Plural Inverters Patents (Class 363/71)
  • Publication number: 20150016161
    Abstract: A power converter includes inverters, AC sides of the inverters being connected in parallel, a power command value determiner configured to determine a first power command value and a second power command value, the first power command value being lower than a proportional division power value obtained by proportionally dividing a required power value required as total output power of the inverters based on respective rated outputs of the inverters, the second power command value being higher than the proportional division power value, and a controller configured to control output powers of the inverters at the first power command value and the second power command value determined by the power command value determiner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuguhiro TANAKA, Naoki FUJIWARA
  • Publication number: 20150016159
    Abstract: A multiphase power converter circuit includes at least two single phase power converter circuits. Each single phase power converter circuit includes at least one converter series circuit with a number of converter units. The converter series circuit is configured to output a series circuit output current. A synchronization circuit is configured to generate at least one synchronization signal. At least one of the converter units is configured to generate an output current such that at least one of a frequency and a phase of the output current is dependent on the synchronization signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Gerald Deboy
  • Patent number: 8929109
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a double-output half-bridge LLC serial resonant converter, comprising: a half-bridge rectifying unit, a first resonant unit, a first transformer unit, a first rectifying unit, a first output unit, a second resonant unit, a second transformer unit, a second rectifying unit, a second output unit, a voltage dividing unit, a voltage regulating unit, a light-coupling isolation unit, and a control unit. In the present invention, the double-output half-bridge LLC serial resonant converter has an inventive circuit framework, which can not only solve the unbalance load current and the output voltage cross regulation occurred in the conventional double-output convertor, but also normally modulate the no-load or light-load output voltage; therefore the output voltage deviation can be effectively controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventors: Zen-Shan Chang, Ying-Sun Huang, Kuo-Sheng Fu, Kuo-Kuang Jen, Chien-Min Kao
  • Patent number: 8922062
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes solar cells and photovoltaic inverters configured to convert direct current generated by the solar cells to alternating current. Grid voltage at the point of interconnection (POI) of the photovoltaic system and the power grid is measured and compared to a setpoint. A control signal is generated based on the measured grid voltage. The control signal is provided to the photovoltaic inverters. The control signal is adjusted to cause the photovoltaic inverters to generate or absorb reactive power to respond to transient grid voltage changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Lars Johnson, Robert Johnson
  • Patent number: 8923024
    Abstract: A series-connected multi-level power conversion device according to an aspect of embodiments includes a multi-winding transformer and a power conversion unit. The multi-winding transformer has a relationship that n secondary windings respectively connected to n single-phase power converters in the same output phase have a voltage phase difference of 60/n degrees and a relationship that the m secondary windings respectively connected to the m single-phase power converters corresponding to the m output phases have a voltage phase difference of 60/m degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Taisuke Katayama, Ryuji Suenaga, Kazuhiro Umeo, Eiji Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20140376289
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, computer program products, and devices for renewable energy site power limit control that address conditions of plant saturation and loop delay. In an exemplary embodiment, power limit control of the present invention is broken into two levels of control: a site-wide real power limit control that produces a single site-wide command, SitePlimCom, for all inverters, and inverter-level power limit control that outputs a command, Inv[x].PlimCom[k], for individual inverters. In some embodiments, the invention has one or more of the following features: an integrator with nonlinear gains, limit based anti-windup, a power limit control term based on the sum of both integrator and feed-forward terms, and an inverter-level controller designed to meet slew rate and site power overshoot constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Paul S. Bixel, Benjamin D. Rudolph
  • Patent number: 8916811
    Abstract: An integrated electronics housing contains both system electronics and power generation circuits for a two-axis tracker assembly having a CPV solar array. The housing contains at least a communication bus, motion control circuits, and inverter circuits, and acts as the local system control point for that tracker mechanism. The inverter circuits generate three-phase AC voltage that is supplied to a grid interface transformer. Each inverter receives a bipolar DC voltage supplied from its own set of CPV cells. The motion control circuits move the CPV cells of the tracker mechanism to angular coordinates resulting from a solar tracking algorithm. The communication bus connects to the motion control circuits and the inverter circuits to facilitate communications of information, including parameters of power being generated by the inverter circuits, between the motion control circuits and the AC inverter circuits to fine tune the AC power generated out of the tracker mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Western Gas and Electric Company
    Inventors: Wayne Miller, Hossein Kazemi, Brian Hinman
  • Patent number: 8912765
    Abstract: A generator system includes a generator having a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The generator includes a permanent magnet based exciter with permanent magnets disposed on the stationary portion. A first channel includes a first main field winding and a first main field power converter disposed on a rotating portion. The first main field power converter selectively delivers voltage from the exciter winding to the first main field winding. A second channel includes a second main field winding and a second main field power converter disposed on the rotating portion. The second main field power converter selectively delivers voltage from the exciter winding to the second main field winding. A generator control unit is connected to the first channel and the second channel. The generator control unit monitors an output voltage at each of the first channel and the second channel and generates the first and second control signals based on the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Jacek F. Gieras, Steven J. Moss
  • Patent number: 8908402
    Abstract: A modular high-frequency converter includes submodules, each having an input-side half bridge and a DC link circuit with a DC link capacitance connected in parallel to the half bridge. A DC link circuit voltage drop across the DC link capacitance of each submodule is controlled to a target voltage by adjusting a duty cycle with a closed-loop control structure having a pilot control and a downstream closed-loop error control. Within the framework of the pilot control, a target value for each duty cycle and a target value for the supply current are determined, using a mathematical model of the converter, based on the load-side output currents flowing out of the DC link voltage circuits and on target values of the DC link circuit voltages. Switch position parameters, which map the effect of the switch positions of the input-side half bridges, are each replaced by an associated duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Kopf, Marcel Lutze, Mirjam Mantel, Markus Reinhard, Stefan Völkel
  • Patent number: 8908401
    Abstract: A high-frequency DC to DC converter comprising n transient converter circuits (1, 2 . . . n) operating in parallel. The converter has constant transfer characteristics, and the transient converter circuits are operated phase-shifted by 360°/n and with interleaved duty cycles, which results in a continuous energy transfer through the circuit. The circuit is also soft-switched, with very low switching losses. In particular, the active semiconductors only switch off a relatively small magnetization current, during a recovery phase which can last as long as (n?1)/n of the switching phase period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: APS Elctronic AG
    Inventors: Max Hiltbrunner, Urs Christen, Hans-Rudolf Riniker
  • Patent number: 8901411
    Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) control system generates a power output rate control signal based on a monitored rate of change of collective power output generated via a plurality of PV subsystems and a desired collective output power change rate for the plurality of PV subsystems and communicates the power output rate control signal to the plurality of PV subsystems to control a rate of change of one or more operating parameters of individual PV subsystems in order to control a rate of change of collective output power of the plurality of solar PV subsystems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yan Liu, Luis Jose Garces, Sumit Bose
  • Patent number: 8896260
    Abstract: A power supply unit for a press machine having a converter (converter circuit) connected to a commercial AC power supply, and an inverter (inverter circuit) connected to a press motor, includes an electrical energy bank, an inrush prevention circuit, an inrush prevention instruction signal generation section, and a contactor switch section, wherein contactors of the inrush prevention circuit are switched from on ON state to an OFF state and inrush prevention resistors of the inrush prevention circuit are connected to AC phase current paths on condition that the inrush prevention instruction signal generation section has generated and output an inrush prevention instruction signal (Sres) during press operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Aida Engineering, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Kuboe
  • Publication number: 20140334204
    Abstract: To perform an anti-windup control without interference with a cross current compensating function even in case of voltage saturation. There is provided a feedback value calculating section to calculate an average of voltage commands V1_cmd, V2_cmd after output limitation, as a feedback value. As a deviation used for an integral calculation of a current control section 6a, 6b, a sum obtained by adding a product to a deviation between a current command value Id_cmd, Iq_cmd and a current detection value Id_det, Iq_det is used. The product is a quantity obtained by multiplying a saturation quantity by a feedback gain Kfb. The saturation quantity is a saturation quantity of an operation quantity limited by a voltage command limiting section 3a, 3b, and the saturation quantity is a deviation or difference between a feedback value V_fb (Vd_fb, Vq_fb) and the voltage command Vd_cmd.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Meidensha Corporation
    Inventors: Shizunori Hamada, Toshimichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8885373
    Abstract: An energy conversion system and method perform active control of leakage current in multi-level grounded inverters. First and second subsystems each include positive and negative DC source terminals, at least first and second capacitors coupled between the positive and negative terminals to define a common bulk node for the respective subsystem, a DC/DC converter for regulating voltages across the capacitors, and an inverter. The inverters are coupled in parallel to an AC load. First and second grounding branches are homogenously coupled to terminals in the first and second subsystems, respectively, and to the same ground terminal. Control circuitry detects a leakage current value through the ground terminal, generates leakage current control signals for the respective DC/DC converters based at least in part on the detected leakage current value and a reference current value, and communicates the control signals to the DC/DC converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Power-One Italy S.pA.
    Inventors: Massimo Valiani, David Martini, Andrea Marcianesi
  • Patent number: 8879293
    Abstract: A cooling system of a server with an AC power source and a DC power source includes an AC input subsystem, a DC input subsystem, and a driving control subsystem. The AC input subsystem receives an external AC power source and provides a first DC voltage and a second DC voltage. The DC input subsystem receives an external DC power source and provides a third DC voltage and a fourth DC voltage. When the external AC power source normally works, the driving control subsystem controls the first DC voltage and the second DC voltage to supply a high-voltage cooling apparatus and a low-voltage cooling apparatus, respectively. When the external DC power source normally works, the driving control subsystem controls the fourth DC voltage and the third DC voltage to supply the high-voltage cooling apparatus and the low-voltage cooling apparatus, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yen-Chang Chen, Chien-Chung Lee, Chen-Yu Huang, Yu-Chieh Tseng
  • Patent number: 8880229
    Abstract: Disclosed here is a grid-interactive photovoltaic generation system having power quality improvement and power saving functions. The grid-interactive photovoltaic generation system includes a solar cell array, a first inverter, and a second inverter. The solar cell array receives solar light and generates predetermined power. The first inverter converts the power, generated by the solar cell array, into power required by a grid line. The second inverter is connected to the first inverter, and steps down power, which will be supplied to a load, to an appropriate voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kunsan National University Industry-Academy Cooperation Foundation
    Inventor: Seong Ryong Lee
  • Publication number: 20140306544
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system for converting a DC voltage from a photovoltaic generator into an AC voltage, includes a transformerless power inverter which comprises high-frequency-clocked switching units, the DC voltage input of which is connected to the photovoltaic generator, and the AC voltage output of which is connected to a series circuit consisting of a bias generating device and an inductive HF decoupling device. The bias generating device is used to apply a bias potential to the AC voltage output of the power inverter, said bias potential also indirectly influencing the voltage potential at the DC voltage input of the power inverter. The inductive HF decoupling device is used for the HF decoupling of the AC voltage side from the DC voltage side of the power inverter in order to prevent capacitive discharge currents to the photovoltaic generator due to the use of the bias generating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: REFUSOL GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Hantschel, Steffen Notz
  • Patent number: 8861235
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus includes a main inverter having a high-voltage DC power supply that operates at a low frequency employing SiC MOSFETs having a high withstand voltage exceeding 600 V and a sub-inverter having a low-voltage capacitor that operates through high-frequency PWM employing Si MOSFETs having a low withstand voltage. With AC sides of the main inverter and the sub-inverter connected in series, the power converting apparatus outputs AC power having a prescribed voltage waveform by adding voltages individually generated by the main inverter and the sub-inverter. Specifically, the SiC MOSFETs are used only in the main inverter of which devices are required to have a high withstand voltage and the Si MOSFETs are used in the sub-inverter of which devices may have a relatively low withstand voltage, whereby conduction loss is reduced with an inexpensive circuit configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Azuma, Takeshi Oi, Akihiko Iwata
  • Publication number: 20140293668
    Abstract: A power electronic converter, for connecting AC and DC networks and transferring power therebetween, comprises: first and second DC terminals for connection in use to a DC network; at least one primary converter limb extending between the first and second DC terminals and having first and second primary limb portions separated by a primary AC terminal for connection in use to a respective phase of a multi-phase AC network, at least one of the first and second primary limb portions including at least one primary active switching module to selectively allow current to flow through the corresponding primary converter limb in a first direction from the corresponding primary AC terminal to the DC terminals and in a second direction from the DC terminals to the corresponding primary AC terminal; and at least one secondary converter limb extending between the first and second DC terminals and having first and second secondary limb portions separated by a secondary AC terminal for connection in use to a further respe
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: David Reginald Trainer
  • Patent number: 8848405
    Abstract: The invention relates to a DC to AC converter circuit. In particular, the invention relates to a half-bridge inverter for converting a DC to an AC voltage. The half-bridge inverter for converting a DC input voltage to provide an AC output voltage at an output terminal, comprising a first switching circuit connected to at least one input terminal and to the output terminal and configured to provide a high or a low voltage level at the output terminal; a second switching circuit connected to the output terminal and configured to provide a connection to an intermediate voltage level, the intermediate voltage level being between the high and the low voltage level; and wherein the second switching circuit is further connected to the at least one input terminal allowing the second switching circuit to provide the high or the low voltage level at the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Vincotech Holdings S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Ernö Temesi, Michael Frisch
  • Patent number: 8841787
    Abstract: A method of controlling a plurality of gensets during a failsafe condition is provided. The method may include operating one or more of the gensets according to a modified isochronous control scheme, and operating a remainder of the gensets according an adaptive droop control scheme. The modified isochronous control scheme may include varying the frequency of each isochronous genset with respect to load for lower-range loads and upper-range loads, and maintaining the frequency of each isochronous genset at nominal frequencies for mid-range loads. The adaptive droop control scheme may include adjusting the frequency of each droop genset to match the frequency of the isochronous gensets, and varying the load of each droop genset with respect to frequency for lower-range loads and upper-range loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Folken, Matthew Joseph Meinhart, Edward Maurer Schroeder, Andrew William Black
  • Patent number: 8842454
    Abstract: An apparatus for delivering AC power to an AC load may include a plurality of inverters to receive direct current (DC) power from a respective DC power source and respectively provide AC power to an AC load. The apparatus may further include a first controller to generate a first control signal based on total AC current and total AC voltage being delivered to the AC load by the plurality of inverters. The apparatus may further include a plurality of secondary controllers to each receive the first control signal and each produce a respective secondary control signal based on the first control signal. The respective secondary control signal for each of the plurality of secondary controllers is configured to control a corresponding one of the plurality of inverters to provide a portion of the AC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Johnson, Philip Krein, Alexander Gray, Patrick L. Chapman
  • Publication number: 20140268948
    Abstract: A power converter system includes an interleaved power converter having a plurality of parallel-connected phase legs between DC terminals and an AC terminal. A plurality of parallel-connected inductors are each connected to one of the plurality of parallel-connected phase legs to provide a summed output of the parallel-connected phase legs to the AC terminal. A controller generates PWM signals used to control the state of each of the plurality of phase legs by comparing a carrier signal to a reference signal, wherein a period of the carrier signal is randomly varied from a nominal period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adam Michael White, Mustansir Kheraluwala, Steven A. Davidson
  • Patent number: 8837179
    Abstract: An alternating current power supply device comprises a DC power supply for generating direct current power, a plurality of, e.g., three first DC/AC inverter to third DC/AC inverter which are arranged in parallel and electrically connected to the DC power supply, for converting the direct current power generated by the DC power supply into alternating current power and supplying the alternating current power to a load, and a control unit for controlling the driving of the first DC/AC inverter to the third DC/AC inverter. The capacitance A of the first DC/AC inverter is set to W/6, the capacitance A of the second DC/AC inverter is set to W/3, and the capacitance A of the third DC/AC inverter is set to W/2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Ishioka
  • Publication number: 20140254219
    Abstract: A power conversion system comprising a plurality of modules each having an input and an output and being connected in series. Each module is connected to at least one DC power source that supplies power to the module. Voltage control circuitry provided within each of the modules to vary the voltage supplied between the input and the output between a maximum module voltage and a minimum module voltage. A control unit in communication with the voltage control circuitry of each of the modules varies the voltage supplied across the input and output of each of the modules such that the total voltage across the series connected modules forms an AC signal or a rectified version of an AC signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventor: Kevin Stephen Davies
  • Patent number: 8829713
    Abstract: A power conversion circuit system comprises a primary conversion circuit, a secondary conversion circuit, and a control circuit for controlling the primary and secondary conversion circuits. The primary conversion circuit comprises a primary full bridge circuit, which includes a bridge section composed of both a primary coil in a transformer and a primary magnetic coupling reactor in which two reactors are magnetically coupled, a first input/output port disposed between a positive bus bar and a negative bus bar of the primary full bridge circuit, and a second input/output port disposed between the negative bus bar of the primary full bridge circuit and a center tap of the primary coil in the transformer. The secondary conversion circuit has a configuration similar to that of the primary conversion circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Ishigaki, Shuji Tomura, Takaji Umeno, Kenji Kimura
  • Patent number: 8824179
    Abstract: In a general aspect, a charge transfer includes a transformer including a plurality of primary windings and a plurality of galvanically isolated secondary windings, a first plurality of resonant converters having input terminals connected in series to an input power terminal and having output terminals connected to different primary windings of the plurality of primary windings, a second plurality of resonant converters having input terminals connected to different secondary windings of the plurality of secondary windings and having output terminals connected to a galvanically isolated power terminal, and a control system for controlling a transfer of electric charge between the input power terminal and the galvanically isolated output power terminal including controlling a first plurality of switches of the first plurality of resonant converters and a second plurality of switches of the second plurality of resonant converters in a zero current soft switching mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventor: Rudolf Limpaecher
  • Patent number: 8824178
    Abstract: A power converter may include a first power path having no energy storage and a second power path having substantial energy storage. The first and second power paths have first and second input waveforms that are complementary with respect to a source waveform. The first power path, which may be more efficient than the second path, may transfer as much power as possible from the input to the output. The energy storage enables the second power path to make up the difference between the power available from the source and the power drawn by the first power path, and to make up the difference between the power demanded by a load and the power supplied by the first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary B. Baker, Robert Batten, Keith Slavin, Triet Tu Le, Vincenzo DiTommaso, Ravindranath Naiknaware
  • Patent number: 8817504
    Abstract: A multilevel converter includes at least one phase each including several cascaded basic units each including a first switching element, a second switching element, and a separate and electrically isolated DC source (SDCS). The SDCS is electrically coupled between the first switching element and the second switching element in each basic unit. Each of the adjacent pairs of the basic units are electrically crosswise coupled together by electrical coupling of the first switching element of a first basic unit of the two adjacent basic units to the second switching element of a second basic unit of the two adjacent basic units, and electrically coupling the second switching element of the first basic unit to the first switching element of the second basic unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Di Zhang, Luis José Garcés Rivera
  • Patent number: 8811049
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating AC power. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a DC/AC inversion stage capable of generating at least one of a single-phase output power, a two-phase output power, or a three-phase output power; and a conversion control module, coupled to the DC/AC inversion stage, for driving the DC/AC inversion stage to selectively generate the single-phase output power, the two-phase output power, or the three-phase output power based on an input power to the DC/AC inversion stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Fornage
  • Publication number: 20140226379
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for operating a power converter of a plurality of serially connected power converters coupled using chaotic democratic control includes: a DC voltage module generating a set current value for the power converter to bias a DC source at a set point voltage and a switching controller. The switching controller determining an upper threshold and lower threshold based on the set current value, and comparing a system current value to the upper and lower thresholds to determine an operating state of the power converter, where the system current is generated by the plurality of converters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Harrison
  • Patent number: 8797772
    Abstract: A low noise voltage regulator generally includes an output switching stage and an amplifier, both of which contribute current to produce an output voltage at a substantially constant level. The amplifier produces a current that is based on a difference between a reference voltage and a feedback of the output voltage. The current from the amplifier (and optionally also from a current ramp generator) counterbalances the current from the output switching stage to maintain the output voltage at the substantially constant level. The output switching stage is controlled in response to a level of the counterbalancing current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Teddy D. Thomas, Gregory Stewart Waterfall
  • Publication number: 20140211521
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a scalable single stage differential power converter. The inverter can be implemented in signal, split and multi-phases. A multiphase converter can be achieved with only three modules. Integrated magnetics used in preferred embodiments of the invention mitigate the DC component of the steady-state dynamics and can be extended to AC ripple mitigation. Control architectures in preferred embodiments can mitigate higher order harmonics in steady state dynamics. Embodiments of the invention also provide scalability for voltage and current source topologies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventor: Sudip K. Mazumder
  • Patent number: 8787049
    Abstract: A control method and apparatus are provided to convert a DC voltage into alternating voltage. The apparatus includes a first inverter and a second inverter to generate a first alternating voltage and a second alternating voltage, respectively. Also included is an interphase transformer to combine these alternating voltages in parallel to obtain a first resulting alternating voltage. The apparatus also includes a third inverter and a fourth inverter to generate a third and fourth alternating voltage, respectively. These are combined to form a second resulting alternating voltage. The second resulting alternating voltage is displaced in phase approximately 180° in relation to the first resulting alternating voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ingeteam Power Technology, S.A.
    Inventors: Francisco Javier Chivite Zabalza, Miguel Angel Rodriguez Vidal, Danel Madariaga Zubimendi, Pedro Izurza Moreno, Gorka Calvo Olalla
  • Patent number: 8779716
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi output inverter that is adapted to supply mains powered appliances 47-49 and/or poly-phase motors 50, 51.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Power Concepts NZ Limited
    Inventor: Christopher William Fotherby
  • Patent number: 8780594
    Abstract: Proposed is a parallel inverter drive system including includes a plurality of inverter drives connected in parallel with each other, in which each inverter drive includes a switch; a PWM controller connected to the switch for controlling switching operations of the switch device according to a duty cycle signal; and a circulating current suppressor for collecting current information associated with the current of each inverter drive and a summation current, and generating an index according to the collected current information and the desired circulating current quantity. A zero-sequence voltage is generated for each phase of a three-phase voltage command according to the index and the voltage command and the operating mode of the inverter drive, thereby injecting the zero-sequence voltage into the voltage command with a feed-forward configuration so as to fix the voltage command. The PWM controller can generate the duty cycle signal according to the fixed voltage command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien-Yu Chi, Lon-Jay Cheng
  • Patent number: 8780593
    Abstract: A power compensation apparatus for a renewable energy system includes a plurality of converter modules positioned between any two phases of a three-phase AC electrical grid, each converter module including a plurality of inverter circuits connected in series. Each inverter circuit includes an energy storage unit for providing a direct current (DC) voltage; a capacitor connected to the energy storage unit; and an H-bridge circuit converting the DC voltage into an alternating current (AC) voltage. The converter modules perform reactive power compensation and active power regulation on the electrical grid in a delta connection. A plurality of converter modules are respectively positioned between any two phases of the electrical grid in a delta connection, so as to keep the voltage of the electrical grid continuously stable when the voltage of the electrical grid fluctuates, and also compensate load current when system load is not balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Yong Wang, Qing Chen
  • Patent number: 8773874
    Abstract: Between a direct-current power source and a connection point where a resonance current flowing in an opposite direction from a main current joins the main current from the direct-current power source in a resonant converter, there is provided a current blocking circuit which blocks the resonance current toward the direct-current power source. In consequence, it is possible to prevent the reverse charging of the direct-current power source with the resonance current which realizes soft switching in the resonant converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Hasegawa, Toshihiko Minamii
  • Publication number: 20140185341
    Abstract: A DC-to-AC power conversion method is provided, including: generating an AC reference signal and an AC zero crossing detection signal; generating an error signal based on the AC reference signal and an output current or an output voltage at an AC output terminal; generating a turn-off signal based on the error signal and an input current at a DC input terminal; detecting or predicting a valley voltage of a resonance voltage to generate a turn-on signal; generating first, second, third and fourth switching signals based on the AC zero crossing detection signal, the turn-off signal and the turn-on signal; and controlling first, second, third and fourth switching elements of power conversion modules with the first, second, third and fourth switching signals, to enable the first and second power conversion modules to convert the input current of the DC input terminal to the output current of the AC output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: Chau-Chun WEN, Ming-Hung YU
  • Patent number: 8766474
    Abstract: Presented is a system and method for providing reconfigurable AC interfaces for AC power systems. The method comprises embedding a reconfigurable AC interface for transferring power between power sources and loads, monitoring the voltage and current of the interfaces of the reconfigurable AC interface, and switching between power sources based on the monitoring. The system comprises a reconfigurable AC interface further comprising an inverter for converting DC power to AC, transfer switches with interfaces for connecting to the inverter, other transfer switches, and AC busses, and a controller that dynamically configures the transfer switches to transfer power between the inverter, and AC busses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Carralero, Jimmy M. Quiambao, Sang H. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20140177300
    Abstract: An electric power supply system, comprising: a main switching cell (6) comprising a first main branch (14) and a second main branch (16) each including a main switch (T1, T2), and an auxiliary switching cell (10) connected to the main switching cell (6) and comprising a first secondary branch (20) and a second secondary branch (22) on the one hand, each including a secondary switch (T3, T4) and a connection branch (24) for connecting the auxiliary switching cell (10) to the main switching cell (6) on the other hand, the connection branch (24) including a switching inductor (L1), the main switching cell (6) and the auxiliary switching cell (10) being connected, cascaded from each other. The auxiliary switching cell (10) comprises at least two switching capacitors (C1, C2) positioned parallel to one of the secondary switches (T3, T4) for one of them and parallel to one of the main switches (T1, T2) for the other one. An aircraft comprising at least such a power supply system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: THALES
    Inventors: Vivien Lagorce, Christophe Taurand, François Klein
  • Patent number: 8760895
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating AC power. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a DC/AC inversion stage capable of generating at least one of a single-phase output power, a two-phase output power, or a three-phase output power; and a conversion control module, coupled to the DC/AC inversion stage, for driving the DC/AC inversion stage to selectively generate the single-phase output power, the two-phase output power, or the three-phase output power based on an input power to the DC/AC inversion stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Fornage
  • Patent number: 8750000
    Abstract: A method of adapting a configuration of a voltage converting device is provided. The voltage converting device includes a plurality of voltage converting units in parallel electrical connection to one another, and a plurality of inter-bridge transforming units. Each of the inter-bridge transforming units has a primary coil and a secondary coil. Each of the voltage converting units is electrically connected to a primary coil of a different one of the inter-bridge transforming units. The method includes detecting a status of at least one element of the group consisting of the voltage converting units and the inter-bridge transforming units. The method further includes adapting an activity state of the element based on the detected status of the element by moving the element from a first position to a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rodney Jones
  • Patent number: 8743573
    Abstract: A voltage inverter capable of operating in the event of a short-circuit or open-circuit fault. The voltage inverter includes: a load having three phases, each phase having a first terminal and a second terminal; first and second cells each including three branches connected together in parallel, each branch including two switches connected in series and a mid-point positioned between the two switches, each first terminal of each of the phases being connected to one of the mid-points of the first cell and each second terminal of each of the phases being connected to one of the mid-points of the second cell; and a DC voltage source, the first and second cells each being connected to the DC voltage source via two electrical isolators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Hispano Suiza
    Inventor: Cédric Balpe
  • Patent number: 8743570
    Abstract: A device for converting direct voltage from an electrochemical store or a fuel cell to alternating voltage, includes a two-stage design having a single DC/DC converter stage for generating an intermediate circuit voltage from the output voltage of the electrochemical store or the fuel cell, which converter stage converts, in particular raises, the direct voltage in a wide input voltage range directly to an intermediate circuit voltage with which a DC/AC converter stage can be operated to generate the alternating voltage. The single DC/AC converter stage generates the alternating voltage from the intermediate circuit voltage. The invention further relates to a method for actuating a device for converting direct voltage from a store or energy generator into alternating voltage for feeding into a supply network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Jens-Uwe Mueller, Peter Witsch, Christian Ruehling, Andreas Falk, Torsten Leifert
  • Patent number: 8736861
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a power storage unit. The power storage unit includes a constant voltage generation part configured to generate a constant voltage from a commercial power supply, the constant voltage generation part being connected to an external apparatus operating by consuming power; a voltage increasing circuit configured to increase the constant voltage generated by the constant voltage generation part; a capacitor configured to store an electric charge supplied from the voltage increasing circuit; a circuit control part configured to control charging of the capacitor; and an output part configured to output power stored in the capacitor, the power having a voltage different from the constant voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Sato, Hideo Kikuchi, Masahide Nakaya
  • Patent number: 8736102
    Abstract: The multifunctional power converter apparatus and method includes an input power stage configured to receive a DC input voltage from a DC power source and convert the DC input voltage to an AC or DC output voltage. At least one electrical power conversion electronic circuit is connected to an output of the input power stage, a DC output circuit; an AC output circuit; and a controller configured to control the input power stage, the DC output circuit and the AC output circuit. The controller is configured to automatically control the power converter output voltage based on a preselected user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Lijun Gao, Shengyi Liu, Kamiar J. Karimi
  • Patent number: 8737098
    Abstract: A high voltage inverter is provided which includes a plurality of k-level flying capacitor H bridge modules, k being greater than 2, each having a positive dc terminal, a negative dc terminal, and two ac terminals, a connecting unit for connecting said ac terminals of said plurality of k-level flying capacitor H bridge modules in series to form a cascading set of modules, and a dc source connected to an ac source and having a transformer, a rectifier rectifying an output voltage of said transformer, and a capacitor connected between the positive and negative dc terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: DRS Power & Control Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashish R. Bendre, Slobadan Krstic
  • Patent number: 8730696
    Abstract: A multi-level voltage converter includes a multi-point converter circuit and at least one full bridge inverter circuit. The multi-point converter circuit is configured for converting a DC voltage into an intermediate multi-level voltage. The full bridge inverter circuit is electrically connected in series with the multi-point converter circuit and configured for receiving the intermediate multi-level voltage to generate a multi-level output voltage corresponding to a single phase output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Barbosa
  • Patent number: 8717788
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling a power converter system with a direct current (DC)-bus capacitor connected to at least a first converter and a second converter. The first converter is with associated first current and the second converter is with associated second current. Switching states of the first and second converters are determined. The switching states of the second converter are sequenced relative to the first converter to reduce a difference of sums of the associated first and second currents between adjacent time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chingchi Chen, Michael W. Degner, Satish Thuta