Patents Examined by Christopher J Clark
  • Patent number: 11842872
    Abstract: A switching device includes: a triggering unit; an actuator coupled to the triggering unit; a switching mechanism coupled to the actuator; and an interface module. The interface module includes: a signal processing unit coupled to the triggering unit; an interface circuit coupled to a transmitting and receiving circuit of the signal processing unit; a power supply input for feeding a first supply voltage; and a voltage converter connected on an input side to the power supply input and a power outlet for issuing a second supply voltage. The power outlet is coupled to the signal processing unit and to the triggering unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Gregor Fleitmann, Hans-Juergen Mader, Daniel Andreas Jansen, Rolf Arck, Ralph Kriechel
  • Patent number: 11837865
    Abstract: In one aspect, a hybrid circuit protection device for current-limiting a fault current between a source and a load during a fault is provided. The hybrid circuit protection device includes an input configured to couple to the source, an output configured to couple to the load, a return configured to couple the source to the load, a main switch configured to selectively couple the input to the output, a switching network coupled in parallel with the main switch, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine that the main switch has opened in response to the fault current, where the fault current has an initial value, and activate the switching network to current-limit the fault current to less than the initial value during the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: ABB S.p.A.
    Inventors: Li Qi, Yuzhi Zhang, Taosha Jiang
  • Patent number: 11799467
    Abstract: A device is provided that includes a power transistor and an overcurrent detection logic. The overcurrent detection logic has a first stable state providing a first signal level on a status output terminal and a second stable state providing a second signal level on the status output terminal. The overcurrent detection logic changes from the first stable state to the second stable state in response to detecting that a current through the power transistor exceeds a current limit. The overcurrent detection logic remains in the second state when the current through the transistor drops below the limit after exceeding the current limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Markus Sievers, Michael Glavanovics, Dethard Peters
  • Patent number: 11799284
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for controlling temperature of component of power source separation circuit in which a temperature detection circuit may be implemented in a circuit that uses a power source different from a power source used by the control microcomputer, may directly measure a temperature of a circuit component, and may deliver a protective signal to the control microcomputer using a comparator and an insulating phototransistor, thereby implementing a protective operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Bong Jin Cho
  • Patent number: 11798764
    Abstract: An underarm gang operated vacuum break switch (underarm switch) has an electrically live portion under a mounting arm, which provides advantages over the standard vacuum break switch, which have the electrically live portion above the mounting arm. Because the non-electrified mounting arm is above the electrified portion, the underarm switch is safer for perching birds and other wildlife. The nature of the underarm switch also provides other benefits including a disconnect blade that when opened creates a visual gap to ensure electrical discontinuity along with a safety locking arm tied to deactivating the underarm switch. Adding to the safety measures is a visual indicator that shows an electrician when the switch is live and safe to open the disconnect blade. Other safety measures include a shock absorber assembly and inertia slowing mass protecting electrical contacts within the vacuum break switch from failing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Inertial Engineering and Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Carnell Sanders, Elliott James Gist
  • Patent number: 11784016
    Abstract: An underarm gang operated vacuum break switch (underarm switch) has an electrically live portion under a mounting arm, which provides advantages over the standard vacuum break switch, which have the electrically live portion above the mounting arm. Because the non-electrified mounting arm is above the electrified portion, the underarm switch is safer for perching birds and other wildlife. The nature of the underarm switch also provides other benefits including a disconnect blade that when opened creates a visual gap to ensure electrical discontinuity along with a safety locking arm tied to deactivating the underarm switch. Adding to the safety measures is a visual indicator that shows an electrician when the switch is live and safe to open the disconnect blade. Other safety measures include a shock absorber assembly and inertia slowing mass protecting electrical contacts within the vacuum break switch from failing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Inertial Engineering and Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Carnell Sanders, Elliott James Gist
  • Patent number: 11784488
    Abstract: Electrical overstress protection for high speed interfaces are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a semiconductor die with bidirectional protection against electrical overstress is provided. The semiconductor die includes a first pad, a second pad, a forward protection silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) electrically connected between the first pad and the second pad and configured to activate in response to electrical overstress that increases a voltage of the first pad relative to a voltage of the second pad, and a reverse protection SCR electrically connected in parallel with the forward protection SCR between the first pad and the second pad and configured to activate in response to electrical overstress that decreases the voltage of the first pad relative to the voltage of the second pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Javier A. Salcedo, Srivatsan Parthasarathy, Enrique C. Bosch
  • Patent number: 11776780
    Abstract: An underarm gang operated vacuum break switch (underarm switch) has an electrically live portion under a mounting arm, which provides advantages over the standard vacuum break switch, which have the electrically live portion above the mounting arm. Because the non-electrified mounting arm is above the electrified portion, the underarm switch is safer for perching birds and other wildlife. The nature of the underarm switch also provides other benefits including a disconnect blade that when opened creates a visual gap to ensure electrical discontinuity along with a safety locking arm tied to deactivating the underarm switch. Adding to the safety measures is a visual indicator that shows an electrician when the switch is live and safe to open the disconnect blade. Other safety measures include a shock absorber assembly and inertia slowing mass protecting electrical contacts within the vacuum break switch from failing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Inertial Engineering and Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Carnell Sanders, Elliott James Gist
  • Patent number: 11764773
    Abstract: Current absorption management for an electronic fuse coupled between an electrical supply source node and an electrical load node selectively controls a high current electronic switch and a low current electronic switch coupled in parallel between the electrical supply source node and the electrical load node. The high current and low current electronic switches are alternatively actuated: in a first mode where the high current electronic switch is turned on and the low current electronic switch is turned off, and in a second mode where the high current electronic switch is turned off and the low current electronic switch is turned on. Change to the second mode may be made in response to a standby state or a sensing of a lower current in the electrical load. Conversely, change to the first mode may be made in response to a sensing of a higher current in the electrical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Enrico Castro, Giovanni Susinna, Vincenzo Randazzo, Mirko Dondini, Calogero Andrea Trecarichi
  • Patent number: 11764571
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a first power ESD protection circuit arranged in a first circuit area; a plurality of data I/O circuits arranged in a second circuit area adjacent to the first circuit area in a first direction; a plurality of data I/O terminals arranged in the second circuit area, each of the plurality of data I/O terminals being coupled to an associated one of the plurality of data I/O circuits; a plurality of first power terminals arranged in the second circuit area; and a first power line extending in the first direction, the first power line coupling the plurality of first power terminals to the first power ESD protection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Haruka Momota, Takashi Ishihara
  • Patent number: 11756757
    Abstract: An underarm gang operated vacuum break switch (underarm switch) has an electrically live portion under a mounting arm, which provides advantages over the standard vacuum break switch, which have the electrically live portion above the mounting arm. Because the non-electrified mounting arm is above the electrified portion, the underarm switch is safer for perching birds and other wildlife. The nature of the underarm switch also provides other benefits including a disconnect blade that when opened creates a visual gap to ensure electrical discontinuity along with a safety locking arm tied to deactivating the underarm switch. Adding to the safety measures is a visual indicator that shows an electrician when the switch is live and safe to open the disconnect blade. Other safety measures include a shock absorber assembly and inertia slowing mass protecting electrical contacts within the vacuum break switch from failing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: nertial Engineering and Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Carnell Sanders, Elliott James Gist
  • Patent number: 11749673
    Abstract: Systems and methods for protecting a device from an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event are provided. A resistor-capacitor (RC) trigger circuit and a driver circuit are provided. The RC trigger circuit is configured to provide an ESD protection signal to the driver circuit. A discharge circuit includes a first metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor and a second MOS transistor connected in series between a first voltage potential and a second voltage potential. The driver circuit provides one or more signals for turning the first and second MOS transistors on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Shu-Yu Su, Jam-Wem Lee, Wun-Jie Lin
  • Patent number: 11749980
    Abstract: The method for using semiconductor intelligence line of the invention, which is to set the semiconductor intelligence line on the drain source voltage axis of the first semiconductor output characteristic, has a gate voltage setting, which indicates the function of limiting the application limit of the drain source current on the output characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Chao-Cheng Lu
  • Patent number: 11747392
    Abstract: A circuit interrupting device including one or more line terminals for connecting to an external power supply, one or more load terminals for connecting to an external load, one or more contacts electrically connecting one or more line terminals to one or more load terminals, and an auto-monitoring circuit. The auto-monitoring circuit configured to monitor one or more signals to determine an operating state of said circuit interrupting device, output a first signal having a first voltage level based on the operating state, wherein the first voltage level is greater than zero volts, and output a second signal having a second voltage level based on the operating state, wherein the second voltage level is greater than the first voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas James Batko, Joseph Vincent DeBartolo
  • Patent number: 11733276
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of sag in a power line. In an embodiment, a monitoring device may include a distance sensor and an operating parameter sensor. A processor of the monitoring device may acquire, via the distance sensor, a first distance measurement. The processor may acquire, via the operating parameter sensor, a first operating parameter measurement. The processor may provide an output signal indicating that the power line is sagging when a combination of the first distance measurement and the first operating parameter measurement exceed a first combined distance-operating parameter threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Manson, Shankar V. Achanta, Gregary C. Zweigle, Richard M. Edge
  • Patent number: 11728641
    Abstract: An over-voltage protection system is provided for use with electrical equipment. The system includes a protection circuit having a first bus for receiving electrical power, a second bus for providing power to the equipment and two parallel surge arresters connected between the first bus and ground. A main and backup bushing are arranged in parallel between the first and second bus. The main bushing is arranged in series with a normally closed contact maintaining the main bushing in service by default. The backup bushing is arranged in series with a normally open contact isolating the backup bushing by default. The protection circuit comprises a controller for testing the insulation of the arresters and bushings. The controller is configured to selectively actuate the contacts to selectively isolate, or incorporate, the arresters and bushings in the circuit to facilitate testing and maintenance while maintaining the protection circuit operational.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Adel F. Abu-Rejailah, Thamer K. Al-Harbi
  • Patent number: 11722053
    Abstract: A method is provided for driving a half bridge circuit that includes a first transistor and a second transistor that are switched in a complementary manner. The method includes generating an off-current during a plurality of turn-off switching events to control a gate voltage of the second transistor; measuring a transistor parameter of the second transistor during a first turn-off switching event during which the second transistor is transitioned to an off state, wherein the transistor parameter is indicative of an oscillation at the first transistor during a corresponding turn-on switching event during which the first transistor is transitioned to an on state; and activating a portion of the off-current for the second turn-off switching event, including regulating an interval length of the second portion for the second turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter measured during the first turn-off switching event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Stefan Hermann Groiss, Emanuele Bodano
  • Patent number: 11722130
    Abstract: A method of protecting a load circuit includes sensing a load current passing through a switch electrically in series with the load circuit, sensing a voltage drop across the switch, determining a rate of change of the voltage drop across the switch, determining whether to deactivate the switch based on the load current and the rate of change of the voltage drop across the switch, in response to determining to deactivate the switch, deactivating the switch to shut off current to the load circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: LEACH INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anhtai Le Tran, Imtiaz Ahmad Khan, Farshid Tofigh, Chad Uyehara, Tony Hana
  • Patent number: 11713948
    Abstract: Implementations of conductive energy weapons (CEWs) may include a shock generating circuit configured to couple to a power source, two electrodes operatively coupled to the shock generating circuit, and a safety circuit operatively coupled to the shock generating circuit. The shock generating circuit may be configured to generate a first pulse train and deliver the first pulse train to a target, and may be configured to generate at least a second pulse train and deliver the at least second pulse train to a target. The safety circuit may be configured to prevent the CEW from applying pulse trains to the target after a predetermined number of pulse trains. The first pulse train may include two or more pulses having waveforms substantially identical with each other, each of the waveforms of the two or more pulses having both a positive voltage segment and a negative voltage segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Leonidas IP, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Abboud, Kevin Chang, Ivo Foldyna
  • Patent number: 11710948
    Abstract: An underarm gang operated vacuum break switch (underarm switch) has an electrically live portion under a mounting arm, which provides advantages over the standard vacuum break switch, which have the electrically live portion above the mounting arm. Because the non-electrified mounting arm is above the electrified portion, the underarm switch is safer for perching birds and other wildlife. The nature of the underarm switch also provides other benefits including a disconnect blade that when opened creates a visual gap to ensure electrical discontinuity along with a safety locking arm tied to deactivating the underarm switch. Adding to the safety measures is a visual indicator that shows an electrician when the switch is live and safe to open the disconnect blade. Other safety measures include a shock absorber assembly and inertia slowing mass protecting electrical contacts within the vacuum break switch from failing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Inertial Engineering and Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Carnell Sanders, Elliott James Gist