Patents Examined by Peter M Novak
  • Patent number: 11804777
    Abstract: A power supply includes a storage component to store an output current value representative of a magnitude of output current supplied by an output voltage of a power converter to power a load. The power supply further includes an offset reference generator and a controller. The offset reference generator produces an offset reference signal, the output current value being offset by the offset reference signal. The controller controls generation of the output voltage of the power converter as a function of the offset output current value with respect to a threshold signal (value). Additionally, the controller is configured to detect a startup mode of a power converter operative to convert an input voltage into an output voltage. During the startup mode, the controller: i) produces a threshold signal having a magnitude that varies over time, and ii) controls operation of switches in the power converter as a function of the threshold signal while the power converter is operated in a diode emulation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Keng Chen, James R. Garrett
  • Patent number: 11804773
    Abstract: A dead time controller includes a phase detector, a filter circuit and an amplifying circuit. The phase detector generates a detection signal by detecting a phase difference between a first driving control signal applied to a first power transistor and a second driving control signal applied to a second power transistor, the detection signal being associated with a dead time corresponding to an overlapped deactivation interval between the first and second driving control signals. The filter circuit generates a DC voltage signal by filtering and averaging the detection signal based on a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal. The PWM signal is generated by performing a PWM on an output voltage provided at an output node coupled to a second terminal of the inductor. The amplifying circuit generates an amplified voltage signal having a voltage level proportional to the dead time by amplifying the DC voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyunseok Nam
  • Patent number: 11799375
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a controller configured to receive an input voltage and control a power converter to provide an output voltage based on the input voltage. The controller is also configured to receive a feedback voltage from a split feedback divider, the feedback voltage based on the output voltage and control the power converter to provide the output voltage based on the input voltage and the feedback voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Juergen Neuhaeusler, Tanvee Shailesh Pandya
  • Patent number: 11799384
    Abstract: A power converter with co-packaged secondary field effect transistors (FETs) are described. The power converter can include a first circuit, a transformer connected to an output of the first circuit, and a second circuit connected to an output of the transformer. The second circuit can include an inductor, a first FET coupled between the transformer and the inductor, and a second FET coupled between the first FET and ground. The first FET and the second FET can be co-packaged as a single package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Edward Takken, Xin Zhang, Andrew Ferencz
  • Patent number: 11799391
    Abstract: An assembly comprises a mounting ring for a rotating rectifier assembly (RRA) having a pin bore defined in the mounting ring oriented in an axial direction and at least one contact band seated in a the pin bore of the mounting ring for mounting a direct current (DC) pin to the mounting ring. A method comprises forming a mounting ring for a rotating rectifier assembly (RRA), including forming a pin bore in the mounting ring oriented in an axial direction, and installing at least one contact band into a the pin bore of the mounting ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Kyle S. Sirbasku, Dhaval Patel, Andrew R. Wilkinson, Mary Christelle Ann Calacal, Yaser J. Isa, Edward C. Allen, Duane C. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11791734
    Abstract: A bidirectional power converter includes flyback converter units connected in parallel, each having a controller and adapted to accumulate power from a primary side during an ON time and to deliver the accumulated power to a secondary side during an OFF time, the primary and secondary sides being interchangeable as to the direction of power conversion, the controller operating at a boundary between discontinuous and continuous conduction modes and performing valley switching when switching from OFF to ON, one converter unit operating as a master wherein the controller is adapted to control the length of ON time in order to feedback-control an overall current output of the converter, and each other converter unit operating as a slave wherein the controller controls the length of ON time in order to feedback-control a phase delay of ON time of the slave relative to ON time of another converter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Power Research Electronics B.V.
    Inventors: Mike Van Den Heuvel, Jacobes Harmen Schijffelen, Gautham Ram Chandra Mouli, Dolf Henricus Jozef Van Casteren
  • Patent number: 11777402
    Abstract: A precharge system and method are provided. The precharge system comprises a load circuit, a precharge circuit and a control circuit. The load circuit comprises an input terminal, an input switch and a bus capacitor. The precharge circuit comprises a precharge resistor and a precharge switch. The precharge method comprises: during the load circuit being in a precharge mode, controlling the input switch to be in an off state, and controlling the precharge switch to switch between the on and off state for multiple times; and during the load circuit being in a work mode, controlling the input switch to be in an on state. During the load circuit being in the precharge mode, when the precharge switch is in the on state, a consuming power of the precharge resistor is larger than a threshold power and is smaller than or equal to a limit power of the precharge resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhichao Li, Shouyan Wang, Jian Jiang, Yunfeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 11769997
    Abstract: An automatic ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) circuit reset system and apparatus which attaches to a faceplate of an electrical outlet and includes a linear actuator. The linear actuator faces directly at a reset button on a GFCI outlet circuit and automatically actuates to depress the reset button after a predetermined amount of time after the GFCI outlet circuit becomes tripped and no longer transmits electrical power therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventor: Kenneth McCoy
  • Patent number: 11770005
    Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for handling a fault associated with a voltage source converter (VSC) for exchanging electrical power between an AC system (101, 102) and a DC system (106-1, 106-2). The VSC (104) is connected to the AC system via an interface apparatus, comprising a transformer (107) with a set of primary windings (202) for coupling to a plurality of AC phases (A, B, C) of the AC system. In embodiments of the disclosure the set of primary windings having a neutral point (N) and the interface apparatus includes a fault module (301) having an energy storage element (302) connected in parallel with a resistive element (303) between the neutral point of the set of primary windings and a reference voltage, such as ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Radnya Anant Mukhedkar, Chandra Mohan Sonnathi
  • Patent number: 11764698
    Abstract: A buffer circuit coupled in parallel to a rectifier circuit in a secondary side of a flyback converter, the buffer circuit including: a capacitive element configured to be charged by an output capacitor when a primary power switch in the flyback converter is turned on; and the capacitive element being configured to be discharged through a secondary winding of a transformer when the primary power switch is turned off, in order to reduce energy stored in a primary leakage inductor in a primary side of the flyback converter, whereby a spike voltage generated in a secondary leakage inductor in the secondary side is reduced, and efficiency of the flyback converter is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Qiukai Huang, Zhan Chen
  • Patent number: 11764565
    Abstract: A power interrupter device includes a solid-state bidirectional switch and control circuitry to control the solid-state bidirectional switch. The bidirectional switch is connected between input and output terminals of the power interrupter device. The control circuitry includes driver circuitry and fault detection circuitry. The driver circuitry generates a regulated direct current (DC) voltage using current drawn from an input power source applied to the input terminal and applies the regulated DC voltage to a control input of the bidirectional switch. The fault detection circuitry is configured to sense a level of load current flowing in an electrical path between the input and output terminals, to detect an occurrence of a fault condition based on the sensed load current level, and to short the control input of the bidirectional switch to place the bidirectional switch in a switched-off state, in response to detecting the occurrence of a fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Intelesol, LLC
    Inventor: Mark Telefus
  • Patent number: 11757369
    Abstract: A step-down optical AC/DC transformer may include (1) an array of light-emitting devices that are disposed to be electrically coupled to an alternating current (AC) power source are connected in series with one another and (2) an array of photovoltaic cells that are optically coupled to the array of light-emitting devices and produce a direct current (DC) electrical output. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Jonathan Robert Peterson, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 11757367
    Abstract: A flyback switching circuit and control method thereof is disclosed, by setting a reference value greater than zero configured for controlling a turn-off time of a first transistor of the flyback switching circuit, a drain-source voltage of a main power transistor of the flyback switching circuit is consistent with the reference value greater than zero before the main power transistor is turned on, so that a turn-on power consumption of the main power transistor is reduced and a system efficiency is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: JOULWATT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Pitleong Wong, Yang Yang
  • Patent number: 11750083
    Abstract: An overvoltage protection circuit configured to prevent an overvoltage of an output voltage of a switching converter, can include: an output voltage simulation circuit configured to generate an output voltage simulation signal according to circuit parameters of the switching converter, where the output voltage simulation signal changes along with the output voltage; and an overvoltage signal generator configured to activate an overvoltage signal when a feedback voltage is less than a first threshold value and the output voltage simulation signal is greater than a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Dengke Chen, Hongfeng Fan
  • Patent number: 11749983
    Abstract: A Boost DC-DC switching converter, having a safety protection method for a short circuit to ground during normal Boost operations, is described. A short circuit protection mechanism, to be used at startup, is also described. A low current capability active clamp is activated, during a soft or hard short circuit condition, and an isolation switch is turned off. An input of the switching converter is isolated from an output of the switching converter, and the Boost switching converter is able to safely discharge high energy stored in its coil, with no external components and minimum extra silicon area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Louis de Marco, Nicusor Bortun, Giovanni Tarroboiro
  • Patent number: 11750084
    Abstract: An apparatus for actively discharging at least one DC link capacitor, comprising at least one half-bridge circuit having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor, wherein the half-bridge circuit is arranged in parallel with the DC link capacitor, wherein a voltage divider comprising at least two resistors is arranged in parallel with the DC link capacitor, wherein a tap of the voltage divider is connected to at least one differentiator, wherein at least one driver module for generating gate driver signals is assigned to the half-bridge circuit, and at least one control unit, wherein the control unit is designed in such a way that, in an active discharge mode, at least one transistor of the half-bridge circuit is controlled as a function of an output signal of the differentiator, as well as to an associated method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marko Kertes, Markus Novotny
  • Patent number: 11742652
    Abstract: A method and device for starting direct-current (DC) transmission line protection, and a storage medium. The method includes: determining whether a sudden change of a DC line current at a present moment is greater than a sum of a memory start threshold and a maximum value in sudden changes of the DC line current within a time period preceding the present moment that is multiplied by a preset proportional coefficient, the time period being a time period between a moment preceding the present moment by a first duration and a moment preceding the present moment by a second duration; and starting DC transmission line protection in response to determining that the sudden change of the DC line current at the present moment is greater than the sum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: CHINA ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE, STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA
    Inventors: Hong Cao, Zexin Zhou, Huanzhang Liu, Dingxiang Du, Xingguo Wang
  • Patent number: 11742760
    Abstract: A resonant switching power converter includes: a power stage circuit and a driving circuit. The power stage circuit includes: a resonant capacitor, a resonant inductor and switches. The driving circuit includes: drivers for driving the switches; and a power supply circuit for providing driving powers to the drivers. The power supply circuit includes: a voltage booster circuit generating a booster power supply according to a clock signal, a DC voltage and an output related signal; driving capacitors, wherein a voltage across each driving capacitor corresponds to one driving power; and supply diodes, which are coupled in series from the booster power supply along a forward direction of the supply diodes. A backward end of each supply diode is coupled to a positive end of one corresponding driving power, to charge one corresponding driving capacitor, thus generating the corresponding driving power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Inventors: Kuo-Chi Liu, Ta-Yung Yang, Chung-Lung Pai
  • Patent number: 11736009
    Abstract: In an embodiment a control circuit includes a low-power detection circuit configured to generate a control signal, wherein the low-power detection circuit is, when a driver circuit operates in a high-power mode, configured to determine a first temporal value indicative of a duration of a second phase (T2), detect whether a logic level of a zero current signal changes from a first logic level to a second logic level during the second phase (T2), in response to detecting that the logic level of the zero current signal changes from the first logic level to the second logic level, determine a second temporal value indicative of a time (TZC) elapsed between an instant (t3) when the logic level of the zero current signal changes from the first logic level to the second logic level during the second phase (T2) and the instant (t1) when the second phase (T2) ends, determine whether a ratio between the second temporal value (TZC) and the first temporal value (T2) is greater than a given number threshold value (TH), in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Michele Suraci, Marco Borghese
  • Patent number: 11736013
    Abstract: A buck-boost switching regulator includes: a power switch circuit including an input switch unit and an output switch unit which switch a first terminal and a second terminal of an inductor for buck-boost conversion; at least one low dropout regulator correspondingly coupled to at least one output high side switch in the output switch unit to correspondingly convert at least one low dropout voltage into at least one output voltage; and a bypass control circuit configured to operably generate a bypass control signal according to a conversion voltage difference between the input voltage and the corresponding low dropout voltage; wherein when the corresponding conversion voltage difference is lower than a reference voltage, the bypass control signal controls a corresponding bypass switch to electrically connect the input voltage with the corresponding low dropout node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shei-Chie Yang, Jian-Yu Tu, Yuan-Yen Mai, Pao-Hsun Yu