17957789. MULTI-PHASE BUCK-BOOST CONVERTER simplified abstract (TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED)

MULTI-PHASE BUCK-BOOST CONVERTER

Organization Name

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED

Inventor(s)

Eric Southard of Richardson TX (US)

Daniel A. Mavencamp of Dallas TX (US)

Qiong Li of Allen TX (US)

Shishuo Zhao of Richardson TX (US)

MULTI-PHASE BUCK-BOOST CONVERTER - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17957789 titled 'MULTI-PHASE BUCK-BOOST CONVERTER

Simplified Explanation

The abstract describes a multi-phase buck-boost converter with three half-bridge circuits and a control circuit that transitions the operation mode based on the off-time of the first half-bridge circuit.

• The converter includes three half-bridge circuits and a control circuit.
• The first half-bridge circuit is connected to a first inductor terminal.
• The second half-bridge circuit is connected to a second inductor terminal.
• The third half-bridge circuit is connected to a third inductor terminal, a system voltage terminal, and a battery terminal.
• The control circuit transitions the operation mode from buck to buck-boost based on the off-time of the first half-bridge circuit being less than a particular time.

Potential Applications

The technology can be applied in:

• Power electronics
• Renewable energy systems
• Electric vehicles

Problems Solved

This technology addresses:

• Efficient power conversion
• Voltage regulation
• Energy management

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

• Improved efficiency
• Enhanced voltage regulation
• Better energy utilization

Potential Commercial Applications

The technology can be commercially applied in:

• Power supply units
• Electric vehicle chargers
• Solar inverters

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art for this technology could be the use of traditional buck-boost converters in power electronics applications.

Unanswered Questions

How does the control circuit determine the off-time of the first half-bridge circuit?

The abstract does not provide details on the specific method used by the control circuit to measure the off-time of the first half-bridge circuit.

What are the specific parameters that determine the transition from buck to buck-boost mode?

The abstract mentions a particular time as a threshold for transitioning the operation mode, but it does not specify the exact parameters or conditions that trigger this transition.

Original Abstract Submitted

A multi-phase buck-boost converter includes a first half-bridge circuit, a second half-bridge circuit, a third half-bridge circuit, and a control circuit. The first half-bridge circuit is coupled to a first inductor terminal. The second half-bridge circuit is coupled to a second inductor terminal. The third half-bridge circuit is coupled to a third inductor terminal, a system voltage terminal, and a battery terminal. The control circuit is coupled to the first half-bridge circuit, the second half-bridge circuit, and the third half-bridge circuit. The control circuit is configured to transition the first half-bridge circuit, the second half-bridge circuit, and the third half-bridge circuit from operation in a buck mode to operation in a buck-boost mode based on an off-time of the first half-bridge being less than a particular time.