Power Supply Controller Stabilizing Primary Voltage During Battery Ripple

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional power supply controllers for mechanical apparatuses, such as cars, experience unstable up/down conversion switching operations due to battery voltage ripples during engine startup, leading to incorrect voltage monitoring and abnormal primary voltage fluctuations, especially when the battery voltage is increasing or decreasing.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a mechanism to disable up conversion control until the battery voltage stabilizes and a reference voltage is reached, operating the switching regulator only under down conversion control until a secondary voltage reaches a regulation value, and using a mask to prevent incorrect up/down conversion switching control, thereby preventing primary voltage abnormalities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If up conversion control is enabled during battery voltage increase, then the primary voltage can be recovered, but incorrect switching operations occur due to voltage ripples

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveswitching operation stabilityVSAvoidvoltage monitoring accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by disabling up conversion control before the battery voltage stabilization is complete. The control circuit prevents up conversion operations until the battery voltage increases are completed and stabilized, avoiding the harmful effect of switching during voltage transitions. This preliminary restriction ensures that up conversion only occurs when voltage conditions are stable and predictable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by proactively preventing up conversion control during battery voltage increases. The control circuit detects the voltage increase condition and actively suppresses up conversion operations in advance, counteracting the potential harmful effect of incorrect switching before it can occur. This preventive approach prioritizes stability over voltage recovery during transitional periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Reliability

If down conversion control is used during battery startup, then primary voltage generation is stabilized, but the system cannot recover from low voltage conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprimary voltage stabilityVSAvoidvoltage recovery capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the control mode adaptable based on battery voltage conditions. The control circuit dynamically switches between disabling up conversion (during voltage increases) and enabling it (during stable conditions or voltage decreases). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to prioritize stability when needed while maintaining voltage recovery capability when conditions permit, resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the control circuit's operational parameters based on battery voltage state. The system changes the enabled/disabled state of up conversion control according to whether the battery voltage is increasing, decreasing, or stable. This parameter-based control strategy allows the system to optimize between stability and recovery capability by adjusting control behavior to match voltage conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If voltage monitoring is performed during battery voltage transitions, then voltage levels are tracked, but incorrect switching decisions are made due to ripples

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoltage level detectionVSAvoidswitching control accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by establishing a rule that up conversion control is disabled during battery voltage increases before incorrect switching can occur. The control circuit proactively identifies the voltage increase condition and prevents up conversion operations in advance, ensuring that voltage monitoring does not lead to erroneous switching decisions during transitional periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a control circuit that mediates between voltage monitoring and up conversion control. This intermediary control layer filters out incorrect switching signals that would result from monitoring during voltage transitions, allowing voltage level detection to continue while preventing harmful switching actions. The control circuit acts as a mediator that reconciles the need for monitoring with the need for accurate control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 approach stabilizes the primary voltage generation, prevents overcurrents, and ensures stable power supply by preventing incorrect switching operations and abnormal primary voltage rises during battery voltage changes.

Implementation Method 1

The voltage comparator for battery voltage monitoring 14 compares the battery voltage 1a with an up conversion switching voltage 16a and a down conversion switching voltage 16b

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVoltage comparison:

Implementation Method 2

a switching regulator (100) including a transformer (201)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP2071715B1Power supply controller and mechanical apparatus using the same
Publication Date: 2015.04.15 HITACHI LTD
  • EP2071715B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2071715B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2071715B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is a need for improving switching regulator characteristics and providing a stable power supply controller. The power supply controller uses a battery (1) and either or both functions of stepping up and stepping down a battery voltage (1a). The power supply controller includes a means (20a, 20b, 20c) that prevents a ripple voltage from occurring by stopping the up conversion function for a switching operation in connection with a battery (1) during a predetermined period without changing conditions for a conventional switching device or smoothing circuit (4) and fast stabilizes a primary voltage (6) using only the down conversion function.