Switching methods and apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention controlling power distribution in an ablation control apparatus or the like. In one embodiment, a power switching apparatus comprises a first switch assembly having an input end to receive a power input signal, the first switch assembly having a plurality of output channels; a second switch assembly coupled to the output channels of the first switch assembly; a plurality of power receiving members coupled to the second switch assembly; and a controller controlling the first switch assembly to selectively transmit the power input signal to the output channels one at a time in a cyclical manner according to a first switching rate. The controller controls the second switch assembly to transmit the power input signal from the output channels of the first switch assembly to one subset of the power receiving members at a time according to a second switching rate, so as to transmit the power input signal to a subset of power receiving members one power receiving member at a time within the subset of power receiving members according to the first switching rate.

1 . A power switching apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of first switches having an input end to receive a power input signal, each said plurality of first switches having an output end;   a plurality of second switches, each second switch having an input end and each said plurality of second switches having an output end;   a plurality of power receiving members, each said plurality of power receiving members having an input end coupled to the output end of at least one second switch; and   a controller selectively turning on a given one of plurality of first switches one at a time in a cyclical manner according to a first switching rate, the controller selectively turning on a subset of the plurality of second switches according to a second switch rate,   wherein the first switching rate is faster than the second switching rate by at least one order of magnitude, and   wherein each output end of the plurality of first switches couples to a separate grouping of said second switch input ends.   
     
     
         2 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first switches comprise at least one solid state switch. 
     
     
         3 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of second switches comprise an electromechanical relay. 
     
     
         4 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power receiving members are arranged in a closed loop and wherein each subset of the power receiving members form a group of neighboring power receiving members within a portion of the closed loop. 
     
     
         5 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a number, N, of power receiving members and a number, M, of first switches, and wherein a number of second switches does not exceed the product of the number of power receiving members and the number of first switches (N×M). 
     
     
         6 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising N power receiving members, M first switches, and at most M+N second switches. 
     
     
         7 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power input signal transmits to a subset of power receiving members serially one power receiving member at a time according to the first switching rate. 
     
     
         8 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a power switching controller having an output signal and a relay switching controller having an output signal, wherein the power switching controller output signal is coupled to the plurality of first switches and the relay switching controller is coupled to the plurality of second switches. 
     
     
         9 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of first switches comprise at least one solid state switch. 
     
     
         10 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of second switches comprise at least one electromechanical relay. 
     
     
         11 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the power receiving members are arranged in a closed loop and wherein each subset of the power receiving members form a group of neighboring power receiving members within a portion of the closed loop. 
     
     
         12 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising a number, N, of power receiving members and a number, M, of first switches, and wherein a number of second switches does not exceed the product of the number of the power receiving members and the number of the first switches (N×M). 
     
     
         13 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising N power receiving members, M first switches, and at most M+N second switches. 
     
     
         14 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the power input signal transmits to a subset of power receiving members serially one power receiving member at a time according to the first switching rate. 
     
     
         15 . A power switching apparatus, comprising:
 means for switching a plurality of first switches at a first frequency   means for switching a plurality of second switches at a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is greater than the second frequency by at least an order of magnitude.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of first switches comprise at least one solid state switch. 
     
     
         17 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of second switches comprise at least one electromechanical relay. 
     
     
         18 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the power receiving members are arranged in a closed loop and wherein each subset of the power receiving members form a group of neighboring power receiving members within a portion of the closed loop. 
     
     
         19 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 15 , comprising a number, N, of power receiving members and a number, M, of first switches, and wherein a number of second switches does not exceed the product of the number of power receiving members and the number of first switches (N×M). 
     
     
         20 . A power switching apparatus according to  claim 15 , comprising N power receiving members, M first switches, and at most M+N second switches.