Patent ID: 7606053

Claim:
A DC-to-DC converter comprising: a first capacitor having a first and second terminal and being rated to a first voltage rating; a second capacitor having a first and second terminal; an inductor having a first and second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the inductor is coupled to both the first terminal of the second capacitor and the second terminal of the first capacitor to form a first node; a first switching device having a first and second terminal and configured to electrically couple the first and second terminals of the first switching device in response to a first control signal, wherein the first terminal of the first switching device is coupled to the first terminal of the first capacitor to form a second node; and a second switching device having a first and second terminal and configured to electrically couple the first and second terminals of the second switching device in response to a second control signal, wherein: the first terminal of the second switching device is coupled to the second terminal of the first switching device and the second terminal of the inductor to form a third node, the second terminal of the second switching device is coupled to the second terminal of the second capacitor to form a fourth node, the DC-to-DC converter is configured to facilitate bi-directional voltage transfer therethrough, and the first voltage rating of the first capacitor is substantially similar to a voltage between the first and second nodes.