 induced by the compensation transformer 140A to flow through the power line. The compensation currents IC1 and IC2 compensate for (or cancel out) the first currents I11 and I12, allowing the current compensation device 100A to reduce noise.

[0276] On the other hand, the compensation capacitor section 150A can be configured so that the current IL1 flowing between the two large current paths 111, 112 via the compensation capacitor is less than a first threshold value. Also, the compensation capacitor section 150A can be configured so that the current IL2 flowing between each of the two large current paths 111, 112 and the first reference potential 601 via the compensation capacitor is less than a second threshold value.

[0277] The active current compensation device 100A according to one embodiment can achieve an isolated structure by using a compensation transformer 140A and a sensing transformer 120A.

[0278] Fig. 13 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100A-1, amplifier unit 130A, and active circuit unit 131A shown in Fig. 13 are examples of the active current compensation apparatus 100A, amplifier unit 130, and active circuit unit 131 shown in Fig. 12.

[0279] The active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 according to one embodiment may include a sensing transformer 120A, an amplifier unit 130A, a compensation transformer 140A, and a compensation capacitor unit 150A. In one embodiment, the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). In other embodiments, the decoupling capacitor unit 170A may be omitted. Descriptions of the sensing transformer 120A, the compensation transformer 140A, and the compensation capacitor unit 150A will be omitted to avoid redundancy.

[0280] In one embodiment, the induced current induced in the secondary side 122A by the sensing transformer 120A may be differentially input to the amplifier unit 130A.

[0281] The amplifier unit 130A of the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 according to an embodiment may include an active circuit unit 131A and a passive circuit unit. The remaining components of the amplifier unit 130A, excluding the active circuit unit 131A, may be included in the passive circuit unit. In an embodiment of the present invention, the active circuit unit 131A is physically implemented on a single chip together with the power conversion unit 181 of the power management unit 180. The components included in the passive circuit unit may be discrete practical elements. The passive circuit unit may be implemented differently depending on the embodiment. The passive circuit unit may be modified so that the active circuit unit 131A can be applied to active current compensation apparatuses 100 of various designs.

[0282] The active circuit portion 131A may include an npn BJT 11, a pnp BJT 12, a diode 13, and one or more resistors.

[0283] In one embodiment, the one or more resistors included in the active circuit unit 131A may include Rnpn, Rpnp, and / or Re. Within the active circuit unit 131A, the resistor Rnpn may connect the collector node and base node of the npn BJT 11. Within the active circuit unit 131A, the resistor Rpnp may connect the collector node and base node of the pnp BJT 12. Within the active circuit unit 131A, the resistor Re may connect the emitter node of the npn BJT 11 and the emitter node of the pnp BJT 12.

[0284] Active circuit unit 131A can be driven by power supplied from power supply device 400 via power management unit 180. To this end, the output terminal of power management unit 180 can supply DC voltage V0 between the collector node of npn BJT 11 and the collector node of pnp BJT 12. The collector node of pnp BJT 12 can correspond to second reference potential 602, and the collector node of npn BJT 11 can correspond to output voltage V0 of power management unit 180 referenced to second reference potential 602.

[0285] In one embodiment, a biasing diode 13 may connect the base node of the npn BJT 11 to the base node of the pnp BJT 12 in the active circuit portion 131A. That is, one end of the diode 13 may be connected to the base node of the npn BJT 11, and the other end of the diode 13 may be connected to the base node of the pnp BJT 12.

[0286] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, Re and / or the bias diode 13 included in the active circuit unit 131A can be used for DC biasing of the BJTs 11 and 12. In one embodiment of the present invention, the resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, Re and the bias diode 13 can be integrated into the IC chip 500 because they are general-purpose components in various active current compensation devices 100 and 100A.

[0287] 13, in various embodiments of the present invention, the active circuit unit 131A and the power conversion unit 181 may be integrated into a single IC chip 500. The IC chip 500 may include a terminal corresponding to the base of the npn BJT 11, a terminal corresponding to the collector of the npn BJT 11, a terminal corresponding to the emitter of the npn BJT 11, a terminal corresponding to the base of the pnp BJT 12, a terminal corresponding to the collector of the pnp BJT 12, and a terminal corresponding to the emitter of the pnp BJT 12. In addition, the IC chip 500 may further include terminals of the power conversion unit 181, which will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0288] At least one of the terminals of the IC chip 500 described above can be connected to the passive circuit unit 132. The active circuit unit 131A and the passive circuit unit are coupled to each other and can function as an amplifier unit 130A.

[0289] In one embodiment, the passive circuitry can include capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc, and impedances Z1 and Z2.

[0290] According to one embodiment, a capacitor Cb of the passive circuit unit can be connected to the base terminal of each active circuit unit 131A. A capacitor Ce of the passive circuit unit can be connected to the emitter terminal of each active circuit unit 131A. Outside the IC chip 500, the collector terminal of the pnp BJT 12 can be connected to a second reference potential 602. Outside the IC chip 500, a capacitor Cdc of the passive circuit unit can be connected between both collector terminals.

[0291] Capacitors Cb and Ce included in the passive circuit section can block DC voltages at the base and emitter nodes of BJTs 11 and 12. Capacitors Cb and Ce can selectively couple only alternating current (AC) signals.

[0292] Capacitor Cdc is a DC decoupling capacitor for voltage V0 and can be connected in parallel to output voltage V0 of power management unit 180. Capacitor Cdc can selectively couple only AC signals between the collectors of npn BJT11 and pnp BJT12.

[0293] The current gain of the amplifier unit 130A can be controlled by the ratio of impedances Z1 and Z2. Z1 and Z2 can be flexibly designed according to the required target current gain depending on the winding ratio of the sensing transformer 120A and the compensation transformer 140A. Therefore, Z1 and Z2 can be embodied outside the IC chip 500 (i.e., in a passive circuit unit).

[0294] The combination of the active circuit section 131A and the passive circuit sections Cb, Ce, Cdc, Z1, and Z2 can function as the amplifier section 130A. For example, the amplifier section 130A can have a push-pull amplifier structure including an npn BJT and a pnp BJT.

[0295] In one embodiment, the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A can be connected between the base and emitter sides of the BJTs 11 and 12. In one embodiment, the primary side 141A of the compensation transformer 140A can be connected between the collector and base sides of the BJTs 11 and 12. Here, connection includes indirect connection.

[0296] In one embodiment, the amplifier unit 130A may have a recursive structure that injects the output current back into the bases of the BJTs 11 and 12. Due to the recursive structure, the amplifier unit 130A can stably obtain a constant current gain for the operation of the active current compensation device 100A-1.

[0297] For example, when the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A is a positive swing greater than 0, the npn BJT 11 is activated. At this time, the operating current flows through a first path passing through the npn BJT 11. When the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A is a negative swing less than 0, the pnp BJT 12 is activated. At this time, the operating current flows through a second path passing through the pnp BJT 12.

[0298] In the active circuit section 131A, the resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re can adjust the operating point of the BJT, and can be designed according to the operating point of the BJT.

[0299] The inductors, capacitors (eg, Cb, Ce, Cdc), Z1, and Z2 of the passive circuitry are discrete components and may be implemented on the periphery of the IC chip 500.

[0300] The capacitance required for the capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc to couple an AC signal may be several μF or more (e.g., 10 μF). Since this capacitance value is difficult to implement within the IC chip 500, the capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc may be implemented outside the IC chip 500.

[0301] Impedances Z1 and Z2 may be implemented outside the IC chip 500 to achieve design flexibility for various power systems or various first devices 300. Z1 and Z2 may be flexibly designed according to the required target current gain depending on the winding ratios of the sensing transformer 120A and the compensation transformer 140A.

[0302] Meanwhile, the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). One end of each capacitor included in the decoupling capacitor unit 170A may be connected to the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112, respectively. The opposite end of each capacitor may be connected to a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A-1.

[0303] The decoupling capacitor section 170A can prevent the output performance of the compensation current of the active current compensator 100A-1 from fluctuating significantly due to changes in the impedance value of the second device 200. The impedance ZY of the decoupling capacitor section 170A can be designed to have a value smaller than a value specified in the first frequency band targeted for noise reduction. By incorporating the decoupling capacitor section 170A, the current compensator 100A-1 can be used as an independent module in any system.

[0304] According to one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor section 170A can be omitted in the active current compensation device 100A-1.

[0305] Fig. 14 is a diagram schematically illustrating a power management unit 180 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The power management unit 180 may include a power conversion unit 181, a feedback unit 182, and a filter unit 183. Fig. 14 illustrates each component of the power management unit 180 in more detail.

[0306] The power management unit 180 may be a power management integrated circuit (PMIC). In one embodiment, the power management unit 180 may be a voltage step-down converter, such as a buck converter.

[0307] The output DC voltage VI of the power supply device 400 is input via an input terminal VIN of the power conversion unit 181. VI can be various, such as 15V, 24V, or 48V, depending on the system.

[0308] The power conversion unit 181 can convert an arbitrary input voltage VI to a set output voltage VO. The value of VO can be set to an optimized voltage level (e.g., 12 V) required for the active circuit unit 131.

[0309] The power conversion unit 181 may include a control circuit 20, a regulator 30, and a switch unit 40. The configuration of the power conversion unit 181 is incorporated into a single IC chip 500 together with the active circuit unit 131.

[0310] The regulator 30 generates a low DC voltage for driving an internal circuit (e.g., the control circuit 20) from the input voltage VI. For example, the input voltage VI may have a high voltage range of 12V or more, but the internal circuit of the power conversion unit 181 can be efficient only when driven at a low voltage of 5V. Therefore, the regulator 30 is a circuit that supplies a low DC voltage (e.g., 5V) for the internal IC of the power conversion unit 181. The regulator 30 may be called a linear regulator, a pre-regulator, an on-chip supply, an LDO (low dropout) regulator, etc.

[0311] The control circuit 20 is powered by a low DC voltage generated by the regulator 30. The control circuit 20 includes the circuitry necessary to output a constant output voltage within a given input voltage range. The control circuit 20 can generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, which is a switching signal necessary to output a constant voltage within a given input voltage range. The detailed configuration of the control circuit 20 will be described later with reference to FIG. 15.

[0312] The switch unit 40 performs a switching operation in response to a switching signal (i.e., a PWM signal) input from the control circuit 20, and can generate a constant output voltage VO. The switch unit 40 can include a level shifter 45, a first driver 43, a second driver 44, a first switch 41, and a second switch 42. The first switch 41 and the second switch 42 can be MOSFETs. The first switch 41 can be a high-side MOSFET, and the second switch 42 can be a low-side MOSFET. Since MOSFETs have large input capacitance at their gate terminals, the first driver 43 and the second driver 44, which have sufficient output, can be disposed at the front end of the MOSFETs.

[0313] In various embodiments of the present invention, the control circuit 20, regulator 30 and switch section 40 are integrated into a single IC chip 500 along with the active circuit section 131.

[0314] The feedback unit 182 is connected to the control circuit 20 and is disposed outside the IC chip 500. The feedback unit 182 is a feedback control system that enables the same output voltage VO to be output for any input voltage VI. The feedback unit 182 may be configured with discrete practical elements. Therefore, a compensation circuit can be adjusted as needed outside the IC chip 500. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and some elements (e.g., resistors) of the feedback unit 182 may be integrated into the IC chip 500 according to various embodiments.

[0315] The filter unit 183 is a DC voltage / current filter and may be located at the output terminal of the power conversion unit 181. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and if the power management unit 180 is a boost converter, the filter unit may be located at the input terminal of the power conversion unit 181. Meanwhile, the filter unit 183 may be configured as a discrete practical element outside the IC chip 500.

[0316] The power management unit 180 can finally output VO via a power conversion unit 181, a feedback unit 182, and a filter unit 183. The final output voltage VO of the power management unit 180 is input to the active circuit unit 131 of the amplifier unit 130. VO can be set to an optimum voltage level for driving the active circuit unit 131.

[0317] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a more specific example of the power conversion unit 181 shown in FIG.

[0318] 14 and 15, the control circuit 20 of the power conversion unit 181 can include a voltage re-dividing circuit 21, a protection circuit 22, a pulse width modulation circuit 23, a zero current detector 24, and a soft start circuit 25. The regulator 30 in FIG. 15 corresponds to the regulator 30 in FIG. 14.

[0319] The regulator 30 can generate a DC low voltage from the input voltage VI for driving the internal circuit of the power conversion unit 181. The DC low voltage generated by the regulator 30 can be, for example, at a 5V level.

[0320] The voltage division circuit 21 can receive the DC low voltage generated by the regulator 30. The voltage division circuit 21 divides the DC low voltage received from the regulator 30 into DC bias voltages suitable for the internal circuit blocks of the IC. For example, the voltage division circuit 21 can divide the DC bias voltage for a band gap reference (BGR) block, a ramp generator block, etc. The voltage division circuit 21 can be called a master bias, etc.

[0321] The protection circuit 22 may include one or more protection circuits for various situations. In one embodiment, the protection circuit 22 may include an undervoltage protection circuit (UVLO). The undervoltage protection circuit may forcibly turn off the operation of the power conversion unit 181 to prevent unstable operation if the output voltage of the regulator 30 drops below a specified voltage.

[0322] In one embodiment, the protection circuit 22 may include a short current protection (SCP) circuit, which can protect the power conversion unit 181 from a short circuit current.

[0323] In one embodiment, the protection circuit 22 may include an overcurrent protection (OCP) circuit, which may protect the power conversion unit 181 from an overcurrent.

[0324] In one embodiment, the protection circuit 22 may include a thermal shutdown (TSD) circuit, which can shut down the circuit for protection purposes if the temperature of the IC exceeds a specified value due to, for example, an overcurrent.

[0325] The pulse width modulation circuit 23 performs the core function of the control circuit 20. The pulse width modulation circuit 23 generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, which is a switching signal required to output a constant output voltage V0 within a given input voltage range. The first switch 41 and the second switch 42 are selectively turned on or off in response to the PWM signal generated by the pulse width modulation circuit 23, thereby generating a voltage signal V0. The voltage signal output via one terminal SW of the IC chip 500 can be supplied to the active circuit unit 131 as an output DC voltage V0 via the filter unit 183 and the feedback unit 182.

[0326] According to one embodiment, the pulse width modulation circuit 23 may include a band gap reference (BGR) block, a ramp generator block, an error amplifier (EA), a comparator, and an RS latch.

[0327] In one embodiment, the BGR (band gap reference) block is a voltage bias circuit that outputs a constant voltage VREF even when the temperature or voltage changes. The BGR block can supply a constant voltage VREF to the error amplifier EA even when the temperature or voltage changes.

[0328] The ramp generator block can generate the ramp signal VRAMP and the clock CLK signal required to generate the PWM signal.

[0329] The error amplifier EA is an amplifier required for the feedback circuit. One of the input terminals of the error amplifier EA can be connected to the feedback unit 182 via one terminal FB of the IC chip 500. The feedback unit 182 outside the IC chip 500 can be connected to the non-inverting terminal of the error amplifier EA via the FB terminal of the IC chip 500.

[0330] The comparator may output a digital signal based on a comparison between the output signal EA_OUT of the error amplifier EA and the ramp signal VRAMP. Meanwhile, the output terminal of the error amplifier EA may form a terminal EAO of the IC chip 500. The feedback unit 182 outside the IC chip 500 may be connected to the output end of the error amplifier EA via the terminal EAO. The terminal EAO may correspond to a non-inverting terminal of the input terminals of the comparator.

[0331] The RS latch can transmit a PWM signal to the switch unit 40 based on the clock CLK signal.

[0332] The PWM signal can turn on the first switch 41 and the second switch 42 in response to an on or off digital signal. If the first switch 41 and the second switch 42 are turned on simultaneously, even for a short time, an overcurrent may cause damage to the MOSFET. Therefore, to prevent the first and second switches 41 and 42 from being turned on simultaneously, the switch unit 40 may include a non-overlap circuit 46.

[0333] The PWM signal output from the RS latch can be transmitted to the non-overlap circuit 46 of the switch unit 40. The non-overlap circuit 46 can generate a very short time period in which both the first switch 41 and the second switch 42 are off. The short time period can be called a dead time and can be, for example, several tens of nanoseconds (nsec). The non-overlap circuit 46 can be called a dead time generator.

[0334] Meanwhile, the first and second switches 41 and 42 may be MOSFETs. The first switch 41 may be a high-side MOSFET, and the second switch 42 may be a low-side MOSFET. Because the MOSFET has a large input capacitance at the gate terminal, the first and second drivers 43 and 44, which have sufficient output, may be placed at the front end of the MOSFET.

[0335] Meanwhile, the control circuit 20 may further include a zero current detector 24 .

[0336] In a situation where 0 A or a reverse current occurs in the second switch 42, which is a low-side MOSFET, the power management unit 180 must operate in discontinuous current mode (DCM) for efficiency reasons. To this end, the zero current detector 24 can cut off the PWM signal input to the second switch 42 when a reverse current is detected in the second switch 42.

[0337] Meanwhile, the control circuit 20 may further include a soft start circuit 25 .

[0338] If the power management unit 180 (i.e., the converter) is suddenly driven in the off state, a voltage may be momentarily applied to the output capacitor, etc., causing an overcurrent, which may result in a breakdown of the MOSFET, etc. To prevent this, the soft start circuit 25 can slowly increase the output voltage, etc., even when the converter is suddenly driven.

[0339] 16 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an active current compensation apparatus 100A-2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the following, a description that overlaps with the description made with reference to FIGS. 10 to 15 will be omitted.

[0340] 16, the active current compensation device 100A-2 can actively compensate for first currents I11, I12, and I13 input in common mode to large current paths 111, 112, and 113 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0341] To this end, the active current compensation device 100A-2 may include three large current paths 111, 112, and 113, a sensing transformer 120A-2, an amplifier section 130A, a compensation transformer 140A, and a compensation capacitor section 150A-2.

[0342] Compared with the active current compensator 100A, 100A-1 according to the above-described embodiments, the active current compensator 100A-2 according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 16 includes three large current paths 111, 112, and 113, which differ from the active current compensator 100A-2 in terms of the sensing transformer 120A-2 and the compensation capacitor unit 150A-2. Therefore, the following description of the active current compensator 100A-2 will focus on the above-described differences.

[0343] The active current compensation device 100A-2 may include a first large current path 111, a second large current path 112, and a third large current path 113, which are distinct from one another. According to an embodiment, the first large current path 111 may be an R-phase power line, the second large current path 112 may be an S-phase power line, and the third large current path 113B may be a T-phase power line. The first currents I11, I12, and I13 may be input in common mode to the first large current path 111, the second large current path 112, and the third large current path 113, respectively.

[0344] The primary side 121A-2 of the sensing transformer 120A-2 is disposed on each of the first, second, and third large current paths 111, 112, and 113, respectively, and can generate an induced current on the secondary side 122A-2. The magnetic flux densities generated in the sensing transformer 120A-2 by the first currents I11, I12, and I13 on the three large current paths 111, 112, and 113 can reinforce each other.

[0345] In the active current compensation device 100A-2 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the amplifier section 130A can correspond to the amplifier section 130A described above.

[0346] The compensation capacitor unit 150A-2 can provide paths through which the compensation currents IC1, IC2, and IC3 generated by the compensation transformer 140A flow to the first, second, and third large current paths 111, 112, and 113, respectively.

[0347] The active current compensation apparatus 100A-2 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A-2 on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). One end of each capacitor included in the decoupling capacitor unit 170A-2 may be connected to the first large current path 111, the second large current path 112, and the third large current path 113, respectively. The opposite end of each capacitor may be connected to a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A-2.

[0348] The decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 can prevent the output performance of the compensation current of the active current compensator 100A-2 from fluctuating significantly due to changes in the impedance value of the second device 200. The impedance ZY of the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 can be designed to have a value smaller than a value specified in the first frequency band that is the target of noise reduction. By incorporating the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2, the current compensator 100A-2 can be used as an independent module in any system (e.g., a three-phase three-wire system).

[0349] According to one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 may be omitted in the active current compensation device 100A-2.

[0350] The active current compensation device 100A-2 according to this embodiment can be used to compensate (or cancel) the first currents I11, I12, I13 that travel to the power source at the load of a three-phase, three-wire power system.

[0351] It goes without saying that the active current compensation devices according to the various embodiments of the present invention can be modified to be applicable to a three-phase four-wire system.

[0352] In various embodiments of the present invention, the active circuit unit 131A included in the amplifier unit 130A and the power conversion unit 181 included in the power management unit 180 may be physically integrated into a single IC chip 500. Even if a voltage V I within a given range is input from the power supply 400, the IC chip 500 can convert the voltage V I into a voltage V O optimized for driving the internal active circuit unit 131A via the power conversion unit 181, thereby driving the active circuit unit 131A. Therefore, the IC chip 500 can be put to practical use as an independent component with versatility. In addition, the active circuit unit 131A included in the amplifier unit 130A can operate stably regardless of the characteristics of the surrounding system.

[0353] [3] An active current compensator including an integrated circuit part and a non-integrated circuit part 17 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a system including an active current compensation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100 can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 (e.g., EMI noise currents) input in common mode (CM) from a first device 300 via a plurality of large current paths 111 and 112.

[0354] Referring to FIG. 17, the active current compensation device 100 may include a sensing unit 120, an amplifying unit 130, and a compensating unit 160.

[0355] In this specification, the first device 300 may be any of various types of power systems that use the power source supplied by the second device 200. For example, the first device 300 may be a load that is driven using the power source supplied by the second device 200. Furthermore, the first device 300 may be a load (e.g., an electric vehicle) that stores energy using the power source supplied by the second device 200 and is driven using the stored energy. However, the first device 300 is not limited to this.

[0356] The second device 200 in this specification may be a system of various types for supplying power in the form of current and / or voltage to the first device 300. The second device 200 may also be, but is not limited to, a device that supplies stored energy.

[0357] A power conversion device may be located on the first device 300 side. For example, first currents I11 and I12 may be input to the current compensation device 100 through a switching operation of the power conversion device. That is, the first device 300 side may correspond to a noise source, and the second device 200 side may correspond to a noise receiver.

[0358] The two or more large current paths 111, 112 may be paths that transmit the power supplied by the second device 200, i.e., the second currents I21, I22, to the first device 300, and may be, for example, power lines. For example, each of the two or more large current paths 111, 112 may be a live line and a neutral line. At least a portion of the large current paths 111, 112 may pass through the current compensation device 100. The second currents I21, I22 may be AC ​​currents having a frequency in a second frequency band. The second frequency band may be, for example, a 50 Hz to 60 Hz band.

[0359] Furthermore, the two or more large current paths 111 and 112 may be paths through which noise generated in the first device 300, i.e., first currents I11 and I12, are transmitted to the second device 200. The first currents I11 and I12 may be input in a common mode to each of the two or more large current paths 111 and 112. The first currents I11 and I12 may be currents unintentionally generated in the first device 300 due to various causes. For example, the first currents I11 and I12 may be noise currents generated by virtual capacitance between the first device 300 and the surrounding environment. Alternatively, the first currents I11 and I12 may be noise currents generated by the switching operation of the power conversion device of the first device 300. The first currents I11 and I12 may be currents having a frequency in a first frequency band. The first frequency band may be a frequency band higher than the second frequency band described above. The first frequency band may be, for example, a 150 KHz to 30 MHz band.

[0360] Meanwhile, the two or more high current paths 111, 112 may include two paths as shown in Figure 17, or may include three or four paths as shown in Figures 20 and 22. The number of high current paths 111, 112 may vary depending on the type and / or form of the power source used by the first device 300 and / or the second device 200.

[0361] The sensing unit 120 may detect first currents I11 and I12 in two or more large current paths 111 and 112 and generate output signals corresponding to the first currents I11 and I12. That is, the sensing unit 120 may refer to a means for detecting the first currents I11 and I12 in the large current paths 111 and 112. At least a portion of the large current paths 111 and 112 may pass through the sensing unit 120 to sense the first currents I11 and I12, but a portion of the sensing unit 120 where an output signal is generated based on the sensing may be insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. For example, the sensing unit 120 may be embodied as a sensing transformer. The sensing transformer may detect the first currents I11 and I12 in the large current paths 111 and 112 while being insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. However, the sensing unit 120 is not limited to a sensing transformer.

[0362] According to an embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may be differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130 .

[0363] The amplifier 130 is electrically connected to the sensing unit 120 and amplifies the output signal output by the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified output signal. In the present invention, "amplification" by the amplifier 130 may refer to adjusting the magnitude and / or phase of the signal to be amplified. The amplifier 130 may be embodied by various means and may include active elements. In one embodiment, the amplifier 130 may include a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). For example, the amplifier 130 may include multiple passive elements such as resistors and capacitors in addition to the BJT. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any means for "amplification" described herein may be used without limitation as the amplifier 130 of the present invention.

[0364] According to one embodiment, the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier 130 and the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 can be distinguished from each other. For example, when the amplifier 130 is insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112, the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier 130 and the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 can be distinguished from each other.

[0365] However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 22, when the amplifier unit 130B is not insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112, the reference potential of the amplifier unit 130B and the reference potential of the current compensation device 100B may not be distinguished.

[0366] The amplifier unit 130 according to various embodiments of the present invention may include an integrated circuit unit 131 and a non-integrated circuit unit 132. The integrated circuit unit 131 may include essential components of the active current compensation device 100. The essential components may include, for example, active elements. Therefore, the active elements included in the amplifier unit 130 may be integrated into the integrated circuit unit 131 of the amplifier unit 130. The non-integrated circuit unit 132 of the amplifier unit 130 may not include active elements. The integrated circuit unit 131 may include passive elements in addition to active elements.

[0367] The integrated circuit unit 131 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be physically one IC chip. The integrated circuit unit 131 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be applied to active current compensation devices 100 of various designs. The one-chip integrated circuit unit 131 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be applied to current compensation devices 100 of various designs with versatility as an independent module.

[0368] The non-integrated circuit unit 132 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be modified depending on the design of the active current compensation device 100 .

[0369] The integrated circuit unit 131 may include a terminal for connection to the non-integrated circuit unit 132. The integrated circuit unit 131 and the non-integrated circuit unit 132 may be coupled to each other to function as the amplifier unit 130. The combination of the integrated circuit unit 131 and the non-integrated circuit unit 132 may perform the function of generating an amplified signal from the output signal output from the sensing unit 120. The amplified signal may be input to the compensation unit 160.

[0370] An example of a detailed configuration of the amplifier section 130 including the integrated circuit section 131 and the non-integrated circuit section 132 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

[0371] As previously mentioned, the active current compensation device 100 according to various embodiments is characterized by a distinction between integrated circuit and non-integrated circuit portions.

[0372] The amplifier 130 may be supplied with power from a power supply device 400 that is distinct from the first device 300 and / or the second device 200. The amplifier 130 may receive power from the power supply device 400 and amplify the output signal output from the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified current.

[0373] The power supply unit 400 may be a device that receives power from a power source independent of the first device 300 and the second device 200 and generates input power for the amplifier unit 130. Alternatively, the power supply unit 400 may be a device that receives power from either the first device 300 or the second device 200 and generates input power for the amplifier unit 130.

[0374] The integrated circuit unit 131 , which is an IC chip, can include a terminal for connection to the power supply device 400 , a terminal for connection to the second reference potential 602 , and a terminal for connection to the non-integrated circuit unit 132 .

[0375] The compensating unit 160 can generate compensation currents IC1 and IC2 based on the output signal amplified by the amplifying unit 130. The output side of the compensating unit 160 can be connected to the large current paths 111 and 112 to pass the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 through the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0376] According to an embodiment, the output side of the compensating unit 160 may be isolated from the amplifying unit 130. For example, the compensating unit 160 may include a compensating transformer for the isolation. For example, the output signal of the amplifying unit 130 may flow through a primary side of the compensating transformer, and a compensating current based on the output signal may be generated on a secondary side of the compensating transformer.

[0377] However, the present invention is not limited to this. According to another embodiment, the output side of the compensation unit 160B may be non-insulated from the amplifier unit 130B, as shown in Fig. 22. In this case, the amplifier unit 130B may be non-insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0378] 17 again, the compensator 160 may inject compensation currents IC1 and IC2 into the two or more large current paths 111 and 112 via the large current paths 111 and 112, respectively, to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12. The compensation currents IC1 and IC2 may have the same magnitude and opposite phase as the first currents I11 and I12.

[0379] Fig. 18 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 17, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation apparatus 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100A can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 (e.g., noise currents) input in common mode to two large current paths 111 and 112 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0380] Referring to FIG. 18, an active current compensation device 100A may include a sensing transformer 120A, an amplifier unit 130, and a compensation unit 160A.

[0381] In one embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may include a sensing transformer 120A. In this case, the sensing transformer 120A may be a means for detecting the first currents I11 and I12 on the large current paths 111 and 112 while being insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. The sensing transformer 120A may sense the first currents I11 and I12, which are noise currents input from the first device 300 to the large current paths 111 and 112 (e.g., power lines).

[0382] The sensing transformer 120A may include a primary side 121A disposed on the large current paths 111 and 112 and a secondary side 122A differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130. The sensing transformer 120A may generate an induced current in the secondary side 122A (e.g., a secondary winding) based on a magnetic flux density induced by the first currents I11 and I12 in the primary side 121A (e.g., a primary winding) disposed on the large current paths 111 and 112. The primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A may be, for example, a winding in which the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112 are wound around one core. However, the primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A may be a type in which the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112 pass through the core.

[0383] Specifically, the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I11 on the first large current path 111 (e.g., live line) and the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I12 on the second large current path 112 (e.g., neutral line) can be configured to overlap (or reinforce) each other. In this case, second currents I21 and I22 also flow through the large current paths 111 and 112, but the magnetic flux density induced by the second current I21 on the first large current path 111 and the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I22 on the second large current path 112 can be configured to cancel each other out. Also, as an example, the sensing transformer 120A can be configured so that the magnitude of the magnetic flux density induced by the first currents I11 and I12 in a first frequency band (e.g., a band having a range of 150 KHz to 30 MHz) is greater than the magnitude of the magnetic flux density induced by the second currents I21 and I22 in a second frequency band (e.g., a band having a range of 50 Hz to 60 Hz).

[0384] In this way, the sensing transformer 120A is configured to cancel out the magnetic flux densities induced by the second currents I21 and I22, so that only the first currents I11 and I12 are detected. That is, the current induced in the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be a current obtained by converting the first currents I11 and I12 at a constant rate.

[0385] For example, if the winding ratio of the primary side 121A to the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A is 1:Nsen and the self-inductance of the primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A is Lsen, the secondary side 122A can have a self-inductance of Nsen2·Lsen. In this case, the current induced in the secondary side 122A is 1 / Nsen times the first currents I11 and I12. For example, the primary side 121A and secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A can be coupled with a coupling coefficient of ksen.

[0386] The secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130. For example, the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130 to supply an induced current or an induced voltage to the amplifier unit 130.

[0387] The amplifier 130 may amplify the current or induced voltage detected by the sensing transformer 120A and induced in the secondary side 122A. For example, the amplifier 130 may amplify the magnitude of the induced current or induced voltage at a certain rate and / or adjust the phase.

[0388] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the amplifier unit 130 may include an integrated circuit unit 131 configured on one IC chip, and a non-integrated circuit unit 132 configured other than the IC chip.

[0389] According to one embodiment, the amplifier unit 130 may be connected to a second reference potential 602, which may be distinguished from the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 (or the compensation unit 160A). The amplifier unit 130 may be connected to the power supply device 400.

[0390] The IC chip that is the integrated circuit unit 131 may include a terminal for connection to the power supply device 400 , a terminal for connection to the second reference potential 602 , and a terminal for connection to the non-integrated circuit unit 132 .

[0391] The compensating unit 160A may be an example of the compensating unit 160. In one embodiment, the compensating unit 160A may include a compensating transformer 140A and a compensating capacitor unit 150A. The amplified current amplified by the amplifying unit 130 flows to the primary side 141A of the compensating transformer 140A.

[0392] The compensation transformer 140A according to one embodiment may be a means for isolating the amplifier unit 130 including the active elements from the large current paths 111 and 112. That is, the compensation transformer 140A may be a means for generating (on the secondary side 142A) a compensation current to be injected into the large current paths 111 and 112 based on the amplified current while being isolated from the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0393] The compensation transformer 140A may include a primary side 141A differentially connected to the output terminal of the amplifier unit 130 and a secondary side 142A connected to the large current paths 111 and 112. The compensation transformer 140A may induce a compensation current in the secondary side 142A (e.g., a secondary winding) based on the magnetic flux density induced by the amplified current flowing in the primary side 141A (e.g., a primary winding).

[0394] In this case, the secondary side 142A may be disposed on a path connecting a compensation capacitor unit 150A (described later) and a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A. That is, one end of the secondary side 142A may be connected to the large current paths 111 and 112 via the compensation capacitor unit 150A, and the other end of the secondary side 142A may be connected to the first reference potential 601 of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. Meanwhile, the primary side 141A of the compensation transformer 140A, the amplifier unit 130, and the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be connected to a second reference potential 602 that is distinct from the remaining components of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. The first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A according to an embodiment may be distinct from the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier unit 130.

[0395] As described above, the current compensation apparatus 100A according to one embodiment uses a reference potential (i.e., second reference potential 602) for the components that generate the compensation current that is different from that for the remaining components, and uses a separate power supply device 400, thereby allowing the components that generate the compensation current to operate in an isolated state, thereby improving the reliability of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. However, the active compensation apparatus including the integrated circuit unit 131 and the non-integrated circuit unit 132 according to the present invention is not limited to such an isolated structure. An active current compensation apparatus 100B having a non-isolated structure according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 22.

[0396] In one embodiment of compensation transformer 140A, if the winding ratio of primary side 141A to secondary side 142A is 1:Ninj and the self-inductance of primary side 141A of compensation transformer 140A is Linj, secondary side 142A may have a self-inductance of Ninj2.Linj. In this case, the current induced in secondary side 142A is 1 / Ninj times the current flowing in primary side 141A (i.e., the amplified current). Primary side 141A and secondary side 142A of compensation transformer 140A may be coupled with a coupling coefficient of kj.

[0397] The current converted through the compensation transformer 140A can be injected as compensation currents IC1 and IC2 into the large current paths 111 and 112 (e.g., power lines) through the compensation capacitor unit 150A. Therefore, the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 can have the same magnitude and opposite phase as the first currents I11 and I12 to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12. Therefore, the magnitude of the current gain of the amplifier unit 130 can be designed to be Nsen and Ninj.

[0398] The compensation capacitor unit 150A can provide a path through which the current generated by the compensation transformer 140A flows to each of the two large current paths 111 and 112, as described above.

[0399] The compensation capacitor unit 150A may include two Y-capacitors (Y-capacitors) having one end connected to the secondary side 142A of the compensation transformer 140A and the other end connected to the large current paths 111 and 112. One end of each of the two Y-capacitors may share a node connected to the secondary side 142A of the compensation transformer 140A, and the opposite ends of each of the two Y-caps may have nodes connected to the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112, respectively.

[0400] The compensation capacitor unit 150A can cause the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 induced by the compensation transformer 140A to flow through the power line. The compensation currents IC1 and IC2 compensate for (or cancel out) the first currents I11 and I12, allowing the current compensation device 100A to reduce noise.

[0401] On the other hand, the compensation capacitor section 150A can be configured so that the current IL1 flowing between the two large current paths 111, 112 via the compensation capacitor is less than a first threshold value. Also, the compensation capacitor section 150A can be configured so that the current IL2 flowing between each of the two large current paths 111, 112 and the first reference potential 601 via the compensation capacitor is less than a second threshold value.

[0402] The active current compensation device 100A according to one embodiment can achieve an isolated structure by using a compensation transformer 140A and a sensing transformer 120A.

[0403] Fig. 19 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 18, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensator 100A-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensator 100A-1 shown in Fig. 19 is an example of the active current compensator 100A shown in Fig. 18. An amplifier 130A included in the active current compensator 100A-1 is an example of the amplifier 130 of the active current compensator 100A.

[0404] The active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 according to one embodiment may include a sensing transformer 120A, an amplifier unit 130A, a compensation transformer 140A, and a compensation capacitor unit 150A. In one embodiment, the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). In other embodiments, the decoupling capacitor unit 170A may be omitted. Descriptions of the sensing transformer 120A, the compensation transformer 140A, and the compensation capacitor unit 150A will be omitted to avoid redundancy.

[0405] The amplifier unit 130A of the active current compensation device 100A-1 according to an embodiment may include an integrated circuit unit 131A and a non-integrated circuit unit. The remaining components of the amplifier unit 130A, excluding the integrated circuit unit 131A, may be included in the non-integrated circuit unit. For example, the components included in the non-integrated circuit unit of the amplifier unit 130A may be, but are not limited to, discrete practical elements.

[0406] In one embodiment, the integrated circuit unit 131A may include a first transistor 11, a second transistor 12, and / or one or more resistors. In one embodiment, the first transistor 11 may be an npn BJT, and the second transistor 12 may be a pnp BJT. For example, the amplifier unit 130A may have a push-pull amplifier structure including an npn BJT and a pnp BJT.

[0407] For example, the one or more resistors included in the integrated circuit unit 131A may include Rnpn, Rpnp, and / or Re. For example, the resistor Rnpn may connect the collector terminal and base terminal of the first transistor 11, the resistor Rpnp may connect the collector terminal and base terminal of the second transistor 12, and the resistor Re may connect the emitter terminal of the first transistor 11 and the emitter terminal of the second transistor 12.

[0408] In one embodiment, the integrated circuit unit 131A of the amplifier unit 130A may further include a diode 13 in addition to the first transistor 11, the second transistor 12, and one or more resistors. For example, one end of the diode 13 may be connected to the base terminal of the first transistor 11, and the other end of the diode 13 may be connected to the base terminal of the second transistor 12. In an alternative embodiment, the diode 13 may be replaced with a resistor.

[0409] In one embodiment, resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, Re and / or bias diode 13 included in integrated circuit unit 131A can be used for DC biasing of the BJT. These components are commonly used in various active current compensation devices, and can therefore be integrated into a single-chip integrated circuit unit 131A.

[0410] The components of the amplifier unit 130A excluding the integrated circuit unit 131A may be included in the non-integrated circuit unit. The integrated circuit unit 131A may be physically implemented as a single IC chip. The non-integrated circuit unit may be configured with discrete practical elements. The non-integrated circuit unit may be implemented differently depending on the embodiment.

[0411] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 19, the non-integrated circuit portion may include, for example, capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc, and impedances Z1 and Z2.

[0412] In one embodiment, the induced current induced on the secondary side 122A by the sensing transformer 120A may be differentially input to the amplifier unit 130A. The capacitors Cb and Ce included in the amplifier unit 130A may selectively couple only alternating current (AC) signals. The capacitors Cb and Ce may block DC voltages at the base and emitter nodes of the first and second transistors 11 and 12.

[0413] In one embodiment, the power supply device 400 provides a direct current (DC) voltage Vdc referenced to a second reference potential 602 to drive the amplifier section 130A. A capacitor Cdc is a DC decoupling capacitor for the voltage Vdc and can be connected in parallel between the power supply device 400 and the second reference potential 602. The capacitor Cdc can selectively couple only AC signals between the collectors of both the first transistor 11 (e.g., an npn BJT) and the second transistor 12 (e.g., a pnp BJT).

[0414] The current gain of the amplifier unit 130A can be controlled by the ratio of impedances Z1 and Z2. Therefore, Z1 and Z2 can be implemented outside the one-chip integrated circuit unit 131A. Z1 and Z2 can be flexibly designed according to the required target current gain depending on the winding ratios of the sensing transformer 120A and the compensation transformer 140A.

[0415] In the integrated circuit unit 131A, the resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re can adjust the operating points of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12 (e.g., BJT). The resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re can be designed according to the operating points of the BJT. The resistor Rnpn is the collector terminal of the first transistor 11 (e.g., npn BJT) and can connect the power supply device 400 terminal and the base terminal of the first transistor 11 (e.g., npn BJT). The resistor Rpnp is the collector terminal of the second transistor 12 (e.g., pnp BJT) and can connect the second reference potential 602 and the base terminal of the second transistor 12 (e.g., pnp BJT). The resistor Re can connect the emitter terminal of the first transistor 11 and the emitter terminal of the second transistor 12.

[0416] The secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A according to an embodiment may be connected between the base and emitter sides of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. The primary side 141A of the compensation transformer 140A according to an embodiment may be connected between the collector and base sides of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. Here, the term "connection" includes an indirect connection. The amplifier unit 130A according to an embodiment may have a recurrent structure that injects the output current back into the bases of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. Due to the recurrent structure, the amplifier unit 130A can stably obtain a constant current gain for the operation of the active current compensation device 100A-1.

[0417] When the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A is a positive swing greater than 0, the first transistor 11 (e.g., an npn BJT) operates. At this time, an operating current flows through a first path passing through the first transistor 11. When the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A is a negative swing less than 0, the second transistor 12 (e.g., a pnp BJT) operates. At this time, an operating current flows through a second path passing through the second transistor 12.

[0418] The integrated circuit unit 131A may be implemented as a one-chip IC. According to an embodiment, the first transistor 11, the second transistor 12, the diode 13, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re of the integrated circuit unit 131A may be integrated into a single chip.

[0419] The one-chip IC may include a terminal b1 corresponding to the base of the first transistor 11, a terminal c1 corresponding to the collector of the first transistor 11, a terminal e1 corresponding to the emitter of the first transistor 11, a terminal b2 corresponding to the base of the second transistor 12, a terminal c1 corresponding to the collector of the second transistor 12, and a terminal e1 corresponding to the emitter of the second transistor 12. However, without being limited thereto, the one-chip integrated circuit unit 131A may further include other terminals in addition to the terminals b1, b2, c1, c2, e1, and e2.

[0420] In various embodiments, at least one of terminals b1, b2, c1, c2, e1, and e2 of integrated circuit portion 131A can be connected to a non-integrated circuit portion. Integrated circuit portion 131A and the non-integrated circuit portion can be coupled to each other to function as amplifier portion 130A according to one embodiment.

[0421] 19, a non-integrated circuit capacitor Cb can be connected to the base terminal b1 of the first transistor 11 and the base terminal b2 of the second transistor 12, respectively. A non-integrated circuit capacitor Ce can be connected to the emitter terminal e1 of the first transistor 11 and the emitter terminal e2 of the second transistor 12, respectively. An external power supply 400 can be connected between the collector terminal c1 of the first transistor 11 and the collector terminal c2 of the second transistor 12. The collector terminal c2 of the second transistor 12 can correspond to a second reference potential 602. A non-integrated circuit decoupling capacitor Cdc can be connected between the collector terminal c1 of the first transistor 11 and the collector terminal c2 of the second transistor 12.

[0422] The combination of the integrated circuit section 131A and the non-integrated circuit sections Cb, Ce, Cdc, Z1, and Z2 can function as the amplifier section 130A according to the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0423] According to various embodiments of the present invention, essential components of the active current compensation device 100A, 100A-1 can be integrated into a one-chip integrated circuit unit 131A. Therefore, compared to using discrete semiconductor devices, the size of the amplifier unit 130, 130A can be minimized by using the one-chip integrated circuit unit 131, 131A.

[0424] The inductors, capacitors (eg, Cb, Ce, Cdc), Z1, and Z2 of the non-integrated circuit unit are discrete components and may be implemented in the periphery of the one-chip integrated circuit unit 131A.

[0425] The capacitance required for the capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc to couple an AC signal may be several μF or more (e.g., 10 μF). Because this capacitance value is difficult to implement within a one-chip integrated circuit, the capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc may be implemented outside the integrated circuit, i.e., in a non-integrated circuit.

[0426] Impedances Z1 and Z2 can be implemented outside the integrated circuit unit, i.e., in a non-integrated circuit unit, to achieve design flexibility for various power systems or various first devices 300. Z1 and Z2 can be flexibly designed according to the required target current gain, depending on the winding ratios of the sensing transformer 120A and the compensation transformer 140A. By adjusting impedances Z1 and Z2, various current compensation devices can be designed that allow the same integrated circuit unit 131A to be applied to various power systems. In particular, the size and impedance characteristics of the sensing transformer 120A must change depending on the maximum rated current of the first device 300. Therefore, appropriate design of Z1 and Z2 is necessary to uniformly balance the ratio of the injection current to the sensing noise current over a wide frequency range. By adjusting the winding ratios of the sensing transformer 120A and the compensation transformer 140A and the ratio of Z1 to Z2, the ratio of the injection current to the sensing noise current can be designed to be 1 over a wide frequency range. To this end, impedances Z1 and Z2 may be implemented external to integrated circuit portion 131A for design flexibility. In one embodiment, Z1 and Z2 may each comprise a series connection of a resistor and a capacitor.

[0427] The integrated circuit unit 131A according to various embodiments of the present invention is designed for scalability and can be used in various types of active current compensation devices. For example, the integrated circuit unit 131A can be used in the current compensation device 100A-1 shown in FIG. 19, the current compensation device 100A-2 shown in FIG. 20, the current compensation device 100A-3 shown in FIG. 21, and the current compensation device 100B shown in FIG. 22. The same type of integrated circuit unit 131A can be used in various embodiments, and the non-integrated circuit units can be designed differently depending on the embodiment.

[0428] In various embodiments of the present invention, by using an amplifier unit 130 that is divided into an integrated circuit unit and a non-integrated circuit unit, various types of active current compensation devices can be mass-produced through mass production of the integrated circuit unit, and the size of the active current compensation device can be minimized.

[0429] Thus, the active current compensation devices 100, 100A, 100A-1, 100A-2, 100A-3, and 100B according to various embodiments are characterized by a distinction between integrated circuit and non-integrated circuit portions.

[0430] Meanwhile, the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). One end of each capacitor included in the decoupling capacitor unit 170A may be connected to the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112, respectively. The opposite end of each capacitor may be connected to a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A-1.

[0431] The decoupling capacitor section 170A can prevent the output performance of the compensation current of the active current compensator 100A-1 from fluctuating significantly due to changes in the impedance value of the second device 200. The impedance ZY of the decoupling capacitor section 170A can be designed to have a value smaller than a value specified in the first frequency band targeted for noise reduction. By incorporating the decoupling capacitor section 170A, the current compensator 100A-1 can be used as an independent module in any system.

[0432] According to one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor section 170A can be omitted in the active current compensation device 100A-1.

[0433] 20 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an active current compensation apparatus 100A-2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the following, a description that overlaps with the description made with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19 will be omitted.

[0434] Referring to FIG. 20, the active current compensation device 100A-2 can actively compensate for first currents I11, I12, and I13 input in common mode to large current paths 111, 112, and 113 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0435] To this end, the active current compensation device 100A-2 may include three large current paths 111, 112, and 113, a sensing transformer 120A-2, an amplifier section 130A, a compensation transformer 140A, and a compensation capacitor section 150A-2.

[0436] Compared with the active current compensator 100A, 100A-1 according to the above-described embodiments, the active current compensator 100A-1 according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 20 includes three large current paths 111, 112, and 113, which differ from the active current compensator 100A-1 in terms of the sensing transformer 120A-2 and the compensation capacitor unit 150A-2. Therefore, the following description of the active current compensator 100A-2 will focus on the above-described differences.

[0437] The active current compensation device 100A-2 may include a first large current path 111, a second large current path 112, and a third large current path 113, which are distinct from one another. According to an embodiment, the first large current path 111 may be an R-phase power line, the second large current path 112 may be an S-phase power line, and the third large current path 113B may be a T-phase power line. The first currents I11, I12, and I13 may be input in common mode to the first large current path 111, the second large current path 112, and the third large current path 113, respectively.

[0438] The primary side 121A-2 of the sensing transformer 120A-2 is disposed on each of the first, second, and third large current paths 111, 112, and 113, respectively, and can generate an induced current on the secondary side 122A-2. The magnetic flux densities generated in the sensing transformer 120A-2 by the first currents I11, I12, and I13 on the three large current paths 111, 112, and 113 can reinforce each other.

[0439] In the active current compensation device 100A-2 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 20, the amplifier 130A can correspond to the amplifier 130A described above.

[0440] The compensation capacitor unit 150A-2 can provide paths through which the compensation currents IC1, IC2, and IC3 generated by the compensation transformer 140A flow to the first, second, and third large current paths 111, 112, and 113, respectively.

[0441] The active current compensation apparatus 100A-2 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A-2 on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). One end of each capacitor included in the decoupling capacitor unit 170A-2 may be connected to the first large current path 111, the second large current path 112, and the third large current path 113, respectively. The opposite end of each capacitor may be connected to a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A-2.

[0442] The decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 can prevent the output performance of the compensation current of the active current compensator 100A-2 from fluctuating significantly due to changes in the impedance value of the second device 200. The impedance ZY of the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 can be designed to have a value smaller than a value specified in the first frequency band that is the target of noise reduction. By incorporating the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2, the current compensator 100A-2 can be used as an independent module in any system (e.g., a three-phase three-wire system).

[0443] According to one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 may be omitted in the active current compensation device 100A-2.

[0444] The active current compensation device 100A-2 according to this embodiment can be used to compensate (or cancel) the first currents I11, I12, I13 that travel to the power source at the load of a three-phase, three-wire power system.

[0445] It goes without saying that the active current compensation devices according to the various embodiments of the present invention can be modified to be applicable to a three-phase four-wire system.

[0446] The amplifier unit 130A according to one embodiment of the present invention can be applied to a single-phase (two-wire) system shown in Fig. 18, a three-phase three-wire system shown in Fig. 19, and a three-phase four-wire system (not shown). Because the one-chip integrated circuit unit 131A can be applied to multiple systems, the integrated circuit unit 131A can be used for general purposes in active current compensation devices according to various embodiments.

[0447] 19, the integrated circuit unit 131A may include a first transistor 11, a second transistor 12, and / or one or more resistors. In other embodiments, the integrated circuit unit 131A may further include a diode 13. In an alternative embodiment, the diode 13 may be replaced with a resistor.

[0448] The IC chip incorporating the integrated circuit unit 131A may include a base terminal b1 of the first transistor 11, a collector terminal c1 of the first transistor 11, an emitter terminal e1 of the first transistor 11, a base terminal b2 of the second transistor 12, a collector terminal c1 of the second transistor 12, and an emitter terminal e1 of the second transistor 12. However, without being limited thereto, the single chip of the integrated circuit unit 131A may further include other terminals in addition to the terminals b1, b2, c1, c2, e1, and e2.

[0449] The integrated circuit portion 131A may be combined with a non-integrated circuit portion including discrete components such as inductors, capacitors (e.g., Cb, Ce, Cdc), Z1, and Z2 to form a current compensation device according to various embodiments. For example, the discrete components of the non-integrated circuit portion may be, but are not limited to, general-purpose elements.

[0450] Discrete components such as inductors, capacitors (eg, Cb, Ce, Cdc), Z1 and Z2 are implemented around the IC chip in which the integrated circuit unit 131A is embedded.

[0451] The capacitance required for the capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc to couple low-frequency AC signals may be several μF or more. Since this capacitance value is difficult to implement within the IC chip in which the integrated circuit unit 131A is built, the capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc may be implemented outside the integrated circuit unit, i.e., in a non-integrated circuit unit.

[0452] Impedances Z1 and Z2 may be implemented outside the integrated circuit unit 131A, i.e., in a non-integrated circuit, to achieve design flexibility for various first devices 300. By adjusting impedances Z1 and Z2, various current compensation devices can be designed that allow the same integrated circuit unit 131A to be applied to various power systems. In particular, the size and impedance characteristics of the sensing transformer 120A must vary depending on the maximum rated current of the first device 300. Therefore, appropriate design of Z1 and Z2 is necessary to uniformly balance the ratio of the injection current to the sensing noise current over a wide frequency range. Therefore, Z1 and Z2 may be implemented outside the integrated circuit unit 131A, i.e., in a non-integrated circuit, to achieve design flexibility. In one embodiment, Z1 may be a series connection of a resistor R1 and a capacitor C1, and Z2 may be a series connection of a resistor R2 and a capacitor C2. By further implementing C1 and C2 in series next to R1 and R2, respectively, the ratio of the injection current to the sensing noise current in the low frequency range may be improved.

[0453] 21 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an active current compensation apparatus 100A-3 according to still another embodiment of the present invention. In the following, a description that overlaps with the description made with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19 will be omitted.

[0454] Referring to FIG. 21, the active current compensation device 100A-3 can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 input in common mode to large current paths 111 and 112 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0455] To this end, the active current compensation device 100A-3 may include two large current paths 111 and 112, a sensing transformer 120A, an amplifier section 130A-3, a compensation transformer 140A, and a compensation capacitor section 150A.

[0456] The active current compensation apparatus 100A-3 may be an example of the active current compensation apparatus 100A shown in Fig. 18. The amplifier section 130A-3 may be an example of the amplifier section 130 shown in Fig. 18.

[0457] The amplifier unit 130A-3 of the active current compensation device 100A-3 according to an embodiment may include an integrated circuit unit 131A and a non-integrated circuit unit. The remaining components of the amplifier unit 130A-3, excluding the integrated circuit unit 131A, may be included in the non-integrated circuit unit.

[0458] The integrated circuit unit 131A can correspond to the integrated circuit unit 131A described above. That is, the integrated circuit unit 131A described above can also be applied to the active current compensation device 100A-3 according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 21. Therefore, the description of the integrated circuit unit 131A will be simplified to avoid duplication.

[0459] As described above, the integrated circuit unit 131A may include a first transistor 11, a second transistor 12, and / or one or more resistors. In one embodiment, the first transistor 11 may be an npn BJT, and the second transistor 12 may be a pnp BJT. For example, the amplifier unit 130A-3 may have a push-pull amplifier structure including an npn BJT and a pnp BJT. The integrated circuit unit 131A may further include a diode 13 in addition to the first transistor 11, the second transistor 12, and one or more resistors. For example, one end of the diode 13 may be connected to the base of the first transistor 11, and the other end of the diode 13 may be connected to the base of the second transistor 12. In an alternative embodiment, the diode 13 may be replaced with a resistor.

[0460] The induced current induced on the secondary side 122A by the sensing transformer 120A may be differentially input to the amplifier unit 130A-3. A resistor Rin may be connected in parallel to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130A-3 and the secondary side 122A. The resistor Rin may adjust the input impedance of the amplifier unit 130A-3. The capacitors Cb and Ce may selectively couple only AC signals.

[0461] The power supply device 400 supplies a low DC voltage Vdc referenced to a second reference potential 602 to drive the amplifier section 130A-3. Cdc is a DC decoupling capacitor that can be connected in parallel to the power supply device 400. Cdc can selectively couple only AC signals between the collectors of both the first transistor 11 (e.g., an npn BJT) and the second transistor 12 (e.g., a pnp BJT).

[0462] The resistor Rin and capacitors Cb, Ce and Cdc mentioned above may be included in non-integrated circuitry.

[0463] Meanwhile, in the sensing transformer 120A, if the winding ratio of the primary side 121A to the secondary side 122A is 1:Nsen, the current induced in the secondary side 122A is 1 / Nsen times the first currents I11 and I12, and in the compensation transformer 140A, if the winding ratio of the primary side 141A to the secondary side 142A is 1:Ninj, the current induced in the secondary side 142A is 1 / Ninj times the current flowing in the primary side 141A (i.e., the amplified current). Therefore, in order to generate compensation currents IC1 and IC2 that are the same in magnitude but opposite in phase to the first currents I11 and I12 to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12, the current gain of the amplifier unit 130A-3 can be designed to be Nsen.Ninj.

[0464] Meanwhile, the current flowing between the collector and emitter of the BJT varies depending on the voltage applied between the base and emitter. When the input voltage of the noise-induced amplifier 130A-3 is a positive swing greater than 0, the first transistor 11 (e.g., an npn BJT) operates. When the input voltage of the noise-induced amplifier 130A-3 is a negative swing less than 0, the second transistor 12 (e.g., a pnp BJT) operates.

[0465] The active current compensation device 100A-3 according to such an embodiment can be used to compensate (or cancel) the first currents I11, I12 transferred to a power source at a load in a single-phase (two-wire) power system, but is not limited to this.

[0466] FIG. 22 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of an active current compensation apparatus 100B according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0467] Referring to FIG. 22, the active current compensation device 100B can actively compensate for first currents I11, I12, I13, and I14 input in common mode to large current paths 111, 112, 113, and 114 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0468] The active current compensation device 100B according to one embodiment may include four large current paths 111, 112, 113, 114, a noise coupling capacitor section 181, a sensing transformer 120B, an amplifier section 130B, a compensation section 160B, a compensation dividing capacitor section 182, and a decoupling capacitor 170B.

[0469] Unlike the current compensation devices 100A, 100A-1, 100A-2, and 100A-3 according to the above-described embodiments, the active current compensation device 100B can be non-insulated from the large current paths 111, 112, 113, and 114. However, the same integrated circuit unit 131A as in the above-described embodiments can also be used in this active current compensation device 100B.

[0470] The active current compensation apparatus 100B according to an embodiment may include a first large current path 111, a second large current path 112, a third large current path 113, and a fourth large current path 114, which are distinct from one another. According to an embodiment, the first large current path 111 may be an R-phase power line, the second large current path 112 may be an S-phase power line, the third large current path 113 may be a T-phase power line, and the fourth large current path 114 may be an N-phase power line. First currents I11, I12, I13, and I14 may be input in common mode to the first large current path 111, the second large current path 112, the third large current path 113, and the fourth large current path 114, respectively.

[0471] In one embodiment, the active current compensation device 100B may be provided with a noise coupling capacitor unit 181 on the input side (i.e., the first device 300 side). The noise coupling capacitor unit 181 may be configured with an X-capacitor (X-cap) for coupling noise between each phase.

[0472] The primary side 121B of the sensing transformer 120B is disposed on each of the first large current path 111, the second large current path 112, the third large current path 113, and the fourth large current path 114, and can generate an induced current on the secondary side 122B. The magnetic flux densities generated in the sensing transformer 120B by the first currents I11, I12, I13, and I14 on the four large current paths 111, 112, 113, and 114 can reinforce each other.

[0473] The amplifier unit 130B may be divided into an integrated circuit unit 131A and a non-integrated circuit unit. The remaining components of the amplifier unit 130B, excluding the integrated circuit unit 131A, may be included in the non-integrated circuit unit. For example, the components included in the non-integrated circuit unit may be, but are not limited to, discrete practical elements.

[0474] The integrated circuit unit 131A can correspond to the integrated circuit unit 131A described above. That is, the integrated circuit unit 131A described above can also be applied to the active current compensation device 100B according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 22. Therefore, a description of the integrated circuit unit 131A will be omitted to avoid redundancy.

[0475] The non-integrated circuit components of the amplifier unit 130B may be implemented differently from the previously described embodiment, and in this embodiment, the non-integrated circuit components may include impedances Z0 and Zd, and capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc.

[0476] Impedances Z0 and Zd may be connected to the base sides of the first transistor 11 and the second transistor 12. Here, connection includes indirect connection. Impedance Zd may be provided for high frequency stability. For example, Zd may be a resistor or a ferrite bead, but is not limited to these. Impedance Z0 may be provided for low frequency stability. Furthermore, Z0 may block DC signals. For example, Z0 may be a series connection of a resistor and a capacitor, but is not limited to these.

[0477] Meanwhile, the amplifier of the current compensation apparatus 100B is not limited to the amplifier 130B. The amplifier of the current compensation apparatus 100B may be embodied as one of the amplifiers including the amplifier 130A, the amplifier 130A-1, the amplifier 130A-2, and the amplifier 130A-3, but is not limited thereto.

[0478] The compensation unit 160B can inject a compensation current into one large current path (for example, the fourth large current path 114). A compensation dividing capacitor unit 182 can be provided on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side) of the active current compensation device 100B. The compensation dividing capacitor unit 182 can be configured with an X-capacitor.

[0479] The active current compensation device 100B may include a decoupling capacitor 170B on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). The decoupling capacitor 170B may be a Y-capacitor for decoupling the AC power supply end impedance.

[0480] The active current compensation device 100B according to such an embodiment can be used to compensate (or cancel) first currents I11, I12, I13, I14 transferred to a power source at a load in a three-phase four-wire power system.

[0481] The active current compensation apparatus 100, 100A, 100A-1, 100A-2, 100A-3, 100B according to various embodiments increases the size and heat dissipation in high power systems only slightly compared to passive EMI filters.

[0482] The active current compensation apparatus according to various embodiments includes the one-chip integrated circuit unit 131, 131A, thereby minimizing the size compared to when discrete semiconductor devices are included. The integrated circuit unit 131A can be generally and universally applied to active current compensation apparatuses including the active current compensation apparatuses 100, 100A, 100A-1, 100A-2, 100A-3, and 100B according to various embodiments.

[0483] The integrated circuit unit 131A and the active current compensation device including the integrated circuit unit 131A according to various embodiments can be used in various power electronic products regardless of their power rating, and can also be extended to high-power and high-noise systems.

[0484] The one-chip integrated circuit portion 131A allows the functionality of the active current compensation device to be expanded without additional components.

[0485] The integrated circuit portion 131A according to various embodiments can be sufficiently robust against transient voltages in the high current path in which the active current compensation device is installed.

[0486] [4] Active current compensation device including a single-chip integrated circuit 23 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a system including an active current compensation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100 can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 (e.g., EMI noise currents) input in common mode (CM) from a first device 300 via a plurality of large current paths 111 and 112.

[0487] Referring to FIG. 23, the active current compensation device 100 may include a sensing unit 120, an amplifying unit 130, and a compensating unit 160.

[0488] In this specification, the first device 300 may be any of various types of power systems that use the power source supplied by the second device 200. For example, the first device 300 may be a load that is driven using the power source supplied by the second device 200. Furthermore, the first device 300 may be a load (e.g., an electric vehicle) that stores energy using the power source supplied by the second device 200 and is driven using the stored energy. However, the first device 300 is not limited to this.

[0489] The second device 200 in this specification may be a system of various types for supplying power in the form of current and / or voltage to the first device 300. The second device 200 may also be, but is not limited to, a device that supplies stored energy.

[0490] A power conversion device may be located on the first device 300 side. For example, first currents I11 and I12 may be input to the current compensation device 100 through a switching operation of the power conversion device. That is, the first device 300 side may correspond to a noise source, and the second device 200 side may correspond to a noise receiver.

[0491] The two or more large current paths 111, 112 may be paths that transmit the power supplied by the second device 200, i.e., the second currents I21, I22, to the first device 300, and may be, for example, power lines. For example, each of the two or more large current paths 111, 112 may be a live line and a neutral line. At least a portion of the large current paths 111, 112 may pass through the current compensation device 100. The second currents I21, I22 may be AC ​​currents having a frequency in a second frequency band. The second frequency band may be, for example, a 50 Hz to 60 Hz band.

[0492] Furthermore, the two or more large current paths 111 and 112 may be paths through which noise generated in the first device 300, i.e., first currents I11 and I12, are transmitted to the second device 200. The first currents I11 and I12 may be input in a common mode to each of the two or more large current paths 111 and 112. The first currents I11 and I12 may be currents unintentionally generated in the first device 300 due to various causes. For example, the first currents I11 and I12 may be noise currents generated by virtual capacitance between the first device 300 and the surrounding environment. Alternatively, the first currents I11 and I12 may be noise currents generated by the switching operation of the power conversion device of the first device 300. The first currents I11 and I12 may be currents having a frequency in a first frequency band. The first frequency band may be a frequency band higher than the second frequency band described above. The first frequency band may be, for example, a 150 KHz to 30 MHz band.

[0493] Meanwhile, the two or more high current paths 111, 112 may include two paths as shown in Fig. 23 or three paths as shown in Fig. 28. Furthermore, the two or more high current paths 111, 112 may include four paths. The number of high current paths 111, 112 may vary depending on the type and / or form of the power source used by the first device 300 and / or the second device 200.

[0494] The sensing unit 120 may detect first currents I11 and I12 in two or more large current paths 111 and 112 and generate output signals corresponding to the first currents I11 and I12. That is, the sensing unit 120 may refer to a means for detecting the first currents I11 and I12 in the large current paths 111 and 112. At least a portion of the large current paths 111 and 112 may pass through the sensing unit 120 to sense the first currents I11 and I12, but a portion of the sensing unit 120 where an output signal is generated based on the sensing may be insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. For example, the sensing unit 120 may be embodied as a sensing transformer. The sensing transformer may detect the first currents I11 and I12 in the large current paths 111 and 112 while being insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. However, the sensing unit 120 is not limited to a sensing transformer.

[0495] According to an embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may be differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130 .

[0496] The amplifier 130 is electrically connected to the sensing unit 120 and amplifies the output signal output by the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified output signal. In the present invention, "amplification" by the amplifier 130 may refer to adjusting the magnitude and / or phase of the signal to be amplified. The amplifier 130 may be embodied by various means and may include active elements. In one embodiment, the amplifier 130 may include a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). For example, the amplifier 130 may include multiple passive elements such as resistors and capacitors in addition to the BJT. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any means for "amplification" described herein may be used without limitation as the amplifier 130 of the present invention.

[0497] According to one embodiment, the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier 130 and the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 can be distinguished from each other. For example, when the amplifier 130 is insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112, the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier 130 and the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100 can be distinguished from each other.

[0498] However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the amplifier 130 is not insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112, the reference potential of the amplifier and the reference potential of the current compensation device may not be distinguished.

[0499] The amplifier unit 130 according to various embodiments of the present invention may include a one-chip integrated circuit 131 and a non-integrated circuit unit 132. The one-chip integrated circuit 131 may include essential components of the active current compensation device 100. The essential components may include active elements. That is, the active elements included in the amplifier unit 130 may be integrated into the one-chip integrated circuit 131. The non-integrated circuit unit 132 of the amplifier unit 130 may not include active elements. The integrated circuit 131 may include passive elements in addition to active elements.

[0500] The integrated circuit 131 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be physically one IC chip. The integrated circuit 131 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be applied to active current compensation devices 100 of various designs. The one-chip integrated circuit 131 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be applied to current compensation devices 100 of various designs with versatility as an independent module.

[0501] The non-integrated circuit unit 132 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be modified depending on the design of the active current compensation device 100 .

[0502] The one-chip integrated circuit 131 may include terminals b1, b2, e1, and e2 for connection to the non-integrated circuit unit 132. The integrated circuit 131 and the non-integrated circuit unit 132 may be coupled to each other to function as the amplifier unit 130. The combination of the integrated circuit 131 and the non-integrated circuit unit 132 may perform the function of generating an amplified signal from the output signal output from the sensing unit 120. The amplified signal may be input to the compensation unit 160.

[0503] An example of a detailed configuration of the amplifier section 130 including the integrated circuit 131 and the non-integrated circuit section 132 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

[0504] The amplifier 130 may be supplied with power from a power supply device 400 that is distinct from the first device 300 and / or the second device 200. The amplifier 130 may receive power from the power supply device 400 and amplify the output signal output from the sensing unit 120 to generate an amplified current.

[0505] The power supply unit 400 may be a device that receives power from a power source independent of the first device 300 and the second device 200 and generates input power for the amplifier unit 130. Alternatively, the power supply unit 400 may be a device that receives power from either the first device 300 or the second device 200 and generates input power for the amplifier unit 130.

[0506] The one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) 131 may include a terminal c1 for connection to the power supply 400, a terminal c2 for connection to the second reference potential 602, and terminals b1, b2, e1, and e2 for connection to the non-integrated circuit unit 132. In other embodiments, the one-chip integrated circuit 131 may further include terminals for other functions.

[0507] The power supply device 400 can supply a direct current (DC) voltage Vdc referenced to a second reference potential 602 to drive the amplifier unit 130. A decoupling capacitor Cdc for Vdc can be connected in parallel to the power supply device 400. The capacitor Cdc is connected externally to the integrated circuit 131, but can be connected between the power supply terminal c1 and a terminal c2 corresponding to the second reference potential.

[0508] The remaining components of the amplifier section 130, excluding the integrated circuit 131, can be included in the non-integrated circuit section 132. Therefore, it can also be said that the capacitor Cdc is included in the non-integrated circuit section 132.

[0509] The compensating unit 160 can generate compensation currents IC1 and IC2 based on the output signal amplified by the amplifying unit 130. The output side of the compensating unit 160 can be connected to the large current paths 111 and 112 to pass the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 through the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0510] According to an embodiment, the output side of the compensating unit 160 may be isolated from the amplifying unit 130. For example, the compensating unit 160 may include a compensating transformer for the isolation. For example, the output signal of the amplifying unit 130 may flow through a primary side of the compensating transformer, and a compensating current based on the output signal may be generated on a secondary side of the compensating transformer.

[0511] However, the present invention is not limited to this. According to another embodiment, the output side of the compensating unit 160 may be insulated from the amplifying unit 130. In this case, the amplifying unit 130 may not be insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0512] The compensator 160 may inject compensation currents IC1 and IC2 into the two or more large current paths 111 and 112, respectively, to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12. The compensation currents IC1 and IC2 may have the same magnitude and opposite phase as the first currents I11 and I12.

[0513] Fig. 24 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 23, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation apparatus 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100A can actively compensate for first currents I11 and I12 (e.g., noise currents) input in common mode to two large current paths 111 and 112 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0514] Referring to FIG. 24, an active current compensation device 100A may include a sensing transformer 120A, an amplifier unit 130, and a compensation unit 160A.

[0515] In one embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may include a sensing transformer 120A. In this case, the sensing transformer 120A may be a means for detecting the first currents I11 and I12 on the large current paths 111 and 112 while being insulated from the large current paths 111 and 112. The sensing transformer 120A may sense the first currents I11 and I12, which are noise currents input from the first device 300 to the large current paths 111 and 112 (e.g., power lines).

[0516] The sensing transformer 120A may include a primary side 121A disposed on the large current paths 111 and 112 and a secondary side 122A differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130. The sensing transformer 120A may generate an induced current in the secondary side 122A (e.g., a secondary winding) based on a magnetic flux density induced by the first currents I11 and I12 in the primary side 121A (e.g., a primary winding) disposed on the large current paths 111 and 112. The primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A may be, for example, a winding in which the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112 are wound around one core. However, the primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A may be a type in which the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112 pass through the core.

[0517] Specifically, the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I11 on the first large current path 111 (e.g., live line) and the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I12 on the second large current path 112 (e.g., neutral line) can be configured to overlap (or reinforce) each other. In this case, second currents I21 and I22 also flow through the large current paths 111 and 112, but the magnetic flux density induced by the second current I21 on the first large current path 111 and the magnetic flux density induced by the first current I22 on the second large current path 112 can be configured to cancel each other out. Also, as an example, the sensing transformer 120A can be configured so that the magnitude of the magnetic flux density induced by the first currents I11 and I12 in a first frequency band (e.g., a band having a range of 150 KHz to 30 MHz) is greater than the magnitude of the magnetic flux density induced by the second currents I21 and I22 in a second frequency band (e.g., a band having a range of 50 Hz to 60 Hz).

[0518] In this way, the sensing transformer 120A is configured to cancel out the magnetic flux densities induced by the second currents I21 and I22, so that only the first currents I11 and I12 are detected. That is, the current induced in the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be a current obtained by converting the first currents I11 and I12 at a constant rate.

[0519] For example, if the winding ratio of the primary side 121A to the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A is 1:Nsen and the self-inductance of the primary side 121A of the sensing transformer 120A is Lsen, the secondary side 122A may have a self-inductance of Nsen2 Lsen. In this case, the current induced in the secondary side 122A is 1 / Nsen times the first currents I11 and I12. In one example, the primary side 121A and secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be coupled with a coupling coefficient of ksen.

[0520] The secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130. For example, the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be differentially connected to the input terminal of the amplifier unit 130 to provide an induced current or an induced voltage to the amplifier unit 130.

[0521] The amplifier 130 may amplify the current sensed by the sensing transformer 120A and induced in the secondary side 122A. For example, the amplifier 130 may amplify the magnitude of the induced current at a certain rate and / or adjust the phase.

[0522] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the amplifier unit 130 may include a one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) 131 and a non-integrated circuit unit 132 that is configured other than the one-chip IC.

[0523] The integrated circuit 131 may include an active element. The integrated circuit 131 may be connected to the power supply device 400 referenced to a second reference potential 602 to drive the active element. The second reference potential 602 may be distinguished from the first reference potential 601 of the current compensation device 100A (or the compensation unit 160A).

[0524] The one-chip integrated circuit 131 may be formed with a terminal c1 for connection to the power supply device 400, a terminal c2 for connection to the second reference potential 602, and terminals b1, b2, e1, and e2 for connection to the non-integrated circuit part 132.

[0525] The compensating unit 160A may be an example of the compensating unit 160. In one embodiment, the compensating unit 160A may include a compensating transformer 140A and a compensating capacitor unit 150A. The amplified current amplified by the amplifying unit 130 may flow to the primary side 141A of the compensating transformer 140A.

[0526] The compensation transformer 140A according to one embodiment may be a means for isolating the amplifier unit 130 including the active elements from the large current paths 111 and 112. That is, the compensation transformer 140A may be a means for generating (on the secondary side 142A) a compensation current to be injected into the large current paths 111 and 112 based on the amplified current while being isolated from the large current paths 111 and 112.

[0527] The compensation transformer 140A may include a primary side 141A differentially connected to the output terminal of the amplifier unit 130 and a secondary side 142A connected to the large current paths 111 and 112. The compensation transformer 140A may induce a compensation current in the secondary side 142A (e.g., a secondary winding) based on the magnetic flux density induced by the amplified current flowing in the primary side 141A (e.g., a primary winding).

[0528] In this case, the secondary side 142A may be disposed on a path connecting a compensation capacitor unit 150A (described later) and a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A. That is, one end of the secondary side 142A may be connected to the large current paths 111 and 112 via the compensation capacitor unit 150A, and the other end of the secondary side 142A may be connected to the first reference potential 601 of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. Meanwhile, the primary side 141A of the compensation transformer 140A, the amplifier unit 130, and the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A may be connected to a second reference potential 602 that is distinct from the remaining components of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. The first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A according to an embodiment may be distinct from the second reference potential 602 of the amplifier unit 130.

[0529] As described above, the current compensation apparatus 100A according to one embodiment uses a reference potential (i.e., second reference potential 602) for the components that generate the compensation current that is different from that of the remaining components, and uses a separate power supply device 400, thereby allowing the components that generate the compensation current to operate in an isolated state, thereby improving the reliability of the active current compensation apparatus 100A. However, the active current compensation apparatus including the integrated circuit 131 and the non-integrated circuit unit 132 according to the present invention is not limited to such an isolated structure. Active current compensation apparatuses according to other embodiments of the present invention may also be non-isolated from the large current path.

[0530] In one embodiment of compensation transformer 140A, if the winding ratio of primary side 141A to secondary side 142A is 1:Ninj and the self-inductance of primary side 141A of compensation transformer 140A is Linj, then secondary side 142A may have a self-inductance of Ninj2.Linj. In this case, the current induced in secondary side 142A is 1 / Ninj times the current flowing in primary side 141A (i.e., the amplified current). In one example, primary side 141A and secondary side 142A of compensation transformer 140A may be coupled with a coupling coefficient of kinj.

[0531] The current transformed through the compensation transformer 140A may be injected as compensation currents IC1 and IC2 into the large current paths 111 and 112 (e.g., power lines) through the compensation capacitor unit 150A. Therefore, the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 may have the same magnitude and opposite phase as the first currents I11 and I12 to cancel out the first currents I11 and I12. Therefore, the magnitude of the current gain of the amplifier unit 130 may be designed to be Nsen.Ninj. However, because magnetic coupling loss may occur in an actual situation, the target current gain of the amplifier unit 130 may be designed to be higher than Nsen.Ninj.

[0532] The compensation capacitor unit 150A can provide a path through which the current generated by the compensation transformer 140A flows to each of the two large current paths 111 and 112, as described above.

[0533] The compensation capacitor unit 150A may include a Y-capacitor (Y-cap) having one end connected to the secondary side 142A of the compensation transformer 140A and the other end connected to each of the large current paths 111 and 112. For example, one end of the two Y-caps may share a node connected to the secondary side 142A of the compensation transformer 140A, and the opposite ends of the two Y-caps may have nodes connected to the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112, respectively.

[0534] The compensation capacitor unit 150A can cause the compensation currents IC1 and IC2 induced by the compensation transformer 140A to flow through the power line. The compensation currents IC1 and IC2 compensate for (or cancel out) the first currents I11 and I12, allowing the current compensation device 100A to reduce noise.

[0535] On the other hand, the compensation capacitor section 150A can be configured so that the current IL1 flowing between the two large current paths 111, 112 via the compensation capacitor is less than a first threshold value. Also, the compensation capacitor section 150A can be configured so that the current IL2 flowing between each of the two large current paths 111, 112 and the first reference potential 601 via the compensation capacitor is less than a second threshold value.

[0536] The active current compensation device 100A according to one embodiment can achieve an isolated structure by using a compensation transformer 140A and a sensing transformer 120A.

[0537] Fig. 25 shows a more specific example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 24, and is a diagram schematically showing an active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The active current compensation apparatus 100A-1, amplifier unit 130A, and integrated circuit 131A shown in Fig. 25 are examples of the active current compensation apparatus 100A, amplifier unit 130, and integrated circuit 131 shown in Fig. 24.

[0538] The active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 according to one embodiment may include a sensing transformer 120A, an amplifier unit 130A, a compensation transformer 140A, and a compensation capacitor unit 150A. In one embodiment, the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). In other embodiments, the decoupling capacitor unit 170A may be omitted. Descriptions of the sensing transformer 120A, the compensation transformer 140A, and the compensation capacitor unit 150A will be omitted to avoid redundancy.

[0539] In one embodiment, the induced current induced in the secondary side 122A by the sensing transformer 120A may be differentially input to the amplifier unit 130A.

[0540] The amplifier unit 130A of the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 according to an embodiment may include a one-chip integrated circuit unit 131A and a non-integrated circuit unit. The remaining components of the amplifier unit 130A, excluding the integrated circuit 131A, may be included in the non-integrated circuit unit. In an embodiment of the present invention, the integrated circuit 131A is physically implemented on a single chip. The components included in the non-integrated circuit unit may be discrete practical elements. The non-integrated circuit unit may be implemented differently depending on the embodiment. The non-integrated circuit unit may be modified so that the same one-chip integrated circuit 131A can be applied to active current compensation apparatuses 100 with various designs.

[0541] The one-chip integrated circuit 131A can include an npn BJT 11, a pnp BJT 12, a diode 13, and one or more resistors.

[0542] In one embodiment, the one or more resistors included in the integrated circuit 131A may include Rnpn, Rpnp, and / or Re. Within the integrated circuit 131A, the resistor Rnpn may connect the collector node and the base node of the npn BJT 11. Within the integrated circuit 131A, the resistor Rpnp may connect the collector node and the base node of the pnp BJT 12. Within the integrated circuit 131A, the resistor Re may connect the emitter node of the npn BJT 11 and the emitter node of the pnp BJT 12.

[0543] To drive amplifier section 130A, power supply device 400 may provide a DC voltage Vdc between the collector node of npn BJT 11 and the collector node of pnp BJT 12. The collector node of pnp BJT 12 may correspond to a second reference potential 602, and the collector node of npn BJT 11 may correspond to a supply voltage Vdc of power supply device 400 referenced to second reference potential 602.

[0544] In one embodiment, biasing diode 13 can be connected between the base node of npn BJT 11 and the base node of pnp BJT 12 in integrated circuit 131A, i.e., one end of diode 13 can be connected to the base node of npn BJT 11, and the other end of diode 13 can be connected to the base node of pnp BJT 12.

[0545] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, Re and / or the bias diode 13 included in the integrated circuit unit 131A can be used for DC biasing of the BJTs 11 and 12. In one embodiment of the present invention, the resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, Re and the bias diode 13 are general-purpose components in various active current compensation devices 100 and 100A, and therefore can be integrated into a one-chip integrated circuit unit 131A.

[0546] A one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) 131A according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a terminal b1 corresponding to the base of the npn BJT 11, a terminal c1 corresponding to the collector of the npn BJT 11, a terminal e1 corresponding to the emitter of the npn BJT 11, a terminal b2 corresponding to the base of the pnp BJT 12, a terminal c1 corresponding to the collector of the pnp BJT 12, and a terminal e1 corresponding to the emitter of the pnp BJT 12. However, without being limited thereto, the one-chip integrated circuit 131A may further include other terminals in addition to the terminals b1, b2, c1, c2, e1, and e2.

[0547] In various embodiments, at least one of terminals b1, b2, c1, c2, e1, and e2 of the single-chip integrated circuit 131A can be connected to a non-integrated circuit portion, and the single-chip integrated circuit 131A and the non-integrated circuit portion can be coupled to each other to function as an amplifier portion 130A according to one embodiment.

[0548] In one embodiment, the non-integrated circuit portion can include capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc, and impedances Z1 and Z2.

[0549] According to one embodiment, a capacitor Cb, which is a non-integrated circuit, may be connected to base terminals b1 and b2 of the integrated circuit (one-chip IC) 131A. A capacitor Ce, which is a non-integrated circuit, may be connected to emitter terminals e1 and e2 of the integrated circuit 131A. Outside the integrated circuit 131A, the collector terminal c2 of the pnp BJT 12 may be connected to a second reference potential 602. Outside the integrated circuit 131A, a power supply 400 may be connected between the collector terminals c1 and c2. Outside the integrated circuit 131A, a capacitor Cdc, which is a non-integrated circuit, may be connected between the collector terminals c1 and c2.

[0550] Capacitors Cb and Ce, included in the non-integrated circuitry, can block DC voltages at the base and emitter nodes of BJTs 11 and 12. Capacitors Cb and Ce can selectively couple only alternating current (AC) signals.

[0551] Capacitor Cdc is a DC decoupling capacitor for voltage Vdc and can be connected in parallel to the supply voltage Vdc of power supply device 400. Capacitor Cdc can selectively couple only AC signals between the collectors of both npn BJT11 and pnp BJT12.

[0552] The current gain of the amplifier unit 130A can be controlled by the ratio of impedances Z1 and Z2. Z1 and Z2 can be flexibly designed according to the required target current gain depending on the winding ratios of the sensing transformer 120A and the compensation transformer 140A. Therefore, Z1 and Z2 can be embodied outside the one-chip integrated circuit 131A (i.e., in a non-integrated circuit portion).

[0553] The combination of the integrated circuit 131A and the non-integrated circuit components Cb, Ce, Cdc, Z1, and Z2 can function as an amplifier unit 130A according to one embodiment. For example, the amplifier unit 130A can have a push-pull amplifier structure including an npn BJT and a pnp BJT.

[0554] In one embodiment, the secondary side 122A of the sensing transformer 120A can be connected between the base and emitter sides of the BJTs 11 and 12. In one embodiment, the primary side 141A of the compensation transformer 140A can be connected between the collector and base sides of the BJTs 11 and 12. Here, connection includes indirect connection.

[0555] In one embodiment, the amplifier unit 130A may have a recursive structure that injects the output current back into the bases of the BJTs 11 and 12. Due to the recursive structure, the amplifier unit 130A can stably obtain a constant current gain for the operation of the active current compensation device 100A-1.

[0556] For example, when the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A is a positive swing greater than 0, the npn BJT 11 is activated. At this time, the operating current flows through a first path passing through the npn BJT 11. When the input voltage of the noise signal amplifier 130A is a negative swing less than 0, the pnp BJT 12 is activated. At this time, the operating current flows through a second path passing through the pnp BJT 12.

[0557] In the integrated circuit 131A, the resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re can adjust the operating point of the BJT, and can be designed according to the operating point of the BJT.

[0558] According to an embodiment of the present invention, elements having temperature characteristics may be integrated into a one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) 131A. According to one embodiment, npn BJT 11, pnp BJT 12, bias diode 13, Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re may be integrated into the one-chip integrated circuit 131A. When integrated into a single chip, the size of the amplifier unit 130A can be minimized compared to when discrete elements are used. In this specification, an element having temperature characteristics may refer to an element having desired circuit characteristics over a wide temperature range, for example, from extremely low temperatures to high temperatures. An element having temperature characteristics may refer to an element whose element characteristics change in response to temperature changes over a wide temperature range. According to an embodiment of the present invention, by incorporating an active element having temperature characteristics into the one-chip integrated circuit 131A, it is possible to implement a one-chip integrated circuit 131A having constant (or stable) circuit characteristics even when temperature changes. According to an embodiment of the present invention, an amplifier 130A and an active current compensation device 100A-1 that exhibit consistent performance even when temperature changes can be realized by incorporating an active element having temperature characteristics into a one-chip integrated circuit 131A. That is, the one-chip integrated circuit 131A can be designed so that the amplifier 130A exhibits consistent performance even when temperature changes. Here, the amplifier 130A exhibiting consistent performance includes maintaining stable performance within a certain range.

[0559] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, elements having temperature characteristics (e.g., BJTs 11 and 12, diode 13, Re, etc.) can share temperatures. Therefore, it is possible to easily predict the characteristics according to temperature, for example, through simulation. Therefore, it is possible to design an amplifier unit 130A that is controllable and predictable in response to temperature changes. On the other hand, if individual elements such as BJTs, diodes, and resistors are used, the temperature characteristics of the elements may differ, making it difficult to predict the operation of the active circuit unit.

[0560] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, even if the number of semiconductor elements increases, the increase in size and production cost of the integrated circuit 131A and the active current compensator 100A can be small, and therefore, mass production of the one-chip integrated circuit 131A and the active compensator 100A can be facilitated.

[0561] The inductors, capacitors (eg, Cb, Ce, Cdc), Z1, and Z2 of the non-integrated circuit part are discrete components and can be implemented on the periphery of the one-chip integrated circuit 131A.

[0562] The capacitance required for the capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc to couple an AC signal may be several μF or more (e.g., 10 μF). Because this capacitance value is difficult to implement within a one-chip integrated circuit, the capacitors Cb, Ce, and Cdc may be implemented outside the integrated circuit 131A, i.e., in a non-integrated circuit portion.

[0563] Depending on the design of the non-integrated circuit portion, the single-chip integrated circuit 131A can be used for the first device 300 (or the second device 200) of various power systems. For example, the single-chip integrated circuit 131A can be independent of the rated power of the first device 300, and the non-integrated circuit portion can be designed according to the rated power of the first device 300. For example, the values ​​of the impedances Z1 and Z2 can be determined based on the turns ratios of the sensing transformer 120A and the compensation transformer 140A and the target current gain of the amplifier unit 130A. The configuration of the single-chip integrated circuit 131A can be independent of the turns ratio and the target current gain.

[0564] Impedances Z1 and Z2 can be implemented outside the integrated circuit, i.e., in a non-integrated circuit, to achieve design flexibility for various power systems or various first devices 300. Z1 and Z2 can be flexibly designed according to the required target current gain, depending on the winding ratios of sensing transformer 120A and compensation transformer 140A. By adjusting impedances Z1 and Z2, various current compensation devices can be designed that allow the same integrated circuit 131A to be applied to various power systems.

[0565] In particular, the size and impedance characteristics of the sensing transformer 120A must vary depending on the maximum rated current of the first device 300. Therefore, appropriate design of Z1 and Z2 is required to maintain a uniform ratio of the injection current to the sensing noise current over a wide frequency range. By adjusting the winding ratio of the sensing transformer 120A and the compensation transformer 140A and the ratio of Z1 to Z2, the ratio of the injection current to the sensing noise current can be designed to be 1 over a wide frequency range. To achieve this, the impedances Z1 and Z2 can be implemented externally to the integrated circuit 131A for design flexibility. In one embodiment, Z1 can be a series connection of a resistor R1 and a capacitor C1, and Z2 can be a series connection of a resistor R2 and a capacitor C2. By implementing C1 and C2 in series next to R1 and R2, respectively, the ratio of the injection current to the sensing noise current can be improved in the low frequency range.

[0566] The integrated circuit 131A according to various embodiments of the present invention is designed for scalability so that it can be used in various types of active current compensation devices. The same type of integrated circuit 131A can be used in various embodiments, and the non-integrated circuit components can be designed differently depending on the embodiment.

[0567] Meanwhile, the active current compensation apparatus 100A-1 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). One end of each capacitor included in the decoupling capacitor unit 170A may be connected to the first large current path 111 and the second large current path 112, respectively. The opposite end of each capacitor may be connected to a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A-1.

[0568] The decoupling capacitor section 170A can prevent the output performance of the compensation current of the active current compensator 100A-1 from fluctuating significantly due to changes in the impedance value of the second device 200. The impedance ZY of the decoupling capacitor section 170A can be designed to have a value smaller than a value specified in the first frequency band targeted for noise reduction. By incorporating the decoupling capacitor section 170A, the current compensator 100A-1 can be used as an independent module in any system.

[0569] According to one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor section 170A can be omitted in the active current compensation device 100A-1.

[0570] 26 is a diagram schematically illustrating a one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) 131A according to one embodiment of the present invention. A detailed description of the integrated circuit 131A will be omitted as it overlaps with the above description.

[0571] The DC bias circuit for the BJTs must be designed to have a constant DC operating point even with temperature changes, if possible. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the DC bias circuit for BJTs 11 and 12 can be designed to have a stable DC operating point within a certain range even with temperature changes.

[0572] 26, bias diode 13 and resistors Rnpn, Rpnp, and Re can be used in the DC bias design. For BJT biasing, the forward voltage of bias diode 13 may need to be twice the base-emitter voltage of the BJT or slightly higher. In an embodiment of the present invention, bias diode 13 and resistor Re can prevent thermal runaway of BJTs 11 and 12.

[0573] Generally, when heat is generated as current flows through a BJT, the current gain of the BJT increases, which generates more heat. Thermal runaway refers to the phenomenon where this positive feedback continues to increase the heat and damages the BJT.

[0574] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing a resistor Re between the emitter node of the npn BJT 11 and the emitter node of the pnp BJT 12, the DC bias current can be adjusted and thermal runaway can be prevented. As the temperature increases, the resistance of Re also increases, preventing an increase in the current Ie. Therefore, the resistor Re can act as negative feedback for the current Ie or heat.

[0575] According to an embodiment of the present invention, thermal runaway can be prevented by providing diode 13 between the base node of npn BJT 11 and the base node of pnp BJT 12. Diode 13 has a characteristic that the forward voltage decreases relative to the forward current as the temperature increases. Therefore, in an embodiment of the present invention, diode 13 formed between the base terminals of BJTs 11 and 12 serves to reduce the voltage between the base terminals as the temperature increases. As a result, the BJTs 11 and 12 can be turned on less frequently with diode 13 than without diode 13. Therefore, the current Ie due to an increase in temperature can be reduced relatively. In this way, diode 13 can act as a negative feedback for current Ie.

[0576] As described above, the positive feedback due to temperature and the negative feedback due to Re and the diode 13 act together on the BJTs 11 and 12, allowing the BJTs 11 and 12 to maintain a constant current range even when the temperature changes.

[0577] When the DC bias voltages in the npn BJT 11 and the pnp BJT 12 are sufficiently balanced, the DC emitter current Ie can be calculated as in the following equation 1.

[0578]

number

[0579] In Equation 1, Vdc is the voltage supplied between the collector of npn BJT 11 and the collector of pnp BJT 12, Id is the forward bias current of diode 13, Vbe is the base-emitter voltage of the BJT, and hfe is the current gain of the BJT. Also, in one embodiment, Rbias = Rnpn = Rpnp.

[0580] In one embodiment, the values ​​of Id and Vbe can be designed according to the IV (current-voltage) characteristics of the diode 13 and the BJTs 11, 12 in the customized integrated circuit 131A.

[0581] Fig. 27 is a diagram showing simulation results of bias voltage and current depending on the temperature of the one-chip integrated circuit 131A shown in Fig. 26. The graph shown in Fig. 27 is a DC simulation result of the integrated circuit 131A depending on the temperature change from -50°C to 125°C.

[0582] Ie is the DC emitter current, Vbn is the voltage at the base node of npn BJT11 relative to the second reference potential 602 (i.e., DC ground reference), Ven is the voltage at the emitter node of npn BJT11 relative to the second reference potential 602, Vbp is the voltage at the base node of pnp BJT12 relative to the second reference potential 602, and Vep is the voltage at the emitter node of pnp BJT12 relative to the second reference potential 602.

[0583] Referring to FIG. 27, it can be seen that Vbe (=Vbn-Ven) of npn BJT 11 and Vbe (=Vep-Vbp) of pnp BJT 12 are maintained at approximately 0.75V over the entire temperature range. Furthermore, the DC bias voltage is well balanced at approximately 6V, which is half of Vdc. That is, the voltages of each node (Vbn, Ven, Vbp, and Vep) can be uniformly distributed according to temperature. The more uniformly the voltages of each node are distributed according to temperature changes, the more beneficial the performance of active current compensation device 100A-1 can be.

[0584] According to one embodiment, it can be seen that the current Ie remains constant at a range of approximately 40-50 mA even as the temperature rises to 125°C. As the temperature rises, the current Ie does not increase beyond a certain range, but rather decreases slightly above 40°C. In other words, the current Ie does not increase continuously as the temperature rises, indicating that thermal runaway does not occur.

[0585] As a result, the bias resistor Re and the diode 13 are built into the one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) 131A, which prevents thermal runaway without the need for additional discrete components.

[0586] Meanwhile, when elements having temperature characteristics (e.g., BJTs 11 and 12, diode 13, Re, etc.) are discrete elements, there is a limit to the elements' ability to share temperature. In this case, the temperature characteristics of the resistor, diode 13, and BJTs 11 and 12 may differ from one another. Therefore, it may be difficult to predict and control the bias voltage and current according to the actual temperature. In addition, when an amplifier section is configured using commercially available discrete elements, it may be difficult to freely design the IV (current-voltage) characteristics, making it difficult to optimally design an active current compensation device. In addition, when discrete elements are used, production costs may continually increase depending on the number of semiconductor elements.

[0587] In an embodiment of the present invention, the amplifier unit of the active current compensation device includes a one-chip integrated circuit 131A, which allows the emitter current Ie and voltage to be adjusted as desired, taking into account the characteristics of the semiconductor elements. In an embodiment of the present invention, elements having temperature characteristics are formed within a one-chip integrated circuit (one-chip IC) and share the temperature, making it easier to predict the characteristics of the elements depending on temperature. In the case of the integrated circuit 131A according to an embodiment of the present invention, the increase in size due to an increase in the number of semiconductor elements is minimal, and the increase in cost due to mass production is also minimal.

[0588] 28 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an active current compensation apparatus 100A-2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the following, a description that overlaps with the description made with reference to FIGS. 24 to 27 will be omitted.

[0589] 28, the active current compensation device 100A-2 can actively compensate for first currents I11, I12, and I13 input in common mode to large current paths 111, 112, and 113 connected to the first device 300, respectively.

[0590] To this end, the active current compensation device 100A-2 may include three large current paths 111, 112, and 113, a sensing transformer 120A-2, an amplifier section 130A, a compensation transformer 140A, and a compensation capacitor section 150A-2.

[0591] 28 includes three large current paths 111, 112, and 113, and therefore has differences in the sensing transformer 120A-2 and the compensation capacitor unit 150A-2. Therefore, the following description of the active current compensation apparatus 100A-2 will focus on the above-mentioned differences.

[0592] The active current compensation device 100A-2 may include a first large current path 111, a second large current path 112, and a third large current path 113, which are distinct from one another. According to an embodiment, the first large current path 111 may be an R-phase power line, the second large current path 112 may be an S-phase power line, and the third large current path 113B may be a T-phase power line. The first currents I11, I12, and I13 may be input in common mode to the first large current path 111, the second large current path 112, and the third large current path 113, respectively.

[0593] The primary side 121A-2 of the sensing transformer 120A-2 is disposed on each of the first, second, and third large current paths 111, 112, and 113, respectively, and can generate an induced current on the secondary side 122A-2. The magnetic flux densities generated in the sensing transformer 120A-2 by the first currents I11, I12, and I13 on the three large current paths 111, 112, and 113 can reinforce each other.

[0594] In the active current compensation apparatus 100A-2 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 28, the amplifier section 130A can correspond to the amplifier section 130A described above.

[0595] The compensation capacitor unit 150A-2 can provide paths through which the compensation currents IC1, IC2, and IC3 generated by the compensation transformer 140A flow to the first, second, and third large current paths 111, 112, and 113, respectively.

[0596] The active current compensation apparatus 100A-2 may further include a decoupling capacitor unit 170A-2 on the output side (i.e., the second device 200 side). One end of each capacitor included in the decoupling capacitor unit 170A-2 may be connected to the first large current path 111, the second large current path 112, and the third large current path 113, respectively. The opposite end of each capacitor may be connected to a first reference potential 601 of the current compensation apparatus 100A-2.

[0597] The decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 can prevent the output performance of the compensation current of the active current compensator 100A-2 from fluctuating significantly due to changes in the impedance value of the second device 200. The impedance ZY of the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 can be designed to have a value smaller than a value specified in the first frequency band that is the target of noise reduction. By incorporating the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2, the current compensator 100A-2 can be used as an independent module in any system (e.g., a three-phase three-wire system).

[0598] According to one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor section 170A-2 may be omitted in the active current compensation device 100A-2.

[0599] The active current compensation device 100A-2 according to this embodiment can be used to compensate (or cancel) the first currents I11, I12, I13 that travel to the power source at the load of a three-phase, three-wire power system.

[0600] It goes without saying that the active current compensation devices according to the various embodiments of the present invention can be modified to be applicable to a three-phase four-wire system.

[0601] The amplifier unit 130A according to one embodiment of the present invention can be applied to a single-phase (two-wire) system shown in Fig. 25, a three-phase three-wire system shown in Fig. 28, and a three-phase four-wire system (not shown). Because the one-chip integrated circuit 131A can be applied to multiple systems, the integrated circuit 131A can be used for general purposes in active current compensation devices according to various embodiments.

[0602] The specific implementation described in the present invention is one embodiment and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, descriptions of conventional electronic configurations, control systems, software, and other functional aspects of the system may be omitted. Furthermore, wire connections or connecting members between components shown in the drawings are illustrative of functional and / or physical or circuit connections, and various alternative or additional functional, physical, or circuit connections may be present in an actual device.

[0603] The concept of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments, and it can be said that not only the scope of the claims described below, but also all scopes equivalent to or modified equivalently from the scope of the claims belong to the scope of the concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. An active current compensation device that actively compensates for noise generated in a common mode in each of at least two or more large current paths, At least two or more high current paths that transmit power supplied by the second device to the first device; a sensing unit that generates an output signal corresponding to a common mode noise current on the large current path; an amplifier unit that amplifies the output signal to generate an amplified current; a compensation unit that generates a compensation current based on the amplified current and causes the compensation current to flow through each of the at least two large current paths; Including, the amplifier unit includes a non-integrated circuit unit and a one-chip integrated circuit unit; the non-integrated circuit part is designed according to a power system of at least one of the first device and the second device; the single-chip integrated circuit portion is independent of the rated power specifications of the first device and the second device; Active current compensator.

2. the non-integrated circuit part is designed according to the rated power of the first device; 2. The active current compensation device of claim 1.

3. the single-chip integrated circuit unit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and one or more resistors; 2. The active current compensation device of claim 1.

4. The non-integrated circuit part is a first impedance (Z1) connecting the emitter node sides of the first transistor and the second transistor and the input terminal of the compensation unit; a second impedance (Z2) connecting the base node sides of the first transistor and the second transistor and the input terminal of the compensation unit; Including, 4. The active current compensation device of claim 3.

5. the sensing unit includes a sensing transformer; the compensation unit includes a compensation transformer; the value of the first impedance or the value of the second impedance is determined based on a turns ratio of the sensing transformer and the compensation transformer and a target current gain of the amplifier unit; The configuration of the single-chip integrated circuit unit is independent of the turns ratio and the target current gain.

5. The active current compensation device of claim 4.

6. According to the design of the first impedance and the second impedance, the single-chip integrated circuit unit can be used for a first device of various power systems.

5. The active current compensation device of claim 4.

Images