Millimeter-Wave LLC Power Supply Isolation Without Optocouplers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing half-bridge switching power supplies face challenges with poor transient control, low work efficiency, and limitations due to high frequency, necessitating smaller capacitive or coil isolators that struggle to meet isolation requirements.
Innovation Solution
A millimeter wave-based switching power supply utilizing a millimeter wave isolator chip for signal transmission, eliminating the need for optocouplers and extra isolation layers, achieving high frequency transmission with bandwidths up to 10 Gbps and ensuring signal isolation without inducing short circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If capacitive or coil isolators are used for logic control and feedback in high power switching power supply, then signal isolation can be achieved, but the area increases and isolation requirements cannot be satisfied at high frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional capacitive or coil isolators with a millimeter wave isolator chip that uses electromagnetic wave transmission through an antenna. This substitution eliminates the need for large-area capacitive circuits requiring special oxide layer materials or coil circuits, achieving signal isolation through millimeter wave transmission in the air space above the antenna surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from planar isolator designs (capacitive or coil circuits on the substrate) to a three-dimensional solution using millimeter wave transmission in the space above the antenna. This dimensional change allows signal isolation without occupying additional planar area, as the isolation function is achieved through electromagnetic wave propagation in the vertical dimension.
2Productivity
If switching frequency is increased to improve power supply performance, then efficiency improves, but the separation distance must be reduced making isolation requirements unsatisfiable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional high-frequency isolator structures with a millimeter wave isolator chip that operates at frequencies up to 100 GHz. This substitution allows the system to achieve high switching frequencies while maintaining isolation through electromagnetic wave transmission, as the millimeter wave signal can be transmitted through air space without requiring physical separation distance constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating frequency parameter from traditional low-frequency isolator operation to millimeter wave frequencies (up to 100 GHz). This parameter change enables high-speed signal transmission with bandwidth up to 10 Gbps while maintaining isolation capabilities, as the millimeter wave isolator chip processes signals at these elevated frequencies without requiring reduced separation distances.
3Reliability
If traditional isolators are used, then signal transmission can be achieved, but delay is large and efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional isolator signal transmission paths with direct millimeter wave transmission through an antenna. This substitution eliminates the need for signal conversion and processing in traditional isolators, allowing the millimeter wave signal to be directly modulated and transmitted through the air space above the antenna surface, thereby reducing signal delay and improving transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous high-frequency signal transmission through the millimeter wave isolator chip operating at up to 100 GHz with bandwidth up to 10 Gbps. This continuous operation at high frequencies eliminates the intermittent or converted signal transmission characteristic of traditional isolators, maintaining constant signal flow and reducing overall transmission delay.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides high signal transmission speed, small delay, and high efficiency, ensuring safe operation with effective signal isolation, even in the event of product breakdown.
Implementation Method 1
by taking millimeter waves as the short distance transmission mode of carrier waves, the bandwidth can reach 100 Kbps to 10 Gbps
Implementation Method 2
high frequency transmission can be achieved through the antenna without the optocoupler and extra isolation layer
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a millimeter wave-based switching power supply, including an input voltage circuit, an upper bridge inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) circuit and a lower bridge LLC circuit of a primary winding of a transformer, a millimeter wave switch control chip, and an output voltage circuit, where the upper bridge LLC circuit includes a first capacitor C1, an inductor L1, and an input end and an output end of the millimeter wave switch control chip; and the lower bridge LLC circuit includes a second capacitor C2, the inductor L1, and the output end and an earthing terminal of the millimeter wave switch control chip. By taking millimeter waves as a short distance transmission mode of carrier waves, either wireless transmission or signal isolation can be achieved through an antenna without an optocoupler and an extra isolation layer, so that high signal transmission speed, small delay and high efficiency can be guaranteed.