Power Supply Noise Immunity via Delayed Overcurrent Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power supply devices malfunction due to noise interference, incorrectly identifying excessive current as overcurrent and triggering protection operations, which can lead to unnecessary shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
A power supply device with a control unit that introduces a time delay before performing a protection operation, allowing it to differentiate between actual overcurrent and noise, using a sensing unit and a time delay device to determine if the overcurrent is sustained within a set protection time after the initial sensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the protection circuit immediately performs a protection operation when overcurrent is detected, then the response speed is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to noise-induced false triggering
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs a preliminary delay action before executing the protection operation. When overcurrent is detected, the control unit waits for a predetermined time period to elapse and then checks again whether overcurrent is present. This preliminary delay allows transient noise to subside while maintaining protection against genuine overcurrent conditions, thus resolving the contradiction between fast response and accurate detection.
2Device complexity
If the protection circuit uses a simple voltage threshold comparison, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to noise interference
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit introduces a time-based preliminary check before final protection activation. By delaying the protection operation and re-checking the overcurrent condition after a predetermined time, the system maintains simple voltage threshold comparison circuitry while improving measurement precision. Genuine overcurrent conditions persist beyond the delay period, whereas noise-induced false detections typically disappear, enabling accurate differentiation without increasing circuit complexity.
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 prevents unnecessary protection operations, enhancing the reliability of the power supply device by accurately distinguishing between overcurrent and noise, thereby reducing malfunctions and improving overall performance.
Implementation Method 1
a sensing unit sensing an occurrence of overcurrent when a voltage applied to the switching unit is equal to or larger than a reference voltage set in advance
Implementation Method 2
a control unit performing a protection operation when the overcurrent is sensed again within a protection time set in advance after a predetermined time is delayed from the time at which the overcurrent is sensed
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a power supply device. The power supply device includes a conversion unit converting an applied voltage into a predetermined level, a switching unit performing an opening operation or a closing operation to control a current flowing in the conversion unit, a sensing unit sensing an occurrence of overcurrent when a voltage applied to the switching unit is equal to or larger than a reference voltage set in advance, and a control unit performing a protection operation when the overcurrent is sensed again within a protection time set in advance after a predetermined time is delayed from the time at which the overcurrent is sensed, so that malfunction due to noise is prevented.