Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen Gmbh

Stephen Parker

Matteo Vit

Mark Snook

Edward Shelton

Robert John Leedham

Ivan Cronin

The invention generally relates to power converters, and more particularly to a communications method for controlling at least one power switching device of a power converter, a communications system for a power converter, and a power converter comprising the communications system. For example there is provided a communications method for controlling at least one power switching device of a power converter, the method comprising: inputting a signal to a transmit end of a communications link; inputting data to the transmit end of the communications link; determining whether the signal comprises a transition; when said determination indicates that the signal comprises a transition, transmitting the signal comprising the transition into a communications channel of the communications link, wherein the transmitted signal is delayed by a predetermined time delay relative to the inputted signal, said predetermined time delay to allow said determining; transmitting the data on the communications channel, wherein when said determination indicates that the signal comprises a transition the transmitting the data is delayed until after said transmitting the signal; and if the signal has been transmitted, receiving the transmitted signal at the receive end of the communications link and controlling at least one said power switching device dependent on said received signal.

Low-skew communication system

We describe a system for controlling very large numbers of power semiconductor switching devices () to switch in synchronization. The devices are high power devices, for example carrying hundreds of amps and/or voltages of the order of kilovolts. In outline the system comprises a coordinating control system (), which communicates with a plurality of switching device controllers () to control the devices into a plurality of states including a fully-off state, a saturated-on state, and at least one intermediate state between the fully-off and saturated-on states, synchronizing the devices in the at least one intermediate state during switching.

Switching control systems

Switching data is communicated in a power semiconductor switching device control system having a coordinating control system and a switching device controllers each coupled to the coordinating control system and each configured to control a respective power semiconductor switching device. Switching control data is formatted as one or more switching control data packets whose switching control data comprises data for controlling switching of the power semiconductor switching devices. The switching control data packets are sent from the coordinating control system to the switching device controllers. State data is detected, provided, and then formatted to represent states of the power semiconductor switching devices controlled in combination by the switching control data packets into acknowledgment data packets from the power semiconductor switching devices. The acknowledgment data packets are sent from the switching device controllers to the coordinating control system.

Switching control system signaling techniques

We describe a fault-tolerant power semiconductor switching device control system (), the control system comprising: a coordinating control system (); and a plurality of switching device controllers () each coupled to said coordinating control system and each configured to control a respective power semiconductor switching device (); wherein said coordinating control system is configured to send real time switching control data to said switching device controllers to control switching of said power semiconductor switching devices, and to receive real time acknowledgement data from said switching device controllers; wherein a said switching device controller is configured to receive said real time switching control data from said coordinating control system, to control a said power semiconductor switching device responsive to said real time switching control data, and to provide said real time acknowledgement data confirming said switching device control to said coordinating control system; and wherein said coordinating control system is further configured to control further switching of said power semiconductor switching devices responsive to said real time acknowledgement data.

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Cambridge, United Kingdom

Stephen Parker