US 11,881,782 B2
Multi-level DC-DC converter
Gary Chunshien Wu, San Diego, CA (US); David M. Giuliano, Brookline, MA (US); and Gregory Szczeszynski, Hollis, NH (US)
Assigned to pSemi Corporation, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by pSemi Corporation, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/376,918.
Application 17/376,918 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/013414, filed on Jan. 13, 2020.
Application PCT/US2020/013414 is a continuation of application No. 16/249,794, filed on Jan. 16, 2019, granted, now 10,720,842, issued on Jul. 21, 2020.
Application 16/249,794 is a continuation of application No. 16/249,805, filed on Jan. 16, 2019, granted, now 10,770,974, issued on Jul. 21, 2020.
Application 16/249,805 is a continuation of application No. 16/249,796, filed on Jan. 16, 2019, granted, now 10,720,843, issued on Sep. 8, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0006382 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02M 3/158 (2006.01); H02M 1/08 (2006.01); H02M 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 3/1584 (2013.01) [H02M 1/08 (2013.01); H02M 1/0054 (2021.05)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
13. A multi-level DC-to-DC converter circuit for converting an input voltage to an output voltage, including:
(a) a plurality of main switches;
(b) an inductor coupled to a node within the plurality of main switches;
(c) at least one capacitor coupled to at least some of the plurality of main switches and selectively couplable through the plurality of main switches to the inductor and/or a voltage source and/or a voltage sink;
(d) a control circuit coupled to the main switches and configured to set states for the main switches;
(e) a switched resistance network, coupled to at least one capacitor and to at least one main switch; and
(f) a directional correction circuit, coupled to at least one capacitor and to the switched resistance network, and configured to sense deviations in a voltage across at least one coupled capacitor and generate corresponding directional correction signals to the switched resistance network that, alone or in combination, dynamically change a pattern of charge or discharge states for the at least one coupled capacitor to selectively steer the voltage across the at least one coupled capacitor towards a balanced voltage state.