Abstract: Described herein is an electric motor drive system, including at least one power phase line, an external controller configured to generate a drive signal and provide the drive signal to the at least one power phase line, and motor electronics. The motor electronics include at least one switch coupled between the at least one power phase line and at least one electric motor terminal, and an internal controller configured to cooperate with the external controller to perform an authentication process therebetween. The external controller is further configured to cause the at least one switch to electrically couple the at least one power phase line to the at least one electric motor terminal in response to success of the authentication process.

Abstract: A power supply has a transformer with primary and secondary windings. A first terminal of the primary-winding is coupled to a power-input. A PFC includes a low-voltage circuit correcting power factor of the power signal, having a supply-input receiving a supply voltage during normal operation, a feedback-input coupled to a first terminal of the secondary-winding, and a gate-drive-output. A high-voltage startup circuit powers the low-voltage circuit during startup. Periphery circuitry includes a transient voltage suppression diode having an anode coupled to supply power to the high-voltage startup circuit and a cathode coupled to the power-input, a diode having an anode coupled to the first terminal of the secondary-winding and a cathode coupled to the supply-input of the low-voltage circuit. A capacitor is coupled between the supply-input and ground. A transistor has a drain coupled to a second terminal of the primary-winding and a gate coupled to the gate-drive-output.

Abstract: A Darlington switch in series with a biasing circuit is biased in an ON state by default to generate a supply voltage for a controller integrated circuit chip during start-up. On powering up, the supply voltage for the controller integrated circuit chip rises. When the supply voltage exceeds a minimum operating voltage threshold, the controller integrated circuit chip is enabled for operation and an auxiliary supply circuit begins generating the supply voltage for the controller integrated circuit chip. The Darlington switch is turned OFF when the supply voltage being generated by the auxiliary circuit is sufficiently higher than a threshold associated with the minimum operating voltage threshold. The circuit for controlling ON/OFF state of the Darlington switch has a substantially lower static power dissipation than the biasing circuit.

Abstract: A power supply has a transformer with primary and secondary windings. A first terminal of the primary-winding is coupled to a power-input. A PFC includes a low-voltage circuit correcting power factor of the power signal, having a supply-input receiving a supply voltage during normal operation, a feedback-input coupled to a first terminal of the secondary-winding, and a gate-drive-output. A high-voltage startup circuit powers the low-voltage circuit during startup. Periphery circuitry includes a transient voltage suppression diode having an anode coupled to supply power to the high-voltage startup circuit and a cathode coupled to the power-input, a diode having an anode coupled to the first terminal of the secondary-winding and a cathode coupled to the supply-input of the low-voltage circuit. A capacitor is coupled between the supply-input and ground. A transistor has a drain coupled to a second terminal of the primary-winding and a gate coupled to the gate-drive-output.

Abstract: An overvoltage protection device protects a half bridge circuit that receives a supply voltage. The overvoltage protection device includes a high speed overvoltage detector that receives the supply voltage, detects whether an overvoltage situation is present, and outputs an overvoltage signal that disables the switches of the half bridge circuit before the switches can be damaged by the overvoltage situation. With both the switches of the half-bridge disabled, the entire supply voltage appears across the two switches in series, by which each switch only receives half the entire voltage. Thus, by quickly disabling both switches of the half-bridge each switch only needs a maximum voltage rating equal to half the maximum voltage rating of the half bridge circuit as a whole. This leads to reduced size and cost for the switches of the half-bridge circuit.

Abstract: An overvoltage protection device protects a half bridge circuit that receives a supply voltage. The overvoltage protection device includes a high speed overvoltage detector that receives the supply voltage, detects whether an overvoltage situation is present, and outputs an overvoltage signal that disables the switches of the half bridge circuit before the switches can be damaged by the overvoltage situation. With both the switches of the half-bridge disabled, the entire supply voltage appears across the two switches in series, by which each switch only receives half the entire voltage. Thus, by quickly disabling both switches of the half-bridge each switch only needs a maximum voltage rating equal to half the maximum voltage rating of the half bridge circuit as a whole. This leads to reduced size and cost for the switches of the half-bridge circuit.