Patent ID: 7843713

Claim:
A method of driving a DC/DC converter capable of operating in a voltage increasing mode and a voltage reducing mode, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a plurality of phase arms parallel to each other between a first electric power device and a second electric power device, each of the phase arms comprising a series-connected circuit of an upper arm switching device and a lower arm switching device and diodes connected inversely across the upper arm switching device and lower arm switching device; alternately turning on the phase arms; and when one of the phase arms is turned on, turning on either the upper arm switching device in one switching period in the voltage reducing mode, or the lower arm switching device in one switching period in the voltage increasing mode, the switching period being 2π, or alternately turning on the upper arm switching device and the lower arm switching device once in one switching period in a transition between the voltage reducing mode and the voltage increasing mode, the switching period being 2π.