# US 12,003,190 B2 · Switched energy buffering

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,003,190 B2
- Document ID: US12003190B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/437,413
- Filed: 2020-03-09
- Published: 2022-05-26
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-09
- Assignees: Cornell University; The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
- Applicants: Cornell University; The Regents of the University of Colorado, A Body Corporate
- Inventors: Khurram K. Afridi; Mausamjeet Khatua; Saad Pervaiz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003190B2

## CPC

- H02M 7/487: Neutral point clamped inverters
- H01G 4/38: Multiple capacitors, i.e. structural combinations of fixed capacitors
- H02M 1/4225: {using a non-isolated boost converter}
- H02M 1/4233: {using a bridge converter comprising active switches}
- H02M 1/4241: {using a resonant converter}
- H02M 1/44: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters
- H02M 3/07: using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps}
- H02M 3/1582: {Buck-boost converters (H02M3/1584 takes precedence)}
- H05B 45/37: Converter circuits
- 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 1/007: {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 3/01: {Resonant DC/DC converters}
- H02M 3/33571: {Half-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer}
- 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)
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Systems and method herein provide for energy buffering. In one embodiment, a system includes an energy buffer comprising at least two energy storage elements. Each energy storage element is operable to buffer electrical energy. The system also includes a switch module operable to charge a first of the at least two energy storage elements while discharging a second of the at least two energy storage elements, and to discharge the first energy storage element while charging the second energy storage element after charging the first energy storage element. The switched charging of the energy storage elements compensates voltage variations between the energy storage elements to increase available electrical energy from the energy buffer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a twice-line frequency energy buffer comprising at least two energy storage elements, each energy storage element being operable to buffer electrical energy; and
a switch module operable to charge a first of the at least two energy storage elements while discharging a second of the at least two energy storage elements, and to discharge the first energy storage element while charging the second energy storage element after charging the first energy storage element,
wherein switched charging of the energy storage elements compensates voltage variations between the energy storage elements to increase available electrical energy from the energy buffer while maintaining a direct current bus voltage ripple within a desired range.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a controller operable to drive the switch module at a twice-line frequency of a voltage source charging the at least two energy storage elements.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein:
the at least two energy storage elements comprise a film capacitor, a ceramic capacitor, or both.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein:
the first and second energy storage elements comprise capacitors; and
the first capacitor is at least twice as large as the second capacitor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a power factor correction module operable to provide a unity power factor to the energy buffer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein:
the power factor correction module comprises a four switch buck-boost converter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
an inverter module operable to draw power from the energy buffer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a Direct Current to Direct Current converter that provides electrical isolation and a voltage level change to a load.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a filter module operable to filter Alternating Current at an input of a power factor correction module or at an output of an inverter module.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein:
the energy buffer and the switch module are operable with a light emitting diode driver.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a Direct Current to Direct Current (DC/DC) converter coupled to the first energy storage element to reduce a conversion ratio required from the DC/DC converter.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein:
the switch module is further operable to connect the DC/DC converter across the first energy storage element for a part of a line cycle, and to connect the DC/DC converter across the second energy storage element for another part of the line cycle.

### Claim 13

A method, comprising:
directing a switch module to charge a first of at least two energy storage elements in a twice-line frequency energy buffer while discharging a second of the at least two energy storage elements; and
directing the switch module to discharge the first energy storage element while charging the second energy storage element after charging the first energy storage element,
wherein switched charging of the energy storage elements compensates voltage variations between the energy storage elements to increase available electrical energy from the energy buffer while maintaining a direct current bus voltage ripple within a desired range.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
driving the switch module at a twice-line frequency of a voltage source charging the at least two energy storage elements.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein:
the at least two energy storage elements comprise a film capacitor, a ceramic capacitor, or both.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein:
the first and second energy storage elements comprise capacitors; and
the first capacitor is at least twice as large as the second capacitor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
providing a unity power factor to the energy buffer via a four switch buck-boost converter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
drawing power from the energy buffer via an inverter module.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
a filter module operable to filter an Alternating Current at an input of a power factor correction module or at an output of an inverter module.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
discharging the energy storage elements to a converter to power a light emitting diode.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
coupling a Direct Current to Direct Current (DC/DC) converter to the first energy storage element to reduce a conversion ratio required from the DC/DC converter.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising, via the switch module:
connecting the DC/DC converter across the first energy storage element for a part of a line cycle; and
connecting the DC/DC converter across the second energy storage element for another part of the line cycle.

### Claim 23

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a controller of a light emitting diode driver, direct the controller to:
direct a switch module to charge a first of at least two energy storage elements in a twice-line frequency energy buffer while discharging a second of the at least two energy storage elements; and
direct the switch module to discharge the first energy storage element while charging the second energy storage element after charging the first energy storage element,
wherein switched charging of the energy storage elements compensates voltage variations between the energy storage elements to increase available electrical energy from the energy buffer while maintaining a direct current bus voltage ripple within a desired range.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions that direct the controller to:
drive the switch module at a twice-line frequency of a voltage source charging the at least two energy storage elements.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein:
the at least two energy storage elements comprise a film capacitor, a ceramic capacitor, or both.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions that direct the controller to:
discharge the energy storage elements to a converter to power a light emitting diode.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions that direct the controller to:
couple a Direct Current to Direct Current (DC/DC) converter to the first energy storage element to reduce a conversion ratio required from the DC/DC converter.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that direct the controller to, via the switch module:
connect the DC/DC converter across the first energy storage element for a part of a line cycle; and
connect the DC/DC converter across the second energy storage element for another part of the line cycle.