"Using our techniques, we've been able to create prototype systems with power converters that have a combination of energy efficiency and low cost that - as far as we've been able to tell - is unmatched by anything currently on the market," says Alex Dean, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at NC State.
The team has used design principles from real-time systems and incorporated power converter software into the embedded system processor. These methods are said to guarantee that the other software on the embedded system's processor will not disturb the power converter's correct operation. Eliminating the need for a separate processor or controller circuit on the power converter itself, this in turn makes the overall system less expensive, smaller, lighter and more flexible.
"Because the embedded system software and power converter software are using a shared processor on a single chip, it gives developers more coordinated control over both the system's functions and related demands those functions may make on the power converter," Dean says.
The researchers made two prototype converters using the technique and compared them to other compatible power converters on the market. They found that none of the other converters could match the prototypes' combination of low cost and high efficiency.
"Our second-best prototype had 90% efficiency - less than 10% of the energy was wasted," Dean says. "Our best prototype had 95% efficiency. And both had component costs of about 50¢. All other converters either cost more, were less efficient or both."
