This invention relates to a self-oscillating modulator, comprising a comparator and a power amplification stage for pulse width modulation, and higher order oscillating loops comprising first feedback means and first forward means securing stable oscillating conditions.
The invention also relates to a switching power conversion system, such as DC-AC (e.g. audio amplification), DC-DC or AC-AC conversion systems or any combination of the above mentioned comprising such a modulator. The invention may advantageously be used for improved power conversion in any system, in particular precision DC-AC conversion systems such as high efficiency audio amplification.
The pulse width modulator is a central element of any power conversion system. Most switching power converters are based on Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) as means to control efficient conversion between domains (DC or AC).
A typical power converter may include a PWM modulator, a switching power conversion stage, a filter and a control system. A prior art system of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,396 and by Mr. Attwood in Journal of the AES, November 1983. p. 842–853. However, PWM has a range of shortcomings also well known to the art, mainly due to the implementation of the carrier generation. This limits the system bandwidth and complicates design. Also, a stable and robust control system design is difficult.
In order to overcome these drawbacks, a controlled oscillating modulator (COM) was introduced in the applicant's international patent application PCT/DK97/00497. The disclosed modulator eliminates the need of a carrier generator, with a range of advantages, described in detail in said document.
A problem with this technique is that it can only synthesize standard two level modulation—hence giving disadvantages concerning the efficiency of the amplifier.
Another problem arises in multi channel systems such as multi channel audio amplifiers, the oscillating modulators will have oscillation frequency variations, which will cause intermodulation products, adding distortion components within the audio bandwidth. A prior art system for synchronizing an oscillating modulator to an external clock is given in U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,693. This prior art system can only comprise a sawtooth or a triangular signal shape as synchronization signal eliminating possibilities to use COM modulator signals as synchronization signals. Furthermore the system can only synchronize a modulator to an external clock leading to higher complexity when implementing an external clock generator.
In multilevel systems such as, but not limited to PSCPWM systems (as described in applicants international patent application PCT/DK98/00133), the first harmonic of the carrier is not present at the output, and said COM modulator can thereby not be used.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a superior modulation technique in switching power conversion systems that overcomes fundamental problems related to conventional techniques.
These objects are achieved by a novel synchronized controlled oscillating modulator (SCOM) of the type mentioned above, having synchronizing means connected to said COM modulator.
The invention provides significant advantages in performance, topological simplification, improved robustness, stability and efficiency compared to prior art.
The invention provides synchronization between a signal source and a single COM modulator or a plurality of COM modulators and a signal source or between a plurality of COM modulators in order to overcome prior art problems related to COM modulators being desynchronized.
The COM modulators can comprise voltage or current measurement means, and feedback.
The synchronization means can use an external source as synchronization signal, where the external source can preferably but not necessarily be a triangular-, square- or sinusoidal signal.
Alternatively, the modulator comprises several COM modulators, and the synchronizing means are arranged between the COM systems, so that the oscillation modulator signal is used as synchronization signal. In this case, the SCOM aims to combine the advantages of the COM technology with the advantages of multi-level PWM.
According to this embodiment, pulse modulation in general power conversion systems is provided that implements multiple level pulse modulated signals—hence reducing the output switching noise energy and enhancing the possibilities for control system implementation.
The SCOM modulator according to the invention is very suitable in all types of precision DC-AC conversion applications as audio amplification and motor or electrodynamic transducer drive applications.
The SCOM can advantageously be used in precision voltage or current controlled DC-AC conversion as e.g. power amplifiers for audio use.
The power amplification stage can comprise an output filter, and the second feedback means can then be connected to an output from said output filter. This permits a first filtering of the voltage before it is fed back in the feedback path.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be further described in the following, with reference to the appended drawings.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, the COM modulators can be Voltage Controlled Oscillating Modulators (
A power conversion system comprising a modulator according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in
The synchronization of the modulator 5 is obtained by adding the Osc Signal from the source 1 to the modulating signal. The synchronization signal can be based on a voltage signal or a current signal depending on the type of modulator (voltage based feedback or current based feedback). The Osc Signal can be a sinusoidal signal or any other oscillating signal with the frequency of the wanted idle switching frequency and is used for synchronizing said modulator with said Osc signal of the Osc Signal generating block 1.
A second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in
The two COM modulators are designed to oscillate at almost the same frequency, but a variation in the switching frequency can be eliminated by the synchronization means.
By the use of two COM modulators 10, 11 it is possible to make a 3-level modulator. Each side of a load 13 is supplied with its own 2-level COM modulator 10, 11, which each are synchronized.
The first harmonic of the carrier will ideally be eliminated across the load. The input signal is inverted by an inverter 14 preceding the second COM 11, in order to be able to make a differential audio signal on the output. The spectral characteristics resemble those of the NBDD modulation. The NBDD can be seen from “Audio power amplifier techniques with energy efficient power conversion”, Ph.D Thesis by Karsten Nielsen.
The use of said 3-level modulation can advantageously be used for driving a pulse modulated transducer directly without any output filtering of the PWM signal thus reducing eddy current losses in the transducer 6 compared to a 2-level modulation.
By the use of this network a small amplitude signal is added to the COM modulator forcing the COM modulator to oscillate at the added small amplitude signal frequency. Thereby one or a plurality of COM modulators can be synchronized by adding a small amplitude signal with the frequency of the wanted idle frequency to each of the modulators.
The values of the resistances and capacitors can be determined by the skilled person in a trade-off between having good synchronization and not having to influence either of the modulators negatively.
A further preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in
A power conversion system with two COM modulators, synchronized according to the invention, is shown in
The open loop gain for the system in
The system output is a differential 3-level PWM signal with high frequency spectral characteristics resembling those of the NBDD modulation obtaining a more efficient modulation compared to modulation topologies with a differential two level PWM output signal.
If the modulators in the system shown in
The synchronization can be obtained by synchronization means as shown in
Furthermore the modulation depth can be controlled by limiting the amplitude of the input signal at the input signal node 24, achieving lower ripple currents.
In
In
The SCOM modulator can be implemented in any given AC-AC, DC-DC, AC-DC or DC-AC power conversion system, in particular a high precision DC-AC audio power conversion system where the power stage elements operates in either “on” or “off” state.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0104401 | Dec 2001 | SE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/IB02/05412 | 12/16/2002 | WO | 00 | 6/10/2004 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO03/055060 | 7/3/2003 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4531096 | Yokoyama | Jul 1985 | A |
4724396 | Taylor et al. | Feb 1988 | A |
5901054 | Leu et al. | May 1999 | A |
5973569 | Nguyen | Oct 1999 | A |
6137373 | Mori | Oct 2000 | A |
6297692 | Nielsen | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6297693 | Pullen | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6538516 | Lenk | Mar 2003 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
0 871 328 | Oct 1998 | EP |
WO 9819391 | May 1998 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20050068121 A1 | Mar 2005 | US |