High-density multi-channel power supply in a test and measurement instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12580488-B2
Application number	US-202318159729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2023
Priority date	Feb 4, 2022
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A power supply block has multiple isolated power channels, the power supply comprising an interface magnetic component having multiple windings, each winding connected to a separate one of the isolated channels. A test and measurement instrument has a connector to allow the instrument to connect to a device under test, and a power supply block having multiple isolated power channels, the power supply block comprising an interface magnetic component having multiple windings, each winding connected to a separate one of the isolated power channels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power supply block having:
multiple isolated power channels; and an interface magnetic component having multiple windings, each winding connected to a separate one of the multiple isolated power channels, wherein the interface magnetic component has a footprint of less than 1000 mm 2 .

2 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each isolated power channel further comprises:
a full bridge rectifier electrically connected to one winding of the interface magnetic component to convert incoming power from the winding to a direct current signal; a voltage regulator to regulate voltage from the full bridge rectifier to a desired level and polarity; and at least one output terminal to output a signal isolated from outputs of other isolated power channels.

3 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the full bridge rectifier of each isolated power channel connects to a center tap of the winding for that isolated power channel.

4 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each isolated power channel further comprises a smoothing circuit between the full bridge rectifier and the voltage regulator.

5 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a driver circuit connected to the interface magnetic component.

6 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the driver circuit includes an H-bridge circuit.

7 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the driver circuit operates at a frequency of at least 1 MHz.

8 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the driver circuit receives two drive signals as inputs.

9 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the inputs are non-overlapping square wave signals.

10 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the driver circuit generates two output driving signals and transmits the output driving signals to the interface magnetic component.

11 . The power supply block as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power supply block consumes less than 5 W of power.

12 . A test and measurement instrument, comprising:
a connector to allow the test and measurement instrument to connect to a device under test; and a power supply block having multiple isolated power channels, the power supply block comprising an interface magnetic component having multiple windings, each winding connected to a separate one of the isolated power channels wherein the interface magnetic component has a footprint of less than 1000 mm 2 .

13 . The test and measurement instrument as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each isolated power channel further comprises:
a full bridge rectifier electrically connected to one winding of the interface magnetic component to convert incoming power from the winding to a direct current signal; a voltage regulator to regulate voltage from the full bridge rectifier to a desired level and polarity; and at least one output terminal to output a signal isolated from outputs of other isolated power channels.

14 . The test and measurement instrument as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the full bridge rectifier of each isolated power channel connects to a center tap of the winding for that isolated power channel.

15 . The test and measurement instrument as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each isolated power channel further comprises a smoothing circuit between the full bridge rectifier and the voltage regulator.

16 . The test and measurement instrument as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a driver circuit connected to the interface magnetic component.

17 . The test and measurement instrument as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the driver circuit operates at a frequency of at least 1 MHz.

18 . The test and measurement instrument as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the driver circuit receives two drive signals as inputs.

19 . The test and measurement instrument as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the inputs are non-overlapping square wave signals.

20 . A power supply block having:
multiple isolated power channels; and an interface magnetic component having multiple windings, each winding connected to a separate one of the isolated power channels; wherein each of the multiple isolated power channels comprises:
a full bridge rectifier electrically connected to one winding of the interface magnetics component to convert incoming power from the winding to a direct current signal;
a voltage regulator to regulate voltage from the full bridge rectifier to a desired level and polarity; and
at least one output terminal to output a signal isolated from outputs of other isolated power channels; and
wherein the full bridge rectifier of each isolated power channel connects to a center tap of the winding for that isolated power channel.

21 . A test and measurement instrument, comprising:
a connector to allow the test and measurement instrument to connect to a device under test; and a power supply block comprising multiple isolated power channels and an interface magnetic component having multiple windings, each winding connected to a separate one of the isolated power channels; wherein each isolated power channel further comprises:
a full bridge rectifier electrically connected to one winding of the interface magnetic component to convert incoming power from the winding to a direct current signal;
a voltage regulator to regulate voltage from the full bridge rectifier to a desired level and polarity; and
at least one output terminal to output a signal isolated from outputs of other isolated power channels
wherein the full bridge rectifier of each isolated power channel connects to a center tap of the winding for that isolated power channel.

Assignees

• Keithley Instruments

Inventors

• Yurick Benjamin J

Classifications

• H02M3/33561 Primary

  having more than one ouput with independent control · CPC title

• H02M1/4258

  using a single converter stage both for correction of AC input power factor and generation of a regulated and galvanically isolated DC output voltage (H02M1/4241 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02M3/33515

  with digital control · CPC title

• H02M1/0845

  digitally controlled (or with digital control) · CPC title

• H02M1/0012

  Control circuits using digital or numerical techniques (in DC/DC converters H02M3/157, H02M3/33515; in DC-AC converters H02M7/53873) · CPC title