US 11,728,737 B2
Pre-charge circuitry and method for electric power converter
Daniele Miatton, Carbonara al Ticino (IT); Kyrylo Cherniak, Villach (AT); Hayri Verner Hasou, Sedriano (IT); Erwin Huber, Munich (DE); Sergio Morini, Pavia (IT); and Volha Subotskaya, Villach (AT)
Assigned to INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG, Villach (AT)
Filed by Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Villach (AT)
Filed on Sep. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/26,250.
Prior Publication US 2022/0094271 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. H02M 3/335 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02J 7/34 (2006.01); H03K 5/24 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 3/33569 (2013.01) [H02J 7/0068 (2013.01); H03K 5/24 (2013.01); H02J 7/345 (2013.01); H02J 2207/50 (2020.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
an electric power converter, comprising:
a first circuit connected to a power supply;
a second circuit connected to a load; and
an energy transfer device having a first side connected to the first circuit and a second side connected to the second circuit; and
pre-charge circuitry connected to a capacitor of the first circuit, wherein:
the capacitor is connected to the first side of the energy transfer device;
the pre-charge circuitry is configured to charge the capacitor during a pre-charge mode of the electric power converter; and
the electric power converter comprising the first circuit is configured to exit the pre-charge mode and enter an energy transfer mode based upon the capacitor of the first circuit, wherein the exiting the pre-charge mode and the entering the energy transfer mode is responsive to at least one of a charge level of the capacitor of the first circuit reaching a threshold pre-charge level or a pre-charge time reaching a threshold pre-charge time,
wherein:
electrical energy is not transferred from the first circuit to the second circuit during the pre-charge mode, of the electric power converter, exited based upon the capacitor; and
the electric power converter is configured to transfer electrical energy from the first circuit to the second circuit during the energy transfer mode, of the electric power converter, entered based upon the capacitor.