Jim,
I am not an expert, but this is what I perceive as a basic series regulator:
http://www.tpub.com/content/neets/14179/css/14179_230.htm
I have seen the LM317 is called a series linear regulator and have used them many times in various configurations. I have seen the LTC3810 referred to as linear switch-mode regulators. Unfortunately my theoretical knowledge is sorely lacking (out of date) and more focused on the practical aspect, with the maintenance and repair thereof.
I think just disregard my comments, I know nothing about the specific brand name you are using and should have refrained from responding because of that.
MY apologies.
Matchless,
It can be a little confusing just going by the names; The R/R manufactures call them either SERIES or SHUNT , so I followed but tried to explain the operation in that pdf.
I'm not a power supply guy either but I understand some of the basic categories. The Compufire and Cycle Electric regulators are not any common regulator that I have found a chip for as of yet. It doesn't fit into any of your examples.
When an power supply engineer says "linear" mode, they principally mean a regulator where the primary power devices are NOT operating in saturation. Running in saturation means you are either ON or OFF. Being in saturation is good because there is very low power dissipation in the device during that time. When the switch is open there is no current so no power. When the switch is ON , there is very low voltage drop (it is a short) and so even though there is alot of current flowing, there is little power expended in the R/R because there is no voltage drop.
High efficiency switch mode regulators are principally worried about the small amounts of time they are switching between ON and OFF because that is when they dissipate most of the power.
The LM317 (is called a series linear regulator) because it is NOT switched mode and is series so it is not very efficient. It basically has to suckup any power that the source generates that doesn't go to the load. For a motorcycle, this would require a huge heat sink and (as far as I know)nobody builds these for motorcycles.
The Compufire is definitely not a linear mode device. It is SERIES (but other things are as SERIES as well, linear mode for example), so the Compufire/Cycle Electric are a special kind of SERIES.
Most switch mode (which are not linear) have free running fast switching 10K to 150K Hz for example. They also use energy storage devices external to the part (large capacitors and inductors). The faster they switch the smaller these parts are, but that trades off by the more they switch the less efficient they get. The LTC3810 is one of these devices
"LTC3810 - 100V Current Mode Synchronous Switching Regulator Controller".
The Compufire is a synchronous controller in that it operates at the source frequency which is RPM/10 for 18 poles stators. So even at 10K RPM it is only 1K hz a very low frequency for any switch mode regulator and would require huge components. So the Compufire is not really a switch mode regulator like the LTC3810 either. It is actually closer to the technology required for synchronous motor controllers.
Synchronous Rectification (SR) as used in the Compufire it turns out the same techniques are also used for high efficiency power conversion products where low output voltages mean even small voltage drops are a large part of power conversion efficiency.
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-173510281975580/unrestricted/chapter2.pdf
So basically the Compufire is similar to the FET based design where it monitors the cycle by cycle stator waveforms. The SERIES Compufire either allows the power to pass (by SR) or just opens the line when it doesn't want power to pass to the battery. The FET is almost the same SR (at least the lower leg FETs), but it shorts the windings instead of opening them when the battery voltage is too high.
I provided more details in the pdf
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-173510281975580/unrestricted/chapter2.pdf
In the simplest terms the SERIES R/R is very much like the left hand headlamp switch where one of the stator legs goes through the ganged switch. If the voltage is low the stator winding is connected to a an efficent full wave rectifier. If the battery voltage is too high the switch is simply opened disconnectig the stator power from the electrical system. The decision is made during each AC cycle on each phase.
Jim
