Patents Examined by Bao Q. Vu
  • Patent number: 8766711
    Abstract: A switching circuit device has a first transistor which has a drain coupled to a high-potential terminal, a source coupled to a low-potential power supply, and, a driving circuit, which outputs, to a gate of the first transistor in response to an input control signal, a pulse having a potential higher than a threshold voltage of the first transistor and a potential of the low-potential power supply, wherein the driving circuit has a first inverter including a second transistor provided between the gate and the source of the first transistor, wherein when the first transistor changes from on to off due to the pulse, the second transistor conducts and short-circuits the gate and the source of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Transphorm Japan, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Takemae
  • Patent number: 8767421
    Abstract: Processes, machines, and articles of manufacture that may management power conversion as provided. This may include circuit topology or management that serves to improve power conversion efficiency from a DC waveform to an AC waveform. This circuit topology or management may include considering and managing the voltage across a DC-link capacitive bus and the phase angle output of an AC waveform in order to influence or improve power conversion characteristics or efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick L. Chapman
  • Patent number: 8765312
    Abstract: A load variation detecting section determines whether or not the actual load variation falls below a load variation threshold stored in a memory. If a load variation detecting section determines that a specific time period (for example, one minute) has elapsed since the actual load variation fell below a load variation threshold, a power supply section applies same power to reactors for the respective phases. On the other hand, a heat dissipation property calculating section measures temperature-rise rates of the elements for the respective phases, ranks the rates in order from the one having a higher heat dissipation property, and notifies the priority drive phase determining section of the result. A priority drive phase determining section chooses a phase having the highest heat dissipation property as a priority drive phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Osada, Takahiko Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8749218
    Abstract: A control circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention for a DC-DC converter which has an input, an output and a series connection of a differentiator, a comparator unit, and an integrator. The series connection is coupled in between the input and the output. The comparator unit has an inverting amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Loreto Mateu, Markus Pollak, Peter Spies
  • Patent number: 8742738
    Abstract: A method and system control the adding or dropping of phases in a multiphase voltage regulator. The regulator has an efficiency and this efficiency of the regulator is calculated for a given number of phases being activated from an output voltage, input voltage, output current, and duty cycle of the regulator. The efficiency of the regulator is also calculated if a phase is added using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. The efficiency of the regulator is further calculated if a phase is dropped using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. From these operations of calculating, a phase is either added, dropped, or the phase is maintained at its current value to thereby optimize the efficiency of the regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Jason Houston
  • Patent number: 8736091
    Abstract: The present techniques include methods and systems for operating converter to maintain a lifespan of the converter. In some embodiments, the operating frequency of the converter may be increased such that stress may be reduced on the bond wires of the converter. More specifically, embodiments involve calculating the aging parameters for certain operating conditions of the converter operating in a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) mode and determining whether the MPPT operation results in aging the converter to a point which reduces the converter lifespan below a desired lifespan. If the MPPT operation reduces the converter lifespan below the desired lifespan, the frequency of the converter may be increased such that the converter may be controlled to operate at a percentage of MPPT. Thus, in some embodiments, power output may be optimized with respect to maintaining a desired lifespan of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lixiang Wei, Russel J. Kerkman, Richard A. Lukaszewski, Haihui Lu, Zhenhuan Yuan
  • Patent number: 8730700
    Abstract: In controlling switching elements of a current source inverter, a switching loss in the switching element is prevented according to a normal switching operation for a commutation operation, without requiring any particular control. In the commutation operation of the current source inverter, a timing for driving the switching elements is controlled in such a manner that an overlap period is generated, during when both a switching element at the commutation source and a switching element at the commutation target are set to be the ON state, a resonant circuit is controlled based on the control of the switching elements having this overlap period, and resonant current of the resonant circuit reduces the switching loss upon commutation operation of the switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Kyosan Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Itsuo Yuzurihara, Toshiyuki Adachi, Shinichi Kodama
  • Patent number: 8730697
    Abstract: A rectifier is provided. The rectifier includes a first rectification unit having an anode connecting to a negative radio frequency (RF) port and a cathode connecting to a positive direct current (DC) port, a second rectification unit having an anode connecting to a positive RF port and a cathode connecting to the positive DC port, a third rectification unit having an anode connecting to a ground and a cathode connecting to the negative RF port, and a fourth rectification unit having an anode connecting to the ground and a cathode connecting to the positive RF port. The first rectification unit includes a plurality of first diodes that are connected in parallel, and the second rectification unit includes a plurality of second diodes that are connected in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Zo Kim, Sang Wook Kwon, Yun Kwon Park, Eun Seok Park, Young Tack Hong, Ki Young Kim, Young Ho Ryu, Nam Yun Kim, Jin Sung Choi, Chang Wook Yoon
  • Patent number: 8724348
    Abstract: A power-supply unit including a transformer, a full bridge circuit having four arm switches on a primary side of the transformer, a rectifier and smoothing circuit including two synchronous rectifier switches on a secondary side of the transformer, a choke coil, and a capacitor, an output terminal in the rectifier and smoothing circuit, a control circuit controlling ON/OFF of the four arm switches of the full bridge circuit and the two synchronous rectifier switches of the rectifier and smoothing circuit, a resonant inductor including a leakage inductor component and a parasitic inductor component on the primary side of the transformer, and a resonant capacitor, and in which the control circuit includes a timing variable unit which varies switching timings of the two synchronous rectifier switches of the rectifier and smoothing circuit based on an output current flowing in the output terminal provided in the rectifier and smoothing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sase, Akihiko Kanouda, Yosuke Tsuyuki
  • Patent number: 8724345
    Abstract: A switching power source apparatus has a pulse generator of a first pulse. A first resonant series circuit receives the first pulse signal and passes a current having a 90-degree phase delay with respect to the first pulse signal. The current of the first resonant series circuit turns on/off a switching element Q21. A second resonant series circuit receives the second pulse signal and passes a current having a 90-degree phase delay with respect to the second pulse signal. The current of the second resonant series circuit turns on/off a switching element Q22. The pulse generator has a third transformer T3 that has secondary windings to output the first and second pulse signals according to a voltage that is applied to the third transformer and is synchronized with drive signals for the switching elements Q11 and Q12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoichi Kyono
  • Patent number: 8711578
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller is configured to adjust a peak value of a primary current through a power switch responsively to a difference between a demagnetization time and a discharge time of the parasitic leakage inductance of a transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Joel Turchi
  • Patent number: 8711580
    Abstract: A resonant conversion system is provided, in which a resonant converter receives an input voltage to generate an output voltage, and a buck converter provides the input voltage of the resonant converter, and controls the input voltage to perform an over-current protection process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jinfa Zhang, Lei Cai, Jiaojun Sun, Guodong Yin
  • Patent number: 8705257
    Abstract: A switching module includes a series-connected unit of a first flowing restriction element and a second flowing restriction element, the first flowing restriction element having an opening and closing function of opening and closing a flowing path of current, and the second flowing restriction element having at least one of a rectifying function of restricting the direction in which current flows and the opening and closing function, and a snubber circuit connected to the series-connected unit in parallel. A first wiring line connecting between the first flowing restriction element and the snubber circuit, a second wiring line connecting between the second flowing restriction element and the snubber circuit, a third wiring line connecting between the first flowing restriction element and the second flowing restriction element, the first flowing restriction element, the second flowing restriction element, and the snubber circuit are formed substantially integrally with each other by using an insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhisa Yamaguchi, Yasuyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 8704503
    Abstract: A SEPIC converter with over-voltage protection includes a high-side inductor that connects a node Vw to a node Vx. The node Vx is connected, in turn to ground by a power MOSFET. The node Vx is also connected to a node Vy by a first capacitor. The node Vy is connected to ground by a low-side inductor. A rectifier diode further connects the node Vy and a node Vout and an output capacitor is connected between the node Vout and ground. A PWM control circuit is connected to drive the power MOSFET. An over-voltage protection MOSFET connects an input supply to the PWM control circuit and the node Vw. A comparator monitors the voltage of the input supply. If that voltage exceeds a predetermined value Vref the comparator output causes the over-voltage protection MOSFET to disconnect the node Vw and the PWM control circuit from the input supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Williams, Kevin D'Angelo, Charles Coles
  • Patent number: 8698472
    Abstract: An adjustable driver voltage source for a switching power supply uses a linear regulator to provide a driver voltage, and a modulator to adjust the driver voltage according to the loading change of the switching power supply. The modulator may lower the driver voltage at light load to reduce the switching loss and thereby increase the power efficiency of the switching power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Tsung-Hsi Yang, Shao-Hung Lu, Isaac Y. Chen, Wei-Haur Chan
  • Patent number: 8698479
    Abstract: A bandgap reference circuit includes a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The first circuit is for generating a first current and a first voltage according to a first reference voltage. The second circuit is coupled to the first circuit, for generating a second voltage according to the first voltage. The third circuit is coupled to the first circuit and the second circuit, for generating a voltage offset according to the first current, and generating a bandgap reference voltage according to the second voltage and the voltage offset. The first circuit and the second circuit complement each other for offsetting variations of the bandgap reference voltage due to temperature changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Elite Semiconductor Memory Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Ming-Sheng Tung
  • Patent number: 8699237
    Abstract: An inverter with soft switching is used for a high step-up ratio and a high conversion efficiency. The inverter includes an isolation voltage-quadrupling DC converter and an AC selecting switch. The isolation voltage-quadrupling DC converter includes an active clamping circuit. By a front-stage converter circuit, a continuous half-sine-wave current is generated. By a rear-stage AC selecting switch, the half-sine-wave current is turned into a sine-wave current. Thus, electricity may be supplied to an AC load or the grid. The circuit is protected by isolating the low-voltage side from the high-voltage side. The conversion efficiency is high. The leakage inductance is low. The switch stress is low. The inverter is durable and reliable. Hence, the inverter is suitable for use in a photovoltaic system to increase the total conversion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Ching-Tsai Pan, Ming-Chieh Cheng, Yu-Chuan Wang, En-Lin Chen
  • Patent number: 8693223
    Abstract: A power converter includes an output unit, a first transformer, a switch unit, and a processing unit. The first transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. The primary winding is coupled between an input voltage and a first node. The switch unit is coupled between the first node and a second node. The processing unit is coupled between the input voltage and the first node. When the switch unit is in an OFF state, the processing unit is used to receive a first sensing voltage and store a sensing power of the first sensing voltage through a first path, isolate the first sensing voltage from feeding in through a second path different from the first path simultaneously, and then release the stored sensing power through the second path. The first sensing voltage is generated as the switch unit switches from an ON state to the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: FSP Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Cody Lin
  • Patent number: 8692529
    Abstract: A low dropout (LDO) voltage regulator includes a scaling amplifier for receiving a bandgap voltage, Vbg, and outputting a scaled Vbg. A reference MOSFET device is included for reducing the scaled Vbg by a first voltage Vgs formed across gate and source nodes of the reference MOSFET device. This forms a reduced level of the scaled Vbg. An RC network filters the reduced level of the scaled Vbg and outputs a filtered voltage. An output buffer is included for receiving and increasing the filtered voltage by a second voltage Vgs in order to recover the scaled Vbg. The scaled Vbg is used as the desired regulated voltage output. The second voltage Vgs, which is produced by the output buffer, is equal to the first voltage Vgs, which is produced by the reference MOSFET device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Exelis, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 8687390
    Abstract: An active clamp DC-DC converter includes a transformer having a primary coil and a secondary coil, a main switching device connected in series to the primary coil of the transformer so that the main switching device and the primary coil are connected in parallel to a DC power source, a reset capacitor, a reset switching device connected in series to the reset capacitor so that the reset switching device and the reset capacitor are connected in parallel to the primary coil of the transformer, a rectifying circuit connected to the secondary coil of the transformer, a smoothing circuit connected to the rectifying circuit, and a control circuit adjusting a dead time that elapses from the time when the reset switching device is turned off until the time when the main switching device is turned on, based on a voltage across the main switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Sergey Moiseev, Masanori Tsuzaka