Abstract: A PTC circuit protection device includes a PTC polymer material and two electrodes attached to the PTC polymer material. The PTC polymer material includes a polymer matrix and a particulate conductive filler dispersed in the polymer matrix, the conductive filler including conductive non-carbonaceous particles and conductive carbon particles. The conductive carbon particles have an average particle size ranging from 40 to 100 nm, a DBP oil-absorption ranging from 60 to 120 cc/100 g, and a volatile content ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 wt %. The conductive carbon particles are in an amount ranging from 1 to 14 wt % based on the total weight of the PTC polymer material.

Abstract: Methods and systems to detect and control plasma fires are disclosed. An example method includes monitoring an optical fiber using a sensor, the optical fiber being positioned proximate a conductor through which electricity is to flow, the optical fiber not being coupled to a signal generator or a light source; identifying a change in the optical fiber, the change associated with a change in the optical fiber or a casing surrounding the optical fiber due to a plasma fire; and controlling the flow of electricity through the conductor based on identifying the change.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetizing inrush current suppressing device includes, a first closing unit closes the circuit-breaker at the notable phase by the first phase determined by the first-phase determination unit, a second-phase determination unit determines a second phase at which the notable phase detected by the notable phase detection unit from the three-phase AC voltage measured by the power-supply-side voltage measurement unit becomes a zero point after the first phase determined by the first-phase determination unit, and a second closing unit closes the circuit-breaker at two phases other than the notable phase by the second phase determined by the second-phase determination unit.

Abstract: A protection circuit is connected between a power supply for providing a working voltage and a load. The protection circuit comprises an interface, a detecting module connected to the interface, a control module, and a switch module. The control module generates a plus width modulation (PWM) signal with a predetermined duty cycle when the interface interconnects with the load. The switch module periodically turns on and turns off based on the PWM signal with the predetermined duty cycle.

Abstract: A DC voltage circuit breaker includes a first to fourth nodes, a first interrupter disposed between the first node and the fourth node, a second interrupter disposed between the fourth node and the third node, a pulse generator circuit disposed between the fourth node and the second node, the pulse generator circuit having a capacitor connected in parallel with a series circuit of an inductor and a switch, and a first energy absorber disposed between the third node and the second node.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. In one embodiment a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip including a substrate, a ground terminal configured to be provided with a reference potential and a supply terminal electrically coupled to the substrate, the supply terminal configured to be provided with a load current and configured to be provided with a supply voltage between the substrate and the ground terminal. The semiconductor device further comprises an overvoltage protection circuit disposed in the semiconductor chip and coupled between the supply terminal and the ground terminal, the overvoltage protection circuit including a first transistor having a load current path coupled between the supply terminal and an internal ground node and a second transistor having a load current path coupled between the internal ground node and the ground terminal.

Abstract: When a power switch is turned off, a protection device for an electricity supply circuit starts keeping time using a timer and turns on a disconnection flag. Then the protection device turns off the disconnection flag when the timer has counted a predetermined time. When the power switch is turned off, the disconnection flag does not subsequently turn off until the predetermined time has passed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an excessive temperature increase in the power switch and prevent damage to the power switch.

Abstract: A circuit, a multiple power domain circuit, and a method are disclosed. An embodiment is a circuit including an input circuit having a first output and a second output, the input circuit being coupled to a first power supply voltage, and a level-shifting circuit having a first input coupled to the first output of the input circuit and a second input coupled to the second output of the input circuit, the level-shifting circuit being coupled to a second power supply voltage. The circuit further includes a first transistor coupled between a first node of the level-shifting circuit and the second power supply voltage, and a control circuit having an output coupled to a gate of the first transistor, the control circuit being coupled to the second power supply voltage.

Abstract: A circuit control device for controlling power consumption of a plurality of circuit units includes a monitoring unit configured to monitor whether a detection temperature of each of the circuit units meets a predetermined overheat condition, and an overheat protection unit configured to execute an overheat protection operation when the overheat condition is met in any one of the circuit units, wherein the overheat protection operation is an operation to reduce power consumption of an overheat unit meeting the overheat condition, among the circuit units, and a neighbor unit disposed near the overheat unit.

Abstract: An overvoltage protection device capable of protecting a power supply line and including in parallel a break-over diode, a controlled switch, and a circuit for controlling the switch.

Abstract: A device includes a first bidirectional PNP circuit coupled to a first output of an communication circuit, and a second bidirectional PNP circuit coupling to a second output of the communication circuit. The first and second bi-direction PNP circuits have coupled outputs and a first breakdown voltage. A third bidirectional PNP circuit is coupled to ground via the coupled outputs of the first bidirectional PNP circuit and of the second bidirectional PNP circuit. The third bidirectional PNP circuit has a second breakdown voltage. In some arrangements, a sum of the first breakdown voltage and the second breakdown voltage exceeds 60 volts. The communication circuit can be an automotive application circuit for a serial automotive communication application. The first and second bidirectional transistor circuits can form a part of a cell of an integrated circuit having an isolation structure to sustain high voltage.

Abstract: A deactivator device for a mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) systems includes a pair of spaced apart, fixed position electromagnets positioned and configured such that magnetic fields generated by the electromagnets aid one another to form a combined magnetic field; a battery; a capacitor; and an electronics assembly including a microcontroller configured to control storage of energy from the battery in the capacitor and to selectively provide a deactivation or activation pulse from the capacitor to the electromagnets. The components may be positioned in a housing configured for attachment to a mPOS mobile device.

Abstract: A smart plug for coupling an electric vehicle to a power supply includes a relay including contacts, the relay configured to operate in a closed state to enable power to be supplied to the electric vehicle and an open state to prohibit power from being supplied to the electric vehicle. The smart plug also includes a microcontroller (MCU) coupled to the relay, the microcontroller outputting a control signal to operate the relay in the closed state. The smart plug further includes a zero crossing detector (ZCD) coupled to the relay, the ZCD outputting a close signal to the relay when a voltage of the power is substantially zero and outputting an open signal to the relay when a current of the power is substantially zero.

Abstract: In an ESD protection circuit, the overvoltage detection circuit detects application of an overvoltage to a power supply node. A clamp circuit connects the power supply node to a ground node to clamp a voltage of the power supply node. A voltage regulation circuit drops the voltage of the power supply node to generate a predetermined regulated voltage to be supplied to the overvoltage detection circuit as a power supply voltage. At the predetermined regulated voltage, the overvoltage detection circuit is not activated at Power-On, and is activated under ESD events. A voltage compensation circuit compensates for the voltage of the detection signal, so that the voltage of the detection signal becomes equal to the overvoltage, when the overvoltage is applied to the power supply node.

Abstract: A current limiting circuit is electronically connected between a power source and a load, and comprises a MOSFET having a drain, a gate, and a source, a first operational amplifier, a voltage-limiting circuit, and a first transistor having an emitter, a base, and a collector. The drain is connected to the power source, the source is connected to the load and is grounded, and the gate is connected to the voltage-limiting circuit. The emitter is connected to the voltage-limiting circuit, the base is connected to the first operational amplifier, and the collector is grounded. The first operational amplifier detects an output voltage of the load to control a drain current of the MOSFET for protecting the MOSFET from being overloaded, and the current limiting circuit has no current limiting resistor, such that power consumption is reduced.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a power line system having a number of controlled release mechanisms. A number of utility poles with cross bars each have a controlled release mechanism attached. A number of sensors are attached to the cross bars. A communication system is electrically connected to the sensors. A sector switch is electrically connected to the communication system. When the controlled release mechanism senses too much force on one of the utility poles it lowers the cross bar in a controlled manner to the ground. A sensor detects this and the communication system sends a message to the sector switch to open. When the storm or other threat is over, the cross bars can be raised by turning the winch in the controlled release mechanism.

Abstract: A secondary protection device may receive a voltage surge. The voltage surge may be received based on a failure associated with a primary protection device. The secondary protection device may protect a piece of protected equipment from the voltage surge based on receiving the voltage surge. The secondary protection device may generate a failure notification based on protecting the piece of protected equipment from the voltage surge. The failure notification may indicate the failure associated with the primary protection device. The secondary protection device may provide the failure notification.

Abstract: An input circuit suitable for an integrated circuit (IC) and a protection circuit in the input circuit are provided. The protection circuit includes a transistor, a voltage selector, an inverter, a resistor and a switch circuit. The transistor is coupled to an input end of the protection circuit. The voltage selector is coupled to the transistor and the input end of the protection circuit, and outputs a lower one of a voltage at the input end of the protection circuit and a ground voltage to the transistor. The inverter is coupled to the transistor. The resistor is coupled between a power supply voltage and the inverter. The switch circuit is coupled to the inverter, a preset voltage and an output end of the protection circuit and is controlled by the inverter to connect the preset voltage to the output end or to switch the output end to a floating state.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is disclosed, including a circuit with a first type of FET having a first breakdown voltage (VBD), resulting from a first set of design and manufacturing process parameters and having VBD tracking characteristics resulting from a second set of design and manufacturing process parameters. The IC may include a trigger device circuit a having a trigger FET that may generate, in response to the supply voltage exceeding a specified maximum, a signal on a trigger device output, causing a clamping device to couple the supply voltage node to the ground, to reduce the supply voltage. The trigger FET may be of a second type having a second VBD less than the first VBD, resulting from modifications to the first set of design and manufacturing process parameters, and VBD tracking characteristics resulting from the second set of design and manufacturing process parameters.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for low emission charge neutralization, comprising: generating a high frequency alternating current (AC) voltage; transmitting the high frequency AC voltage to at least one non-metallic emitter; wherein the at least one non-metallic emitter comprises at least 70% silicon by weight and less than 99.99% silicon by weight; wherein the at least one emitter comprises at least one treated surface section with a destroyed oxidation layer; and generating ions from the at least one non-metallic emitter in response to the high frequency AC voltage. Another embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus for low emission charge neutralization wherein the apparatus can perform the above-described operations.