# US 11,121,639 B2 · Voltage converter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,121,639 B2 - Document ID: US11121639B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/747,760 - Filed: 2020-01-21 - Published: 2020-07-30 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-25 - Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Inventors: David R Trainer; Zhigang Sun; Ellis F H Chong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11121639B2 ## CPC - H02M 1/15: using active elements - F02C 6/00: Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use - H02M 1/12: Arrangements for reducing harmonics from AC input or output - H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection - H02M 7/219: in a bridge configuration - H02M 7/25: arranged for operation in series, e.g. for multiplication of voltage - H02M 7/4835: {comprising two or more cells, each including a switchable capacitor, the capacitors having a nominal charge voltage which corresponds to a given fraction of the input voltage, and the capacitors being selectively connected in series to determine the instantaneous output voltage} - H02P 9/305: {controlling voltage (H02P9/302 takes precedence)} - H02M 1/0074: {Plural converter units whose inputs are connected in series} - H02M 1/14: Arrangements for reducing ripples from DC input or output - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS ## Abstract Disclosed herein is a converter for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage, the converter comprising: a first H-bridge circuit comprising a first AC terminal for receiving an AC voltage, a second AC terminal, a first DC terminal and a second DC terminal; a second H-bridge circuit comprising a first AC terminal for receiving an AC voltage, a second AC terminal, a first DC terminal and a second DC terminal; an isolation block arranged between the second AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the second AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit; and a DC voltage output of the converter with a first terminal and a second terminal; wherein: the first terminal of the DC voltage output is connected to the first DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the first DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit; and the second terminal of the DC voltage output is connected to the second DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the second DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A converter for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage, the converter comprising: a first H-bridge circuit comprising a first AC terminal configured to receive an AC voltage, a second AC terminal, a first DC terminal and a second DC terminal; a second H-bridge circuit comprising a first AC terminal configured to receive an AC voltage, a second AC terminal, a first DC terminal and a second DC terminal; an isolation block configured to electrically isolate the second AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit from the second AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit, the isolation block being not connected to the first AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; and a DC voltage output of the converter with a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein: the first terminal of the DC voltage output is connected to the first DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the first DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit, and the second terminal of the DC voltage output is connected to the second DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the second DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit. ### Claim 2 A converter for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage, the converter comprising: a first H-bridge circuit comprising a first AC terminal configured to receive an AC voltage, a second AC terminal, a first DC terminal and a second DC terminal; a second H-bridge circuit comprising a first AC terminal configured to receive an AC voltage, a second AC terminal, a first DC terminal and a second DC terminal; an isolation block configured to electrically isolate the second AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit from the second AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit, the isolation block being not connected to the first AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; and a DC voltage output of the converter with a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein: the second DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit is connected to the first DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit, the first terminal of the DC voltage output is connected to the first DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit, and the second terminal of the DC voltage output is connected to the second DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The converter according to claim 1, wherein the first H-bridge circuit comprises: a first switch of the first H-bridge circuit, wherein the first switch is arranged between the first AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the first DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; a second switch of the first H-bridge circuit, wherein the second switch is arranged between the first AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the second DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; a third switch of the first H-bridge circuit, wherein the third switch is arranged between the second AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the first DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; and a fourth switch of the first H-bridge circuit, wherein the fourth switch is arranged between the second AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit and the second DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; and wherein the second H-bridge circuit comprises: a first switch of the second H-bridge circuit, wherein the first switch is arranged between the second AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit and the first DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit; a second switch of the second H-bridge circuit, wherein the second switch is arranged between the second AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit and the second DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit; a third switch of the second H-bridge circuit, wherein the third switch is arranged between the first AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit and the first DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit; and a fourth switch of the second H-bridge circuit, wherein the fourth switch is arranged between the first AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit and the second DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The converter according to claim 3, wherein one or more of the first, second, third and fourth switches of the first H-bridge circuit comprise a transistor and/or a diode; and/or one or more of the first, second, third and fourth switches of the second H-bridge circuit comprise a transistor and/or a diode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The converter according to claim 1, wherein the first H-bridge circuit comprises a capacitor arranged between the first DC terminal and the second DC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; and/or the second H-bridge circuit comprises a capacitor arranged between the first DC terminal and the second DC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The converter according to claim 1, wherein the isolation block is a transformer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The converter according to claim 6, wherein: a first terminal of a first side of the transformer is connected to the second AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; a second terminal of a first side of the transformer is connected to an AC voltage input to the converter; a first terminal of a second side of the transformer is connected to the second AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit; and a second terminal of a second side of the transformer is connected to the first AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The converter according to claim 1, further comprising one or more phase shifters; wherein, in use, there is a first AC voltage between the first AC terminal and second AC terminal of the first H-bridge circuit; there is a second AC voltage between the first AC terminal and second AC terminal of the second H-bridge circuit; and the one or more phase shifters are arranged to control the phase difference between the first AC voltage and the second AC voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The converter according to claim 3, further comprising a switching controller; wherein, in use, the switching times of one or more of the switches in the first H-bridge circuit and/or one or more of the switches in the second H-bridge circuit are dependent on the switching controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A converter system for providing a DC voltage in dependence on an AC voltage, the converter system comprising: a DC output of the converter system with a first terminal and a second terminal; and a plurality of converters according to claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality converters is arranged to receive an AC voltage; the first terminal of the DC output of the converter system is connected to the first terminal of the DC voltage output of each converter; and the second terminal of the DC output of the converter system is connected to the second terminal of the DC voltage output of each converter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The converter system according to claim 10, wherein the converter system further comprises a capacitor arranged between the first terminal of the DC output of the converter system and the second terminal of the DC output of the converter system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A DC power supply comprising an AC generator and the converter system according to claim 10, wherein: the number of converters that the converter system comprises is the same as the number of output phases of the AC generator; and each converter of the converter system is arranged to receive an AC voltage from a different output phase of the AC generator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The DC power supply according the claim 12, wherein the number of converters comprised by the converter system is three. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A gas turbine engine system comprising: a gas turbine engine; and the DC power supply according to claim 12; wherein the gas turbine engine is arranged to drive the AC generator of the DC power supply. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method for providing a DC power supply, the method comprising: receiving an AC voltage by a converter according to claim 1; generating a DC voltage in dependence on each received AC voltage; and outputting the generated DC voltage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method for providing a DC power supply of claim 15, wherein the converter is one of a plurality of converters in a converter system and the converter system comprises: a DC output of the converter system with a first terminal and a second terminal; and wherein: each of the plurality converters is arranged to receive an AC voltage; the first terminal of the DC output of the converter system is connected to the first terminal of the DC voltage output of each converter; and the second terminal of the DC output of the converter system is connected to the second terminal of the DC voltage output of each converter, the method comprising: receiving an AC voltage by the converter system; generating a DC voltage in dependence on each received AC voltage; and outputting the generated DC voltage.