Switch Actuation Measurement Circuit For Voltage Converter

Abstract

A drive includes an inverter power circuit that applies power to an electric motor of a compressor from a direct current (DC) voltage bus. A power factor correction (PFC) circuit outputs power to the DC voltage bus based on input alternating current (AC) power. The PFC circuit includes: (i) a switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal; (ii) a driver that switches the switch between open and closed states based on a control signal; (iii) an inductor that charges and discharges based on switching of the switch; and (iv) a circuit that outputs a signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state based on a voltage across the first and second terminals of the switch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drive, comprising:
 an inverter power circuit that applies power to an electric motor of a compressor from a direct current (DC) voltage bus;   a power factor correction (PFC) circuit that outputs power to the DC voltage bus based on input alternating current (AC) power, the PFC circuit including:
 (i) a switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal; 
 (ii) a driver that switches the switch between open and closed states based on a control signal; 
 (iii) an inductor that charges and discharges based on switching of the switch; and 
 (iv) a circuit that outputs a signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state based on a voltage across the first and second terminals of the switch; and 
   a control module that generates the control signal based on the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state.   
     
     
         2 . The drive of  claim 1  wherein the control module measures a period between:
 (i) a first time when the control signal transitions from a first state for transitioning the switch one of:
 (a) from the open state to the closed state; and 
 (b) from the closed state to the open state; and 
 
 (i) a second time, after the first time, when the signal transitions from a first state to a second indicating that the one of:
 (a) the switch transitioned from the open state to the closed state; and 
 (b) the switch transitioned from the closed state to the open state, 
 
 wherein the control module generates the control signal based on the period. 
 
     
     
         3 . The drive of  claim 1  wherein the circuit generates the signal indicating that the switch is in the closed state when the voltage across the first and second terminals of the switch is less than a predetermined voltage. 
     
     
         4 . The drive of  claim 1  wherein the circuit generates the signal indicating that the switch is in the open state when the voltage across the first and second terminals is greater than a predetermined voltage. 
     
     
         5 . The drive of  claim 1  wherein the second terminal of the switch is connected to a ground potential. 
     
     
         6 . The drive of  claim 1  wherein the circuit includes a node that is connected to a first voltage at the first terminal of the switch when the switch is in the closed state and that is connected to a second voltage when the switch is in the open state. 
     
     
         7 . The drive of  claim 6  wherein the circuit further includes:
 a first voltage divider that generates a third voltage based on a fourth voltage at the node; 
 a second voltage divider that generates a fifth voltage based on a sixth voltage at the second terminal of the switch; and 
 a comparator that generates the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state based on a comparison of the third voltage and the fifth voltage. 
 
     
     
         8 . The drive of  claim 7  wherein the comparator generates the signal indicating that the switch is in the open state when the third voltage is greater than the fifth voltage. 
     
     
         9 . The drive of  claim 7  wherein the comparator generates the signal indicating that the switch is in the closed state when the third voltage is less than the fifth voltage. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 applying power to an electric motor of a compressor from a direct current (DC) voltage bus;   by a power factor correction (PFC) circuit, providing power to the DC voltage bus based on input alternating current (AC) power, the providing power to the DC bus voltage including switching a switch of the PFC circuit between open and closed states based on a control signal,   wherein the switch includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and the control terminal;   outputting a signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state based on a voltage across the first and second terminals of the switch; and   generating the control signal based on the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising measuring a period between:
 (i) a first time when the control signal transitions from a first state for transitioning the switch one of:
 (a) from the open state to the closed state; and 
 (b) from the closed state to the open state; and 
 
 (i) a second time, after the first time, when the signal transitions from a first state to a second indicating that the one of:
 (a) the switch transitioned from the open state to the closed state; and 
 (b) the switch transitioned from the closed state to the open state, 
 
 wherein generating the control signal includes generating the control signal based on the period. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein outputting the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state includes generating the signal indicating that the switch is in the closed state when the voltage across the first and second terminals of the switch is less than a predetermined voltage. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein outputting the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state includes generating the signal indicating that the switch is in the open state when the voltage across the first and second terminals is greater than a predetermined voltage. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the second terminal of the switch is connected to a ground potential. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 connecting a node to a first voltage at the first terminal of the switch when the switch is in the closed state; and 
 connecting the node to a second voltage when the switch is in the open state. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 by a first voltage divider, generating a third voltage based on a fourth voltage at the node; and 
 by a second voltage divider, generating a fifth voltage based on a sixth voltage at the second terminal of the switch, 
 wherein outputting the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state includes outputting the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state based on a comparison of the third voltage and the fifth voltage. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein outputting the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state includes generating the signal indicating that the switch is in the open state when the third voltage is greater than the fifth voltage. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein outputting the signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state includes generating the signal indicating that the switch is in the closed state when the third voltage is less than the fifth voltage. 
     
     
         19 . A drive, comprising:
 an inverter power circuit that applies power to an electric motor of a compressor from a direct current (DC) voltage bus; and   a power factor correction (PFC) circuit that outputs power to the DC voltage bus based on input alternating current (AC) power, the PFC circuit including:
 (i) a switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal; 
 (ii) a driver that switches the switch between open and closed states based on a control signal; 
 (iii) an inductor that charges and discharges based on switching of the switch; and 
 (iv) a circuit that outputs a signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state based on a voltage across the first and second terminals of the switch, 
 wherein the circuit generates the signal indicating that the switch is in the open state when the voltage across the first and second terminals is greater than a predetermined voltage. 
   
     
     
         20 . The drive of  claim 19 , wherein the circuit generates the signal indicating that the switch is in the closed state when the voltage across the first and second terminals of the switch is less than the predetermined voltage.