Patents Examined by Afework Demisse
  • Patent number: 9887615
    Abstract: A bidirectional insulated DC-DC converter includes a transformer, a secondary circuit, and a control circuit. When electric power is transferred from the secondary side to the primary side of the transformer, the control circuit measures a first voltage on a high voltage side of the transformer and a second voltage on a low voltage side of the transformer in each cycle time. When the voltage ratio is a reference value or larger, the control circuit calculates a first period during which the control circuit turns ON the first switching element and a second period during which the control circuit turns ON the second switching element after the first period of the cycle time so that a period ratio is larger than a reference value and controls the first switching element and the second switching element based on the first period and the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventor: Nobuo Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 9887571
    Abstract: An embedded controller of a portable information handling system may cause electrical power supplied by an external power storage adapter (PSA) and electrical power supplied by an internal battery of the portable information handling system to be combined in order to supply enough electrical power for the information handling system to operate in a particular operating mode. The external power storage adapter may include an AC-DC converter, a separate PSA battery, and intelligent power management functionality. In response to a control signal or other indication from the portable information handling system that the power storage adapter should supply electrical power to the portable information handling system, the power storage adapter may output power sourced from the AC-DC converter, from the PSA battery, or both to a port of the portable information handling system, such as USB Type-C port, over a variable power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew Thomas Sultenfuss, Richard Christopher Thompson
  • Patent number: 9882467
    Abstract: In a control method for a power converter, an output voltage is generated according to a control law controlling a switched power stage. During ramp up of the power converter, at least one parameter of the power stage is identified, and the control law is adapted to the identified at least one parameter of the power stage for operating the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: IDT Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Anthony Kelly, Adrian Ward
  • Patent number: 9882493
    Abstract: A soft start-up method is provided comprising: producing an initialization signal on a primary winding side of a transformer; using a comparison of the initialization signal with a signal having a value indicative of a current in the primary winding to control a switch operatively disposed between a voltage source and the primary side; transmitting the initialization signal over a galvanically isolating communication medium from the primary side to a secondary winding side of a transformer; at the secondary winding side, comparing a reference voltage signal with a secondary winding output voltage signal; in response to a match between the reference signal and the secondary winding output voltage signal, transmitting a comparison voltage signal over the galvanically isolating communication medium from the secondary side to the primary side; at the primary side, comparing the initialization signal with the transmitted comparison voltage signal; and in response to a match between the initialization signal the an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Daly, Gabriele Bernardinis
  • Patent number: 9882487
    Abstract: The present disclosure illustrates a voltage regulator having wide common voltage operating range and an operating method thereof. The voltage regulator can solve a problem of the prior art that the excessive low or high common voltage easily causes the voltage regulator to operate abnormally. In addition, the voltage regulator completes the operation of boosting voltage by increasing additional switch transistors and error amplifiers without using a complex design, so that the lower common voltage can still satisfy with the operation condition of the voltage regulator to output the correct output voltage accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventor: Leaf Chen
  • Patent number: 9866133
    Abstract: Methods of regulating an output voltage of a switched mode power supply having a variable input voltage and a power switch include adjusting a reference voltage to adjust a duty cycle of a control signal for the power switch. The reference voltage may be adjusted as a function of the duty cycle, in response to the duty cycle of the control signal being outside a defined range and/or in the response to a temperature within the switched mode power supply being above a threshold temperature. Other methods include selecting a reference voltage from a plurality of reference voltages based on a determined input voltage and generating a control signal for the power switch as a function of the selected reference voltage to adjust the duty cycle of the control signal. Switched mode power supplies and control circuits for implementing the methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ASTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Kim Ly Kha
  • Patent number: 9866134
    Abstract: Methods of regulating an output voltage of a switched mode power supply having a variable input voltage and a power switch include adjusting a reference voltage to adjust a duty cycle of a control signal for the power switch. The reference voltage may be adjusted as a function of the duty cycle, in response to the duty cycle of the control signal being outside a defined range and/or in the response to a temperature within the switched mode power supply being above a threshold temperature. Other methods include selecting a reference voltage from a plurality of reference voltages based on a determined input voltage and generating a control signal for the power switch as a function of the selected reference voltage to adjust the duty cycle of the control signal. Switched mode power supplies and control circuits for implementing the methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ASTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Kim Ly Kha
  • Patent number: 9853555
    Abstract: A universal power adapter includes a power converter configured to generate an output power based on a switching frequency of the power converter. The universal power adapter also includes a frequency controller operatively coupled to the power converter and configured to control the switching frequency of the power converter. The universal power adapter further includes a switch capacitor circuit having a plurality of capacitive elements, operatively coupled to the power converter. The switch capacitor circuit is configured to switch between the plurality of capacitive elements. The universal power adapter also includes a capacitance controller operatively coupled to the switch capacitor circuit and configured to control the switch capacitor circuit to control switching between the plurality of capacitive elements to maintain a control parameter within a threshold range of.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ramanujam Ramabhadran, Han Peng, Yehuda Daniel Levy, John Stanley Glaser
  • Patent number: 9853552
    Abstract: A method of operating a power converter includes applying a first signal sequence to one or more terminals of the power converter to unlock a controller of the power converter and cause the controller to enter a programming mode, applying a second signal sequence to the one or more terminals of the power converter to program a controller parameter of the power converter, and applying a third signal sequence to the one or more terminals to lock the controller of the power converter and cause the power converter to enter a locked mode. The one or more terminals of the power converter includes one or more input terminals of the power converter that converter are adapted to be coupled to a programmable ac or dc supply, or one or more output terminals of the power converter that are adapted to be coupled to a programmable electronic load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifford James Walker, David Michael Hugh Matthews
  • Patent number: 9847728
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for power conversion system regulation. A system controller includes: a first signal processing component configured to receive a first signal associated with an auxiliary winding of a power conversion system and generate a second signal based at least in part on the first signal, the power conversion system further including a primary winding and a secondary winding; and a drive component configured to receive the second signal and output a drive signal to open or close a switch to affect a current flowing through the primary winding. The first signal processing component is further configured to: detect a plurality of valleys of the first signal, the plurality of valleys corresponding to a same demagnetization process of the power conversion system; select a valley from the plurality of valleys; and change the second signal at the selected valley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qian Fang, Huawei Lv, Yuan Lin, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 9847714
    Abstract: A voltage multiplier includes: a multitude of winding blocks connected in series; a switching circuit configured to connect to ground a first node arranged between a first winding block and a second winding block and a second node arranged between a third winding block and a fourth winding node; a first controlled switch arranged between the first winding block and the second winding block; a second controlled switch arranged between the third winding block and the fourth winding block; wherein each of the first controlled switch and the second controlled switch is configured to be switched in a conductive state or a non-conductive state; wherein the second winding block and the fourth winding block are coupled to an output of the voltage multiplier, such that an output voltage is set at the output depending on the switching state of the switching circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Tesat-Spacecom GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Ellermann, Adolf Nathan
  • Patent number: 9843268
    Abstract: A power factor correction device comprises a power stage circuit converting input alternating current voltage into input current according to a pulse width modulation signal and outputs the input current to a load generating output voltage on the load, and sampling the input current outputting a correcting current; a current compensating circuit receiving and comparing the correcting current with a reference current signal generating a compensating current signal; a voltage compensating circuit receiving and comparing the output voltage with a reference voltage generating a compensating voltage signal; a multiplication amplifier receiving the compensating current signal and the compensating voltage signal generating an updated reference current signal by multiplying the compensating current signal with the compensating voltage signal; and a pulse width modulation converter receiving the compensating current signal and the compensating voltage signal generating the pulse width modulation signal to synchronize
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR (CAYMAN) LTD.
    Inventors: Chung-Ping Ku, Wei-Chi Huang
  • Patent number: 9843264
    Abstract: A controller of a power converter includes a sample-and-hold unit and an adjustment unit, wherein the power converter is applied to a Universal Serial Bus power delivery adapter system. The sample-and-hold unit is used for sampling a voltage to generate a sampling voltage during each period of a gate control signal, wherein the sampling voltage corresponds to an output voltage of the power converter. The adjustment unit is coupled to the sample-and-hold unit for adjusting at least one of a frequency of the gate control signal, a current flowing through a primary side of the power converter, and a resistance of a compensation resistor of the controller according to the sampling voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Leadtrend Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Ming-Chang Tsou, Meng-Jen Tsai
  • Patent number: 9836074
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor device may include a current generation circuit and an internal circuit. The current generation circuit may include a first drive element and a second drive element which are connected in series. The current generation circuit may generate a reference voltage signal whose voltage level is set by a reference current which is identical or substantially identical to a current flowing through the first and second drive elements. The internal circuit may utilize an output current controlled according to the reference current as an operation current thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Hae Rang Choi
  • Patent number: 9837899
    Abstract: A power converter including a load transient response control module and associated method for controller the power converter. The load transient response control module detects a deviation of an output voltage of the power converter from a desired value of the output voltage and compares the deviation with a first threshold to provide a load response control signal indicating whether load transient change occurs. If the deviation is lower than the first threshold, a clock signal of the power converter is reset and a main switch of the power converter is maintained on during the period when the deviation is lower than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yike Li
  • Patent number: 9823734
    Abstract: A circuit includes a pulse generator coupled to a switch mode power supply. The switch mode power supply includes a switching component configured for transferring a charge to an energy storage component in response to pulses provided by the pulse generator. A pulse counter is coupled to the pulse generator or the switching component and configured to count pulses over a time period and thereby generate a pulse count. A converter coupled to the pulse counter is configured to generate a power measurement for the time period based on the pulse count. If the switch mode power supply has different modes of operation, a different counter may be used for each mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Ingar Hanssen, Frode Milch Pedersen
  • Patent number: 9825542
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for regulating a power converter. An example system controller includes: a first controller terminal configured to output a drive signal to a switch to affect a current flowing through a primary winding of a power converter, the drive signal being associated with a switching period corresponding to a switching frequency; and a second controller terminal configured to receive a feedback signal associated with an output voltage related to a secondary winding of the power converter. The first controller terminal is further configured to: output the drive signal to close the switch during the on-time period; and output the drive signal to open the switch during the off-time period. The system controller is configured to set the switching frequency to one or more frequency magnitudes, each of the one or more frequency magnitudes being smaller than or equal to an upper frequency limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiaomin Huang, Yuan Lin, Huawei Lyu, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 9819283
    Abstract: A control method and system are provided for regulating operation of power factor correction rectifiers based on the non-symmetric boost converter topology. Control of both the front-end stage is enabled taking sinusoidal current from the utility network and a downstream converter providing isolated DC output voltage. Also provided are a method and system for reducing volume of reactive components in boost-based rectifiers with power factor correction. Flux density through the inductor is reduced with a biasing inductor current having a much lower frequency than the switching frequency of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: IDT Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Behzad Mahdavikhah, Aleksandar Prodic
  • Patent number: 9812970
    Abstract: System and method for regulating a power converter. The system includes a first signal processing component configured to receive at least a sensed signal and generate a first signal. The sensed signal is associated with a primary current flowing through a primary winding coupled to a secondary winding for a power converter. Additionally, the system includes a second signal processing component configured to generate a second signal, an integrator component configured to receive the first signal and the second signal and generate a third signal, and a comparator configured to process information associated with the third signal and the sensed signal and generate a comparison signal based on at least information associated with the third signal and the sensed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Guangzhou On-Bright Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lieyi Fang, Guo Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 9812942
    Abstract: A step down convertor with a distributed driving system. In one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed that includes an inductor coupled to an output node. The apparatus also includes first and second circuits. The first circuit can transmit current to the output node via the inductor, and the second can transmit current to the output node via the inductor. The apparatus also includes a third circuit for modifying operational aspects of the first circuit or the second circuit based on a magnitude of current flowing through the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics America Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Sato, Ryotaro Kudo, Hideo Ishii, Kenichi Nakano