IP Library Granted Patent US 9,461,552
Granted Patent B2
US 9,461,552 · App. 13/903,457 · Granted Oct 4, 2016

Method and apparatus for power conversion

Inventor: Martin Fornage (Petaluma, CA)
Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
H02M3/33569H02J3/383H02M3/285H02M3/33515H02M7/48H02M7/4807H02M7/537H02M2001/007Y02B70/1433Y02E10/563Y10S323/906
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,461,552
App. No.
13/903,457
Granted
Oct 4, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

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 regular mode and a quasi-resonant mode for operating the power conversion circuit to convert the first power to the second power.

Claims (28)

1. Apparatus for converting a first power to a second power, comprising:

a power conversion circuit for receiving the first power; and

a controller, coupled to the power conversion circuit, for dynamically selecting between a regular mode and a quasi-resonant mode for operating the power conversion circuit to convert the first power to the second power, wherein the regular mode is a non-quasi-resonant 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 regular mode and the quasi-resonant mode based on a voltage ratio of the power conversion circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the quasi-resonant mode is a quasi-resonant interleaved mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary quasi-resonant circuit, wherein the controller operates the auxiliary quasi-resonant circuit to switch a capacitance across a main switch of the power conversion circuit for operating in the quasi-resonant mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary quasi-resonant circuit comprises a control switch, a diode, and a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is coupled between source terminals of the main switch and the control switch, a cathode terminal of the diode is coupled to the source terminal of the control switch, an anode terminal of the diode is coupled to a drain terminal of the control switch and to ground, and a gate terminal of the control switch is coupled to a memory for receiving a control signal to operate the control switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the regular mode is a flyback mode and the quasi-resonant mode is a quasi-resonant flyback mode.

9. A method for converting a first power to a second power, comprising:

receiving the first power at a power conversion circuit;

dynamically selecting, by a controller coupled to the power conversion circuit, a mode for operating the power conversion circuit, wherein the mode is a regular mode or a quasi-resonant mode, and wherein the regular mode is a non-quasi-resonant mode; and

converting, by the power conversion circuit, the first power to the second power utilizing the selected mode.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first power is a DC power and the second power is an AC power.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first power is an AC power and the second power is a DC power.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein selecting the mode is based on a voltage ratio of the power conversion circuit.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the quasi-resonant mode is a quasi-resonant interleaved mode.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising switching a capacitance across a main switch of the power conversion circuit when the quasi-resonant mode is selected.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the regular mode is a flyback mode and the quasi-resonant mode is a quasi-resonant flyback mode.

16. 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; and

a controller, coupled to the power conversion circuit, for dynamically selecting between a regular mode and a quasi-resonant mode for operating the power conversion circuit to convert the first power to the second power, wherein the regular mode is a non-quasi-resonant mode.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the power source is a DC power source, the first power is a DC power, and the second power is an AC power.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the power source is an AC power source, the first power is an AC power, and the second power is a DC power.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller dynamically selects between the regular mode and the quasi-resonant mode based on a voltage ratio of the power conversion circuit.

20. The system of claim 16 , further comprising an auxiliary quasi-resonant circuit, wherein the controller operates the auxiliary quasi-resonant circuit to switch a capacitance across a main switch of the power conversion circuit for operating in the quasi-resonant mode.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2026
From: OBSIDIAN AGENCY SERVICES, INC.
To: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 075546/0734 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2020
From: FLEXTRONICS INDUSTRIAL, LTD.; FLEXTRONICS AMERICA, LLC
To: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 052022/0954 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 041936 FRAME: 0109. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Apr 17, 2017
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: FLEXTRONICS INDUSTRIAL, LTD; FLEXTRONICS AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 043339/0856 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2016
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: OBSIDIAN AGENCY SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 041225/0509 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2016
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: FLEXTRONICS AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 041936/0109 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 30, 2016
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: FLEXTRONICS INDUSTRIAL, LTD
Reel/Frame 041958/0820 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2016
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 041210/0283 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2013
From: FORNAGE, MARTIN
To: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 030606/0994 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 12807715 · Sep 13, 2010
Continuation 11725763 · Mar 20, 2007
Provisional Application 60743713 · Mar 23, 2006
Related Publication 20130250624A1 · Sep 26, 2013