Charge-transfer apparatus and method

An electronic device for transferring charge, comprising:

• a charge storage device;
• an inductive section;
• a switching array connected to the charge storage device through the inductive section and connectable to first, second, and third nodes of a power terminal, the first node corresponding to a first phase of the power terminal, the second node corresponding to a second phase of the power terminal, and the third node corresponding to a third phase of the power terminal, wherein the switching array comprises a first forward-directional switch and a first reverse-directional switch connected to the first node, a second forward-directional switch and a second reverse-directional switch connected to the second node, and a third forward-directional switch and a third reverse-directional switch connected to the third node;
• and
• a controller configured to control the switching array so as to cause a first predetermined charge to interchange between the first node and the charge storage device, a second predetermined charge to interchange between the second node and the charge storage device, and a third predetermined charge to interchange between the third node and the charge storage device,
• wherein the controller is configured to cause the first forward-directional switch and the first reverse-directional switch to be closed simultaneously for a predetermined quantity of time so as to prevent charge from interchanging between the charge storage device and the first, second, and third nodes and to thereby change a voltage across the charge storage device.

A method of transferring electric charge between a charge storage device and a first power terminal, comprising:

• a) interchanging charge between the charge storage device and a first first-node corresponding to a first phase of the first power terminal through a first inductive section;
• b) when a predetermined charge has been interchanged between the charge storage device and the first first-node, replacing the first first-node by a second first-node corresponding to a second phase of the first power terminal;
• c) interchanging charge between the charge storage device and the second first-node through the first inductive section;
• and
• d) interchanging charge in a closed circuit between the charge storage device and the inductive section so as to prevent charge from interchanging between the charge storage device and the first and second first-nodes and to thereby change a voltage across the charge storage device.