Solid-state switch architecture for multi-mode operation of a thermoelectric device

Abstract

A solid-state switch architecture for multi-mode operation of a thermoelectric device and a method of operating such a device are provided herein. The switch architecture includes one or more inputs operable to receive power from one or more power supplies. The switch architecture also includes multiple outputs operable to provide power to respective channels of the thermoelectric device. The switch architecture also includes multiple solid-state switches operable to connect the one or more inputs to the outputs and a controller operable to toggle the solid-state switches to provide multiple modes of operation of the thermoelectric device. In this way, the thermoelectric device can be operated in a more efficient way while decreasing the size and increasing the reliability of the switch architecture. Also, this may allow the use of standard and less expensive power supplies. This may result in a significant reduction in cost and an increase in reliability.

1 . A switch architecture for multi-mode operation of a thermoelectric device comprising:
 one or more inputs operable to receive power from one or more power supplies;   a plurality of outputs operable to provide power to a respective plurality of channels of the thermoelectric device;   a plurality of solid-state switches operable to connect the one or more inputs to the plurality of outputs; and   a controller operable to toggle the plurality of solid-state switches to provide multiple modes of operation of the thermoelectric device.   
     
     
         2 . The switch architecture of  claim 1  wherein the controller is operable to toggle the plurality of solid-state switches to provide power to at least a subset of the plurality of outputs in series. 
     
     
         3 . The switch architecture of  claim 2  wherein the controller is operable to toggle the plurality of solid-state switches to provide power to at least a subset of the plurality of outputs in parallel. 
     
     
         4 . The switch architecture of  claim 3  wherein the controller is operable to toggle the plurality of solid-state switches to provide power to at least a subset of the plurality of outputs to provide a high capacity mode of operation of the thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         5 . The switch architecture of  claim 4  wherein the controller is operable to provide the high capacity mode of operation of the thermoelectric device when a temperature of a region being cooled by the thermoelectric device exceeds a steady state range including a set point temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The switch architecture of  claim 5  wherein the controller is operable to toggle the plurality of solid-state switches to provide power to at least a subset of the plurality of outputs to provide a high efficiency mode of operation of the thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         7 . The switch architecture of  claim 6  wherein the controller is operable to provide the high efficiency mode of operation of the thermoelectric device when the temperature of the region being cooled by the thermoelectric device is within the steady state range including the set point temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The switch architecture of  claim 7  wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a plurality of thermoelectric coolers and the plurality of channels of the thermoelectric device are disposed on an interconnect board that enables selective control of multiple different subsets of the plurality of thermoelectric coolers. 
     
     
         9 . The switch architecture of  claim 8  wherein a cartridge comprises the switch architecture and the thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         10 . The switch architecture of  claim 9  wherein each of the plurality of solid-state switches is a transistor. 
     
     
         11 . The switch architecture of  claim 10  wherein each of the plurality of solid-state switches is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating a switch architecture for multi-mode operation of a thermoelectric device comprising:
 determining a first mode of operation of the thermoelectric device; and   toggling one or more of a plurality of solid-state switches to provide the first mode of operation of the thermoelectric device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 determining a second mode of operation of the thermoelectric device that is different than the first mode of operation; and 
 toggling one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches to provide the second mode of operation of the thermoelectric device. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein toggling the one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches comprises toggling the one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches to provide power to at least a subset of a plurality of outputs in series. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein toggling the one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches comprises toggling the one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches to provide power to at least a subset of a plurality of outputs in parallel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein toggling the one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches comprises toggling the one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches to provide power to at least a subset of the plurality of outputs to provide a high capacity mode of operation of the thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein determining the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation comprises determining the high capacity mode of operation of the thermoelectric device when a temperature of a region being cooled by the thermoelectric device exceeds a steady state range including a set point temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein toggling the one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches comprises toggling the one or more of the plurality of solid-state switches to provide a high efficiency mode of operation of the thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein determining the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation comprises determining when the temperature of the region being cooled by the thermoelectric device is within the steady state range including the set point temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein each of the plurality of solid-state switches is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor.