Inverter Control Circuit Reducing Component Count via Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inverter control circuits require multiple electronic circuits to manage both opening/closing and deactivation commands, which increases complexity and cost, and may become uncontrollable if one of these circuits fails.
Innovation Solution
A single electronic circuit sends both open/close and deactivation commands, with an electronic selection circuit that transfers deactivation commands if received from a majority of circuits, ensuring control even if the single circuit fails, thus reducing the number of circuits needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple electronic circuits are used to send both open/close and deactivation commands separately, then the reliability of inverter control is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of sending open/close commands and deactivation commands into a single electronic circuit, reducing the number of circuits from two to one. This merging approach directly addresses the contradiction by decreasing device complexity while maintaining control functionality through the addition of a watchdog timer that provides independent verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The watchdog timer acts as an intermediary component that monitors the single electronic circuit's behavior. It receives the deactivation command from the same circuit that sends open/close commands, and independently determines whether to actually deactivate the inverter based on whether the circuit is functioning properly. This intermediary mechanism preserves reliability while allowing circuit consolidation.
2Device complexity
If a single electronic circuit sends both open/close and deactivation commands, then the number of electronic circuits is reduced, but the risk of uncontrollable failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The watchdog timer is configured in advance to monitor the electronic circuit's activity and prepare to intervene if failure occurs. The system establishes a safety mechanism beforehand that will automatically deactivate the inverter if the single electronic circuit fails, cushioning against the potential harm of uncontrollable failure. This preemptive safety net allows the use of a single circuit without compromising robustness.
Solution Approach 2:
The watchdog timer continuously monitors the electronic circuit's operation and provides feedback on its proper functioning. The timer receives signals from the single electronic circuit and uses this feedback to determine whether the circuit is operating within expected parameters. This closed-loop monitoring ensures that if the single circuit fails, the system detects the failure and takes corrective action, maintaining control robustness.
3Reliability
If two separate electronic circuits are used for open/close commands and deactivation commands, then the robustness against circuit failure is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of two separate electronic circuits into a single circuit, directly reducing component count and manufacturing cost. The single circuit handles both open/close commands and generates deactivation commands, eliminating the need for a second dedicated circuit and associated hardware, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining failure resistance through the watchdog timer mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
The controlling device (134) includes: a first driver (152) configured to drive at least one first switch (116 B) depending on received open/close commands; and N electronic circuits (144, 146, 148), N being higher than or equal to three, one of the electronic circuits (146) being configured to send to the first driver (152) the open/close commands. The first driver (152) is furthermore configured, in case of reception of a deactivation command, to ignore the received open/close commands and to deliver to each of the first switches (116B) a preset open or close signal. Each of the N electronic circuits is configured to send a deactivation command to the first driver (152). The controlling device (134) furthermore includes a selecting electronic circuit (154) that is configured to receive the deactivation commands sent by the N electronic circuits (144, 146, 148), and, if deactivation commands have been received from at least M electronic circuits (144, 146, 148), M being higher than N/2, to transfer to the first driver (152) the deactivation command.