# US 11,909,256 B2 · Switching module and power supply system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,256 B2 - Document ID: US11909256B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/847,354 - Filed: 2022-06-23 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-25 - Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kazuo Hattori - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909256B2 ## CPC - H02J 9/061: {for DC powered loads} - H01H 47/00: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the relay and designed to obtain desired operating characteristics or to provide energising current - H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection - H02M 7/06: using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode - 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 1/007: {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 1/10: Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from AC or DC - H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - 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) ## Abstract A switching module includes mechanical relays, semiconductor switches, voltage detectors to detect an input voltage to a power converter, and a controller. When the controller determines that the waveform of the input voltage is abnormal during a first determination period, the controller outputs an open command signal to mechanical relays corresponding to a power source electrically coupled to the power converter. When the controller subsequently determines that the waveform of the input voltage is normal during a second determination period, the controller outputs a close command signal to the mechanical relays. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A switching module to output to a subsequent circuit electric power supplied from one of a plurality of power sources, the switching module comprising: a plurality of mechanical relays coupled between the plurality of power sources and the subsequent circuit; a plurality of semiconductor switches respectively coupled in parallel with the plurality of mechanical relays; a voltage detector to detect an input voltage to the subsequent circuit; and a controller configured or programmed to control connection and disconnection of the plurality of mechanical relays to electrically couple one of the plurality of power sources to the subsequent circuit; wherein the controller is configured or programmed to: when determining that the input voltage is abnormal during a preset first determination period, output an open command signal to open a closed mechanical relay of the plurality of mechanical relays to the closed mechanical relay, and to control, of the plurality of semiconductor switches, a semiconductor switch coupled in parallel with the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal to drive the semiconductor switch into an ON state, after the first determination period elapses; when determining that the input voltage is normal during a preset second determination period longer than the first determination period, output a close command signal to close the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal to the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal, and to control the semiconductor switch coupled in parallel with the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal to drive the semiconductor switch into an ON state; and when determining that the input voltage is abnormal during the second determination period, control the semiconductor switch coupled in parallel with the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal to drive the semiconductor switch into an OFF state, and subsequently output the close command signal to an open mechanical relay different from the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal of the plurality of mechanical relays. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to: every time a preset determination time arrives, determine whether the input voltage is abnormal in accordance with an instantaneous value of the input voltage detected by the voltage detector during a third determination period shorter than the first determination period; when determining that the input voltage is abnormal during the third determination period, determine whether the input voltage is abnormal during the first determination period; and when determining that the input voltage is normal during the third determination period, end determination whether the input voltage is abnormal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to, when an instantaneous value of the input voltage is outside a preset reference range continuously for a preset reference period during the first determination period, determine that the input voltage is abnormal during the first determination period. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to, when a condition in which a determination result of the first determination period is different from a determination result of the second determination period is consecutively repeated a predetermined number of times, update the first determination period to a longer period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The switching module according to claim 1, further comprising: a temperature detector to detect a temperature of each of the plurality of semiconductor switches; wherein the controller is configured or programmed to, when the temperature of at least one of the plurality of semiconductor switches, the temperature being detected by the temperature detector, exceeds a preset reference temperature, extend the first determination period by a preset unit period. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The switching module according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of power sources is a three-phase alternating current power source including three delta-connected AC power sources; and the controller is configured or programmed to, in a state in which one of the plurality of power sources is electrically coupled to the subsequent circuit via three power lines, obtain the instantaneous value by calculating, with respect to different pairs of two power lines selected from the three power lines, an effective value of a line voltage between two power lines of each pair. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The switching module according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of power sources is a three-phase alternating current power source including three Y-connected AC power sources; and the controller is configured or programmed to, in a state in which one of the plurality of power sources is electrically coupled to the subsequent circuit via three power lines, obtain the instantaneous value by calculating, with respect to different pairs of two power lines selected from the three power lines, an effective value of a line voltage between two power lines of each pair. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mechanical relays includes six mechanical relays. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes a microcomputer and a memory. ### Claim 10 A power supply system comprising: a power converter to convert inputted electric power and supply the electric power to a load; and a switching module to output to the power converter electric power supplied from one of a plurality of power sources; wherein the switching module includes: a plurality of mechanical relays coupled between the plurality of power sources and the power converter; a plurality of semiconductor switches respectively coupled in parallel with the plurality of mechanical relays; a voltage detector configured to detect an input voltage to the power converter; and a controller configured to control connection and disconnection of the plurality of mechanical relays to electrically couple one of the plurality of power sources to the power converter, the controller is configured or programmed to: when determining that the input voltage is abnormal during a preset first determination period, output an open command signal to opening a closed mechanical relay of the plurality of mechanical relays to the closed mechanical relay, and to control, of the plurality of semiconductor switches, a semiconductor switch coupled in parallel with the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal to drive the semiconductor switch into an ON state; after the first determination period elapses, when determining that the input voltage is normal during a preset second determination period longer than the first determination period, output a close command signal to close the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal to the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal, and to control the semiconductor switch coupled in parallel with the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal to drive the semiconductor switch into an ON state; and when determining that the input voltage is abnormal during the second determination period, control the semiconductor switch coupled in parallel with the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal to drive the semiconductor switch into an OFF state, and subsequently output the close command signal to an open mechanical relay different from the mechanical relay receiving the open command signal of the plurality of mechanical relays. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The power supply system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to: every time a preset determination time arrives, determine whether the input voltage is abnormal in accordance with an instantaneous value of the input voltage detected by the voltage detector during a third determination period shorter than the first determination period; when determining that the input voltage is abnormal during the third determination period, determine whether the input voltage is abnormal during the first determination period; and when determining that the input voltage is normal during the third determination period, end determination whether the input voltage is abnormal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The power supply system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to, when an instantaneous value of the input voltage is outside a preset reference range continuously for a preset reference period during the first determination period, determine that the input voltage is abnormal during the first determination period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The power supply system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to, when a condition in which a determination result of the first determination period is different from a determination result of the second determination period is consecutively repeated a predetermined number of times, update the first determination period to a longer period. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The power supply system according to claim 10, further comprising: a temperature detector to detect a temperature of each of the plurality of semiconductor switches; wherein the controller is configured or programmed to, when the temperature of at least one of the plurality of semiconductor switches, the temperature being detected by the temperature detector, exceeds a preset reference temperature, extend the first determination period by a preset unit period. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The power supply system according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of power sources is a three-phase alternating current power source including three delta-connected AC power sources; and the controller is configured or programmed to, in a state in which one of the plurality of power sources is electrically coupled to the subsequent circuit via three power lines, obtain the instantaneous value by calculating, with respect to different pairs of two power lines selected from the three power lines, an effective value of a line voltage between two power lines of each pair. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The power supply system according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of power sources is a three-phase alternating current power source including three Y-connected AC power sources; and the controller is configured or programmed to, in a state in which one of the plurality of power sources is electrically coupled to the subsequent circuit via three power lines, obtain the instantaneous value by calculating, with respect to different pairs of two power lines selected from the three power lines, an effective value of a line voltage between two power lines of each pair. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The power supply system according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of mechanical relays includes six mechanical relays. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The power supply system according to claim 10, wherein the controller includes a microcomputer and a memory.