Abstract: An electrical source system has an electrical power converter which has a plurality of switching elements and performs an electrical power conversion with first and second electricity storage apparatus; and a control apparatus which controls an operation of the electrical power converter, when the electrical power converter performs the electrical power conversion with one electricity storage apparatus, the control apparatus controls the electrical power converter to change a switching state of one of two switching elements while keeping a switching state of the other one of the two switching elements in an ON state, each of two switching elements constitutes predetermined arm element whose switching state should be changed to perform the electrical power conversion with the one electricity storage apparatus.

Abstract: An electric source control apparatus has: a determining device for determining whether a converter operates in a first mode or a second mode, wherein the first mode prioritizes increase of efficiency of the electric power conversion than the second mode does and the second mode prioritizes suppression of increase of element temperature of the switching element than the first mode does; and a controlling device for controlling the converter so that (i) a switching pattern becomes a first pattern, if the converter operates in the first mode and (ii) the switching pattern becomes a second pattern, if the converter operates in the second mode, wherein the first pattern is capable of increasing the efficiency of the electric power conversion more than the second pattern is and the second pattern is capable of suppressing the increase of the element temperature more than the first pattern is.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optical-power-transfer (OPT). A light source converts electrical energy into light, and the light is transmitted from the active layer of the light source directly to the active layers of a series of photovoltaic (PV) devices without first passing through a conduction layer of the PV device. Thus, absorption in the conduction layer is avoided, and the efficiency of the OPT system is improved. The PV devices are configured to each generate equal current, and the PV devices are electrically connected in series. PV devices are arranged in series with light first propagating through PV devices closer to the light source, and farther PV devices having a longer propagation length, such that the light absorbed and current generated by each PV device is equal to the other PV devices. In one implementation, the PV devices are configured in a laser cavity with the light source.

Abstract: A power converter has a series direct connection mode of keeping on/off of a plurality of switching elements to maintain the state where first and second DC power supplies different in amount of voltage change with respect to input/output of the same amount of electric power are connected in series with an electric power line connected to a load, and a voltage controlling mode of controlling an output voltage on the electric power line to be a voltage command value by controlling on/off of the plurality of switching elements. In the voltage controlling mode, between time tx and ta, the sum of voltages of the first and second DC power supplies is matched with the voltage command value by controlling the output voltage by means of charging/discharging between the first and second DC power supplies. After time ta, the series direct connection mode is applied.

Abstract: A power transfer system includes DC-DC power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a transformer connected via a common ground with a first capacitor and a second capacitor cross-connected across the transformer. A direction of power transfer is determined, and primary and secondary sides of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry are aligned based on the direction of power transfer. An amount of on-time for the first switch or the second switch is determined based on a quantity of power transfer through the DC-DC power conversion circuitry. The primary and secondary switches are controlled using switching.

Abstract: There is provided a power supply system including a first power supply and a second power supply. The power supply system includes a power conversion circuit capable of bidirectionally sending and receiving power by bidirectional voltage conversion between the first power supply and the second power supply, converting the first voltage from the first power supply to output a third voltage and a fourth voltage, and converting the second voltage from the second power supply to output the third voltage and the fourth voltage.

Abstract: An integrated inductor assembly includes a magnetic core including a center leg in parallel with a first outer leg and a second outer leg on either side of the center leg. A first set of windings of a first inductor are wrapped around the center leg, the first outer leg of the magnetic core, and the second outer leg of the magnetic core. A second set of windings of a second inductor are also wrapped around the center leg, the first outer leg, and the second outer leg of the magnetic core. The first set of windings and the second set of windings include center windings wrapped around the center leg of the magnetic core, first outer windings wrapped around the first outer leg of the magnetic core, and second outer windings wrapped around the second outer leg of the magnetic core.

Abstract: A system includes DC-DC power conversion circuitry having a first switch and a second switch on either side of a first transformer with a first pair of capacitors and a second pair of capacitors cross-connected across the transformer. Balancing circuitry includes a primary side of a second transformer connected between the first pair of capacitors and the second pair of capacitors of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry. Control circuitry is configured to determine a direction of power transfer through the DC-DC power conversion circuitry, align a primary side and a secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry based on the determined direction of power transfer, align the balancing circuitry to perform balanced or unbalanced operations, and control switching of the first switch and the second switch.

Abstract: A power transfer system includes DC-DC power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a first transformer and a first capacitor and a second capacitor on either side of a second transformer that is connected in parallel with the first transformer. Primary secondary sides of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry are aligned based a direction of power transfer. A quantity of power transfer through the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is determined based on power and voltage characteristics of electrical components. A duty cycle and a switching frequency for the first switch or second switch is determined based on the quantity of power to be transferred. The primary and secondary switches are controlled using switching.

Abstract: An operation mode selection unit selects an efficiency priority mode for minimizing the overall loss in a power supply system based on a load request voltage obtained in accordance with the condition of a load and on the conditions of DC power supplies, and generates a mode selection signal in accordance with the selection result. When SOC and/or output power have/has reached power supply restriction values in any DC power supply, an operation mode modification unit generates a final mode selection instructing signal so as to modify selection of the efficiency priority mode by the mode selection signal to select an operation mode in which power distribution between the DC power supplies can be controlled.

Abstract: A transformer includes a magnetic core assembly including a cylindrical bobbin around which transformer windings are wrapped. Primary transformer windings are wrapped around the cylindrical bobbin of the magnetic core assembly with additional primary transformer windings that are extended to come in contact with one or more external surfaces of the magnetic core assembly. Secondary transformer windings are wrapped around the cylindrical bobbin of the magnetic core assembly with additional secondary transformer windings that are extended to come in contact with the one or more external surfaces of the magnetic core assembly.

Abstract: A power system includes DC-DC power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a transformer. An amount of power transfer from a primary side to the secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is controlled based on an amount of on-time or off-time of the first switch. A power threshold is determined corresponding to a lowest amount of power transfer that results in soft switching of the second switch with a constant off-time of the first switch. The DC-DC power conversion circuitry is operated in a quasi-resonant mode when the amount of power transfer from the primary side to the secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is less than the power threshold.

Abstract: A power system includes power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a transformer. The system also includes gate driver circuitry that operates the first switch and the second switch. Power transfer in a normal operating mode from a primary side to secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is controlled by operating the first switch. The system can recover voltage from the secondary side to the primary side by reversing a direction of power transfer when a voltage on the primary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is less than an operating voltage of the gate driver circuitry. The system can resume the normal operating mode when the voltage on the primary is greater than the operating voltage of the gate driver circuitry.

Abstract: An integrated inductor assembly includes a magnetic core including a center leg in parallel with a first outer leg and a second outer leg on either side of the center leg. A first set of windings of a first inductor are wrapped around the center leg, the first outer leg of the magnetic core, and the second outer leg of the magnetic core. A second set of windings of a second inductor are also wrapped around the center leg, the first outer leg, and the second outer leg of the magnetic core. The first set of windings and the second set of windings include center windings wrapped around the center leg of the magnetic core, first outer windings wrapped around the first outer leg of the magnetic core, and second outer windings wrapped around the second outer leg of the magnetic core.

Abstract: A device includes a first circuit assembly with first circuitry configured on a first upper surface of a first circuit board that includes a first side of power conversion circuit. A first magnetic core is also configured on the first upper surface of the first circuit board. The device also includes a second circuit assembly with second circuitry configured on a second upper surface of a second circuit board that includes a second side of the power conversion circuit. A second magnetic core is also configured on the second upper surface of the second circuit board. The first circuitry of the first circuit assembly is connected to the second circuitry of the second circuit assembly to form the power conversion circuit via at least one of an electrical connection or a magnetic coupling between the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core.

Abstract: A power transfer system includes DC-DC power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a first transformer and a first capacitor and a second capacitor on either side of a second transformer that is connected in parallel with the first transformer. Primary secondary sides of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry are aligned based a direction of power transfer. A quantity of power transfer through the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is determined based on power and voltage characteristics of electrical components. A duty cycle and a switching frequency for the first switch or second switch is determined based on the quantity of power to be transferred. The primary and secondary switches are controlled using switching.

Abstract: An electric source control apparatus has: a determining device for determining whether a converter operates in a first mode or a second mode, wherein the first mode prioritizes increase of efficiency of the electric power conversion than the second mode does and the second mode prioritizes suppression of increase of element temperature of the switching element than the first mode does; and a controlling device for controlling the converter so that (i) a switching pattern becomes a first pattern, if the converter operates in the first mode and (ii) the switching pattern becomes a second pattern, if the converter operates in the second mode, wherein the first pattern is capable of increasing the efficiency of the electric power conversion more than the second pattern is and the second pattern is capable of suppressing the increase of the element temperature more than the first pattern is.

Abstract: A system includes energy modules configured to output power to electrical loads based on load demands. The system also includes control circuitry configured to control an amount of power transferred from each of the energy modules to the at least one load based on received sensor data from the energy modules, detect failure of at least one source cell of the energy modules based on the received sensor data from the energy modules, and control a voltage supplied by the energy modules to the at least one load within a predetermined operating band when the failure is detected.

Abstract: A power system includes DC-DC power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a transformer, and the second switch is operates as a synchronous rectifier. Power transfer from a primary side to secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is controlled by operating the first switch. A drive signal for the second switch is calculated based on a sensed transformer winding current, and operation of the second switch is controlled based on the drive signal.

Abstract: A device includes an electrical circuit having one or more parallel layers and one or more electronic components of a switching circuit configured to operate at one or more frequencies mounted to several layers of the electrical circuit. Wire traces electrically connecting the one or more electronic components have cutouts with predetermined patterns and dimensions formed along edges where AC current flow is concentrated to increase an effective edge length of the wire traces to reduce oscillation and heat loss of the traces.