Dynamic power converter and method thereof

• US 10,491,108 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volpe and Koenig PC
• Original Assignee: Volpe and Koenig PC
• Inventors: Ofek, Eran
• Primary Examiner(s): Gblende, Jeffrey A
• Application Number:
  US16/180,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20190181748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0035 using burst mode control
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0048 Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses using snubbers H02M1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/12 Arrangements for reducing harmonics from ac input or output
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4233 using a bridge converter comprising active switches
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/219 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4815 Resonant converters H02M7/4811 and H02M7/4826 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: 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

Abstract

A power converter and a method of operation thereof is disclosed including an input, an output, a sensor unit, a switched power converter, and a processor module. The power converter may convert an input power into an output power. The power converter may sense real-time measurements of the input power and the output power to determine a real-time calculated efficiency. The power converter may chop the input power into sized and positioned portions of the input power based on a plurality of determined operating parameters. The power converter may determine the operating parameters based on the real-time calculated efficiency and on a plurality of other operating factors/conditions.

Claims

1. An alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) power converter comprising:

a plurality of switches controllable by a processor;

an input configured to receive an input AC waveform having an input power; and

an output configured to output a controllable DC supply voltage having an output power;

wherein the processor is configured to;

calculate a power conversion efficiency based on a calculated value of the output power and a calculated value of the input power;

control a first portion of the plurality of switches to adjust an operating condition, wherein the processor tracks an effect of the adjusted operating condition on the calculated power conversion efficiency, and wherein the processor controls a second portion of the plurality of switches to improve the calculated power conversion efficiency based on the tracked effect of the adjusted operating condition on the calculated power conversion efficiency; and

control a third portion of the plurality of switches to selectively harvest different portions of the input AC waveform based on a change in the operating condition.

2. The AC to DC power converter of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a value of the input power based on a sensed input current of the input AC waveform and a sensed input voltage of the input AC waveform.

3. The AC to DC power converter of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a value of the output power based on a sensed output current of the controllable DC supply voltage and a sensed output voltage of the controllable DC supply voltage.

4. The AC to DC power converter of claim 1, wherein the calculated power conversion efficiency is calculated in real-time.

5. The AC to DC power converter of claim 4, wherein the operating condition is adjusted in real-time.

6. The AC to DC power converter of claim 1, wherein the operating condition includes harmonics, a temperature, an expected output voltage, a stored energy level, an inductance-based energy storage level, a storage capacitor voltage, a start-up energy storage level, an output ripple voltage, a voltage and current draw of a load, a rate of discharge of a storage capacitor, a voltage and current of an input power source, a frequency of the input power source, a rate of change or slope of the input power source, a resonant frequency of an LLC converter, a change in the resonant frequency of the LLC converter, a temperature of an LLC converter, a present position along the input AC waveform, a fluctuation profile of power consumption of the load, a power factor, information or commands provided by the load or a user, an over-voltage condition of the input, an over-current condition of the input, an over-voltage condition of the output, an over-current condition of the output, a mechanical noise or vibration, a characteristic of the mechanical noise or vibration, a noise profile of the input power source, or electromagnetic interference (EMI).

7. The AC to DC power converter of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of switches, the second portion of the plurality of switches, and the third portion of the plurality of switches comprise the same one or more switches.

8. The AC to DC power converter of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of switches comprises at least one different switch than the second portion of the plurality of switches, and the second portion of the plurality of switches comprises at least one different switch than the third Portion of the plurality of switches.

9. The AC to DC power converter of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control the second portion of the plurality of switches to adjust a width and a position of each of the different portions of the input AC waveform.

10. The AC to DC power converter of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

track a behavior of a load attached to the output;

predict a future behavior of the load based on the tracked behavior; and

control a fourth portion of the plurality of switches based on the predicted future behavior.

11. A method for converting an input alternating current (AC) waveform to a controllable direct current (DC) supply voltage, the method comprising:

receiving, at an input, the input AC waveform having an input power;

outputting, at an output, the controllable DC supply voltage having an output power;

calculating a power conversion efficiency based on a calculated value of the output power and a calculated value of the input power;

controlling a first portion of a plurality of switches to adjust an operating condition;

tracking an effect of the adjusted operating condition on the calculated power conversion efficiency; and

controlling a second portion of the plurality of switches to improve the calculated power conversion efficiency based on the tracked effect of the adjusted operating condition on the calculated power conversion efficiency; and

and

controlling a third portion of the plurality of switches to selectively harvest different portions of the input AC waveform based on a change in the operating condition.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising calculating a value of the input power based on a sensed input current of the input AC waveform and a sensed input voltage of the input AC waveform.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising calculating a value of the output power based on a sensed output current of the controllable DC supply voltage and a sensed output voltage of the controllable DC supply voltage.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the calculated power conversion efficiency is calculated in real-time.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting the operating condition in real-time.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the operating condition includes harmonics, a temperature, an expected output voltage, a stored energy level, an inductance-based energy storage level, a storage capacitor voltage, a start-up energy storage level, an output ripple voltage, a voltage and current draw of a load, a rate of discharge of a storage capacitor, a voltage and current of an input power source, a frequency of the input power source, a rate of change or slope of the input power source, a resonant frequency of an LLC converter, a change in the resonant frequency of the LLC converter, a temperature of an LLC converter, a present position along the input AC waveform, a fluctuation profile of power consumption of the load, a power factor, information or commands provided by the load or a user, an over-voltage condition of the input, an over-current condition of the input, an over-voltage condition of the output, an over-current condition of the output, a mechanical noise or vibration, a characteristic of the mechanical noise or vibration, a noise profile of the input power source, or electromagnetic interference (EMI).

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the plurality of switches, the second portion of the plurality of switches, and the third portion of the plurality of switches comprise the same one or more switches.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the plurality of switches comprises at least one different switch than the second portion of the plurality of switches, and the second portion of the plurality of switches comprises at least one different switch than the third portion of the plurality of switches.

19. The method of claim 11, controlling the second portion of the plurality of switches to adjust a width and a position of each of the different portions of the input AC waveform.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

tracking a behavior of a load attached to the output;

predicting a future behavior of the load based on the tracked behavior; and

controlling a fourth portion of the plurality of switches based on the predicted future behavior.