Patent Description:
The following description relates to a heterogeneously integrated power converter assembly and, more specifically, to an antenna power system with an integrated direct current (DC)/DC converter.

In conventional antenna power systems for radar and other similar applications, there are typically massive numbers of off-array subsystems and electro-magnetic interference (EMI) filters that are required to achieve voltage quality. For example, a radar system can include a power distribution unit (PDU), an aperture power room (APR) for power conversion and distribution, multi-cable distribution and an array antenna.

The PDU can include a <NUM>-phase transformer that is required to provide a voltage step-down and a power factor correction (PFC) that is equal to a lower total harmonic distortion (THD). The APR can include a plurality of alternating current (AC)/DC converters that receive <NUM>-phase <NUM> volt AC from the PDU. The multi-cable distribution can include a DC distribution bus that is receptive of DC from the AC/DC converters. The array antenna includes multiple antenna arrays.

Each antenna array includes a number of transmit/receive integrated microwave module (T/RIMM) and multiple transmission/reception (T/R) channels. Each T/RIMM includes a plurality of linear regulators (one per T/R channel) and a DC/DC converter electrically interposed between the plurality of linear regulators and the DC distribution bus. The DC/DC converter serves to provide a voltage step-down, fast dynamic load response in T/R operations and reduces voltage ripples and noise. Each linear regulator provides for fast response and low noise point of load (POL) voltage. Each T/R channel is responsible for T/R operations and includes a power amplifier and a modulator electrically interposed between the power amplifier and a corresponding one of the linear regulators.

<CIT> discloses a multilayers structure in which all the magnetic elements have the windings edged in the inner layers and the magnetic core which surrounds the winding has the legs penetrating through the multilayers structure. The interconnection between the magnetic elements and the rest of electronic components are done through the layers of the multilayers board, horizontally and vertically through vias.

<CIT> discloses a radar system which uses an active phased-array antenna achieves improved clutter improvement factor (CIF) by powering the various transmit-receive (TR) modules of the antenna with direct voltage (DC) derived from a plurality of phases of the power-line alternating current (AC). Each TR module receives power which originates with one phase of the source AC. The phases are selected so that the modulation of the radio-frequency (RF) signals by each TR module tends to cancel in the summed signal from the array antenna.

<CIT> discloses an improved planar magnetic structure in which the voltage gradient between core and windings is reduced by shields disposed between the one or more legs of the core and the windings and extending through the PWB layers; vias are offset to permit them to be contained within the path of the winding; and the induced magnetic and eddy currents intrinsic to interstitial shield layers are reduced by configuring the shield conductors with pairs of courses with opposite and offsetting current propagation.

The present invention provides an integrated converter, as defined in claim <NUM>. The present invention further provides an antenna power system, as defined in claim <NUM>. Further optional features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

As will be described below, an architecture for an antenna array power system is provided with T/R module or channel-based DC/DC converters. This leads to a system that is simplified relative to conventional systems and universal T/RIMM elements that provide for greater portability when certain voltages (e.g., <NUM> VDC) are available from a common source. The architecture is characterized in that most of its power conversion components are disposed in the antenna array, which leads to a smaller, lighter and a higher performance and low cost system overall.

In typical power conversion systems, common mode (CM) currents are generated by switching transitions and are coupled to an equipment ground by parasitic capacitance. At a load, the CM currents are converted into differential-mode ripples and noise. Meanwhile, differential (i.e., line-to-line) filters do not attenuate CM currents and an effectiveness of dedicated CM filters can be limited because CM currents often have wide ranges and high frequencies of up to hundreds of megahertz. Thus, it is often difficult to suppress CM currents without adding substantial electro-magnetic interference (EMI) filtering.

In the presently claimed invention, however, high quality factor (Q) shield-to-transistor integrated low-inductance capacitor elements serve to divert CM currents, high Q shield-to-shield integrated low-inductance capacitor elements serve to compliment line-to-line filter capacitors and high Q baseplate integrated low-inductance capacitor elements serve to attenuate residual CM currents. This is achieved by integrated electrostatic shields being disposed to extend into a transformer area to contain CM currents by providing for low-inductance internal paths, the presence of "hybrid" magnetic cores that include discrete ("bulk") and integrated components to reduce magnetic reluctance and stray magnetic fields as well as composite dielectric layers that have low ε, high Q dielectrics windings of magnetics and high ε dielectrics for layers outside of the magnetics to reduce relative volumes of discrete capacitors.

With reference to <FIG>, an antenna power system <NUM> is provided. The antenna power system <NUM> includes an AC/DC converter <NUM> that is receptive of AC, a common DC distribution bus <NUM> that is receptive of DC from the AC/DC converter <NUM> and a plurality of T/R channels <NUM>. Each T/R channel <NUM> is responsible for T/R operations and includes a power amplification assembly <NUM> and a discrete input capacitor <NUM>. The discrete input capacitor <NUM> is electrically interposed between the common DC distribution bus <NUM> and the power amplification assembly <NUM>. The power amplification assembly <NUM> includes a discrete output capacitor <NUM>, which is electrically interposed between a power amplifier <NUM> and an integrated DC/DC converter <NUM>. The integrated DC/DC converter <NUM> may be provided as a galvanically-isolated bridge converter and includes shields extending into a transformer area as will be described below.

With reference to <FIG>, components of the integrated DC/DC converter <NUM> are illustrated. As shown in <FIG>, the integrated DC/DC converter <NUM> includes a transformer area <NUM> that is interposed between an input section <NUM> and an output section <NUM>. The input section <NUM> includes the discrete input capacitor <NUM> and the output section <NUM> includes the discrete output capacitor <NUM>. The transformer area <NUM> includes a magnetic core top portion <NUM> that is formed of magnetic materials, a magnetic core bottom portion <NUM> that is disposed on a baseplate <NUM> and is formed of magnetic materials, a magnetic core pillar <NUM> that extends between central sections of the magnetic core top and bottom portions <NUM> and <NUM> and successive layers <NUM> at opposite sides of the magnetic core pillar <NUM>. The successive layers <NUM> include layers of shield (i.e., metallic) and magnetic core materials, layers of windings and magnetic core materials and layers of shield and magnetic core materials, each of which are interleaved between dielectric material layers <NUM>.

In accordance with embodiments, the magnetic core top and bottom portions <NUM> and <NUM> have similar widths, the magnetic core pillar <NUM> has a lesser width than the magnetic core top and bottom portions <NUM> and <NUM> and the successive layers <NUM> of the windings and the magnetic core materials extend outwardly to respective edges of the magnetic core top and bottom portions <NUM> and <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the successive layers <NUM> include a layer of primary winding materials <NUM> and magnetic core materials <NUM> as well as a layer of first primary shield materials <NUM> and magnetic core materials <NUM> above the layer of the primary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM> and a layer of second primary shield materials <NUM> and magnetic core materials <NUM> below the layer of the primary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM>. In addition, the successive layers <NUM> include a layer of secondary winding materials <NUM> and magnetic core materials <NUM> as well as a layer of first secondary shield materials <NUM> and magnetic core materials <NUM> above the layer of the secondary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM> and a layer of second secondary shield materials <NUM> and magnetic core materials <NUM> below the layer of the secondary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM>.

The layers of the first and second primary shield materials <NUM> and <NUM> extend continuously into the transformer area <NUM> from the discrete input capacitor <NUM> of the input section <NUM> and discontinuously correspond to layers of additional shield materials <NUM> (see <FIG>) of the discrete output capacitor <NUM> in the output section <NUM>. The layers of the first and second secondary shield materials <NUM> and <NUM> extend continuously into the transformer area <NUM> from the discrete output capacitor <NUM> of the output section <NUM> and discontinuously correspond to layers of additional shield materials <NUM> (see <FIG>) of the discrete input capacitor <NUM> in the input section <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, in the layer of the first primary shield materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM> above the layer of the primary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM>, the magnetic core materials <NUM> form a reverse C-shape about the magnetic core pillar <NUM>. In addition, the magnetic core materials <NUM> are surrounded by dielectric materials <NUM> and are adjacent to a line of dielectric materials <NUM>. The line of dielectric materials <NUM> separates the first primary shield materials <NUM> from the layers of the additional shield materials <NUM>. The layer of the second primary shield materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM> below the layer of the primary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM> are similarly formed.

With reference to <FIG>, in the layer of the primary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM>, the magnetic core materials <NUM> form a reverse C-shape about the magnetic core pillar <NUM>. In addition, the magnetic core materials <NUM> are surrounded by dielectric materials <NUM> and are adjacent to a line of dielectric materials <NUM>. The line of dielectric materials <NUM> separates input capacitor shield materials <NUM> from output capacitor shield materials <NUM> (see <FIG>).

With reference to <FIG>, in the layer of the first secondary shield materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM> above the layer of the secondary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM>, the magnetic core materials <NUM> form a C-shape about the magnetic core pillar <NUM>. In addition, the magnetic core materials <NUM> are surrounded by dielectric materials <NUM> and are adjacent to a line of dielectric materials <NUM>. The line of dielectric materials <NUM> separates the first secondary shield materials <NUM> from the layers of the additional shield materials <NUM>. The layer of the second secondary shield materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM> below the layer of the secondary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM> are similarly formed.

With reference to <FIG>, in the layer of the secondary winding materials <NUM> and the magnetic core materials <NUM>, the magnetic core materials <NUM> form a C-shape about the magnetic core pillar <NUM>. In addition, the magnetic core materials <NUM> are surrounded by dielectric materials <NUM> and are adjacent to a line of dielectric materials <NUM>. The line of dielectric materials <NUM> separates output capacitor shield materials <NUM> from input capacitor shield materials <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The output capacitor shield materials <NUM> may be similar materials as those of the layers of the first and second secondary shield materials <NUM> and <NUM>. Similarly, the input capacitor shield materials <NUM> may be similar materials as those of the layers of the first and second primary shield materials <NUM> and <NUM>.

In accordance with embodiment, all of the layers of the primary and secondary shield materials can occupy a same volume on separate layers only in the transformer area <NUM>. This serves to reduce transformer feed-through capacitance (i.e., primary shields do not cross over to the secondary side and vice versa). In addition, layers of shield materials that are referenced to a highest DC voltage (either primary or secondary) may be extended under the transformer area <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An integrated converter of an antenna power system (<NUM>), the integrated converter comprising:
a baseplate (<NUM>);
a transformer area (<NUM>) interposed between input and output sections (<NUM>, <NUM>), the transformer area comprising:
a magnetic core top portion (<NUM>);
a magnetic core bottom portion (<NUM>) disposed on the baseplate (<NUM>);
a magnetic core pillar (<NUM>) extending between central sections of the magnetic core top and bottom portions (<NUM>, <NUM>); and
successive layers of shield and magnetic core materials (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), windings and magnetic core materials (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and shield and magnetic core materials (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) interleaved between dielectric material layers (<NUM>) at opposite sides of the magnetic core pillar (<NUM>), wherein the magnetic core materials (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) in each successive layer of shield and magnetic core materials (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) form a C-shape or a reverse C-shape about the magnetic core pillar (<NUM>).