Method and apparatus for ascertaining an average choke current or an input or output voltage in a step-up or step-down converter

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium comprising commands which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to

• determine a parameter (V_c), wherein the parameter (V_c) characterizes a voltage in a circuit arrangement,
• wherein the circuit arrangement comprises a half bridge having a first switching element (S1) and a second switching element (S2) and an inductor (L) connected to the half bridge, wherein an alternating choke current (I_L) flows through the inductor (L),
• determine a duration (TNE1) between a zero crossing (N_−, N_+) and a vertex (E_−, E_+) of the choke current (I_L);
• determine the parameter (V_c) as a function of the ascertained duration (TNE1);
• and
• controlling, based on the parameter (V_c), operation of the circuit arrangement by alternately actuating the first and the second switching element (S1, S2) at a specifiable duty factor (a1) resulting in the alternating choke current (I_L) through the inductor (L).

A voltage estimator for determining and outputting an estimated voltage (U_est) between a first potential (P1) and a second potential (P2), the voltage estimator comprising:

• a logic unit (290), and
• an estimator,
• wherein the logic unit is configured to
• determine a parameter (V_c), wherein the parameter (V_c) characterizes a voltage in a circuit arrangement,
• wherein the circuit arrangement comprises a half bridge having a first switching element (S1) and a second switching element (S2) and an inductor (L) connected to the half bridge, wherein an alternating choke current (I_L) flows through the inductor (L),
• determine a duration (TNE1) between a zero crossing (N_−, N_+) and a vertex (E_−, E_+) of the choke current (I_L) (define zero crossing, vertex, switching time in description);
• and
• determine the parameter (V_c) as a function of the ascertained duration (TNE1),
• wherein the estimator is configured to
• predict a model-based voltage between the first potential (P1) and the second potential (P2) as a function of input variables (U),
• determine and output the estimated voltage (U_est) as a function of the model-based voltage and the parameter (V_c), and
• control, based on the parameter (V_c), operation of the circuit arrangement by alternately actuating the first and the second switching element (S1, S2) at a specifiable duty factor (a1) resulting in the alternating choke current (I_L) through the inductor (L).

An apparatus having an inductor (L), wherein the inductor (L) is arranged in a circuit arrangement, wherein the apparatus is configured to

• determine a parameter (V_c), wherein the parameter (V_c) characterizes a voltage in a circuit arrangement,
• wherein the circuit arrangement comprises a half bridge having a first switching element (S1) and a second switching element (S2) and an inductor (L) connected to the half bridge, wherein an alternating choke current (I_L) flows through the inductor (L),
• determine a duration (TNE1) between a zero crossing (N_−, N_+) and a vertex (E_−, E_+) of the choke current (I_L) (define zero crossing, vertex, switching time in description);
• determine the parameter (V_c) as a function of the ascertained duration (TNE1), wherein the ascertained parameter (V_c) is further used as a measured variable within the apparatus or is transmitted to outside the apparatus via an interface;
• control, based on the parameter (V_c), operation of the circuit arrangement by alternately actuating the first and the second switching element (S1, S2) at a specifiable duty factor (a1) resulting in the alternating choke current (I_L) through the inductor (L).