Power Device Drive Apparatus Open-Loop Voltage Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional insulating digital power supply apparatuses require a costly peripheral circuit to feedback the secondary side output voltage, leading to increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A power device drive apparatus with a control unit that generates control signals by referring to a table listing correspondence relationships between supply voltages and set values to produce a desired secondary side output voltage, eliminating the need for a peripheral circuit to feedback the secondary side output voltage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a photocoupler or transformer auxiliary winding is used to feedback the secondary side output voltage, then the power supply voltage can be stabilized, but the cost increases due to additional peripheral circuits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply voltage stabilityVSAvoidperipheral circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the feedback peripheral circuit (photocoupler or auxiliary winding) from the system by implementing open-loop control. The control unit directly generates control signals based on detected supply voltage without requiring secondary side voltage feedback, thereby removing the costly feedback components while maintaining acceptable power supply stability through direct primary side voltage control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit performs self-service by detecting the supply voltage and autonomously generating appropriate control signals based on stored correspondence relationships. This self-regulating mechanism eliminates the need for external feedback circuits, as the system uses its own internal detection and control capabilities to maintain stable operation without additional peripheral components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If a photocoupler or transformer auxiliary winding is used to feedback the secondary side output voltage, then the power supply voltage can be stabilized, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply voltage stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the expensive feedback peripheral circuits (photocouplers or auxiliary windings) from the manufacturing bill of materials. By implementing open-loop control where the control unit directly generates control signals based on primary side voltage detection, the system eliminates these costly components while maintaining acceptable power supply stability, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces expensive, complex feedback components with simpler, cheaper alternatives. The control unit uses basic voltage detection and lookup table-based control signal generation instead of costly photocouplers or auxiliary windings, effectively substituting expensive components with cheaper solutions that achieve the same functional outcome of maintaining power supply stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If feedback processing is implemented, then the power supply voltage stability is improved, but the responsiveness decreases due to feedback processing time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply voltage stabilityVSAvoidcontrol signal responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs preliminary action by pre-storing correspondence relationships between supply voltages and control signal set values in a lookup table. When voltage fluctuation occurs, the control unit can immediately retrieve and apply the appropriate control signal without waiting for feedback processing, thereby maintaining power supply stability while achieving fast responsiveness through advance preparation of control data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a form of feedback through the control unit's continuous monitoring of supply voltage and automatic adjustment of control signals based on stored correspondence relationships. Although this is technically open-loop control without secondary side feedback, it achieves feedback-like functionality by using real-time voltage detection and pre-programmed control strategies, providing both stability and responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

This solution prevents cost increases by eliminating the need for a peripheral circuit and improves responsiveness by not requiring feedback processing time, while effectively handling voltage fluctuations in power device drive applications.

Implementation Method 1

a transformer converting the primary side input voltage to a secondary side output voltage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS11563380B2Power device drive apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
Publication Date: 2023.01.24 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • US11563380B2 patent drawing
  • US11563380B2 patent drawing
  • US11563380B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A control unit (4) generates a control signal. A switching device (2) performs switching according to the control signal and generates a primary side input voltage from a supply voltage. A transformer (1) converts the primary side input voltage to a secondary side output voltage. A drive circuit (7) drives a power device (8) according to the secondary side output voltage. The control unit (4) includes a table listing a correspondence relationship between supply voltages and set values of control signals for obtaining a desired secondary side output voltage, refers to the table and generates the control signal having a set value corresponding to the supply voltage.