The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 07, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 01, 2000
Luis Jose Garces, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Vinod John, Schenectady, NY (US);
Peter Claudius Sanza, Schenectady, NY (US);
Paul Michael Szczesny, Ballston Lake, NY (US);
General Electric Corporation, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and system for determining zero current level occurrences in a reversible power converter without requiring additional component complexity and costs. A digital controller selectively determines the line to line voltage for the most recently fired thyristor pair. The selected line to line voltage is identified as the bridge reconstruction voltage and is compared against the actual bridge output voltage for the conducting bridge. The difference between the two voltage signals is identified as the bridge error voltage and the sign of its magnitude is indicative of a load current zero level occurrence. A zero current level occurrence happens whenever the bridge error voltage drops below zero. This indication is positive and substantially instantaneous and safely enables the reversal of power flow without the risk of line faults due to cross-bridge short circuits.