Controller and a method for a DC converter, and also a DC converter

1. A DC converter comprising:

an input;

an output;

a ground connection;

a first half-bridge, a first switch in said first half-bridge, a second switch connected in series following said first switch between said input and said ground connection, a first switch capacitor connected in parallel to said first switch, and a second switch capacitor connected in parallel to said second switch;

a first inductor, said first inductor being electrically connected to a first half-bridge node point between said first and second switches, and said first inductor being electrically connected to said output;

a second half-bridge in parallel to said first half-bridge, a third switch in said second half-bridge, a fourth switch connected in series following said third switch between said input and said ground connection, a third switch capacitor connected in parallel to said third switch, and a fourth switch capacitor connected in parallel to said fourth switch;

a second inductor, said second inductor being electrically connected to a second half-bridge node point between said third and fourth switches, and said second inductor being electrically connected to said output;

a capacitor connected between said output and said ground connection, and a second capacitor connected between said input and said ground connection;

a controller connected to control said first half-bridge switch, said second half-bridge switch, said third half-bridge switch, and said fourth half-bridge switch;

said controller electrically connected to obtain a first current measurement of current in said first inductor, said controller electrically connected to receive a second current measurement in said second inductor;

said controller configured to switch said second half-bridge switch to an off-state when current in said first inductor is measured as flowing from said output towards said first inductor and measured as attaining a first specifiable threshold magnitude greater than zero, said controller configured to switch said fourth half-bridge switch to an off-state when current in said second inductor is measured as flowing from said output towards said second inductor and measured as attaining the first specifiable threshold magnitude;

said controller configured to switch said first half-bridge switch to an off-state when current in said first inductor is measured as flowing from said first inductor towards said output and measured as attaining a second specifiable threshold magnitude greater than zero, said controller configured to switch said third half-bridge switch to an off-state when current in said second inductor is measured as flowing from said second inductor towards said output and measured as attaining the second specifiable threshold magnitude;

said controller configured to set a first selectively adjustable time pause between switching-off of said first half-bridge switch and switching-on of said second half-bridge switch, said controller configured to set the first selectively adjustable time pause between switching-off of said third half-bridge switch and switching-on of said fourth half-bridge switch; and,

said controller configured to set a second selectively adjustable time pause between switching-off of said second half-bridge switch and switching-on of said first half-bridge switch, said controller configured to set the second selectively adjustable time pause between switching-off of said fourth half-bridge switch and switching-on of said third half-bridge switch.

2. The DC converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of equal length to said second selectively adjustable time pause.

3. The DC converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of shorter duration than said second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from a respective inductor to said output.

4. The DC converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of longer duration than said second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from said output to a respective inductor.

5. The DC converter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of shorter duration than said second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from a respective inductor to said output; and,

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of longer duration than said second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from said output to a respective inductor.

6. A DC converter as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one of said first, second, third, and fourth half-bridge switches is a MOSFET.

7. A DC converter as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one of said first, second, third, and fourth half-bridge switches includes a bipolar transistor.

8. A DC converter comprising:

an input;

an output;

a ground connection;

an integral number n of parallel half-bridges each including a respective first switch, a respective second switch connected in series following said respective first switch between said input and said ground connection, a respective first switch capacitor connected in parallel to said respective first switch, and a respective second switch capacitor connected in parallel to said second switch;

for each respective one of said n half-bridges a respective inductor, said respective inductor being electrically connected to a respective half-bridge node point between said respective first and respective second switches, and said respective inductor being electrically connected to said output;

a controller connected to control each of said n respective half-bridge first switches and each of said respective half-bridge second switches;

said controller electrically connected to obtain a first current measurement of current in each said respective inductor;

said controller configured to switch, in each respective one of said plurality n of half-bridges, said respective second switch to an off-state when current in said respective inductor is measured as flowing from said output towards said respective inductor and measured as attaining a first specifiable threshold magnitude greater than zero;

said controller configured to switch, in each respective one of said plurality n of half-bridges, said respective first switch to an off-state when current in said respective inductor is measured as flowing from said respective inductor towards said output and measured as attaining a second specifiable threshold magnitude greater than zero;

said controller configured to set a first selectively adjustable time pause between switching-off of a respective half-bridge first switch and switching-on of a respective half-bridge second switch; and,

said controller configured to set a second selectively adjustable time pause between switching-off of a respective half-bridge second switch and switching-on of a respective half-bridge first switch.

9. The DC converter as claimed in claim 8 , wherein:

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of equal length to said second selectively adjustable time pause.

10. The DC converter as claimed in claim 8 , wherein:

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of shorter duration than said second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from a respective inductor to said output.

11. The DC converter as claimed in claim 8 , wherein:

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of longer duration than said second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from said output to a respective inductor.

12. The DC converter as claimed in claim 8 , wherein:

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of shorter duration than said second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from a respective inductor to said output; and,

said first selectively adjustable time pause is of longer duration than said second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from said output to a respective inductor.

13. The DC converter as claimed in claim 8 , wherein:

said controller is configured to activate said n parallel half-bridges in synchronous frequency at a phase displacement of 360°/n.

14. A DC converter as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:

a capacitor connected between said output and said ground connection.

15. A DC converter as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

a second capacitor connected between said input and said ground connection.

16. A method of operating a DC converter comprising steps of:

measuring current at an inductor;

switching a second switch of a half-bridge associated with the inductor to an off-state when current in the inductor is measured as flowing from a converter output towards the inductor and also measured as attaining a first specifiable threshold magnitude greater than zero;

switching a first switch to an off-state when current in said respective inductor is measured as flowing from the inductor towards the converter output and also measured as attaining a second specifiable threshold magnitude greater than zero;

setting a first selectively adjustable time pause between switching-off of the first switch and switching-on of the second switch; and,

setting a second selectively adjustable time pause between switching-off of the second switch and switching-on of the first switch.

17. A method of operating a DC converter as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising the step of:

setting the first selectively adjustable time pause to be of equal length to the second selectively adjustable time pause.

18. A method of operating a DC converter as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising the step of:

setting the first selectively adjustable time pause to be of shorter duration than the second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from the inductor to the converter output.

19. A method of operating a DC converter as claimed in claim 18 , further comprising the step of:

setting the first selectively adjustable time pause to be of longer duration than the second selectively adjustable time pause if current on average is flowing from the converter output to the inductor.

20. A method of operating a DC converter as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising the step of:

continuously adapting the ratio of the first and second selectively adjustable time pauses to the level of the average output current.