The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 29, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1999
John Henry Covington, Carrollton, TX (US);
Thomas Edwin Walsh, Farmers Branch, TX (US);
John Mark Newell, Denton, TX (US);
Vari-Lite, Inc., Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A switch-mode power converter uses a digital signal processor (DSP) to control operation of power semiconductors through gate drive amplifiers, further using the DSP's internal analog-to-digital converters to measure necessary currents, voltages and timings within the main power circuit. Using values captured by the A-to-D converters, software controlling the DSP manipulates duty cycle and timing parameters of the main semiconductor switches to provide at least three different modes of operation for serving a wide range of lighting loads. This power system reduces the size, cost, and weight, of circuitry needed to operate stage lighting equipment. The DSP's microprocessor eliminates most of the complex and dedicated analog circuitry commonly used for electronic power conversion, and a common power circuit topology provides an identical hardware platform for each luminaire circuit. Overall reliability is enhanced because of the reduction in circuit complexity.