Power-Balancing Circuits for Stacked Topologies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016049883-A1
Application number	US-201414586242-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Aug 14, 2014
Publication date	Feb 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one aspect, a method is described. The method may include operating a plurality of circuit elements, and operating a plurality of magnetically-coupled power-balancing circuits. Each individual power-balancing circuit may be electrically coupled in parallel to a respective circuit element and each individual power-balancing circuit may include a first switch and a second switch (or perhaps more than two switches). The method may include designating one power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits as a primary power-balancing circuit, and alternately toggling the first switch and the second switch of the primary power-balancing circuit in accordance with a first duty cycle.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
operating a plurality of circuit elements, wherein each circuit element is a power source that produces power or a power sink that consumes power; and operating a plurality of magnetically-coupled power-balancing circuits, each individual power-balancing circuit being electrically coupled in parallel to a respective circuit element and each individual power-balancing circuit including a first switch and a second switch, wherein operating the plurality of power-balancing circuits comprises:
designating one power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits as a primary power-balancing circuit; and
alternately toggling the first switch and the second switch of the primary power-balancing circuit in accordance with a first duty cycle.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the plurality of power-balancing circuits further comprises:
operating as passive rectifiers the first switch and the second switch of each power-balancing circuit not designated as the primary power-balancing circuit.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the plurality of power-balancing circuits further comprises:
alternately toggling the first switch and the second switch of a power-balancing circuit not designated as the primary power-balancing circuit in accordance with a second duty cycle, the second duty cycle being shifted in phase from the first duty cycle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein designating one power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits as a primary power-balancing circuit comprises:
identifying a particular circuit element that is producing a greatest power; and designating as the primary power-balancing circuit a particular power-balancing circuit that is coupled in parallel to the identified particular circuit element.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the plurality of power-balancing circuits further comprises:
subsequent to alternately toggling the first switch and the second switch of the primary power-balancing circuit, designating a different power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits as a new primary power-balancing circuit; and alternately toggling the first switch and the second switch of the new primary power-balancing circuit in accordance with a first duty cycle.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein operating the plurality of power-balancing circuits further comprises:
operating as passive rectifiers the first switch and the second switch of each power-balancing circuit not designated as the new primary power-balancing circuit.

7 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . A system comprising:
a plurality of circuit elements, wherein each circuit element is a power source that produces power or a power sink that consumes power; a plurality of magnetically-coupled power-balancing circuits, each individual power-balancing circuit being electrically coupled in parallel to a respective circuit element and each individual power-balancing circuit including a first switch and a second switch; and a controller coupled to each power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits, the controller being configured to carry out operations comprising:
designating one power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits as a primary power-balancing circuit; and
alternately toggling the first switch and the second switch of the primary power-balancing circuit in accordance with a first duty cycle.

13 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits comprises a respective half-bridge converter.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein each respective half-bridge converter is coupled to a single set of series-wound magnetics.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first duty cycle comprises a 50% duty cycle.

21 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each circuit element of the plurality of circuit elements is coupled together in series to form a stack.

22 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each circuit element of the plurality of circuit elements is electrically isolated from the other circuit elements.

23 . A method comprising:
operating a plurality of circuit elements, wherein each circuit element is a power source that produces power or a power sink that consumes power; and operating a plurality of power-balancing circuits, each individual power-balancing circuit being electrically coupled in parallel to a respective circuit element and each individual power-balancing circuit including a first switch and a second switch, wherein operating the plurality of power-balancing circuits comprises:
alternately toggling the first switch and the second switch of each power-balancing circuit such that at any given time, the first switch of each power-balancing circuit is toggled on while the second switch of each power-balancing switch is toggled off or the first switch of each power-balancing circuit is toggled off while the second switch of each power-balancing switch is toggled on.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein each power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits comprises an output leg coupled between the first switch and the second switch, the output legs of two respective power-balancing circuits of the plurality of power-balancing circuits having coupled between them a capacitor.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the first switch and the second switch of each power-balancing circuit is alternately cycled according to a duty cycle.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the duty cycle comprises a 50% duty cycle.

27 . (canceled)

28 . A system comprising:
a plurality of circuit elements, wherein each circuit element is a power source that produces power or a power sink that consumes power; a plurality of power-balancing circuits, each individual power-balancing circuit being electrically coupled in parallel to a respective circuit element and each individual power-balancing circuit including a first switch and a second switch; and a controller coupled to each power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits, the controller being configured to carry out operations comprising:
alternately toggling the first switch and the second switch of each power-balancing circuit such that at any given time, the first switch of each power-balancing circuit is toggled on while the second switch of each power-balancing switch is toggled off or the first switch of each power-balancing circuit is toggled off while the second switch of each power-balancing switch is toggled on.

29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein each power-balancing circuit of the plurality of power-balancing circuits comprises an output leg coupled between the first switch and the second switch, the output legs of two respective power-balancing circuits of the plurality of power-balancing circuits having coupled between them a capacitor.

30 . (canceled)

31 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the duty cycle comprises a 50% duty cycle.

32 . The system of claim 28 , wherein each circuit element of the plurality of circuit elements is coupled together in series to form a stack.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Casey Leo Francis
• Goessling Andrew David

Classifications

• H02J7/56

  Active balancing, e.g. using capacitor-based, inductor-based or DC-DC converters · CPC title

• H02J7/54

  Passive balancing, e.g. using resistors or parallel MOSFETs · CPC title

• H02M3/158

  including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load · CPC title

• H02M3/07 Primary

  using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps} · CPC title

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title