Using Semiconductor-type Converter Patents (Class 363/123)
  • Publication number: 20120081938
    Abstract: A method and device to discharge a filter capacitance at the output of an inverter for feeding electrical power from a generation unit into a grid via a grid connect switch is disclosed. The grid connect switch has a generation unit side and a grid side, and via AC grid terminals on the grid side of the grid connect switch, the filter capacitance is connected to at least one of the AC grid terminals. A voltage applied across the filter capacitance is rectified independent of a polarity thereof, and a rectified voltage of a fixed polarity is provided, and a DC voltage link of a power supply unit for supplying power to circuitry of the inverter is charged with this rectified voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Benedikt Kuenzel, Carsten Ewig, Henrik Wolf, Sven Bremicker
  • Publication number: 20120075892
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and power conversion systems are presented for reducing common mode voltages in AC motor loads driven by inverter PWM control using switching sequences with only active vectors where a first vector of each switching sequence differs by one phase switching state from a last vector of a switching sequence of an adjacent sector, along with enhanced deadtime compensation and reflected wave reduction techniques in providing pulse width modulated switching signals to a switching inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, Russel J. Kerkman, David Leggate
  • Publication number: 20120057387
    Abstract: A hybrid switch comprising two semiconductor switches connected in parallel but having different voltage drop characteristics as a function of current facilitates attainment of zero voltage switching and reduces conduction losses to complement reduction of switching losses achieved through zero voltage switching in power converters such as high-current inverters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Jih-Sheng Lai, Wensong Yu
  • Publication number: 20120049778
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus includes a timing signal generator and a phase determination signal generator provided in an ON/OFF signal generating unit as well as a detected current correction unit. On the basis of timing signals ts1, . . . and phase determination signals ph1, . . . , the power converting apparatus determines detected current values and phases of the detected current values fed from a DC bus current sensor at timings set in accordance with the timing signals and corrects the detected current values idc1, . . . for the individual phases obtained at the individual timings during PWM cycles to represent values which would be obtained at reference timing t0 to thereby reduce errors caused by differences in the current detecting timings for the individual phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kojima, Yoshihiko Kinpara
  • Publication number: 20120051106
    Abstract: A switching circuit for use in a power converter is provided. The switching circuit includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) including a gate terminal, a collector terminal, and an emitter terminal, a gate drive circuit electrically coupled to the gate terminal and configured to switch the IGBT on and off, and, a temperature drift resistant clamp circuit electrically coupled between the gate terminal and the collector terminal of the IGBT, the temperature drift resistant clamp circuit configured to maintain a voltage at the collector terminal below a threshold voltage and facilitate reducing the effects of temperature on operation of the switching circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventor: Robert Gregory Wagoner
  • Publication number: 20120039102
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a wireless power transfer terminal that enables a power device to be used for both power transmission and power reception and allows space savings of circuits and a reduction in the cost of manufacturing. The wireless power transfer terminal includes first through fourth switching elements, a coil, and a control circuit. Each of two sets of switching elements forms a series circuit, and the two sets are connected in parallel to each other. The coil is connected between connection points of the switching elements of the series circuits. The control circuit performs switching control of the first to fourth switching elements in a power transmission mode and in a power reception mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi SHINODA
  • Patent number: 8115430
    Abstract: A system is provided for controlling two AC machines. The system comprises a DC input voltage source that provides a DC input voltage, a voltage boost command control module (VBCCM), a five-phase PWM inverter module coupled to the two AC machines, and a boost converter coupled to the inverter module and the DC input voltage source. The boost converter is designed to supply a new DC input voltage to the inverter module having a value that is greater than or equal to a value of the DC input voltage. The VBCCM generates a boost command signal (BCS) based on modulation indexes from the two AC machines. The BCS controls the boost converter such that the boost converter generates the new DC input voltage in response to the BCS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gabriel Gallegos-Lopez, James M. Nagashima, Milun Perisic, Silva Hiti
  • Publication number: 20120033470
    Abstract: A correction-term adder 1 compares a maximum value max(V*) with an absolute value of a minimum value min(V*). The correction-term adder 1 selects a signal 1?max(V*) when the maximum value max(V*) is larger than the absolute value of the minimum value min(V*), on the other hand, selects a signal ?1?min(V*) when the absolute value of the minimum value min(V*) is larger than the maximum value max(V*). Thereby, a signal of correction amount ? is calculated. Moreover, the correction-term adder 1 produces a triangular-wave-shaped signal k(max(V*)+min(V*)) by multiplying a gain k by an addition signal max(V*)+min(V*) of the maximum value max(V*) and the minimum value min(V*). This triangular-wave-shaped signal k(max(V*)+min(V*)) is synchronized with the correction amount ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Masakazu Muneshima, Yasuhiro Yamamoto, Yu Sasaki, Takuya Sugai, Akira Shigaki
  • Publication number: 20120026767
    Abstract: A power conversion device connected with a three-phase power system through a transformer, including unit converters cascade-connected so that reactors are unnecessary, and volume and weight are reduced. The secondary winding of the transformer is an open winding having six terminals. A first converter group, includes a circuit which has three converter arms, which are star-connected, connected to three of the terminals of the secondary winding. A second converter group, having three different converter arms which are star-connected, is connected to three other terminals of the secondary winding. A neutral point (the point where the star connection is made) of the first converter group, and a neutral point of the second converter group are made to be the output terminals of the power conversion device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Shigenori Inoue, Shuji Katoh, Jun Narushima, Tetsuya Kato
  • Publication number: 20120020129
    Abstract: Methods and systems for transforming electric power between two or more portals. Any or all portals can be DC, single phase AC, or multi-phase AC. Conversion is accomplished by a plurality of bi-directional conducting and blocking semiconductor switches which alternately connect an inductor and parallel capacitor between said portals, such that energy is transferred into the inductor from one or more input portals and/or phases, then the energy is transferred out of the inductor to one or more output portals and/or phases, with said parallel capacitor facilitating “soft” turn-off, and with any excess inductor energy being returned back to the input. Soft turn-on and reverse recovery is also facilitated. Said bi-directional switches allow for two power transfers per inductor/capacitor cycle, thereby maximizing inductor/capacitor utilization as well as providing for optimum converter operation with high input/output voltage ratios. Control means coordinate the switches to accomplish the desired power transfers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: IDEAL POWER CONVERTERS, INC.
    Inventor: William C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20120014151
    Abstract: Methods and systems for power conversion. An energy storage capacitor is contained within an H-bridge subcircuit which allows the capacitor to be connected to the link inductor of a Universal Power Converter with reversible polarity. This provides a “pseudo-phase” drive capability which expands the capabilities of the converter to compensate for zero-crossings in a single-phase power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: IDEAL POWER CONVERTERS, INC.
    Inventor: William C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 8098059
    Abstract: A current negative-feedback circuit comprises a current detection unit and a sawtooth-shaped waveform generation unit. The current detection unit comprises a first P-ch MOSFET Q2 and a second P-ch MOSFET Q3 which constitute a current mirror circuit, a current adjustment resistor R4, a current detection resistor R1, and a constant current source I1. The current mirror circuit outputs current almost proportional to the charge current of an inductance via a switching device or outputs a current which is the quadratic function of the charge current of an inductance. The sawtooth-shaped waveform generation means adds the constant charge current of the constant current source I2 and the current output from the current mirror circuit, charges the capacitor C1, and generates a sawtooth-shaped waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunori Nakahashi, Satoshi Yamane
  • Publication number: 20120008353
    Abstract: Methods and systems for transforming electric power between two or more portals. Any or all portals can be DC, single phase AC, or multi-phase AC. Conversion is accomplished by a plurality of bi-directional conducting and blocking semiconductor switches which alternately connect an inductor and parallel capacitor between said portals, such that energy is transferred into the inductor from one or more input portals and/or phases, then the energy is transferred out of the inductor to one or more output portals and/or phases, with said parallel capacitor facilitating “soft” turn-off, and with any excess inductor energy being returned back to the input. Soft turn-on and reverse recovery is also facilitated. Said bi-directional switches allow for two power transfers per inductor/capacitor cycle, thereby maximizing inductor/capacitor utilization as well as providing for optimum converter operation with high input/output voltage ratios. Control means coordinate the switches to accomplish the desired power transfers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: IDEAL POWER CONVERTERS, INC.
    Inventor: William C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20120007533
    Abstract: In order to reduce the average power of the ringing noise, the present invention provides a power converter comprising: an arm circuit including a high-voltage side switching device to which a first diode is connected in parallel and a low-voltage side switching device to which a second diode is connected in parallel; and a main power supply connected to a series circuit of the high-voltage side switching device and the low-voltage side switching device, wherein a connecting point between the high-voltage side switching device and the low-voltage side switching device is connected to a load, and a resonant frequency calculated from inductances of wirings of a closed circuit including the first diode, the second diode, and the main power supply and a capacitance across the first diode is different form that calculated from the inductances of the wirings and a capacitance across the second diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Kazutoshi OGAWA, Katsumi Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20110316449
    Abstract: A main transformer is arranged such that a load is connected to its secondary winding side. A first error amplifier generates a feedback signal that corresponds to the difference between a detection signal which indicates the electrical state of the load and a predetermined first reference voltage. A current generating resistor is arranged between a current generating transistor and a fixed voltage terminal. A second error amplifier is arranged such that the first input terminal receives the electric potential at a node that connects the current generating transistor and the current generating resistor, a predetermined second reference voltage is input to the second input terminal thereof, and the output terminal thereof is connected to the control terminal of the current generating transistor. An adjustment resistor is arranged between the output terminal of the first error amplifier and a node that connects the current generating transistor and the current generating resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Imanaka
  • Patent number: 8014183
    Abstract: A power converter with a feedback controller includes a converter body with an input end for an input voltage, an output end for an output voltage, a controller with a feedback device, and a connector for connection with the output end of the converter body and with an electric appliance. The circuit of the converter body converts an input voltage to an output voltage. A controller is connected in circuit to the converter body and includes a circuit for regulating the voltage for a desired system output. The feedback device connects to the output end of the converter body. The output voltage is adjustable only when the controller receives an output voltage as a feedback from the feedback device. The controller is not triggered and hence an output voltage is not adjustable when the connector is engaged with the output end of the converter body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventor: Chung Fu Chou
  • Patent number: 7977819
    Abstract: Provided is a power converter having an inverter (13) wherein capacitors (12) are connected in parallel on a direct current side, and a power supply circuit configured to supply the inverter with a direct current from a power supply (1) and a power storage element (14). A controller using such power converter is also provided for electric rolling stocks. The power supply circuit is provided with a power supply switch (S1) arranged between the power supply and the inverter, a DC-to-DC converter (15A) arranged between the power storage element and the inverter, and a bypass switch (S2) arranged between the power storage element and the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Publication number: 20110164441
    Abstract: A transformer comprises a secondary winding including a plurality of coaxially arranged toroidal closed magnetic circuits connected in series within an enclosure and a primary winding comprising a plurality of turns including electrically conducting members passing axially through the toroidal closed magnetic circuits, respective ones of the plurality of electrically conducting members being electrically connected by respective electrically conducting strip lines passing along walls of the enclosure to form the continuous primary winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: E2V Technologies (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Robert Richardson
  • Publication number: 20110157938
    Abstract: In the present invention, switching circuits connected in middle points of power supply lines of a three-phase alternating-current power supply are switched to cause currents to intermittently flow on primary windings of a transformer, a voltage generated on a secondary winding is rectified and smoothed, and then is outputted to a load. The switching circuits each include: a series circuit including a first primary winding, a bidirectional switch and a second primary winding, which are connected in series in this order; a drive circuit power supply generating circuit generating a direct-current positive voltage and a direct-current negative voltage by use of an alternating-current power supply voltage applied between two ends of the series circuit; and a drive circuit performing on-off drive of the bidirectional switch. A reference potential point of the bidirectional switch is connected to a reference potential point of the drive circuit power supply generating circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji SATO
  • Publication number: 20110141780
    Abstract: A DPWM (1) has a locked loop (4) which receives an input clock signal and provides an out-of-phase delayed clock at the output of each cell in the loop (35). A multiplexer (5) selects one of the cell outputs at any one time. This allows the DPWM (1) to have a greater resolution which would otherwise be achieved with the same input clock. The resolution is further increased using an interpolator. A programmable module (2) has a control block (20) which interfaces with external CPU and DSP hosts and transmits programmed parameters to finite state machine controllers (15), each providing an independent output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Eamon O'Malley, Karl Rinne
  • Publication number: 20110121928
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus that reduces an audible noise produced in a power supply. The apparatus includes: (1) a housing; (2) an inductor coil formed from a coil of wire enclosed in the housing; (3) a set of wires that are coupled from the inductor coil to the outside of the housing through corresponding apertures in the housing, comprising electrical leads for the inductor coil; and (4) a predetermined amount of adhesive in the apertures that bonds the wires to the housing to reduce an audible noise produced when the current through the inductor coil is cycled quickly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Dayu Qu
  • Publication number: 20110101880
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, driver circuit coupled between an AC line and a load includes a first semiconductor switch interposed between a bus voltage and a resonant circuit and a second semiconductor switch interposed between the resonant circuit and a ground, where the resonant circuit drives the load. In the driver circuit, the bus voltage has a shape substantially corresponding to a shape of a rectified AC line voltage, thereby increasing a power factor of the driver circuit. The driver circuit can further include a full-bridge rectifier disposed between the resonant circuit and the load. The load can include at least one LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas J. Ribarich
  • Patent number: 7906933
    Abstract: An induction motor drive includes a plurality of inverters, a changeover switch which changes over outputs of the plurality of inverters to be supplied to one induction motor and a changeover controller which controls the changeover switch on the basis of a failure detection signal of one inverter to change over from the one inverter to another inverter to start the other inverter so that the induction motor is driven. The changeover controller includes a frequency/phase detector which always detects a frequency and a phase of a terminal voltage of the induction motor and a starting frequency/phase setting device which controls a frequency and a phase at starting of the other inverter in accordance with detected values of the frequency/phase detector when the failure signal is inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Tan, Hirohisa Satomi, Shigetoshi Okamatsu, Koichi Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20110051478
    Abstract: A three-level PWM converter (3) includes first to third fuses (F1R to F3R) having one terminals connected to a DC positive bus (13), a DC negative bus (14) and a DC neutral point bus (15), respectively, first and second IGBT elements (Q1R, Q2R) connected between respective ones of the other terminals of the first and second fuses (F1R, F2R) and an AC line (RL), an AC switch (Q3R, Q4R, D3R, D4R) connected between the AC line (RL) and the other terminal of the third fuse (F3R), first and second diodes (D1R, D2R) connected in anti-parallel to the first and second IGBT elements (Q1R, Q2R) respectively, a first capacitor (C1R) connected between the other terminals of the first and third fuses (F1R, F3R), and a second capacitor (C2R) connected between the other terminals of the second and third fuses (F2R, F3R).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUS. SYS. CORP.
    Inventors: Eduardo Kazuhide Sato, Masahiro Kinoshita, Yushin Yamamoto, Tatsuaki Amboh
  • Publication number: 20110050199
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control device and a control method of a high voltage inverter capable of automatically and accurately setting up neutral point information at a master controller and a plurality of cell controllers of the high voltage inverter, wherein a master controller determines information of neutral point set up to itself and performs a communication with the cell controllers each disposed at each of a plurality of U phase unit cells, a plurality of V phase unit cells and a plurality of W phase unit cells to determine the neutral point information preset on the cell controllers and to detect a cell controller set up with neutral point information different from that of the master controller, and to correct the neutral point information of the detected relevant cell controller using the neutral point information set up in the master controller, thereby operating the high voltage inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventor: Jae Hyun JEON
  • Publication number: 20110019448
    Abstract: Provided is a switching power supply apparatus capable of suppressing heat generation from a power supply to improve the efficiency of conversion during a power supply operation and accurately detecting only a current flowing through a load to achieve more stabile control. Since a first closed loop made up of a fourth diode (27d), a third inductor (25c) and a fourth electronic switch (24d) and a second closed loop made up of a second diode (27b), a first inductor (25a) and a second electronic switch (24b) do not include a fourth inductor (25d) and a second inductor (25b) through which an AC output current supplied to a load (28) flows, an unnecessary current does not flow through the first or second closed loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Miyake, Akeyuki Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20110013433
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can provide systems, methods, and apparatus for converting direct current (DC) power to alternating current (AC) power. According to one embodiment, a system for converting DC power to AC power can be provided. The system can include a DC power source that provides a first DC power signal to a converter. Coupled to the converter can be a controller for transforming the first DC power signal into a plurality of AC power signals. The controller can also phase shift at least one of the plurality of AC power signals and combine the phase shifted AC power signal with at least one of the other of the plurality of AC power signals to provide a second DC power signal. The controller can also convert the second DC power signal to an AC power signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Anthony Galbraith
  • Patent number: 7863838
    Abstract: A power supply system is provided with a plurality of driving motors, a power converter, and a plurality of power supplies which supply the driving motors with power and have different output voltages. Each power supply is connected with at least one driving motor through the power converter and with at least one driving motor through a path which does not include the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Aso
  • Publication number: 20100321966
    Abstract: A semiconductor switch is provided with a main element having reverse conductivity and serving as a voltage-driven switching element having a high withstand voltage, an auxiliary element serving as a voltage-driven switching element having a withstand voltage lower than that of the main element, and a high-speed freewheel diode having a withstand voltage equal to that of the main element, wherein a negative pole of the main element is connected to a negative pole of the auxiliary element to define the positive pole of the main element as a positive pole terminal and the positive pole of the auxiliary element as a negative pole terminal, and the high-speed freewheel diode is parallel-connected between the positive pole terminal and the negative pole terminal so that a direction from the negative pole terminal toward the positive pole terminal constitutes a forward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mochikawa, Tateo Koyama, Atsuhiko Kuzumaki, Junichi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 7839255
    Abstract: A composite transformer, having first and second inductors and a transformer, includes a transformer core that has a core leg around which portions of first and second windings are wound, and a base fixing the core leg, a first inductor core that has a core leg around which a portion of the first winding is wound and a base fixing the core leg, and a second inductor core that has a core leg around which a portion of the second winding is wound and a base fixing the core leg. The first and second windings are wound in a manner that flux are cancelled with each other, and are wound around the core leg of the transformer core in a manner alternately overlapping with each other, and are wound around respective core legs of the first and second inductor cores so as to be apart from each other to suppress any interference of magnetic fluxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Nagano, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
  • Publication number: 20100289334
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inverter for converting DC voltage into an alternating voltage or an AC voltage, comprising a first series connection that is connected to the DC voltage terminals and comprises at least one first electronic switch and a first inductance for accumulating the interconnected energy and a plurality of second electronic switches for transferring the accumulated energy. A second inductance is tightly coupled to the first inductance, both inductances supplying their energy to a filter capacitor that is arranged in parallel to the AC voltage terminal, respectively via a second electronic switch. Said inverter also comprises a shunt arm that comprises a series connection from a third clocked switch and a capacitor for receiving the energy from the leakage inductances and that is connected to the first inductance and the series connection of one of the second switches and the second inductance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Heribert Schmidt, Bruno Burger
  • Patent number: 7830111
    Abstract: A power cell system includes a structure that provides multiple power cell locations. The system also includes at least one regenerative power cell, and at least one non-regenerative power cell. The cell locations and power cells are sized and positioned so that each cell location may interchangeably accept either a regenerative power cell or a non-regenerative power cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc F. Aiello, Xuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20100265744
    Abstract: A power semiconductor module includes at least two power semiconductor units that are interconnected and that have controllable semiconductors. Each semiconductor unit is associated with a cooling plate to which the semiconductors are connected in a heat-conducting manner. The object is to provide a semiconductor module that is compact and cost-effective and at the same time explosion-proof. The power semiconductor module of the invention has a module housing which houses the power semiconductor units. The cooling plates form at least part of the module housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Joerg Dorn, Thomas Kuebel
  • Publication number: 20100246224
    Abstract: A power supply for a negative voltage load has a switch-mode power unit, a monitoring unit, a first auxiliary power unit and a second auxiliary power unit. The switch-mode power unit has a rectifying circuit, a power factor correction circuit, a DC to DC power circuit. The first auxiliary power unit is connected to output terminals of the power factor correction circuit and converts DC power to a first DC power for driving the monitoring unit. The second auxiliary power unit is connected to the negative voltage load in parallel and converts negative power from the negative voltage load to a second DC power for driving the monitoring unit when AC power is interrupted. Since the first and the second auxiliary power unit do not work at the same time, the power supply can effectively enhances the conversion efficiency of the power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Tao Zhang, Xiao-Lin Ma
  • Publication number: 20100206378
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device including at least one photovoltaic cell and a transformerless inverter electrically coupled to the at least one photovoltaic cell. The at least one photovoltaic cell and the transformerless inverter are integrated into a photovoltaic package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Robert W. Erickson, JR., Steven Croft, Shawn Everson, Aaron Schultz
  • Patent number: 7760528
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating low EMI display driver power supply. The methods and apparatus include switching circuits that utilize two groups of parallel circuit traces, each of which is coupled to one end of a switching device. The two groups of traces are configured to be interleaved with each other such that no two traces from either group are next to any other traces from the same group. When the switching device is activated, current flows through the circuit and charges an energy storage element. When the switching device is deactivated, the energy storage element discharges a portion of its energy to a second energy storage element and to the driver circuits. In another embodiment, an additional circuit trace is provided which is only connected on one end and is free floating on the other end to capture the majority of EMI remaining that was generated by the switching circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Yongman Lee
  • Publication number: 20100165680
    Abstract: An inverter module has a first inverter driving a first electric load and a second inverter driving a second electric load, mounted on a common insulation substrate. In the first inverter, the arms of the U, V and W phases are arranged on the insulation substrate such that arms adjacent in the horizontal direction in the drawing are located displaced from each other in the vertical direction in the drawing. In the second inverter, the arms of the U, V and W phases are arranged on the insulation substrate such that arms adjacent in the horizontal direction in the drawing are displaced from each other in the vertical direction in the drawing. Moreover, the arm of the first inverter and the arm of the second inverter are arranged to be adjacent along the horizontal direction in the drawing. By such an arrangement, the in-plane temperature distribution can be rendered uniform without having to increase the area occupied by the insulation substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumitaka YOSHINAGA
  • Publication number: 20100165681
    Abstract: In a driving circuit, for controlling the turning on and off of a main semiconductor switching device of an insulated gate type, in an insulated gate semiconductor switching device for electric power conversion, bipolar semiconductor devices of an insulated gate control type, particularly insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) are used at the output stage of a circuit that controls the gate voltage of the main semiconductor switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Junichi Sakano, Kenji Hara, Shinji Shirakawa
  • Publication number: 20100157635
    Abstract: A pulse width modulated current control method and system architecture may achieve the high performance of an advanced current control for full-bridge stages, in terms of accuracy, error, speed, and frequency response, but with a reduced complexity in terms of used analog circuits, being comparable with that of an elementary peak current control. The only analog blocks used may be a current sense transducer, i.e. a series resistor or a sense-FET, and a comparator for the current sensing while the rest of the control circuitry is digital.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fulvio Giacomo Bagarelli, Vincenzo Marano
  • Publication number: 20100085787
    Abstract: A drive system including a first bus, a second bus, an AC bus, an energy storage device coupled to the first bus, the energy storage device configured to output a stored DC voltage to the first bus and configured to receive a charging voltage from the first bus, and a power converter electrically coupled between the first bus and the second bus, the power converter configured to convert a DC voltage on the first bus to a DC voltage suitable for the second bus and configured to convert a DC voltage on the second bus to a DC voltage suitable for the first bus and suitable for charging the energy storage device. The system further includes a voltage inverter coupled between the second bus and the AC bus, the voltage inverter configured to invert a DC voltage on the second bus to an AC voltage suitable for the AC bus and configured to invert an AC voltage on the AC bus to a DC voltage suitable for the second bus to supply the DC voltage to the first bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventors: Ajit Wasant Kane, Rajendra Naik
  • Publication number: 20100085788
    Abstract: The device is for feeding electricity into a power grid (8) with a DC generator (1), a DC converter (2) and an inverter (3), and particularly to a DC converter (2) suited for the device. The DC converter (2) comprises a choking coil (15) having two windings (w1, w2) that are magnetically coupled and conductively connected to each other, two switches (86, 86) and three diodes (D6, D7, D8), and is configured such that grounding of the direct current generator (1) at the negative output (5) thereof is possible and the power load of the switches (85, 86) is kept small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Peter Zacharias, Benjamin Sahan
  • Patent number: 7684222
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus, such as a UPS, includes a DC link including first and second DC busses and a reference bus and a DC generator circuit coupled to the DC link and operative to generate first and second DC voltages with respect to the reference bus on respective ones of the first and second DC busses. The apparatus further includes a precharge circuit coupled to the DC link and operative to charge a first capacitance between the first DC bus and the reference bus and to transfer charge from the charged first capacitance to a second capacitance between the second DC bus and the reference bus. The DC generator circuit may be operative to commence generation of the first and second DC voltages on the first and second DC busses after the precharge circuit precharges the first and second DC busses. Related operating methods are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Esa Paatero
  • Publication number: 20100067272
    Abstract: Methods and systems for transforming electric power between two or more portals. Any or all portals can he DC, single phase AC, or multi-phase AC. Conversion is accomplished by a plurality of bi-directional conducting and blocking semiconductor switches which alternately connect an inductor and parallel capacitor between said portals, such that energy is transferred into the inductor from one or more input portals and/or phases, then the energy is transferred out of the inductor to one or more output portals and/or phases, with said parallel capacitor facilitating “soft” turn-off, and with any excess inductor energy being returned back to the input. Soft turn-on and reverse recovery is also facilitated. Said hi-directional switches allow for two power transfers per inductor/capacitor cycle, thereby maximizing inductor/capacitor utilization as well as providing for optimum converter operation with high input/output voltage ratios. Control means coordinate the switches to accomplish the desired power transfers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: IDEAL POWER CONVERTERS, INC.
    Inventor: William C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 7679313
    Abstract: A power cell system includes a structure that provides multiple power cell locations. The system also includes at least one regenerative power cell, and at least one non-regenerative power cell. The cell locations and power cells are sized and positioned so that each cell location may interchangeably accept either a regenerative power cell or a non-regenerative power cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc F. Aiello, Xuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20090316451
    Abstract: A switching circuit for a power converter includes an oscillation circuit, a first circuit, and a first comparator. The oscillation circuit generates a switching signal for regulating an output of the power converter. The first circuit generates a threshold signal. The first comparator is coupled to receive a signal representative of a current through a power switch. Besides, the first comparator generates a control signal in response to the signal and the threshold signal. A frequency of the switching signal is increased in response to the enabling of the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: SYSTEM GENERAL CORP.
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Chien-Yuan Lin, Tso-Min Chen
  • Publication number: 20090296433
    Abstract: A circuit and system topology includes a plurality of controller units configured to provide a high reliability power system. Sub-systems and devices are controlled via the plurality of controller units such that the high reliability power system remains functional, even subsequent to controller unit, sub-system and device failures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christof Martin Sihler, Robert Roesner
  • Patent number: 7605546
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes a triangular signal oscillator, a first control part to compare the triangular signal with an error voltage between a reference voltage and a voltage corresponding to a first current passed through a secondary winding of a transformer and generate a first PWM control signal for turning on/off switching elements Qp1 and Qn1 with a phase difference of about 180 degrees and a pulse width corresponding to the first current, and a second control part to compare the triangular signal with an error voltage between a reference voltage and a voltage corresponding to a second current passed through a secondary winding S2 of a transformer T2 and turn on/off switching elements Qp2 and Qn2 in synchronization with the first PWM control signal with a phase difference of about 180 degrees and a pulse width corresponding to the second current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 7602628
    Abstract: In addition to other aspects disclosed, a method comprises providing a signal to a transformer for supplying power during a reduced activity state. The signal comprises a series of pulses that comprises a positive pulse and a negative pulse. The signal is a segmented version of another signal provided to the transformer during the active state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: James W. Kirk, Mark R. Hickman
  • Patent number: 7598689
    Abstract: A control device generates, upon receiving an instruction to start engine while drive wheels of a hybrid vehicle are driven by a motor generator, a signal to output the signal to a voltage step-up converter, and thereby drives and controls the voltage step-up converter to step up a DC voltage that is output from a battery to a maximum voltage of a motor drive apparatus. Then, the control device generates, when an output voltage of the voltage step-up converter reaches the maximum voltage, a signal to output the generated signal to an inverter. Accordingly, the inverter is driven and controlled to drive motor generator in powering mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabuhsiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Yaguchi
  • Publication number: 20090246047
    Abstract: An integrated-inverter electric compressor whose grounding effect and grounding reliability are increased by reliably grounding an inverter device to a housing and in which the size the inverter device are reduced by simplifying the grounding structure is provided. The integrated-inverter electric compressor includes an inverter device provided in an inverter container on the outer circumference of a housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Hattori, Kazuki Niwa, Koji Nakano, Takashi Nakagami, Takayuki Takashige, Koji Toyama