Patents Examined by Harry R Behm
  • Patent number: 11670447
    Abstract: An auto-transformer rectifier system comprising an 18-pulse (or multiple of 18-pulse) autotransformer rectifier unit ATRU having three, or a multiple of three, diode bridge rectifiers and a balancing resistor to balance the power flow through the diode bridge rectifiers, wherein the balancing resistor has a variable resistance, and further comprising a controller configured to identify imbalances between power flows of the respective diode bridge rectifiers and to adjust the resistance of the balancing resistor in response to the detected imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ponggorn Kulsangcharoen, Rodrigo Fernandez-Mattos
  • Patent number: 11664655
    Abstract: A current limit protecting system and method of a motor pre-driver are provided. A current limiting circuit detects a current of a resistor that is connected to a motor, and then compares the current of the resistor with a current threshold to output a current comparing signal. When a controller circuit determines that the current of the resistor is larger than the current threshold according to the current comparing signal, and a working period of a first signal of a first node or a working period of a second signal of a second node of the motor reaches a preset value, a first high-side switch and a second high-side switch are turned off, and a first low-side switch and a second low-side switch are alternately turned on. As a result, a temperature of the motor generally reduces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jyun-Ping Jiang, Shih-Hai Chien
  • Patent number: 11660978
    Abstract: A system including a vehicle having a motive electrical power path, and a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the motive electrical power path. The current protection circuit includes a first leg of the current protection circuit comprising a thermal fuse, a second leg of the current protection circuit comprising a contactor. The first leg and the second leg may be coupled in a parallel arrangement. The system further has a controller that includes a current detection circuit structured to determine a current flow through the motive electrical power path, and a fuse management circuit structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to the current flow. The contactor may be responsive to the contactor activation command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventor: Robert Stephen Douglass
  • Patent number: 11658573
    Abstract: A mode-transition architecture for USB controllers is described herein. In an example embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) controller includes a controller coupled to a slope compensation circuit, the controller to detect a transition of a buck-boost converter from a first mode having a first duty cycle to a second mode having a second duty cycle that is less or more than the first duty cycle. The controller controls the slope compensation circuit to nullify an error in an output caused by the transition. The controller can cause the slope compensation circuit to apply a charge stored in a capacitor during a first cycle to start a second cycle with a higher voltage than the first cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh Karri, Arun Khamesra, Pulkit Shah, Hariom Rai
  • Patent number: 11652349
    Abstract: A utility-scale energy storage and conversion system can operate two or more inverter groups such that their reactive power commands are proportional to their available reactive power range. The control system can therefore distribute the reactive power commands in proportion to the available Q range, thereby ensuring that all inverters in the utility-scale energy storage and conversion system 100 operate with the same Q “headroom”. In addition, the utility-scale energy storage and conversion system can use an on-load tap changer (LTC) to adjust a terminal voltage associated with a first group of inverters and a second group of inverters. The first group of inverters can be associated with a first rating and the second group of inverters can be associated with a second rating that is greater than the first rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Shrikant Kadam, Michael Thomas Leonard, Jovan Z. Bebic
  • Patent number: 11635795
    Abstract: A power supply system includes first and second power supply lines to respectively connect positive and negative electrode terminals of a load with a main power supply. First and second voltage detection lines are respectively connected to the first and second power supply lines via first and second resistances. First and second inspection power supplies respectively supply power and provide potential differences to the first and second voltage detection lines from the first and second power supply lines. Occurrence of a short circuit in one of the first and second voltage detection lines is recognized when corresponding one of the first and second inspection power supplies supplies power and a difference between a preset voltage and a voltage caused between the first and second voltage detection lines is a threshold value or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Kimura
  • Patent number: 11632032
    Abstract: A power converter includes a power conversion controller configured to determine whether or not an output terminal is misconnected to a system power supply based on a current between a power converter and the output terminal and a voltage between the power converter and the output terminal, and to perform a control to stop power conversion in the power converter when determining that the output terminal is misconnected to the system power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignees: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Iida, Mitsuteru Yano
  • Patent number: 11631998
    Abstract: A system includes a first device, a second device, and a power control block. The first device has a first power converter and a first resonator which has a first resonant capacitor and a first coil. The second device has a second power converter and a second resonator which has a second resonant capacitor and a second coil. The second power converter is coupled to a ratio-controllable power converter, and the first coil and the second coil are magnetically coupled. The power control block is configured to adjust the system frequency, the second power converter output voltage and the current in the first coil in coordination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Hengchun Mao, Ted Tianqi Mao, Xuezhong Jia
  • Patent number: 11625055
    Abstract: A linear regulator which has a pass device coupled between an input voltage level and an output node, a voltage divider circuit for generating a feedback voltage that depends on an output voltage at the output node, and an operational amplifier for controlling the pass device, the operational amplifier receiving the feedback voltage and a reference voltage at its inputs is presented. The operational amplifier has: an input stage that receives the feedback voltage and the reference voltage at its inputs, an amplifier stage that receives an output of the input stage at its input, and a current injection circuit for sourcing current into an intermediate node between the input stage and the amplifier stage, or sinking a current from the intermediate node. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding method of operating a linear regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Carlos Azevedo, Ambreesh Bhattad, Frank Kronmueller, Mahir Uka, Benedikt Wolf
  • Patent number: 11626728
    Abstract: A condition monitoring system includes a power generator and a condition monitoring apparatus. The condition monitoring apparatus includes, voltage measuring circuit which measures a voltage value of power generated by the power generator, a data memory which stores a past voltage value measured by the voltage measuring circuit, a calculation circuit which calculates a difference between a current voltage value measured by the voltage measuring circuit and at least one past voltage value stored in the data memory, and a controller which determines an issue period indicating a period of time until a trigger signal is issued based on the difference calculated by the calculation circuit, and issues the trigger signal to the condition monitoring apparatus based on the issue period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takahashi, Atsuro Oonishi, Takamitsu Sunaoshi
  • Patent number: 11621562
    Abstract: In the field of high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission networks there is a need for an improved power converter. A power converter, for use in a HVDC power transmission network, comprises first and second DC terminals, for connection in use to a DC network and between which extends at least one converter limb. The or each converter limb includes first and second limb portions which are separated by an AC terminal, for connection in use to an AC network. Each limb portion includes a switching valve, and the power converter including a controller programmed to control switching of the switching valves to control the flow of a converter current (Imax) through the power converter and thereby in-use transfer power between the power converter and the AC network. The power transferred between the power converter and the AC network has an active component and a reactive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: John Fradley, Li Zou, Carl Barker
  • Patent number: 11621644
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture for zero voltage switching of flyback converters are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first driver to operate a first switch to direct a first current to flow to a first winding of a transformer, and a second driver to operate a second switch to direct a second current to flow to a second winding of the transformer and operate the second switch to cause the second current to discharge a voltage of the first switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Brian Matthew King
  • Patent number: 11616363
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus connectable to a partial power system which is a part of a power system and comprises a first power source apparatus, power supply of the first power source apparatus stopped in response to detecting an islanding of the partial power system, includes: controlling circuitry configured to output to the partial power system a first signal to disable detecting the islanding of the partial power system by the first power source apparatus during at least part of a period during which the partial power system is electrically separated from the power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Tetsu Shijo, Hiroshi Uno
  • Patent number: 11611288
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a composite switching circuit, including a plurality of first semiconductor devices connected in series; and at least one second semiconductor device each connected in parallel to one of the plurality of first semiconductor devices. The composite switching circuit is connected to an input source. The second semiconductor device is turned off during a preset period to transfer a current flowing through the second semiconductor device to the first semiconductor devices connected in parallel to the second semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junlai Huang, Youzhun Cai, Lingfeng Jiang, Junhao Ji
  • Patent number: 11605517
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods for an improved bi-stable relay. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a core assembly within a housing, the core assembly comprising a plunger extending through a coil support structure. The method may further include winding a first coil and a second coil about a central section of the coil support structure, providing a first magnet and a first ferromagnetic plate at a first end of the coil support structure, and providing a second magnet and a second ferromagnetic plate at a second end of the coil support structure. In some embodiments, the method may further include activating the first coil or the second coil to move the plunger between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position a circuit formed by a set of contacts is closed, and wherein in the second position the circuit is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventor: Davide Mantoan
  • Patent number: 11594977
    Abstract: A synchronous rectifier includes: an integrator configured to integrate a voltage across a secondary side winding of a transformer over an integral period having an expected zero integral value; a first comparator configured to detect an end of a demagnetization phase of the secondary side winding based on diode detection; and a digital circuit configured to adjust a channel gain of the synchronous rectifier based on an integration error at the end of the integral period, the integration error corresponding to the difference between the integrated voltage at the end of the integral period and the expected zero integral. Corresponding methods of gain tuning and a power converter are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Andrey Malinin, Renato Bessegato, Yong Siang Teo
  • Patent number: 11588409
    Abstract: A flyback converter communication channel is provided that comprises a pair of capacitors. A transmitter on a first side of a transformer for the flyback converter transmits a transmitter signal over a first one of the capacitors. The transmitter also transmits a complement of the transmitter signal over a second one of the capacitors. A receiver on a second side of the transformer controls a switch transistor responsive to a high-pass-filtered difference of the received signals from the pair of capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Wenduo Liu, Kun Yang, Laiqing Ping
  • Patent number: 11588395
    Abstract: A voltage converter arrangement includes a clocked voltage converter capable of generating an output voltage on the basis of an input voltage. The voltage converter arrangement further includes a first input regulating element connected between a first input voltage node and a second input voltage node, the second input voltage node having a reference potential. The first input regulating element is configured to allow a current flow so as to counteract fluctuations in the input current of the voltage converter arrangement. A corresponding method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Matthias Radecker, Ricardo Nunes Marchesan
  • Patent number: 11588316
    Abstract: Disclosed are a circuit with a timing function and a leakage protection plug. An output terminal of a timing chip U2 is connected to an isolating switch U3; the isolating switch U3 is connected to a rectifier module D3; the rectifier module D3 is connected to a circuit breaker X1; a switch tube Q4 and the switch tube Q3 are connected to a resistor R21, and a second switch terminal of the switch tube Q4 is grounded; an output terminal of a zero sequence current transformer is connected to a first input terminal of a microprocessor U1; and an output terminal of the microprocessor U1 is connected to a control terminal of the switch tube Q4. The leakage protection plug of this disclosure has both leakage protection and timing functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: Juntuo Yang
  • Patent number: 11581737
    Abstract: A frequency stabilization arrangement for a power transmission grid has a modular multi-level converter with a first terminal for electrical connection to a power transmission grid, and an electrical resistor unit with a second terminal for electrical connection to the power transmission grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christoph Armschat, Holger Mueller, Ervin Spahic