Patents Examined by Bart Iliya
  • Patent number: 11088529
    Abstract: A device for acquiring signals from a sensor, the device comprising a differential amplifier, two bias resistors for biasing of the measurement device, a common mode and differential mode filter circuit, and two lightning limiter components. The differential amplifier is of the high common mode range type, the limiter components are dimensioned to reduce a lightning voltage to a maximum voltage value of the order of about one hundred volts and the filter circuit and the bias resistors are dimensioned to withstand that maximum voltage value. A correspond method for protecting a device against lightning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Safran Electronics & Defense
    Inventors: Olivier Meline, Mathieu Le-Meunier
  • Patent number: 11081967
    Abstract: The invention discloses a self-adaptive synchronous rectification control system and a self-adaptive synchronous rectification control method of an active clamp flyback converter. The control system comprises a sampling and signal processing circuit, a control circuit with a microcontroller as a core and a gate driver. According to the control method, a switching-on state, an early switching-off state, a late switching-off state and an exact switching-off state of a secondary synchronous rectifier of the active clamp flyback converter can be directly detected, and the synchronous rectifier and a switching-on time of the synchronous rectifier in next cycle can be controlled according to a detection result. After several cycles of self-adaptive control, the synchronous rectifier enters the exact switching-on state, thus avoiding oscillation of an output waveform of the active clamp flyback converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Qinsong Qian, Shengyou Xu, Qi Liu, Weifeng Sun, Shengli Lu, Longxing Shi
  • Patent number: 11079782
    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: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Timothy Bryan Merkin, Hassan Pooya Forghani-Zadeh
  • Patent number: 11081964
    Abstract: A method of providing an input switching request signal to an input side switch includes determining a switching request window indicative of relaxation ringing during a first switching cycle. It is determined that the input side switch is operating in a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) mode of operation during a second switching cycle. It is determined that the switching request window is open during the second switching cycle. The input switching request signal is enabled in response to determining the switching request window is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, David Michael Hugh Matthews, Vikram Balakrishnan, Roland Sylvere Saint-Pierre, Zhao-Jun Wang, Giao Minh Pham, Qing McIntosh
  • Patent number: 11075571
    Abstract: An embodiment of a linear motor assembly includes an armature extending linearly along an axis, the armature having a plurality of windings. The linear motor assembly also includes a magnetic assembly including a plurality of magnets arrayed in a loop configuration, a linear section of the plurality of magnets extending linearly through the plurality of windings in a direction parallel to the axis, each magnet of the linear section being oriented in the direction and configured to move in the direction due to interaction between the plurality of windings and a magnetic field generated by the magnetic assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naison E. Mastrocola, Richard A. Poisson
  • Patent number: 11070103
    Abstract: A motor includes a stator core, teeth respectively protruding from the stator core, and coils respectively wound onto the teeth n (n is an integer of 2 or greater) turns including first to n-th turns. Within each of ranges respectively wound with the coils onto the teeth in directions of protrusion of the teeth from the stator core, the first turn of each of the coil lies adjacent to a center of the motor. A k-th (k is an integer, 1<k?n) turn of each of the coils lies opposite to the center of the motor. The first turn when each of the coils is cut in a corresponding one of the directions of protrusion of the teeth from the stator core is greater in cross-sectional area than each of the k-th turn and the n-th turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Kato, Yuichi Yoshikawa, Hirokazu Yamauchi, Keiichiro Nukada, Mitsuoki Hishida
  • Patent number: 11070131
    Abstract: Examples to control timing for current-mode boost converters are disclosed. An example device to control timing includes a first input terminal to receive an input voltage of a current-mode boost converter a second input terminal to receive an output voltage of the current-mode boost converter, a generator to generate a first timing signal from the input voltage and the output voltage, a third input terminal to receive a second timing signal from the current-mode boost converter, a selector to select between the first on_off time signal and the second on_off time signal to generate a third on_off time signal based on a comparison of a first off time duration of the first on_off time signal and a second off time duration of the second on_off time signal, and an output terminal to control off times of the current-mode boost converter based on the third on_off time signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jian Liang, Weiwei Xiong
  • Patent number: 11068009
    Abstract: A regulator circuit and its manufacturing method are presented, relating to semiconductor technology. The regulator circuit comprises a mirror current source comprising two current output nodes; a depletion MOS transistor comprising a drain connected to one current output node of the mirror current source, a gate connected to the ground, and a source; an enhancement MOS transistor comprising a drain connected to the other current output node of the mirror current source, and a source connected to the ground; a first resistance device comprising a first node connected to the drain of the depletion MOS transistor, and a second node connected to a gate of the enhancement MOS transistor; and a second resistance device comprising a first node connected to the first resistance device, and a second node connected to the ground. This regulator circuit consumes less power than its conventional counterparts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Inventor: Jun Wang
  • Patent number: 11071240
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus includes: a capacitor including a plurality of cells, with a number and arrangement of the cells being determined according to characteristics of a motor; power converters separately disposed on opposite sides of the capacitor; a first cooler including a plurality of cooling tubes through which cooling water flows, located between the capacitor and the power converters, and cooling the capacitor and the power converters by being brought into surface contact with the capacitor and the power converters, with a length of any one of the plurality of the cooling tubes being determined according to the characteristics of the motor; and a housing in which the capacitor, the power converters, and the first cooler are assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Yun Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 11062866
    Abstract: The electrical relay device comprising a component of electrical relay type including a controllable motor, and a switching module including at least one fixed electrical contact, and at least one movable electrical contact that is mechanically coupled to the motor and configured to be placed, using the motor, in at least one position, referred to as the disconnected position, in which it does not make contact with a fixed electrical contact, or in at least one position, referred to as the connected position, in which it does make contact with the at least one fixed electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grand Ouest) SAS
    Inventors: Vincent Abriou, Gerald Baeza
  • Patent number: 11063494
    Abstract: Electrical machine apparatus comprising: a rotor having a longitudinal axis and being arranged to rotate about the longitudinal axis in a first circumferential direction, the rotor defining one or more conduits for receiving fluid therein, the one or more conduits including an inlet and an outlet; and a fluid guide defining a first aperture arranged to direct fluid in a second direction towards the rotor, the second direction having a positive circumferential component in the first circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Rory D. Stieger
  • Patent number: 11056943
    Abstract: A stator assembly includes a plurality of stator slots having multiple respective slot layers and a plurality of hairpins. The plurality of hairpins have a respective first leg positioned in one of the multiple respective slot layers and a respective second leg positioned in another of the multiple respective slot layers. A first set of n adjacent slots of the plurality of stator slots is configured to accommodate the plurality of hairpins carrying a current in a first phase, n being an integer. The plurality of hairpins is configured in respective conductor layers (L1, L2 . . . ) having a plurality of respective turn locations defining n respective turn positions. The plurality of hairpins is configured to occupy the n respective turn positions an equal number of times such that the respective conductor layers (L1, L2 . . . ) are electrically balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Khwaja M. Rahman, Xiaohui Du, Edward L. Kaiser
  • Patent number: 11043900
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a DC-DC converter (10), comprising a first DC port (10A) connectable to a DC source (B), a second DC port (10B) with a positive terminal (PT), a midpoint terminal (MT) and a negative terminal (NT) connectable to a DC bus (4). A first capacitor (C1) is connected between the positive terminal (PT) and the midpoint terminal (MT) and a second capacitor (C2) is connected between the midpoint terminal (MT) and the negative terminal (NT). The DC-DC converter (10) comprises a first switching circuit (20), a second switching circuit (40) and a resonant circuit (30) connected between the first switching circuit (20) and the second switching circuit (40). The second switching circuit (40) comprises a first switch (Q1), a second switch (Q2), a third switch (Q3), and a fourth switch (Q4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: ELTEK AS
    Inventor: Nils Backman
  • Patent number: 11043873
    Abstract: The invention relates to a connection unit (20) for a wiper motor (100) for windshield wiper systems with a plug connector element (22) for receiving electric connection lines (24) which are configured for the at least indirect contacting of a commutator (6) of an electric motor (1), with a carrier element (26) on which connection elements (40) for contacting the commutator (6) and/or at least one component of an electric circuit are arranged, and with a carbon brush holder plate (30), wherein the carrier element (26) is formed as a pre-mountable construction unit (32) with the carbon brush holder plate (30) formed as separate component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Siegfried Stefani, Christof Heuberger, Harald Kapitza, David Rignault
  • Patent number: 11043345
    Abstract: There are provided a driving control portion configured to output a closing command for bringing a contact to a closed state to a first driving portion, and also to output to the first driving portion an opening command for bringing the contact to an open state and the closing command in an alternate and repeated manner until the current runs through the contact; a number-of-retries obtaining portion configured to obtain, as a number of retries, the number of times that the driving control portion repeated the opening command and the closing command until the current runs through the contact after the driving control portion outputted the closing command to the first driving portion; and a usable period estimating portion configured to estimate a usable period from the present time of a first relay in accordance with the number of retries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nagai, Masaya Tateda, Yasuyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11031860
    Abstract: A converter with soft start includes a transformer; first and second switches connected to the transformer to supply power to the transformer; a controller connected to the first and second transistors and arranged to, during startup of the converter, switch the first switch with a variable duty cycle and switch the second switch with either a fixed duty cycle or a variable duty cycle with pulses larger than pulses of the variable duty cycle of the first switch; and a bleed device arranged to set initial conditions of the converter before startup of the converter by discharging a capacitor in the converter before startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bing Gong, Jahangir Afsharian
  • Patent number: 11025172
    Abstract: A three-level modulation for an isolated multilevel DC/DC resonant converter offers output voltage regulation capability with fixed switching frequency and achieves high efficiency along with soft-switching of the power switches. The three-level modulation enables current balance in all power devices, therefore, realizes better thermal performance and longer circuit life. An efficient control method that combines the three-level modulation with conventional frequency modulation achieves a wide output voltage range with a narrow switching frequency range. At any given time, a control circuit selects one of two different modulation schemes to operate the primary-side switches of the resonant converter based on an output voltage, or to one or more external control signals. Together with a selected device switching frequency and duty cycles, the two modulation schemes generate different voltage waveforms to a primary-side transformer, which are coupled to the secondary-side to provide different output voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chi Zhang, Peter Barbosa, Yang Jiao
  • Patent number: 11018581
    Abstract: A converter includes a first circuit. The first circuit includes a first input that receives a power supply signal, a second input that receives a first signal, and a first output that outputs a second signal having an amplitude that is based on a frequency of the first signal. The first signal is based on an error value and a third signal, and the third signal is independent of feedback of the first circuit. The converter also includes a second circuit having a second output coupled to the second input and that outputs the third signal. The second circuit nonlinearly adapts the third signal based on the power supply signal and a reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited
    Inventors: Yongjie Jiang, Kevin Vannorsdel, Jay Ackerman
  • Patent number: 10992218
    Abstract: A harmonic suppression device includes a power converter that generates a harmonic suppression current that is an electric current for suppressing a harmonic current flowing in a power line and outputs the generated harmonic suppression current to the power line, a communication unit that exchanges signals with other harmonic suppression devices, and a controller that controls the power converter based on a signal received by the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Iwazaki, Koichi Arisawa
  • Patent number: 10978865
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a circuit (100) for breaking alternating current, the circuit (100) comprising: an input (102) arranged to receive an alternating current (AC); an output (104) arranged to provide the alternating current (AC) to at least one electrical load (200n); at least one controllable switch (106; 108) coupled between the input (102) and the output (104); an impedance network (Z) coupled between the input (102) and the output (104); a controller (110) coupled to a reference ground (112) common to the controller (110) and the at least one controllable switch (106; 108), wherein the controller (110) is arranged to measure at least one measuring voltage (V1; V2) between a node of the impedance network (Z) and the reference ground (112) and to control the at least one controllable switch (106; 108), so as to control the breaking of the alternating current (AC) provided to the at least one electrical load (200n), based on the value of the measured at least one measuring voltage (V1; V2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Blixt Tech AB
    Inventors: Jan Johansson, Henrik Borg