Patent ID: 7760527

Claim:
An electric power converter and control device therefor, comprising: a DC power supply, comprising: a first line (L 1 ) of positive voltage (V 1 ), a second line (L 2 ) of negative voltage (V 2 ), and a third line (L 0 ) of intermediate voltage (V 0 ) between positive voltage (V 1 ) and negative voltage (V 2 ), conversion means comprising at least three power semi-conductor arms connected between said first, second, and third lines (L 1 , L 2 , L 0 ), and outputs from the conversion means to supply at least one output voltage, said control device further comprising: a control means for switching voltage in the arms, which control means comprises: a converter regulation module for supplying control signals (MC 1 ) for controlling voltage in the arms, a first means for determining possible blocking controls for blocking switching of voltage in one of the arms, a first blocking control selection means for selecting blocking controls from the determined possible blocking controls, wherein a selected blocking control blocks switching of voltage in a selected arm of said converter, thereby enabling double switching of the other two arms, and means for applying a selected blocking control to a control signal (MC 1 ).