Rectifier with Bridge Circuit and Parallel Resonant Circuit

Abstract

A rectifier circuit includes a bridge circuit configured to receive an alternating input signal. A parallel resonant circuit is coupled between the bridge circuit and an output. The circuit could also include a capacitive storage element coupled to the output and configured to provide an output signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rectifier circuit, comprising:
 a bridge circuit configured to receive an alternating input signal between a first input node and a second input node, wherein the bridge circuit comprises
 a first half-bridge coupled to the first input node, a first output node and a second output node of the bridge circuit, the first half-bridge comprising a first high-side switch coupled between the first input node and the first output node, and a first low-side switch coupled between the first input node and the second output node, wherein the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch each comprise a control terminal coupled to the second input node, and 
 a second half-bridge coupled to the second input node, the first output node and the second output node of the bridge circuit, the second half-bridge comprising a second high-side switch coupled between the second input node and the first output node, and a second low-side switch coupled between the second input node and the second output node, wherein the second high-side switch and the second low-side switch each comprise a control terminal coupled to the first input node; and 
   a parallel resonant circuit coupled between an output of the bridge circuit and an output of the rectifier circuit, wherein the output of the bridge circuit comprises at least one of the first output node and the second output node.   
     
     
         2 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a capacitive storage element coupled to the output and configured to provide an output signal. 
     
     
         3 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 2 , wherein the parallel resonant circuit and the capacitive storage element are connected in series. 
     
     
         4 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the alternating input signal has an input frequency and wherein the parallel resonant circuit has a resonance frequency, wherein the resonance frequency is selected based on a value of the input frequency. 
     
     
         5 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 4 , wherein the resonance frequency of the parallel resonance circuit is selected based on an inductance of an inductor and a capacitance of a capacitor. 
     
     
         6 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 4 , wherein the resonance frequency of the parallel resonant circuit is selected based on at least one relationship selected from the group consisting of:
   0.5·(2· f   IN )< f   RES <2·(2· f   IN );
     0.8·(2· f   IN )< f   RES <1.2·(2· f   IN ); and
     0.9·(2· f   IN )< f   RES <1.1·(2· f   IN );
   where f RES  is the resonance frequency and f IN  is a frequency of the alternating input signal.   
     
     
         7 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the parallel resonant circuit comprises an inductor and a second capacitive storage element connected in parallel with the inductor. 
     
     
         8 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 7 , wherein the second capacitive storage element comprises a MOS capacitor. 
     
     
         9 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 8 , wherein the MOS capacitor comprises:
 a doped semiconductor substrate coupled to a first capacitor terminal;   an electrode coupled to a second capacitor terminal; and   a dielectric layer between the doped semiconductor substrate and the electrode.   
     
     
         10 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein the secondary winding is configured to output the alternating input signal of the bridge circuit. 
     
     
         11 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the first high-side switch, the first low-side switch, the second high-side switch, and the second low-side switch each comprise a transistor. 
     
     
         12 . The rectifier circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a further bridge circuit configured to receive a further alternating input signal; and   a further parallel resonant circuit coupled between the further bridge circuit and a further output, wherein the further output is configured to output a further output signal,   wherein the output of bridge circuit and the further output of the further bridge circuit are connected in cascade.   
     
     
         13 . An electronic circuit comprising a plurality of rectifier circuits, wherein
 each rectifier circuit comprises a bridge circuit configured to receive an alternating input signal between a first input node and a second input node of the bridge circuit, and a parallel resonant circuit coupled between at least one of a first output node and a second output node of the bridge circuit and a respective rectifier circuit output;   each bridge circuit of each rectifier comprises
 a first half-bridge coupled to the first input node, the first output node and the second output node of the bridge circuit, the first half-bridge comprising a first high-side switch coupled between the first input node and the first output node, and a first low-side switch coupled between the first input node and the second output node, wherein the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch each comprise a control terminal coupled to the second input node, and 
 a second half-bridge coupled to the second input node, the first output node and the second output node of the bridge circuit, the second half-bridge comprising a second high-side switch coupled between the second input node and the first output node, and a second low-side switch coupled between the second input node and the second output node, wherein the second high-side switch and the second low-side switch each comprise a control terminal coupled to the first input node; and 
   the outputs of the rectifier circuits of the plurality of rectifier circuits are cascaded.   
     
     
         14 . The electronic circuit of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the parallel resonant circuit of each rectifier circuit comprises an inductor; and   wherein the inductors of the parallel resonant circuits of the plurality of rectifier circuits are inductively coupled.   
     
     
         15 . The electronic circuit of  claim 14 , wherein each of the inductors comprises a planar winding. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic circuit of  claim 13 , further comprising a transformer comprising one primary winding and a plurality of secondary windings wherein each of the plurality of secondary windings is coupled to the bridge circuit one of the plurality of rectifier circuits and wherein each bridge circuit of one of the plurality of rectifier circuits has a secondary winding connected thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic circuit of  claim 13 , wherein the outputs of the rectifier circuits of the plurality of rectifier circuits are cascaded such that a first output node of one of the plurality of rectifier circuits is connected to a second output node of another one of the plurality of rectifier circuits. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 receiving an alternating input signal between a first input node and a second input node of a bridge circuit of a rectifier circuit; and   providing a rectified signal to a parallel resonant circuit coupled between at least one of a first output node and a second output node of the bridge circuit and an output of the rectifier circuit.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a resonance frequency of the parallel resonant circuit is selected based on at least one relationship selected from the group consisting of:
   0.5·(2· f   IN )< f   RES <2·(2· f   IN );
     0.8·(2· f   IN )< f   RES <1.2·(2· f   IN ); and
     0.9·(2· f   IN )< f   RES <1.1·(2· f   IN );
   where f RES  is the resonance frequency of the parallel resonance circuit and f IN  is a frequency of the alternating input signal.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein bridge circuit of the rectifier circuit comprises:
 a first half-bridge coupled to the first input node, the first output node and the second output node of the bridge circuit, the first half-bridge comprising a first high-side switch coupled between the first input node and the first output node, and a first low-side switch coupled between the first input node and the second output node, wherein the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch each comprise a control terminal coupled to the second input node;   and a second half-bridge coupled to the second input node, the first output node and the second output node of the bridge circuit, the second half-bridge comprising a second high-side switch coupled between the second input node and the first output node, and a second low-side switch coupled between the second input node and the second output node, wherein the second high-side switch and the second low-side switch each comprise a control terminal coupled to the first input node.