Patents Examined by Emily Pham
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Patent number: 8212544Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit can include a reference voltage pad that can be configured to receive an external reference voltage and supply the external reference voltage to the inside of the semiconductor integrated circuit, an internal reference voltage generator that can be configured to generate an internal reference voltage by voltage dividing, a selector that can be configured to select and output one of the external reference voltage and the internal reference voltage in response to a selection signal, and a voltage trimming block that can be configured to regulate the level of the output voltage from the selector in response to trimming signals and outputs the level-regulated voltage as a reference voltage.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: SK hynix, Inc.Inventors: Shin-Deok Kang, Ja-Seung Gou
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Patent number: 8212541Abstract: A converter circuit and related technique for providing high power density power conversion includes a reconfigurable switched capacitor transformation stage coupled to a magnetic converter (or regulation) stage. The circuits and techniques achieve high performance over a wide input voltage range or a wide output voltage range. The converter can be used, for example, to power logic devices in portable battery operated devices.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: David J. Perreault, Robert C. N. Pilawa-Podgurski, David M. Giuliano
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Patent number: 8207721Abstract: A disclosed switching regulator includes: a switching element switching in accordance with an input control signal; an inductor charged with a supply voltage by the switching of the switching element; a rectifying element discharging the inductor when the switching element is switched off and charging of the inductor is stopped; and a control circuit unit generating an error voltage based on a voltage difference between a proportional voltage and a predetermined reference voltage, generating and outputting a pulse signal with a duty cycle in accordance with the error voltage to a control electrode of the switching element. The control circuit unit generates a feedback voltage from the duty cycle of the pulse signal, generates the pulse signal with the duty cycle from a voltage difference between the generated feedback voltage and the error voltage, and varies the voltage difference from the duty cycle of the pulse signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Shohtaroh Sohma
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Patent number: 8203856Abstract: A direct current power transmission system includes a first and a second converter station that are coupled to each other via a direct current link. Each converter station includes a first or second line commutated converter, respectively. Before power reversal the first converter is operated as a rectifier and the direct current is controlled in the first station, while the second converter is operated as an inverter and in the second station the extinction angle of the second converter or the direct voltage is controlled. After power reversal, the first converter is operated as an inverter and the second converter as a rectifier.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2007Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: ABB Technology AGInventor: Ulf Radbrandt
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Patent number: 8203828Abstract: A power supply assembly which can drive a number of different devices at different voltages. A rack holds a number of breaker modules, and each breaker module can connect to one or many breakout boxes. The breakout boxes are keyed to the breaker modules, so that the breaker boxes will not be energized with power unless they are the proper voltage and/or configuration to receive that power. The coil of a contactor in the breaker module is powered by a key wire that is connected through specified pins in the breakout box. Therefore, no power is ever provided to the breakout box unless it is of the proper voltage configuration. In addition, feeder power to the power supply assembly is provided over bolted connections, without any wire connections between the power feed and the circuit breaker.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2005Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Production Resource Group LLCInventors: James Bornhorst, John Covington
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Patent number: 8198878Abstract: Methods and apparatus for workload balancing among power switching components in a multiphase switching power supply, the power supply including one set of power switching components for each switching phase, where workload balancing includes: dropping one or more switching phases when output current demand on the power supply drops below a predetermined threshold, leaving at least one active switching phase; and rotating the at least one active switching phase among all sets of power switching components.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2008Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Justin P. Bandholz, Pravin Patel, Philip L. Weinstein
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Patent number: 8199540Abstract: A high voltage gain power converter includes: a main switch element; an assistant switch element; a first inductive element, a first switch element, and a first capacitive element; and a second inductive element, a second switch element, and a second capacitive element. The first inductive element is connected between an input node and first switch element. The first capacitive element, connected between the first switch element and ground, provides a first boost output voltage. The second inductive element is connected between the main switch element and first capacitive element. The second switch element is connected to a common node of the second inductive element and main switch element. The second capacitive element, connecting the second switch element to a first node, provides a second boost output voltage. The assistant switch element is connected between the first inductive element and common node of the second inductive element and main switch element.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2010Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and TechnologyInventors: Ching-Shan Leu, Jing-Cheng Lin, Shun-Yuan Wu
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Patent number: 8194420Abstract: An embodiment of a power-supply controller comprises a switching-control circuit, an error amplifier, and a signal generator. The switching-control circuit is operable to control a switch coupled to a primary winding of a transformer, and the error amplifier has a first input node operable to receive a feedback signal, a second input node operable to receive a comparison signal, and an output node operable to provide a control signal to the switching-control circuit. The signal generator is operable to generate either the feedback signal or the comparison signal in response to a compensation signal that is isolated from a secondary winding of the transformer and that is proportional to a load current through a conductor disposed between the secondary winding and a load.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2011Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Salvatore Tumminaro, Salvatore Giombanco, Alfio Pasqua, Claudio Adragna
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Patent number: 8193790Abstract: A switching power converter includes an input for receiving an input voltage, an output for providing an output voltage, a controller, and a power circuit coupled between the input and the output and including at least one switch. The controller is configured to determine a duty cycle for the switch to regulate the output voltage and control the switch with a PWM drive signal having an on-time and an off-time. The PWM drive signal has a constant frequency and a duty cycle equal to the determined duty cycle when the determined duty cycle is greater than or equal to a minimum duty cycle. The PWM drive signal has a variable frequency and a duty cycle equal to the minimum duty cycle when the determined duty cycle is less than the minimum duty cycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2008Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Astec International LimitedInventors: Arlaindo V. Asuncion, Evan M. Espina
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Patent number: 8193796Abstract: Disclosed is a power regulator for providing precisely regulated power to a microelectronic device such as a microprocessor. Improved power regulation is accomplished by optimizing the power efficiency of the power regulator. In particular, in a multiphase system, the number of active phases is increased or decreased to achieve optimum power efficiency. The multiphase voltage regulator adapts the operating mode to maximize efficiency as the load current demand of the load device changes by adjusting the number of active phases to maximize efficiency. The total value of current provided by the regulator and the total number of active phases is determined, the total number of active phases is compared with the number of active phases required to provide the total value of current at maximum efficiency; and the number of active phases is adjusted to provide the total value of current at maximum efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Benjamim Tang, Robert T. Carroll, Nicholas R. Steffen, Richard C. Pierson
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Patent number: 8179699Abstract: An embodiment of a power-supply controller comprises a switching-control circuit, an error amplifier, and a signal generator. The switching-control circuit is operable to control a switch coupled to a primary winding of a transformer, and the error amplifier has a first input node operable to receive a feedback signal, a second input node operable to receive a comparison signal, and an output node operable to provide a control signal to the switching-control circuit. The signal generator is operable to generate either the feedback signal or the comparison signal in response to a compensation signal that is isolated from a secondary winding of the transformer and that is proportional to a load current through a conductor disposed between the secondary winding and a load.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2008Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Salvatore Tumminaro, Salvatore Giombanco, Alfio Pasqua, Claudio Adragna
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Patent number: 8169201Abstract: An output compensator for a regulator is provided that can improve the dynamic response of a regulator, and which does not require the redesigning of the power conversion stage or control stage of the regulator, but simple circuit connection of the compensator circuit to the output stage of the regulator. The compensator senses an output signal at a passive component at an output of the regulator; generates a compensating signal based on a difference signal, the difference being a difference between a level of a reference signal for the regulator and the sensed output signal; and applies the compensating signal to the passive output component to reduce the difference between the level of the reference signal and the sensed output signal. The passive output component may be, for example, a capacitor or an inductor, depending on the operation of the regulator.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2009Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: City University of Hong KongInventors: Shu Hung Henry Chung, Wai To Yan
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Patent number: 8169800Abstract: A power converter according to the present invention includes a power supply unit, an output unit, and a switching controller. The power supply unit includes a primary coil of a transformer that receives an input voltage, a gate electrode, and a switch having a first electrode and a second electrode that is connected to the primary coil. The output unit includes a secondary coil of the transformer, and outputs an output voltage that is converted from the input voltage by the transformer. The switching controller includes a feedback terminal that receives a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage, generates a burst voltage by compensating the feedback voltage according to a maximum current value that can flow between the second electrode and the first electrode of the switch, determines whether to perform a burst mode operation according to the burst voltage, and transmits a gate signal according to performance of the burst mode operation to the gate electrode of the switch.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2009Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor Ltd.Inventors: Sang-Cheol Moon, Hang-Seok Choi, Young-Bae Park
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Patent number: 8164929Abstract: An inductive coupled power transmission circuit has a rotating transformer, including an AC voltage supply for feeding an AC voltage via a series capacitor into the primary winding of said rotating transformer and a load being coupled to the secondary winding of said rotating transformer. The AC voltage supply includes a line rectifier for receiving AC voltage from a power line and generating a DC voltage. This is fed into a DC/DC converter for converting the DC voltage from the line rectifier into a controlled intermediate DC voltage. An AC generator generates an AC voltage from the intermediate DC voltage and feeds this via a matching transformer into the primary winding of the rotating transformer. A measuring circuit measures voltages and/or currents within the AC voltage supply and a function generator estimates voltage and/or current values at the load based on the measured values and controls the DC/DC converter and/or the AC generator based on the estimated values.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Schleifring und Apparatebau GmbHInventor: Arno Zimpfer
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Patent number: 8154895Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting three phase AC voltages on first, second and third input lines to DC voltage across positive and negative DC buses, the apparatus comprising a rectifier including first, second and third rectifier legs, each leg including a switch and a diode wherein the switch is linked between the positive DC bus and an cathode of the diode, an anode of the diode is linked to the negative DC rail and the first, second and third diode cathodes are linked to the first, second and third input lines, respectively, a DC bus voltage sensor linked to the positive DC bus and measuring the DC bus voltage to generate a measured DC bus voltage and a rectifier controller that receives the measured DC bus voltage, a reference voltage value and the three phase AC voltages wherein, when the measured DC bus voltage is at least equal to the reference voltage value, the controller turns on the switches in the first, second and third rectifier legs when the voltages on the first, second and third input liType: GrantFiled: February 2, 2007Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Thomas Patrick Gilmore
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Patent number: 8149598Abstract: A switching power supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a switching device and a control circuit, and the control circuit includes: a control terminal through which an auxiliary power voltage is supplied; an error amplifier which generates a difference voltage depending on a difference between a control terminal voltage and a first reference voltage; a device current detection circuit which generates a device current detection signal indicating an amount of a current flowing in the switching device; a drive circuit which generates a drive pulse signal having a duty cycle based on a difference between the difference voltage and the device current detection signal and drives the switching device by using the generated drive pulse signal; and a dummy load circuit through which a dummy load current flows from the control terminal when the difference voltage becomes equal to or higher than a second reference voltage.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2009Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventor: Kohei Mimura
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Patent number: 8138637Abstract: An electrical energy transmission device has phase conductors, which carry alternating current and have transfer impedance, and sheathed conductors, which are inductively coupled to the phase conductors. A first end and a second end of each sheathed conductor form a sheath circuit with a reactance. An electronic assembly for changing the impedance of the sheath circuit is provided. The electrical energy transmission device can be used flexibly given different demands placed on the energy transmission. The electronic assembly is also configured to increase the transfer impedance.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2005Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Gerhard Herold, Lutz Kirschner, Hermann Koch, Dietmar Retzmann
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Patent number: 8130519Abstract: A power supply circuit for powering a load at constant current has a rectifier stage for receiving an AC voltage input and for producing a first substantially DC voltage. A first capacitor is attached to the load. A charge-pump is attached to an output of the rectifier stage and to the load for providing power factor correction and for converting the first substantially DC voltage to a second substantially DC voltage at the first capacitor. The charge pump is prevented from conducting energy back into the output of the rectifier stage. The charge pump delivers energy to a charge pump output, the energy being delivered directly instead of being stored. A converter stage is attached to the load and the first capacitor. The converter stage is used for converting voltages at the first capacitor and the charge pump to an output DC current. The converter stage has a switch for periodically connecting a first series-coupled circuit of the charge pump to the output of the rectifier stage.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2008Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Supertex, Inc.Inventors: Alexander Mednik, Rohit Tirumala, Marc Tan
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Patent number: 8125198Abstract: An amplitude, phase and frequency modulator circuit is provided with the circuit containing a periodically driven switch. The circuit connects a DC power source and a resistive load. Periodic operation of the switch generates a square-wave of voltage across the load. A transistor used as a switch is embedded in a switch driver that controls base current and base-emitter reverse bias voltage. The modulator DC input resistance is approximately equal to the load resistance when the switch ON-state period and OFF-state period are approximately equal. The modulator efficiency is nearly one hundred percent. The frequency response of the square-wave modulator system is high-pass with a lower cutoff frequency determined by element values.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2008Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Donald H. Steinbrecher
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Patent number: 8125201Abstract: The DC-DC converter (21) is for integration in a low power transceiver (100). The converter is able to supply an output voltage that is higher than the input voltage. The converter includes two distinct variable voltage regulator circuits (3 and 4). The first variable voltage regulator circuit (3) is arranged to operate at a first frequency and a second variable voltage regulator circuit (4) is arranged to operate at a second frequency, which is lower than the first frequency. The converter further includes switching means connected to each variable voltage regulator circuit for selecting one of the two regulator circuits to switch on.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2009Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventor: Arthur Descombes