Having Plural Converters For Single Conversion Patents (Class 363/65)
  • Patent number: 10090773
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a plurality of slices each having a transformer including a primary winding to couple to an input power source and a plurality of secondary windings each to couple to one of a plurality of power cells of the slice. Each of the power cells of a first slice may have an output that is phase rotated with respect to a correspondingly positioned power cell of a second slice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company
    Inventors: Bhaskara Palle, Ryan Edwards, Randall Pipho, Alex Skorcz, Enrique Ledezma, Hossein Karimi
  • Patent number: 10084380
    Abstract: A controller for a power converter formed with a plurality of converter stages, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the controller includes a power system controller configured to determine an unequal current allocation among the plurality of converter stages based on an operation of the power converter. The controller also includes a converter stage controller configured to control an output current produced by each of the plurality of converter stages in response to the current allocation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Wenguang Yan, Ashraf W. Lotfi
  • Patent number: 10075067
    Abstract: Various examples are provided for two-switch switched-capacitor (SC) converters. In one example, a SC converter includes first and second switches connected in series, a first gain-extension network coupled to the first switch and a second gain-extension network coupled to the second switch, which can be operated to boost a voltage applied across the first and second switches. The gain-extension networks can include a diode and a capacitor. In another example, the gain-extension networks can include a switch and a capacitor, which can be operated to buck a voltage applied across the gain-extension networks. In another example, a SC converter includes first and second diodes connected in series, a first gain-extension network coupled to the first diode and a second gain-extension network coupled to the second diode. The gain-extension networks can include a switch and a capacitor, which can be operated to buck a voltage applied across the gain-extension networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RAMOT AT TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY LTD.
    Inventors: Bin Wu, Keyue Ma Smedley, Sigmond Singer
  • Patent number: 10044292
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling an inverter system including a plurality of inverters connected in parallel. The method includes: comparing a target power amount with an amount of power to be supplied by the predetermined number of inverters; determining the number of inverters to be driven, based on a result of the comparison; and supplying the final output power to an AC power system by driving inverters by the determined number of inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ho-Hyun Kang
  • Patent number: 10020652
    Abstract: A power distribution system including first and second ac busbars connected to ac generators. A first active rectifier/inverter has ac input terminals electrically connected to the first ac busbar. A second active rectifier/inverter has ac input terminals electrically connected to the second ac busbar. A first dc interface is electrically connected to dc output terminals of the first active rectifier/inverter and a second dc interface is electrically connected to dc output terminals of the second active rectifier/inverter. The dc interfaces include reverse blocking means. A third active rectifier/inverter operates as a drive and has dc input terminals electrically connected in the parallel to dc output terminals of the first and second dc interfaces by means of an interposing dc busbar. An electric motor, that can optionally form part of a marine thruster T1, is electrically connected to ac output terminals of the third active rectifier/inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd
    Inventor: Eric Lewis, III
  • Patent number: 9991703
    Abstract: The present invention relates to providing reliable power to a storage device. In one embodiment, the storage device employs dual external power supplies. The power supplies may both provide power to the storage device. Alternatively, the power supplies may provide power in different configurations. One power supply may be a primary supply providing all or a majority of power, while the other power supply may be a backup. The storage device may comprise high efficiency DC-to-DC converters to permit the use of lower power-rated external power supplies. A staggered startup procedure by the storage device may be implemented to manage peak power draw. The storage device may be further configured to load balance and power share between the external power supplies. In addition, the storage device is configured to monitor the status of the external power supplies and send a notification if one or more of the power supplies fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: John E. Maroney
  • Patent number: 9991778
    Abstract: To provide current balancing between paralleled first and second inverter units of a modular converter system, a system controller is configured to determine a gate driver offset value based on respective voltages at the phase output nodes of the first and second inverter units. The system controller controls gate drivers for the first and second inverter units based on the determined gate driver offset value. In turn, the gate drivers drive the first and second inverter units with subsequent drive signals such that the amounts of current provided by the first and second inverter units when producing an in-phase power output are balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthew J. Krolak, Shengyi Liu
  • Patent number: 9991788
    Abstract: A control circuit of a power factor correction circuit including two channels, each of which includes a switching transistor, an inductor and a rectification element, includes: an error amplifier amplifying an error of a feedback signal according to output voltage of the power factor correction circuit and target value of the feedback signal and generating an error signal; a pulse modulator generating first and second pulse modulated signals in current critical mode in response to the error signal; a first driver driving the switching transistor of first channel based on the first pulse modulated signal; and a second driver driving the switching transistor of second channel based on the second pulse modulated signal, wherein the pulse modulator switches between a first mode where phase difference between the first and second pulse modulated signals is 180° and a second mode where the first and second channels are exclusively and alternately used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takumi Oe, Hiroyuki Murakami
  • Patent number: 9979280
    Abstract: A distributed power system wherein a plurality of power converters are connected in parallel and share the power conversion load according to a prescribed function, but each power converter autonomously determines its share of power conversion. Each power converter operates according to its own power conversion formula/function, such that overall the parallel-connected converters share the power conversion load in a predetermined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Adest, Guy Sella, Lior Handelsman, Yoav Galin, Amir Fishelov, Meir Gazit, Tzachi Glovinski, Yaron Binder
  • Patent number: 9941044
    Abstract: An insulation type step-down converter includes first and second step-down transformers each of which includes an input-side coil and an output-side coil. An intermediate portion of the output-side coil of the first step-down transformer and an intermediate portion of the output-side coil of the second step-down transformer are connected to each other. First, second, third, and fourth rectifier elements are connected in series with first, second, third, and fourth output-side coils, respectively. Smoothing coils are connected to the first to fourth output-side coils. The first, second, third, and fourth rectifier elements are connected such that electric currents flow simultaneously in the first output-side coil and the third output-side coil, and electric currents flow simultaneously in the second output-side coil and the fourth output-side coil in a manner alternating with the electric currents in the first output-side coil and the third output-side coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Nakajima, Takashi Kumagai, Yuji Shirakata, Yujiro Kido, Kenji Nishizaka
  • Patent number: 9941698
    Abstract: Legacy automatic variable capacitor KVAR compensation systems typically use either electromechanical devices such as relays or contactors of various forms and types to switch the selected capacitors in and out of the electrical system under some form of electronic control. These systems are slow and discontinuous in their ability to closely regulate the exact value of compensatory capacitance needed to compensate the variable and rapidly changing reactive power KVAR in the electrical power transmission and distribution networks. The present invention provides a fast response active KVAR compensator based on a variable transimpedance topology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Edge Electronics Limited
    Inventors: Neal George Stewart, Wing Ling Cheng
  • Patent number: 9935464
    Abstract: A smart junction box for a photovoltaic solar power module, and related method of operation. The junction box includes a plurality of active bypass circuits for protecting the solar cells from reverse bias, a novel power supply circuit in several embodiments that can operate with input voltages of either positive or negative polarity, a capacitor for storing and supplying energy, and a master control circuit. The master control circuit is able to enable/disable the power supply, force the bypass switches to open, and modulate the on-resistance of the bypass switches. The master control circuit performs these functions in a coordinated way to maintain the voltage across the capacitor within predetermined limits, thereby ensuring the internal circuitry is powered under all operating conditions including: full sunlight, partial shading, full shading, and safe mode for reducing the risk of electrical shock to firefighters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Sunfield Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Andrew Robbins
  • Patent number: 9910103
    Abstract: A power supply unit (PSU) performs a PSU fault diagnosis using a PSU fault detection module. The PSU fault detection module detects a diagnostic trigger event and initiates a series of checks of selected sub-systems. The PSU fault detection module determines whether the trigger event occurred while the PSU was connected within an information handling system (IHS) or physically removed from the IHS. If the trigger event occurred while the PSU was connected within an information handling system (IHS), the PSU fault detection module electrically isolates the PSU from the IHS using an ORing device, which blocks current flowing into the PSU. The PSU fault detection module determines whether a short circuit exists within the electrically isolated PSU. If a short circuit is identified, the PSU fault detection module determines that the PSU is not functioning properly and provides a notification of a malfunction of the PSU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Mehran Mirjafari, Mark Muccini, Scott Michael Ramsey, Wei Chen, Bhavesh Govindbhai Patel
  • Patent number: 9910453
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a sinusoid at a pre-set frequency f includes a DC power source with a controllable output voltage, a transformer, a power switch, a sequencer, and an output filter. The power switch is configured to apply the output of the DC power source to the primary of the transformer in either direction or to remain off based on control signals that are applied to its control input. The sequencer applies control signals to the control input in a choreographed sequence to form an oversampled version of a sine wave. The output filter is connected to the secondary of the transformer, and it passes the pre-set frequency f and attenuates frequencies above a cut-off frequency. In some preferred embodiments, the cut-off frequency is 3f and the transfer function of the output filter has a zero at 5f.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Novocure Limited
    Inventors: Yoram Wasserman, Edward Langerman, Mikhail Shtotland, Sergei Kirillov, Michael Krinitsky, Victor Kaikov
  • Patent number: 9906135
    Abstract: A multiphase DC/DC power converter includes an input, an output, at least a first converter and a second converter coupled in parallel between the input and the output, an inductor coupled to the first and second converters, an output capacitor coupled between the first and second converters and the output, and a control circuit coupled to the first converter and the second converter. The first and second converters each include a power switch. The control circuit is configured to switch the power switches at a frequency with a phase shift therebetween, and to vary the frequency to regulate a voltage at the output. Additionally, the control circuit may be configured to switch power switches at a fixed frequency with substantially no phase shift therebetween during startup of a multiphase DC/DC power converter, and at a variable frequency with a defined phase shift therebetween after startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: James Sigamani, Vijay Gangadhar Phadke
  • Patent number: 9906040
    Abstract: For a simple and reliable data communication in an arrangement composed of a plurality of inverters (31, 32, . . . 3n) connected in series and a network monitoring unit (5) it is provided that the network monitoring unit (5) superimposes a synchronization pulse (10) to the network voltage (VN) applied to the electrical load (4), which synchronization pulse can be detected by the inverters (31, 32, . . . 3n) for temporal synchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FRONIUS INTERNATIONAL GmbH
    Inventors: David Aitzetmueller, Christian Fasthuber, Clemens Bittmann
  • Patent number: 9885759
    Abstract: For an efficient, economical and at the same time flexibly usable or configurable test arrangement for energy storage devices including a plurality of energy storage modules, each including a plurality of energy storage units, an AC/DC converter (2) is connected on the output side to at least one bidirectional isolated module DC/DC converter (51 . . . 5n), wherein the output of the bidirectional isolated module DC/DC converter (51 . . . 5n) is connected to a plurality of parallel-connected cell DC/DC converters (611 . . . 6nm) and the outputs of the cell DC/DC converters (611 . . . 6nm) are brought out as outputs (A1+, A1? . . . Ax+, Ax?) of the test arrangement (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Gottfried Schipfer, Günter Prochart
  • Patent number: 9857812
    Abstract: A power conversion system is provided. The power conversion system includes a plurality of power conversion modules connected in parallel, all power conversion modules of the plurality of power conversion modules configured to receive a pulse-width modulation control signal, each power conversion module of the plurality of power conversion modules including a current unbalance detection circuit configured to calculate a difference between a reference current and an output current of the power conversion module, and a processing device communicatively coupled to the current unbalance detection circuit and configured to perform processing using the calculated difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lorenzo Giuntini, Andrea Lauro Delmue', Andrea Mannuccini, Luigi De Bernardi, Giosue' Claudio Rebuffoni
  • Patent number: 9853566
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a system for driving inverters in parallel includes a master controller, a plurality of slave controllers, and a plurality of inverters controlled correspondingly by each of the slave controllers. The system may further include a control signal creation unit to create control signals for the slave controllers by using data transmitted and received between the master controller and the slave controllers to enable the plurality of inverters to create balanced output currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bong-Ki Lee
  • Patent number: 9837931
    Abstract: A steady state control method for a three-phase double-mode inverter. Off-grid steady state control is composed of outer loop power droop control, voltage feed-forward quasi-resonant control, and inner current loop dead-beat control. Therefore, the response speed of the inverter is raised, and the influence caused by the load fluctuation of a micro-grid is inhibited. Based on the off-grid steady state control, grid-connected steady state control introduces phase lead control to the power droop control. Therefore, the output voltage of the inverter is always slightly ahead of the power grid voltage, which avoids the energy pour backward phenomenon of the inverter due to a phase error, and realizes stable and reliable running in the grid-connected mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: Hunan University, Changsha Boli Electric Corporation
    Inventors: An Luo, Yandong Chen, Mingyue Wang, Qingchang Zhong, Leming Zhou, Yuan Huang, Zhiyong Chen, Xiaoping Zhou, Huimin Kuang, Mingshen Li
  • Patent number: 9831846
    Abstract: For power conversion, a power conversion system includes a plurality of power converters and a phase shifting transformer. The phase shifting transformer includes 3-phase primary windings, a core and a plurality of m secondary winding groups. Each of the secondary winding groups includes n secondary windings in electromagnetic communication with a corresponding primary winding and feeding the plurality of power converters. Phase angle sets of the secondary winding groups are all different with a non-zero secondary winding phase shift between any two secondary winding groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhongyuan Cheng, Navid R. Zargari
  • Patent number: 9819276
    Abstract: A power supply circuit comprises an input for receiving a power supply from a battery and a DC/DC converter for supplying a converted voltage to a load. A regulator is used for controlling the DC/DC converter such that the current drawn from the converter is smoothed. A charge storage device at the output of the DC/DC converter enables delivery of a non-constant current to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Dave Kroekenstoel, Steven Thoen
  • Patent number: 9793803
    Abstract: A power converter circuit includes an input and an output. A supply circuit is configured to receive an input signal from the input and to generate a number of supply signals from the input signal. A number of converter units are provided. Each of the plurality of converter units is configured to receive one of the plurality of supply signals and to output an output signal to the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Gerald Deboy, Klaus Krischan, Rolf Weis
  • Patent number: 9787219
    Abstract: A modulation policy for a modular multi-level convertor, determining a switching state of each submodule by combining the current direction of each bridge arm and the capacitor voltage order of the submodules based on a carrier stacking method. The beneficial effects of the modulation policy are that: each phase only needs a modulation wave and N carriers, given N submodules of each upper bridge arm or lower bridge arm of the modular multi-level convertor; the modular multi-level convertor can output N+1 levels without carrier phase shift; N devoted submodules of each phase are guaranteed at any time; and the submodules' capacitor voltage balancing can be controlled without a closed-loop control policy. The modulation policy facilitates adjustment of the modular multi-level convertor voltage and power class, has unlimited number of levels, has a high precision control algorithm, is easy to realize in engineering and saves software and hardware resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Xiaojie Wu, Zheng Gong, Peng Dai, Gaige Liang, Yiwen Geng, Quanjun Guo, Juan Zhou, En Fang, Xia Zhao, Huaxia Dai, Xiao Zong, Guangsheng Liu
  • Patent number: 9755522
    Abstract: A method for controlling a multiphase resonant DC/DC converter comprising a plurality of identical elementary resonant DC/DC converters connected in parallel. The method comprises the steps of measuring each of the supply currents (IR1, IR2, . . . IRn) of the elementary converters for balancing the supply currents (IR1, IR2, . . . IRn) and controlling switching frequencies (F1, F2, . . . Fn) of the elementary converters according to the supply currents (IR1, IR2, . . . IRn), so as to carry out the balancing. The supply currents (IR1, IR2, . . . IRn) are measured in the elementary DC/DC converters in order to balance these same currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Patrick Dubus, Gang Yang
  • Patent number: 9729070
    Abstract: Provided are methods and circuits for a resonant converter comprising at least one switch-controlled capacitor, wherein the at least one switch-controlled capacitor controls a resonant frequency of the resonant tank circuit. Provided are constant and variable switching frequency embodiments, and full-wave and half-wave switch-controlled capacitor embodiments. Also provided are interleaved resonant converters based on constant and variable switching frequency, and full-wave and half-wave switch-controlled capacitor resonant converter embodiments. Interleaved embodiments overcome load sharing problems associated with prior interleaved resonant converters and enable phase shedding to improve light load efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: GANPOWER INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Yan-Fei Liu, Zhiyuan Hu
  • Patent number: 9729139
    Abstract: A cooperative control method for a plurality of power semiconductor elements connected in parallel. The cooperative control method includes (1) connecting, in a daisy chain configuration, a plurality of current balance control circuits each for driving a corresponding power semiconductor element, and (2) responsive to an input to cause the power semiconductor elements to simultaneously perform switching operations, comparing current information of each power semiconductor element with that of an adjacent power semiconductor element, and delaying, using the current balance control circuits, turn-on time or turn-off time of each power semiconductor element, upon determining that the turn-on time or the turn-off time is earlier than turn-on time or turn-off time obtained from the current information of the adjacent power semiconductor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9712063
    Abstract: A method for improving a power converter's efficiency comprises detecting an input voltage of a power converter, determining an operation mode of the power converter based upon the input voltage of the power converter and generating a plurality of gate drive signals based upon a damped gain control, wherein the damped gain control is configured such that an output voltage of the power converter is in a range from a tightly regulated output voltage to an unregulated output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Heping Dai, Daoshen Chen, Bing Cai
  • Patent number: 9712040
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for shaping grid currents output from parallel inverters in a power distribution system with virtual impedances. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a measurement of the current output from the inverter, processing the measurement of the current to extract a first current component having a particular frequency, obtaining a second current component based on the measurement of the current and the extracted first current component, weighing the first and second current components with respective first and second impedances to obtain respective first and second component voltages, the first impedance having a lower impedance amplitude than the second impedance, obtaining a shaped voltage based on the first and second component voltages, and outputting a control signal to the inverter, the control signal causing the inverter to output the shaped voltage to the power distribution bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Sangsun Kim, Srinivasa Murthy Salapaka, Murti V. Salapaka, Subhrajit Roychowdhury
  • Patent number: 9712080
    Abstract: A system includes first and second pluralities of single phase AC/DC power supplies each having an input for coupling to first and second phase voltages, respectively, in a polyphase power distribution system. The outputs of the power supplies are electrically connected in parallel for supplying DC current to a load at a substantially constant voltage. The system further includes a controller coupled to at least the first plurality of power supplies and configured to increase the DC current supplied to the load by at least one of the first plurality of power supplies in response to another one of the first plurality of power supplies shutting down. Various other systems, power supplies, controllers and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: ASTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Vijay Gangadhar Phadke
  • Patent number: 9705416
    Abstract: A converter arrangement with at least two single LLC converters, a pulse generator per single LLC converter wherein each pulse generator is configured to supply switching pulses to one single LLC converter and an output controller configured to use switching frequency control and/or phase-shift control to control the pulse generators comprises a load balancing control for overcoming unbalanced loading of the converter arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: DET INTERNATIONAL HOLDING LIMITED
    Inventors: Heiko Figge, Frank Schafmeister, Tobias Grote
  • Patent number: 9673638
    Abstract: A charging converter includes a plurality of switches configured to switchably operate to either step up an input voltage or step down the input voltage and generate a charging voltage on a second terminal to charge to a rechargeable storage unit, and control logic configured to operate the plurality of switches in one of a step up mode and a step down mode based on a determination of a voltage level of the input voltage relative to the desired charging voltage. A method includes determining a desired charging voltage to charge a rechargeable storage unit, switchably controlling a charging converter to step up the input voltage if an input voltage is lower than the desired charging voltage to generate a charging voltage, and switchably controlling the charging converter to step down the input voltage if the input voltage is higher than the desired charging voltage to generate the charging voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: INTEGRATED DEVICE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Siamak Bastami
  • Patent number: 9660522
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter circuit arrangement consisting of at least one multiphase DC-DC converter for transporting energy between two electrical systems. The arrangement may include several converter circuits whereby each features at least one first control element that can be regulated. A controller can produce several drive signals that have different phases. One switched mode operation of a converter circuit of the multiphase DC-DC converter can be controlled with each drive signal. The switched mode operation of each converter circuit of each subsequent multiphase DC-DC converter can be controlled by means of a drive signal, which can be produced by the controller. The controller is designed and equipped in such a way that it can enable or disable the energy transport by means of one of the multiphase DC-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventor: Wolfgang Daub
  • Patent number: 9658667
    Abstract: A power supply system is provided to control one or more power supply units associated with an information handling system. A first power supply unit and a second power supply unit are electrically coupled to the information handling system. A controller is provided in communication with both the first and second power supply units. The controller functions to select one of the first and second power supply units to electrically power the information handling system. The non-selected unit generates zero output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Chen, George Cheng, Peter Cy Huang
  • Patent number: 9634575
    Abstract: The present application discloses a control method and a control device for parallel inverters. The method comprises: receiving a feedback signal Vmg reflecting load voltage and a voltage reference signal Vref to generate a command signal Pset reflecting active power and a command signal Qset reflecting reactive power; taking the command signal Pset reflecting active power as the first offset of an active power-output voltage frequency curve (P-F) of an inverter unit, and taking the command signal Qset reflecting reactive power as the second offset of an reactive power-output voltage amplitude curve (Q-V) of the inverter unit; transversely translating the curve (P-F) of the inverter unit according to the first offset, transversely translating the curve (Q-V) of the inverter unit according to the second offset, and adjusting the load voltage of the inverter system by means of adjusted output voltage frequency and output voltage amplitude of the inverter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Cheng Lu, Jiamin Zhang, Jianhong Zhou, Hongyang Wu
  • Patent number: 9614470
    Abstract: A motor current controller includes: an H-bridge circuit that includes a switching element and is connected to a motor coil provided in a motor; and a control unit that drives the switching element every PWM cycle and designates an operation mode from among a plurality of modes including a charge mode, in which a motor current flowing in the motor coil increases, and a decay mode, in which the motor current is decreased for the H-bridge circuit. The control unit operates to select the decay mode as the operation mode with higher priority during a period in which the PWM cycle ends after the maximum duty time elapses from the start of each PWM cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Hijikata
  • Patent number: 9609698
    Abstract: A microwave heating device mountable to an electric device, includes: a commercial power supply; an AC/DC converter which outputs a plurality of DC voltages according to power supplied from the commercial power supply; a controller which receives power from the AC/DC converter and totally controls the electric device; a microwave processing device using a compound semiconductor which receives a plurality of outputs of the AC/DC converter and outputs a microwave; and a plurality of loads connected between, of the DC voltages output from the AC/DC converter, a predetermined Vd voltage and ground through a plurality of contacts. The loads form a group of electric components in the electric device. The controller controls power supply to the loads, and controls on/off of the contacts to drive the loads by the Vd voltage regardless of the voltage of the commercial power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Mihara, Tomotaka Nobue, Yoshiharu Omori, Toshiyuki Okajima
  • Patent number: 9602011
    Abstract: A switching stage includes a first plurality of switches configured to produce an alternating current from a bulk voltage. A transformer has a primary and a plurality of secondaries, the primary configured to receive the alternating current. A second plurality of switches are coupled to a first of the plurality of secondaries through a first resonant filter to provide a first voltage output. A third plurality of switches are coupled to a second of the plurality of secondaries through a second resonant filter to provide a second voltage output, the second voltage output being of opposite polarity to the first voltage output. A controller is configured to control the second plurality of switches and the third plurality of switches according to on-and-off state of the first plurality of switches and criteria including whether an absolute value of the first voltage output or the second voltage output exceeds a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Eric Matthew Baker
  • Patent number: 9590512
    Abstract: A PFC circuit generates substantially sinusoidal current that is in-phase with AC input voltage to compensate for a power factor. A DC-DC converter converts the voltage of a signal outputted from the PFC circuit to determined voltage. A current change detection section detects an amount of change in current outputted from the DC-DC converter, compares the detected amount of change in current with a threshold set in advance, and if the detected amount of change in current is larger than the threshold, outputs a gain switching signal for raising the gain of voltage outputted from the PFC circuit. The current change detection section outputs a voltage control signal for raising the voltage outputted from the PFC circuit to a determined value. A voltage setting section sets the voltage outputted from the PFC circuit to the determined value on the basis of the voltage control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yu Yonezawa, Tomotake Sasaki, Yoshinobu Matsui, Yoshiyasu Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9577590
    Abstract: A direct current (DC)-DC converter, which includes a charge pump buck power supply and a buck power supply is disclosed. The charge pump buck power supply includes a charge pump buck converter, a first inductive element, and an energy storage element. The charge pump buck converter and the first inductive element are coupled in series between a DC power supply, such as a battery, and the energy storage element. The buck power supply includes a buck converter, a second inductive element, and the energy storage element. The buck converter and the second inductive element are coupled in series between the DC power supply and the energy storage element. As such, the charge pump buck power supply and the buck power supply share the energy storage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Levesque, Jean-Christophe Berchtold, Joseph Hubert Colles, Robert Deuchars, William David Southcombe, David Zimlich, David E. Jones, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert
  • Patent number: 9577540
    Abstract: A multi-stage flyback circuit is provided for a wide range of DC input voltage applications. An intermediate circuit is coupled across a DC source which may be for example an output from a diode bridge rectifier. A first flyback stage includes a primary winding of a flyback transformer and a first switch coupled in series between a midpoint of the intermediate circuit and a negative DC terminal. A second flyback stage includes a second primary winding and a second switch coupled in series between the midpoint of the intermediate circuit and a positive DC terminal. A secondary winding of the flyback transformer is coupled to a DC load. The first and second switches are operated synchronously, wherein the voltage stress on each of the first and second switches is substantially reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Wei Xiong
  • Patent number: 9570987
    Abstract: The invention relates to a voltage converter (100), including: a plurality of two-way conversion cells (303), each cell comprising a primary circuit (307, Wp), and a secondary circuit (308, Ws) that is insulated from the primary circuit, wherein each circuit can be separately activated in order to supply an output voltage from the converter; and at least one control circuit (306) configured to, in a first operating mode, control the activated cells in order to transfer electrical energy from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit, and control the inactivated cells in order to transfer electrical energy from the secondary circuit to the primary circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignees: Institute Polytechnique de Grenoble, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Univeriste Joseph Fourier
    Inventors: Hieu Trinh, Nicolas Rouger, Jean-Christophe Crebier, Yves Lembeye
  • Patent number: 9570722
    Abstract: Provided is a power storage device that enables a reduction in workload and work risk and thus allows a battery unit to be simply and safely removed from and attached to the power storage device. A power storage device (1) includes a plurality of battery unit receiving portions (70) for receiving battery units (100), a plurality of connectors (20) each floatable in the plane intersecting a direction (X) of insertion of the battery unit (100) into the battery unit receiving portion (70), an attaching object (80) to which the plurality of connectors (20) are attached, and connecting members (93) that connect between the plurality of connectors (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Ebisawa, Katsuhiko Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 9550421
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter may be disposed in a vehicle for converting a high voltage from a power source to a low voltage. The DC-to-DC converter may include a primary converter, a secondary converter, and a DC-to-DC module. The DC-to-DC module may control the operation of the secondary converter based on a set-point threshold and a power output of the primary converter, where the set-point threshold may be variably set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: James Harkins
  • Patent number: 9548627
    Abstract: A system for detecting latent defects within a redundant power architecture includes a plurality of redundant power supplies, each having one or more output power rails, connected in a redundant fashion to a system load; each power supply output having fault-isolating OR'ing circuitry that prevents reverse current flow when free of defects; each power supply having means for adjusting its output voltage; each power supply having means for monitoring an internal voltage therein, and, based on characteristics of the monitored internal voltage, determining the presence of latent defect/s in the fault-isolating “OR'ing” circuitry. Further, the system operates to shift the load demanded from power supplies in redundant power architectures to allow the power supplies to run at their optimum electrical efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventors: Joseph P. King, Jr., Phillip J. Roux, Michael A. Faulkner, Robert M. Beauchamp, Robert A. Guenther
  • Patent number: 9543824
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an active power factor correction (APFC) control circuit, configured to generate a pulse-width modulation (PWM) control signal to control the operation of a power converter, includes: (i) an inductor current zero crossing detection circuit coupled to a common node between a power switch of the power converter and a first switch that are coupled in series, where the inductor current zero crossing detection circuit is configured to generate a comparison signal based on a voltage signal at the common node; (ii) the comparison signal being activated when an inductor current of the power converter decreases to zero; and (iii) the APFC control circuit being configured as a source driver, wherein a control terminal of the power switch is coupled to a constant voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Xiaoru Xu
  • Patent number: 9537581
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a bi-directional regulator circuit, and functional circuitry. The bi-directional regulator circuit generates a voltage across a first power supply node and a second power supply node in response to an input current flowing through the first terminal and the second terminal with a first polarity. The bi-directional regulator circuit also generates the voltage across the first power supply node and the second power supply node in response to the input current flowing through the first terminal and the second terminal with a second polarity opposite the first polarity. The functional circuitry is powered by the voltage and is configured to generate a signal using the voltage. The signal is indicative of the input current in response to the input current being supplied to the first terminal and is indicative of the input current in response to presence of the input current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Mills, Anantha Nag Nemmani, Jeffrey L. Sonntag
  • Patent number: 9525276
    Abstract: An enclosure for a power supply is provided. An aspect includes a first compartment and a second compartment located adjacent to the first compartment. Another aspect includes an intermediate pressure relief flap located inside the enclosure in between the first compartment and the second compartment, and a top pressure relief flap located on an external surface of the second compartment. Another aspect includes the intermediate pressure relief flap and the top pressure relief flap configured to be closed in the absence of an arc fault in the enclosure, and the intermediate pressure relief flap and the top pressure relief flap configured to open based on the presence of the arc fault in the enclosure, such that plasma from the arc fault vents from the first compartment into the second compartment via the opened intermediate pressure relief flap and out of the second compartment via the opened top pressure relief flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Farr, Kevin D. Wissner, Edward A. Novack, Graham M. Thompson
  • Patent number: 9507356
    Abstract: The present application provides a tunable compensator providing a control signal to control a switch in a power supply. A measurement is taken of the level of activity of the control signal. This measurement is used to introduce a bias into a tuner tuning the compensator when the amount of activity in the control signal drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: ROHM POWERVATION LIMITED
    Inventor: Anthony Kelly
  • Patent number: 9496710
    Abstract: A solid state circuit for performing rapid shutdown of a photovoltaic power generation system includes a pair of high voltage power transistors connected between a photovoltaic array and a pair of high voltage lines that function to supply power generated by the photovoltaic array to a DC to AC inverter. The solid state circuit further includes a control circuit configured so that when the photovoltaic power generation system operates under normal conditions, the control circuit maintains the pair of high voltage power transistors in the on state so that power produced by the photovoltaic array can be transmitted to the DC to AC inverter through the pair of high voltage lines. The control circuit is further configured so that upon receiving a rapid shutdown command, the control circuit turns off the pair of high voltage power transistors to thereby electrically disconnect the photovoltaic array from the pair of power lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: SolarCity Corporation
    Inventors: Sandeep Narla, Alex Mayer, Soren Jensen