IP Library Granted Patent US 12,316,229
Granted Patent B2
US 12,316,229 · App. 18/187,112 · Granted May 27, 2025

Voltage conversion circuit, charging apparatus, and electric device

Inventors: Yuan Yao (Ningde, CN); Weichen He (Ningde, CN); Guiying Lin (Ningde, CN); Huaisen Zhang (Ningde, CN); Jinfeng Gao (Ningde, CN); Yu Yan (Ningde, CN)
Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED
H02M3/3353H02M3/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,316,229
App. No.
18/187,112
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A voltage conversion circuit includes an N-level conversion unit and N−1 DC-DC conversion units. The N-level conversion unit includes N output terminals at different levels. A first input terminal of an M th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to an M th output terminal of the N-level conversion unit, and a second input terminal of the M th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to an (M+1) th output terminal of the N-level conversion unit. An output level of the M th output terminal and an output level of the (M+1) th output terminal are adjacent levels. N and M are positive integers and satisfy N≥3 and 1≤M<N.

Claims (47)

1. A voltage conversion circuit, comprising:

an N-level conversion unit, comprising N output terminals at different levels;

N−1 DC-DC conversion units, wherein a first input terminal of an M th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to an M th output terminal of the N-level conversion unit, a second input terminal of the M th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to an (M+1) th output terminal of the N-level conversion unit, and an output level of the M th output terminal and an output level of the (M+1) th output terminal are adjacent levels; and

a control unit connected to the N-level conversion unit and the N−1 DC-DC conversion units, wherein the control unit is configured to:

obtain an output voltage of each of the DC-DC conversion units, obtain a reference voltage based on the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units, compare the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units with the reference voltage one after another to obtain voltage differences each corresponding to one of the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units, and control an intermediate output level of the N-level conversion unit based on the voltage differences; or

obtain an output current of each of the DC-DC conversion units, obtain a reference current based on the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units, compare the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units with the reference current one after another to obtain current differences each corresponding to one of the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units, and control the intermediate output level of the N-level conversion unit based on the current differences;

wherein N and M are positive integers and satisfy N≥3 and 1≤M<N.

2. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1 , wherein:

each of the N−1 DC-DC conversion units includes a first output terminal and a second output terminal;

a first output terminal of a first DC-DC conversion unit is connected to a first node, a first output terminal of the P th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to a second output terminal of the (P−1) th DC-DC conversion unit, and a second output terminal of the (N−1) th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to a second node; and

P is a positive integer and satisfies 2≤P<N.

3. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 2 , wherein:

N=3, the N-level conversion unit comprises a three-level conversion unit, and the N−1 DC-DC conversion units comprise the first DC-DC conversion unit and a second DC-DC conversion unit;

the three-level conversion unit comprises a first output terminal, a second output terminal, and a third output terminal with levels decreasing sequentially;

a first input terminal of the first DC-DC conversion unit is connected to the first output terminal of the three-level conversion unit, a second input terminal of the first DC-DC conversion unit and a first input terminal of the second DC-DC conversion unit are connected to the second output terminal of the three-level conversion unit, and a second input terminal of the second DC-DC conversion unit is connected to the third output terminal of the three-level conversion unit; and

the first output terminal of the first DC-DC conversion unit is connected to the first node, a second output terminal of the first DC-DC conversion unit is connected to the first output terminal of the second DC-DC conversion unit, and the second output terminal of the second DC-DC conversion unit is connected to the second node.

4. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the three-level conversion unit is a single-phase I-type three-level conversion unit, a three-phase I-type three-level conversion unit, a single-phase T-type three-level conversion unit, or a three-phase T-type three-level conversion unit.

5. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 4 ,

wherein the three-level conversion unit is a first three-level conversion unit;

the voltage conversion circuit further comprising:

a second three-level conversion unit, a third DC-DC conversion unit, and a fourth DC-DC conversion unit;

wherein:

levels of a first output terminal, a second output terminal, and a third output terminal of the second three-level conversion unit decrease sequentially;

a first input terminal of the third DC-DC conversion unit is connected to the first output terminal of the second three-level conversion unit, a second input terminal of the third DC-DC conversion unit and a first input terminal of the fourth DC-DC conversion unit are connected to the second output terminal of the second three-level conversion unit, and a second input terminal of the fourth DC-DC conversion unit is connected to the third output terminal of the second three-level conversion unit; and

the first output terminal of the first DC-DC conversion unit and a first output terminal of the fourth DC-DC conversion unit are connected to a third node, and a second output terminal of the third DC-DC conversion unit and a second output terminal of the fourth DC-DC conversion unit are connected to a fourth node.

6. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the second three-level conversion unit is a single-phase I-type three-level conversion unit, a three-phase I-type three-level conversion unit, a single-phase T-type three-level conversion unit, or a three-phase T-type three-level conversion unit.

7. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1 , wherein a first output terminal of each of the N−1 DC-DC conversion units is connected to a first node, and a second output terminal of each of the N−1 DC-DC conversion units is connected to a second node.

8. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1 , wherein input terminals of the N-level conversion unit are connected to a single-phase alternating current power supply or a three-phase alternating current power supply.

9. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1 , wherein each of the N−1 DC-DC conversion units is an LLC circuit, a CLLLC circuit, or a phase-shifting full-bridge converter (PSFB) circuit.

10. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:

control output levels of the N-level conversion unit, so that a difference between the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units is less than or equal to a first threshold; or

control the output levels of the N-level conversion unit, so that a difference between the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units is less than or equal to a second threshold.

11. The voltage conversion circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate output level is between a maximum output level of the N-level conversion unit and a minimum output level of the N-level conversion unit.

12. A charging apparatus, comprising a voltage conversion circuit comprising:

an N-level conversion unit, comprising N output terminals at different levels; and

N−1 DC-DC conversion units, wherein a first input terminal of an M th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to an M th output terminal of the N-level conversion unit, a second input terminal of the M th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to an (M+1) th output terminal of the N-level conversion unit, and an output level of the M th output terminal and an output level of the (M+1) th output terminal are adjacent levels; and

a control unit connected to the N-level conversion unit and the N−1 DC-DC conversion units, wherein the control unit is configured to:

obtain an output voltage of each of the DC-DC conversion units, obtain a reference voltage based on the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units, compare the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units with the reference voltage one after another to obtain voltage differences each corresponding to one of the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units, and control an intermediate output level of the N-level conversion unit based on the voltage differences; or

obtain an output current of each of the DC-DC conversion units, obtain a reference current based on the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units, compare the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units with the reference current one after another to obtain current differences each corresponding to one of the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units, and control the intermediate output level of the N-level conversion unit based on the current differences;

wherein N and M are positive integers and satisfy N≥3 and 1≤M<N.

13. An electric device, comprising a charging apparatus comprising a voltage conversion circuit, the voltage conversion circuit comprising:

an N-level conversion unit, comprising N output terminals at different levels; and

N−1 DC-DC conversion units, wherein a first input terminal of an M th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to an M th output terminal of the N-level conversion unit, a second input terminal of the M th DC-DC conversion unit is connected to an (M+1) th output terminal of the N-level conversion unit, and an output level of the M th output terminal and an output level of the (M+1) th output terminal are adjacent levels; and

a control unit connected to the N-level conversion unit and the N−1 DC-DC conversion units, wherein the control unit is configured to:

obtain an output voltage of each of the DC-DC conversion units, obtain a reference voltage based on the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units, compare the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units with the reference voltage one after another to obtain voltage differences each corresponding to one of the output voltages of the DC-DC conversion units, and control an intermediate output level of the N-level conversion unit based on the voltage differences; or

obtain an output current of each of the DC-DC conversion units, obtain a reference current based on the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units, compare the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units with the reference current one after another to obtain current differences each corresponding to one of the output currents of the DC-DC conversion units, and control the intermediate output level of the N-level conversion unit based on the current differences;

wherein N and M are positive integers and satisfy N≥3 and 1≤M<N.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
To: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 068338/0402 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2023
From: YAO, YUAN; HE, WEICHEN; LIN, GUIYING; ZHANG, HUAISEN; GAO, JINFENG; YAN, YU
To: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
Reel/Frame 063044/0401 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202111642182.9 · Dec 29, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2022095295 · May 26, 2022
Related Publication 20230253886A1 · Aug 10, 2023
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