Patents Assigned to Astec International Limited
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Patent number: 11652424Abstract: A switch-mode power supply includes a pair of input terminals for receiving an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) voltage input from an input power source, a pair of output terminals for supplying a direct current (DC) voltage output to a load, and a three-level LLC circuit coupled between the pair of input terminals and the pair of output terminals. The circuit includes a first switch coupled with a first diode to define a first half-bridge and a second switch coupled with a second diode to define a second half-bridge. The power supply further includes a third switch coupled across the first diode and the second diode to short circuit the first diode and the second diode when the third switch is closed, and a control circuit including a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), at least one flip-flop and multiple logic gates to operate the three switches with zero-voltage switching (ZVS).Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2022Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventor: James Sigamani
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Patent number: 11622476Abstract: A circuit board assembly for electronic devices includes a circuit board having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and a heat sink carrier disposed on the first surface of the circuit board. The heat sink carrier includes at least one clamp portion. The assembly also includes a heat sink. The heat sink is positioned in the at least one clamp portion of the heat sink carrier to transfer heat from one or more electronic devices to the heat sink via the heat sink carrier.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2021Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Yu-Wei Chen, Cheng-Sheng Chen
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Patent number: 11601060Abstract: A switch-mode power supply includes a pair of input terminals for receiving an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) voltage input from an input power source, a pair of output terminals for supplying a direct current (DC) voltage output to a load, and at least four switches coupled in a three-level LLC circuit arrangement between the pair of input terminals and the pair of output terminals. The power supply also includes a voltage doubler power factor correction (PFC) circuit coupled between the pair of input terminals and the three-level LLC circuit, and a control circuit coupled to operate the at least four switches to supply the DC voltage output to the load.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2021Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventor: James Sigamani
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Patent number: 11601063Abstract: A power supply receives AC power and generates a DC output voltage. The power supply may be divided into a primary section that converts AC power to a relatively high DC voltage. A secondary section converts this relatively high DC voltage into a well-regulated lower DC voltage. In an embodiment, the current and/or power supplied by the primary to the secondary side is used by the secondary side in a closed-loop feedback system to limit the current drawn by the secondary side to a configurable value.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2021Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Donald Cedrick Ongyanco, Joey De Guzman, Vincent Vicente Vivar, Ricardo Bernado Roldan, Jr., Arvin San Juan
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Patent number: 11594969Abstract: A buck-boost converter circuit, such as a non-inverting buck-boost converter, can include two separate control loop circuits to separately control operation of the buck circuit and the boost circuit. The control loop circuits may include two different voltage reference signals, two different current reference signals, two different current feedback signals, two different voltage feedback signals, or a combination thereof. The buck-boost converter circuit can operate in three modes: a buck mode, a transition mode, and a boost mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2020Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventor: Antonio Remetio Soleno
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Patent number: 11588410Abstract: A switched-mode power supply includes an input, an output, and a transformer including primary and secondary windings. The power supply also includes a synchronous rectifier coupled to selectively conduct current through the secondary winding of the transformer. The synchronous rectifier includes a source, a gate and a drain terminal. The power supply further includes a controller having a supply voltage terminal and a gate terminal to supply a control signal to the gate of the synchronous rectifier, and a circuit coupled between the supply voltage terminal of the controller and at least one of the gate terminal of the controller and the drain terminal of the synchronous rectifier to supply power from the gate terminal of the controller or the drain terminal of the synchronous rectifier to the supply voltage terminal of the controller. Methods of supplying power in switched-mode power supplies are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Yongtao Xie, Pengfei Cai, Shaobo Li, Zhanwu Wang
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Patent number: 11575262Abstract: Example electrical power systems include an output for supplying a DC output voltage to a load, a first power source connected with the output to supply DC power to the load, and a second power source connected with the output to supply DC power to the load. The electrical power system is configured to supply DC power to the load using only the first power source when a demand of the load is less than an output capacity of the first power source, and the second power source is configured to maintain an enabled on-state when only the first power source is supplying DC power to the load. Additional electrical power systems and methods are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2022Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: John Faustino Begino, III, Nathaniel Franco Neri
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Patent number: 11569748Abstract: An interleaved power converter includes a control circuit and multiple phase-shifted subconverters each having at least one power switch. The control circuit is coupled to the subconverters for controlling the power switches to balance currents in the subconverters over multiple periods. The control circuit includes a current compensator configured to determine a first duty cycle multiple times over the multiple periods, generate a PWM control signal having a present value of the first duty cycle for controlling the power switch of one of the subconverters during a period, determine a second duty cycle based on the present value of the first duty cycle and a previous value of the first duty cycle, and generate another PWM control signal having the second duty cycle for controlling the power switch of another one of the subconverters during the period. Other example power converters and control circuits are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Yancy Fontanilla Boncato, Ronnie Bachiller Gozun
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Patent number: 11557426Abstract: An isolated switch-mode power supply includes at least one input, at least one output, and a power circuit coupled between the at least one input and the at least one output for converting an input voltage or current to an output voltage or current. The power circuit includes a transformer having one or more primary windings, one or more secondary windings, an electrical insulator, and a core magnetically coupling the one or more primary windings and the one or more secondary windings. Upper portions of the primary and secondary windings are covered with the electrical insulator. Other example switchmode power supplies, transformers, magnetic chokes and methods are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventor: Alfredo Belmonte Grueso
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Patent number: 11557917Abstract: A switched mode power supply comprises a communication interface including an address terminal configured to couple to an external resistor for setting a communication address of the switched mode power supply. A control circuit is configured to determine the value of the external resistor a first time with a first technique and set the communication address of the switched mode power supply based on the value of the external resistor determined using the first technique if the value of the external resistor is greater than the threshold value. The control circuit is also configured to, if the value of the external resistor is less than the threshold value, determine the value of the external resistor a second time with a second technique and set the communication address of the switched mode power supply based on the value of the external resistor determined using the second technique.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Bing Zhang, Mei Qin, Lian Liang, Wenyong Liu, Zhishuo Li
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Patent number: 11557976Abstract: A three-phase power supply circuit is provided. The power supply circuit includes three LLC resonant voltage convertors, three step-down transformers, and a bridge rectifier. Each step-down transformer includes a primary and secondary coil, and each primary and secondary coil has a first node and a second node. Each step-down transformer is electrically coupled with one of the three LLC resonant voltage convertors by the first and second nodes of the primary coils. The bridge rectifier is electrically coupled with the first node of the secondary coil of each of the three step-down transformers. The second nodes of the secondary coils of each of the three step-down transformers are electrically coupled together.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventor: James Sigamani
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Patent number: 11557961Abstract: A multi-phase interleaved PFC converter includes at least six switches coupled in a multi-phase interleaved circuit arrangement, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to turn on and turn off a first one of the switches according to a PWM signal to operate the first switch as an active switch having an off-time as a function of a duty cycle of the PWM signal, while turning on and turning off a second one of the switches as a synchronous switch. The control circuit is also configured to receive signal(s) indicative of currents in each phase of the interleaved circuit arrangement, set an on-time of the second switch equal to the off-time of the first switch when the signal(s) indicate continuous mode operation, and set the on-time of the second switch to a duration less than the off-time of the first switch when the signal(s) indicate discontinuous mode operation.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Zhihua Gu, Siu Chik Wong, Kim Ly Kha
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Patent number: 11557958Abstract: A power supply comprises a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a bridge circuit coupled to the primary winding of the transformer, a first rail coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer, and a second rail coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer. The bridge circuit comprises a plurality of switches. The power supply also comprises a first sensor assembly coupled to generate a first error signal representing a difference between currents in the first rail and the second rail. A controller is configured to alter a duty cycle of a first switch of the plurality of switches relative to a duty cycle of a second switch of the plurality of switches based on the first error signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Yongtao Xie, Zhanwu Wang, Sudhakarababu Chakkirala
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Patent number: 11489438Abstract: A power conversion device is provided. The power conversion device includes a bulk capacitor, a current limiting resistor in series with the bulk capacitor, and an inrush current control device configured to bypass the current limiting resistor when activated. The power conversion device also includes a bypass device in parallel with the current limiting resistor, configured to provide a low-resistance path to the bulk capacitor during a power surge.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Yongtao Xie, Pengfei Cai, Wenchao Que
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Patent number: 11482922Abstract: An electronic circuit comprises a first and second comparators and a first summer. The first comparator is configured to perform a first comparison to compare a first current reference signal with a signal representing an input current and configured to generate a first current error signal based on the first comparison. The second comparator is configured to perform a second comparison to compare a second current reference signal with the signal representing the input current and configured to generate a second current error signal based on the second comparison. The first summer is configured to adjust a first summer input error signal based on a second summer input error signal. The first summer input error signal is based on the first current error signal, and the second summer input error signal is based on the second current error signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2021Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventor: Yancy Fontanilla Boncato
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Patent number: 11444452Abstract: A current limiting circuit for controlling current from a power supply to a load having a capacitance includes an inductor, a transistor coupled in a current path with the inductor, and a control circuit. The transistor includes a control terminal. The control circuit is coupled to sense a voltage across the inductor and coupled to the control terminal of the transistor. The control circuit is configured to turn off the transistor when the voltage across the inductor is greater than a threshold to restrict current from a power supply, and turn on the transistor when a defined parameter is met to allow current from the power supply to charge the load capacitance. Other example current limiting circuits are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Wei Ping Li, Wei Jia Yan, Wen Jian Liao, Xin Zhang
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Patent number: 11425838Abstract: An electronic module, such as a power module, may include a latch having two or more protrusions where a first protrusion can fix the electronic module into a shelf and the second protrusion can be a curved protrusion that activates the latch when an adjacent electronic module is inserted into or removed from the shelf. In some embodiments, a third protrusion may be included, where the first protrusion and the third protrusion both fix the electronic module to the shelf and are activated by the latch. Also, a shelf may include a partition between two electronic module receptacles that has a width that is less than a protrusion extending from a side wall of one of the electronic modules.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventor: Jerome G. Antaran
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Patent number: 11411556Abstract: A switching power converter includes a power circuit including at least two power switching devices and a control circuit coupled to the power circuit for controlling the power switching devices. The control circuit is configured to sense an output voltage of the power circuit, generate at least two ramp signals based on complementary clock signals, and generate a control signal for controlling one of the power switching devices based on one of the ramp signals and the output voltage of the power circuit, and another control signal for controlling another one of the power switching devices based on another one of the ramp signals and the output voltage of the power circuit. In some examples, the control circuit may include comparators for generating the control signals. Other example power converters and control circuits are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventor: Carl Kenneth Walker
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Patent number: 11381240Abstract: Example MOSFET circuits include a first metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) having a gate, a source and a drain, and a second MOSFET coupled in series with the first MOSFET. The second MOSFET has a gate, a source and a drain. The MOSFET circuit also includes a controller configured to supply a same control signal to the gate of the first MOSFET and the gate of the second MOSFET to turn on or turn off the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET when a drain-source voltage of the first MOSFET and a drain-source voltage of the second MOSFET are substantially zero. Other MOSFET circuits and methods of operating MOSFET circuits are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2021Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Yong Tao Xie, Ernesto Zaparita Caguioa, Jr.
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Patent number: 11381169Abstract: The technology described herein is directed to a DC input power supply unit with an auxiliary boost control circuit (or controller) that facilitates continuous supply of power to a standby output load of the power supply unit in a bootloader mode. More specifically, the auxiliary boost circuit (or controller) is configured to assume control of a primary power boost stage from a primary controller in a bootloader mode so that the power supply unit can continue to supply power to the standby output with a protection function regardless of the state of the power supply unit or primary controller.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Chih-hao Hsu, Chang-Chieh Yu, Carl Walker, Chun-Wei Chang, Po-Tso Chen