SBIR Phase I: CMOS-Integration of Isolated AC/DC conversion with Integrated Powerline Communication

Boston Microtechnology Llc, Burlington MA

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that it will revolutionize AC-DC convertors that are present in nearly all existing and future residential and commercial electronic devices. Reduced convertor complexity and increased power efficiency will result in extreme cost savings for both the manufacturers of these devices as well as the end consumers, enabling adoption to all corners of society. This dramatically different integrated convertor will also bring powerline communications into these electronic devices, a game changer that will enable electronics developers to add intelligence to their products across numerous markets such as home and office IoT devices, AC powered medium-wattage (~5W) electronics, power-over-ethernet, and smart LED lighting. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will create an alternative integrated AC-DC converter architecture. Existing converters have numerous bulky, expensive, and unreliable discrete magnetic components that will be replaced with this integrated circuit (IC) based solution. The result of this project will be a reduced footprint, reduced BOM count, efficient converter for medium wattage (~5W) electronic loads. This project will additionally support low wattage loads (<1W) with an even smaller footprint and even lower BOM count, showcasing the scalability of this technology which is not an option with existing fly-back AC-DC convertor solutions. Validation of the Phase I IC-based converter performance will provide a foundation for Phase II, and incorporation into powerline communications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.