Power-supply device determination apparatus, power-supply device determination method, and power conversion apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016197481-A1
Application number	US-201414908409-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 28, 2014
Priority date	Jul 29, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a determination apparatus and determination method for automatically determining the types of power-supply devices connected, in a power conversion apparatus employing a DC link. The determination apparatus includes: a plurality of connectors that may be connected with the plurality of power-supply devices; a plurality of voltage transducers connected in series with the plurality of connectors; a voltage measuring part configured to measure output voltage values having passed through the plurality of voltage transducers; and a controller determining the plurality of power-supply devices, based on the output voltage values measured by the voltage measuring part when the plurality of voltage transducers have the same step-up ratio, to thereby automatically determine the power-supply devices connected thereto.

First claim

1 . A power-supply device determination apparatus that can be connected with a plurality of power-supply devices, comprising:
a plurality of connectors that can be connected with the plurality of power-supply devices; a plurality of voltage transducers connected in series with the plurality of connectors; a voltage measuring part configured to measure output voltage values having passed through the plurality of voltage transducers; and a controller configured to determine the plurality of power-supply devices, based on the output voltage values measured by the voltage measuring part when the plurality of voltage transducers have the same step-up ratio.

2 . The power-supply device determination apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller switches between a device determination mode configured to determine the plurality of power-supply devices, based on the voltage values measured by the voltage measuring part when the plurality of voltage transducers have the same step-up ratio, and a steady operation mode configured to individually control step-up ratios of the plurality of voltage transducers.

3 . The power-supply device determination apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller individually controls step-up ratios of the plurality of voltage transducers, based on the result of determination on the plurality of power-supply devices in the device determination mode.

4 . The power-supply device determination apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller individually controls step-up ratios of the plurality of voltage transducers so that the plurality of voltage transducers output the same voltage in the steady operation mode.

5 . The power-supply device determination apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a gang switch configured to turn ON/OFF the connection of power output from the plurality of voltage transducers,
wherein the controller turns OFF the gang switch in the device determination mode and turns ON the gang switch in the steady operation mode.

6 . The power-supply device determination apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determining of the plurality of power-supply devices comprises identifying the types of the plurality of the power-supply devices.

7 . The power-supply device determination apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determining of the plurality of power-supply devices comprises deciding optimum step-up ratios for the plurality of power-supply devices.

8 . A power conversion apparatus that can be connected with a plurality of power-supply devices, comprising:
a plurality of connectors that can be connected with the plurality of power-supply devices; a plurality of voltage transducers connected in series with the plurality of connection parts; a voltage measuring part configured to measure output voltage values having passed through the plurality of voltage transducers; a controller configured to perform control so as to be capable of switching between a device determination mode configured to determine the plurality of power-supply devices, based on the output voltage values measured by the voltage measuring part when the plurality of voltage transducers have the same step-up ratio, and a steady operation mode configured to individually control step-up ratios of the plurality of voltage transducers.

9 . A method for determining a plurality of power-supply devices, comprising:
a first voltage conversion step of voltage-converting, at the same step-up ratio, output powers of the plurality of power-supply devices; a voltage measuring step of measuring output voltage values having been voltage-converted by voltage transducers in the first voltage conversion step; and a determination step of determining the plurality of power-supply devices based on the output voltage values measured in the voltage measuring step.

10 . The method for determining a plurality of power-supply devices according to claim 9 , further comprising a second voltage conversion step of individually controlling step-up ratios of the plurality of voltage transducers, based on determination information obtained in the determination step of determining the power-supply devices.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Nishigai Takanobu

Classifications

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• H02M7/44

  by static converters · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• G01R21/00

  Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor (G01R7/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J3/38

  Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel · CPC title