WO2014171904A2

WO2014171904A2 - A power board

Info

Publication number: WO2014171904A2
Application number: PCT/TR2014/000119
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ahmet Coban
Original assignee: Aselsan Elektronik Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2013-04-15
Filing date: 2014-04-15
Publication date: 2014-10-23
Also published as: JO3105B1; UA107404U; WO2014171904A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to power boards which can be applied to all kinds of power electronics design. The objective of the present invention is to provide a power board which has a plurality of inputs and outputs and has a flexible architecture which can be adapted according to the user needs.

Description

DESCRIPTION

A POWER BOARD

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to power boards which can be applied to all kinds of power electronics design.

Background of the Invention

The power boards in the state of the art do not have a sufficiently flexible architecture in terms of adaptability to design and requirements. The user has to use a plurality of power boards all together which have blocks assuming different functions according to her/his needs.

Summary of the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide a power board which has a plurality of inputs and outputs and has a flexible architecture which can be adapted according to the user needs.

Detailed Description of the Invention

A power board developed to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying figure, in which:

Figure 1 is the block diagram of the power board.

The components shown in the figures are each given reference numbers as follows: 1. Power board

2. OR' ing block

3. Input protection circuit

4. Power converter

5. Load switch

A. Power line

B. ON/OFF control

C. Current, voltage, error information line The power board (1) of the present invention basically comprises

- at least two OR' ing blocks (2),

- at least one input protection circuit (3) which is formed by driving at least one MOSFET; positioned in series on a power line (A); by a hot swap controller,

- at least one power converter (4) which is activated/deactivated by being controlled by the input protection circuit (3),

- at least one load switch (5) which is located at the output of the power converter (4).

In the power board (1) of the present invention, the OR'ing block (2) used as the power input is realized by using ideal diode controllers. The MOSFETs positioned in series on the power line (A) are controlled by the ideal diode controllers and thereby low bandwidth ideal diodes are obtained. The power board (1) can be energized by two different sources by means of the obtained ideal diodes. Interaction between the two sources is not allowed. It can be switched between the two sources without any interruption in the operation of the power board (1).

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reverse voltage protection and/or ON-OFF control circuits are added in series to the ideal diodes located at the OR'ing block (2). The input protection circuit (3) is obtained by driving at least one MOSFET, which is positioned in series on the power line (A) at the output of the OR'ing block (2), by a hot swap (Live Insertion) controller. The input voltage coming to the input protection circuit (3) is continuously measured via a controller or an independent measurement circuit. According to the measurement result, if the input voltage is within the predetermined range, the serial MOSFET(s) is/are allowed to be turned on, thus an overvoltage and undervoltage protection for the input voltage is achieved. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, information about whether the input voltage is out of operating range is output by an information line (C), and if desired, various functionalities can be achieved in case of an input voltage inappropriateness by using this information.

The voltage after the serial MOSFET(s) at the input protection circuit (3) is measured by similar methods. Unless the voltage exceeds a predetermined level, the power converters (4) are not allowed to be turned on, and thus low input voltage protection is obtained for the power converters (4). Effective high current protection feature is achieved by limiting the input current within preferred values at the turning-on state and in steady state. The current values that are read can be output in any way for information purposes via information line (C)

Different preferred topologies of switched power supplies and/or linear regulators can be used as power converters (4). As there is a hot swap controller both at the input and output of the power converters (4), the power converters (4) are protected against high input and output currents. Since the power converters (4) will not be subjected to high inrush currents when being turned on thanks to the hot swap controllers at their inputs and outputs, their reliability is enhanced. Since input voltages are controlled by the input protection circuit (3) and the power converters (4) are not allowed to be turned on with low input voltages, the power converters (4) are prevented from getting damaged for that reason and their reliability is enhanced. The load switches can be formed by any preferred type of hot swap or load switch controller. The load switches (5) are based on the principle of controlling the MOSFETs positioned in series on the output power line (A). MOSFETs are turned on (in conduction) only in specific conditions. Turning on and off processes of the MOSFETs are controlled. Protection is provided by measuring the amount of current of each output. By means of presence of the load switches (5), the loads are functionally isolated from each other and the power converters (4), and the loads can be turned on and off independently via the supply voltages. Conduction states of load switches (5) can be controlled via any kind of preferred analog or digital interface. As the load switches (5) are controlled also by the power converters (4), the load switches (5) are not allowed to be turned on when there is unfitness at the output voltages of the power converters (4), and thus the loads are protected.

In the power board (1) of the present invention, a preferred one of the plurality of inputs can be selected as the primary power input.

In one embodiment of the invention, the power converters (4) can be selected from linear regulators or any preferred topology (BUCK, BOOST, FORWARD etc.) of switched power supplies. The voltages generated by the power converters are multiplexed by the load switches (5) and are output from the power board (1).

In one embodiment of the invention, the voltages coming from the power converters (4) are also output from the board without being passed through the load switch (5).

Thanks to the fact that it has a plurality of power inputs, the power board (1) of the present invention enables redundant operation and allows power input transfer operation without any interruption in the operation of the board. By using the load switches (5), outputs of power converters (4) can be multiplexed and high current protection feature is provided to the power boards (1) architecture. Furthermore, thanks to independent control of the load switches (5), by turning the loads on or off by their supply voltages, a high efficiency system solution is provided.

Claims

1. A power board (1) basically characterized by

- at least two OR'ing blocks (2),

- at least one input protection circuit (3) which is formed by driving at least one MOSFET, positioned in series on a power line (A), by a hot swap controller,

at least one power converter (4) which is activated/deactivated by being controlled by the input protection circuit (3),

2. A power board (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the OR'ing block (2) which is formed by ideal diode controllers.

3. A power board (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the OR'ing block (2) wherein reverse voltage protection and/or on-off control circuits are added in series to the ideal diodes thereof.

4. A power board (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the input protection circuit (3) which is obtained by driving at least one MOSFET, which is positioned in series on a power line (A) at the output of the OR'ing block (2), by a hot swap (Live Insertion) controller.

5. A power board (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the power converter (4) which is formed by different preferred topologies of switching mode power supplies and/or linear regulators.

6. A power board (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the load switch (5) which is formed by any kind of preferred hot swap or load switch controller.