# US 12,009,741 B2 · Power supply apparatus and control method of power supply apparatus

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- Number: US 12,009,741 B2
- Document ID: US12009741B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/610,437
- Filed: 2019-08-22
- Published: 2022-07-14
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-22
- Assignees: Nissin Electric Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Nissin Electric Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hironori Kashihara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009741B2

## CPC

- H02M 1/325: {with means for allowing continuous operation despite a fault, i.e. fault tolerant converters}
- H02J 7/855: {with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery}
- H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter}
- H02M 7/53871: {with automatic control of output voltage or current}
- H02J 2207/20: Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
- H02M 1/0025: {Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter}
- Y02P 90/50: Energy storage in industry with an added climate change mitigation effect
- 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
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A power supply apparatus (1) is provided with an energy storage device (10), a converter (20) for converting DC output to AC output, and a control unit (60). The control unit (60) controls the converter (20) such that, when an output current value exceeds a first limit value, the output current value becomes a predetermined value larger than the first limit value by lowering an output voltage value to less than a normal state value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A power supply apparatus, comprising:
an energy storage device,
a converter for converting a DC output of the energy storage device into an AC output;
a current measurer, measuring a current of the AC output;
a voltage measurer, measuring a voltage of the AC output; and
a control unit, controlling the converter,
wherein the control unit is provided with a current upper limit setting unit, a target voltage setting unit, and an output instruction unit,
the current upper limit setting unit operates, so as to:
at a time when a value of the current exceeds a first limit value, change a current upper limit value from the first limit value to a second limit value greater than the first limit value, and
at a time when the value of the current drops below the first limit value, change the current upper limit value from the second limit value to the first limit value,
wherein the output instruction unit controls the converter, so that the voltage becomes a target voltage calculated by the target voltage setting unit, and
wherein the target voltage setting unit, in a case where the value of the current exceeds the first limit value, lowers the target voltage to be less than a normal value, so that the value of the current becomes the current upper limit value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The power supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the control at the time when the value of the current exceeds the first limit value, so that the value of the current gradually transitions from the first limit value to the second limit value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The power supply apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein during the control of lowering the voltage to be less than the normal value, in a case where the value of the current drops below the first limit value, the control unit controls the converter so as to restore the voltage to the normal value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The power supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein during the control of lowering the voltage to be less than the normal value, in a case where the value of the current drops below the first limit value, the control unit controls the converter so as to restore the voltage to the normal value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The power supply apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit restores the voltage to the normal value, so that the voltage gradually transitions to the normal value.

### Claim 6

A control method for a power supply apparatus, the power supply apparatus comprising:
an energy storage device; and
a converter for converting a DC output of the energy storage device into an AC output, and
the control method comprising:
measuring a current of the AC output;
measuring a voltage of the AC output;
changing a current upper limit value from a first limit value to a second limit value greater than the first limit value at a time when a value of the current exceeds the first limit value, and changing the current upper limit value from the second limit value to the first limit value at a time when the value of the current drops below the first limit value;
controlling the converter in a manner that the voltage becomes a target voltage; and
in a case where the value of the current exceeds the first limit value, lowering the target voltage to be less than a normal value, so that the value of the current becomes the current upper limit value.