With Plural Condition Sensing Patents (Class 323/285)
  • Patent number: 11967892
    Abstract: A DC power supply device capable of preventing voltage oscillation of a power supply path to a motor control device is provided. The DC power supply device includes a power supply unit (such as an AC/DC converter) that outputs a DC and a filter circuit that detects a voltage fluctuation of the DC output from the power supply unit and adjusts impedance of own circuit such that the voltage fluctuation of the DC is prevented based on a detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Kiribuchi, Toshiyuki Zaitsu, Takeshi Ashida, Masashi Doi
  • Patent number: 11955324
    Abstract: A high-power pulsed surface processing system includes insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) to replicate desirable pulse structures with high precision, at low cost, and with high reliability within a single system. The pulsed surface processing system includes a power supply, an anode and a cathode, a dual gate driver supplying power to one or more IGBT gates, and one or more capacitor banks. Pulse formation software controls the timing and duration of electrical pulses to the electrodes. A freewheeling diode protects the system from an abrupt reduction of current in the circuit. The high-power pulsed surface processing system may be used to control versatile and complex pulse structures while with precise control of instantaneous pulse powers, pulse timing, and process control. The inclusion of dual gate drivers also offers the ability for multiple pulsers to be created and “slaved” together for a wide variety of custom processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: Hui Tian, John C. Musson, Matthew Creed Burton, Anne-Marie Valente-Feliciano, Larry Phillips
  • Patent number: 11955881
    Abstract: A secondary-side protection and sense circuit for a power converter has a sensing component, an adder amplifying circuit, an electronic switch, and a charge/discharge circuit. The sensing component is connected to an output connecting terminal of the power converter. The adder amplifying circuit has an operational amplifier, a first resistor, and a second resistor. The operational amplifier has an input terminal connected to the sensing component, an output terminal connected to a primary-side control component, and a power terminal. The first resistor and the second resistor are connected in series and between the input terminal and the power terminal of the operational amplifier. The electronic switch is connected between a ground terminal and a connection node between the first resistor and the second resistor. The charge/discharge circuit is connected to the electronic switch and the power terminal of the operational amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: MINMAX TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Ching-Hung Wang, Yu-Hsuan Chen
  • Patent number: 11918270
    Abstract: An electrosurgical generator supplies, during operation, a high-frequency alternating current to an electrosurgical instrument for plasma cutting of body tissue. The electrosurgical generator has outputs for connecting an electrosurgical instrument to supply an electrosurgical instrument connected to the outputs with a high-frequency alternating current, and for determining the impedance of a load connected to the outputs. The electrosurgical generator features impedance and voltage measuring units as well as an output voltage control unit. The output voltage control unit is designed to control the AC output voltage depending on a maximum output voltage value that is set during operation depending on an output value of the impedance measuring unit and/or depending on an output value of the voltage measuring unit, such that the maximum output voltage value predefines a lower AC output voltage during a vaporization phase than during an ignition phase occurring subsequently to the vaporization phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: OLYMPUS WINTER & IBE GMBH
    Inventors: Jelle Dijkstra, Veronika Handrick, Andreas Karrasch, Frank Breitsprecher
  • Patent number: 11914332
    Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptively tuning a Proportional, Integral and Derivative (PID) controller in a zero order industrial process are provided. A method and system can involve receiving input data at one or more inputs of the PID controller and generating output data at one or more outputs of the PID controller in response to processing the input data. Error(s) associated with the controller are determined based on an analysis of a measured parameter with respect to a desired setpoint. The measured parameter may be indicated in the output data. Adaptive gain may be applied to the PID controller in response to the absolute value of the controller error both exceeding a deadband and increasing. Additionally, normal gain, which is lower than the adaptive gain, may be applied to the PID controller in response to the absolute value of the controller error either being below the deadband or decreasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems USA, Inc.
    Inventors: William Brian Piercy, Randy Marvin Miller
  • Patent number: 11852687
    Abstract: Apparatuses and associated methods for load bank and power generator control are described herein. In one aspect, a method for controlling a load bank can include: receiving input via a human-machine interface (HMI) corresponding to setpoints of operation for the load bank; receiving data via a power quality analyzer and corresponding to load bank operating parameters; determining, via the power quality analyzer, whether the load bank is operating according to the setpoints of operation received from the HMI; and generating a set of commands for adjusting the load bank operating parameters based on whether the load bank is operating according to the setpoints of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventor: Shelby Kenneth Campbell Tyne
  • Patent number: 11817773
    Abstract: Adjusting slope compensation. At least one example embodiment is a method including: operating a switching power converter comprising a charge control switch, the charge control switch configured to control power flow through the switching power converter, and the operating by a circuit controller; measuring, by the circuit controller, an attribute of duty cycle of a first period of the charge control switch; measuring, by the circuit controller, an attribute of duty cycle of a second period of the charge control switch; measuring, by the circuit controller, an attribute of duty cycle of a third period of the charge control switch; determining, by the circuit controller, that the switching power converter is experiencing subharmonic oscillation based on the first, second, and third attributes of duty cycle; and changing, by the circuit controller, an attribute of slope compensation responsive to the determining that the switching power supply is experiencing subharmonic oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Vaclav Drda, Roman Stuler
  • Patent number: 11789048
    Abstract: An embodiment circuit comprises high-side and low-side switches arranged between supply and reference nodes, and having an intermediate node. A switching control signal is applied with opposite polarities to the high-side and low-side switches. An inductive load is coupled between the intermediate node and one of the supply and reference nodes. Current sensing circuitry is configured to sample a first value of the load current flowing in one of the high-side and low-side switches before a commutation of the switching control signal, sample a second value of the load current flowing in the other of the high-side and low-side switches after the commutation of the switching control signal, sample a third value of the load current flowing in the other of the high-side and low-side switches after the second sampling, and generate a failure signal as a function of the first, second and third sampled values of the load current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vanni Poletto, Nicola Errico, Paolo Vilmercati, Marco Cignoli, Vincenzo Salvatore Genna, Diego Alagna
  • Patent number: 11771827
    Abstract: This disclosure concerns a medical device designed for delivering a medical fluid or designed for controlling delivery of a medical fluid, and to a method of operating such a medical device. The medical device comprises a user interface associated with an electronic circuit connected to a first port and to a second port of a controller. The electronic circuit enables the controller to detect actuation of the user interface. The controller is configured to execute the following sequence of steps: first step: configure the first port as an output port and to apply a first signal to the first port; second step: to acquire a second signal from the second port; and third step: to determine on the basis of the second signal if a short circuit has occurred and to generate a short circuit alert signal if applicable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care, Inc.
    Inventor: Kurt Friedli
  • Patent number: 11764767
    Abstract: A controller includes a ramp circuit and control logic. The ramp circuit includes: ramp generation circuitry having a first control input and a first current output; ramp adjustment circuitry having a second control input and a second current output; current scaling circuitry having a first current input, a current sense output and an offset current output, the first current input coupled to the first and second current outputs; and ramp completion circuitry having a current sense input and a completion output, the current sense input coupled to the current sense output. The control logic has a third control input and first and second control outputs. The third control input is coupled to the completion output. The first control output is coupled to the first control input. The second control output is coupled to the second control input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Chuansong Pang
  • Patent number: 11757351
    Abstract: Described embodiments include a voltage regulator circuit comprising a first comparator having a first comparator input coupled to a waveform input source, a second comparator input coupled to an output voltage terminal and a first comparator output. There is a second comparator having third and fourth comparator inputs and a second comparator output, the third comparator input coupled to a voltage source configured to provide a voltage representing a current limit, and the fourth comparator input coupled to the output voltage terminal. There is also a state machine having a first state machine input coupled to the first comparator output, a second state machine input coupled to the second comparator output and a state machine output, wherein a state of the state machine is determined by the first and second comparator outputs, and the state machine output provides a PWM signal responsive to the state of the state machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ammineni Balaji, Preetam Charan Anand Tadeparthy, Naman Bafna, Sreelakshmi Suresh, Cheng Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 11733328
    Abstract: A signal analysis circuit for determining whether a supplying-end module of an induction type power supply system receives a modulation signal from a receiving-end module includes a signal receiving circuit, a gain amplifier, a ramp generator, a comparator, a timer and a processor. The signal receiving circuit is configured to obtain a coil signal on a supplying-end coil of the supplying-end module. The gain amplifier is configured to adjust a voltage level of the coil signal to generate an amplification signal. The ramp generator is configured to generate and output a ramp signal. The comparator is configured to compare the amplification signal with the ramp signal to determine a trigger time on which the amplification signal and the ramp signal intersect. The timer is configured to obtain a time data corresponding to the trigger time. The processor is configured to analyze the modulation signal according to the time data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Fu Da Tong Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Chiu Tsai, Chi-Che Chan
  • Patent number: 11722061
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes a first transistor having a control input and the first transistor is coupled to an input voltage terminal. The regulator includes a second transistor having a control input. The second transistor is coupled to the first transistor at a switch terminal and to a ground terminal. The regulator also includes a controller coupled to the control inputs of the first and second transistor. The controller configured is configured to cause both the first and second transistors to be off concurrently during each of multiple switching cycles for an adaptive high impedance state. The length of time of the adaptive high impedance state is inversely related to current output by the switching regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hakan Oner, Tawen Mei
  • Patent number: 11722056
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller. The controller receives feedback associated with a device powered by a power source. Sampling of the feedback associated with the device is susceptible to noise caused by a power converter in a vicinity of the controller. To achieve more accurate sampling of the feedback, the controller adjusts operation of the power converter during a window of time in which the power source powers the device. The adjusted operation reduces noise caused by the power converter such that, during the window of time in which the operation of the power converter is adjusted, the controller derives one or more accurate sample values from the received feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Pablo Yelamos Ruiz
  • Patent number: 11698651
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an electronic circuit power supply device, configured to: flow, through a first conductor connected to a node, a first current that is an image of a second current consumed by the electronic circuit; flow a third current through a second conductor connected to the node, a first branch of a current mirror conducting the third current; flow a fourth constant current through a third conductor connected to the node; consume a fifth current that is an image of the third current; and regulate a potential of the node by acting on a gate potential of a transistor electrically in series with a second branch of the current mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Nicolas Demange, Nicolas Borrel, Jimmy Fort
  • Patent number: 11671013
    Abstract: An IC controller for USB Type-C device includes an error amplifier (EA), which includes an EA output coupled to a PWM comparator of a buck-boost converter; a first transconductance amplifier to adjust a current at the EA output, the first transconductance amplifier operating in a constant voltage mode; and a second transconductance amplifier to adjust the current at the EA output, the second transconductance amplifier operating in a constant current mode. A first set of programmable registers is to store a first set of increasingly higher transconductance values. A second set of programmable registers is to store a second set of increasingly higher transconductance values. Control logic is to: cause the first transconductance amplifier to operate while sequentially using transconductance values stored in the first set of programmable registers; and cause the second transconductance amplifier to operate while sequentially using transconductance values stored in the second set of programmable registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Arun Khamesra, Hariom Rai, Rajesh Karri, Pulkit Shah
  • Patent number: 11646661
    Abstract: A voltage converter system includes a switch configured to operate in first and second states. Compensation circuitry is configured to provide: a certain reference voltage as a reference voltage when the switch has the second state; and a compensated reference voltage as the reference voltage when the switch has the first state. Control circuitry is configured to switch the switch between the first and second states based on the reference voltage and a feedback voltage generated based on an output voltage of the voltage converter system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jiancong Ruan, Runqin Tan, Wenkai Chen, Biao Chen
  • Patent number: 11601052
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises an emulator and a corresponding compensator. During operation, the emulator produces, at different instants of time, an emulated output current value representative of an amount of current supplied from an output voltage to a load. In general, the compensator provides selective compensation to the emulated output current value over time. For example, for a first time duration, compensation adjustments from the compensator are used to modify the emulated output current value. For a second duration of time, compensation adjustments from the compensator are not used to modify the emulated output current value. Disabling or discontinuing application of adjustments (such as based on the actual measured output current) during the second time duration (such as during a respective transient condition) provides more accurate and timely generation of a respective emulated output current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Venkat Sreenivas, Robert T. Carroll, Charles P. Amirault, James R. Garrett
  • Patent number: 11601058
    Abstract: A circuit for a multi-phase power regulator including a power stage with a first phase and a second phase, the circuit including phase management circuitry coupled to the first phase and the second phase to control the first phase and the second phase, a first comparator coupled to an output of the multi-phase power regulator to compare a value of the output of the multi-phase power regulator to a first threshold value to produce a first comparison result, and phase shedding circuitry coupled to the first comparator and the phase management circuitry to control the phase management circuitry to activate or deactivate the second phase based at least partially on the first comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kuang-Yao Cheng, Wenkai Wu, Preetam Tadeparthy, Nancy Zhang, Dattatreya Baragur Suryanarayana, Naga Venkata Prasadu Mangina
  • Patent number: 11598797
    Abstract: A duty timing detector includes: a control logic, the control logic being configured to: receive an input toggle signal and an output toggle signal that corresponds to the input toggle signal, and generate a difference signal using a difference between a duty of the input toggle signal and a duty of the output toggle signal; a first low-pass filter configured to output a DC input voltage based on a pulse width of the input toggle signal; a second low-pass filter configured to output a DC difference voltage based on a pulse width of the difference signal; a compensation circuit configured to compensate the duty of the output toggle signal using the DC input voltage and the DC difference voltage; and an oscillator configured to generate a duty-compensated output toggle signal, and to provide the duty-compensated output toggle signal to the control logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun Seok Nam
  • Patent number: 11588389
    Abstract: A power supply system with line loss reduction supplies power to a load through a power line. The power supply system includes a step-up converter, a detection circuit, and a control unit. The control unit sets a terminal voltage required by the load, controls an output voltage of the step-up converter to be terminal voltage, and acquires an output current corresponding to the terminal voltage to be a present current by the detection circuit. The control unit controls the output voltage to be a modulated voltage, and acquires an output current corresponding to the modulated voltage to be a modulated current by the detection circuit. The control unit adjusts the output voltage to be a first predetermined voltage according to the terminal voltage, the present current, the modulated voltage, and the modulated current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Wen-Chang Lee
  • Patent number: 11550434
    Abstract: A processing system is configured to drive a transmitter electrode with a repetitive multi-burst pattern. The repetitive multi-burst pattern includes a first multitude of bursts of a sensing waveform and a second multitude of bursts of the sensing waveform. The second multitude of bursts is a repetition of the first multitude of bursts. The processing system is further configured to receive, from a receiver electrode, a resulting signal in response to the repetitive multi-burst pattern, and identify, in the resulting signal, a segment least affected by a noise, and that temporally coincides with a burst in the first multitude of bursts or a burst in the second multitude of bursts matching the burst in the first plurality of bursts. The processing system is also configured to decode the resulting signal using the segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Cungang Ding, Longming Cheng, Guanhua Cao
  • Patent number: 11489439
    Abstract: A spike suppression circuit includes a wide bandgap transistor, a first transistor, a clamping circuit, and a capacitor. The wide bandgap transistor is depletion-type. The first transistor is coupled in series with the wide bandgap transistor. The clamping circuit provides a voltage difference, and is coupled to a common node between the wide bandgap transistor and the first transistor. The capacitor provides a supply voltage for the clamping circuit. When the first transistor is turned off, the capacitor can recycle spike energy at the common node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chien-Fu Tang, Tzu-Chen Lin, Ta-Yung Yang
  • Patent number: 11482919
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first gate drive transistor and a second gate drive transistor connected in series, a common node of the first gate drive transistor and the second gate drive transistor connected to a gate of a power switch, the second gate drive transistor configured as a bulk switch having a bulk terminal connected to a bulk terminal of the power switch, a first auxiliary transistor connected between the bulk terminal and a source of the power switch, a second auxiliary transistor coupled between the gate of the power switch and a system ground, and a third auxiliary transistor coupled between a logic control ground and the system ground, wherein the second auxiliary transistor and the third auxiliary transistor are configured to pull the gate of the power switch and the logic control ground down to the system ground in response to a turn off of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Halo Microelectronics International
    Inventors: Suming Lai, Kenneth Chung-Yin Kwok
  • Patent number: 11456661
    Abstract: The process for starting a power supply circuit which includes a switched-mode power supply is performed using: a first phase during which, if an output voltage of the switched-mode power supply is lower than a first voltage, the switched-mode power supply operates in pulse width modulation mode to increase its output voltage up to said first voltage; and when the output voltage has reached the first voltage, a second phase during which the switched-mode power supply operates in a bypass mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Sebastien Ortet, Cedric Thomas
  • Patent number: 11444538
    Abstract: A switching regulator may be used to generate an output voltage from an input voltage. The switching regulator includes; an inductor including a first terminal and a second terminal that passes an inductor current from the first terminal to the second terminal, a first switch that applies the input voltage to the first terminal when turned ON, a second switch that applies a ground potential to the first terminal when turned ON, a feedback circuit configured to estimate a load receiving the output voltage, detect when the inductor current reaches an upper bound or a lower bound, and adjust the lower bound based on the estimated load, and a switch driver configured to control the first switch and the second switch, such that the inductor current is between the upper bound and the lower bound in response to at least one feedback signal provided by the feedback circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seunggyu Lee, Seongmun Park, Jaehyuk Yang
  • Patent number: 11428721
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a power converter and an estimator. The power converter produces an output voltage to power a load via current through an inductor. The estimator receives a current sense signal from a current monitor resource. The current sense signal represents/indicates a measured magnitude of the current supplied to the load through the inductor over time during one or more power delivery control cycles. Portions of the current sense signal may be an inaccurate representation of an amount of current through the inductor. Via the current sense signal, or portion thereof, the estimator determines (such as calculates) an inductance (value) of the inductor. The estimator then uses the calculated inductance value to estimate a magnitude of the output current supplied through the inductor to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Zhiqing You, Tim Ng
  • Patent number: 11402860
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes: an amplifier to compare a reference voltage to a feedback voltage and to output a comparison signal based on the comparison; a first loop circuit coupled to the amplifier to receive the comparison signal and output a first feedback voltage for the amplifier to use as the feedback voltage in a first mode of operation; and a second loop circuit coupled to the amplifier. The second loop circuit may be configured to receive the comparison signal and output a second feedback voltage for the amplifier to use as the feedback voltage in a second mode of operation. The second feedback voltage may be greater than the first feedback voltage, and the second loop circuit may output a regulated voltage based on the comparison signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Ricky Setiawan, Hua Beng Chan, Rex Tak Ying Wong
  • Patent number: 11394291
    Abstract: A ripple voltage control circuit for controlling a switching converter, including: a control circuit configured to superimpose a compensation voltage and a ripple voltage on a feedback voltage that represents an output voltage of the switching converter, in order to generate a ripple signal; the control circuit being configured to superimpose a bias voltage on a reference voltage that represents a desired output voltage of the switching converter as a reference signal, and to compare the ripple signal against the reference signal in order to generate a turn-on signal for a main power switch of the switching converter; and where the compensation voltage adaptively varies with a duty cycle of the main power switch, such that the ripple signal is independent of the duty cycle, in order to maintain the feedback voltage as equal to the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Guowang Li
  • Patent number: 11368088
    Abstract: Provided is multi-phase interleaving control in a power supply device, the control allowing the pulse widths ?T of respective phases to overlap one another, so as to be adaptable to wideband pulse power control. In applying dead beat control to the multi-phase interleaving, constant current control is performed using combined current of the respective phase current values, and the pulse widths ?T(k) is computed under this constant current control, thereby preventing variation of the pulse widths ?T(k) between the phases, and achieving stable power control. Accordingly, the pulse power control becomes adaptable to wideband. Furthermore, wideband control is possible also in two-level pulse power control that performs control by switching at high frequency between High-level power and Low-level power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: KYOSAN ELECTRIC MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itsuo Yuzurihara, Ryosuke Ohma, Hiroshi Kunitama, Yu Hosoyamada
  • Patent number: 11356020
    Abstract: A circuit comprising a frequency to voltage converter having an input configured to receive a signal and an output coupled to a first node and another frequency to voltage converter having an input configured to receive a reference clock and an output coupled to a second node. The circuit also comprises a voltage source coupled between the first node and a third node, a voltage source coupled between the second node and a fourth node, a switch coupled between the first node and the third node, and a switch coupled between the second and fourth nodes. The circuit further comprises a comparator having an input coupled to the second node, another input coupled to the third node, and an output, a logic circuit having an input coupled to the comparator output and an output, and a counter having an input coupled to the logic circuit output and an output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Zhangyi Xie, Zhenglin Pu, Yu Wang
  • Patent number: 11345239
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a battery disposed on a vehicle lower portion; a feeder line electrically coupled to the battery, wired inside a hollow front pillar that couples a vehicle upper portion with the vehicle lower portion, and configured to supply electric power from the battery to the vehicle upper portion; and a power distributor disposed on the vehicle upper portion, electrically coupled to the feeder line, and configured to distribute the electric power that is input from the feeder line to load devices disposed on a vehicle. As a result, the power supply system can improve the workability of wiring work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shuichi Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 11309797
    Abstract: A voltage regulation system utilizes a controller to select one of a continuous comparator and a discrete comparator to operate, making one of the continuous comparator and the discrete comparator output a pulse signal to the controller. The controller controls a switched power stage circuit to supply power to a load element. Through the aforementioned configuration, the switched power stage circuit adjusts the power supply based on the condition of the load element, thus decreasing the power loss of the switched power stage circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chung-Ming Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11289998
    Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus comprises a switching regulator circuit, an output circuit, a duty cycle comparison circuit, a current comparison circuit, and a switching regulator control circuit. The switching regulator circuit switches between first and second voltages. The output circuit has a voltage input and a voltage output and generates a signal based on the first and second voltages. The duty cycle comparison circuit asserts a first signal responsive to a voltage at the voltage output exceeding a product of a multiplier and a reference signal. The current comparison circuit asserts a second signal responsive to a voltage at the voltage input exceeding a first reference voltage and to assert a third signal responsive to the voltage at the voltage input being below a second reference voltage. The switching regulator control circuit controls the switching regulator circuit based on the first, the second, and the third signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Juha Olavi Hauru, Ari Kalevi Väänänen, Antti Juhani Korhonen, Janne Matias Pahkala, Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä
  • Patent number: 11264892
    Abstract: A power-supply apparatus includes a power-supply circuit to which an input voltage and an input current are input, to include a switching element to be controlled by a control signal so as to generate an output voltage and an output current, a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and the processor to calculate a first duty ratio of the control signal so that the output voltage approaches a target voltage, calculate a second duty ratio of the control signal for the switching element, based on the input voltage, the input current, the output voltage, and the output current, detect deterioration of the power-supply circuit, based on the first duty ratio and the second duty ratio, generate the control signal of the first duty ratio when the power-supply circuit has not deteriorated, and generate the control signal for stopping the power-supply circuit when the power-supply circuit has deteriorated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakao, Yu Yonezawa, Yoshiyasu Nakashima
  • Patent number: 11262395
    Abstract: A switching network includes a switch, a driver for the switch, and a floating-regulator that powers the driver. The floating-regulator includes a shunt that is used only when testing the network. The shunt diverts biasing current so that it does not interfere with a measurement of an electrical property of a switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Szczeszynski, Brian Zanchi
  • Patent number: 11233450
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a power supply is provided. The power supply includes a plurality of voltage converters including a first voltage converter and one or more other voltage converters. The power supply also includes a power supply control configured to perform a plurality of operations including enabling the first voltage converter during a start-up mode of operation, monitoring and regulating an output of the first voltage converter, reconfiguring the power supply control to enable the one or more other voltage converters based on determining that the output of the first voltage converter meets a regulation threshold, and transitioning from the start-up mode of operation to a regular mode of operation based on enabling the one or more other voltage converters to output one or more regulated voltages by the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vaibhav Kumar Somani, William E. Villano, Alagan Thiruvarul Selvakkumaran Sathyan, Raviprakash Yadav, Ishwar Bhat
  • Patent number: 11228307
    Abstract: In recent years, an improvement in detection accuracy of an overcurrent is desired. An overcurrent detection device is provided, which includes a gate current detection unit that detects whether a gate current flowing to a semiconductor element is equal to or above a reference gate current; a sense current detection unit that detects whether a sense current flowing through a sense-emitter terminal of the semiconductor element is equal to or above a reference sense current; and an adjustment unit that decreases a detected value of the sense current relatively to the reference sense current if the gate current is equal to or above the reference gate current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masashi Akahane
  • Patent number: 11223273
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) circuit, a sub-harmonic reduction circuit, and a voltage feedback circuit. The PWM circuit produces a PWM signal according to a voltage control signal, a current of the electronic circuit, and a maximum duty cycle. When the electronic circuit is operating in a peak current limit mode, the sub-harmonic reduction circuit generates a feedback adjustment signal according to whether the current of the electronic circuit exceeds a peak current limit, whether a duty cycle of the PWM signal is greater than or equal to the maximum duty cycle, whether the voltage control signal is controlling the duty cycle of the PWM signal, or combinations thereof. The voltage feedback circuit generates the voltage control signal according to an output voltage produced using the PWM signal, a value of a reference voltage, and a value of the feedback adjustment signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yung-I Chang, Gabriel Eirea, Shawn Laliberte
  • Patent number: 11146178
    Abstract: A current output apparatus adapted for electrical connection to a load to output an electrical current thereto. The apparatus comprises a current output terminal for connecting to a first terminal of the load to pass an electrical current thereto. A current input terminal is provided for connecting to a second terminal of the load to receive said electrical current returned from the load. A voltage regulator is operable to supply to the current output terminal an electrical voltage regulated to differ from an electrical voltage applied to the current input terminal by an amount sufficient to cause said electrical current to flow from the current output terminal to the current input terminal via the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Pepperl+Fuchs SE
    Inventor: Peter Lark
  • Patent number: 11121629
    Abstract: A regulator device includes a first switch, a second switch, and a controlling circuit. A control terminal of the first switch is configured to receive a first control signal. A first terminal of the second switch is coupled with a second terminal of the first switch at a node. A control terminal of the second switch is configured to receive a second control signal. The controlling circuit is coupled to the control terminal of the first switch, the control terminal of the second switch, and the node. The controlling circuit outputs the first control signal with a first slope to the first switch during a first period, and outputs the first control signal with a second slope to the first switch during a second period. The first period is less than the second period, and the first slope is larger than the second slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Wen Ou, Shih-Chieh Chen, Chien-Sheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11121618
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a power switching circuit. The power switching circuit includes a driving circuit, a determining circuit, a first power switch, and a second power switch. The driving circuit outputs a first driving signal and a second driving signal. The determining circuit is coupled to the driving circuit and outputs a control signal to the driving circuit. The first power switch is coupled to a first input voltage and receives the first driving signal. The second power switch is coupled to a second input voltage and receives the second driving signal. When the first power switch and the second power switch are switched, the second driving signal rises from a first level to a preset level, and the determining circuit controls the driving circuit to utilize the first driving signal to turn off the first power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: uPI Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Wen Hsiao, Wen-Chieh Tsai
  • Patent number: 11087099
    Abstract: A multiplier has a MOSFET in a common source configuration. A MOSFET current source is coupled to a drain terminal of the MOSFET. An inverter has an input coupled to the drain terminal of the MOSFET. An output of the inverter gates two currents whose current magnitudes are proportional. A first capacitor has a first terminal coupled to a first of the two currents and a gate of the MOSFET and a second terminal grounded. A second capacitor has a first terminal coupled to a second of the two currents and a second terminal coupled to the first of the two currents. The multiplier is first reset by discharging a gate capacitance of the MOSFET and then allowing it to be recharged to a Vt comparator threshold after which a charge is removed from the gate terminal of the MOSFET reducing a voltage on the gate terminal below the Vt comparator threshold, causing the two currents to be enabled until the Vt comparator threshold reaches a previous Vt comparator threshold and the inverter turns off the two currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: AISTORM, INC.
    Inventors: David Schie, Sergey Gaitukevich, Peter Drabos, Andreas Sibrai, Erik Sibrai
  • Patent number: 11081961
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power convertor includes a buck-boost circuit to be applied with an input voltage to convert the input voltage into an output voltage for output, the input voltage being generated by a power generation module that generates direct-current power; a switching controller that executes maximum power-point tracking to control power conversion of the buck-boost circuit such that the power generation module generates maximum direct-current power; and a mode controller that causes the switching controller to execute the maximum power-point tracking when an input current from the power generation module is larger than a preset current threshold, and when the input current is equal to or less than the current threshold, causes the switching controller to stop the maximum power-point tracking, and cause the buck-boost circuit to output the input voltage as the output voltage without the power conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: TAIYO YUDENCO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akifumi Kosugi, Hiroshi Okawa, Yoshitugu Iijima, Masataka Sashikata, Yoji Imai
  • Patent number: 11074857
    Abstract: The present invention teaches a DC boost circuit and method. The circuit includes an inductor, a diode, a first capacitor, a first FET, a first voltage conversion unit, a voltage drop detection module, a reference voltage adjustment module, and a control module. After a load is connected, the voltage drop detection module obtains a current flowing through the diode and outputs a corresponding second voltage to the reference voltage adjustment module, causing an output voltage from the reference voltage adjustment module greater than an original reference voltage. The control module controls the first FET to increase a ratio of its conduction interval to its cutoff interval in a cycle of conduction and cutoff, thereby increasing the output voltage to compensate the voltage drop resulted from the impedance between the DC boost circuit and the load. The output voltage is therefore ensured to have a stable level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bobiao Chang
  • Patent number: 11038423
    Abstract: A frequency control circuit, applied in a switching converter, can be configured to: regulate an off time of a power transistor of the switching converter in one switching cycle according to an on time of the power transistor, or regulate the on time of the power transistor in one switching cycle according to the off time of the power transistor; and maintain an operating frequency of the switching converter to be within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Hao Chen, Le Li, Xinlei Li
  • Patent number: 11038427
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter operates in a burst mode having at least one charge cycle with a charging phase followed by a discharging phase. A charging phase is terminated when an inductor current flowing through an inductance connected to the DC-DC converter reaches a compensated peak-current threshold, wherein the compensated peak-current threshold compensates for charging-phase loop delay. A discharging phase is terminated when the inductor current reaches a compensated valley-current threshold, wherein the compensated valley-current threshold compensates for discharging-phase loop delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Jitendra Prabhakar Harshey, Hendrik Johannes Bergveld, Edevaldo Pereira da Silva, Jr., Koteswararao Nannapaneni, Uday Kumar Sajja
  • Patent number: 11038414
    Abstract: Techniques for fine tuning efficiency of a power converter are provided. In an example, a method can include acquiring a plurality of samples of an electrical characteristic of the power converter over a range of switching frequencies of the power converter to provide a plurality of sample pairs, estimating a corner value of the electrical characteristic based on the plurality of samples pairs, estimating a corresponding frequency associated with the corner value of the electrical characteristic based on frequencies of the plurality of sample pairs, and setting a switching frequency of the power converter at the corresponding frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Jindong Zhang, Jian Li
  • Patent number: 11025169
    Abstract: A circuit includes an overload monitor comparing a current sense signal to a threshold signal to generate a comparison result and adjusting a value of a first count signal in response to the comparison result and a monitoring signal. The monitoring signal indicates a time interval during which the overload monitor adjusts the value of the first count signal. The circuit further includes an overload protection signal generator generating an overload protection signal in response to the first count signal, the overload protection signal indicating whether the power converter is operating in an overload condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul Eum, Young-Jong Kim
  • Patent number: 11018582
    Abstract: A circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor coupled to the first transistor at a switch node and to a ground node. An estimator circuit receives a first signal to control an on and off state of the first transistor. The estimator circuit generates a second signal to control the on and off state of the second transistor. The second signal has a pulse width based on a pulse width of the first signal. A clocked comparator includes a clock input, a first input, and a second input. The first input receives a voltage indicative of a voltage of the switch node. The second input is coupled to a ground node. The clock input receives a third signal indicative of the second signal. The clocked comparator generates a comparator output signal. The estimator circuit adjusts the pulse width of the second signal based on the comparator output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Saurav Bandyopadhyay, Michael G. Amaro, Michael Thomas DiRenzo, Thomas Matthew LaBella, Robert Allan Neidorff