US 7,923,858 B2 · Electric power source system and method for the same

Abstract

An electric power source system in which a momentary interruption of the electric power supply does not occur when the direction of voltage conversion is switched by a voltage conversion device that is capable of bidirectional voltage conversion. The electric power source system includes a bidirectional switching regulator that selectively switches between the voltage conversion in the step-up direction from a low-voltage system to a high-voltage system and the voltage conversion in the step-down direction from the high-voltage system to the low-voltage system, and a linear regulator, connected in parallel to the bidirectional switching regulator, that converts voltage in the step-down direction. The direction of current that flows via the bidirectional switching regulator switches from the step-up direction to the step-down direction after current flows in the step-down direction via the linear regulator.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An electric power source system comprising:

a first voltage conversion device that selectively switches between voltage conversion in a first direction from a first voltage system to a second voltage system, and voltage conversion in a second direction from the second voltage system to the first voltage system;
and
a second voltage conversion device, connected in parallel with the first voltage conversion device, that converts voltage in the second direction;
wherein a direction of current flowing via the first voltage conversion device switches from the first direction to the second direction after current begins flowing in the second direction via the second voltage conversion device;
wherein the electric power source system further comprises a circuit in which the current begins to flow in the second direction via the second voltage conversion device, when a voltage on the first voltage system is below a target output voltage of the second voltage conversion device, which is set to be lower than a voltage of an electric power source contained in the first voltage system;
and
wherein a load connected to a first power source line of the first voltage system is connected to an output terminal of the circuit via a second power source line which is different from the first power source line.

4 more elements

A method of controlling an electric power source system that includes a first voltage conversion device that selectively switches between voltage conversion in a first direction from a first voltage system to a second voltage system, and voltage conversion in a second direction from the second voltage system to the first voltage system;

and second voltage conversion device, connected in parallel with the first voltage conversion device, converts voltage in the second direction;
the method comprising:
switching a direction of current flowing via the first voltage conversion device from the first direction to the second direction after current begins flowing in the second direction via the second voltage conversion device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electric power source system and method for the same

Life of this patent

Electric power source system and method for the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12