Patents Examined by Adolf Berhane
  • Patent number: 10503186
    Abstract: In described examples of a circuit that operates as a low-power ideal diode, and an IC chip that contains the ideal diode circuit, the circuit includes: a first P-channel transistor connected to receive an input voltage on a first terminal and to provide an output voltage on a second terminal; a first amplifier connected to receive the input voltage and the output voltage and to provide a first signal that dynamically biases a gate of the first P-channel transistor as a function of the voltage across the first P-channel transistor; and a second amplifier connected to receive the input voltage and the output voltage and to provide a second signal that acts to turn off the gate of the first P-channel transistor responsive to the input voltage being less than the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Timothy Bryan Merkin, Hassan Pooya Forghani-Zadeh
  • Patent number: 10424922
    Abstract: A power supply device for a molding machine with an intermediate circuit, which can be connected with at least one drive of the molding machine and is suitable for supplying the at least one drive with electrical energy; a supply module connected to the intermediate circuit; an energy storage device connected to the intermediate circuit; and a closed loop control device for closed loop controlling an energy content of the energy storage device. The energy storage device can be closed loop controlled by means of the closed loop control device so that the energy content of the energy storage device does not go outside a range, in which a power input and/or a power output of the energy storage device is essentially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: ENGEL AUSTRIA GMBH
    Inventors: Harald Fraueneder, Gerhard Dimmler
  • Patent number: 10298123
    Abstract: A power supply includes a reference voltage generator circuit, a ramp generator circuit, and control circuitry. During operation, the reference voltage generator circuit compares a magnitude of a received output voltage feedback signal to a received reference voltage. Based on the comparison, the reference voltage generator circuit produces a varying reference voltage and outputs it to the ramp generator circuit. As its name suggests, a magnitude of the varying reference voltage varies over time. The ramp generator circuit produces a ramp voltage signal, a magnitude of which is offset by the varying reference voltage. To maintain an output voltage of the power supply within regulation, the control circuitry receives the varying reference voltage and controls activation of a power converter circuit to power a load based on a comparison of the ramp voltage signal and the output voltage feedback signal of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Danny Clavette, Kang Peng, Keng Chen, Mark A. Crowther
  • Patent number: 10298110
    Abstract: A switched mode power converter has an energy transfer element that delivers an output signal to a load. A power switching device coupled to the primary side of the energy transfer element regulates a transfer of energy to the load. A secondary controller is coupled to receive a feedback signal and output a pulsed signal in response thereto. A primary controller is coupled to receive the pulsed signal and output a drive signal in response thereto, the drive signal being coupled to control switching of the power switching device. A compensation circuit generates an adaptively compensated signal synchronous with the pulsed signal. The adaptively compensated signal has a parameter that is adaptively adjusted in response to a comparison of the feedback signal with a threshold reference signal. The parameter converges towards a final value that produces a desired level of the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Giao Minh Pham, Vikram Balakrishnan, Arthur B. Odell, Antonius Jacobus Johannes Werner, Karl Moore, Matthew David Waterson
  • Patent number: 10263520
    Abstract: A DC/DC power converter connected to a DC power source having first and second DC terminals. The DC/DC power converter operates in voltage step-up and step-down modes. The converter includes first and second DC buses connected to the first and second DC terminals and third and fourth DC buses defining a DC link. Energy storage devices are connected between the third and fourth buses. A first converter leg includes a first branch with switches and a second branch. Each switch includes a controllable semiconductor switch and an anti-parallel connected freewheeling diode. A controller switches the controllable semiconductor switches between a conducting and non-conducting state, in the step-up and step-down modes, switching to supply power from the DC power source to the DC link in the step-up mode and to supply power from the DC link to the DC power source in the step-down mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSATION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Teng Long, Allan David Crane, Martin Charles Southall, Mounir Louati
  • Patent number: 10256727
    Abstract: An interleaved multi-phase power supply with a plurality of DC-DC converter ICs. Each DC-DC converter IC has a current sharing pin, and the current sharing pins of the plurality of DC-DC converter ICs are connected together. Each DC-DC converter IC receives a feedback voltage signal to compare with a reference voltage signal to generate an error voltage signal as a reference of an output current of the corresponding DC-DC converter IC. And each DC-DC converter IC has a mismatch voltage regulation module regulating the error voltage signal to be equal to an average of error voltage signals of the plurality of DC-DC converter ICs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wanke Tao, Tianzhu Zhang
  • Patent number: 10254314
    Abstract: A current sensing circuit used in a buck-boost converter having a pair of buck switches and a pair of boost switches, including: a first sensing circuit providing a detection current though a first normally-ON transistor and a second normally-ON transistor, and a second sensing circuit detecting an average of the detection current and providing a current sensing signal in accordance with the average. During a turn ON time of a first low side switch of the pair of buck switches, the detection current represents a current flowing through the first low side switch, the current sensing signal represents an output current. During a turn ON time of the second low side switch of the pair of boost switches, the detection current represents a current flowing through the second low side switch, and the current sensing signal represents an input current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lei Li
  • Patent number: 10250143
    Abstract: An AC/DC converting apparatus having first and second input nodes for receiving an AC input voltage Vin, a first pair of switches for coupling a first terminal of a first inductor to the first input node and ground, a second pair of switches for coupling a second terminal of the first inductor to an output node for providing a DC output voltage Vout and ground, a third pair of switches for coupling a first terminal of a second inductor to the second input node and ground, and a fourth pair of switches for coupling a second terminal of the second inductor to the output node and ground. The first pair of switches is turned ON when Vin is in a first portion having a first polarity, the third pair of switches is turned ON when Vin is in a second portion having a second polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Jiang, Eric Yang, Di Han
  • Patent number: 10250144
    Abstract: An example relates to a method for operating a converter comprising a primary side of a transformer and a secondary side of the transformer, wherein a switching element is used for conveying energy from the primary side to the secondary side, the method comprising (i) determining a voltage drop across the primary side of the transformer; (ii) determining at least one additional voltage drop across at least one component of the converter's primary side; and (iii) determining an input voltage at the converter via the voltage drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventors: Marcus Schaemann, Robert Pizzuti, Ali Fawaz
  • Patent number: 10250042
    Abstract: A wind turbine converter system with a rectifier and an inverter and a converter controller has at least first and second converter strings. The converter system is controlled by a master-converter controller and a slave-converter controller. The master-converter controller controls the first converter string and the slave-converter controller controls the second converter string. The master-converter controller receives commands from a superordinate wind turbine controller, provides the slave-converter controller with string-control commands on the basis of the superordinate control commands, and controls the conversion operation of the first converter string on the basis of the superordinate control command. The slave-converter controller receives the string-control commands from the master-converter controller and controls the conversion operation of the second converter string on the basis of the string-control commands received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Tusitha Abeyasekera, Duy Duc Doan, Lars Helle, Søren Andersen, John Godsk Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10243457
    Abstract: A voltage regulator system, comprising: a switched capacitor (SC) regulator that operates at a switching frequency and receives an input voltage; and a controller configured to control an operation of the SC regulator by adjusting the switching frequency of the SC regulator based on efficiency. In some embodiments, the switching frequency is swept to determine a best efficiency. In some embodiments, the switching frequency is swept at each of a plurality of values for the input voltage. In some embodiments, the system includes further one or more switches in series with the SC regulator. In some embodiments, the SC regulator includes an output terminal that is coupled to a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Lion Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Alessandro Angelo Puggelli, Thomas Li, Hans Meyvaert, Bertram J. Rodgers, Zhipeng Li, Wonyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 10242791
    Abstract: A coupled-inductor module includes: a magnetic core including a first magnetic column, a second magnetic column, a third magnetic column extending in a first direction and two covers extending in a second direction, the first magnetic column disposed between the second magnetic column and the third magnetic column, the two covers respectively connected to the ends of the first magnetic column, the second magnetic column and the third magnetic column; and windings including a first winding and a second winding respectively wound around the first magnetic column, the first winding and the second winding being spaced apart from each other in the first direction. The magnetic core is provided with at least one air gap, and the windings and the air gap are not overlapped with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Jinping Zhou, Zhangnan Xin, Pengkai Ji
  • Patent number: 10241535
    Abstract: A voltage reference includes a flipped gate transistor and a first transistor, the first transistor having a first leakage current, wherein the first transistor is connected with the flipped gate transistor in a Vgs subtractive arrangement. The voltage reference further includes an output node configured to output a reference voltage, the output node connected to the first transistor. The voltage reference further includes a second transistor connected to the output node, the second transistor having a second leakage current. The voltage reference further includes a boxing region configured to provide a voltage level at a drain terminal of the first transistor to maintain the first leakage current substantially equal to the second leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Mohammad Al-Shyoukh, Alex Kalnitsky
  • Patent number: 10243482
    Abstract: A phase leg for a multilevel inverter includes a first direct current lead, an outer solid-state switch, an inner solid-state switch, and a midpoint-clamping device. The outer solid-state switch device is connected to the first direct current lead. The inner solid-state switch is connected in series with the outer solid-state switch. The midpoint-clamping device is a bi-directional current flow device connected between a second DC lead and a node between the inner and outer solid-state switches for reducing conduction losses associated with current flowing through the phase leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Adam M. White
  • Patent number: 10236764
    Abstract: A power converter for converting an input power at an input of the converter to an output power at an output of the converter includes a power conversion circuit and a snubber circuit coupled to the power conversion circuit. The power conversion circuit includes a switching device coupled to a reference potential, and an inductance coupled to the switching device. The snubber circuit includes a snubber switching device, a capacitance coupled to the snubber switching device, and an auxiliary inductance coupled to the inductance of the power conversion circuit and the snubber switching device. The snubber switching device and the capacitance are coupled across the switching device of the power conversion circuit. The capacitance is adapted to store leakage energy output from the power conversion circuit and discharge at least a portion of the stored leakage energy via the snubber switching device. Other example power converters are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Jun Yao, Fan Zheng Zeng, Hua Sheng
  • Patent number: 10236793
    Abstract: A grid connection power conversion device for connecting a distributed power supply to a three-phase commercial power system is provided. The power conversion device comprises an inverter, an instantaneous voltage detection circuitry to detect a maximum three-phase instantaneous voltage value of the commercial power system, a line voltage detection circuitry to detect a maximum value of each of three line voltages, an instantaneous voltage drop detection circuitry to detect an instantaneous voltage drop, and an output current control circuitry to control an output current value from the inverter. When the instantaneous voltage drop detection circuitry detects an instantaneous voltage drop, the output current control circuitry reduces the output current value from the inverter to an output current value corresponding to a minimum value among the four maximum voltage values which are the maximum three-phase instantaneous voltage value and the maximum values of the three line voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Tabuchi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chienru Lung, Hideki Hidaka
  • Patent number: 10236766
    Abstract: A voltage regulator comprising: a first regulator module comprising a first transistor switch, wherein the first module operates in a first phase and wherein the first switch is configured to receive a first signal at a first gate of the first switch from a first signal driver; a second regulator module comprising a second transistor switch, wherein the second module operates in a second phase that is different from the first phase, wherein the second switch is configured to receive a second gate drive signal at a second gate of the second switch from a second signal driver, and wherein the second signal is opposite in polarity from the first signal; and a switch that couples the first gate and the second gate during at least part of a time period during which the first switch transitions states and the second switch transitions states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Lion Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Hans Meyvaert, Alberto Alessandro Angelo Puggelli
  • Patent number: 10238015
    Abstract: Technology leading to a size reduction in a power conversion apparatus comprising a cooling function and technology relating to enhancing productivity and enhancing reliability necessary for commercial production are provided. Series circuits comprising an upper arm and lower arm of an inverter circuit are built in a single semiconductor module 500. The semiconductor module has cooling metal on two sides. An upper arm semiconductor chip and lower arm semiconductor chip are wedged between the cooling metals. The semiconductor module is inserted inside a channel case main unit 214. A DC positive electrode terminal 532, a DC negative electrode terminal 572, and an alternating current terminal 582 of a semiconductor chip are disposed in the semiconductor module. The DC terminals 532 and 572 are electrically connected with a terminal of a capacitor module. The alternating current terminal 582 is electrically connected with a motor generator via an AC connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Tokuyama, Kinya Nakatsu, Ryuichi Saito
  • Patent number: 10228715
    Abstract: A self-starting bandgap reference circuit comprises a bias current source configured to provide a bias current. A bandgap core coupled to the bias current source includes a first device configured to receive the bias current and provide a first current output based on the bias current and a second device configured to receive the bias current and provide a second current output based on the bias current. A difference mirror coupled to the first device and the second device receives the first current output and the second current output and is configured to provide a difference current between the second current output and the first current output that is a proportional-to-absolute temperature current. A voltage reference output and a current reference output coupled to the difference mirror receives the proportional-to-absolute temperature current and provides a voltage reference and a current reference based on the proportional-to-absolute temperature current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Intrinsix Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Segarra
  • Patent number: 10224827
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus that includes a first power converter stage connected to a first side of a first transformer, and a second power converter stage connected to a first side of a second transformer. The apparatus further includes an interleaved multi-bridge circuit connected to the second side of the first transformer and to the second side of the second transformer. The apparatus further includes a controller that is configured to operate the interleaved multi-bridge circuit in a parallel mode in which the second sides of the first and second transformers are in parallel at a DC terminal of the interleaved multi-bridge circuit and in a series mode in which the second sides of the first and second transformers are in series at the DC terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Huibin Zhu, Xiaolin Mao, Heping Dai, Dianbo Fu