Abstract: A passive, current dependent inductivity (1) comprises a magnetic core (2), windings (3) and at least one bank air gap (4). A saturation region (5) made of magnetic material is arranged between the bank air gap (4) and the windings (3). A magnetic flux path (6) bifurcates into a first path (61) passing through the saturation region (5) and into a second path (62) passing through the bank air gap (4) and bypassing the saturation region (5). The magnetic resistance of the first path (61) is lower than the magnetic resistance of the second path (62) for winding currents below a first saturation current (7a) and whereby the magnetic resistance of the second path (62) is lower than the magnetic resistance of the first path (61) for winding currents above the first saturation current (7a) due to saturation of the saturation region.

Abstract: The device to estimate the lifetime consumption of one or more electrolytic capacitors comprises a temperature sensor which is thermally insulated from the ambient by being arranged either between two equal electrolytic capacitors connected in parallel with each other or on the case of an electrolytic capacitors and where it is covered with a layer of thermally insulating material. The device comprises further a controller which is suitable to estimate the lifetime consumption based on the measurement data of the temperature sensor.

Abstract: The bridge circuit comprises input terminals (102.1, 102.2) for connecting a power source (103), a first branch (104) connected between the input terminals (102.1, 102.2). The first branch includes a first and a second section (108.1, 108.2). The first section (108.1) includes a first switch (107.1) and the second section (108.2) includes a second switch (107.2). The method comprises the steps of determining a measured value by measuring a current flowing in or a voltage across one of the two sections (108.1, 108.2), comparing the measured value with a threshold and controlling a switching of the first and the second switch (107.1, 107.2) of the first branch (104) in dependency of a result of said comparison.

Abstract: A method for estimating a property of a signal (1) sensed in an electrical system, comprises the steps of sensing the signal (1) and estimating a fundamental period of a fundamental of the signal (1) by comparing the sensed signal (1) with at least one threshold (2) to detect threshold crossings and estimating the fundamental period from the threshold crossings. The signal property is then estimated from the fundamental period and/or from the sensed signal (1) during an interval of a length of the fundamental period. An electronic device according to the invention comprises a micro controller and/or an analogue circuitry which performs the method for estimating a property of a signal. Preferably, the micro controller and/or analogue circuitry controls other parts of the electronic device depending on the results obtained by the method for estimating a property of a signal.

Abstract: A passive, current dependent inductivity (1) comprises a magnetic core (2), windings (3) and at least one bank air gap (4). A saturation region (5) made of magnetic material is arranged between the bank air gap (4) and the windings (3). A magnetic flux path (6) bifurcates into a first path (61) passing through the saturation region (5) and into a second path (62) passing through the bank air gap (4) and bypassing the saturation region (5). The magnetic resistance of the first path (61) is lower than the magnetic resistance of the second path (62) for winding currents below a first saturation current (7a) and whereby the magnetic resistance of the second path (62) is lower than the magnetic resistance of the first path (61) for winding currents above the first saturation current (7a) due to saturation of the saturation region.

Abstract: A method for providing an output power of a switched mode power converter comprises the steps of determining a block length and, if a set value of the output power is below a first power threshold, preventing a power flow through the converter in each period of the multiphase AC voltage for at least one blocking interval. Each blocking interval has a duration of one block length. The switched mode power converter has a multiphase AC side with a number N of conductors for receiving a multiphase AC voltage. The number N of conductors is at least three. Power flows into the switched mode power converter through a combination of current-carrying conductors. The block length is defined by a time span between two subsequent changes of the combination of the current-carrying conductors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surge protected power supply for feeding a device with electrical energy. The power supply includes a surge protection device SPD connected in series with a controllable switch where this series connection is connected between two current conductors of the power supply. The power supply further includes a device for determining a comparison voltage such that the comparison voltage is in some form indicative of a surge voltage present at the input of the power supply. This comparison voltage then is compared to a threshold. If the comparison voltage is higher than the threshold, the controllable switch is closed such that the SPD in series with the switch is effectively connected between the two current conductors to divert the surge current through the SPD. If the comparison voltage is lower than the threshold the switch remains open.

Abstract: A method for providing an output power of a switched mode power converter comprises the steps of determining a block length and, if a set value of the output power is below a first power threshold, preventing a power flow through the converter in each period of the multiphase AC voltage for at least one blocking interval. Each blocking interval has a duration of one block length. The switched mode power converter has a multiphase AC side with a number N of conductors for receiving a multiphase AC voltage. The number N of conductors is at least three. Power flows into the switched mode power converter through a combination of current-carrying conductors. The block length is defined by a time span between two subsequent changes of the combination of the current-carrying conductors.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method and a switch control arrangement for controlling a switch (107.1-107.4) of a bridge circuit, where the bridge circuit comprises a first and a second input terminal (102.1, 102.2) for connecting a power source (103), a first branch (104) connected between the first and the second input terminal (102.1, 102.2) and including a first section (108.1) between the first input terminal (102.1) and a centre tap (117.1) and including a second section (108.2) between the centre tap (117.1) and the second input terminal (102.2), where the first section (108.1) includes a first switch (107.1) and the second section (108.2) includes a second switch (107.2). The method comprises the steps of determining a measured value by measuring a current flowing in one of the two sections (108.1, 108.2) or measuring a voltage across one of the two sections (108.1, 108.

Abstract: A method for estimating a property of a signal (1) sensed in an electrical system, comprises the steps of sensing the signal (1) and estimating a fundamental period of a fundamental of the signal (1) by comparing the sensed signal (1) with at least one threshold (2) to detect threshold crossings and estimating the fundamental period from the threshold crossings. The signal property is then estimated from the fundamental period and/or from the sensed signal (1) during an interval of a length of the fundamental period. An electronic device according to the invention comprises a micro controller and/or an analogue circuitry which performs the method for estimating a property of a signal. Preferably, the micro controller and/or analogue circuitry controls other parts of the electronic device depending on the results obtained by the method for estimating a property of a signal.

Abstract: The invention concerns a driver circuit for driving a P-Channel MOSFET. The driver circuit is fed by a DC voltage supplied at a power input and it receives a control signal at a control input. The control signal includes the information for controlling a switching of a P-Channel MOSFET the gate of which is connected to a drive output of the driver circuit. For generating the drive signal the driver circuit includes a turn-off bipolar transistor which is powered by the supply voltage received at the power input in that its collector is connected to the power input. The control signal received at the control input is amplified by means of a current amplifier and fed to the base of the bipolar transistor via an inverting capacitor. In response to the amplified control signal at its base, the bipolar transistor actively generates a turn-off signal and provides the turn-off signal to the drive output in that the emitter of the bipolar transistor is connected to the drive output.

Abstract: A PFC circuit according to the invention is connected to a grid, includes an input filter and a rectifier connected to a converter. A control circuit generates the reference current for the current regulator of the converter that controls its input current. Thereby, the reference current is generated by adding an offset current (I0) to a standard reference current and adapting the magnitude of the standard reference current to compensate for a change of the input power resulting from the addition of the offset current (I0). However, due to the addition of the offset current (I0) the magnitudes of some lower harmonic components of the input current of the power supply unit are increased and the magnitudes of some higher harmonic components of the input current are decreased such that the power supply may draw more current from the grid.

Abstract: In a method for detection of an arc in a current path of a converter arrangement (2) for converting a DC input power to an output power, an arc is detected by sensing the current (4) in the current path by means of a current transformer (11), filtering the current signal (4?) with an analog band pass filter (14), converting the analog filtered current signal (4?) into a digital current signal (4??), determining the harmonic content (19) of the digital current signal (4??) and then deciding whether an arc exists if the harmonic content (19) exceeds a threshold, where the threshold is determined at the beginning as a multiple of the average harmonic content during a certain period of time of the current signal.

Abstract: The invention concerns a driver circuit for driving a P-Channel MOSFET. The driver circuit is fed by a DC voltage supplied at a power input and it receives a control signal at a control input. The control signal includes the information for controlling a switching of a P-Channel MOSFET the gate of which is connected to a drive output of the driver circuit. For generating the drive signal the driver circuit includes a turn-off bipolar transistor which is powered by the supply voltage received at the power input in that its collector is connected to the power input. The control signal received at the control input is amplified by means of a current amplifier and fed to the base of the bipolar transistor via an inverting capacitor. In response to the amplified control signal at its base, the bipolar transistor actively generates a turn-off signal and provides the turn-off signal to the drive output in that the emitter of the bipolar transistor is connected to the drive output.

Abstract: A PFC circuit according to the invention is connected to a grid, includes an input filter and a rectifier connected to a converter. A control circuit generates the reference current for the current regulator of the converter that controls its input current. Thereby, the reference current is generated by adding an offset current (I0) to a standard reference current and adapting the magnitude of the standard reference current to compensate for a change of the input power resulting from the addition of the offset current (I0). However, due to the addition of the offset current (I0) the magnitudes of some lower harmonic components of the input current of the power supply unit are increased and the magnitudes of some higher harmonic components of the input current are decreased such that the power supply may draw more current from the grid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surge protected power supply for feeding a device with electrical energy. The power supply includes a surge protection device SPD connected in series with a controllable switch where this series connection is connected between two current conductors of the power supply. The power supply further includes a device for determining a comparison voltage such that the comparison voltage is in some form indicative of a surge voltage present at the input of the power supply. This comparison voltage then is compared to a threshold. If the comparison voltage is higher than the threshold, the controllable switch is closed such that the SPD in series with the switch is effectively connected between the two current conductors to divert the surge current through the SPD. If the comparison voltage is lower than the threshold the switch remains open.

Abstract: In a method for detection of an arc in a current path of a converter arrangement (2) for converting a DC input power to an output power, an arc is detected by sensing the current (4) in the current path by means of a current transformer (11), filtering the current signal (4?) with an analog band pass filter (14), converting the analog filtered current signal (4?) into a digital current signal (4??), determining the harmonic content (19) of the digital current signal (4??) and then deciding whether an arc exists if the harmonic content (19) exceeds a threshold, where the threshold is determined at the beginning as a multiple of the average harmonic content during a certain period of time of the current signal.