In an example, a method includes storing a pending PWM pulse for a switching voltage regulator. The method also includes determining a switching voltage regulator is operating in a current limit mode, where an inductor current is above a current limit threshold. The method includes providing a predetermined number of PWM pulses in the current limit mode. The method also includes, responsive to providing the predetermined number of PWM pulses, ceasing storage of pending PWM pulses for the switching voltage regulator.

This application relates to computing circuitry, and in particular to analogue computing circuitry suitable for neuromorphic computing. An analogue computation unit for processing data is supplied with a first voltage from a voltage regulator which is operable in a sequence of phases to cyclically regulate the first voltage. A controller is configured to control operation of the voltage regulator and/or the analogue computation unit, such that the analogue computation unit processes data during a plurality of compute periods that avoid times at which the voltage regulator undergoes a phase transition which is one of a predefined set of phase transitions between defined phases in said sequence of phases. This avoids performing computation operations during a phase transition of the voltage regulator that could result in a transient or disturbance in the first voltage, which could adversely affect the computing.

Multiphase series capacitor DC-DC converters are provided, including: a power stage circuit configured to convert an input DC voltage into a stable DC voltage required by a load, where the power stage circuit includes inductors of two or more phases, and there is a phase difference with a preset interval between inductor currents of phases for alternately charging the load in sequence, and a bidirectional switch is provided between inductors of every two adjacent phases, where when the bidirectional switch is turned on, the inductors of the corresponding two phases charge the load simultaneously; and a load transient response circuit configured to, when a load transient positive step occurs, control one or more bidirectional switches to be turned on to make inductors of two or more corresponding phases charge the load simultaneously. Control methods of such converters are also provided, which can realize fast response to load transient changes.

In an example, a method includes storing a pending PWM pulse for a switching voltage regulator. The method also includes determining a switching voltage regulator is operating in a current limit mode, where an inductor current is above a current limit threshold. The method includes providing a predetermined number of PWM pulses in the current limit mode. The method also includes, responsive to providing the predetermined number of PWM pulses, ceasing storage of pending PWM pulses for the switching voltage regulator.

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for reducing current imbalances between phases in a multi-phase converter as well as reducing instances of particular phases switching twice within a single pulse-width modulated cycle, or other time period. Phases that have not switched for a longest period of time can be compared to see if swapping their firing patterns would reduce current imbalances, and if so, then those firing patterns can be swapped.

A method for operating a controllable electrical device connected by a data link to a control device for controlling the electrical device, includes using the electrical device to exchange electrical power with a connected electrical grid and using an environmental sensor for collecting environmental information. The control device transmits control signals to the electrical device over the data link. The electrical device assumes a first or a second operating state depending on the control signals transmitted. The electrical device exchanges energy with the electrical grid in the first operating state and the electrical device does not exchange energy with the electrical grid in the second operating state. Environmental information collected by the environmental sensor is transmitted over the data link to the control device only when the electrical device is in the second operating state. An assembly for carrying out the method is also provided.

The present invention provides an adaptively modulated multi-state inverter system, comprising: a split capacitor, four bridge arms and an isolation switch group, on each of the four bridge arms a pair of complementary power switch groups is arranged; the isolation switch group comprises four fuses and six bidirectional thyristors. The output branches of the first bridge arm, the second bridge arm and the third bridge arm are respectively connected in series with a fuse to output a three-phase voltage, and at three-phase output voltage side two shared auxiliary branches are arranged, one auxiliary branch starts from the fourth bridge arm output branch on which a fuse is connected in series and is then connected to the output terminal of the three-phase voltage via three bidirectional thyristors. The other auxiliary branch starts from the DC side feed branch from the midpoint of the split capacitor, and is connected with the output terminal of the three-phase voltage via three bidirectional thyristors respectively. The invention also provides a modulating method of the multi-state inverter system. The use of the adaptive modulating technology enables the multi-state inverter to have the functions of overcurrent protection, isolation of faulty bridge arms and fault-tolerant control on any single and double bridges.

A voltage modulation circuit includes a charge pump circuit and a voltage detection circuit. The voltage detection circuit is coupled to the charge pump circuit. Herein, the charge pump circuit supports a plurality of power supply modes with different conversion rates and is configured to perform a power supply operation in a selected power supply mode of the power supply modes according to a control signal, to convert a power supply voltage into at least one output voltage, and to output a wake-up signal when switching of the selected power supply mode meets a specific condition. The voltage detection circuit is activated by the wake-up signal, and is configured to detect the output voltage and to suspend the power supply operation of the charge pump circuit according to a magnitude of the output voltage.

A method regulates a power converter arrangement that has at least one power converter arm with a series circuit of two-pole switching modules. Each of the switching modules contains a plurality of semiconductor switches and an energy store. At least some of the switching modules are switching modules of a first type and at least some further switching modules are switching modules of a second type. In the method, a voltage setpoint value of a power converter regulator is apportioned into a first and a second setpoint value portion. The switching modules of the first type are driven on the basis of the first setpoint value portion and the switching modules of the second type on the basis of the second setpoint value portion.

A re-configurable bank of DC-DC converters has many channels, each with a DC-DC converter and a controller that senses the channel's output voltage and current to adjust a duty cycle of switch signals to the DC-DC converter. A serial bus connects to all controllers and writes digital voltage and current control targets into each controller. The controller has Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs) that convert the targets to analog voltages that are compared to sensed output voltage and current. The comparison results are compared to a sawtooth wave to generate pulses of the switch signals that have a duty cycle adjusted for the target comparisons. In combined mode, a primary channel's controller generates switch signals for secondary channels having outputs shorted to the primary channel. Secondary channels have a mux to select switch signals from the primary controller during combined mode, and from the secondary controller during separated mode.