Patents Examined by Adam Houston
  • Patent number: 9786451
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a remote control device for a toilet device includes an operation button and a power generator. The operation button is capable of a push operation and is configured to operate an equipment in response to the push operation. The power generator is configured to generate a power by being pressed in response to the push operation. A direction of the pressing is parallel to a wall surface on which the remote control device is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOTO, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoko Morioka, Masami Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 9787093
    Abstract: A demand side electric power supply management system is disclosed. The system comprises an islanded power system having a point of coupling to a supply grid. The islanded power system supplies a plurality of electric loads, each of which is associated with a load controller to control the maximum power demanded by that load. A measuring means associated with the point of coupling measures the total power transfer between the grid and the islanded system, and a system controller monitors the measured power transfer relative to a set point and provides a control signal to a plurality of load controllers. Each load controller receives substantially the same control signal and determines the maximum power which the or each load associated with the load controller is allowed to draw from the islanded power system based on information contained in the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Auckland UniServices Limited
    Inventors: Grant Anthony Covic, John Talbot Boys, Joshua Reuben Lee
  • Patent number: 9787249
    Abstract: An electrical circuit includes: at least one inductor, at least one varactor, and at least two transistors, all of which electrically arranged to form a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) having an oscillation frequency; wherein the at least two transistors includes a first transistor and a second transistor; wherein the first transistor has a first bulk terminal and a first parasitic diode disposed between the first bulk terminal and the first transistor; wherein the second transistor has a second bulk terminal and a second parasitic diode disposed between the second bulk terminal and the second transistor; wherein application of a first control voltage to the first bulk terminal, application of a second control voltage to the second bulk terminal, or application of first and second control voltages to the first and second bulk terminals, respectively, is effective to change the oscillation frequency of the VCO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Run Levinger, Jakob Vovnoboy
  • Patent number: 9787136
    Abstract: Examples disclose a system comprising a power supply, coupled to an output power and an auxiliary power. The system is further comprising a controller to interrupt the output power through a switch coupled to the output. The controller is to interrupt the output power based a determination the output power is below an output threshold. The controller is further to interrupt the auxiliary power coupled to the output. The controller is to interrupt the auxiliary power based on a determination the auxiliary power is below an auxiliary threshold. Additionally, the system discloses the switch is to disconnect the output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Daniel Humphrey, Mohamed Amin Bemat, Samantha Jean Castillo
  • Patent number: 9787090
    Abstract: A mixer (power packet generation device) 2 includes switches 21A, 21B, packet generation means 28A, 28B, and a selector 29. The packet generator 28A (28B) causes the switch 21A (21B) to perform ON/OFF operation, based on a target voltage, and a voltage estimated as being applied to a load 4A (4B) in each of a state where a power packet is supplied to the load and a state where no power packet is supplied to the load. The selector 29 performs switching between a state where the packet generators 28A, 28B cause the switches 21A, 21B to perform ON/OFF operation, and a state where the packet generators 28A, 28B maintain the switches 21A, 21B in their OFF states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Kyoto University
    Inventors: Takashi Hikihara, Shun-ichi Azuma, Ryo Takahashi, Keiji Tashiro
  • Patent number: 9762252
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a digitally controlled oscillator may comprise, for example, an all-digital all digital phase locked loop (ADPLL) for generating an output clock signal from a reference clock signal, the ADPLL comprising a thermometer pulse coder comprising a plurality of frequency control word signal lines. the thermometer pulse coder may be configured to generate a frequency control word from a binary encoded frequency control word, where the frequency control word may comprise hermometer coded signals and a pulse modulated dither signal, and may select a frequency control word signal line over which to transmit the pulse modulated dither signal and may transmit the thermometer coded signals over another of frequency control word signal lines. A digitally controlled oscillator may be configured to receive a frequency control word and generate an output clock signal at a frequency determined using at least the frequency control word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Josephus A. Van Engelen, Hairong Yu, Howard A. Baumer
  • Patent number: 9755653
    Abstract: A phase detector including a first latch and a control circuit is provided. The first latch generates a first output signal and a second output signal in response to a phase difference between a first input signal and a second input signal. Each of the first and second output signals includes first phase information and second phase information of the phase difference. The control circuit generates a phase indicating signal in response to the first phase information of the phase difference. The phase indicating signal indicates a relative position between the first input signal and the second input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Pang-Ning Chen, Yu-Li Hsueh, Pi-An Wu
  • Patent number: 9755373
    Abstract: A smart card connection circuit of an electronic device which includes a card holder, a travel switch, and a switching unit; a contact of the travel switch is located in the card holder, and an output end of the travel switch is connected to a control end of the switching unit; and when a smart card at a preset position in the card holder leaves the preset position, the smart card leaves the contact of the travel switch, the travel switch controls the switching unit to switch to a second output end, and each signal cable pin on the card holder is grounded by using the switching unit before a power cable pin on the card holder is grounded by using the switching unit. The present invention is applied to electronic devices such as a mobile phone and a tablet computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: HUAWEI DEVICE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kedi Tang, Lin Hu, Zhonghui Peng
  • Patent number: 9748944
    Abstract: A transistor device may include an n-type transistor. The transistor device may further include a first bias voltage unit, which is electrically connected to the n-type transistor and configured to apply a first positive bias voltage to a drain terminal of the n-type transistor when the n-type transistor is in an off state. The transistor device may further include a second bias voltage unit electrically, which is connected to the n-type transistor and configured to apply a second positive bias voltage to a source terminal of the n-type transistor when the n-type transistor is in the off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: Junhong Feng
  • Patent number: 9748939
    Abstract: An output circuit has: a first driver circuit configured to receive a voltage of an input terminal and output a first voltage to an output terminal; a first comparison circuit configured to compare a first reference voltage with a voltage of the output terminal; a second driver circuit configured to receive the voltage of the input terminal and output a second voltage to the output terminal and become an off state according to a comparison result of the first comparison circuit; a second comparison circuit configured to compare a second reference voltage different from the first reference voltage with the voltage of the output terminal; and a third driver circuit configured to receive the voltage of the input terminal and output a third voltage to the output terminal and become an off state according to a comparison result of the second comparison circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventors: Keiko Iwamoto, Tohru Mizutani, Takao Kono
  • Patent number: 9742128
    Abstract: A smart plug system is disclosed. The smart plug system includes a power plug configured to receive an alternating current power signal from shore power, a power receptacle configured to receive a plug having a plug blade, and a plug detection switch configured to detect receipt of the plug blade in the power receptacle. A rectifier circuit is included to rectify the alternating current power signal received at the power plug when the plug detection switch is actuated by receipt of the plug blade. The plug detection switch is further configured to prevent rectification of the alternating current power signal by the rectifier circuit when the plug blade is removed from the power receptacle. A logic level converter is included to receive the rectified power signal to convert the rectified power signal to a logic level signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Grid Connect, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Justice, Cristian Codreanu, Orville Dodd
  • Patent number: 9742127
    Abstract: A power strip having two or more powers strips daisy chained together where each of the two or more power strips include a sequence control module operable to sequentially activate and/or deactivate the outlets, thereby powering up or powering down each outlet separately across the two or more power strips. A pre-determined time delay, that can be set by a user, occurs between the activation and/or deactivation of the outlets. The sequence control module of each power strip is operatively coupled to the sequence control module of the subsequent next power strip so that one power strip can be used to trigger activation of the next power strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Kimball P. Magee, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9742193
    Abstract: A system for controlling power utilization from hybrid energy sources to reduce energy consumption costs and maximize use of renewable energy; the system comprises a plurality of switches for switching power between a plurality of power sources; a control unit for controlling the switches to switch between the power sources to supply power from at least one of said power sources to said loads; the control unit preventing back-feeding of power between the power sources; the control unit reducing excess power generated from multiple inverters equally or storing it in a battery bank; the control unit diverting the excess power to the battery bank in the event that loading of at least one of said power sources falls below a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: MAHINDRA EPC SERVICES PVT. LTD.
    Inventors: Apurav Jain, Basant Jain, Suhas Sutar, Prejith Edayankara Kadankottu
  • Patent number: 9735771
    Abstract: A hybrid switch apparatus includes a gate drive circuit producing a gate drive signal, a GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source. A silicon (Si) MOSFET has a second gate, a second drain, and a second source. The GaN HEMT and the Si MOSFET are connected in a parallel arrangement so that (i) the first drain and the second drain are electrically connected and (ii) the first source and the second source are electrically connected. The second gate is connected to the gate drive circuit output to receive the gate drive signal. A delay block has an input connected to the gate drive circuit output and an delay block output is configured to produce a delayed gate drive signal for driving the GaN HEMT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Juncheng Lu, Hua Bai, Hui Teng
  • Patent number: 9735620
    Abstract: A mechanical switch and a semiconductor switch are connected between a load and a power supply system. A mechanical switch and a semiconductor switch are connected between the load and a secondary battery side. A control part turns on the mechanical switch, turns off the semiconductor switch, turns on the semiconductor switch and turns off the mechanical switch sequentially. In addition or alternatively, the control part turns on the mechanical switch, turns off the semiconductor switch, turns on the semiconductor switch and turns off the mechanical switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Kanayama
  • Patent number: 9729134
    Abstract: A switching device is provided for disconnecting or connecting an electric machine, a converter or a plurality of electrical loads supplied with AC power from a power supply and controlled by a control unit. The switching device includes a current sink and at least one mechanical switch in the switching device are arranged in a circuit. The current sink is arranged, upon receipt of a signal, to close and sink the current, and the at least one mechanical switch is arranged to open and break the current on receipt of a signal to open supplied to the electric machine when the current load is at or close to zero. A method and a computer program for carrying out the method are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Tor-Eivind Moen, Wojciech Piasecki, Knut Rongve, Jan Wiik
  • Patent number: 9728982
    Abstract: A power transmission device includes an inverter using a frequency f11 lower than a frequency f0 between a first resonator and a second resonator or a frequency f12 higher than the frequency f0 to generate a first power; an oscillator using a frequency f10 lower than a frequency fr between the first resonator and a third resonator or a frequency f20 higher than the frequency fr to generate a second power; and a power transmission control circuitry setting a foreign object detection period between first and second transmission periods, using the frequency f11 or frequency f12 in the first transmission period, using the frequency f10 or frequency f20 in the foreign object detection period, and if it is determined that a substance is present in the foreign object detection period, transmitting power in the second transmission period at a frequency different from the frequency used in the first transmission period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Kenichi Asanuma, Tsutomu Sakata, Hiroshi Kanno
  • Patent number: 9728981
    Abstract: A fully integrated feedback controlled coil driver is disclosed for inductive power transfer to electronic devices. For efficient power transfer, a voltage across a switch that switchably couples the coil between a DC input power source and ground is sampled and compared with a preselected reference voltage to generate an error voltage. The error voltage is integrated over time and compared to a voltage ramp. The value of the integrated error voltage relative to the voltage ramp is used to obtain an optimal on time for the switch such that coil current is maximized for a given DC input power. The coil driver can also provide ASK modulation on the coil current by changing the size of the switch according to input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ALFRED E. MANN FOUNDATION FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
    Inventor: Edward K. F. Lee
  • Patent number: 9723700
    Abstract: There is provided an illumination apparatus including an illumination unit, a reception unit, and a control unit configured to control illumination of the illumination unit in accordance with a default illumination pattern. When the reception unit receives an illumination pattern, the control unit performs illumination control different from the illumination according to the default illumination pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichiro Sako, Kazuhiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Sakoda, Hiroshi Okada, Hirofumi Yuchi, Kohei Asada, Takashi Sato, Yutaka Fukuyama, Kiyoshi Yoneda, Kouji Miyata
  • Patent number: 9722602
    Abstract: A transmitter includes: a main pull-up driver suitable for pull-up driving an output node; and an auxiliary pull-up driver suitable for pull-up driving the output node based on a voltage of the output node, wherein the auxiliary pull-up driver compensates for non-linear driving current characteristics of the main pull-up driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jae-Heon Kim