Patent ID: 7084525

Claim:
A power system for transferring power between a plurality of power sources comprising: a first power source having a first pair of terminals associated therewith; a second power source having a second pair of terminals associated therewith; a third power source having a third pair of terminals associated therewith; and a power converter including, (i) a first pair of switches connected to the first pair of terminals, said first switch pair comprising an upper switch having a drain, a gate, and a source terminal, and a lower switch having a drain, a gate, and a source terminal, wherein said source terminal of said upper switch is electrically connected to the drain terminal of the lower switch thereby forming a first common node, and wherein each of the first pair of switches has an anti-parallel diode associated therewith; (ii) a second pair of switches connected to the second pair of terminals, said second switch pair comprising an upper switch having a drain, a gate, and a source terminal, and a lower switch having a drain, a gate, and a source terminal, wherein said source terminal of said upper switch is electrically connected to the drain terminal of the lower switch thereby forming a second common node, and wherein each of the second pair of switches has an anti-parallel diode associated therewith; (iii) a third pair of switches connected to the third pair of terminals, said third switch pair comprising an upper switch having a drain, a gate, and a source terminal, and a lower switch having a drain, a gate, and a source terminal, wherein said source terminal of said upper switch is electrically connected to the drain terminal of the lower switch thereby forming a third common node, and wherein each of the third pair of switches has an anti-parallel diode associated therewith; (iv) a first inductor connected between the first common node and the second common node; (v) a second inductor connected between the first common node and the third common node; and (vi) a control unit configured to actuate the switches in the first, second, and third pairs of switches in accordance with one of a plurality of modes of operation for transferring power between at least a pair of said first, second, and third power sources.