ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

Abstract

An electronic system includes a plurality of switching elements (T) and a plurality of energy storage elements (L; C). The energy storage elements (L; C) are connected to one another by the switching elements (T). The energy storage elements (L; C) can be selectively switched to a first, a second or a third state by switching the switching elements (T). In the first state, the energy storage elements (L; C) are connected in series with one another. In the second state, the energy storage elements (L; C) are connected in parallel with one another. In the third state, the energy storage elements (L; C) are bypassed, wherein two of the energy storage elements (L; C) are each connected by no more than three of the switching elements (T).

Claims

1. An electronic system comprising a plurality of switching elements (T) and a plurality of energy storage elements (L; C), wherein the energy storage elements (L; C) are connected to one another by the switching elements (T), wherein the energy storage elements (L; C) are configured to be selectively switched to a first, a second or a third state by switching the switching elements (T), wherein, in the first state, the energy storage elements (L; C) are connected in series with one another, wherein, in the second state, the energy storage elements (L; C) are connected in parallel with one another, and wherein, in the third state, the energy storage elements (L; C) are bypassed, wherein two of the energy storage elements (L; C) are each connected by no more than three of the switching elements (T).

2. The electronic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic system is embodied as a converter.

3. The electronic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching elements (T) and the energy storage elements (L; C) are configured to be connected to one another in a modular manner.

4. The electronic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a control element, which is configured to switch the switching elements (T).

5. The electronic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy storage elements (L; C) are embodied as capacitors, battery cells, solar cells or electromagnetic energy stores.

6. The electronic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching elements (T) are embodied as mechanical switches, transistors or thyristors.

7. The electronic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic system further comprises at least one deactivation element, which is associated with one of the energy storage elements (L; C), wherein the energy storage element (L; C) are configured to be switched to a deactivated state by the deactivation element.

8. The electronic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when first energy storage elements (L; C) of the plurality of energy storage elements (L; C) are connected in parallel, second energy storage elements (L; C) of the plurality of energy storage elements (L; C) are configured to be bypassed.

9. The electronic system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second energy storage elements (L; C) are bypassed by switching at least one of the switching elements (T).

10. The electronic system as claimed in claim 8, wherein, when the second energy storage elements (L; C) are bypassed, a third energy storage element (L; C) of the energy storage elements (L; C) is configured to be connected in parallel with the first energy storage elements (L; C).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the below description of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. Here, the same reference numerals are used for identical or similar components and for components having identical or similar functions.

[0022] In the figures, switching elements are designated hereinafter by the letter T, energy storage elements by the letter L or C. The elements can be differentiated from one another by a number following the respective letter.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows an electronic system with a plurality of energy storage elements and switching elements in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows the electronic system from FIG. 1, in which in each case some of the switching elements with in each case one of the energy storage elements are component parts of a module.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows an electronic system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows an electronic system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0027] FIG. 5 shows an electronic system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0028] FIG. 6 shows an electronic system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0029] FIG. 7 shows an electronic system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention with the possibility of connecting first instances of the energy storage elements in parallel with one another and of bypassing second instances of the energy storage elements.

[0030] FIG. 8 shows the electronic system from FIG. 7 with a further energy storage element.

[0031] FIG. 9 shows an electronic system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention with the possibility of connecting first instances of the energy storage elements in parallel with one another and of bypassing second instances of the energy storage elements with a further energy storage element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The electronic system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a plurality of switching elements T1 to T15 and a plurality of energy storage elements C1 to C5. In the electronic system 100, the switching elements T1 to T15 are embodied as semiconductor switches in the form of transistors. The switching elements T1 to T15 can be switched to an on and to an off state. The below text will only describe which switching elements are switched to the on state. The switching elements that are not mentioned are switched to the off state.

[0033] The electronic system 100 furthermore comprises two input terminals, which are connected to the energy storage element C1, and two output terminals, of which one is connected to the switching element T13 and one is connected to the two switching elements T14 and T15. However, it is also possible to interconnect the electronic system 100 in the reverse order, such that one of the input terminals is connected to the switching element T13 and the other input terminal is connected to the two switching elements T14 and T15. In this case, the output terminals are connected to the energy storage element C1.

[0034] Each of the energy storage elements C1 to C5 has a first and a second connection. Two of the energy storage elements C1 to C5 are each connected by means of three of the switching elements T1 to T12. In this case, the first connections are each connected to one another by means of one of the switching elements T1, T4, T7 and T10. The second connections are each connected to one another by means of one of the switching elements T3, T6, T9 and T12.

[0035] The second connection of the energy storage element C2 is connected to the first connection of the energy storage element C1 by means of the switching element T2. In a similar manner, the second connections of the energy storage elements C3 to C5 are each connected to the first connection of the preceding energy storage element C2 to C4 by means of the switching elements T5, T8 and T11.

[0036] The energy storage element C5 is connected to the two output and/or input terminals by means of the switching elements T13 to T15.

[0037] The interconnection of the electronic system 100 enables the energy storage elements C1 to C5 to be switched to three different states. The energy storage elements C1 to C5 can be connected in series if the switching elements T2, T5, T8, T11 and T14 are switched on. The energy storage elements C1 to C5 can be connected in parallel with one another if the switching elements T1, T3, T4, T6, T7, T9, T10, T12, T13 and T15 are switched on. The energy storage elements C1 to C5 can be bypassed if the switching elements T3, T6, T9, T12 and T15 are switched on. Alternatively, the energy storage elements C1 to C5 can also be bypassed if the switching elements T1, T4, T7, T10 and T13 are switched on. If none of the switching elements T1 to T15 is switched on, the electronic system 100 is deactivated. Current is not released from the energy storage elements C1 to C5 nor is current stored in the energy storage elements C1 to C5. In this state, no current can be conducted through the electronic system 100.

[0038] By suitably switching the switching elements T1 to T15, the electronic system 100 can be operated as a converter, which generates from the DC voltages of the energy storage elements C1 to C5 a voltage having a periodic voltage amplitude profile applied to the output terminals.

[0039] FIG. 2 illustrates, by way of example, how some of the switching elements T1 to T15 and the energy storage elements C1 to C5 of the electronic system 100 can be combined to form modules 200, 201 and 202. Each of the modules 200, 201 and 202 comprises one of the energy storage elements C1 to C5 and three of the switching elements T1 to T15. The module 200 comprises the energy storage element C1 and the switching elements T1 to T3. The module 201 comprises the energy storage element C3 and the switching elements T4 to T7. The module 202 comprises the energy storage element C5 and the switching elements T10, T14 and T15.

[0040] The electronic system 100 may be designed in a modular manner in a simple way by means of respectively identical modules 200, 201 or 202. This allows particularly easy addition or removal of modules and a high level of flexibility.

[0041] The electronic system 300 from FIG. 3 differs from the electronic system 100 from FIGS. 1 and 2 in that, in particular, the switching element T13 is not present. The switching element T13 can be omitted since the electronic system 300 comprises only one output and one input terminal. The output and/or input terminal is then connected to the energy storage element C5 by means of the switching elements T14 and T15.

[0042] As can be seen in FIG. 4, when there is only one output and input terminal it is also possible that, in addition to the switching element T13, the switching elements T14 and T15 are also not present. The energy storage element C5 is then connected directly to the output and/or input terminal.

[0043] The electronic system 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 comprises switching elements T1 to T15 and electromagnetic energy storage elements L1 to L5, which are connected to one another in the same way as the switching elements T1 to T15 and the energy storage elements C1 to C5 of the electronic system 100. In the electronic system 500, the switching elements T1 to T15 are embodied as thyristors.

[0044] The electronic system 600 illustrated in FIG. 6 differs from the electronic system 500 in that, in particular, transistors (e.g. field-effect transistors or insulated-gate bipolar transistors) are used as switching elements T1 to T15.

[0045] In comparison with the electronic system 100 from FIG. 1, further switching elements T16 to T18 are used in the electronic system 700 illustrated in FIG. 7 in order to enable bypassing of the energy storage elements C2 and C3 while at the same time connecting the energy storage elements C1, C4 and C5 in parallel by switching the switching elements T1, T3, T6, T9, T10, T12, T13, T15 and T16 to the on state.

[0046] It is possible to achieve a parallel connection of the energy storage elements C1 and C5 while at the same time bypassing the energy storage elements C2 to C4 by switching the switching elements T1, T3, T6, T9, T10, T12, T13, T15, T16 and T17 to the on state.

[0047] It is possible to achieve a parallel connection of the energy storage elements C1, C3, C4 and C5 while at the same time bypassing the energy storage element C2 by switching the switching elements T1, T3, T6, T7, T9, T10, T12, T13, T15 and T16 to the on state.

[0048] The electronic system 800 illustrated in FIG. 8 differs from the electronic system 700 from FIG. 7 by the added energy storage element C6, in particular, which is connected in series with the energy storage element C2. It is therefore no longer possible to bypass the energy storage element C2 in the electronic system. However, the energy storage elements C3 and C4 can still be bypassed as described above.

[0049] The electronic system 900 illustrated in FIG. 9 differs from the electronic system 800 from FIG. 8 by the position of the energy storage element C6, in particular. Said element is not connected in series with the energy storage element C2 but is instead actuated separately by switching the switching elements T16 and T19 to the on state. Said element can be used as an energy source when the energy storage elements C2 to C4 are bypassed.