Multilevel converter

1. A modular multilevel converter, comprising:

a multiplicity of sub modules each having at least two electronic switching elements and an electrical energy storage device, each of said sub modules having an optical input;

a control device for controlling said sub modules, said control device having at least one optical output; and

an optical distributor having at least one input connected to said optical output of said control device by way of a first optical fiber, and said optical distributor having a multiplicity of outputs connected to said optical input of a respective one of said sub modules by way of a respective second optical fiber, and said optical distributor being configured to distribute an optical signal received at said input to said multiplicity of signal outputs of said optical distributor;

wherein said control device has a multiplicity of optical inputs, and an optical output of each of said sub modules is connected to a different one of said optical inputs of said control device by way of a third optical fiber; or

wherein an optical collector has a multiplicity of optical inputs, and an optical output of each of said sub modules is connected to one of said optical inputs of said optical collector by way of a third optical fiber, and an optical output of said optical collector is connected to an optical input of said control device by way of a fourth optical fiber; and

wherein each of said outputs of said sub modules is connected to a different one of said optical inputs of said control device.

2. The modular multilevel converter according to claim 1 , wherein each of said outputs of said optical distributor is connected to a different one of said sub modules.

3. The modular multilevel converter according to claim 1 , wherein each of said outputs of the said modules is connected to a different one of said optical inputs of said optical collector.

4. The modular multilevel converter according to claim 1 , which comprises a further optical fiber connecting a further optical output of said control device to a further optical input of said optical distributor.

5. The modular multilevel converter according to claim 1 , further comprising an additional optical fiber connecting an additional optical output of said optical collector to an additional optical input of said control device.

6. The modular multilevel converter according to claim 1 , wherein a spacing distance between said optical collector and each said sub module is shorter than a distance between said optical collector and said control device.

7. The modular multilevel converter according to claim 1 , wherein a spacing distance between said optical distributor and said sub modules is shorter than a distance between said optical distributor and said control device.

8. A method for transmitting optical signals between a control device and a plurality of sub modules of a modular multilevel converter, wherein each of the sub modules has at least two electronic switching elements and an electrical energy storage device, the method comprising:

transmitting optical control signals from an optical output of the control device to an input of an optical distributor by way of a first optical fiber;

distributing the optical control signals received at the input of the optical distributor to a multiplicity of outputs of the optical distributor; and

transmitting the optical control signals from the multiplicity of outputs of the optical distributor to an optical input of a respective one of the sub modules by way of a respective second optical fiber;

providing the control device with a multiplicity of optical inputs, and transmitting optical response signals from an optical output of each of the sub modules to one of the optical inputs of the control device by way of a third optical fiber; or

providing an optical collector with a multiplicity of optical inputs, and transmitting optical response signals from an optical output of each of the sub modules to one of the optical inputs of the optical collector by way of a third optical fiber, and transmitting the optical response signals from an optical output of the optical collector to an optical input of the control device by way of a fourth optical fiber; and

transmitting each of the optical response signals from the optical output of the sub modules to a different one of the optical inputs of the control device.

9. The method according to claim 8 , which comprises transmitting each of the optical control signals from the outputs of the optical distributor to a different one of the sub modules.

10. The method according to claim 8 , which comprises transmitting each of the optical response signals from the optical output of the sub modules to a different one of the optical inputs of the optical collector.

11. The method according to claim 8 , which comprises transmitting the optical control signals from a further optical output of the control device to a further optical input of the optical distributor by way of a further optical fiber.

12. The method according to claim 8 , which comprises transmitting the optical response signals from an additional optical output of the collector to an additional optical input of the control device by way of an additional optical fiber.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein a spacing distance between the optical collector and each of the sub modules is shorter than a distance between the optical collector and the control device.

14. The method according to claim 8 , wherein a spacing distance between the optical distributor and each of the sub modules is shorter than a distance between the optical distributor and the control device.