High efficiency thermoelectric cooler control system

1. A temperature control system for efficiently controlling a temperature of an optical transmitter, comprising:

a voltage controller that generates a current-based output in response to a voltage-based microcontroller command;

a DC-DC converter that receives the current-based output from the voltage controller and generates a stepped down voltage-based output;

a TEC controller that receives the stepped down voltage-based output from the DC-DC converter and generates current drive pulses for driving a thermoelectric cooler.

2. The temperature control system of claim 1 , wherein the DC-DC step-down converter and the voltage controller are integrated in the TEC controller.

3. The temperature control system of claim 1 , wherein the DC-DC step-down converter and the voltage controller are integrated in the thermoelectric cooler.

4. The temperature control system of claim 1 , further comprising a TEC efficiency signal input to the voltage controller as a control signal to improve the current-based output of the voltage controller.

5. The temperature control system of claim 1 , further comprising a control line which operably connects the microcontroller with the TEC controller to enable control and monitor signals to be passed there between.

6. The temperature control system of claim 1 , further comprising a monitor line which operably connects the microcontroller with the optical transmitter so as to enable microcontroller to monitor the temperature of the optical transmitter during operation for the purpose of controlling the thermoelectric cooler.

7. The temperature control system of claim 1 , wherein the total power consumption efficiency is as high as 90%.

8. The temperature control system of claim 1 , wherein the stepped down voltage-based output from the DC-DC converter is adjustable such that it may be configured according to a thermoelectric cooler resistance configuration.

9. The temperature control system of claim 1 , wherein the stepped down voltage-based output from the DC-DC converter may be limited, thereby limiting the input to the TEC controller such that the thermoelectric cooler is protected from positive thermal feedback and thermal runaway.

10. A temperature control system for efficiently controlling a temperature of an optical transmitter, comprising:

a voltage controller;

a DC-DC converter connected to the voltage controller;

a TEC controller connected to the DC-DC converter;

a thermoelectric cooler controlled by the TEC controller; and

a microcontroller that outputs a voltage-based command signal to the voltage controller,

wherein the voltage controller converts the voltage-based command signal into a current-based command signal and outputs the current-based command signal to the DC-DC step-down converter,

wherein the DC-DC step-down converter converts the received current-based command signal into a stepped down voltage-based command signal and outputs the stepped down voltage-based command signal to the TEC controller,

wherein the TEC controller converter converts the received stepped down voltage-based command signal into current drives pulses which are output to the thermoelectric cooler for the purpose of driving the operation of the thermoelectric cooler,

wherein the current drive pulses driving the operation of the thermoelectric cooler are reduced in magnitude compared to the current-based command signal output by the voltage controller.

11. The temperature control system of claim 10 , wherein the stepped down voltage-based command signal is less than 2 volts.

12. The temperature control system of claim 10 , wherein the DC-DC step-down converter and the voltage controller are integrated in the thermoelectric cooler.

13. The temperature control system of claim 10 , further comprising a TEC efficiency signal input to the voltage controller as a control signal to improve the current-based output of the voltage controller.

14. The temperature control system of claim 10 , further comprising a control line which operably connects the microcontroller with the TEC controller so as to enable control and monitor signals to be passed there between.

15. The temperature control system of claim 10 , further comprising a monitor line which operably connects the microcontroller with the optical transmitter so as to enable microcontroller to monitor the temperature of the optical transmitter during operation for the purpose of controlling the thermoelectric cooler.

16. The temperature control system of claim 10 , wherein the total power consumption efficiency is as high as 90%.

17. The temperature control system of claim 10 , wherein the stepped down voltage-based output from the DC-DC converter is adjustable such that it may be configured according to a thermoelectric cooler resistance configuration.

18. The temperature control system of claim 10 , wherein the stepped down voltage-based output from the DC-DC converter may be limited, thereby limiting the input to the TEC controller such that the thermoelectric cooler is protected from positive thermal feedback and thermal runaway.

19. A method for efficiently controlling a power consumption of an optical transmitter temperature control system, comprising:

sending a voltage-based command signal from a microcontroller to a voltage controller;

converting the voltage-based command signal to a current-based command signal with the voltage controller;

sending the current-based command signal from the voltage controller to the DC-DC converter;

converting the current-based command signal into a stepped-down voltage-based command signal with the DC-DC converter;

sending the stepped-down voltage-based command signal to a TEC Controller; and

using the TEC Controller to drive a TEC with the stepped-down voltage-based command signal.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising ramping the TEC to control an inrush current.