Patents by Inventor Burkard Müller

Burkard Müller has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11990826
    Abstract: A power electronics device has a first power semiconductor switch and a driver circuit and enables a supply of electrical voltage to a driver circuit. An auxiliary circuit arrangement has a supply capacitor, an auxiliary capacitor, a normally off auxiliary semiconductor switch, a diode and a bootstrap diode. The auxiliary semiconductor switch is connected to a reference potential connection of the first power semiconductor switch via a connection point, starting from the connection point, a series connection of the diode, a second connection point and the auxiliary capacitor is arranged in parallel with the auxiliary semiconductor switch. When the auxiliary semiconductor switch is in the off state, the auxiliary capacitor is charged by the flow of current through the first power semiconductor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Burkard Mueller
  • Publication number: 20230291303
    Abstract: A power converter between an AC side and DC of the power converter is disclosed. The AC side is connected to an AC supply grid and the DC side is connected to a DC grid. The power converter includes a bridge circuit connected to the AC side of the power converter via AC switches and connected to the DC side of the power converter via circuit breakers, wherein a DC link circuit of the power converter is chargeable from the AC supply grid via an AC precharging circuit. The power converter has an insulation monitor to measure the insulation resistance of the DC side when the AC precharging circuit is connected to the DC link circuit. The disclosure also includes a related method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Alexander Unru, Marcel Kratochvil, Burkard Müller
  • Publication number: 20230283072
    Abstract: The application describes a method for balancing voltages on a first and a second DC conductor in a DC grid using a balancing circuit with a first and second semiconductor switch connected in series between the first and second DC conductors, and a connection to a ground potential that is arranged between the first and second semiconductor switches. In the presence of an asymmetry in the voltages of the first and second DC conductors to ground potential, a compensation current is generated between at least one of the DC conductors ground potential via at least one of the semiconductor switches, with the asymmetry in the voltages being reduced by the compensation current (IA), with the voltages of the DC conductors to ground potential being balanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Alexander Unru, Marcel Kratochvil, Burkard Müller
  • Publication number: 20230070123
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an inverter including a first bridge branch with a first phase output, a second bridge branch with a second phase output, a third bridge branch with a third phase output, wherein the phase outputs of the bridge branches can each be connected to a phase conductor of a three-phase power distribution network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Alexander Unru, Burkard Müller
  • Publication number: 20220385188
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for balancing a split DC link arranged between a first DC-voltage terminal and a second DC-voltage terminal is disclosed. The first DC-voltage terminal is connected via a first semiconductor switch to a first intermediate point that is connected via a second semiconductor switch to a bridge center point that is connected via a third semiconductor switch to a second intermediate point that is connected via a fourth semiconductor switch to the second DC-voltage terminal. A first terminal of a resonant capacitor is connected to the first intermediate point, and a second terminal of the resonant capacitor is connected to a DC-link center point via a connecting path, in which a resonant inductor is arranged in a series circuit with the third semiconductor switch, and which runs via the second intermediate point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventor: Burkard Mueller
  • Patent number: 11276786
    Abstract: A solar module includes a safety circuit, and a series circuit of bypass diodes, which is arranged between solar module connections, wherein the bypass diodes have bypass connections at both ends and all connecting points of the series circuit of bypass diodes. The solar module also includes a series circuit of solar partial modules having partial module terminals at both ends and all connecting points of the series circuit of solar partial modules, wherein each bypass diode is associated with precisely one solar partial module, and a plurality of semiconductor switches configured to disconnect the solar module connections from voltage at an associated partial module terminal when a disconnection signal is received by the safety circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Markus Hopf, Burkard Mueller, Oliver Prior
  • Publication number: 20210384824
    Abstract: A power electronics device has a first power semiconductor switch and a driver circuit and enables a supply of electrical voltage to a driver circuit. An auxiliary circuit arrangement has a supply capacitor, an auxiliary capacitor, a normally off auxiliary semiconductor switch, a diode and a bootstrap diode. The auxiliary semiconductor switch is connected to a reference potential connection of the first power semiconductor switch via a connection point, starting from the connection point, a series connection of the diode, a second connection point and the auxiliary capacitor is arranged in parallel with the auxiliary semiconductor switch. When the auxiliary semiconductor switch is in the off state, the auxiliary capacitor is charged by the flow of current through the first power semiconductor switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventor: Burkard Mueller
  • Patent number: 10825937
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a protective circuit for a photovoltaic (PV) module that includes an input having two input terminals for connecting the PV module, an output having two output terminals for connecting further PV modules of a series circuit comprising PV modules, a first switch for connecting one of the input terminals to one of the output terminals, and a controller configured to control the first switch, wherein the protective circuit further includes a series circuit including a first diode and an energy store, wherein the series circuit is arranged in parallel with the input of the protective circuit. The protective circuit also includes a second diode, which connects an output terminal of the protective circuit to a midpoint of the series circuit including the first diode and the energy store, and wherein a series circuit including the second diode and the energy store is connected in parallel with the first switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Markus Hopf, Burkard Mueller
  • Patent number: 10734944
    Abstract: An inverter including a circuit arrangement configured to measure an insulation resistance is disclosed. The inverter includes at least one half-bridge including at least two switching elements extending between respective end points, and a grid disconnection point comprising a series circuit comprised of two disconnection devices. The series circuit is arranged between a center point of the half-bridge and an AC voltage terminal of the inverter, which AC voltage terminal is configured to connect to a phase conductor or a neutral conductor of an AC voltage grid. The circuit arrangement includes a resistor and a voltage measurement apparatus. The resistor is arranged electrically in parallel with one of the disconnection devices and the voltage measurement apparatus is arranged electrically between the output-side terminal of the resistor and one of the end points of the half-bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Jens Friebe, Burkard Mueller, Martin Putz
  • Patent number: 10530274
    Abstract: A method for operating a transformerless inverter includes operating first and second half-bridges of the inverter using a unipolar clocking method as a first clocking method, determining a value of a grid-frequency stray current at the DC terminals of the inverter during the unipolar clocking method, and when a limit value is exceeded by the stray current value, operating the first and second half-bridges of the inverter using a stray-current-reducing clocking method as a second clocking method in which the first half-bridge provides an AC voltage at the first AC output, wherein an amplitude of the AC voltage is less than 50% of the amplitude of a voltage amplitude of the grid, and the second half-bridge provides a difference voltage between the grid voltage and the voltage provided by the first half-bridge at the first AC output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Burkard Mueller, Klaus Rigbers, Wilfried Vogt
  • Publication number: 20190214511
    Abstract: A solar module includes a safety circuit, and a series circuit of bypass diodes, which is arranged between solar module connections, wherein the bypass diodes have bypass connections at both ends and all connecting points of the series circuit of bypass diodes. The solar module also includes a series circuit of solar partial modules having partial module terminals at both ends and all connecting points of the series circuit of solar partial modules, wherein each bypass diode is associated with precisely one solar partial module, and a plurality of semiconductor switches configured to disconnect the solar module connections from voltage at an associated partial module terminal when a disconnection signal is received by the safety circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Markus Hopf, Burkard Mueller, Oliver Prior
  • Publication number: 20190207534
    Abstract: A method for operating a transformerless inverter includes operating first and second half-bridges of the inverter using a unipolar clocking method as a first clocking method, determining a value of a grid-frequency stray current at the DC terminals of the inverter during the unipolar clocking method, and when a limit value is exceeded by the stray current value, operating the first and second half-bridges of the inverter using a stray-current-reducing clocking method as a second clocking method in which the first half-bridge provides an AC voltage at the first AC output, wherein an amplitude of the AC voltage is less than 50% of the amplitude of a voltage amplitude of the grid, and the second half-bridge provides a difference voltage between the grid voltage and the voltage provided by the first half-bridge at the first AC output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Burkard Mueller, Klaus Rigbers, Wilfried Vogt
  • Patent number: 10284083
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter includes a first low-voltage terminal point, a second low-voltage terminal point and a third low-voltage terminal point, and a first high-voltage terminal point and a second high-voltage terminal point. The first low-voltage terminal point and the first high-voltage terminal point are directly connected to one another, and an actively drivable switching element, a capacitor and a further switching element are connected in series between the first high-voltage terminal point and the second high-voltage terminal point. The capacitor is connected between the second low-voltage terminal point and the third low-voltage terminal point, a further capacitance is directly connected between the second low-voltage terminal point and the third low-voltage terminal point, and the further capacitance is decoupled from the capacitor at two terminals by two inductors, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Burkard Mueller
  • Publication number: 20180351015
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a protective circuit for a photovoltaic (PV) module that includes an input having two input terminals for connecting the PV module, an output having two output terminals for connecting further PV modules of a series circuit comprising PV modules, a first switch for connecting one of the input terminals to one of the output terminals, and a controller configured to control the first switch, wherein the protective circuit further includes a series circuit including a first diode and an energy store, wherein the series circuit is arranged in parallel with the input of the protective circuit. The protective circuit also includes a second diode, which connects an output terminal of the protective circuit to a midpoint of the series circuit including the first diode and the energy store, and wherein a series circuit including the second diode and the energy store is connected in parallel with the first switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Markus Hopf, Burkard Mueller
  • Publication number: 20180302030
    Abstract: An inverter including a circuit arrangement configured to measure an insulation resistance is disclosed. The inverter includes at least one half-bridge including at least two switching elements extending between respective end points, and a grid disconnection point comprising a series circuit comprised of two disconnection devices. The series circuit is arranged between a center point of the half-bridge and an AC voltage terminal of the inverter, which AC voltage terminal is configured to connect to a phase conductor or a neutral conductor of an AC voltage grid. The circuit arrangement includes a resistor and a voltage measurement apparatus. The resistor is arranged electrically in parallel with one of the disconnection devices and the voltage measurement apparatus is arranged electrically between the output-side terminal of the resistor and one of the end points of the half-bridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Jens Friebe, Burkard Mueller, Martin Putz
  • Patent number: 9906019
    Abstract: A circuitry arrangement includes two-pole connectors for connecting a battery and a further voltage source. The plus pole of one connector and the minus pole of the other connector are directly connected to a plus pole and a minus pole of a DC voltage link. The plus and minus poles of the one connector are connected via a first parallel circuit of a switch and a diode and a first choke connected in series. The minus and plus poles of the other connector are connected via a second parallel circuit of a switch and a diode and a second choke connected in series. A connection between choke ends of the two parallel circuits is electrically conductive at least for alternating currents. The two chokes are magnetically coupled in that their winding senses on a common magnetic core are equal as viewed from the connection between the two parallel circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Burkard Mueller
  • Publication number: 20170373593
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter includes a first low-voltage terminal point, a second low-voltage terminal point and a third low-voltage terminal point, and a first high-voltage terminal point and a second high-voltage terminal point. The first low-voltage terminal point and the first high-voltage terminal point are directly connected to one another, and an actively drivable switching element, a capacitor and a further switching element are connected in series between the first high-voltage terminal point and the second high-voltage terminal point. The capacitor is connected between the second low-voltage terminal point and the third low-voltage terminal point, a further capacitance is directly connected between the second low-voltage terminal point and the third low-voltage terminal point, and the further capacitance is decoupled from the capacitor at two terminals by two inductors, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventor: Burkard Mueller
  • Patent number: 9797853
    Abstract: During measuring an insulation resistance for an inverter having at least one half-bridge including two active switching elements for driving an output current, and a DC link voltage, a center point of the half-bridge positioned between the switching elements is connected to a grounding point by closing a grounding switch, and the center point connected to the grounding point is connected, one after the other, to a first ungrounded terminal and a second ungrounded terminal of the DC link voltage of the inverter present at the half-bridge by means of the two active switching elements of the half-bridge to establish a connection between the first and second ungrounded terminals, respectively, and the grounding point. A current flowing via the connection to the grounding point is measured using a measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Burkard Mueller
  • Patent number: 9570998
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a capacitor arrangement for an input circuit or intermediate circuit of a voltage transformer comprising at least two capacitors and two connection nodes. Switching elements are provided, by means of which the at least two capacitors are connected in parallel with each other in a first operating state and are connected in series with each other in a second operating state. The disclosure also relates to a voltage transformer arrangement comprising such a capacitor arrangement and an operating method for a capacitor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Burkard Mueller, Jens Friebe
  • Patent number: 9425704
    Abstract: An inverter includes a DC/AC converter connectable to a DC power grid, at least one DC/DC converter arranged upstream of the DC/AC converter and providing a galvanic isolation, and a DC voltage link at the input of the at least one DC/DC converter and connectable to at least one DC power source. The inverter also includes at least one further DC voltage link which is galvanically isolated from the first DC voltage link by the DC/DC converter, on-board voltage rails supplying a controller and other auxiliary devices of the inverter with electric energy; and an on-board supply unit. The on-board supply unit is configured and adapted to feed the electric energy into the on-board voltage rails both out of the first DC voltage link and out of the at least one further DC voltage link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Burkard Müller, Lars Bethke