IP Library Granted Patent US 11,201,564
Granted Patent B2
US 11,201,564 · App. 17/068,127 · Granted Dec 14, 2021

Multi-level inverter including at least four switches and at least four resistors

Inventors: Yiming Jiang (Shenzhen, CN); Jincheng Shao (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
H02M7/483H02M1/36H02M7/487H02M7/4837H02M7/53871H02M7/4835
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,201,564
App. No.
17/068,127
Granted
Dec 14, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a multi-level inverter, which belongs to the field of power electronics. The multi-level inverter includes a main topology, at least four resistors, a switch, and a controller. The main topology includes a power supply, a flying capacitor, and at least four semiconductor switches. The flying capacitor is electrically connected to the power supply. The controller is configured to: before the main topology works, control the switch to be closed, and when detecting that charging the flying capacitor is completed, control the switch to be open. The multi-level inverter provided in the present disclosure can prevent a semiconductor switch from being damaged.

Claims (90)

1. A multi-level inverter comprising:

a main topology comprising a power supply, a flying capacitor, and at least four semiconductor switches including a first semiconductor switch, a second semiconductor switch, a third semiconductor switch, and a fourth semiconductor switch;

four resistors including a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor;

four single-pole single-throw relays including a first single-pole single-throw relay, a second single-pole single-throw relay, a third single-pole single-throw relay, and a fourth single-pole single-throw relay; and

a controller, wherein

a first end of the flying capacitor is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the power supply, a second end of the flying capacitor is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the power supply, the controller is electrically connected to the first, second, third and fourth single-pole single-throw relays and the main topology, the flying capacitor is connected to the second and third semiconductor switches in parallel, the first semiconductor switch is disposed on a first connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply, and the fourth semiconductor switch is disposed on a first connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first single-pole single-throw relay and the first resistor are disposed on a connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second single-pole single-throw relay and the second resistor are disposed on a connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third single-pole single-throw relay and the third resistor are disposed on a connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth single-pole single-throw relay and the fourth resistor are disposed on a connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first resistor is disposed on the connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second resistor is disposed on the connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third resistor is disposed on the connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth resistor is disposed on the connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the first resistor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the second resistor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the third resistor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the fourth resistor and the negative electrode of the power supply; and wherein

the controller is configured to: before the main topology works, control the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be closed, and when detecting that charging the flying capacitor is completed, control the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be open.

2. The multi-level inverter according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is electrically connected to the first end of the flying capacitor and the second end of the flying capacitor separately; and

the controller is configured to:

when detecting that a voltage of the flying capacitor is a preset value, control the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be open.

3. The multi-level inverter according to claim 1 , wherein after controlling the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be open, the controller is further configured to:

control the main topology to output at least one level state.

4. The multi-level inverter according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays are metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOS transistors) or triodes.

5. A multi-level inverter comprising:

a main topology comprising a power supply, a flying capacitor, and at least four semiconductor switches including a first semiconductor switch, a second semiconductor switch, a third semiconductor switch, and a fourth semiconductor switch;

four resistors including a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor;

four single-pole single-throw relays including a first single-pole single-throw relay, a second single-pole single-throw relay, a third single-pole single-throw relay, and a fourth single-pole single-throw relay; and

a controller, wherein

a first end of the flying capacitor is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the power supply, a second end of the flying capacitor is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the power supply, the controller is electrically connected to the first, second, third and fourth single-pole single-throw relays and the main topology, the flying capacitor is connected to the second and third semiconductor switches in parallel, the first semiconductor switch is disposed on a first connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply, and the fourth semiconductor switch is disposed on a first connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first single-pole single-throw relay and the first resistor are disposed on a connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second single-pole single-throw relay and the second resistor are disposed on a connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third single-pole single-throw relay and the third resistor are disposed on a connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth single-pole single-throw relay and the fourth resistor are disposed on a connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first resistor is disposed on the connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second resistor is disposed on the connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third resistor is disposed on the connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth resistor is disposed on the connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the first resistor and the first end of the flying capacitor;

the second single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the second resistor and the second end of the flying capacitor;

the third single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the third resistor and the second end of the flying capacitor;

the fourth single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the fourth resistor and the first end of the flying capacitor; and wherein

the controller is configured to: before the main topology works, control the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be closed, and when detecting that charging the flying capacitor is completed, control the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be open.

6. A method of operating a multi-level inverter comprising:

controlling a first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be closed before a main topology works, using a controller; and

controlling the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be open when detecting that charging a flying capacitor is completed; wherein the multi-level inverter includes:

the main topology comprising a power supply, the flying capacitor, and at least four semiconductor switches including a first semiconductor switch, a second semiconductor switch, a third semiconductor switch, and a fourth semiconductor switch;

four resistors including a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor;

the four single-pole single-throw relays including the first single-pole single-throw relay, the second single-pole single-throw relay, the third single-pole single-throw relay, and the fourth single-pole single-throw relay; and

the controller, wherein

a first end of the flying capacitor is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the power supply, a second end of the flying capacitor is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the power supply, the controller is electrically connected to the first, second, third and fourth single-pole single-throw relays and the main topology, the flying capacitor is connected to the second and third semiconductor switches in parallel, the first semiconductor switch is disposed on a first connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply, and the fourth semiconductor switch is disposed on a first connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first single-pole single-throw relay and the first resistor are disposed on a connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second single-pole single-throw relay and the second resistor are disposed on a connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third single-pole single-throw relay and the third resistor are disposed on a connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth single-pole single-throw relay and the fourth resistor are disposed on a connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first resistor is disposed on the connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second resistor is disposed on the connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third resistor is disposed on the connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth resistor is disposed on the connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the first resistor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the second resistor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the third resistor and the negative electrode of the power supply; and wherein

the fourth single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the fourth resistor and the negative electrode of the power supply.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is electrically connected to the first end of the flying capacitor and the second end of the flying capacitor separately; and

the controller is further configured to:

when detecting that a voltage of the flying capacitor is a preset value, control the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be open.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein after controlling the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be open, the controller is further configured to:

control the main topology to output at least one level state.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays are metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOS transistors) or triodes.

10. A method of operating a multi-level inverter comprising:

controlling a first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be closed before a main topology works, using a controller; and

controlling the first, second, third, and fourth single-pole single-throw relays to be open when detecting that charging a flying capacitor is completed; wherein the multi-level inverter includes:

the main topology comprising a power supply, the flying capacitor, and at least four semiconductor switches including a first semiconductor switch, a second semiconductor switch, a third semiconductor switch, and a fourth semiconductor switch;

four resistors including a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor;

the four single-pole single-throw relays including the first single-pole single-throw relay, the second single-pole single-throw relay, the third single-pole single-throw relay, and the fourth single-pole single-throw relay; and

the controller, wherein

a first end of the flying capacitor is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the power supply, a second end of the flying capacitor is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the power supply, the controller is electrically connected to the first, second, third and fourth single-pole single-throw relays and the main topology, the flying capacitor is connected to the second and third semiconductor switches in parallel, the first semiconductor switch is disposed on a first connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply, and the fourth semiconductor switch is disposed on a first connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first single-pole single-throw relay and the first resistor are disposed on a connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second single-pole single-throw relay and the second resistor are disposed on a connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third single-pole single-throw relay and the third resistor are disposed on a connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth single-pole single-throw relay and the fourth resistor are disposed on a connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first resistor is disposed on the connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the second resistor is disposed on the connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the positive electrode of the power supply;

the third resistor is disposed on the connection line between the second end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the fourth resistor is disposed on the connection line between the first end of the flying capacitor and the negative electrode of the power supply;

the first single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the first resistor and the first end of the flying capacitor;

the second single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the second resistor and the second end of the flying capacitor;

the third single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the third resistor and the second end of the flying capacitor; and wherein

the fourth single-pole single-throw relay is disposed on a connection line between the fourth resistor and the first end of the flying capacitor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2021
From: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
To: HUAWEI DIGITAL POWER TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058601/0734 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2020
From: JIANG, YIMING; SHAO, JINCHENG
To: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054631/0883 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201810416766.6 · May 3, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2019083514 · Apr 19, 2019
Related Publication 20210028722A1 · Jan 28, 2021