# US 8,542,509 B2 · Multi-path power factor correction

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- Number: US 8,542,509 B2
- Document ID: US8542509B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/458,424
- Filed: 2012-04-27
- Published: 2012-08-30
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2010-08-18
- Assignees: FINsix Corporation
- Applicants: Anthony D. Sagneri; Jae-Won George Hwang; Justin Michael Burkhart; Fred Chen
- Inventors: Anthony D. Sagneri; Jae-Won George Hwang; Justin Michael Burkhart; Fred Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542509B2

## CPC

- H02M 3/335: using semiconductor devices only
- H02M 1/42: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for or adjusting power factor in converters or inverters
- H02M 1/4241: {using a resonant converter}
- H02M 3/07: using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps}
- H02M 3/158: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
- H02M 3/1584: {with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel}
- H02M 3/285: {Single converters with a plurality of output stages connected in parallel (parallel operation of a plurality of converters in DC distribution networks H02J1/10)}
- H02M 3/33592: {having a synchronous rectifier circuit or a synchronous freewheeling circuit at the secondary side of an isolation transformer}
- H02M 1/0058: {by employing soft switching techniques, i.e. commutation of transistors when applied voltage is zero or when current flow is zero (using an auxiliary actively switched resonant commutation circuit connected to an intermediate DC voltage or between two push-pull branches of an inverter bridge H02M7/4811; in resonant inverters H02M7/4815; in inverters operating from a resonant DC source H02M7/4826)}
- H02M 1/007: {Plural converter units in cascade (push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826)}
- H02M 1/0074: {Plural converter units whose inputs are connected in series}
- H02M 1/0077: {Plural converter units whose outputs are connected in series}
- Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
- 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)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

A method of multi-path power factor correction includes providing a plurality of energy transfer paths from a voltage-varying input to an output; delivering a first fraction of available input energy to one or more energy storage networks at the input of at least one of the plurality of energy transfer paths; delivering a second fraction of available input energy to the output; and adjusting the first fraction and second fraction for facilitating outputting a substantially constant output and for controlling the energy drawn from the input.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of multi-path power factor correction, comprising:
providing a plurality of energy transfer paths from a voltage-varying input to an output;
delivering a first fraction of available input energy to one or more energy storage networks at the input of at least one of the plurality of energy transfer paths;
delivering a second fraction of available input energy to the output; and
adjusting the first fraction and second fraction for facilitating outputting a substantially constant output and for controlling the energy drawn from the input.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein controlling includes controlling a VHF power converter comprising the plurality of energy transfer paths.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the plurality of energy transfer paths comprises a plurality of soft-switched power converter cells.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein power factor correcting includes switching at least one of the soft-switched power converter cells.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein switching produces unity power factor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the plurality of energy transfer paths comprises a plurality of soft-switched stacked-cell power converters.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein a portion of the stacked-cell power converters is connected to a common node.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed using a power converter that operates at a frequency above 5 MHz.