Parallel MOSFET Power Converter With Optical Fiber Control Links
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Power converters have limited power handling capability, and parallel power stages require precise temporal control to avoid interference and complexity in cable management and electrical shielding.
Innovation Solution
A power converter with multiple parallel power stages uses a single uplink and downlink plastic optical fiber for each stage, coupled with serializers and deserializers to transmit control and measurement signals, reducing connections and interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If multiple power stages are arranged in parallel to increase power handling capability, then the power handling capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple cables and communication channels required for each power stage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple communication channels (control signals and measurement signals) into a single communication bus that connects the control unit to each power stage. This merging approach eliminates the need for separate cables for different signal types, reducing cable management complexity while maintaining the ability to control multiple parallel power stages effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The communication bus serves multiple functions simultaneously: it transmits both control signals from the control unit to the power stages and measurement signals from the power stages back to the control unit. This multi-functional approach reduces the overall number of communication channels and cables required in the system
2Power
If multiple power stages are arranged in parallel to increase power handling capability, then the power handling capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to electrical shielding requirements to avoid interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional electrical signal transmission through separate cables with optical signal transmission through a communication bus. This substitution eliminates electromagnetic interference between parallel power stages, removing the need for complex electrical shielding while maintaining effective control and measurement across multiple power stages
3Manufacturing precision
If separate communication channels are used for each power stage to ensure precise temporal control, then the control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges control signal transmission and measurement signal reception into a single communication bus for each power stage. This consolidation reduces the number of communication channels while maintaining precise temporal control through dedicated protocol handling and signal prioritization within the shared bus
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances power handling capacity while minimizing interference and complexity, allowing efficient power conversion between DC voltages in vehicles and industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
each power stage being coupled to the control unit via a single respective uplink plastic optical fibre arranged to carry the measured physical parameters to the control unit and a single respective downlink plastic optical fibre arranged to carry control signals from the control unit to the power stage
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is described apparatus comprising: a power converter unit having a plurality of power stages, each power stage comprising one or more MOSFET modules, one or more gate driving units arranged to drive MOSFETs in the MOSFET modules to effect electrical power conversion by MOSFET switching; a control unit arranged to receive one or more control signals dictating properties of the required electrical power conversion and receive measured physical parameters from the power stages, and to generate gate driving signals for use by the gate driving units in controlling the MOSFETs, each power stage being coupled to the control unit via a single respective uplink plastic optical fibre and a single respective downlink plastic optical fibre, each power stage comprising an uplink optical interface and a serialiser arranged to serialise the measured physical parameters for transmission to the control unit on the uplink plastic optical fibre, the control unit comprising, for each power stage, a downlink optical interface and a serialiser arranged to serialise the gate driving signals for that power stage for transmission on the downlink optical fibre via the downlink optical interface. A vehicle and method are also described.