Global Patent Index - EP 2315505 A1

EP 2315505 A1 20110427 - Method of controlling a half-bridge circuit, and a half-bridge circuit controlled thereby

Title (en)

Method of controlling a half-bridge circuit, and a half-bridge circuit controlled thereby

Title (de)

Verfahren zur Steuerung einer Halbbrückenschaltung und damit gesteuerte Halbbrückenschaltung

Title (fr)

Procédé de contrôle d'un circuit à demi-pont, et circuit à demi-pont commandé avec celui-ci

Publication

EP 2315505 A1 20110427 (EN)

Application

EP 09173168 A 20091015

Priority

EP 09173168 A 20091015

Abstract (en)

A method of controlling a half-bridge circuit, in particular for use with lamps such as compact fluorescent lamps, is disclosed. The method is particularly useful for preventing excess power dissipation in the half-bridge transistors under mains over-voltage supply conditions. Whereas conventional methods rely on adjusting the switching frequency in response to the - measured - input voltage, the method disclosed herein relies on measurement of the mean square voltage of the half-bridge node. By controlling the switching frequency to maintain a constant mean square half-bridge voltage, the power dissipated by the half-bridge transistors is held constant independent of variations in mains input voltage. In one embodiment, the control is effected by charging a capacitor with a current corresponding to the instantaneous square of the half-bridge node voltage, and then discharging it with a current corresponding to the instantaneous square of the reference voltage. The voltage across residual charge is used to control a voltage-controlled oscillator, to modify the half-bridge switching frequency and maintain the mean square value.

IPC 8 full level

H05B 41/24 (2006.01); H05B 41/298 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP)

H05B 41/2983 (2013.01)

Citation (search report)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK SM TR

Designated extension state (EPC)

AL BA RS

DOCDB simple family (publication)

EP 2315505 A1 20110427

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 09173168 A 20091015