Jds Uniphase Corporation

Warne M Rintala

Mathew Mahmoudi

A power supply is provided for use in a laser system including a gas ion laser tube which requires a filament voltage provided by an output section of the power supply. The filament voltage provided should not exceed a maximum AC filament voltage specified for the laser tube. The power supply is configured to receive AC utility power using one of at least first and second AC utility power sources having different first and second intended fixed magnitudes and which utility sources vary in amplitude from the intended fixed magnitudes over corresponding first and second source voltage ranges. The power supply is configured to include a power control arrangement which automatically controls the output section to generate an auto-ranging AC filament voltage from either of the first and second utility sources to be supplied as the filament voltage. For each of the first and second AC utility power sources, the auto-ranging AC filament voltage is limited to a regulated range extending below, but not exceeding the maximum AC filament voltage when the first and second voltages are within the first and second source voltage ranges, irrespective of which of the first or second AC utility power sources to which the power supply is connected. In one feature, the filament voltage is provided to the laser tube in a way which manages an operating lifetime of the laser tube in view of known lifetime data. In another feature, minimum air cooling requirements of a laser tube are met when one or more auto-ranging AC fan voltages are generated by the auto-ranging power supply over the first and second AC utility source voltage ranges.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Warne M Rintala