Patents Examined by Bart Iliya
  • Patent number: 9973137
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for controlling a power converter to protect input filter inductors from overheating, in which an active front end (AFE) rectifier is operated in a boost mode to provide a boosted DC voltage at a derated output current value selected according to the DC bus voltage boost amount corresponding to a maximum load condition for which the filter inductors will not overheat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yogesh Patel, Lixiang Wei
  • Patent number: 9972998
    Abstract: Buck converters with self-protection against short circuit at the buck converter outputs and intrinsic soft start-up circuitry are disclosed. The methods and circuits disclosed are applicable for PFM and PWM modulated converters. The methods disclosed are also applicable for boost converters against shorts between boosted voltage and supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Vincenzo Bisogno
  • Patent number: 9960687
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, an electronic drive circuit is disclosed. The electronic drive circuit includes an energy storage device and a first bridge circuit coupled to the energy storage device. The first bridge circuit includes at least one leg having two switches. The electronic drive circuit also includes a transformer. The transformer includes a first winding coupled to the first bridge circuit and a second winding coupled to the energy storage device through a center tap. The electronic drive circuit further includes a second bridge circuit coupled to the second winding of the transformer. The second bridge circuit includes a pair of switches operable to conduct in both directions and block voltage in both directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ahmed Elasser, Mohammed Agamy, Kum Kang Huh
  • Patent number: 9960632
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for controlling a booster circuit such that maximum power is extracted from a power supply while power consumption for monitoring power generated by the power supply is reduced, and an apparatus for extracting maximum power by using the method and apparatus for controlling a booster circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Je-in Yu, Gyu-hyeong Cho, Kyu-sub Kwak, Hui-dong Gwon, June-hyeon Ahn, Young-sub Yuk
  • Patent number: 9950627
    Abstract: An object is to reduce a discharging time required for discharging residual charges of a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sho Yaegaki, Hiroshi Tamura, Takeshi Matsuo, Hiroyuki Yamada, Nobuhiro Akasaka
  • Patent number: 9923528
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first circuit configured to generate a boost voltage, and a second circuit to control a slope of a magnitude of the boost voltage when the magnitude of the boost voltage is reduced. The first circuit is configured to generate the boost voltage having the magnitude equal to a first voltage when a control signal is in a first state, and reduce the magnitude of the boost voltage when the control signal is in a second state and the magnitude of the boost voltage is greater than a second voltage which is less than the first voltage. A method of providing a boost voltage includes controlling a slope of a magnitude of the boost voltage when the magnitude of the boost voltage is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventor: Bruno Marcone
  • Patent number: 9906121
    Abstract: A control circuit includes a first integrator circuit corresponding to a first mode and a second integrator circuit corresponding to a second mode. The control circuit is configured to transition control of the power converter between the first mode and the second mode such that one of the first mode and the second mode is a controlling mode for a period of time and the other one of the first mode and the second mode is a non-controlling mode for the period of time, and set an output of the first integrator circuit or the second integrator circuit corresponding to the non-controlling mode to equal an output of the first integrator circuit or the second integrator circuit corresponding to the controlling mode. Other example control circuits, power converters including a control circuit, and methods for controlling a power converter are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ASTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Yancy Fontanilla Boncato, James Sigamani, Jonathan Ross Bernardo Fauni
  • Patent number: 9906119
    Abstract: A ripple-compensation control method and electrical energy conversion device utilizing the same are provided. The ripple-compensation control method is disclosed, adopted by an electrical energy conversion device including a converter configured to perform electrical energy conversion, a controller coupled to control terminals of the converter and controlling a first voltage of a DC node of the converter according to a command value, and a ripple-compensation unit configured to generate a ripple-component voltage of the first voltage and provide the command value generated based on the ripple-component voltage to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Wan-Pei Chen, Yoshihiro Konishi, Shu-Syuan Huang, Zong-Zhen Yang
  • Patent number: 9898030
    Abstract: A reference voltage generator circuit includes a circuit that generates a complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) voltage and a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current. An output current circuit generates, from the PTAT current, a sink PTAT current sunk from a first node and a source PTAT current sourced to a second node, wherein the sink and source PTAT currents are equal. A resistor is directly connected between the first node and the second node. A divider circuit divides the CTAT voltage to generate a divided CTAT voltage applied to the first node. A voltage at the second node is a fractional bandgap reference voltage equal to a sum of the divided CTAT voltage and a voltage drop across the resistor that is proportional to a resistor current equal to the sink and source PTAT currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventor: Abhirup Lahiri
  • Patent number: 9899916
    Abstract: The present invention prevent a shortage of the output when an intermittent boost is executed. A control apparatus for controlling a boost converter that can boost power supply voltage by boost control has: an intermittent controlling device for executing the intermittent boosting in such a manner that output voltage is maintained in a voltage variation allowable range including a target value on the basis of the detected output voltage of the boost converter; an average value calculating device for calculating an average value of the output voltage in an execution period of the intermittent boosting; and a target value correcting device for correcting the set target value to increase it when the calculated average value is less than the target value and is less than a required voltage value of a loading apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Hideto Hanada, Kenji Yamada, Kosuke Hirano
  • Patent number: 9899923
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and integrated circuits are disclosed for controlling a buck-boost converter. In one example, a device is configured to compare an output voltage at a voltage output with a low reference voltage and a high reference voltage. The device may compare a current at an inductor with a low threshold current and a high threshold current. The device may, responsive to the output voltage at the voltage output being lower than the low reference voltage, charge the inductor. The device may, responsive to the current at the inductor reaching the high threshold current, couple the inductor to the voltage output to transfer charge from the inductor to the voltage output. The device may, responsive to either the current at the inductor reaching the low threshold current or the output voltage reaching the high reference voltage, stop transferring charge from the inductor to the voltage output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Simone Fabbro
  • Patent number: 9876421
    Abstract: A power supply controller having a shortened reset time due to a small hiccup voltage includes an electrical circuit providing a repeated voltage hiccup of a supply voltage of the controller of a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) when the controller enters a latched state. A plurality of comparators each have an input coupled with the controller supply voltage. A multiplexer and two latches are included, each coupled with one or more comparator outputs, and a restart controller is coupled with an output of one of the latches. The restart controller in various implementations toggles a switch to activate and deactivate a current sink to create the supply voltage hiccup. In other implementations, the switch is excluded and the restart controller toggles a voltage startup transistor to couple and decouple a voltage source with the supply voltage to create the voltage hiccup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Zdenek Pfof, Jiri Bubla, Ivo Vecera
  • Patent number: 9866147
    Abstract: A first bidirectional switch is electrically connected between a first connection point which is a connection point of a first switching element and a second switching element and a second connection point which is a connection point of a seventh switching element and an eighth switching element. A second bidirectional switch is electrically connected between a third connection point which is a connection point of a third switching element and a fourth switching element and a fourth connection point which is a connection point of a fifth switching element and a sixth switching element. A power-converting device is configured to generate an output voltage between a first output point and a second output point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Kidera, Mitsuru Tanabe, Mariko Kifuji
  • Patent number: 9866137
    Abstract: A deviation compensation method of a potential transformer is provided. The deviation compensation method includes: providing first to Nth potential transformers to be installed at different locations in a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system; supplying a first voltage to the first to Nth potential transformers provided; measuring voltage values output through the first to Nth transformers by the first voltage supplied; determining whether there is a deviation between the measured voltage values; and determining compensation values for correcting the measured voltage values to the same voltage value when there is the deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yong Kil Choi
  • Patent number: 9859809
    Abstract: A first control unit outputs a closing-operation command signal to a first switch at a timing calculated based on either a first closing time or a second closing time, whichever is later. The first closing time is a time required for the first switch to transition to a closed state after the first control unit detects a first detection signal indicating that a voltage detected by a voltage detection unit exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The second closing time is a time required for a second switch to transition to a closed state after the first detection signal is detected by a second control unit. The second control unit outputs a closing-operation command signal to the second switch at a timing calculated based on a first time. This can suppress variations in an operating time between a plurality of switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Masafumi Ichihara
  • Patent number: 9847729
    Abstract: A method of operating a switched mode power supply comprising a switched mode converter and a control arrangement. The switched mode converter converts an input voltage to an output voltage and includes a primary winding, controllable switch based circuitry connecting the input voltage over the primary winding, a secondary winding coupled to the primary winding, and an LC filter including an inductive element and a capacitive element, wherein the output voltage is obtained as the voltage over the capacitive element and a duty cycle of the switched mode converter can be controlled by controlling the switch based circuitry. The switched mode converter is controlled depending on measurements of the input and output voltages in a hybrid regulated ratio control scheme. The power of the switched mode power supply is shut off or a current thereof is limited, when a current of the switched mode power supply reaches a maximum current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Magnus Karlsson, Jonas Malmberg, Oscar Persson, Fredrik Wahledow
  • Patent number: 9843269
    Abstract: When power consumption of a load is smaller than a first threshold, a switch element of each of one or more circuits is made nonconductive to supply power from all of the one or more circuits to the load. When the power consumption of the load is larger than the first threshold, the switch element of at least one of the one or more circuits is made intermittently conductive to supply power from all of the one or more circuits to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ohshita, Kazuhiro Nakatani, Norio Sakae, Mitsuru Imoto
  • Patent number: 9840968
    Abstract: A start inverter for an electric engine start scheme includes an inverter phase leg with solid-state switches and a pulse width modulator operatively connected to the solid-state switches of the inverter phase leg. The pulse width modulator provides command signals to the solid-state switches of the inverter phase leg to invert direct current into alternating current with less ripple than a start inverter with two solid-state switches per phase leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Harry H. Chai, Waleed M. Said
  • Patent number: 9837889
    Abstract: An improved power converter is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Inc.
    Inventor: James T. Walker
  • Patent number: 9837906
    Abstract: An object of the disclosure is to provide a multiphase Buck, Boost, or other switching converter to give high efficiency over the full range of output currents, and to maximize the total output current the switching converter is able to supply, by fully utilizing every phase of the switching converter. Further, another object of this disclosure is to balance the asymmetric transconductance, such that the load share between phases is optimized for different load levels of coil value, coil type, pass-device scaling, and frequency. Still further, another object of this disclosure requires that each of the switching converter operates at a similar point of saturation current at each point along the output load range, and each phase provides a different percentage of the total output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Mark Childs, Carsten Barth, Jens Masuch