# US 11,309,805 B2 · Inverter and photovoltaic installation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,309,805 B2 - Document ID: US11309805B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/690,546 - Filed: 2017-08-30 - Published: 2018-03-01 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-31 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Marvin Tannhäuser - Inventors: Marvin Tannhäuser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309805B2 ## CPC - H02M 7/487: Neutral point clamped inverters - H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02M 7/483: Converters with outputs that each can have more than two voltages levels - H02J 3/388: Arrangements for the handling of islanding, e.g. for disconnection or for avoiding the disconnection of power - H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics - H02M 1/007: {Plural converter units in cascade (push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826)} - H02M 1/008: {Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators} - H02M 1/44: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters - Y02E 10/56: Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers - 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) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An inverter that is a micro-photovoltaic inverter includes a DC-DC converter on an input side of the inverter. The DC-DC converter has three output voltage levels. The inverter also includes an inverter element having at least three input voltage levels. The inverter element is electrically connected to the DC-DC converter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inverter comprising: a DC-DC converter on an input side of the inverter, the DC-DC converter having three output voltage levels; and an inverter element having at least three input voltage levels, the inverter element being electrically connected to the DC-DC converter, wherein the DC-DC converter on the input side comprises an inverting DC-DC converter and a non-inverting DC-DC converter, wherein the non-inverting DC-DC converter and the inverting DC-DC converter operate in an interleaved clocking mode, wherein the non-inverting DC-DC converter comprises a boost converter, the inverting DC-DC converter comprises a buck-boost converter, or a combination thereof, and wherein the non-inverting DC-DC converter and the inverting DC-DC converter are jointly fed in parallel by a DC voltage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inverter of claim 1, wherein the inverter is a micro-photovoltaic inverter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inverter of claim 1, wherein the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are configured for output voltages that differ from one another by not more than twenty percent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The inverter of claim 3, wherein the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are configured for output voltages that differ from one another by not more than three percent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The inverter of claim 4, wherein the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are configured for output voltages that differ from one another by not more than 0.5 percent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inverter of claim 1, wherein inputs of the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are fed such that the inputs have different polarities and in particular an equal magnitude. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The inverter of claim 6, wherein inputs of the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are fed such that the inputs have an equal magnitude. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inverter of claim 1, wherein the inverter element includes three phase legs for three-phase output voltages, each of the three phase legs being feedable with three input voltage levels of the at least three input voltage levels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The inverter of claim 8, wherein the three phase legs are configured in or with the ANPC type, NPC type, or 3L-T type. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The inverter of claim 1, wherein the inverter element is an extended-ANPC type. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inverter of claim 1, further comprising two DC link capacitors that isolate the three output voltage levels of the DC-DC converter from one another. ### Claim 12 A photovoltaic installation comprising: a micro-photovoltaic inverter including an inverter, the inverter including: a DC-DC converter on an input side of the inverter, the DC-DC converter having three output voltage levels; and an inverter element having at least three input voltage levels, the inverter element being electrically connected to the DC-DC converter, wherein the DC-DC converter on the input side comprises an inverting DC-DC converter and a non-inverting DC-DC converter, wherein the non-inverting DC-DC converter and the inverting DC-DC converter operate in an interleaved clocking mode, and wherein inputs of the non-inverting DC-DC converter and the inverting DC-DC converter are jointly fed in parallel by a DC voltage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The photovoltaic installation of claim 12, wherein the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are configured for output voltages that differ from one another by not more than twenty percent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The photovoltaic installation of claim 12, wherein the inputs of the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are fed such that the inputs have different polarities and in particular an equal magnitude. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The photovoltaic installation of claim 14, wherein the inputs of the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are fed such that the inputs have an equal magnitude. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The photovoltaic installation of claim 12, wherein the non-inverting DC-DC converter comprises a boost converter, the inverting DC-DC converter comprises a buck-boost converter, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 17 An inverter comprising: a DC-DC converter on an input side of the inverter, the DC-DC converter having three output voltage levels; and an inverter element having at least three input voltage levels, the inverter element being electrically connected to the DC-DC converter, wherein the DC-DC converter on the input side comprises an inverting DC-DC converter and a non-inverting DC-DC converter, wherein the non-inverting DC-DC converter and the inverting DC-DC converter operate in an interleaved clocking mode, and wherein the inverting DC-DC converter and the non-inverting DC-DC converter are configured for output voltages that differ from one another by not more than twenty percent.