Patent ID: 8803485

Claim:
A power conversion method for use in a power conversion system for receiving an input electric power and converting the input electric power into an output electric power which is to be output to a load, wherein the power conversion system comprises a plurality of power conversion modules operating in a cooperative manner and a detector controller module; wherein each of power conversion modules has a maximum output power level and has a non-activated state and an activated state where the corresponding power conversion module has a conversion efficiency varying according to a ratio of an output power level that is to be supplied to the load over the maximum output power level; the power conversion method comprising the steps of: a) characterizing a battery charging voltage and current for each of a plurality of time segments, relative to a battery to be charged; b) transmitting the output electric power to the battery with a total output power level for each of the plurality of time segments being in accordance with the characterized battery charging voltage and current; c) enabling the detector and controller module to determine an output setting according to the total output power level, wherein the output setting is determined such that the power conversion modules supply electric power to the load in a cooperative manner that at least one of the power conversion modules is placed in the non-activated state thereof during at least one of the plurality of time segments; and d) controlling the respective states of the power conversion modules according to the output setting, wherein each power conversion module of the plurality of power conversion modules has a different power rating, and wherein one of the plurality of power conversion modules is placed in the activated state thereof as a result of the one of the plurality of power conversion modules having a lowest temperature among available ones of the plurality of power conversion modules.