Configurable power supply assembly

• US 8,456,876 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enphase Energy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Solarbridge Technologies Incorporated (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Chapman, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US13/309,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20120075894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 363/34, 363/37, 363/67, 363/71, 363/101, 363/65, 363/131, 363/132, 307/64, 307/66, 307/82
• US Class Current: 363/65
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/48 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/537 using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/906 Solar cell systems

Abstract

An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.

Claims

1. An photovoltaic module comprising:

a direct current (DC) power source comprising a plurality of solar cells configured to generate DC power at a DC output of the DC power source in response to receiving an amount of sun light; and

a configurable power supply electrically coupled to the DC power source, the configurable power supply comprising;

(i) an input converter having an input electrically coupled to the DC output of the DC power source, the input converter being selectively configurable between a first circuit topology to generate a DC power output and a second circuit topology to generate an alternating current (AC) power output at a primary coil of the input converter, wherein the primary coil forms an inductor of the first circuit topology to generate the DC power output when the input converter is configured in the first circuit topology, and

(ii) an input controller electrically connected to the input converter to control the input converter to select one of the first circuit topology and the second circuit topology.

2. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the input converter comprises a buck-boost converter when configured in the first circuit topology.

3. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the input converter comprises a pass-through circuit when configured in the first circuit topology, the pass-through circuit passing the DC power generated by the DC power source to a DC output of the input converter with substantially no processing.

4. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the input converter comprises a DC-AC inverter circuit when configured in the second circuit topology.

5. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the input converter is further selectively configurable into a third circuit topology to generate a DC power output different from the DC power output of the first circuit topology.

6. The photovoltaic module of claim 5, wherein:

the input converter comprises a buck-boost converter when configured in the first circuit topology,

the input converter comprises a DC-AC inverter circuit when configured in the second circuit topology, and

the input converter comprises a pass-through circuit when configured in the third circuit topology.

7. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the input converter comprises a semiconductor switch having an on state and an off state, and the state of the electronic switch configures the input converter into a corresponding one of the first circuit topology and the second circuit topology.

8. The photovoltaic module of claim 7, wherein the input converter is configured to control the state of the electronic switch to select the corresponding one of the first circuit topology and the second circuit topology of the input converter.

9. The photovoltaic module of claim 7, wherein the state of the electronic switch is dependent upon an control signal received from the input converter.

10. The photovoltaic module of claim 7, wherein the state of the electronic switch is dependent upon a sensed DC output current of the input converter.

11. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the input converter comprises an H-bridge circuit and an electronic switch coupled to the H-bridge circuit, the electronic switch having an on state and an off state, wherein the state of the electronic switch configures the input converter into a corresponding one of the first circuit topology and the second circuit topology.

12. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the input converter comprises a physical switch that is manually controllable to a closed state and to an open state, wherein the state of the physical switch configures the input converter into a corresponding one of the first circuit topology and the second circuit topology.

13. A power supply circuit comprising:

an input converter having an input to receive a direct current (DC) power input and comprising a semiconductor switch having an on state and an off state, the input converter being selectively configurable between a first circuit topology to generate a DC power output and a second circuit topology to generate an AC power output, based on the state of the electronic switch, at a primary coil of the input converter, wherein the primary coil forms an inductor of the first circuit topology to generate the DC power output when the input converter is configured in the first circuit topology; and

an input controller electrically connected to the input converter to supply a control signal to the electronic switch to select the state of the electronic switch.

14. The power supply of claim 13, wherein the input converter comprises a buck-boost converter when configured in the first circuit topology.

15. The power supply of claim 13, wherein the input converter comprises a pass-through circuit when configured in the first circuit topology, the pass-through circuit passing the DC power input to a DC output of the input converter with substantially no processing.

16. The power supply of claim 13, wherein the input converter comprises a DC-AC inverter circuit when configured in the second circuit topology.

17. The power supply of claim 13, wherein the input converter comprises an H-bridge circuit, wherein the semiconductor switch is coupled to between two legs of the H-bridge circuit.

18. A system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input, the system comprising:

a configurable power supply having an input to receive the DC power input, the configurable power supply comprising;

(i) an input converter selectively configurable between a first circuit topology to generate a DC power output signal at a DC output of the configurable power supply and a second circuit topology to generate an alternating current (AC) power output at an AC output of the configurable power supply, wherein the AC output comprises a primary coil of the input converter and the primary coil forms an inductor of the first circuit topology to generate the DC power output signal when the input converter is configured in the first circuit topology, and

(ii) an input controller electrically connected to the input converter to control the input converter to select one of the first circuit topology and the second circuit topology; and

at least one of a DC electronic accessory device and an AC electronic accessory device, wherein;

(i) the DC electronic accessory device is electrically couplable to the DC output of the input converter to receive the DC power output of the input converter, the DC accessory including a first internal electronic circuit, and

(ii) the AC electronic accessory device inductively couplable to the AC output of the input converter to receive the AC power output of the input converter, the AC accessory including a second internal electronic circuit.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the DC electronic accessory device comprises one of a low voltage DC-to-DC power converter, a high voltage DC-to-DC power converter, and a DC power optimizer.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the AC electronic accessory device comprises one of a single phase AC-to-AC power converter, a three phase AC-to-AC power converter, and an AC-to-DC power converter.