Method and apparatus for power conversion
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for converting a first power to a second power. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a power conversion circuit for receiving the first power; and a controller, coupled to the power conversion circuit, for dynamically selecting between a non-interleaved mode and an interleaved mode for operating the power conversion circuit to convert the first power to the second power.
1. Apparatus for converting a first power to a second power, comprising:
a power conversion circuit for receiving the first power, wherein (i) the power conversion circuit comprises a plurality of power stages coupled to one another in parallel, (ii) each power stage of the plurality of power stages comprises a primary side for receiving an input power and a secondary side to provide an output power generated from the input power, and (iii) for each power stage of the plurality of power stages, power conversion by the power stage is controlled by switching only on the primary side; and
a controller, coupled to the power conversion circuit, for dynamically selecting between a non-interleaved mode and an interleaved mode for operating the power conversion circuit to convert the first power to the second power, wherein only one power stage of the plurality of power stages is used during the non-interleaved mode, and at least two power stages of the plurality of power stages are used during the interleaved mode.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first power is a DC power and the second power is an AC power.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first power is an AC power and the second power is a DC power.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller dynamically selects between the non-interleaved mode and the interleaved mode based on a level of power.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller dynamically selects between the non-interleaved mode and the interleaved mode based further on an input voltage to the power conversion circuit and an output voltage from the power conversion circuit.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each power stage of the plurality of power stages is capable of converting a DC input power to a DC output power, and wherein the controller selects at least two power stages of the plurality of power stages for operating in the interleaved mode.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a number of power stages in the at least two power stages is proportional to the level of power.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the at least two power stages is operated with a delay.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the non-interleaved mode is a flyback mode and the interleaved mode is an interleaved flyback mode.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the non-interleaved mode is a quasi-resonant mode and the interleaved mode is an interleaved quasi-resonant mode.
11. A method for converting a first power to a second power, comprising:
receiving the first power at a power conversion circuit, wherein (i) the power conversion circuit comprises a plurality of power stages coupled to one another in parallel, (ii) each power stage of the plurality of power stages comprises a primary side for receiving an input power and a secondary side to provide an output power generated from the input power, and (iii) for each power stage of the plurality of power stages, power conversion by the power stage is controlled by switching only on the primary side;
dynamically selecting, by a controller coupled to the power conversion circuit, a mode for operating the power conversion circuit, wherein the mode is a non-interleaved mode or an interleaved mode, and wherein only one power stage of the plurality of power stages is used during the non-interleaved mode, and at least two power stages of the plurality of power stages are used during the interleaved mode; and
converting, by the power conversion circuit, the first power to the second power utilizing the selected mode.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first power is a DC power and the second power is an AC power.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first power is an AC power and the second power is a DC power.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein selecting the mode is based on a level of power.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein selecting the mode is further based on an input voltage to the power conversion circuit and an output voltage from the power conversion circuit.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein selecting the mode comprises selecting two or more power stages of the plurality of power conversion stages for operating in the interleaved mode, and wherein each power stage of the two or more power stages is operated with a delay.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein selecting the two or more power stages comprises selecting a number of power stages in proportion to the level of power.
18. A system for converting a first power to a second power, comprising:
a power source for providing the first power;
a power conversion circuit coupled to the power source, wherein (i) the power conversion circuit comprises a plurality of power stages coupled to one another in parallel, (ii) each power stage of the plurality of power stages comprises a primary side for receiving an input power and a secondary side to provide an output power generated from the input power, and (iii) for each power stage of the plurality of power stages, power conversion by the power stage is controlled by switching only on the primary side; and
a controller, coupled to the power conversion circuit, for selecting between a non-interleaved mode and an interleaved mode for operating the power conversion circuit to convert the first power to the second power, wherein only one power stage of the plurality of power stages is used during the non-interleaved mode, and at least two power stages of the plurality of power stages are used during the interleaved mode.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the power source is a DC power source, the first power is a DC power, and the second power is an AC power.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the power source is an AC power source, the first power is an AC power, and the second power is a DC power.