With Automatic Control Of The Magnitude Of Output Voltage Or Current Patents (Class 363/25)
  • Publication number: 20120025720
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a transformer having a primary winding on its primary side for coupling to a power source and one or more secondary windings on its secondary side. A first control circuit is disposed on the primary side of the transformer for controlling a current flow in the primary winding. A second control circuit disposed on the secondary side of the transformer, and the second control circuit is configured to provide a regulated output voltage. In the power supply system, the first control circuit is configured to generate a control signal for controlling the current flow in the primary winding without using a feedback control signal from the secondary side of the transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: BCD Semiconductor Manufacturing Limited
    Inventors: Fan Chen, Xin Wu, Chaoqun Sun, Qanqing Wu
  • Patent number: 8089784
    Abstract: This invention relates to a synchronous rectifier for LLC resonant converter. This method allows simple drive method for the synchronous rectifier MOSFETS by using the transformer secondary winding voltage and one-shot vibrator. The synchronous rectifier MOSFETs are turned on by being triggered to the transformer secondary side winding voltage and turned off after predetermined time set by one shot vibrator. The predetermined time is set by the resonant period of the resonant network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor
    Inventor: Hang-Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 8068355
    Abstract: A multiphase DC-to-DC power converter has two or more sets of input switches, each set of input switches driving primary windings of at least one associated transformer. Each transformer has one or two secondary windings, the secondary windings feeding power through output switches or rectifiers through an associated output inductor into a common filter. At least two of the output inductors are magnetically coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandr Ikriannikov, Ognjen Djekic
  • Publication number: 20110280049
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus is configured with single-phase sub-converters (4) connected to AC input lines of individual phases of a three-phase main converter (3) in series therewith. In a control device (12) for performing output control of the power converting apparatus, a current command value calculating circuit (20) which adjusts a DC voltage command given to the main converter (3) so that DC voltages of the sub-converters (4) follow a command and generates AC current commands so that a DC voltage of the main converter (3) follows the DC voltage command is configured with a CPU, and AC currents are controlled by switching output voltage levels of the sub-converters (4) at an AC side thereof so that deviations of instantaneous AC current values from the AC current commands become smaller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Mori, Toshiyuki Fujii, Akihiko Iwata, Junichiro Ishikawa, Masanori Yasue, Yukimori Kishida
  • Patent number: 8050068
    Abstract: A resonant converter is provided which may be used for supplying power to the primary conductive path of an inductively coupled power transfer (ICPT) system. The converter includes a variable reactive element in the resonant circuit which may be controlled to vary the effective inductance or capacitance of the reactive element. The frequency of the converter is stabilised to a nominal value by sensing the frequency of the converter resonant circuit, comparing the sensed frequency with a nominal frequency and varying the effective inductance or capacitance of the variable reactive element to adjust the converter frequency toward the nominal frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Auckland Uniservices Limited
    Inventors: Stephan Helmut Hussmann, Aiguo Hu
  • Publication number: 20110261590
    Abstract: A resonant converter comprising: a controllable current source; a resonant tank circuit coupled to the current source; and an isolated buck-type converter coupled to the resonant tank circuit, the isolated buck-type converter having an output, wherein the resonant tank circuit enables switches in the isolated buck-type converter to switch under soft-switching conditions. In some embodiments, the controllable current source is a switch-mode-type current source. In some embodiments, the isolated buck-type converter comprises a half-bridge converter. In some embodiments, the isolated buck-type converter comprises a full-bridge converter. In some embodiments, the isolated buck-type converter comprises a push-pull converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
    Inventor: Martin Liu
  • Patent number: 8014177
    Abstract: A switching power supply exhibits high conversion efficiency and facilitates reducing the size thereof. The switching power supply includes a half-bridge circuit including a first series circuit formed of switching devices Q1 and Q2 and connected between the output terminals of a DC power supply; and a second series circuit connecting primary inductance Lr1 of transformer T1, primary inductance Lr2 of transformer T2 and capacitor Cr in series. The second series circuit is connected between the output terminals of the half-bridge circuit, and is made to conduct a series resonance operation. The switching devices Q1 and Q2 is controlled at the ON-duties of 0.5 for reducing the breakdown voltages of rectifying diodes D1 and D2 on the secondary side of transformers T1 and T2 and for improving the conversion efficiency of the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Device Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 7973491
    Abstract: A multi-lamp backlight apparatus is disclosed. The multi-lamp backlight apparatus includes 2N lamps, N balancing transformers, and a high-voltage power source. N is a positive integer and k is an integer index ranging from 1 to N. The kth balancing transformer among the N balancing transformers includes a first primary winding, a second primary winding, and a secondary winding. The first primary winding connects in series with the (2k?1)th lamp of the 2N lamps. The second primary winding connects in series with the first primary winding and the (2k)th lamp. The secondary winding corresponds to the first primary winding and the second primary winding. The high-voltage power source is connected between the first primary windings and the second primary windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Darfon Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ming-Feng Liu, Chao-Jung Lin
  • Patent number: 7944713
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a single stage DC to DC electric power conversation circuit which has a transfer gain variable by pulse-width modulation over a continuum from zero to beyond unity. Conversion efficiency of the circuit is optimal when the transfer gain is set to its middle range, where a large part of power is transferred from input directly to output without undergone electro-magnetic conversion. Conversion efficiency is therefore very high and such a high efficiency occurs under normal operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: PI International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chi Hung Cheung
  • Patent number: 7944716
    Abstract: The invention deals with the control of a resonant LLC converter by use of control parameters. The primary current flowing in the resonant tank and a voltage at a predetermined point in the resonant tank are monitored and control parameters are set for a high side conduction interval and control parameters are set for a low side conduction interval, the control parameters for the two conduction intervals being: a peak current of the interval and a predetermined voltage of the interval. The resonant converter comprises series-arranged controllable switches to be connected to the supply source. The resonant converter is operated by setting up criteria for turning off a switch in accordance with criteria including the four control parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Hans Halberstadt
  • Patent number: 7929321
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter includes a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor wherein the high-side transistor is implemented with a high-side enhancement mode MOSFET. The low side-transistor further includes a low-side enhancement MOSFET shunted with a depletion mode transistor having a gate shorted to a source of the low-side enhancement mode MOSFET. A current transmitting in the DC-to-DC converter within a time-period between T2 and T3 passes through a channel region of the depletion mode MOSFET instead of a built-in diode D2 of the low-side MOSFET transistor. The depletion mode MOSFET further includes trench gates surrounded by body regions with channel regions immediately adjacent to vertical sidewalls of the trench gates wherein the channel regions formed as depletion mode channel regions by dopant ions having electrical conductivity type opposite from a conductivity type of the body regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Force-Mos Technology Corp
    Inventor: Fwu-Iuan Hshieh
  • Patent number: 7924580
    Abstract: A switching inverter having two single-ended EF2 inverter sections coupled together with a shared ground and partially shared tunable resonant network that is coupled to at least one load, wherein each inverter section comprises a switching section, and wherein the shared tunable network section allows independent tuning of an impedance seen by the corresponding switching section thereby independently tuning even and odd harmonics of the switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Stanley Glaser, Juan Manuel Rivas Davila
  • Publication number: 20110026279
    Abstract: A frequency-hopping control method is performed by a frequency-hopping control module that generates a driving signal for driving a voltage converting circuit to generate an output voltage. The method includes, generating a control signal according to a regulating signal inversely proportional to the output voltage of the voltage converting circuit. The control signal is cyclical, and each cycle of which includes an off-time having a variable duration with an inverse relation to magnitude of the regulating signal, and an on-time having a substantially fixed duration. The driving signal is generated according to the control signal and a periodic pulse signal. Therefore, the output voltage can be stabilized, and the voltage converting circuit can perform voltage conversion with reduced power loss and improved voltage conversion efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Mingzhu Li, Qinglin Zhao, Zhihong Ye, Xuefeng Tang, Dinghui Cai
  • Patent number: 7881084
    Abstract: A DC/AC cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) inverter circuit includes a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding for providing increased voltage to a CCFL, a first and second MOSFET switches for selectively allowing direct current of a first polarity and a second polarity to flow through the transformer respectively. The primary and secondary windings of the transformer are electrically coupled to ground. A capacitor divider is electrically coupled to the CCFL for providing a first voltage signal representing a voltage across the CCFL. A first feedback signal line receives the first voltage signal. A timer circuit is coupled to the first feedback signal line for providing a time-out sequence of a predetermined duration when the first voltage signal exceeds a predetermined threshold. A protection circuit shuts down the first switch and the second switch when the first voltage signal exceeds the predetermined threshold after the predetermined duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: O2Micro International Limited
    Inventor: Yung Lin Lin
  • Patent number: 7872546
    Abstract: A dual mode modulator is proposed for driving a power output stage having a serial connection of high-side power FET and low-side power FET. The dual mode modulator includes a PWM modulator operating under a PWM-frequency and a PFM modulator for controlling the power output stage. To improve the dynamic load regulation of the dual mode modulator, a dynamic frequency booster can be added to the dual mode modulator to boost up the PWM-frequency from its normal operating frequency during a PFM-to-PWM mode transition period. Secondly, a dynamic slew rate booster can be added to boost up an error amplifier slew rate of the PWM modulator from its normal operating slew rate during the mode transition period. Thirdly, a dynamic turn-off logic circuit can be added to turn off the low-side power FET during the mode transition period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventors: Behzad Mohtashemi, Allan Chang
  • Patent number: 7872883
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power converter system includes a switching circuitry having a plurality of switches operable to be turned on and off to cause current to flow to deliver power to a load. A driver circuitry is responsive to an oscillation signal and generates control signals for turning on and off the switches in the switching circuitry. A free-running oscillator circuitry provides the oscillation signal to the driver circuitry. The free-running oscillator circuitry has an operational amplifier. A frequency of the oscillation signal will be higher if the operational amplifier outputs a first value, and the frequency of the oscillation signal will be lower if the operational amplifier outputs a second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Alan Elbanhawy
  • Patent number: 7859866
    Abstract: A DC power source voltage is supplied to a center tap of a primary winding, and first and second semiconductor switches alternately turned on are disposed between each of both ends of the primary winding and a common potential point, and a current flowing through a load is fed back and PWM control of each of the semiconductor switches is performed. Also, snubber circuits are respectively connected between a ground and the center tap of the primary winding, and an abnormal high voltage at the time of switching is reduced. Also, a parallel running of plural inverters is simply performed by disposing PWM comparators corresponding to the first and second semiconductor switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kenichi Fukumoto, Yousuke Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 7859213
    Abstract: A control device for controlling a recovery from a locking of a motor includes: a switching unit which supplies a motor current from a current supplying unit to the motor; and a driving control unit which supplies a PWM control signal to the switching unit to control a driving of the switching unit. The driving control unit supplies the PWM control signal with a low duty ratio lower than a regular duty ratio to the switching unit when the locking of the motor is detected depending on a variation in temperature of the switching unit. The driving control unit supplies the PWM control signal with the regular duty ratio to the switching unit when a cancel of the locking of the motor is detected depending on a variation in inter-terminal voltage of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Serizawa, Byungeok Seo, Hiroo Yabe
  • Patent number: 7835164
    Abstract: An AC power supply system modulates a high frequency switching signal with a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to produce a composite signal. The duty cycle of the PWM component of the composite signal is used to control the brightness of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp for backlighting a liquid crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Lyle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7796409
    Abstract: A power converter for converting an input voltage (Vin) into an output voltage (Vout), comprising a first supply potential and a second supply potential established by the input voltage, and at least one primary winding having two terminals, a center tap arranged between the two terminals and connected to the first supply potential, and at least one secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding for providing at least one output voltage (Vout) and a first controllable switch connected between the second supply potential and one terminal of the primary winding and a second controllable switch connected between the second supply potential and the other terminal of the primary winding and a third controllable switch connected between the second supply potential and the one terminal of the primary winding and a fourth controllable switch connected between the second supply potential and the other terminal of the primary winding, and a control unit for controlling the switches such that the first, s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Arnold Knott
  • Publication number: 20100220505
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter has three half-bridge-type current resonant DC/DC converters that are connected in parallel, have a phase difference of 120 degrees, and are operated at a frequency higher than a resonant frequency. Each of the three half-bridge-type current resonant DC/DC converters includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a tertiary winding, a series circuit connected to both ends of a DC power source and including first and second switching elements, a series circuit connected to both ends of the first or second switching element and including a resonant reactor, the primary winding of the transformer, and a resonant capacitor, and a rectifying circuit to rectify a voltage generated by the secondary winding and output the rectified voltage to a smoothing capacitor. The tertiary windings are annularly connected to a reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mamoru Tsuruya
  • Patent number: 7777428
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for controlling driving of a lamp. The apparatus for controlling driving of a lamp includes a plurality of lamps, a switching module for switching supplied power to output an alternating current (AC) signal, a trans-module for converting the alternating signal into high-voltage signals having different phases to supply the high-voltage signals to the lamps, an open lamp detecting module for adding low-voltage signals having different phases feedback from the trans-module to detect open states of the lamps, and a controller for controlling an operation of the switching module by a signal detected in the open lamp detecting module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taek Soo Kim, Hyun Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 7760522
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to prevent the flow of a large input current into a DC/DC converter, to which power is fed from a power supply, before a supply voltage delivered from the power supply reaches a rated output voltage. A control unit included in the DC/DC converter includes a steady state detection block that detects a condition in which an input voltage to be applied to the DC/DC converter has been stabilized, and inhibits the power feed from the DC/DC converter until the input voltage delivered from a power supply in a preceding stage is stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Taku Nobiki, Takahiro Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7741803
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for driving a 2-phase SRM capable of individually performing an initial driving by an initializing sensor and a normal driving by a driving sensor, and capable of controlling a rotation speed of the SRM by delaying a phase signal by a half period and then generating a pulse width modulation signal based on the period. The apparatus comprises: a driving sensor which detects a position of a rotor thus to generate a driving sensor signal based on a result of the detection; a microprocessor which generates a 1-phase signal and a 2-phase signal based on a rising time and a falling time of the driving sensor signal at the time of a normal driving; an oscillator which generates first and second pulse width modulation signals delayed by a preset time; and a multiplying unit which multiplies the 1-phase and 2-phase signals with the first and second pulse width modulation signals, and generates 1-phase and 2-phase driving signals based on a result of the multiplication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Young Kim, Yong-Won Choi
  • Patent number: 7719861
    Abstract: A circuit for transmitting signals includes a transformer having an input side and an output side, the input side having a first end and a second end. A first transistor is coupled to the first end of the transformer, the first transistor being configured to provide a first signal to the first end in response to an input signal transitioning to a first state. A second transistor is coupled to the second end of the transformer; the second transistor being configured to provide a second signal to the second end in response to the input signal transitioning to a second state. The output side is configured to output differential signals according to the first and second signals applied to the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventors: Sam Ochi, Don Humbert
  • Publication number: 20100091526
    Abstract: A power converter nearly losslessly delivers energy and recovers energy from capacitors associated with controlled rectifiers in a secondary winding circuit, each controlled rectifier having a parallel uncontrolled rectifier. First and second primary switches in series with first and second primary windings, respectively, are turned on for a fixed duty cycle, each for approximately one half of the switching cycle. Switched transition times are short relative to the on-state and off-state times of the controlled rectifiers. The control inputs to the controlled rectifiers are cross-coupled from opposite secondary transformer windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventor: Martin F. Schlecht
  • Publication number: 20100085782
    Abstract: A resonant converter comprises switching circuitry (1) for supplying pulses, at a controllable frequency, to a resonant circuit so as to power the primary circuit (3, 12) of a transformer (4). The secondary winding (5a, 5b) of the transformer (4) delivers an AC signal which is rectified and then produces a load current. On the primary side, the converter has a resistor (13) for deriving a first electrical signal representative of the current in the primary circuit (3, 12), and an auxiliary winding (14) which is closely coupled to the secondary winding (5a, 5b) and across which an auxiliary voltage is induced as a consequence of the close coupling of the winding (14) to the secondary winding (5a, 5b). A resistor/capacitor combination (16, 17) integrates the auxiliary voltage with respect to time to derive a second electrical signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: NXP, B.V.
    Inventor: Hans Halberstadt
  • Publication number: 20100073968
    Abstract: A power supply includes a first power converter, a second power converter, and a clamp reset circuit. The clamp reset circuit is electrically coupled to other components within the first power converter and the second power converter. A clamp standby connection can be provided to electrically couple the clamp reset circuit to components comprising the second power converter. The clamp reset circuit is coupled to reduce magnetizing energy of a transformer of the first power converter and limit voltage in a component of the second power converter. The clamp reset circuit may include a Zener diode and a resistor that are adapted to reduce magnetizing energy of the first power converter and voltage through the second power converter. The clamp reset circuit normally includes a capacitor that is adapted to store energy from the first power converter and the second power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Robert J. Mayell
  • Publication number: 20100039837
    Abstract: A switching circuit for use in a power converter in one aspect includes a first and second active switch and a first and second passive switch. The first active switch can be coupled to a first terminal of a primary winding of a transformer. The second active switch can be coupled to a second terminal of the primary winding of the transformer. The output capacitance of the first active switch is greater than the output capacitance of the second active switch. The first passive switch can be coupled to the second active switch and to the second terminal of the primary winding. The second passive switch can be coupled to the first active switch and to the first terminal of the primary winding. The reverse recovery time of the first passive switch is greater than the reverse recovery time of the second passive switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Robert J. Mayell
  • Patent number: 7630220
    Abstract: A high frequency power supply includes a DC source unit (19) that outputs a DC voltage Vdc having an output level corresponding to a target voltage, an oscillation unit (13) that outputs a high frequency voltage signal having an output level corresponding to a target power, an amplification unit (14) that includes a plurality of amplifying elements, and amplifies and outputs the high frequency voltage signal output by the oscillation unit (13) utilizing the DC voltage output by the DC source unit (19), an output voltage detection unit (21) that detects an amplitude of the voltage between the amplified-side terminals of the amplifying elements in the amplification unit (14), or an amplitude of a voltage that is proportional to the amplitude of the voltage between the amplified-side terminals, and a target voltage decision unit (22) that decides a target value of the DC source voltage Vdc to be outputted by the DC source unit (19) based on the detection result from the output voltage detection unit (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Daihen Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kotani, Michio Taniguchi, Tatsuya Ikenari, Hirotaka Takei
  • Patent number: 7626834
    Abstract: A DC to AC power converter is disclosed. The power converter has four power-switching devices, two diodes, a step-up and isolation transformer, a capacitor-choke filter and a controller. Two power-switching devices located on the primary side of the transformer are switched to provide alternate cycles of an ac current to the primary side of the transformer, which magnetically couples the ac current to the secondary side of the transformer. Two power-switching devices on the secondary side of the transformer are switched to alternately allow the forward and return ac currents from the secondary side of the transformer in the output path to a load connected to the output of the DC to AC power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Enecsys Limited
    Inventors: Lesley Chisenga, Asim Mumtaz, Gehan Amil Joseph Amaratunga
  • Patent number: 7599199
    Abstract: A power converter includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and a plurality of switches coupled to the primary and secondary winding, the plurality of switches responsive to at least one control signal to short both the primary and secondary winding during a first reset time interval. An electronic device including such a power converter and related methods are also provided. A power converter having a plurality of DC to DC converters coupled in parallel is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: O2Micro International Limited
    Inventors: Laszlo Lipcsei, Catalin Popovici
  • Patent number: 7596009
    Abstract: In a double-ended isolated DC-DC converter, by using a main transformer and first and second pulse transformers, a first power switch of a primary side circuit and a first synchronous rectifier of a secondary side circuit are driven with complementary timing, and a second power switch of the primary side circuit and a second synchronous rectifier of the secondary side circuit are driven with complementary timing. A first turn-off edge signal and a first turn-on edge signal generated in a primary side control circuit are transmitted to the secondary side via the first pulse transformer so as to generate a driving signal of the first synchronous rectifier. In addition, a second turn-off edge signal and a second turn-on edge signal generated in a primary side circuit are transmitted to the secondary side via the second pulse transformer so as to generate a driving signal of the second synchronous rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7586760
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter and associated methods are provided for controlling the discharge of snubber capacitances during a light/no load buck mode of operation. An operating method for a DC-to-DC converter detects conditions corresponding to a light/no load buck mode of operation, and, in response to the detection of that mode, controls the states of a first switch, a second switch, a first switched diode element, a second switched diode element, a third switched diode element, and a fourth switched diode element to facilitate discharging of a first capacitance element and a second capacitance element through a secondary winding of a transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Keming Chen
  • Patent number: 7583520
    Abstract: A direct-current converter includes a high-frequency converting circuit converting voltage of a direct-current power source to alternating-current voltage, a transformer having primary and secondary windings P, S and a rectification smoothing circuit rectifying and smoothing voltage induced in the secondary winding. This converting circuit includes other transformer having first and second windings n1, n2, switching element Q1 having a source connected to a negative pole of the power source and a drain connected to a positive pole thereof through winding n1, and switching element Q2 having a source connected to the negative pole of the power source and a drain connected to the positive pole thereof through winding n2, element Q2 being turned on/off alternately to element Q1 being turned on/off. Winding P is connected to a point between winding n1 and the drain of element Q1 and another point between winding n2 and the drain of element Q2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Aso
  • Patent number: 7573731
    Abstract: Provided is a current-source push-pull DC-DC converter using an active clamp circuit for reusing energy of leakage inductances by not only diodes on a secondary side of a transformer being zero-current switched using a series-resonant full-wave rectifier, but also the active clamp circuit on a primary side of the transformer, which provides a discharge path of the energy stored in the leakage inductances, increases power conversion efficiency even for a wide input voltage range and reduces a switch voltage stress as compared to a conventional current-source push-pull circuit by operating even for a duty ratio below 0.5 by flowing a current of an input inductor through capacitors of the active clamp circuit when both main switches are off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignees: Postech Academy-Industry Foundation, Postech Foundation
    Inventors: Bong Hwan Kwon, Jung Min Kwon
  • Patent number: 7554823
    Abstract: A DC power source voltage is supplied to a center tap of a primary winding, and first and second semiconductor switches alternately turned on are disposed between each of both ends of the primary winding and a common potential point, and a current flowing through a load is fed back and PWM control of each of the semiconductor switches is performed. Also, snubber circuits are respectively connected between a ground and the center tap of the primary winding, and an abnormal high voltage at the time of switching is reduced. Also, a parallel running of plural inverters is simply performed by disposing PWM comparators corresponding to the first and second semiconductor switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Fukumoto, Yousuke Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 7515445
    Abstract: A CCFL power converter circuit is provided using a high-efficiency zero-voltage-switching technique that eliminates switching losses associated with the power MOSFETs. An optimal sweeping-frequency technique is used in the CCFL ignition by accounting for the parasitic capacitance in the resonant tank circuit. Additionally, the circuit is self-learning and is adapted to determine the optimum operating frequency for the circuit with a given load. An over-voltage protection circuit can also be provided to ensure that the circuit components are protected in the case of open-lamp condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: 02Micro International Limited
    Inventor: Yung-Lin Lin
  • Publication number: 20090027927
    Abstract: A switch mode power supply according to the invention that can improve the reliability thereof includes a series circuit connected between the positive and negative electrodes of a DC power supply 3, the series circuit including a capacitor 4, a main switching device 1, and a subsidiary switching device 2; a main control circuit 13; a subsidiary control circuit 10; control circuits 13 and 10 turning main switching device 1 and subsidiary switching device 2 alternately ON and OFF to obtain a DC output via a transformer 6; and subsidiary control circuit 10 preventing a voltage exceeding the gate breakdown voltage of subsidiary switching device 2 from being applied to the gate electrode of subsidiary switching device 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: Fuji Electronic Device Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20090010028
    Abstract: An inductive power supply includes a transceiver for sending information between the remote device and the inductive power supply. The remote device determines the actual voltage and then sends a command to the inductive power supply to change the operating frequency if the actual voltage is different from the desired voltage. In order to determine the actual voltage, the remote device determines a peak voltage and then applies a correction factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: ACCESS BUSINESS GROUP INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: David W. Baarman, Nathan P. Stien, Wesley J. Bachman, John J. Lord
  • Patent number: 7471524
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter having a transformer with a primary and a tapped secondary, two serial output filter inductors connected parallel with the secondary, a center output filter inductor connected between the secondary tap and serial output inductors, two serially connected switches connected in parallel with the two output inductors for receiving a signal to control operation of the switches during steady state and an output load connected between the serial connection of the serial output inductors and serial switching devices. The transformer primary side connected with double-ended primary-side topologies. The transformer secondary and output filers configured to form a current tripler rectifier, current quadtupler rectifier or current N-tuper rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Issa Batarseh, Liangbin Yao
  • Patent number: 7463498
    Abstract: A multiphase DC-to-DC power converter has two or more sets of input switches, each set of input switches driving primary windings of an associated transformer. Each transformer has one or two secondary windings, the secondary windings feeding power through output switches or rectifiers through an associated output inductor into a common filter. At least two of the output inductors are magnetically coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Ognjen Djekic, Alexandr Ikriannikov
  • Publication number: 20080239768
    Abstract: A direct-current converter includes a high-frequency converting circuit converting voltage of a direct-current power source to alternating-current voltage, a transformer having primary and secondary windings P, S and a rectification smoothing circuit rectifying and smoothing voltage induced in the secondary winding. This converting circuit includes other transformer having first and second windings n1, n2, switching element Q1 having a source connected to a negative pole of the power source and a drain connected to a positive pole thereof through winding n1, and switching element Q2 having a source connected to the negative pole of the power source and a drain connected to the positive pole thereof through winding n2, element Q2 being turned on/off alternately to element Q1 being turned on/off. Winding P is connected to a point between winding n1 and the drain of element Q1 and another point between winding n2 and the drain of element Q2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji ASO
  • Patent number: 7400064
    Abstract: A switching regulation system and control scheme efficiently enables driving multiple loads from a common energy storage element, such as an inductor. The control scheme operates to store energy in the energy storage element over a first portion of a cycle, such as by ramping up current through an inductor, according to energy requirements of the multiple loads. After storing the energy in the storage element during the first portion of the cycle, the stored energy is delivered consecutively to each of the multiple loads over a subsequent portion of the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Siew Kuok Hoon, Norman L. Culp, Jun Chen, Franco Maloberti
  • Patent number: 7394671
    Abstract: A DC power source voltage is supplied to a center tap of a primary winding, and first and second semiconductor switches alternately turned on are disposed between each of both ends of the primary winding and a common potential point, and a current flowing through a load is fed back and PWM control of each of the semiconductor switches is performed. Also, snubber circuits are respectively connected between a ground and the center tap of the primary winding, and an abnormal high voltage at the time of switching is reduced. Also, a parallel running of plural inverters is simply performed by disposing PWM comparators corresponding to the first and second semiconductor switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Fukumoto, Yousuke Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 7394209
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display system and CCFL power converter circuit is provided using a high-efficiency zero-voltage-switching technique that eliminates switching losses associated with the power MOSFETs. An optimal sweeping-frequency technique is used in the CCFL ignition by accounting for the parasitic capacitance in the resonant tank circuit. Additionally, the circuit is self-learning and is adapted to determine the optimum operating frequency for the circuit with a given load. An over-voltage protection circuit can also be provided to ensure that the circuit components are protected in the case of open-lamp condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: 02 Micro International Limited
    Inventors: Yung-Lin Lin, Da Liu
  • Publication number: 20080130328
    Abstract: A converter control circuit applicable to various topologies of converters each employing two switching devices is disclosed. The converter control circuit includes an oscillator for generating a pulse signal and triangle-wave signal of a certain frequency, a switching control signal output unit for outputting a switching control signal to control ON/OFF of a plurality of switching devices based on a duty ratio determined from a feedback signal which is applied to a feedback terminal, a mode select signal generator for generating a mode select signal for determination of a control mode of a converter in response to the feedback signal applied to the feedback terminal, and a mode selecting unit for selecting the control mode in response to the mode select signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventor: Hang Seok Choi
  • Publication number: 20080117656
    Abstract: A primary-side sampled feedback system includes a sample acquisition phase during which the voltage across the clamp capacitor is sensed as a measure of the primary-reflect output voltage. One end of the clamp capacitor is ground-referenced during the sample acquisition phase. The sample circuitry, which may include a transformer-coupled input for receiving the gate drive of the secondary switch, may use secondary-side or primary and secondary side signals to generate the sample acquisition control pulse and clamp switch drive signal. The sample acquisition control pulse occurs when the secondary current reaches its minimum or zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventor: John P. Clarkin
  • Patent number: 7365451
    Abstract: A power converter that can continue to operate after suffering a partial failure. The power converter includes multiple array transformers; normally-on switches connected respectively in series with the ends of each of the primary windings of the array transformers; normally-off current bypass devices connected in parallel with the series connections of the primary windings of the array transformers and the switches at the transformer ends; AC-DC converter units having AC sides respectively connected secondary windings of the array transformers; and mutually independent DC circuits respectively connected to DC sides of the AC-DC converter units. By turning on the current bypass device of the primary winding of a specified array transformer and turning off the switches at the ends of that primary winding, it is possible to isolate the specified array transformer and the AC-DC converter unit connected to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohiko Aritsuka
  • Patent number: 7362077
    Abstract: A boost control module operates semiconductor switches of a boost converter circuit in an avalanche mode to precharge a boost output capacitor. The boost control module comprises a switching module that complementarily transitions a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch between ON and OFF states when a current does not exceed a maximum current threshold. The switching module transitions the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch to the OFF state when the current exceeds the maximum current threshold. The switching module maintains the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch in the OFF state until at least one of the inductor current is less than or equal to a minimum current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Keming Chen