Bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter

• US 5,768,116 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Kompelien, Arlon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAN, YOUNGHUIE JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US08/789,729
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 363/59, 363/60, 363/61, 363/62, 307/110, 320/1
• US Class Current: 363/59
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

A bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter having first and second input/output terminals for respectively receiving on a mutually exclusive basis uni-directional current at first and second voltages. A charge pump circuit connected between the first and second input/output terminal, depending on which voltage is supplied, converts that voltage to the other voltage.

Claims

1. A bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter circuit comprising:

a reference potential source at a reference electric potential;

first and second input/output terminals for respectively receiving uni-directional electric currents at first and second distinct electric potentials relative to the reference electric potential;

first and second capacitors respectively connected between said first and second input/output terminals and said reference potential source;

third and fourth capacitors each having first and second plates;

a first switching element operable in first and second states to connect the first plate of said third capacitor to said reference potential source and to said first input/output terminal, respectively;

a second switching element operable in first and second states to connect the first plate of said fourth capacitor to said first input/output terminal or to said reference potential source, respectively;

a third switching element operable in first and second states to connect the second plate of said third capacitor to said first input/output terminal and to the second plate of said fourth capacitor, respectively; and

a fourth switching element operable in first and second states, in its first state connecting the second plate of said fourth capacitor to said second input/output terminal, said first, second, third and fourth switching elements being concurrently operable to their first or second states.

2. A bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter circuit comprising:

a reference potential source at a reference electric potential;

first and second input/output terminals for respectively receiving uni-directional electric currents at first and second distinct electric potentials relative to the reference electric potential;

first and second storage capacitors respectively connected between said first and second input/output terminals and the reference potential source;

at least a first voltage converter module including first and second charge transfer capacitors each having first and second plates, a first switching element and first, second, third and fourth interconnection paths, the first plates of said first and second charge transfer capacitors being connected to the first and second interconnection paths respectively, the second plate of said second charge transfer capacitor being connected to the third interconnection path and the second plate of said first charge transfer capacitor being connected through said first switching element in its first and second states to the second plate of said second capacitor and to the fourth interconnection path, respectively;

a second switching element operable in first and second states to connect the second interconnection path of said first voltage converter module to said reference potential source and to said first input/output terminal, respectively;

a third switching element operable in first and second states to connect the first interconnection path of said first voltage converter module to said first input/output terminal and to said reference potential source, respectively; and

connecting means including a fourth switching element having first and second states and operable in its second state to connect the fourth interconnection path of said first voltage converter module to said second input/output terminal, said first, second, third and fourth switching elements being operable in unison to their first or second states.

3. The bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter circuit of claim 2 wherein said connecting means comprises a second voltage converter module identical to said first voltage converter module, the first and second interconnection paths of said second voltage converter module being respectively connected to the first and second interconnection paths of said first voltage converter module, and the fourth interconnection path of said second voltage converter module being connected to the third interconnection path of said first voltage converter module.

4. Apparatus for converting electric current from a source which supplies the current at either of first and second peak voltages, the second peak voltage being greater than the first peak voltage, into a first DC voltage having a magnitude less than the first peak voltage and a second DC voltage having a magnitude between the first and second peak voltages, the apparatus comprising:

a reference potential source;

a first capacitor;

a first current path for connecting said first capacitor between said reference potential source and the current source at the first peak voltage;

a second capacitor;

a second current path for connecting said second capacitor between said reference potential source and the current source at the second peak voltage;

third and fourth capacitors;

two-state switch means interconnecting said first, second, third and fourth capacitors so that in the first state of said two-state switch means said first and third capacitors are connected in series across said fourth capacitor, and that in the second state of said two-state switch means, said first and fourth capacitors are connected in series across said second capacitor, and said third capacitor is connected in parallel with said first capacitor; and

means for periodically changing states of said two-state switch means, whereby (1) when said first capacitor receives current from the current source and said two-state switch means is in its first state, said fourth capacitor is charged to a voltage equal to the sum of the voltages on said first and third capacitors, (2) when said first capacitor is receives current from the current source and said two state switch means is in its second state, said second capacitor is charged to a voltage equal to the sum of the voltages on said first and fourth capacitors, and said third capacitor is charged to a voltage equal to the voltage on said first capacitor (3) when said second capacitor receives current from the current source and said two-state switch means is in its first state, said first capacitor is charged to a voltage equal to the difference in voltages on said third and fourth capacitors, and (4) when said second capacitor receives current from the current source and said two-state switch means is in its second state, said first capacitor is simultaneously charged by the series combination of said second and fourth capacitors and by said third capacitor to a voltage equal to the difference in voltages on said second and fourth capacitors.

5. Apparatus for simultaneously supplying two distinct DC voltages, comprising:

a current source having first and second supply terminals and first and second alternative operating modes, said current source in its first operating mode being operable to produce from its first supply terminal uni-directional electric current at a first voltage, and in its second operating mode being operable to produce from its second supply terminal uni-directional electric current at a second voltage distinct from the first voltage; and

a bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter circuit having first and second input/output terminals respectively connected to the first and second supply terminals of said current source, said bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter circuit being responsive to uni-directional current at the first voltage supplied to its first input/output terminal to produce uni-directional current at substantially the second voltage from its second input/output terminal, said bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter circuit also being responsive to uni-directional current at the second voltage supplied to its second input/output terminal to produce uni-directional current at substantially the first voltage from its first input/output terminal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said bi-directional DC/DC voltage converter circuit comprises:

a reference potential source at a reference electric potential;

first and second storage capacitors respectively connected between said first and second input/output terminals and the reference potential source;

a voltage converter module including first and second charge transfer capacitors each having first and second plates, a first switching element operable in first and second states, and first, second, third and fourth interconnection paths, the fourth interconnection path being connected to the first input/output terminal, the first plates of the first and second charge transfer capacitors being connected to the first and second interconnection paths respectively, the second plate of said second charge transfer capacitor being connected to the third interconnection path, and the second plate of said first charge transfer capacitor being connected through said first switching element in its first and second states to the second plate of said second charge transfer capacitor and to the fourth interconnection path, respectively;

a second switching element operable in first and second states to connect the first interconnection path of said voltage converter module to the first input/output terminal and to said reference potential source, respectively;

a third switching element operable in first and second states to connect the second interconnection path of said voltage converter module to said reference potential source and to the first input/output terminal, respectively; and

connecting means including a fourth switching element having first and second states and operable in its second state to connect the third interconnection path of said voltage converter module to the second input/output terminal, said first, second, third and fourth switching elements being operable in unison to their first or second states.