Multi-level hysteresis voltage controllers for voltage modulators and methods for control thereof

1. A multi-level cascaded voltage modulator connectable to a load, comprising:

a plurality of power cells connected in series, wherein each cell of the plurality of power cells comprises a of bidirectional switch and a storage element; and

a control system coupled to the plurality of power cells and having a multi-level hysteresis voltage controller, wherein the control system is configured to cause the plurality of power cells to output N levels of voltage on the load, wherein N is a positive integer corresponding to the number of power cells of the plurality of power cells; and

a multi-level voltage controller system configured to:

receive, from a voltage sensor, a feedback voltage signal V REAL ;

low-pass filter the feedback voltage signal V REAL to generate a low-pass filter output signal; and

generate a difference signal ΔV that is proportional to the difference between the low-pass filter output signal and a reference voltage signal V REF .

2. The multi-level cascade voltage modulator of claim 1 , wherein the multi-level voltage controller system is configured to generate the difference signal ΔV by subtracting the low-pass filter output signal from the reference voltage signal V REF .

3. The multi-level cascaded voltage modulator of claim 2 , wherein the multi-level voltage controller system is configured to generate a hysteresis state signal based on a high boundary (HB) threshold, a low boundary (LB) threshold and the voltage difference signal ΔV.

4. The multi-level cascaded voltage modulator of claim 3 , wherein the multi-level voltage controller system is configured to generate an estimated voltage level signal based on the HB threshold, the LB threshold, and the voltage difference signal ΔV.

5. The multi-level cascaded voltage modulator of claim 4 , wherein the multi-level voltage controller system is configured to selectively turn on and turn off each of the power cells based on the estimated voltage level and the state signal.

6. The multi-level cascaded voltage modulator of claim 5 , wherein the multi-level voltage controller system is further configured to selectively turn on and turn off each of the power cells to balance voltages on the storage elements.

7. The multi-level cascaded voltage modulator of claim 6 , wherein the storage element is a capacitor.

8. The multi-level cascaded voltage modulator of claim 3 , wherein the multi-level voltage controller system is configured to:

count, by a resettable counter, a number of clock signals generated by the clock generator when one or more of the following conditions is true:

ΔV is lower than the LB threshold; or

ΔV is higher than the HB threshold;

increment, by the free running counter, a free running counter output signal that is coupled as an input to a summation block;

decrement the estimated voltage level signal at an output of the voltage level estimator when both of the following cases are true at the same time:

the signal ΔV is lower than the LB threshold; and

the value of an output counting signal of the resettable counter is higher than a preset value of a time constant.

9. A method of controlling a voltage supplied to a load using a multi-level hysteresis voltage controller to control a plurality of power cells connected in series, wherein each cell of the plurality of power cells comprises a of bidirectional switch and a storage element, comprising:

receiving a real feedback voltage signal V REAL from a voltage sensor;

low-pass filter the feedback voltage signal V REAL to generate a low-pass filter output signal;

generating a difference signal ΔV that is proportional to the difference between the low-pass filter output signal and a reference voltage signal V REF ;

generating a hysteresis state signal based on a high boundary (HB) threshold, a low boundary (LB) threshold and the voltage difference signal ΔV;

based, at least in part on the state signal, causing the plurality of power cells to selectively output up to N levels of voltage on the load, wherein N is a positive integer corresponding to the number of power cells of the plurality of power cells.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating a difference signal ΔV that is proportion to the difference between the low-pass filter output signal and a reference voltage signal V REF comprises subtracting the low-pass filter output signal from a reference voltage signal V REF .

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising producing an estimated voltage level signal based on the HB threshold, the LB threshold, and the voltage difference signal ΔV.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selectively turning on and turning off each of the power cells based on the estimated voltage level and the state signal.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein selectively turning on and turning off each of the power cells based on the estimated voltage level and the state signal comprises balancing voltages on the storage elements.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein producing the estimated voltage level signal comprises:

counting, by a resettable counter, a number of clock signals generated by a clock generator when one or more of the following conditions is true:

ΔV is lower than the LB threshold; or

ΔV is higher than the HB threshold;

incrementing a free running counter output signal that is coupled as an input to a summation block; and

decrementing the estimated voltage level signal when both of the following cases are true at the same time:

the signal ΔV is lower than the LB threshold; and

the value of an output counting signal of the resettable counter is higher than a preset value of a time constant.