Patent ID: 7471526

Claim:
A method for controlling a voltage source inverter, the voltage source inverter having minimum and maximum pulse widths, and an output voltage distortion range outside of the minimum and maximum pulse widths, the method comprising: receiving a first signal having a duty cycle, the duty cycle having a range from a minimum achievable duty cycle to a maximum achievable duty cycle; producing a second signal if the duty cycle of the first signal is within the output voltage distortion range and less than a first clipping value, the second signal having the minimum achievable duty cycle; producing a third signal if the duty cycle of the first signal is within the output voltage distortion range and one of the duty cycle of the first signal is greater than or equal to a first clipping value or the duty cycle of the first signal is less than or equal to a second clipping value, the third signal having a closer one of the minimum and maximum pulse widths to the duty cycle of the first signal, the second clipping value greater than the first clipping value; producing a fourth signal if the duty cycle of the first signal is within the output voltage distortion range and greater than the second clipping value, the fourth signal having the maximum achievable duty cycle; and transmitting one of the second, third, and fourth signals to the voltage source inverter.