An optical transformer includes a plurality of light emitters, a plurality of photovoltaic cells positioned to receive light from at least a first subset of the plurality of light emitters, the plurality of photovoltaic cells including at least a first photovoltaic cell and a second photovoltaic cell, and one or more optically triggered switches positioned to receive light from at least a second subset of the plurality of light emitters, the one or more optically triggered switches including at least a first optically triggered switch electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell. A method of operating the optical transformer is also described.

A DC-DC auto-converter module includes a positive source terminal, a negative source terminal, a positive load terminal, a negative load terminal, and a DC-DC converter. The negative source terminal cooperates with the positive source terminal to facilitate electrical connection of a DC power source thereto. The negative load terminal cooperates with the positive load terminal to facilitate connection of an electrical load thereto. The isolated DC-DC converter comprises an input circuit and an output circuit that is galvanically isolated from the input circuit. The DC-DC converter includes a positive input terminal, a negative input terminal, a positive output terminal, and a negative output terminal. At least one of the positive input terminal, the negative input terminal, the positive output terminal, and the negative output terminal is galvanically connected to at least one of the positive source terminal, the negative source terminal, the positive load terminal, and the negative load terminal.

A power supply device is provided. The power supply device includes a power converter and a controller. The controller controls the power converter to generate an output power. The controller includes a first detection circuit and a second detection circuit. The first detection circuit detects the output power to obtain a first detection result. The first detection result is a variation of an output current value of the output power. The second detection circuit detects electrical characteristics other than the output current value to obtain a second detection result. The controller determines whether to limit output of the output power according to a relationship between the first detection result and the second detection result.

The invention relates to a system for combining multiple power sources into a single in-phase AC current and related methods. According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, multiple out of phase AC power sources are provided, individually converted into DC currents, and combined in parallel to create a single DC current. The single DC current is then converted to an AC current, leaving a single in-phase AC current.

An energy harvesting device harvests energy from an energy source, and includes an inductor and a control switch coupled in series, and a control module. The series connection of the inductor and the control switch is adapted to be coupled to the energy source in parallel or in series. The control module controls the control switch such that the control switch starts to operate in an ON state for a predetermined time period from a transition time point during each predetermined cycle starting from a start time point, and such that a time difference between the transition time point and the start time point is variable. The control module obtains an output power of the energy source, and adjusts the time difference such that the output power of the energy source is increased.

A DC-DC auto-converter module includes a positive source terminal, a negative source terminal, a positive load terminal, a negative load terminal, and a DC-DC converter. The negative source terminal cooperates with the positive source terminal to facilitate electrical connection of a DC power source thereto. The negative load terminal cooperates with the positive load terminal to facilitate connection of an electrical load thereto. The isolated DC-DC converter comprises an input circuit and an output circuit that is galvanically isolated from the input circuit. The DC-DC converter includes a positive input terminal, a negative input terminal, a positive output terminal, and a negative output terminal. At least one of the positive input terminal, the negative input terminal, the positive output terminal, and the negative output terminal is galvanically connected to at least one of the positive source terminal, the negative source terminal, the positive load terminal, and the negative load terminal.

A multi-stage buck converter is provided. The multi-stage buck converter includes a capacitor string, a power switch module and a power conversion module. The capacitor string includes N capacitors connected in series. The power switch module is coupled to the capacitor string and includes N power switch groups. The power conversion module is coupled to the power switch module and includes an energy storage element. Wherein a working frequency of the power conversion module is equal to N times of the switching frequency of each of the N power switch groups, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. Wherein the working frequency is the number of times of the energy storage element that completes charging and discharging in a unit time.

An optical transformer includes a plurality of light emitters, a plurality of photovoltaic cells positioned to receive light from at least a first subset of the plurality of light emitters, the plurality of photovoltaic cells including at least a first photovoltaic cell and a second photovoltaic cell, and one or more optically triggered switches positioned to receive light from at least a second subset of the plurality of light emitters, the one or more optically triggered switches including at least a first optically triggered switch electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell. A method of operating the optical transformer is also described.

According to various aspects, a latch-type charge pump may include: an input node and an output node; a first charge storage and a second charge storage coupled in parallel to each other, a first switch coupled to the input node and a second switch coupled to the output node, wherein the first charge storage couples the first switch with the second switch; and a control circuit configured to control the first switch based on a state of the second charge storage, and to control the second switch based on a state of the first charge storage.

The present invention relates to a multiple output boost DC-DC power converter generating two, three or more separate DC output voltages, and to a multi-level power inverter and an alternating current generator both employing the multiple output boost DC-DC power converter.