Patents by Inventor Lars Dofnas

Lars Dofnas 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: 9831865
    Abstract: A method for controlling a first and a second reverse-conducting insulated gate bipolar transistor (RC-IGBT), electrically connected in series, is disclosed. A collector of the first RC-IGBT is electrically connected to a positive pole of a direct current voltage source, and an emitter of the second RC-IGBT is electrically connected to a negative pole of the DC voltage source. Further, an emitter of the first RC-IGBT is electrically connected to a collector of the second RC-IGBT to form an alternating current terminal. A gate voltage is applied to respective gates of the first and second RC-IGBTs, wherein the gate voltage is controlled based on a magnitude and a direction of an output current on the AC terminal and on a command signal alternating between a first and a second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Annika Lokrantz, Kristoffer Nilsson, Ying Jiang-Häfner, Christer Sjöberg, Lars Döfnäs, Wim Van-Der-Merwe
  • Patent number: 9667133
    Abstract: A voltage source converter includes a black start control unit and cells, where each cell includes a first switch between a first end of a cell capacitor and a first cell terminal, a second switch between a second end of the cell capacitor and the first cell terminal, where a second cell terminal is provided via the first or the second end of the cell capacitor, a first power supply unit and a second power supply unit, where the black start control unit is configured to perform, after the initial application of a DC voltage to a cell terminal of a cell and the subsequent initial charging of the chargeable power supply unit of one of the switches, charging of an uncharged power supply unit of the other switch through repeatedly turning on and off the switch with initially charged power supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Fabienne Chataignere, Lars Döfnäs, Rolf Ottersten, Patrik Sandquist, Roland Siljeström, Erika Siljeström
  • Patent number: 8779730
    Abstract: A method and a device to discharge cell capacitors in a cell based voltage source converter. Each cell has switching elements in half bridge or full bridge configuration and a capacitor in parallel to the half or full bridge. Each cell has two terminals, whereof at least one is between two switching elements. The converter has AC and DC terminals, with the possibility to connect each of the terminals to ground, via a further switching element. A resistor is implemented into at least one of the ground connections. To discharge to capacitors, the switching elements in the respective cells are configured such, that the capacitor is in parallel connection to the terminals. The capacitors are thus discharged via the resistor to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Ying Jiang-Häfner, Lars Döfnäs, Erika Siljeström
  • Publication number: 20130200859
    Abstract: A method and a device to discharge cell capacitors in a cell based voltage source converter. Each cell has switching elements in half bridge or full bridge configuration and a capacitor in parallel to the half or full bridge. Each cell has two terminals, whereof at least one is between two switching elements. The converter has AC and DC terminals, with the possibility to connect each of the terminals to ground, via a further switching element. A resistor is implemented into at least one of the ground connections. To discharge to capacitors, the switching elements in the respective cells are configured such, that the capacitor is in parallel connection to the terminals. The capacitors are thus discharged via the resistor to ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: ABB TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Ying Jiang-Häfner, Lars Döfnäs, Roland Siljeström, Erika Siljeström
  • Patent number: 8400796
    Abstract: A device for converting a DC voltage into an AC voltage and vice versa comprises a control system to control the voltage conversion and at least one phase leg (1) with a first (Uvp1) voltage source connected in series between a first DC terminal (4) and a first AC terminal (6) and with a second (Uvn1) voltage source connected in series between the first AC terminal (6) and a second DC terminal (5). Each of the voltage sources comprises at least a first and a second submodule (15) in series-connection, where each submodule (15) comprises at least two power electronic switches (16) connected in parallel with at least one capacitor (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Lars Döfnäs, Lennart Harnefors, Anders J. Pettersson, Gunnar Asplund, Erika Siljestrom
  • Publication number: 20110222323
    Abstract: A device for converting a DC voltage into an AC voltage and vice versa comprises a control system to control the voltage conversion and at least one phase leg (1) with a first (Uvp1) voltage source connected in series between a first DC terminal (4) and a first AC terminal (6) and with a second (Uvn1) voltage source connected in series between the first AC terminal (6) and a second DC terminal (5). Each of the voltage sources comprises at least a first and a second submodule (15) in series-connection, where each submodule (15) comprises at least two power electronic switches (16) connected in parallel with at least one capacitor (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Lars Dofnas, Lennart Harnefors, Anders J. Pettersson, Roland Siljeström, Gunnar Asplund
  • Patent number: 7239535
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a voltage source converter with at least two bridges of semiconducting self commutating elements connected in anti-parallel with a diode, including circuitry for producing a switching control pulse train to form a fundamental frequency, circuitry for effecting a switching order and circuitry for detecting a switching event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Siljeström, Lars Döfnäs, Ying Jiang-Häfner
  • Publication number: 20060044849
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a voltage source converter with at least two bridges (V1, V2) of semiconducting self commutating elements (11) connected in anti-parallel with a diode (12), comprising means (OPWM) for producing a switching control pulse train (19) to form a fundamental frequency (18), means (C) for effecting a switching order (CP) and means (VCU) for detecting a switching event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventors: Roland Siljestrom, Lars Dofnas, Ying Jiang-Hafner
  • Patent number: 5701241
    Abstract: An installation for transmission of high-voltage direct current comprises a converter (SR1) which is controlled by a control unit (CU1). The control unit comprises a quotient-forming member, which forms a current order (IO) for the current (Id) in the dc connection of the installation in dependence on the quotient between a power order (PO) and a calculating value (UDF) of the direct voltage (Ud) at the converter, and a low-pass filter with a bandwidth (1/T1, 1/T2) capable of being controlled, which forms the calculating value as a filtered measured value (UD) of the direct voltage. The control unit comprises a signal-forming member which forms a state signal (FC), indicating that a short-circuit fault has occurred. The state signal influences the bandwidth of the low-pass filter such that the bandwidth is temporarily changed from a smaller value (1/T1) to a larger value (1/T2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AB
    Inventors: Lars Dofnas, Mats Hyttinen