POWER CONVERTER AND METHOD FOR SETTING THE OPERATION AND THE START-UP OF A POWER CONVERTER

• US 20150270785A1
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Feuchter, Bernhard, Idt, Andreas, Raabe, Dennis, Heider, Frank, Schulz, Stefanie, Kretschmer, Bernd Jochen, Gassios, Dennis, Habermann, Nadja, Meisgeier, Joerg, Mildenstein, Tobias, Herrmann, Daniela, Selbach, Jan, Kokkinos, Pawlos
• Granted Patent: US 9,859,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/00 Details of apparatus for conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/42 Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A power converter, for example, an inverter of a photovoltaic system, is designed to read out an exchangeable memory medium and to carry out an operation setting and/or a start-up of the power converter in accordance with the settings data, the settings data being read from the exchangeable external memory medium. A method for setting the operation and/or the start-up of a power converter, for example, for setting the operation and/or the start-up of an inverter, is performed in accordance with settings data read from an external memory medium.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A system comprising:

a power converter that includes an interface via which the power converter is configured to read data out from an exchangeable external memory medium.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the power converter further includes processing circuitry, and the processing circuitry is configured to carry out an operation setting of the power converter in accordance with settings data read from the exchangeable external memory medium.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the operation setting includes at least one of:

a power supply behavior of a power grid interface of the power converter, a test method of a system component that is connected to the power converter, a method for informing a user about a system state of the power converter, a mode of operation of the power converter when a malfunction occurs, a mode of operation of a network interface of the power converter, and a method for controlling the power converter.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the operation setting includes a parameterization of a communication address for a network interface of the power converter.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish a method for varying an input current at a first system component interface of the power converter in accordance with the settings data.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to carry out a function test of system components in accordance with the settings data, the system components being in connection with the power converter.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is designed to:

detect, after reading the settings data, components that are connected to a network interface of the power converter; and

create a communication address, which is available in a network.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the power converter is configured to start at least one of an operation and a service operating mode during a reading of, and in accordance with, settings data read from the exchangeable external memory medium.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the power converter is configured to suppress a power supply when at least one of:

(a) a difference between a first amplitude of an alternating voltage and a second amplitude of an alternating voltage exceeds a predefined first value, the second amplitude being read by the power converter from the exchangeable external memory medium; and

(b) a difference between a first frequency of an alternating voltage and a second frequency of an alternating voltage exceeds a predefined second value, the second frequency being read by the power converter from the exchangeable external memory medium.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the power converter is an inverter of a photovoltaic system.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the external memory medium is a memory card.

27. A method for a power converter, comprising:

obtaining, by processing circuitry of the power converter, data read from an exchangeable external memory medium over an interface of the power converter to the external memory medium; and

setting at least one of an operation and a start-up of the power converter in accordance with the obtaining of the data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data includes settings data, and the method further comprises carrying out, by the processing circuitry, an operation setting of the power converter in accordance with the settings data.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the operation setting includes at least one of:

a power supply behavior of a power grid interface of the power converter, a test method of a system component that is connected to the power converter, a method for informing a user about a system state of the power converter, a mode of operation of the power converter when a malfunction occurs, a mode of operation of a network interface of the power converter, and a method for controlling the power converter.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the operation setting includes a parameterization of a communication address for a network interface of the power converter.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the setting of the operation is performed and includes carrying out, by the processing circuitry, a function test of system components in accordance with the settings data, the system components being connected to the power converter.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the setting of the operation is performed and includes establishing, by the processing circuitry, a method for varying an input current at a first system component interface of the power converter in accordance with the settings data.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the data includes settings data, and the method further comprises starting, by the processing circuitry, at least one of an operation and a service operating mode during the reading of, and in accordance with, the settings data.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

measuring a first amplitude of an alternating voltage in a power grid supplied with current, wherein the read data includes a second amplitude of an alternating voltage and a predefined value;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a difference between the first and second amplitudes; and

suppressing, by the processing circuitry, a power supply in response to the determined difference exceeding the predefined value.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

measuring a first frequency of an alternating current in a power grid supplied with current, wherein the read data includes a second frequency of an alternating current and a predefined value;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a difference between the first and second frequencies; and

suppressing, by the processing circuitry, a power supply in response to the determined difference exceeding the predefined value.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

measuring a first amplitude of an alternating voltage and a first frequency of an alternating current in a power grid supplied with current, wherein the read data includes a second amplitude of an alternating voltage, a second frequency of an alternating current, a first predefined value, and a second predefined value;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a difference between the first and second amplitudes;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a difference between the first and second frequencies; and

suppressing, by the processing circuitry, a power supply in response to the determined difference between the first and second amplitudes exceeding the first predefined value and the determined difference between the first and second frequencies exceeding the second predefined value.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the power converter is an inverter of a photovoltaic system.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the external memory medium is a memory card.