# US 2014/0153287 A1 · System and method for improving power conversion efficiency > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153287 A1 - Document ID: US20140153287A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/088,718 - Filed: 2013-11-25 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Saijun Mao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153287A1 ## CPC - H02M 7/797: using semiconductor devices only - H02M 3/335: using semiconductor devices only - H02M 5/458: using semiconductor devices only - 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) ## Abstract A power conversion system includes at least one switching unit. The switching unit includes a switching device including a channel and a body diode integrated with the channel. The switching device includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal. The channel provides a positive direction current flow path to allow a positive direction current to flow through in response to a first turn-on switching control signal supplied to the first terminal. The body diode provides a first negative direction current flow path to allow a negative direction current to flow through in response to a first turn-off switching control signal. The channel provides a second negative direction current flow path to allow the negative direction current to flow through in response to a second turn-on switching control signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power conversion system, comprising: a control module configured to provide switching control signals and a power conversion device, comprising: a first port; a second port; and at least one switching unit electrically coupled between the first port and the second port, the switching unit comprising a switching device, the switching device comprises a channel and a body diode integrated with the channel, the switching device comprising a first terminal configured to receive switching control signals provided from the control module, a second terminal and a third terminal configured to provide current flow paths, wherein: the channel of the switching device is configured to provide a positive direction current flow path to allow a positive direction current to flow from the second terminal to the third terminal in response to a first turn-on switching control signal supplied to the first terminal; the body diode of the switching device is configured to provide a first negative direction current flow path to allow a negative direction current to flow from the third terminal to the second terminal in response to a first turn-off switching control signal supplied to the first terminal; and the channel of the switching device is configured to provide a second negative direction current flow path to allow the negative direction current to flow from the third terminal to the second terminal in response to a second turn-on switching control signal supplied to the first terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power conversion system of claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises at least one of a silicon carbide (SiC) transistor and a gallium nitride (GaN) transistor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power conversion system of claim 1, wherein the first turn-on switching control signal and the first turn-off switching control signal are generated by implementing a modulation strategy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The power conversion system of claim 3, wherein the modulation strategy comprises at least one of a space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) strategy and a sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) strategy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The power conversion system of claim 3, wherein part of the first turn-off switching control signal is replaced by the second turn-on switching control signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power conversion system of claim 1, wherein the first terminal of the switching device receives a first dead-time turn-off switching control signal with a dead-time delay at a rising edge of the second turn-on switching control signal and a second dead-time turn-off switching control signal with a dead-time advancement at a falling edge of the second turn-on switching control signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The power conversion system of claim 6, wherein when the first dead-time turn-off switching control signal transits to the second turn-on switching control signal, the switching device is turned on substantially with a zero voltage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The power conversion system of claim 3, wherein the switching unit comprises an anti-parallel diode electrically coupled with the switching device in anti-parallel, wherein the anti-parallel diode is configured to provide a third negative direction current flow path to allow the negative direction current to flow from the third terminal to the second terminal in response to the first turn-off switching control signal supplied to the first terminal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power conversion system of claim 8, wherein the anti-parallel diode comprises at least one of a SiC diode and a GaN diode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The power conversion system of claim 8, wherein part of the first turn-off switching control signal is replaced by the second turn-on switching control signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power conversion system of claim 1, further comprising a rectifier configured to rectify an input alternating current (AC) power to an output direct current (DC) power in response to switching control signals provided from the control module for charging a load. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The power conversion system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of: an inverter, configured to receive switching control signals to invert an input DC power to an output AC power; a DC/DC converter, configured to receive switching control signals to convert an input DC power to an output DC power; and an AC/AC converter, configured to receive switching control signals to convert an input AC power to an output AC power. ### Claim 13 A method for operating a power conversion system, the method comprising: providing a first turn-on switching control signal to a first terminal of a switching device of the power conversion system to allow a positive direction current to flow from a second terminal to a third terminal through a positive direction current flow path provided by a channel of the switching device; and providing a second turn-on switching control signal to the first terminal of the switching device of the power conversion system to allow a negative direction current to flow from the third terminal to the second terminal through a negative direction flow path provided by the channel of the switching device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising replacing part of a first turn-off switching control signal by the second turn-on switching control signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising generating the first turn-on switching control signal and a first turn-off switching control signal by a modulation strategy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the modulation strategy comprises at least one of a space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) strategy and a sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) strategy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: providing a first dead-time turn-off switching control signal with a dead-time delay at a rising edge of the second turn-on switching control signal; and providing a second dead-time turn-off switching control signal with a dead-time advancement at a falling edge of the second turn-on switching control signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: turning on the switching device substantially with a zero-voltage switching (ZVS) strategy.