Dual active bridge converter control with select inactive states for loss distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023198393-A1
Application number	US-202117554938-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2021
Priority date	Dec 17, 2021
Publication date	Jun 22, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for controlling a dual active bridge converter to distribute switching losses are disclosed herein. A plurality of switch control signals are provided to a plurality of switches, respectively, of at least one bridge of a dual active bridge converter. The plurality of switches comprises top switches and bottom switches. Control circuitry causes the plurality of switch control signals to switch according to a switching sequence comprising a plurality of stages. During at least one of the plurality of stages, the top switches are enabled concurrently with one another or the bottom switches are enabled concurrently with one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for controlling a dual active bridge converter to distribute switching losses, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of switch control signals to a plurality of switches, respectively, of at least one bridge of a dual active bridge converter, wherein the plurality of switches comprises top switches and bottom switches; and causing, using control circuitry, the plurality of switch control signals to switch according to a switching sequence, comprising a plurality of stages, wherein the top switches are enabled concurrently with one another or the bottom switches are enabled concurrently with one another during at least one of the plurality of stages.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the top switches are enabled concurrently with one another during at least one of the plurality of stages of the switching cycle, and the bottom switches are prevented from being enabled concurrently with one another during any of the stages of the switching cycle.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bottom switches are enabled concurrently with one another during at least one of the plurality of stages of the switching cycle, and the top switches are prevented from being enabled concurrently with one another during any of the stages of the switching cycle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switches have respective terminals coupled to a transformer, and wherein enabling each of the top switches concurrently with one another or enabling each of the bottom switches concurrently with one another drives a voltage, which is applied to the transformer, toward zero volts during the at least one of the plurality of stages.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the top switches are enabled concurrently with one another during two distinct stages from among the plurality of stages of the switching cycle.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the bottom switches are enabled concurrently with one another during two distinct stages from among the plurality of stages of the switching cycle.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dual active bridge converter comprises a transformer having a plurality of terminals, each of the plurality of switches is a transistor having a source terminal and a drain terminal, each of the top switches has a source terminal coupled to one of the terminals of the transformer, and each of the bottom switches has a drain terminal coupled to one of the terminals of the transformer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing, using the control circuitry, the plurality of switch control signals to toggle between switching according to a first switching sequence during a first switching cycle, and switching according to a second switching sequence during a second cycle, wherein the top switches are enabled concurrently with one another during at least one stage of the first switching cycle, and the bottom switches not enabled concurrently with one another during any stage of the first switching cycle, and wherein the bottom switches are enabled concurrently with one another during at least one stage of the second switching cycle, and the top switches are not enabled concurrently with one another during any stage of the second switching cycle.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
retrieving, from memory, data defining at least one of the first switching sequence or the second switching sequence, wherein the plurality of switch control signals are caused to switch according to at least one of the first switching sequence or the second switching sequence based on the retrieved data.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stages comprises an active stage, during which the plurality of switch control signals are set to a state that drives a voltage applied to a transformer away from zero volts, and an inactive stage, during which the plurality of switch control signals are set to a state that drives a voltage applied to the transformer toward zero volts.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the plurality of switch control signals to switch according to the switching sequence comprises utilizing pulse width modulation signals that are center-aligned with respect to one another to drive the plurality of switch control signals, thereby generating a quiet zone for sampling in between level transitions of the plurality of switch control signals.

12 . A system for controlling a dual active bridge converter to distribute switching losses, comprising:
a memory storing instructions; output ports; and control circuitry coupled to the memory and the output ports and configured to execute the instructions to:
provide a plurality of switch control signals to a plurality of switches, respectively, of at least one bridge of a dual active bridge converter, wherein the plurality of switches comprises top switches and bottom switches; and
cause the plurality of switch control signals to switch according to a switching sequence, comprising a plurality of stages, wherein the top switches are enabled concurrently with one another or the bottom switches are enabled concurrently with one another during at least one of the plurality of stages.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to enable the top switches concurrently with one another during at least one of the plurality of stages of the switching cycle, and prevent the bottom switches from being enabled concurrently with one another during any of the stages of the switching cycle.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to enable the bottom switches concurrently with one another during at least one of the plurality of stages of the switching cycle, and prevent the top switches from being enabled concurrently with one another during any of the stages of the switching cycle.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of switches have respective terminals coupled to a transformer, and wherein enabling each of the top switches concurrently with one another or enabling each of the bottom switches concurrently with one another drives a voltage, which is applied to the transformer, toward zero volts during the at least one of the plurality of stages.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to enable the top switches concurrently with one another during two distinct stages from among the plurality of stages of the switching cycle.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to enable the bottom switches concurrently with one another during two distinct stages from among the plurality of stages of the switching cycle.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the dual active bridge converter comprises a transformer having a plurality of terminals, each of the plurality of switches is a transistor having a source terminal and a drain terminal, each of the top switches has a source terminal coupled to one of the terminals of the transformer, and each of the bottom switches has a drain terminal coupled to one of the terminals of the transformer.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein causing the plurality of switch control signals to switch according to the switching sequence comprises utilizing pulse width modulation signals that are center-aligned with respect to one another to drive the plurality of switch control signals, thereby generating a quiet zone for sampling in between level transitions of the plurality of switc

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Mohajerani Zahra
• Wei Lixiang
• Zou Shenli

Classifications

• B60L53/60

  Monitoring or controlling charging stations · 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

• H02M3/33573 Primary

  Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer · CPC title

• H02M3/33584

  Bidirectional converters · CPC title