US 12,432,842 B2
Waveform detection of states and faults in plasma inverters
Terrence E. Rogers, Durham, NC (US)
Assigned to Atmospheric Plasma Solutions, Inc., Cary, NC (US)
Filed by Atmospheric Plasma Solutions, Inc., Cary, NC (US)
Filed on Apr. 24, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/645,324.
Application 18/645,324 is a continuation of application No. 18/132,906, filed on Apr. 10, 2023, granted, now 11,974,385.
Application 18/132,906 is a continuation of application No. 17/318,300, filed on May 12, 2021, granted, now 11,641,709, issued on May 2, 2023.
Application 17/318,300 is a continuation of application No. 17/085,475, filed on Oct. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,019,714, issued on May 25, 2021.
Application 17/085,475 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/028401, filed on Apr. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/834,947, filed on Apr. 16, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/834,545, filed on Apr. 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0349417 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H05H 1/36 (2006.01); H01F 27/38 (2006.01); H01F 38/10 (2006.01); H03M 1/12 (2006.01)
CPC H05H 1/36 (2013.01) [H01F 27/385 (2013.01); H01F 38/10 (2013.01); H03M 1/1245 (2013.01); H05H 2240/10 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for determining an operational state of an atmospheric pressure plasma,
the system comprising:
a transformer for coupling power into the atmospheric pressure plasma;
a current sampling circuit configured to sample at least one current pulse flowing through a primary winding of the transformer;
a programmed microprocessor configured to determine, from a waveform of the current pulse, the operational state of the atmospheric pressure plasma,
wherein the operational state comprises one of
a no plasma state,
a plasma origination state indicative of an ignited arc expanding into a larger plasma volume by gas flow thereinto, and
a plasma maintenance state indicative of the plasma being expanded into the desired volume and steady-state condition;
an inverter configured to produce voltage pulses at a predetermined frequency for application to the primary winding of the transformer; and
an analog to digital converter (ADC) in electrical communication with the current sampling circuit in order to capture a digital trace of the waveform of the current pulse for analysis.