Switching system and method for control thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a switching system. The switching system comprises an H bridge, a current router, and a control circuit. The H bridge comprises a first switch and a second switch coupled to a first output node and a third switch and a fourth switch coupled to a second output node, wherein a load is coupled between the first output node and the second output node. The current router comprises a first shunt switch and a second shunt switch coupled between the first output node and the second output node. The control circuit generates a first control signal to control the first switch and the fourth switch, generates a second control signal to control the second switch and the third switch, generates a third control signal to control the first shunt switch, and generates a fourth control signal to control the second shunt switch.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A switching system, comprising:
 an H-bridge, having a first output terminal and a second output terminal tied to a load, comprising a first switch coupled between a power supply and the first output terminal, a second switch coupled between the power supply and the second output terminal, a third switch coupled between a ground and the first output terminal, and a forth switch coupled between the ground and the second output terminal, wherein the first switch and the fourth switch are controlled by a first control signal, the second switch and the third switch are controlled by a second control signal;   a current router, comprising a first shunt switch coupled between the first output terminal and a second shunt switch, and the second shunt switch coupled between the second output terminal and the first shunt switch, wherein the first shunt switch is controlled by a third control signal, and the second shunt switch is controlled by a fourth control signal; and   a state control unit, generating the first control signal, the second control signal, the third control signal, and fourth control signal, and limiting selection of a plurality of states of the switching system such that in each state there is no direct current path between the power supply and the ground,   wherein except for a zero state in which the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch are both turned on, there is no direct current path between the first and second output terminals via the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         24 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein when state transitions of the switching system occur, output voltages generated on the first output terminal and the second output terminal of the switching system do not make transitions between the power supply and the ground directly. 
     
     
         25 . A switching system, comprising:
 an H-bridge, comprising:   a first switch, coupled between a voltage source and a first output node, having a gate coupled to a first control signal;   a second switch, coupled between the first output node and a ground, having a gate coupled to a second control signal;   a third switch, coupled between the voltage source and a second output node, having a gate coupled to the second control signal; and   a fourth switch, coupled between the second output node and the ground, having a gate coupled to the first control signal,   wherein a load is coupled between the first output node and the second output node; and   a current router, comprising:   a first shunt switch, coupled between the first output node and a first node, having a gate coupled to a third control signal; and   a second shunt switch, coupled between the second output node and the first node, having a gate coupled to a fourth control signal,   wherein the body diode of the first shunt switch has a direction inverse to that of the body diode of the second shunt switch,   wherein except for a zero state in which the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch are both turned on, there is no direct current path between the first and second output nodes via the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         26 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein except for the zero state in which the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch are both turned on, the third control signal turns on the first shunt switch when the fourth control signal turns off the second shunt switch, and the third control signal turns off the first shunt switch when the fourth control signal turns on the second shunt switch. 
     
     
         27 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein when the switching system operates according to a current state selected from the zero state, a first state, a second state, an inverse first state, and an inverse second state,
 wherein when the current state is the first state, the first control signal turns off the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns off the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns on the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns off the second shunt switch,   wherein when the current state is the inverse first state, the first control signal turns off the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns off the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns off the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns on the second shunt switch,   wherein when the current state is the second state, the first control signal turns on the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns off the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns on the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns off the second shunt switch,   wherein when the current state is the inverse second state, the first control signal turns off the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns on the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns off the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns on the second shunt switch, and   wherein when the current state is the zero state, the first control signal turns off the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns off the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns on the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns on the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         28 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the switching system further comprises a control circuit generating the first control signal, the second control signal, the third control signal, and the fourth control signal. 
     
     
         29 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the transition of the state of the switching system obeys the following sequence:
 when the current state is the second state, the state of the switching system is first changed to the first state, and then to the zero state;   when the current state is the inverse second state, the state of the switching system is first changed to the inverse first state, and then to the zero state;   when the current state is the zero state, the state of the switching system may be sequentially changed to the first state and then to the second state or be sequentially changed to the inverse first state and then to the inverse second state.   
     
     
         30 . A method for controlling a switching system, wherein the switching system comprises an H bridge and a current router, the H ridge comprises a first switch and a second switch coupled to a first output node and a third switch and a fourth switch coupled to a second output node, the current router comprises a first shunt switch and a second shunt switch coupled between the first output node and the second output node, and a load is coupled between the first output node and the second output node, the method comprising:
 enabling the switching system to operate according to a second state by turning on the first switch, the fourth switch, and the first shunt switch, and turning off the second switch, the third switch, and the second shunt switch;   enabling the switching system to operate according to a first state by turning on the first shunt switch, and turning off the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the second shunt switch;   enabling the switching system to operate according to a zero state by turning on the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch, and turning off the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch;   enabling the switching system to operate according to an inverse first state by turning on the second shunt switch, and turning off the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the first shunt switch; and   enabling the switching system to operate according to an inverse second state by turning on the second switch, the third switch, and the second shunt switch, and turning off the first switch, the fourth switch, and the first shunt switch,   wherein except for the zero state in which the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch are both turned on, there is no direct current path between the first and second output nodes via the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the method further comprises:
 enabling the switching system to operate according to the inverse second state by turning on the second switch, the third switch, and the second shunt switch, and turning off the first switch, the fourth switch, and the first shunt switch;   enabling the switching system to operate according to the inverse first state by turning on the second shunt switch, and turning off the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the first shunt switch;   enabling the switching system to operate according to the zero state by turning on the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch, and turning off the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch;   enabling the switching system to operate according to the first state by turning on the first shunt switch, and turning off the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch, and the second shunt switch; and   enabling the switching system to operate according to the second state by turning on the first switch, the fourth switch, and the first shunt switch, and turning off the second switch, the third switch, and the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the H bridge comprises:
 the first switch, coupled between a voltage source and the first output node, having a gate coupled to the first control signal;   the second switch, coupled between the first output node and a ground, having a gate coupled to the second control signal;   the third switch, coupled between the voltage source and the second output node, having a gate coupled to the second control signal; and   the fourth switch, coupled between the second output node and the ground, having a gate coupled to the first control signal.   
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the current router comprises:
 the first shunt switch, coupled between the first output node and a first node, having a gate coupled to the third control signal; and   the second shunt switch, coupled between the second output node and the first node, having a gate coupled to the fourth control signal,   wherein the body diode of the first shunt switch has a direction inverse to that of the body diode of the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         34 . A switching system, comprising:
 an H bridge, comprising a first switch and a second switch coupled to a first output node and a third switch and a fourth switch coupled to a second output node, wherein a load is coupled between the first output node and the second output node;   a current router, comprising a first shunt switch and a second shunt switch coupled between the first output node and the second output node; and   a control circuit, generating a first control signal to control the first switch and the fourth switch, generating a second control signal to control the second switch and the third switch, generating a third control signal to control the first shunt switch, and generating a fourth control signal to control the second shunt switch,   wherein except for a zero state in which the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch are both turned on, there is no direct current path between the first and second output nodes via the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         35 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the control circuit comprises:
 a first inverter, inverting a first signal to generate an inverse first signal;   a second inverter, inverting a second signal to generate an inverse second signal;   a first NOR gate, performing an NOR operation on the inverse first signal and the second signal to obtain a third signal;   a second NOR gate, performing an NOR operation on the first signal and the inverse second signal to obtain a fourth signal;   a third inverter, inverting the third signal to obtain an inverse third signal;   a fourth inverter, inverting the fourth signal to obtain an inverse fourth signal;   a third NOR gate, performing an NOR operation on the inverse third signal and the third control signal to obtain the second control signal;   a fourth NOR gate, performing an NOR operation on the third signal and the second control signal to obtain the third control signal;   a fifth NOR gate, performing an NOR operation on the fourth signal and the first control signal to obtain the fourth control signal; and   a sixth NOR gate, performing an NOR operation on the inverse fourth signal and the fourth control signal to obtain the first control signal.   
     
     
         36 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the switching system further comprises a BD modulation circuit, comprising:
 a seventh inverter, inverting an input signal to obtain an inverse input signal;   a first comparator, comparing the input signal with a carrier wave to generate the first signal; and   a second comparator, comparing the inverse input signal with the carrier wave to generate the second signal.   
     
     
         37 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the H bridge comprises:
 the first switch, coupled between a voltage source and the first output node, having a gate coupled to the first control signal;   the second switch, coupled between the first output node and a ground, having a gate coupled to the second control signal;   the third switch, coupled between the voltage source and the second output node, having a gate coupled to the second control signal; and   the fourth switch, coupled between the second output node and the ground, having a gate coupled to the first control signal.   
     
     
         38 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the current router comprises:
 the first shunt switch, coupled between the first output node and a first node, having a gate coupled to the third control signal; and   the second shunt switch, coupled between the second output node and the first node, having a gate coupled to the fourth control signal,   wherein the body diode of the first shunt switch has a direction inverse to that of the body diode of the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         39 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein except for the zero state in which the first shunt switch and the second shunt switch are both turned on, the third control signal turns on the first shunt switch when the fourth control signal turns off the second shunt switch, and the third control signal turns off the first shunt switch when the fourth control signal turns on the second shunt switch. 
     
     
         40 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein when the switching system operates according to a current state selected from the zero state, a first state, a second state, an inverse first state, and an inverse second state,
 wherein when the current state is the first state, the first control signal turns off the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns off the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns on the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns off the second shunt switch, and   wherein when the current state is the inverse first state, the first control signal turns off the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns off the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns off the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns on the second shunt switch.   
     
     
         41 . The switching system as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein when the current state is the second state, the first control signal turns on the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns off the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns on the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns off the second shunt switch,
 wherein when the current state is the inverse second state, the first control signal turns off the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns on the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns off the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns on the second shunt switch,   wherein when the current state is the zero state, the first control signal turns off the first switch and the fourth switch, the second control signal turns off the second switch and the third switch, the third control signal turns on the first shunt switch, and the fourth control signal turns on the second shunt switch,   when the current state is the second state, the state of the switching system is first changed to the first state, then to the zero state, then to the inverse first state, and then to the inverse second state; and   when the current state is the inverse second state, the state of the switching system is first changed to the inverse first state, then to the zero state, then to the first state, and then to the second state.