Abstract: A flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) converter including a gate driver circuit comprising a DC-DC flyback converter having a plurality of isolated outputs. In various examples, the FCML circuit further includes a first control circuit connected to the FCML circuit determining the load current associated with a desired power output from the load; and determining a desired output voltage associated with the load current; a second control circuit that drives an inductor current (IL) through the inductor so that the output applies an output voltage comprising the desired output voltage; and a third control circuit obtaining a comparison of an average of the inductor current (IL) through the inductor with a predetermined reference current (ILREF) and setting the duty cycle so that the average does not exceed the predetermined reference current. Also described is the converter driving a load comprising a plasma and a propulsion system comprising the converter.

Abstract: A flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) converter including a gate driver circuit comprising a DC-DC flyback converter having a plurality of isolated outputs. In various examples, the FCML circuit further includes a first control circuit connected to the FCML circuit determining the load current associated with a desired power output from the load; and determining a desired output voltage associated with the load current; a second control circuit that drives an inductor current (IL) through the inductor so that the output applies an output voltage comprising the desired output voltage; and a third control circuit obtaining a comparison of an average of the inductor current (IL) through the inductor with a predetermined reference current (ILREF) and setting the duty cycle so that the average does not exceed the predetermined reference current. Also described is the converter driving a load comprising a plasma and a propulsion system comprising the converter.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the charging magnetic field produced in an air gap within an inductive charger for a hearing aid or other miniature device is shaped by lateral protrusions, which draw the magnetic field away from a body of a device battery situated behind a receiver inductor. Shaping the magnetic field allows reducing the magnetic field flux intercepted by the battery (rater than the receiver inductor), reducing the inductive heating of the battery. A charging element produces a high-frequency, ˜120 kHz, magnetic field inside the gap in which the hearing aid or other device is inserted to charge its battery. A loosely-coupled magnetic transformer circuit forms a resonant tank circuit that is excited, by a feedback control circuit, at its resonant frequency to ensure power transfer across the large gap regardless of the dimensional variations of the gap and the relative position of the hearing aid in the gap.

Abstract: Six, non-isolated, high-frequency, PWM dc-to-dc converters with two switches and bipolar output voltage are reported to perform power factor correction without requiring a bridge rectifier circuit on their input AC side. The first three of these converters have a voltage conversion ratio which is a singular function of the duty cycle and are used to obtain DC output voltages that are larger than the peak AC input voltage. The other three converters are the bilateral inverses of the first three which have a current conversion ratio which is a singular function of the duty cycle and are used to obtain DC output voltages that are significantly lower than the peak AC input voltage. No PFC circuits using only two switches have been known to the prior art.

Abstract: A number of elements are integrated within an electronics enclosure. A non-inverting buck-boost converter is to operate in the continuous conduction mode designed to provide an average power of more than 200 watts at its DC output. A power bus is coupled to the DC output. Multiple inverter circuits are coupled to the power bus in parallel, each inverter circuit having a respective output to drive a respective electric discharge lamp. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: An electronics enclosure has a mains input and a lamp output. A power factor correction circuit is installed in the enclosure, to provide a DC output voltage. An inverter is also installed in the enclosure. Control electronics is also installed in the enclosure to control the inverter, and to receive a selection of lamp load type made manually by a user via a user interface on an outside face of the enclosure. The same lamp output can thus alternatively drive, for example, a high pressure sodium lamp and a metal halide lamp, as indicated by the selection. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: An electronics enclosure has a mains input and a lamp output. A power factor correction circuit is installed in the enclosure, to provide a DC output voltage. An inverter is also installed in the enclosure. Control electronics is also installed in the enclosure to control the inverter, and to receive a selection of lamp load type made manually by a user via a user interface on an outside face of the enclosure. The same lamp output can thus alternatively drive, for example, a high pressure sodium lamp and a metal halide lamp, as indicated by the selection. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: An electronics enclosure has a mains input and a lamp output. A power factor correction circuit is installed in the enclosure, to provide a DC output voltage. An inverter is also installed in the enclosure. Control electronics is also installed in the enclosure to control the inverter, and to receive a selection of lamp load type made manually by a user via a user interface on an outside face of the enclosure. The same lamp output can thus alternatively drive, for example, a high pressure sodium lamp and a metal halide lamp, as indicated by the selection. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A pressure sensor has a high degree of accuracy over a wide range of pressures. Using a pressure sensor relying upon resonant oscillations to determine pressure, a driving circuit drives such a pressure sensor at resonance and tracks resonant frequency and amplitude shifts with changes in pressure. Pressure changes affect the Q-factor of the resonating portion of the pressure sensor. Such Q-factor changes are detected by the driving/sensing circuit which in turn tracks the changes in resonant frequency to maintain the pressure sensor at resonance. Changes in the Q-factor are reflected in changes of amplitude of the resonating pressure sensor. In response, upon sensing the changes in the amplitude, the driving circuit changes the force or strength of the electrostatic driving signal to maintain the resonator at constant amplitude.

Abstract: A gyroscope system can detect the amount of movement of the system. The gyroscope system includes a circuit that has a number of different features and detects movement independent of any circuit parameters. The first feature uses a feedback loop to compensate for difference in Q factors between the circuits. Another feature regulates the amplitude of the resonator. Yet another feature extracts the rotation rate signals from the gyroscope in a new way.