Patent ID: 8385093

Claim:
A voltage converter, comprising: a first terminal and a second terminal coupled to a switching means; the switching means being coupled to respective terminals for connecting a first capacitor, a second capacitor and a third capacitor; and the voltage converter being configured to be operated in first and second modes of operation each comprising at least three phases, wherein the three capacitors are inserted in series connection between the first terminal and a reference potential terminal in one phase of said at least three phases, and in each of the two other phases a first path and a second path are provided in each case in parallel connection with at least one of the three capacitors related to the second terminal, wherein the first path comprises the first capacitor and the second path comprises the second capacitor in a third phase of the first mode of operation and in a second phase of the second mode of operation, the positive electrode of the first capacitor being coupled to the positive electrode of the second capacitor and to the first terminal, and the negative electrode of the first capacitor being coupled to the negative electrode of the second capacitor and to the second terminal.