Precharging boost converters in DC to DC power converters
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsKeming Chen, Douglas S. Carlson, Sung Chung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for precharging a DC to DC power converter system is provided. The system includes a boost circuit for generating a boosted output voltage from an input voltage. The input voltage is monitored. A predetermined current limit is compared to a current in the boost circuit, and the current limited is increased when the input voltage is greater than a predetermined value.
Claims20
A method for precharging a DC to DC power converter that includes a boost circuit for generating a boosted output voltage from an input voltage, the method comprising:
- monitoring the input voltage;
- comparing a current in the boost circuit to a predetermined current limit;
- and
- increasing the current limit when the input voltage is greater than a predetermined value.
A DC to DC power converter system, comprising:
- a boost converter circuit having an input configured to receive and boost an input voltage to generate an output voltage based on a current in the boost converter circuit;
- a precharge controller coupled to the boost converter and configured to measure the current of the boost converter circuit, the precharge controller further configured to receive a predetermined current limit, compare the current to the current limit, and control the boost converter circuit based on the comparison of the current to the predetermined current limit;
- and
- a microprocessor coupled to the precharge controller and the boost converter, the microprocessor configured to monitor the input voltage, provide the current limit to the precharge controller, and to increase the current limit when the input voltage is above a predetermined value.
A DC to DC power converter system, comprising:
- a boost converter circuit having an input configured to receive an input voltage, the boost converter circuit including at least two switches and being configured to boost the input voltage into an output voltage based on switch control signals,
- a precharge controller coupled to the boost converter circuit and configured to provide the switch control signals to the boost converter circuit based on a current limit representing a limit on a current in the boost converter circuit;
- and
- a microprocessor coupled to the precharge controller and configured to provide the current limit to the precharge controller, the microprocessor further configured to monitor the input voltage, increase the current limit when the input voltage is above a predetermined value, and decrease the current limit when the input voltage is at or below the predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.