Claims
- 1. A variable inductor comprising:
a gating winding; a magnetic core; an inductor winding in communication with the magnetic core and configured to generate core magnetic field lines when current flows through the inductor winding; a gating core configured to generate gating magnetic field lines orthogonal to and intersecting with the core magnetic field lines when a current flows through the gating winding; and a gating source for providing the current to the gating winding.
- 2. The variable inductor of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to cause the gating source to control the current to the gating winding.
- 3. The variable inductor of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to provide at least two levels of current in the gating winding.
- 4. The variable inductor of claim 1, wherein the gating source is configured to provide at least two levels of current in the gating winding, and is configured to create more than one inductance value.
- 5. The variable inductor of claim 1, the variable inductor further configured to vary inductance of the inductor over a range of inductance values.
- 6. The variable inductor of claim 1 further configured to provide a fine adjustment over an operating frequency range.
- 7. The variable inductor of claim 1 further configured to provide stepping between a range of discrete operating frequencies.
- 8. A rectifier circuit comprising the variable inductor of claim 1.
- 9. An amplifier circuit comprising the variable inductor of claim 1.
- 10. An oscillator circuit comprising the variable inductor of claim 1.
- 11. A method for efficient voltage rectification and regulation, the method comprising the steps of:
magnetically influencing a magnetic path of an output inductor; wherein the magnetic influence creates a first effective inductance in the output inductor during a first time period; changing the magnetic influence of the magnetic path of the output inductor to create a second effective inductance in the output inductor during a second time period; and controlling a directional inductive rectifier device with a controller, wherein the directional inductive rectifier device is configured to vary the inductance of the output inductor.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first time period represents a time period when a transformer secondary winding provides a positive voltage.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second time period represents a time period when a transformer secondary winding provides a negative voltage.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the directional inductive rectifier is configured with a gating source, a gating winding, a gating core, an output inductor winding, and an inductor core.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the gating core is configured to control the presence of magnetic field lines in relation to a plurality of field lines in the output inductor core by varying the effective gap length in the inductor core.
- 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the directional inductive rectifier is configured to vary the inductance in a combined core by varying a gating current in a gating winding.
- 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the directional inductive rectifier is configured to vary the inductance in a combined core by varying a volt-second product applied to the gating winding.
- 18. A method for providing voltage rectification and regulation comprising the steps of:
providing a first control signal from an inductance controller to an orthogonal inductive rectifier device configured to create a first inductance in an output inductor during a time period Ton; and providing a second control signal from an inductance controller to an orthogonal inductive rectifier device configured to create a second inductance in the output inductor during a time period Toff.
- 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of varying at least one of the first inductance and second inductance to regulate a voltage output.
- 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of varying a duty cycle to regulate the voltage output.
- 21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of varying a phase relationship of the inductance change to the ON and OFF times to regulate a voltage output.
- 22. The method of claim 19 the varying step further comprising the step of varying an effective cross sectional area of an inductor core.
- 23. The method of claim 19 the varying step further comprising the step of varying an effective gap length of an inductor core.
- 24. The method of claim 19 the varying step further comprising the step of varying the inductance of a combined core.
- 25. A voltage rectification system comprising:
a controller configured to vary the inductance of an output inductor; an orthogonal inductive rectifier configured to vary the inductance of the output inductor as directed by the controller; an AC power source in communication with a power transformer; the power transformer being configured in communication with the orthogonal inductive rectifier; and an output load in communication with the orthogonal inductive rectifier.
- 26. The voltage rectification system of claim 25 further configured to varying the inductance of the output inductor to generate at least a first inductance and a second inductance; wherein the first and second inductances are configured to regulate a voltage output.
- 27. The voltage rectification system of claim 25 further configured to varying a duty cycle to regulate the voltage output.
- 28. The voltage rectification system of claim 25 further configured to varying a phase relationship of the inductance change to the ON and OFF times to regulate a voltage output.
- 29. The voltage rectification system of claim 25 further configured to vary an effective cross sectional area of an inductor core.
- 30. The voltage rectification system of claim 25 further configured to vary an effective gap length of an inductor core.
- 31. The voltage rectification system of claim 25 further configured to vary the inductance of a combined core.
- 32. The voltage rectification system of claim 25 the orthogonal inductive rectifier further comprising an output inductor.
- 33. A voltage rectifier and regulator apparatus comprising:
a controller configured to vary the inductance of an output inductor; an orthogonal inductive rectifier configured to vary the inductance of the output inductor as directed by the controller.
- 34. A variable inductor comprising:
a gating winding; a magnetic core; an inductor winding in communication with the magnetic core and configured to generate a core magnetic field when current flows through the inductor winding; a gating core configured to modify the core magnetic field when a current flows through the gating winding; and a gating source for providing the current to the gating winding.
- 35. A variable inductor comprising:
a magnetic core; an inductor winding in communication with the magnetic core and configured to have a first inductance; a gating winding in communication with the magnetic core and configured to modify the first inductance to a second inductance by changing the flow of electricity in the gating winding.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/240,665 filed Oct. 16, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60240665 |
Oct 2000 |
US |