A voltage source converter as well as a method and computer program product for controlling the converter. The converter includes at least one phase leg connected between a first DC terminal having a first voltage and a second DC terminal having a second voltage, the phase leg including an upper arm and a lower arm with cells, where a junction between the arms is connected to a corresponding AC terminal. The converter also includes a control unit configured to control the cells to output a train of pulses of trapezoidal shape where the generation of a first control signal for a first cell used to initiate a transition between two levels of a pulse coincides with the decision that a transition is to be made.

A voltage source converter as well as a method and computer program product for controlling the converter. The converter includes at least one phase leg connected between a first DC terminal having a first voltage and a second DC terminal having a second voltage, the phase leg including an upper arm and a lower arm with cells, where a junction between the arms is connected to a corresponding AC terminal. The converter also includes a control unit configured to control the cells to output a train of pulses of trapezoidal shape where the generation of a first control signal for a first cell used to initiate a transition between two levels of a pulse coincides with the decision that a transition is to be made.

A semiconductor device includes high-side and low-side switching elements connected in series to form a switching arm, a high-side driver IC for driving the high-side switching element, and, on a chip separate from the high-side switching element, a low-side driver IC for driving the low-side switching element. The driver IC includes a first controller for monitoring a switching voltage appearing at the node where the high-side and low-side switching elements are connected together. When a first driving control signal fed in from outside the semiconductor device instructs to turn on the high-side switching element, the first controller determines whether or not to permit the high-side switching element to be turned on based on a result of checking the switching voltage.

A semiconductor device includes high-side and low-side switching elements connected in series to form a switching arm, a high-side driver IC for driving the high-side switching element, and, on a chip separate from the high-side switching element, a low-side driver IC for driving the low-side switching element. The driver IC includes a first controller for monitoring a switching voltage appearing at the node where the high-side and low-side switching elements are connected together. When a first driving control signal fed in from outside the semiconductor device instructs to turn on the high-side switching element, the first controller determines whether or not to permit the high-side switching element to be turned on based on a result of checking the switching voltage.

A master converter and a plurality of slave converters each have an input connected to an associated one of a plurality of power storage elements, respectively, and an output connected to an output terminal in parallel. The master converter converts the voltage of the associated capacitor based on a duty ratio for matching an output voltage to a voltage command value, outputs the converted voltage to the output terminal, and transmits a control signal indicative of the duty ratio to the plurality of slave converters via a signal insulation unit. Each of the plurality of slave converters converts the voltage of the associated capacitor in response to the control signal transmitted via the signal insulation unit and outputs the converted voltage to the output terminal. A correction means is configured to correct at least the duty ratio in the master converter such that the duty ratio in the master converter matches the duty ratio in each of the plurality of slave converters.

A voltage-mode integrate-and-dump photonic ADC front-end circuit includes a current integrator for immediately integrating current pulses onto a capacitor voltage, the current pulses converted by photodetectors from optical data pulses corresponding to a received analog input signal. The circuit may include dampeners for reducing voltage ringing and resulting intersymbol interference (ISI) to preserve SNR at high data rates. The integrating capacitor may be discharged by a reset switch based on clock signals generated by a master clock; the reset switch may include a pulse width controller enabling the integrating capacitor to track and hold the integrated voltage, rather than downstream sample-and-hold amplifiers. Quantizers and other signal processors generate digital signal output by sampling and digitizing the integrated voltage output of the current integrator.

A device for providing high DC voltage using a solid state normally open switch. The solid state switch is controlled to gradually rise the voltage of the DC output by applying ON/OFF modulation scheme. The modulation scheme opens the switch initially for a very short time duration around the zero crossing of the input AC voltage and gradually the duration of the ON state extends until the switch remains constantly open.

A device for providing high DC voltage using a solid state normally open switch. The solid state switch is controlled to gradually rise the voltage of the DC output by applying ON/OFF modulation scheme. The modulation scheme opens the switch initially for a very short time duration around the zero crossing of the input AC voltage and gradually the duration of the ON state extends until the switch remains constantly open.

In a method for controlling a plurality of semiconductors that form a power converter, a protocol for controlling the plurality of semiconductors is transmitted via a signal line between a control unit and the semiconductors. Additionally transmitted via the signal line is a sign-of-life signal, wherein the semiconductors are switched off, when the sign-of-life signal is absent, and the semiconductors of the power converter are switched using optimized pulse patterns.

A power conversion device converts power between a direct-current (DC) circuit and an alternating-current (AC) circuit. The power conversion device includes a power converter circuit which includes a plurality of unit converters connected in series, and a controller. The unit converter includes one or more switching elements and a capacitor. The controller transmits, to the unit converter through a first transmission medium, information on a switching command for the unit converter. The unit converter transmits, to the controller through a second transmission medium, information on at least one condition of the unit converter. The first transmission medium is an optical fiber, and the second transmission medium is a wireless communication channel.