Power converting apparatus and power generating apparatus

• US 20040151011A1
• Filed: 01/21/2004
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takehara, Nobuyoshi, Toyomura, Fumitaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,177,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/146
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7039 the coupling part with coding means activating the switch to establish different circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/10 Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

AC module makers must prepare two types of AC modules for the 100-V and 200-V outputs only for domestic supply. For foreign countries, the makers must manufacture AC modules compatible with more system voltages. To solve these problems, the control circuit of an AC module controls the operation of an inverter circuit and/or the transformation ratio of a transforming circuit, and ON/OFF-controls a switch on the basis of the system voltage and connection state of an electric power system.

Claims

1. A power converting apparatus which is connected to an electric power system, said apparatus comprising:

a converting circuit, arranged to convert direct current power to alternating current power;

a transforming circuit, arranged to transform voltage outputted from said converting circuit;

a switch, arranged to make/break connection between said transforming circuit and the electric power system; and

a controller, arranged to control operation of said converting circuit and transforming circuit, and connection of said switch based on a line voltage of the electric power system and/or a connection state between said apparatus and the electric power system.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detector, arranged to detect the line voltage, wherein said controller controls the output voltage of said converting circuit in accordance with the detected line voltage.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detector, arranged to detect the line voltage, wherein said controller controls transformation ratio of said transforming circuit in accordance with the detected line voltage.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detector, arranged to detect the line voltage; and

plural connectors, each of which is arranged to connect between said switch and the electric power system,

wherein said controller activates one of said plural connectors based on the line voltage detected by said detector.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detector, arranged to detect the line voltage; and

a booster circuit, arranged to boost voltage of the direct current power to be inputted to said converting circuit,

wherein said controller controls the voltage outputted by said booster circuit.

13. A power generating apparatus for generating electric power, comprising the power converting apparatus according to claim 1.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a solar battery.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a charge/discharge controller for a storage battery.

6. A power converting apparatus which is connected to an electric power system, said apparatus comprising:

a converting circuit, arranged to convert direct current power to alternating current power;

a transforming circuit, arranged to transform voltage outputted from said converting circuit;

a switch, arranged to make/break connection between said transforming circuit and the electric power system; and

a controller, arranged to control operation of said converting circuit and/or transforming circuit, and control connection of said switch based on a type of connector which is used to connection between said apparatus and the electric power system.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said controller discriminates the type of connector, and controls voltage outputted from said converting circuit based on the discriminated type of connector.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a booster circuit, arranged to boost voltage of the direct current power to be inputted to said converting circuit,

wherein said controller discriminates the type of connector, and controls voltage outputted from said booster circuit based on the discriminated type of connector.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said controller discriminates the type of connector, and sets transformation ratio of said transforming circuit based on the discriminated type of connector.

16. A power generating apparatus for generating electric power, comprising the power converting apparatus according to claim 6.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a solar battery.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a charge/discharge controller for a storage battery.

10. A power converting apparatus which is connected to an electric power system, said apparatus comprising:

a converting circuit, arranged to convert direct current power to alternating current power;

a switch, arranged to make/break connection between said converting circuit and the electric power system; and

a controller, arranged to control operation of said converting circuit and connection of switch based on a type of connector which is used to connection between said apparatus and the electric power system.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said controller discriminates the type of connector, and controls voltage outputted from said converting circuit based on the discriminated type of connector.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a booster circuit, arranged to boost voltage of the direct current power to be inputted to said converting circuit,

wherein said controller discriminates the type of connector, and controls voltage outputted from said booster circuit based on the discriminated type of connector.

19. A power generating apparatus for generating electric power, comprising the power converting apparatus according to claim 10.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a solar battery.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a charge/discharge controller for a storage battery.

22. A power converting apparatus for converting electric power comprising:

a booster circuit, arranged to boost voltage of direct current power inputted from a direct current power supply;

an inverter circuit, arranged to convert the direct current power, which is inputted from said booster circuit, to alternating current power;

an output port, arranged to output the alternating power supplied from said inverter circuit; and

a controller, arranged to control operation of said booster and inverter circuits based on a type of plug unit connected to said output port.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said controller controls said booster and inverter circuits so that said apparatus outputs a voltage corresponding to the type of plug unit which is connected to said output port by a user.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the plug unit has electrodes and at least one of projection which operates a switch arranged to said output ports.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said controller controls said booster and inverter circuits in accordance with the operation of the switch.

32. A power generating apparatus for generating electric power, comprising a solar battery and the power converting apparatus according to claim 22.

33. A power generating system comprising a plurality of the power generating apparatuses according to claim 32.

26. A power converting apparatus for converting electric power comprising:

a booster circuit, arranged to boost voltage of direct current power inputted from a direct current power supply;

an inverter circuit, arranged to convert the direct current power, which is inputted from said booster circuit, to alternating current power;

a first output port, arranged to output the alternating power supplied from said inverter circuit through a first switch;

a second output port, arranged to output the alternating power supplied from said inverter circuit through a second switch; and

a controller, arranged to control operation of said booster and inverter circuits,

wherein said controller makes the first switch and breaks the second switch when said apparatus is operated and connected to an electric power system, and breaks the first switch and makes the second switch when said apparatus is operated and no connected to the electric power system, and

said controller controls the operation of said booster and inverter circuits based on a connection state of said first or second output port.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein, if said apparatus is connected to the electric power system and a plug unit is connected to said second output port, said controller disconnects said apparatus from the electric power system.

28. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said controller controls the operation of said booster and inverter circuits so that said apparatus outputs a voltage corresponding to a plug unit which is connected to said first or second output port by a user.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the plug unit has electrodes and at least one of projection which operates a third switch arranged to said first output port or a fourth switch arranged to said second output port.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said controller controls the operation of said booster and inverter circuits in accordance with states of the third and fourth switches.

31. The apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising a fifth switch, a charge/discharge controller and a storage battery between the direct current power supply and said booster circuit.

34. A power generating apparatus for generating electric power, comprising a solar battery and the power converting apparatus according to claim 26.

35. A power generating system comprising a plurality of the power generating apparatuses according to claim 34.

36. A control method of a power converting apparatus, which is connected to an electric power system, having converting circuit arranged to convert direct current power to alternating current power, a transforming circuit arranged to transform voltage outputted from the converting circuit, and a switch arranged to make/break connection between the transforming circuit and the electric power system, comprising the steps of:

discriminating a line voltage of the electric power system and/or a connection state between the converting apparatus and the electric power system; and

controlling operation of the converting circuit and transforming circuit, and connection of the switch based on the discriminated line voltage and/or connection state.

37. A control method of a power converting apparatus, which is connected to an electric power system, having a converting circuit arranged to convert direct current power to alternating current power, a transforming circuit arranged to transform voltage outputted from the converting circuit and a switch arranged to make/break connection between the transforming circuit and the electric power system, comprising the steps of:

discriminating a type of connector which is used to connection between the power converting apparatus and the electric power system; and

controlling operation of the converting circuit and/or transforming circuit, and controlling connection of the switch, based on the discriminated type of connector.

38. A controlling method of a power converting apparatus, which is connected to an electric power system, having a converting circuit arranged to convert direct current power to alternating current power and a switch arranged to make/break connection between the converting circuit and the electric power system, comprising the steps of:

discriminating a type of connector which is used to connection between the power converting apparatus and the electric power system; and

controlling operation of the converting circuit and connection of the switch based on discriminated type of connector.

39. A controlling method of a power converting apparatus for converting electric power having a booster circuit arranged to boost voltage of direct current power inputted from a direct current power supply, an inverter circuit arranged to the direct current power, which is inputted from the booster circuit, to alternating current power and an output port arranged to output the alternating power supplied from the inverter circuit, comprising the step of controlling operation of the booster and inverter circuits based on a type of plug unit connected to the output port.

40. A controlling method of a power converting apparatus for converting electric power having a booster circuit arranged to boost voltage of direct current power inputted from a direct current power supply, an inverter circuit arranged to the direct current power, which is inputted from the booster circuit, to alternating current power, a first output port arranged to output the alternating power supplied from the inverter circuit through a first switch and a second output port, arranged to output the alternating power supplied from the inverter circuit through a second switch, comprising the steps of:

discriminating an operation state of the power converting apparatus and a connection state between the first or second output port and an electric power system;

making and/or breaking the first and second switches in accordance with the discriminated operation and connection states; and

controlling operation of the booster and inverter circuits in accordance with the discriminated operation and connection states.