Abstract: A charge/discharge control circuit is provided for an electric power source apparatus in which a service life is prolonged. A voltage dividing circuit, an overcharge voltage detection circuit, an overdischarge voltage detection circuit and a control circuit are connected in parallel to a secondary cell which is an electric power source, wherein the control circuit detects a condition of the secondary cell from the overcharge/overdischarge voltage detection circuits and outputs a signal Vs for controlling a power supply to an external equipment and a charge by an external power source and controls a switching element provided in series with the voltage dividing circuit and reduces a current which flows through the voltage dividing circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a voltage regulator including at least one input terminal for receiving a supply voltage; a circuit for generating a reference voltage proportional to a desired regulated output voltage; an amplifier of a signal of error between the reference voltage and the output voltage assigned with a coefficient of proportionality; a capacitor connected between an output terminal and the ground, further including means for supplying at least the circuit and the amplifier with the output voltage in case of a deficiency or a disappearing of the supply voltage present on the input terminal.

Abstract: power source conversion device capable of eliminating low-frequency radiation consisting of electronic circuit is designed to convent the marketable 2-hole type socket power source into 3-hole type socket so as to restore the characteristics of original 3-hole type power source through human body or electronic appliance housing or referable zero potential point, wherein the third hole is substitutive ground point to develop the effect of electromagnetic screening device built in the electric appliances in general for achieving good grounding and eliminating electromagnetic radiation and effect of electric leakage on human body because of poor insulation or induction, and meantime, through the functions of automatically detecting LIFE and NULL and such lines as actuating, locking, safe and warning, an intelligent power source conversion device with overall functions is well combined.

Abstract: A system for indicating the position of a tap of a voltage regulator system. An electrical signal representing the tap position is converted to a digital format and provided to a processor which controls an electronic display. The display provides a graphical representation of the tap position. As the tap position changes, the processor samples the tap position data and upon determining that the tap has settled at a position, updates the display accordingly. The processor also keeps track of the minimum and maximum tap positions and displays those as "drag-hand" positions on the tap position display. The displayed "drag-hand" positions are reset in accordance with a signal received from a user-operated reset switch. The tap position indication system can also communicate tap position information via a data port and provide variable-amperage control. The data port can also be used to reset the "drag-hand" positions and to communicate variable-amperage information and settings (e.g.

Abstract: A power supply and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, the power supply includes: (1) a substrate, (2) a main power supply mounted on the substrate and having an input and a main output, (3) an auxiliary power supply mounted on the substrate, coupled to the input and having an auxiliary output and (4) a cooling device mount, coupled to the power supply, configured to receive and support a cooling device, the auxiliary output configured to provide electric power to the cooling device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a stencil adapted for use in transferring an image to a substrate where the image is formed by an ensemble of individual features for a predetermined image. The stencil comprises a sheet of flexible material and a plurality of holes formed through the sheet. The holes are organized in hole sets such that the holes in each such hole set outline a respective individual feature. The hole sets together define the pre-determined image to be transferred. The present invention also includes a kit for use in transferring an image to an outer surface area of a vegetable. The kit comprises a stencil adapted for use in transferring an image to the surface area of the vegetable, a tool adapted to cut first portions of the vegetable, a marker including a marking medium, a set of instructions, and a package that receives the stencil, tool, marker and set of instructions. Additionally, the present invention is directed to a method of forming an image in a fleshy shell of a vegetable.

Abstract: A pulse width modulation (PWM) controller suitable for use with a variety of open loop topology power supply circuits including ring generator circuits. The controller and the circuit realized therefrom utilizes an open loop topology to achieve the desired output voltage waveform. The PWM controller is suitable for realizing a plurality of different open loop converter topologies such as such as buck, boost, forward and push-pull topologies. The PWM controller is adapted to provide the required signals to control the various possible open loop converter topologies. The controller functions to generate a PWM signal that is used to generate a half wave sine wave signal. The controller includes the necessary functionality to control the duty cycle of the generated PWM signal so as to produce a full wave sine wave at the output of the output bridge circuit.

Abstract: The present invention includes a circuit for detecting voltage levels in an integrated circuit including a first reference voltage(324), a first differential amplifier(349) having an inverting input terminal connected to the first reference voltage, a non-inverting input terminal and an output terminal, a first transistor (356) having a control terminal connected to the output terminal of the first differential amplifier, having a first current handling terminal connected to a voltage supply terminal and having a second current handling terminal connected to the non-inverting input terminal of the first differential amplifier, a first load (358) device having a first terminal connected to the second current handling terminal of the first transistor and a second terminal, a second load device (360) having a first terminal connected to the second of the first load device and a second terminal connected to a second reference potential, a second differential amplifier (391) having an inverting input terminal, a n

Abstract: To adapt to the relative small sizes of portable electronic devices, two battery output terminals of rechargeable batteries are frequently deployed in a close vicinity to each other. Consequently, rechargeable batteries are prone to cause output terminals short. To prevent such output terminals from shorting, a switching circuit and an activating signal generating circuit are deployed between a rechargeable battery and a pair of voltage output terminals. In response to an activating signal generated by the activating signal generating circuit, the switching circuit connects the rechargeable battery to the voltage output terminals. In absence of an activating signal, the switching circuit disconnects the rechargeable battery from the voltage output terminals, so that a short of the output terminals will not occur to the rechargeable battery even if the voltage output terminals are directly connected with each other.

Abstract: A switch-mode power converter uses a digital signal processor (DSP) to control operation of power semiconductors through gate drive amplifiers, further using the DSP's internal analog-to-digital converters to measure necessary currents, voltages and timings within the main power circuit. Using values captured by the A-to-D converters, software controlling the DSP manipulates duty cycle and timing parameters of the main semiconductor switches to provide at least three different modes of operation for serving a wide range of lighting loads. This power system reduces the size, cost, and weight, of circuitry needed to operate stage lighting equipment. The DSP's microprocessor eliminates most of the complex and dedicated analog circuitry commonly used for electronic power conversion, and a common power circuit topology provides an identical hardware platform for each luminaire circuit. Overall reliability is enhanced because of the reduction in circuit complexity.

Abstract: A forward converter, having a single switching device, is coupled through an isolation transformer to a crowbar circuit and an output capacitor for controlling the isolated output voltage turn-off. The crowbar circuit, including a trigger device and a resistor, is coupled between the transformer and the output capacitor. The conduction times of the converter switching device are controlled to regulate the energy stored in the transformer and to generate a reverse voltage having a predetermined amplitude. During the output voltage-on mode, the amplitude of the reverse voltage swing is controlled to be sufficiently low such that the converter operates as a conventional forward converter. For output voltage turn-off, the conduction time of the switching device is controlled to obtain a voltage swing of sufficient magnitude to trigger the crowbar circuit, and thus rapidly discharge the output capacitor.

Abstract: A reference circuit including a current generation circuit having a first bipolar transistor and a second bipolar transistor connected as a bipolar current mirror and being coupled by way of their emitters and collectors between a voltage source and ground. A MOS circuit is also provided functioning to minimize the voltage difference between the collector of the first bipolar transistor and the second bipolar transistor. In this way, by stabilizing the differences between the voltages at the collector of the first bipolar transistor and at the collector of the second bipolar transistor, the aforementioned problems, i.e., the variations in the output voltage and/or current of the bandgap reference circuit in response to variations in the voltage source, are greatly reduced.

Abstract: A high voltage power supply having a high voltage output terminal and capable of receiving an input for providing an alternating voltage signal to the power supply is provided. A voltage multiplier circuit is provided for operating on the alternating voltage signal and generating a high voltage across positive and negative polarity terminals. An electromechanical transducer is preferably provided for moving the multiplier circuit between a first position where the positive polarity terminal is electrically connected to the high voltage output terminal, and a second position where the negative polarity terminal is electrically connected to the high voltage output terminal.

Abstract: A device that generates a DC reference voltage approximately equal to half a DC supply voltage. It includes an input stage forming a first potentiometric divider comprising two branches having an asymmetric behavior in response to variations in the room and/or operating temperature, and supplying a first DC voltage (NBGP), an intermediate stage forming a resistive and capacitive filter, which eliminates the dynamic component of the first DC voltage (NGBP) and supplies a second DC voltage (NARF), and an output stage forming a second potentiometric divider comprising two branches also having an asymmetric behavior of which the voltage variations are smaller than those of the first divider comprising in addition a logic inverter function, and supplying a third DC voltage (NREF), the variations of which are the inverse of those in the second DC voltage (NARF), the variations in the latter being thus compensated.

Abstract: A device for performing voltage conversion in an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of different components, one or more of which requires a voltage which differs from the supply voltage of the integrated circuit has two circuits. The first circuit is designed to convert a first voltage into an optical signal, which is emitted from at least one element in the first circuit. The second circuit has one or more photosensitive elements, which are designed to receive the optical signal and convert the optical signal into a second voltage that is different and electrically isolated from the first voltage.

Abstract: A switching power supply circuit of current-resonance type with the capability of power factor improvement includes a filter capacitor (C.sub.N) connected between the positive and negative output terminals of the rectifier, a filter choke coil (L.sub.N) and fast-recovery diode (D.sub.2) connected in series to cut in on the rectifier output line, and a resonant capacitor (C.sub.2) which forms a resonant circuit in unison with the filter choke coil. The output of a series resonant circuit (C.sub.1,N.sub.1) on the primary side is superimposed on the rectifier output so that the power factor is improved, thereby eliminating the need of a choke coil (CH). The circuit accomplishes the more compact, light-weight and low-cost design, and improves the power conversion efficiency.

Abstract: A high-sensitivity fuse-based storage cell. A first circuit branch including a first fuse is coupled to a second circuit branch including a second fuse in a current mirror configuration. An output node is coupled to the first circuit branch and responsive to a sense enable signal to indicate a logical "1" if the first fuse is programmed and the second fuse is unprogrammed or a logical "0" if the first fuse is unprogrammed and the second fuse is programmed.

Abstract: For use with a boost converter having first, second and third input inductors, a switching network, method of reducing input current total harmonic distortion (THD) associated with the boost converter, and boost converter employing the switching network and method. In one embodiment, the switching network includes a first switch coupled between corresponding rails of the boost converter. The switching network also includes first, second and third L-C resonant networks wye-coupled to a common node and coupled to the first, second and third input inductors, respectively. The first switch and the first, second and third L-C resonant networks cooperate to create resonant voltages across, and induce phase currents through, the first, second and third input inductors to reduce input current THD associated with the boost converter.

Abstract: A low power communications bus uses a current source at one end of a transmission line, and a driver at the other end of the transmission line which generates a logic state based on the sensed current level. The invention is particularly suited for interconnecting a computer processor and its on-board caches. The driver at the load end of the transmission line includes an induction coil, and a magnetoresistive element located adjacent the coil. Separate ground planes can be provided for the coil and the magnetoresistive element, to avoid ground loops.

Abstract: A noise-cut filter device for a power converter, including at least one noise-cut filter, for filtering switching noise occurring upon a switching operation of a semiconductor switching device of the power converter is disclosed. In this filter device, the noise-cut filter includes first and second planar conductors, and a dielectric sheet having upper and lower surfaces on which the first and second conductors are disposed to face each other through the dielectric sheet. The first and second planar conductors cooperate with the dielectric sheet to form a circuit having both functions of an inductor and a condenser. The current of a main circuit of the power converter flows through the opposite ends of the first planar conductor, while the current based on the switching noise, which flows from the first conductor to the second conductor, is led to ground by the second conductor.