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US 12,531,472 B2Granted
Multilevel converter circuit and method
AssigneeSolaredge Technologies Ltd.
InventorsMeir Gazit, Menashe Walsh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power conversion system includes a first converter configured to convert an input voltage into discrete voltage levels, and provide each discrete voltage level at a corresponding output terminal. The power conversion system further includes a second converter configured to convert the voltages into modulated voltages. The power conversion system further includes a selection unit configured to alternatively output each of the modulated voltages across a pair of output terminals.
Claims16
A system comprising:
- a sensor configured to sense an electrical parameter comprising at least one of:
- voltage, current, impedance, resistance, phase angle, power factor, harmonic distortion, frequency, or power;
- a first converter comprising:
- two terminals;
- a first direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter coupled to the two terminals, the first DC-DC converter comprising a first switching circuit configured to convert an input voltage at the two terminals into first discrete voltages of a plurality of discrete voltages;
- and
- a second DC-DC converter, coupled to the two terminals, the second DC-DC converter comprising a second switching circuit configured to convert the input voltage at the two terminals into second discrete voltages of the plurality of discrete voltages;
- a second converter comprising a third switching circuit, wherein the third switching circuit comprises a first series connection of switches and a second series connection of switches, wherein the first series connection of switches is coupled across a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the first DC-DC converter, and the second series connection of switches is coupled across a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the second DC-DC converter, wherein the second converter is configured to convert the first discrete voltages and the second discrete voltages into a plurality of modulated voltages that are modulated according to a modulation scheme, and wherein each modulated voltage of the plurality of modulated voltages comprises two voltage levels equal, respectively, to two discrete voltages of the plurality of discrete voltages;
- a selection circuit comprising a pair of output terminals, wherein the selection circuit is configured to alternatively output, across the pair of output terminals of the selection circuit and based on at least one of the electrical parameter or a reference signal, each modulated voltage of the plurality of modulated voltages;
- and
- a controller configured to, based on the electrical parameter, control the second converter according to the modulation scheme,
- wherein the modulation scheme comprises at least one of:
- pulse width modulation,
- frequency modulation, or
- variable frequency and variable pulse width modulation.
12 more elements
A method comprising:
- sensing, via a sensor, an electrical parameter comprising at least one of:
- voltage, current, impedance, resistance, phase angle, power factor, harmonic distortion, frequency, or power;
- converting, via a first converter, an input voltage into a plurality of discrete voltages by:
- converting, via a first direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter of the first converter, the input voltage into a first pair of discrete voltages of the plurality of discrete voltages;
- converting, via at least a second DC-DC converter of the first converter, the input voltage into a second pair of discrete voltages of the plurality of discrete voltages;
- determining, by a controller and based on the electrical parameter, a modulation scheme comprising at least one of:
- pulse width modulation,
- frequency modulation, or
- variable frequency and variable pulse width;
- converting, via a second converter, the plurality of discrete voltages into a plurality of modulated voltages that are modulated according to the modulation scheme, wherein each modulated voltage of the plurality of modulated voltages comprises two voltage levels equal, respectively, to two discrete voltages of the plurality of discrete voltages;
- and
- alternatively outputting, via a selection circuit and based on at least one of the electrical parameter or a reference signal, each modulated voltage of the plurality of modulated voltages across a pair of output terminals of the selection circuit,
- wherein the second converter comprises a first series connection of switches and a second series connection of switches, wherein the first series connection of switches is coupled across a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the first DC-DC converter, and the second series connection of switches is coupled across a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the second DC-DC converter.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.