Switched (e.g., Switching Regulators) Patents (Class 323/351)
  • Patent number: 7791326
    Abstract: A dimmable, light-emitting diode (LED) power supply adapted to provide a direct current (DC), constant current (“constant current source”) from a conventional, phase-controlled 120 VAC, 60 Hz power source is disclosed. The constant current source of the present invention utilizes two processes to control dimming. In a first process, the phase angle of the input voltage is used to control the duty cycle of a line frequency pulse width modulation (PWM). In a second process, a proportional-current limit adjustment is used to control the average current to the LED during the ON time of the line frequency by PWM. As a result, at relatively low phase angles, peak currents can be lowered, reducing flicker and improving the audible noise levels generated by the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mark Cobb Dahlman, John Charles Glenn
  • Publication number: 20100220088
    Abstract: A power supply unit adapted to prevent or reduce damage to devices when the devices receive power with an abnormal voltage, and an organic light emitting display device using the same. An embodiment of the present invention provides a power supply unit, including: a power block including an input terminal for receiving an input power, an output terminal for outputting an output power, and an enable terminal for receiving an enable signal for controlling a driving of the power block; an input power unit configured to concurrently transfer the input power to the input terminal and the enable terminal; and a controller configured to control a voltage of the input power transferred to the enable terminal to determine the driving time point of the power block, and an organic light emitting display device using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventor: Min-Cheol Kim
  • Publication number: 20100207598
    Abstract: A switching frequency setting unit sets switching frequency of a switching element, based on both the temperature of a cooling medium which cools a DC-DC converter and the temperature of a switching element of the DC-DC converter. A switching controller controls the voltage conversion ratio of the DC-DC converter by controlling switching operation of the switching element at the set switching frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Hamatani
  • Patent number: 7777472
    Abstract: A current detector circuit detects a current supplied to a load and generates as a detection result a voltage corresponding to the detected current. A first p-channel transistor has a source connected to a power supply and a gate connected to a ground, and is configured to allow the passage therethrough of a current that is 1/N of a current flowing through a transistor which drives the load. A second p-channel transistor has a source connected to a drain of the first p-channel transistor, and a third p-channel transistor is connected to the load. A voltage mirror circuit has first and second terminals connected to respective drains of the second and third p-channel transistors. A n-channel transistor has a drain connected to the drain of the first p-channel transistor and outputs a source voltage as the detection result of the current detector circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Uehara
  • Patent number: 7772823
    Abstract: A controller (1) comprises a comparator (10) which compares an input signal (Vo) with a reference signal (Vr) to obtain an error signal (ER). An integrator (11) applies an integrating action on the error signal (ER) to obtain a control signal (ICO). The integrator (11) allows influencing the integrating action. A copy circuit (81) supplies a copy control signal (ICOC) being proportional to the control signal (ICO). A determination circuit (85) determines whether the copy control signal (ICOC) reaches a limit value (IMIN, IMAX). An influencing circuit (83) influences the integrating action to limit the control signal (ICO) when the copy control signal (ICOC) reaches the limit value (IMIN, IMAX).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventor: Pieter G. Blanken
  • Patent number: 7764057
    Abstract: A signal regulator includes a switching circuit, a controller, and a threshold generator. The switching circuit generates a regulated output voltage, and the controller activates the switching circuit for a predetermined time when the regulated output signal has a predetermined relationship to a threshold voltage. The threshold generator generates the threshold voltage in response to the controller. Generating the threshold voltage in response to the switching controller can reduce the effect that noise has on the operation of the switching circuit, and can thus decrease the magnitude of the noise-induced jitter in the regulator's steady-state switching frequency as compared to conventional switching regulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Terry Groom
  • Publication number: 20100176787
    Abstract: A power converter is provided. The power converter comprises an output pin having an address setting function, for flexibly setting a system management bus (SMBus) slave address. As such, the present invention is adapted for saving the amount of the strapping pins employed in the power converter, and thus saving the IC packaging cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Doung-Yi Liu
  • Publication number: 20100164470
    Abstract: A method of improving memory power efficiency is disclosed. The method includes the following steps: a ground pin of a memory socket connecting to a power source, the ground pin is connected to a controller; the ground pin outputting a high level signal to the controller when the memory socket is without a memory component; and the controller sending an off-command to a regulator to cut off a supplying power to the memory socket after the controller receives the high level signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHUN-LIANG LEE
  • Patent number: 7746044
    Abstract: A power supply system for a motherboard includes a voltage regulator circuit includes a system power source, and a voltage output terminal, a sampling circuit having an input, and an output receiving a high level sleep signal from a south bridge of the motherboard, a switching circuit having an input, and an output, a power connector having a control terminal connected to the output of the switching circuit, and a power source being connected to the power connector. When the voltage regulator circuit outputs a voltage greater than a predetermined stable voltage to the sampling circuit, the sampling circuit outputs a low level signal to the switching circuit which in return outputs a high level signal to the control terminal of the power connector to cut off power supply from the power source to the system power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ying Chen, Jin-Liang Xiong
  • Patent number: 7741820
    Abstract: A PWM controller for controlling a switching voltage regulator comprises a first comparator, a second comparator and a third comparator. The first comparator is configured to detect voltages of a first node and a second node so as to determine whether to stop the PWM controller. The PWM controller is stopped if a first potential is lower than a threshold, and the first potential derives from the voltage of the first node by a level shift of a first voltage difference. The second comparator is configured to detect the voltage of the first node and then to compare the voltage with a power reference voltage so as to determine whether the PWM controller receives necessary power. The third comparator is configured to compare the voltage of the second node with an enable reference voltage so as to determine whether to disable the PWN controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Advanced Analog Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsiang Lin Huang, Kent Huang, Mao Chuan Chien, Shun Hau Kao
  • Patent number: 7737764
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement having a changeover apparatus which provides a first voltage in a first state and a second voltage in a second state in order to operate a circuit, where the changeover apparatus is designed such that when changing over from the first state to the second state the voltage provided for operating the circuit changes from the first voltage to the second voltage linearly with time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christoph Mayerl, Gerhard Nebel
  • Publication number: 20100141233
    Abstract: Techniques for mitigating interference from a switching voltage regulator by intelligently varying the switcher frequency of the switching voltage regulator are provided. In one aspect, the switcher frequency is set by adjusting a frequency setting input to a programmable clock divider. In a further aspect, a processor drives a programmable clock divider which receives a value representative of a dividing factor by which to divide a reference clock frequency signal to generate a desired switcher frequency for the switching voltage regulator. Values of the programmable clock divider are selectively varied to achieve optimal performance and mitigate the effect of switcher frequency spurious content for a given operating condition or conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Sai C. Kwok
  • Patent number: 7733073
    Abstract: A regulator and a method for regulating a current through a load. The regulator may include, for example, a first circuit portion configured to alternately apply and remove a voltage across the load in accordance with a first signal, the voltage causing a current to flow, and a second circuit portion configured to generate the first signal so as to have a duty cycle that depends upon an amount of the current and a second signal when the amount of current is below a threshold amount, and to generate the first signal so as to have a duty cycle that depends upon the amount of the current but not the second signal when the amount of current exceeds the threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Heimo Hartlieb
  • Patent number: 7728571
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a load-dependent frequency jittering circuit, comprising: a load condition detection circuit for receiving a switching signal and generating an output according to a load condition; a number generator for receiving the output of the load condition detection circuit and generating a number; a digital to analog converter for converting the output of the number generator to an analog signal; and an oscillator for generating a jittered frequency according to the output of the digital to analog converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation, R.O.C.
    Inventors: Chao-Hsuan Chuang, Cheng-Hsuan Fan, Hung-Che Chou, Ching-Hsiang Yang
  • Patent number: 7719245
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a self-tracking high-side pre-driver control are described. In an example, a method is described comprising charging a first terminal associated with a first capacitive element to a first voltage with respect to ground and a second terminal associated with a second capacitive element to a second voltage with respect to ground, changing the first voltage and the second voltage with respect to ground by changing a swing voltage, selecting one of the first voltage or the second voltage based on a first switched-mode power supply topology or a second switched-mode power supply topology and driving a transistor using the selected voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Huijuan Li, Md Abidur Rahman, Brett E. Smith
  • Patent number: 7714557
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a DC-DC converter comprises: an error amplifier that receives a soft start signal and amplifies a difference between an output voltage signal and a reference voltage signal; a PWM control circuit that controls ON and OFF states of a first switching transistor and a second switching transistor based on the output of the error amplifier; a frequency divider that divides a frequency signal and outputting a divided frequency signal; an accumulator that performs an adding operation based on the divided frequency signal and a control signal; and a DA converter that generates the soft start signal based on an output of the accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited
    Inventor: Morihito Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7710099
    Abstract: A power control apparatus for automatically turning on or off a motherboard includes a first connector, a second connector, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a timing chip, a first variable resistor, a second variable resistor, a first capacitor, a first switch element, and a second switch element. When the first capacitor is charged, the output terminal of the timing chip outputs a high level signal, the first switch element and the second switch element are turned on, the control circuit outputs a 5V voltage to the motherboard. When the first capacitor discharges, the output terminal of the timing chip outputs a low level signal, the first switch element and the second switch element are turned off, the control circuit does not output 5V voltage to the motherboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin-Liang Xiong
  • Patent number: 7710098
    Abstract: A high-side driver circuit for a switching power supply, configured to translate a low-side switching control signal referenced to a first ground rail to a high-side switching control signal referenced to a second, high-side ground rail for driving a switching control connection of a power switching device, the high-side driver circuit including first and second inputs to receive first and second low-side switching control signals; a differential amplifier having a differential pair of inputs coupled to said first and second inputs and having an output, the differential amplifier having a ground connection for connection to said high-side ground rail and a power connection to receive a power supply from a second voltage supply; and an output coupled to said differential amplifier output to provide the high-side switching control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Cambridge Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: David Michael Garner, Niek van der Duijn Schouten
  • Patent number: 7701187
    Abstract: A DC converter with a halt mode setting is disclosed for preventing the occurrence of over-current while alleviating the increase in the size of circuits, along with a method for setting up such a halt mode. The DC converter includes a semiconductor switch, a clock generator for outputting a clock signal to a gate of the semiconductor switch to be utilized for controlling an on/off time of the semiconductor switch such that a predetermined power is output from the generator, and a drive circuit for switching the semiconductor switch to the continuous-on state according to a halt mode setting requirement regardless of the clock signal, when the semiconductor switch, normally repeating on/off operations responsive to the clock signal, is in its off-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Manabe, Tomonari Katoh, Minoru Sugiyama, Makoto Matsushima, Tadayoshi Ueda
  • Publication number: 20100085032
    Abstract: A boost device boosts an input voltage to an output voltage across an output capacitor, and includes first and second output diodes coupled to the output capacitor, and a transformer coupled to first and second switches, first and second switching circuits, and to the first and second output diodes, and receiving the input voltage. The first and second switches are operated alternately in an ON-state, and have overlapping duty cycles. The first and second switching circuits are operable to suppress conduction losses for the first and second switches. The transformer has a bi-directional magnetic circuit. Electric energy is transformed through induced currents of the transformer, and a small amount of energy attributed to an exciting current of the transformer is used for voltage boosting, thereby attaining a relatively high output power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: HUNGKUANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Rou-Yong Duan, Rong-Da Luo
  • Publication number: 20100052648
    Abstract: A drive circuit for a switching circuit has a high-side drive circuit to turn on/off, according to a control signal, a switching element QH arranged on a high side of a DC power source Vin and a low-side drive circuit to turn on/off alternately with the switching element QH according to the control signal a switching element QL arranged on a low side of the DC power source and connected in series with the switching element QH. Ends of an auxiliary power source Vcc1 are connected in series with a switch element Qn1, a capacitor C1, and a switch element Qn2. Both ends of the capacitor C1 are connected in series with a switch element Qp1, a capacitor C2, and a switch element Qp2. A control circuit alternately turns on/off the switch elements Qn1 and Qn2 and the switch elements Qp1 and Qp2. The capacitor C2 provides the high-side drive circuit with source power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Iwabuchi, Masato Hara
  • Publication number: 20100033157
    Abstract: A method and an electrical circuit for DC-DC voltage conversion in a network comprising an input voltage terminal, an output voltage terminal, at least one first switch and at least one second switch, at least one input impedance, at least one load impedance and at least one transmission line with known impedance where the electrical circuit is characterized by that the impedance of the at least one transmission line is adapted to be mismatched to at least the load impedance and where at least one of the at least first switches is arranged in relation to the at least one transmission line to switch between open and closed positions for generating a pulse wave propagating in the at least one transmission line charging a load capacitance of the load impedance with electrical energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventor: Sverker Sander
  • Publication number: 20100013453
    Abstract: A computer system including the same, and a DC/DC conversion method. The DC/DC converter includes: a filter part receiving an input voltage and outputting an output voltage converted in level from the input voltage; a plurality of switching parts switching so that the input voltage is selectively supplied to the filter part, wherein the switching parts are connected in parallel to the filter part at a phase voltage terminal; and a controller sequentially controlling switching of the plurality of switching parts so that the output voltage reaches a predetermined target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-deok CHA
  • Patent number: 7642763
    Abstract: An exemplary switching power supply circuit (2) includes a power source (20), a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit (21), a first switching circuit (22), a second switching circuit (23), a first transformer (25), and a second transformer (26). The first switching circuit includes a first transistor (221) and a second transistor (222). The second switching circuit includes a third transistor (231) and a fourth transistor (232). The first transformer includes a first primary winding (251) and a second primary winding (252), and the second transformer includes a third primary winding (261) and a fourth primary winding (262). The switching circuits are controlled by pulse signals from the PWM circuit. When the first and third transistors are switched on, the power source, the first primary winding, and the first transistor form a first closed loop. The power source, the third primary winding, and the third transistor form a second closed loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignees: Innocom Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Innolux Display Corp.
    Inventors: Jian-Hui Lu, Tong Zhou
  • Patent number: 7635971
    Abstract: A switching control IC is provided with a circuit for generating a triangular wave using a frequency that is dependent on a capacitor connected to a CT terminal of the switching control IC, and a resistor connected to an RT terminal thereof. A synchronizing signal input circuit for externally receiving a synchronizing signal that is a pulse voltage signal is connected to the CT terminal. A charging voltage for the capacitor connected to the CT terminal is changed by the synchronizing signal, which synchronizes the frequency of the triangular wave with the synchronizing signal, whereby the frequencies of a plurality of DC-DC converters are synchronized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanari Tago
  • Publication number: 20090295362
    Abstract: A voltage boost circuit is driven with a clock signal CLK which toggles between voltages V1 and V2. A first MOSFET is coupled between CLK and an output node OUT, and at least one additional MOSFET is coupled between OUT and a supply voltage. The first terminal of a capacitance is coupled at its first terminal to OUT, and at its second terminal to a delay circuit arranged to toggle its output to ˜V2 or ˜V1 a predetermined amount of time after the voltage applied to the clock signal side of the first MOSFET toggles to ˜V2 or ˜V1, respectively. The capacitance is charged to ˜V2 when the voltage applied to the clock signal side of the first MOSFET toggles to ˜V2, and OUT is increased to a voltage greater than V2 when the output of the delay circuit toggles to ˜V2. The only active device junctions subjected to the boosted voltage are MOSFET well-substrate junctions, such that no active devices are overstressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Douts, Quan Wan
  • Patent number: 7609047
    Abstract: A voltage regulator architecture for an integrated circuit is described. An apparatus may comprise a power switch array having multiple pass transistors, a voltage regulator array having multiple voltage regulators each coupled to a subset of the pass transistors, a subsystem circuit array having multiple subsystem circuits each coupled to a subset of the pass transistors, and a power management control unit coupled to the pass transistors and the voltage regulators. The power management control unit may be arranged to control the pass transistors and voltage regulators to provide different amounts of power to the subsystem circuits. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Krishnan Ravichandran
  • Publication number: 20090237065
    Abstract: An electrical power-switching circuit controls power to an electronic device. In some embodiments, the circuit consists of only transistors, resistors, and capacitors, making it small, low cost, and functional over a wide range of supply voltages. The circuit may be switched on and off by a momentary-contact switch. The circuit can be constructed so that, except for transistor leakage current, no power is consumed in the off state, and the controlled device can shut off its own power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventor: Jan Yuki Malasek
  • Publication number: 20090230934
    Abstract: A voltage conversion circuit for a host electronic device includes a buck converter circuit having an input terminal coupled to a first node and having an output terminal coupled to a second node, a switched capacitor voltage converter circuit having an input coupled to the first node and an output coupled to the second node. The buck converter circuit may be configured to be selectively enabled and disabled in response to a control signal, and the switched capacitor voltage converter circuit may be configured to operate when the buck converter circuit is disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Franciscus N. M. Hooijschuur, Jacobus Haartsen, Tjapko Uildriks
  • Patent number: 7586299
    Abstract: There is provided a power-supply platform IC for realizing a parameter-deciding power-supply circuit, which, in order to decide a parameter of a power-supply circuit that supplies power to an electronic circuit IC (load), is connected to the electronic circuit IC (load) in place of the power-supply circuit. The power-supply platform IC includes: one or more transistor arrays that include a plurality of transistors operable as switching transistors; and a selecting circuit for selecting a transistor to be operated as a switching transistor from among the plurality of transistors, so as to control a size of the transistor that operates as a switching transistor, wherein the selecting circuit varies the size of the transistor as a parameter of the power-supply circuit, according to an external command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiya Fujiyama, Hiroki Doi, Shigeyoshi Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20090206819
    Abstract: The DC-DC converter (21) is for integration in a low power transceiver (100). The converter is able to supply an output voltage that is higher than the input voltage. The converter includes two distinct variable voltage regulator circuits (3 and 4). The first variable voltage regulator circuit (3) is arranged to operate at a first frequency and a second variable voltage regulator circuit (4) is arranged to operate at a second frequency, which is lower than the first frequency. The converter further includes switching means connected to each variable voltage regulator circuit for selecting one of the two regulator circuits to switch on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SA
    Inventor: Arthur Descombes
  • Patent number: 7560915
    Abstract: A voltage comparator of a power supply apparatus detects overshoot by comparing an output voltage with a threshold voltage. The power supply apparatus is provided with three switches. Upon detection of overshoot, the boosting operation of a booster circuit is suspended and the first through third switches are turned on. While the boosting operation is being suspended, the second switch operates to lower the output voltage. Concurrently, the first and third switches operate to forcibly lower an input voltage to allow the output voltage, occurring after the boosting operation is resumed, to approach a preset voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ito, Isao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20090174389
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi-phase power supply controller is configured to an operating status signal and responsively inhibit the PWM controller from forming at least one PWM drive signal of a plurality of PWM drive signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventor: Edward P. Osburn
  • Patent number: 7554308
    Abstract: A digital DC-DC converter is implemented using first-order delta-sigma modulation, rather than A/D conversion. In the DC-DC converter, a PWM generator converts an input DC voltage to a preset level DC voltage according to an input PWM signal. A converter converts the DC voltage from the PWM generator to a preset level voltage. A delta-sigma modulator converts a feedback voltage Vfd corresponding to the output voltage Vout of the converter to a 1-bit digital voltage Vo according to a preset reference voltage Vref. A counter counts logic 1's in 1-bit digital voltage signals Vo from the delta-sigma modulator. A delay controller controls a high-level delay time according to the number of logic 1's counted by the counter and transfers a PWM signal having the controlled high-level delay time to the PWM generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University
    Inventors: Jeong-Jin Roh, Sung-Jin Park
  • Patent number: 7545134
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller is configured to form a reference signal that has selectable values. The power supply controller is also configured to form a feed-forward signal in response to change in the value of the reference voltage and to use this feed-forward signal control the value of an output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Paul J. Harriman
  • Patent number: 7545133
    Abstract: In a power supply apparatus in which a source of a MOSFET is connected to a node of a rectifier diode and a choke coil through a resonance coil, a series circuit including a capacitor and a MOSFET is connected to a series circuit including the resonance coil and the rectifier diode, and the MOSFET and the MOSFET are driven by PWM control so that the MOSFET and the MOSFET are alternately turned on with a period in which both MOSFETs are turned off, a resistor is connected in parallel with the capacitor, and optionally another diode is connected in series with the resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Fujino, Soichi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090140716
    Abstract: What is described is a circuit arrangement for the pulse width modulated drive of a load connected to a voltage supply line, including: a voltage control/switch device interposed between the supply line and the load, and adapted to be controlled as to their conduction according to a predetermined duty cycle; a capacitive filter, placed downstream of the said voltage control/switch means, in parallel with the load, and a controlled current sink, connected to the capacitive filter, and adapted to operate as a sink of the current created by the discharge of the energy stored by the capacitive filter, which is switched to an activated state when the voltage control/switch device is non-conducting and is switched to an inactive state when the voltage control/switch device is conducting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventor: Luca Mantovani
  • Patent number: 7538455
    Abstract: Electronic devices to which power is supplied from a power supplying unit commonly connected with other electronic devices, each of the electronic devices comprising a switch unit having an input terminal, an output terminal and a control terminal to which a control signal to close between the input terminal and the output terminal, a number input unit to which unique identification information is input, and a timing unit connected to the power supplying device together with the input terminal and inputting the control signal to the control terminal after a lapse of a delay time set in response to the identification information from a start timing of power supplying by the power supplying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masayuki Takami, Yoshiki Namba
  • Publication number: 20090128120
    Abstract: A reference voltage generation circuit includes a plurality of resistors that divide a prescribed input reference voltage into a plurality of divisional voltages and a plurality of analogue switches one of which selects one of the divisional voltages to output the selected divisional voltage as a desired reference voltage. Each of the analogue switches is formed of a transistor, and a size of the transistor is varied corresponding to a level of the reference voltage to be output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuo TATSUDA
  • Publication number: 20090121702
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a self-tracking high-side pre-driver control are described. In an example, a method is described comprising charging a first terminal associated with a first capacitive element to a first voltage with respect to ground and a second terminal associated with a second capacitive element to a second voltage with respect to ground, changing the first voltage and the second voltage with respect to ground by changing a swing voltage, selecting one of the first voltage or the second voltage based on a first switched-mode power supply topology or a second switched-mode power supply topology and driving a transistor using the selected voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Huijuan Li, Md Abidur Rahman, Brett E. Smith
  • Patent number: 7518351
    Abstract: Output voltage overshoot of a switching regulator is controlled by deactivating switching operation when a signal proportional to the output voltage exceeds a variable threshold level, with the threshold level set as a function of regulator output current. In accordance with an embodiment, a difference signal is generated that corresponds to a difference between an output voltage feedback signal and a constant reference voltage. The generated difference signal is combined with a signal proportional to load current to obtain an adapted threshold level. The adapted threshold level is greater than the level of the constant reference voltage. A regulator switch is reset to an off state when the output voltage feedback signal exceeds the adapted threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Chiawei Liao, Robert C. Dobkin
  • Publication number: 20090085553
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a system comprises a voltage regulator having two or more inputs with each having its own input voltage level and at least one switch to select between the input voltage levels, a configurable battery pack comprising at least two cells and at least one switch capable of configuring the battery in either a series configuration or a parallel configuration, a detector to measure a load parameter on the system; and a controller to send a signal to the at least one switch to select between the input voltage levels based on the measured load parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Pavan Kumar, Horacio Visairo-Cruz, Scott Noble
  • Patent number: 7508185
    Abstract: A simple zero current switch circuit includes a first coil set and a second coil set that are wound at a selected coil ratio and bridge electrically an energy storing inductor, an output diode and a conduction switch of a power-factor corrector. The leaking inductance of the first coil set generates a back electromotive force to make the conduction switch in a zero current switching condition. An energy conversion circuit is provided to store reverse energy according to the coil ratio of the second coil set and the first coil set and reclaims the energy to an output capacitor of the power-factor corrector while the output diode generates a reverse recovery condition. Thereby reverse recovery time of the output diode can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignees: SPI Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuo-Fan Lin
  • Patent number: 7508180
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes a power stage, an output capacitor, a first reference voltage generator, a comparator, a constant-time trigger, a frequency-to-voltage converter, and an error amplifier. The power stage includes a first switch, a second switch coupled to the first switch, and an output inductor. The comparator is coupled to the output capacitor, and output inductor, and the first reference voltage generator. The constant-time trigger is coupled to the comparator and the power stage. The error amplifier includes a first input end coupled to the frequency-to-voltage converter, a second input end, and an output end coupled to the constant-time trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Anpec Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Hsueh Chen, Chih-Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 7504816
    Abstract: Multiple characteristics of a DC-DC converter, such as its mode of operation (e.g., either forced continuous conduction mode, or discontinuous conduction mode), and an operational parameter (such as the dead-time between switching times of the output switching devices (upper and lower MOSFETs) of the converter, whose associated driver integrated circuit has a pin usage that leaves only a single pin available for auxiliary purposes, are programmed by a single pin-based digital and analog information multiplexing circuit that couples both digital information and analog information within the same control signal to the driver IC by way of only the one available pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Patrick Laur, Wei Dong, Mehul Dilip Shah
  • Patent number: 7504815
    Abstract: We describe a switch mode power supply (SMPS) controller employing a combination of pulse frequency and pulse width modulation. The controller employs a “gear box” control scheme using two complementary control loops, one for real-time control of the SMPS using PFM and a second using a PWM control scheme which monitors the switching frequency and, at defined operating points, adjusts the pulse width up or down through a set of pre-determined values. This can be considered analogous to the gearbox of a motor vehicle with the SMPS pulse width, switching frequency and output power roughly corresponding to the vehicle's gear ratio, engine speed and road speed respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Cambridge Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Philip John Moyse, David Robert Coulson, Russell Jacques, David M. Garner
  • Publication number: 20090066301
    Abstract: A buck-boost switching regulator which includes a first switch, a first diode, an inductor, a second switch, a second diode, and a controller for controlling the first switch and the second switch, the controller being configured to receive a current signal indicative of a inductor current flowing in the inductor, and generating a signal indicative of an average current flowing in the inductor, the average current being utilized to control the first switch and the second switch, wherein the controller includes a first compensator circuit for outputting a voltage error signal, a second compensator circuit for outputting a current error signal and a modulator circuit to output a first control signal to control the first switch and a second control switch to control the second switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Richard Oswald, Tamotsu Yamamoto, Takashi Ryu
  • Publication number: 20090058311
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter and an organic light emitting display comprising: a voltage generator receiving an input voltage through an input terminal to selectively generate a first voltage and a second voltage, outputting the first voltage and the second voltage through first and second output terminals, a capacitor coupled to the output terminal; and a switch unit discharging voltage stored in the capacitor according to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventor: Ki-Myeong Eom
  • Patent number: 7499682
    Abstract: A supply voltage controlled power amplifier that comprises a power amplifier, a closed power control feedback loop configured to generate a power control signal, and a dual voltage regulator coupled to the power control feedback loop, the dual voltage regulator comprising a first regulator stage and a second regulator stage, wherein the closed power control loop minimizes noise generated by the first regulator stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitriy Rozenblit, Tirdad Sowlati
  • Publication number: 20090051345
    Abstract: A self-oscillating switching regulator includes a control winding N3 allowing a voltage to be induced therein by a magnetic flux created in a primary winding N1 of a high frequency transformer T, a capacitor C3 charged by the voltage induced in the control winding N3, a transistor Q2 that is turned off when the voltage across the capacitor C3 reaches a predetermined level, a switching element Q1 driven by the transistor Q2 to switch on or off an input current through the primary winding N1 of the high frequency transformer T, and a control winding adjuster for changing by switching the number of turns of the control winding N3 on the basis of the operating temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuya Ueno