Method for Operating a Power Converter Circuit and Power Converter Circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017194866-A1
Application number	US-201715468917-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Mar 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes converting power by a power converter circuit having a plurality of converter cells coupled to a supply circuit. Converting the power includes a plurality of successive activation sequences and, in each activation sequence, activating at least some of the plurality of converter cells at an activation frequency. The activation frequency is dependent on at least one of an output power and an output current of the power converter circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
converting power by a power converter circuit that comprises a plurality of converter cells coupled to a supply circuit, wherein converting power comprises performing a plurality of successive activation sequences and, in each activation sequence, activating at least some of the plurality of converter cells at an activation frequency, wherein the activation frequency is dependent on at least one of an output power or an output current of the power converter circuit.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the activation frequency decreases as the at least one of the output power or the output current decreases.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the supply circuit comprises:
a plurality of capacitors configured to be connected to input nodes of the power converter circuit, wherein each of the plurality of converter cells is connected to one of the plurality of capacitors.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the supply circuit comprises:
a first plurality of capacitors connected in series between input nodes of the power converter circuit; and a second plurality of capacitors, wherein each of the second plurality of capacitors is coupled to one of the first plurality of capacitors, and wherein each of the plurality of converter cells is connected to one of the plurality of second capacitors.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of converter cells comprises a buck converter topology.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of converter cells include a ground switch connected between a converter cell input node and a ground node.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein converting power comprises, in each activation sequence, activating each of the plurality of converter cells at the activation frequency.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each activation sequence includes a charging cycle for charging the supply circuit.

9 . A power converter circuit, comprising:
a plurality of converter cells coupled to a supply circuit; and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to operate the plurality of converter cells in a plurality of successive activation sequences and, in each activation sequence, to activate at least some of the plurality of converter cells at an activation frequency, wherein the activation frequency is dependent on at least one of an output power or an output current of the power converter circuit.

10 . The power converter circuit of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured to decrease the activation frequency as the at least one of the output power or the output current decreases.

11 . The power converter circuit of claim 9 , wherein the supply circuit comprises:
a plurality of capacitors connected to input nodes of the power converter circuit, wherein each of the plurality of converter cells is connected to one of the plurality of capacitors.

12 . The power converter circuit of claim 9 , wherein the supply circuit comprises:
a first plurality of capacitors connected in series between input nodes of the power converter circuit; and a second plurality of capacitors, wherein each of the second plurality of capacitors coupled to one of the first plurality of capacitors, and wherein each of the plurality of converter cells is connected to one of the plurality of second capacitors.

13 . The power converter circuit of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of converter cells comprises a buck converter topology.

14 . The power converter circuit of claim 9 , wherein at least some of the plurality of converter cells include a ground switch connected between a converter cell input node and a ground node.

15 . The power converter circuit of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured, in each activation sequence, to activate each of the plurality of converter cells at the activation frequency.

16 . The power converter circuit of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is further configured, in each activation sequence, to charge the supply circuit in a charging cycle.

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Austria Ag

Inventors

• Deboy Gerald
• Leong Kennith Kin

Classifications

• H02M3/1584

  with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel · CPC title

• H02M1/083

  for the ignition at the zero crossing of the voltage or the current · CPC title

• H02M3/02

  without intermediate conversion into AC · CPC title

• H02M3/158 Primary

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

• Y02B70/10

  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 · CPC title