Patents Examined by Gary L. Laxton
  • Patent number: 11652396
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a series resonant converter and its corresponding control method. In one aspect, the series resonant converter includes m (m=1, 2, 3, . . . ) sets of primary side stages in parallel, wherein each primary side stage is identical and includes n (n=2, 3, . . . ) stacked element circuits, where the primary side stages receive an input voltage; n×m resonant networks coupled to the primary side stages; n×m transformers having n×m primary side windings and n×m secondary side windings, where the primary side windings are coupled to the n×m resonant networks; p (p=1, 2, 3, . . . ) sets of secondary side stages in parallel, wherein each secondary side stage is identical and includes q (q=n×m/p) stacked element circuits, where the secondary side stages are coupled to n×m secondary side windings; and a control block controlling the primary side switches according to the output voltage, input voltage and input capacitor voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chi Zhang, Zhiyu Shen, Ruxi Wang, Peter Mantovanelli Barbosa
  • Patent number: 11652424
    Abstract: A switch-mode power supply includes a pair of input terminals for receiving an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) voltage input from an input power source, a pair of output terminals for supplying a direct current (DC) voltage output to a load, and a three-level LLC circuit coupled between the pair of input terminals and the pair of output terminals. The circuit includes a first switch coupled with a first diode to define a first half-bridge and a second switch coupled with a second diode to define a second half-bridge. The power supply further includes a third switch coupled across the first diode and the second diode to short circuit the first diode and the second diode when the third switch is closed, and a control circuit including a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), at least one flip-flop and multiple logic gates to operate the three switches with zero-voltage switching (ZVS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventor: James Sigamani
  • Patent number: 11652062
    Abstract: One or more chip-embedded integrated voltage regulators (“CEIVR's”) are configured to provide power to a circuit or chip such as a CPU or GPU and meet power delivery specifications. The CEIVR's, circuit or chip, and power delivery pathways can be included within the same package. The CEIVR's can be separate from the circuit or chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Faraday Semi, Inc.
    Inventor: Parviz Parto
  • Patent number: 11638334
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
  • Patent number: 11632052
    Abstract: A dual active bridge includes a first converter arranged on a primary side of the dual active bridge, a second converter arranged on a secondary side of the dual active bridge, a high frequency transformer that has two windings and that operatively connects the first converter to the second converter, and a plurality of inductors, which are arranged along the legs on one of the two windings of the high frequency transformer, and which are split between the legs of that winding. In one embodiment, the plurality of inductors are split between the legs of the winding disposed on the secondary side of the dual active bridge. The plurality of inductors may consist of two inductors, of which a first one is arranged of the first leg of the winding and a second one is arranged on the second leg of the winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventor: Bradley A. Landseadel
  • Patent number: 11632056
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an off-grid phase splitter includes: a first input port and a second input port that are separately connected to a power supply; a first output port and a second output port that provide a second voltage, and the second output port and a third output port provide a third voltage; a first capacitor connected between the first output port and the second output port; a second capacitor connected between the second output port and the third output port; a first switch circuit and a second switch circuit connected in series to form a first node between the first input port and the second input port, where the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit are unidirectionally switched on in opposite directions,; and an inductor connected between the first node and the second output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: HUAWEI DIGITAL POWER TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ningbo Feng, Jie Yi, Hang Wang, Qingyu Wang
  • Patent number: 11626795
    Abstract: The subject invention reveals new methods and structures for achieving single stage power conversion with both regulated input current and regulated output voltage processing a minimum of load power and thereby achieving higher efficiency than other singles stage power converters with both regulated input current and regulated output voltage and two stage power factor corrected power converters. The subject invention reveals power factor corrected converters that improve the efficiency of the single stage power factor corrected converters on which they are based by adding an auxiliary converter that processes a small fraction of the total load power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventor: Ernest Henry Wittenbreder, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11626812
    Abstract: A method controls switching states of a multi-level converter with multiple modules. Each module has: terminals on a first and second side; controllable switches; and an energy store in series with a first switch in a first connection between the terminals. A second switch is arranged in a connection between the terminals. The control of the switching states is divided into a real-time and offline part. In the real-time part, for each time step: a voltage level is allocated to a voltage requirement; a total switching state is determined in a first switching table for the voltage level; and the total switching state is passed on as a control signal to the switches. In the offline part: a second switching table is calculated, resulting in accordance with a minimization of a cost function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Eduard Specht, Stefan Goetz, Tomas Kacetl, Daniel Simon
  • Patent number: 11616449
    Abstract: A power adapter, includes: a transformer, including a primary winding and a secondary winding; a primary circuit, including a primary main switch, electrically coupled to the primary winding; a secondary circuit, including a first switch unit and a second switch unit; a first end of the first switch unit and a first end of the second switch unit are coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer, and a second end of the first switch unit and a second end of the second switch unit connected to a first output port and a second output port, respectively; a control circuit, configured to detect output voltages of the first output port and the second output port, and controlling the primary main switch, the first switch unit and the second switch unit to adjust the output voltages of the first output port and the second output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Jian Zhou, Haibin Song, Daofei Xu, Jinfa Zhang
  • Patent number: 11606025
    Abstract: A power factor correction “PFC” circuit for use in AC-DC conversion comprises first and second pairs of switches connected across input and output rails in a full bridge configuration, and a controller configured to control the operation of the switches such that one pair of switches is switched on and off at an AC input frequency and the other pair of switches is switched on and off at high frequency; and the switching frequency is alternated between the pairs of switches every n cycles of the AC input/output frequency. The circuit may include inductors on both input rails and may be used in a bidirectional power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Systems Limited
    Inventor: Raymond Blane
  • Patent number: 11601060
    Abstract: A switch-mode power supply includes a pair of input terminals for receiving an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) voltage input from an input power source, a pair of output terminals for supplying a direct current (DC) voltage output to a load, and at least four switches coupled in a three-level LLC circuit arrangement between the pair of input terminals and the pair of output terminals. The power supply also includes a voltage doubler power factor correction (PFC) circuit coupled between the pair of input terminals and the three-level LLC circuit, and a control circuit coupled to operate the at least four switches to supply the DC voltage output to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventor: James Sigamani
  • Patent number: 11601058
    Abstract: A circuit for a multi-phase power regulator including a power stage with a first phase and a second phase, the circuit including phase management circuitry coupled to the first phase and the second phase to control the first phase and the second phase, a first comparator coupled to an output of the multi-phase power regulator to compare a value of the output of the multi-phase power regulator to a first threshold value to produce a first comparison result, and phase shedding circuitry coupled to the first comparator and the phase management circuitry to control the phase management circuitry to activate or deactivate the second phase based at least partially on the first comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kuang-Yao Cheng, Wenkai Wu, Preetam Tadeparthy, Nancy Zhang, Dattatreya Baragur Suryanarayana, Naga Venkata Prasadu Mangina
  • Patent number: 11601063
    Abstract: A power supply receives AC power and generates a DC output voltage. The power supply may be divided into a primary section that converts AC power to a relatively high DC voltage. A secondary section converts this relatively high DC voltage into a well-regulated lower DC voltage. In an embodiment, the current and/or power supplied by the primary to the secondary side is used by the secondary side in a closed-loop feedback system to limit the current drawn by the secondary side to a configurable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Donald Cedrick Ongyanco, Joey De Guzman, Vincent Vicente Vivar, Ricardo Bernado Roldan, Jr., Arvin San Juan
  • Patent number: 11594972
    Abstract: A power converter having a parallel resonant circuit, includes an inverter, a resonant circuit, a transformer comprising a primary circuit and a secondary circuit, control means for the inverter, the inverter being connected to the resonant circuit, which is intended to be connected to an output load via the transformer, the power converter wherein the inverter comprises a first half-bridge and a second half-bridge in parallel with the first half-bridge, a first inductor between the first half-bridge and the resonant circuit, a second inductor between the second half-bridge and the resonant circuit, and in that the first and second inductors have the same inductance and are coupled in the opposite direction to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: 3D PLUS
    Inventor: Cédric Colonna
  • Patent number: 11588407
    Abstract: One example discloses a switched mode power supply device, comprising: an energy storage device; a controller configured to discharge the energy storage device; a voltage drop device having a first pin coupled to the energy storage device, a second pin coupled to the controller, and a third pin coupled to receive a first power-down signal; wherein the first power-down signal indicates that the energy storage device is to be discharged; wherein the voltage drop device is configured to input a first voltage from the energy storage device on the first pin and output a second voltage to the controller on the second pin; and wherein the second voltage is lower than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Joan Wichard Strijker, Peter Theodorus Johannes Degen
  • Patent number: 11588400
    Abstract: Aspects of series resonator DC-to-DC converters are described. A series resonator DC-to-DC converter can include a first half-bridge circuit comprising a first high-side switch and a first low-side switch, a second half-bridge circuit comprising a second high-side switch and a second low-side switch, and a resonator in series between the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch. The circuit design and switching controller can be relied upon to impart soft-switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Cong Tu, Khai Doan The Ngo, Ting Ge, Rengang Chen
  • Patent number: 11581804
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a converter controller configured to control a resonant converter, including: an integrator configured to receive a current measurement signal from a current measurement circuit in the resonant converter and to produce a capacitor voltage signal indicative of the voltage at the resonant capacitor; a control logic configured to produce a high side driver signal, a low side driver signal, a symmetry error signal based upon the capacitor voltage signal and the current measurement signal; and a symmetry controller configured to produce a symmetry correction signal based upon the symmetry error signal, wherein the symmetry error signal is input into the integrator to control the duty cycle of the high side driver signal and the low side driver signal, wherein the high side driver signal and the low side driver signal control the operation of the resonant converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Hinderikus Maria Langeslag, Hans Halberstadt, Frank van Rens
  • Patent number: 11581799
    Abstract: A driver circuit is configured to control a power transistor. The driver circuit comprises a signal generator configured to generate a control signal for the power transistor based on a supply signal and an input signal from a control unit. In addition, the driver circuit includes a ripple detector configured to receive the supply signal and determine whether the supply signal includes a ripple error. In some examples, the ripple detector may be configured to send a warning signal to the control unit in response to detecting the ripple error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Matthias Weinmann, Michael Krug
  • Patent number: 11581798
    Abstract: A method is provided for limiting double-frequency internal power distortion in a power system. The method includes receiving an input voltage from a voltage source at a power converter from which an output power is provided to an electrical load, measuring the output power having a waveform with a steady-state component and a double-frequency transient component, executing computer-readable program code, via processing circuitry, to determine a compensating waveform equal in amplitude to the double-frequency transient component, and that is anti-phase to the double-frequency transient component, and causing the power converter to generate the compensating waveform such that the waveform and the compensating waveform superpose, and the double-frequency transient component of the waveform and the compensating waveform destructively interfere, leaving the steady-state component that is delivered to the electrical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: East West Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventor: Belvin Freeman
  • Patent number: 11575308
    Abstract: An active common mode filter is configured to be positioned between a power supply and a switching converter-device/load for reducing common mode noise. The active common mode filter includes an active capacitor that has a sensing stage including one or more sensing capacitors, an amplifying stage including a common collector amplifier for mitigating an input voltage divider effect coupled to a common emitter amplifier for providing high gain, and an injection stage including one or more injection capacitors. Depending on the required attenuation in different applications, a multistage active common mode filter may be formed with a necessary number of stages, each stage including an active capacitor and an inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Kun Zhang, Shu Hung Henry Chung