Patents Examined by Ivan Laboy Andino
  • Patent number: 9331567
    Abstract: System and method are provided for regulating a power converter. The system includes a signal processing component configured to receive a first input signal and a second input signal, process information associated with the first input signal and the second input signal, and output a drive signal to a switch based on at least information associated with the first input signal and the second input signal. The first input signal is associated with at least a feedback signal related to an output voltage of the power converter. The second input signal is associated with at least a primary current flowing through a primary winding of the power converter. The signal processing component is further configured to change a peak value of the primary current within a first predetermined range, and change the switching frequency of the power converter within a second predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuan Lin, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 9298200
    Abstract: The constant voltage includes a sense transistor through which a sense current flows based on an output current flowing through an output transistor; a current division circuit for dividing the sense current and outputting divided currents; a first current to voltage conversion circuit for converting a first division current output from the current division circuit to a first voltage; a second current voltage conversion circuit for converting a second division current output from the current division circuit to a second voltage; an output voltage detection circuit for controlling the current division circuit such that a drain voltage of the sense transistor becomes equal to a voltage of the output terminal; and an overcurrent protection circuit for controlling the output voltage and the output current by detecting an overcurrent flowing through the output transistor based on the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Kaoru Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 9294009
    Abstract: A control circuit reduces switching loss by periodically stopping switching elements, and reduces the difference between the time for which positive switching elements are in on state and the time for which negative switching elements are in on state. The control circuit includes a command value signal generator generating command value signals Xu1, Xv1, and Xw1 from line voltage command value signals Xuv, Xvw, and Xwu, and includes a PWM signal generator generating PWM signals by the command value signals Xu1, Xv1, and Xw1. The command value signals Xu1, Xv1, and Xw1 are continuously at “0” for a predetermined period, and are continuously at “2” for another period. This enables reducing the difference between the period for which the PWM signals are low and the period for which they are high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: DAIHEN Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hattori, Akihiro Ohori, Hiroki Munechika
  • Patent number: 9292028
    Abstract: A control circuit can control the operation of a switching converter to provide a regulated load current to a load. The switching converter includes an inductor and a high-side and a low side-transistor for switching the load current provided via the inductor. A digital modulator is configured to provide a modulated signal having a duty cycle determined by a digital duty cycle value. A current sense circuit is coupled to at least one of the transistors and is configured to regularly sample a load current value. A comparator is coupled to the current sense circuit and is configured to compare the sampled load current value with a first threshold and to provide a respective comparator output signal. A regulator is configured to receive the comparator output signal and to calculate an updated digital duty cycle value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Giovanni Capodivacca, Paolo Milanesi, Andrea Scenini
  • Patent number: 9263183
    Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick L. Chapman, William R. Van Dell
  • Patent number: 9264033
    Abstract: A hysteresis generator provides a hysteresis parameter V_hyst to a hysteresis comparator of a voltage regulator. The hysteresis parameter V_hyst is a function of circuit components of the hysteresis generator, a voltage output Vout of the regulator, a voltage input Vin of the regulator, and a signal that drives one of a plurality of switches of the regulator. A switch driver drives the switches based on the hysteresis parameter. One or more of the circuit components of the hysteresis generator that provide the hysteresis parameter also define a hysteresis time period T_hyst. The hysteresis time period T_hyst defines in combination with a delay time period T_Td of the regulator, a switching time period T for the regulator that is substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Sugato Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 9214878
    Abstract: A multilevel power converter circuit driven by two direct current power supplies in series includes a first semiconductor switch series circuit that combines a series circuit of 2n IGBTs connected between positive and negative electrodes with a capacitor, a second semiconductor switch series circuit that combines a series circuit of 2n?2 IGBTs connected between the emitter of a first IGBT of the first semiconductor switch series circuit and the collector of a 2nth IGBT with a capacitor, and a bidirectional switch connected between an intermediate point of the second semiconductor switch series circuit and an intermediate point of the direct current power supply, to reduce a voltage change in the alternating current output when semiconductor switches are switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 9182770
    Abstract: A voltage regulator includes a current bridge and first and second current paths coupling a current mirror to respective first and second voltage-to-current converters. The current mirror controls a second current dependent on a first current. The first voltage-to-current converter controls the first current dependent on either a reference voltage or a feedback voltage derived from the regulator's output voltage, and the second voltage-to-current converter controls the second current dependent on the other of the feedback and reference voltages. Voltage-to-current conversion by the first converter is independent of voltage-to-current conversion by the second converter. An output transistor stage coupled to the second current path controls the output voltage dependent on the voltage in the second current path indicative of a deviation of the second current from a target current value dependent on the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventors: Willem Groeneweg, Nedyalko Slavov
  • Patent number: 9166494
    Abstract: A power supplying section is an operation power supply for a switching element for an inverter, and one end on a low potential side is connected to one end of the switching element on a DC power supply line side. A boot capacitor is connected to one end of the switching element on a DC power supply line side, where the other end is electrically connected to one end of the power supply section on the high potential side. A diode is provided in a path extending from one end of the power supply section on the high potential side to the DC power supply line via the boot capacitor. The diode makes only the current, which is flowing from the power supply section to the boot capacitor, flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Satou
  • Patent number: 9112408
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for providing an output voltage and/or an output current from an input voltage Vin, comprising: a first switching converter (10) having a storage element (120) and a first switching element (110), adapted to charge the storage element (120) from the input voltage Vin up to a threshold voltage and a second switching converter (20) having a second switching element (210) adapted to start with the threshold voltage at the storage element (120) and to provide the output voltage Vout and/or the output current Iout from the input voltage Vin, wherein the first switching element (110) has a minimum driving voltage, at and above which the first switching element (110) can perform switching operations, the second switching element (210) has a minimum driving voltage, at and above which the second switching element (210) can perform switching operations, and wherein the minimum driving voltage of the first switching element is smaller than the minimum driving voltage of the second switching elemen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: PULS GMBH
    Inventor: Steffen Blau
  • Patent number: 9083259
    Abstract: A power factor correction circuit includes: the first series circuit consisting of the first rectifier element and the first switching element; the second series circuit consisting of the second rectifier element and the second switching element; the first/second reactors; and the first/second current detectors. The first/second current detectors have each the first/second transformers, both primary parts of which consist of the first/second reactors. The first and the second switching elements are controllable based on the first output signal according to the reactor current from the secondary side of the first transformer and the second output signal according to the reactor current from the secondary side of the second transformer so as to apply a desired DC voltage to the load circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei Nishibori, Nadthawut Chalermboon
  • Patent number: 9065427
    Abstract: A controller for an SMPS is disclosed. The controller applies a frequency jitter to the SMPS to reduce Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and/or audible noise. A second input variable is multiplied by a correlated jitter signal, in order to compensate the output power for the frequency jitter. A corresponding method is also disclosed. Since the jitter compensation occurs within the controller, the method is particularly suitable for controllers operating under different control modes for different output powers (or other output criteria). The multiplicative compensation is applicable across a wide range of converter types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Jeroen Kleinpenning, Hans Halberstadt, Frank Paul Behagel
  • Patent number: 9065334
    Abstract: A voltage converter has an input terminal and only N output terminals, and includes a DC-DC power supply block having an input node and an output node, (N+1) switches including N main output switches and an auxiliary switch each having a first end and a second end, and a switch control circuit. The DC-DC power supply block includes an inductor, and a switch module configured for alternating between a first interconnection configuration and a second interconnection configuration during a predetermined time period. First ends of the (N+1) switches are coupled to the output node, and second ends of the N main output switches are coupled to the N output terminals, respectively. The switch control circuit is configured for controlling the switch module and the (N+1) switches, wherein the (N+1) switches are switched on alternately during the predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chien-Wei Kuan, Yen-Hsun Hsu
  • Patent number: 9048754
    Abstract: The system for offsetting the input voltage unbalance in multilevel inverters or the like comprises a control unit operatively associated with a multilevel inverter for converting direct current into alternate current, the control unit being suitable for piloting the multilevel inverter for generating an output current depending on a reference current, and an equalization unit for equalizing the input voltages of the multilevel inverter having first generation means of a harmonic component of order equal to the reference current, out of phase with respect to the fundamental component of the reference current, detection means of the unbalance of the input voltages to the multilevel inverter, regulation means of the amplitude of the harmonic component depending on the detected unbalance, for offsetting the unbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: METASYSTEM ENERGY S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alessandro Revelant, Piero Stocco, Roberto Petrella, Nicola Buonocunto, Giorgio Maldini
  • Patent number: 9030850
    Abstract: A switching power supply of certain aspects of the invention includes a minimum dead time generating circuit that generates a minimum dead time from an OFF timing of an ON pulse detected from the voltage across an auxiliary winding of the transformer by a differentiating circuit. An ON width-determining means of a voltage control oscillator is started, after this minimum dead time, into operation to determine the ON width of the semiconductor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jian Chen
  • Patent number: 9030857
    Abstract: The multi-level DC/AC converter, comprising: an input (5,7) connectable to a direct voltage source (3), with a first connection (5) and a second connection (7) between which can be applied an input voltage (Vi); a half-bridge with a first controlled switch (21) and a second controlled switch (25) between which is positioned an output (U) of the converter; a first connecting branch (15) between the first controlled switch (21) and the first connection (5) and a second connecting branch (17) between the second controlled switch (25) and the second connection (7); a third controlled switch (59) associated to the first controlled switch (21), connectable in series to the first controlled switch to generate an output voltage exceeding a first limit value (Vi/2); a fourth controlled switch (61) associated to the second controlled switch (25), connectable in series to said second controlled switch to generate an output voltage below a second limit value (?Vi/2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Power-One Italy S.p.A.
    Inventors: David Martini, Massimo Valiani, Simone Soldani
  • Patent number: 8994347
    Abstract: Embodiments for at methods, apparatus and systems for operating a voltage regulator are disclosed. One method includes generating, by a switching controller, a switching voltage through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and a shunt switch element, and generating an output voltage by filtering the switching voltage with an output inductor and a load capacitor. The method further includes generating an assisting current based on a value of current conducted through the output inductor, and assisting the load current by summing the assisting current with the current conducted through the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: R2 Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Pablo Moreno Galbis, James E. C. Brown
  • Patent number: 8981740
    Abstract: A multiple output switching circuit (300) comprising an input (302) configured to receive power from a power source; a first output (304) configured to provide a first output voltage; and an inductor (308) and a power switch (306) connected between the input (302) and first output (304). The power switch (306) is operable to transfer power from the input (302) to the first output (304). The switching circuit further comprising a second output (312) configured to provide a second output voltage; a second switch (310) coupled between the first output (302) and the second output (312); and a second switch controller (314) configured to provide the second switch (310) with a second switch control signal (318) such that power is transferred from the input (302) to the second output (312) when the first output voltage level reaches a first output threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Leendert Albertus Dick van den Broeke
  • Patent number: 8981752
    Abstract: An energy-based oriented switching mode power supply includes a bi-directional converter having an energy input and a load output, and an energy based pulsed generator connected between the energy input and the load output for outputting a gate voltage signal controlling how much energy is supplied from the energy input. The energy based pulsed generator receives a clock signal and outputs the gate voltage signal according to the load output of the bi-directional converter when the clock signal is at a high level. Accordingly, the switching mode power supply achieves a hybrid of PWM and PFM, depending on the energy demand of the load output, for a fast transient response and a small voltage ripple whilst improving power efficiency over a wide load range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: National Chung Cheng University
    Inventors: Chung-Hsun Huang, Chao-Chun Chen
  • Patent number: 8922174
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power factor correction circuit, that can include: an inductor current detector that generates a sampling voltage signal, and sinusoidal half-wave current and voltage signals based on the sampling voltage signal; a mediate signal generator generating slope voltage and clock signals in response to the sinusoidal half-wave voltage signal, where a frequency of each varies with the sinusoidal half-wave voltage signal; a current modulation circuit receiving the sinusoidal half-wave current signal and a voltage feedback signal representative of a power stage output voltage to generate a regulation signal that is compared against the slope voltage signal to generate a modulation signal; and a logic/driving circuit receiving the modulation and clock signals, and generating a controlling signal that controls a power switch with variable frequency to maintain the inductor current in phase with the sinusoidal half-wave voltage signal and the power stage output voltage constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) Ltd
    Inventor: Xiaoru Xu