# US 11,444,541 B2 · Control method for DC/DC converter and DC/DC converter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,444,541 B2 - Document ID: US11444541B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/348,781 - Filed: 2021-06-16 - Published: 2021-10-07 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-08 - Assignees: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hao Sun; Minli Jia; Jinfa Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444541B2 ## CPC - H02M 3/33573: {Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer} - H02M 1/0012: {Control circuits using digital or numerical techniques (in DC/DC converters H02M3/157, H02M3/33515; in DC-AC converters H02M7/53873)} - H02M 1/0058: {by employing soft switching techniques, i.e. commutation of transistors when applied voltage is zero or when current flow is zero (using an auxiliary actively switched resonant commutation circuit connected to an intermediate DC voltage or between two push-pull branches of an inverter bridge H02M7/4811; in resonant inverters H02M7/4815; in inverters operating from a resonant DC source H02M7/4826)} - H02M 1/083: {for the ignition at the zero crossing of the voltage or the current} - H02M 3/33584: {Bidirectional converters} - H02M 3/33592: {having a synchronous rectifier circuit or a synchronous freewheeling circuit at the secondary side of an isolation transformer} - H02M 3/01: {Resonant DC/DC converters} - H02M 3/33576: {having at least one active switching element at the secondary side of an isolation transformer} - Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes - 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) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A control method for a DC/DC converter and a DC/DC converter are provided. The method includes: providing a first primary side driving signal to drive the first switch and the fourth switch, and providing a second primary side driving signal to drive the second switch and the third switch; and providing a fifth signal, a sixth signal, a seventh signal and an eighth signal; where switches of the first secondary side bridge arm or the second secondary side bridge arm are turned on or turned off at a zero crossing point of a primary side current, and a driving signal of the second secondary side bridge arm has a phase shift angle with respect to that of the first secondary side bridge arm and the fifth signal is complementary to the sixth signal, and the seventh signal is complementary to the eighth signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control method for a DC/DC converter, the DC/DC converter comprising a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit electrically isolated with each other, wherein the primary side circuit comprises a first primary side bridge arm consisting of a first switch and a second switch in series and a second primary side bridge arm consisting of a third switch and a fourth switch in series, and the first primary side bridge arm is parallel to the second primary side bridge arm; and the secondary side circuit comprises a first secondary side bridge arm consisting of a fifth switch and a sixth switch in series and a second secondary side bridge arm consisting of a seventh switch and an eighth switch in series, and the first secondary side bridge arm is parallel to the second secondary side bridge arm, the method comprising: providing a first primary side driving signal to drive the first switch and the fourth switch, and providing a second primary side driving signal to drive the second switch and the third switch; and providing a fifth signal, a sixth signal, a seventh signal and an eighth signal to respectively drive the fifth switch, the sixth switch, the seventh switch and the eighth switch; wherein switches of the first secondary side bridge arm or the second secondary side bridge arm are turned on or turned off at a zero crossing point (ZCP) of a primary side current, and a driving signal of the second secondary side bridge arm has a phase shift angle with respect to that of the first secondary side bridge arm; and the first primary side driving signal is complementary to the second primary side driving signal, the fifth signal is complementary to the sixth signal, and the seventh signal is complementary to the eighth signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein the DC/DC converter is a bidirectional converter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises a resonant tank, and the resonant tank comprises a transformer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein levels of the fifth signal and the sixth signal are flipped at the ZCP of the primary side current, and the eighth signal has a phase shift angle with respect to the fifth signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein levels of the seventh signal and the eighth signal are flipped at the ZCP of the primary side current, and the fifth signal has a phase shift angle with respect to the eighth signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein providing a fifth signal, a sixth signal, a seventh signal and an eighth signal to respectively drive the fifth switch, the sixth switch, the seventh switch and the eighth switch comprises: providing a first intermediate signal (SA), a second intermediate signal (SB), a third intermediate signal (SC) and a fourth intermediate signal (SD), wherein a duty cycle of the first intermediate signal, the second intermediate signal, the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal is 25%, a phase angle between the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal is 180°, a phase angle between the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal is 180°, the first intermediate signal is flipped to a high level at the ZCP of the primary side current, the third intermediate signal is flipped to a high level with a delay to the ZCP of the primary side current; generating the fifth signal and the sixth signal according to the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal, and generating the seventh signal and the eighth signal according to the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal, or generating the seventh signal and the eighth signal according to the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal, and generating the fifth signal and the sixth signal according to the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal ; and driving the fifth switch, the sixth switch, the seventh switch and the eighth switch by the fifth signal, the sixth signal, the seventh signal and the eighth signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control method according to claim 6, wherein the providing a fifth signal, a sixth signal, a seventh signal and an eighth signal to respectively drive the fifth switch, the sixth switch, the seventh switch and the eighth switch further comprises: performing digital computing or a logic gate operation on the first intermediate signal, the second intermediate signal, the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal to generate the fifth signal, the sixth signal, the seventh signal and the eighth signal; wherein the logic gate operation comprises AND, OR, NAND, NOT or any combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein the fifth signal and the sixth signal have a phase-lag by the predetermine phase difference with respect to that of the seventh signal and the eighth signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein the fifth signal and the sixth signal have a phase-lead by the predetermine phase difference with respect to that of the seventh signal and the eighth signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein a duty cycle of the first primary side driving signal, the second primary side driving signal, the fifth signal, the sixth signal, the seventh signal and the eighth signal is 50%. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The control method according to claim 1, wherein the fifth signal, the sixth signal, the seventh signal and the eighth signal operate the DC/DC converter in a diode rectification state or a synchronous rectification state. ### Claim 12 A DC/DC converter, comprising: a primary side circuit comprising a first primary side bridge arm consisting of a first switch and a second switch in series and a second primary side bridge arm consisting of a third switch and a fourth switch in series, and the first primary side bridge arm is parallel to the second primary side bridge arm; a secondary side circuit, electrically isolated with the primary side circuit, comprising a first secondary side bridge arm consisting of a fifth switch and a sixth switch in series and a second secondary side bridge arm consisting of a seventh switch and an eighth switch in series, and the first secondary side bridge arm is parallel to the second secondary side bridge arm; and a control apparatus comprising: a primary side control module, configured to provide a first primary side driving signal to drive the first switch and the fourth switch, and provide a second primary side driving signal to drive the second switch and the third switch; and a secondary side control module, configured to provide a fifth signal, a sixth signal, a seventh signal and an eighth signal to respectively drive the fifth switch, the sixth switch, the seventh switch and the eighth switch; wherein switches of the first secondary side bridge arm or the second secondary side bridge arm are turned on or turned off at a zero crossing point (ZCP) of a primary side current, and a driving signal of the second secondary side bridge arm has a phase shift angle with respect to that of the first secondary side bridge arm; and the first primary side driving signal is complementary to the second primary side driving signal, the fifth signal is complementary to the sixth signal, and the seventh signal is complementary to the eighth signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein the DC/DC converter is a bidirectional converter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises a resonant tank, and the resonant tank comprises a transformer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein levels of the fifth signal and the sixth signal are flipped at the ZCP of the primary side current, and the eighth signal has a phase shift angle with respect to the fifth signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein levels of the seventh signal and the eighth signal are flipped at the ZCP of the primary side current, and the fifth signal has a phase shift angle with respect to the eighth signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein the primary side control module is further configured to: provide a first intermediate signal (SA) and a second intermediate signal (SB); and the secondary side control module is further configured to: provide a third intermediate signal (SC) and a fourth intermediate signal (SD); wherein a duty cycle of the first intermediate signal, the second intermediate signal, the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal is 25%, a phase angle between the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal is 180°, a phase angle between the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal is 180°, the first intermediate signal is flipped to a high level at the ZCP of the primary side current, the third intermediate signal is flipped to a high level with a delay to the ZCP of the primary side current; the secondary side control module is further configured to: generate the fifth signal and the sixth signal according to the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal, and generate the seventh signal and the eighth signal according to the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal, or generate the seventh signal and the eighth signal according to the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal, and generate the fifth signal and the sixth signal according to the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal; and drive the fifth switch, the sixth switch, the seventh switch and the eighth switch by the fifth signal, the sixth signal, the seventh signal and the eighth signal, respectively. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The DC/DC converter according to claim 17, wherein the secondary side control module is further configured to: perform digital computing or a logic gate operation on the first intermediate signal, the second intermediate signal, the third intermediate signal and the fourth intermediate signal to generate the fifth signal, the sixth signal, the seventh signal and the eighth signal; wherein the logic gate operation comprises AND, OR, NAND, NOT or any combination thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein the fifth signal and the sixth signal have a phase-lag by the predetermine phase difference with respect to that of the seventh signal and the eighth signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein the fifth signal and the sixth signal have a phase-lead by the predetermine phase difference with respect to that of the seventh signal and the eighth signal. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein a duty cycle of the first primary side driving signal, the second primary side driving signal, the fifth signal, the sixth signal, the seventh signal and the eighth signal is 50%. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The DC/DC converter according to claim 12, wherein the fifth signal, the sixth signal, the seventh signal and the eighth signal are configured to operate the DC/DC converter in a diode rectification state or a synchronous rectification state.