Patents Examined by Gary Nash
  • Patent number: 11791718
    Abstract: A power converting device includes a totem pole type power factor improving circuit and a control circuit. The totem pole type power factor improving circuit includes a coil connected to a first terminal of an AC power supply, a first half-wave switch in which a source terminal is connected to the coil via a first current detector, a second half-wave switch in which a drain terminal is connected to the coil via a second current detector, a first diode in which a cathode is connected to a drain terminal of the first half-wave switch and an anode is connected to a second terminal of the AC power supply, a second diode in which an anode is connected to a source terminal of the second half-wave switch and a cathode is connected to the second terminal of the AC power supply, and a smoothing capacitor connected between the cathode of the first diode and the anode of the second diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yutaka Usami
  • Patent number: 11791118
    Abstract: A switching regulator is disclosed comprising a high-voltage port, a low-voltage port, n number of switching poles, a magnetic element, and a controller. In turn, each switching pole connects across the high-voltage port and may consist of either one switch and one diode or two switches and two diodes. In turn, the magnetic element comprises a ferro-core having n number of magnetic branches, each of which includes a winding. Each winding start connects to the phase node of a respective switching pole, while each winding finish connects, in common, to one side of the low-voltage port. An n+1th magnetic branch establishes a defined common-mode inductance which, in combination with transformer action, limits current ripple. The transformer action serves to exchange ripple power between phases such that the need for inductance is greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Enure, Inc.
    Inventors: Wally E. Rippel, Eric E. Rippel
  • Patent number: 11791745
    Abstract: An adaptive control method for multiple inverters in parallel and a system with multiple inverters in parallel. The method average distribute the active power of each inverter unit by means of acquiring state information of inverter units, adjusting a reference voltage output by each of the inverter units based on a deviation between the output active power and the average active power, which is calculated by the state information, re-acquiring the state information and calculating a voltage component difference and a current component difference between the inverter units based on the adjusted reference voltage, and then adaptively adjusting the virtual impedance of the slave inverter unit according to the voltage component difference and the current component difference so that the output impedance of the slave inverter unit and master inverter unit is matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN POWEROAK NEWENER CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hui Ma, Wentao Cang, Xiangzhu Yin, Zhihua Guo
  • Patent number: 11784581
    Abstract: A converter and a method of operating a converter. The converter comprising a DC link capacitor, an upper arm (S1) and a lower arm (S4) with switching cells in series, an upper switch (S2) and a lower switch (S3). The upper switch (S2) and the lower switch (S3) are connected together and the connection point forming an output voltage terminal (a). The converter comprising further an upper valve component and a lower valve component, which are arranged such that the upper valve component allows current from the center point of the DC link capacitor towards the upper arm and the lower valve component allows current from the lower arm towards center point of the DC link capacitor. A current path through the upper valve component or the lower valve component comprises inductance to form a resonance circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Federico Bertoldi, Kalle Ilves, Nan Chen
  • Patent number: 11784561
    Abstract: An apparatus for power conversion includes a switching network that controls interconnections between pump capacitors in a capacitor network that has a terminal coupled to a current source, and a charge-management subsystem. In operation, the switching network causes the capacitor network to execute charge-pump operating cycles during each of which the capacitor network adopts different configurations in response to different configurations of the switching network. At the start of a first charge-pump operating cycle, each pump capacitor assumes a corresponding initial state. The charge-management subsystem restores each pump capacitor to the initial state by the start of a second charge-pump operating cycle that follows the first charge-pump operating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, Gregory Szczeszynski, David Guiliano
  • Patent number: 11777413
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter may be formed out of the combination of a first converter that is optimized to transfer energy from a voltage source to a load, and a second converter that receives a control signal derived from the load voltage to regulate the load voltage. The DC/DC converter may be configured as a sigma converter, a delta converter, or a sigma-delta converter. The mode of operation being selected according to the source voltage or the load voltage, either of which may vary over a wide range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Laszlo Huber, Tomas Sadilek, Misha Kumar, Zhiyu Shen, Jinfa Zhang, Chia-Hsiong Huang, Peter Mantovanelli Barbosa
  • Patent number: 11777418
    Abstract: An alternating-current (AC) voltage regulator including an isolated power supply, a control circuit, an amplifier, and an output. The isolated power supply is configured to receive an input voltage and output a direct-current (DC) signal isolated from the input voltage. The control circuit is configured to adjust a portion of the input voltage, and output an adjusted voltage. The amplifier is configured to output a differential signal. The differential signal is based on at least one selected from a group consisting of the isolated DC signal, the adjusted voltage, and a feedback loop. The output is configured to add the differential signal to the input voltage resulting in a regulated voltage, and output the regulated voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Kenneth Edward Pagenkopf
  • Patent number: 11777420
    Abstract: A submodule for a modular multilevel converter has nine semiconductor switches that can be switched off, four capacitors, six network nodes, and two terminals. The components are mounted such that different voltages are generated between the terminals of the submodule by controlling the semiconductor switches. This arrangement of components substantially improves the behavior of the converter and of the submodule in the event of a fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Viktor Hofmann, Mark-Matthias Bakran, Sebastian Semmler
  • Patent number: 11770075
    Abstract: A method of setting a synchronous rectifier on-time value includes determining that a time interval has occurred, receiving a number of triangular current mode (TCM) pulses measured during the time interval, and determining a pulse comparison value equal to a number of switching period pulses during the time interval minus the number of TCM pulses during the time interval. The method also includes increasing the synchronous rectifier on-time if the pulse comparison value is greater than or equal to a threshold and decreasing the synchronous rectifier on-time if the pulse comparison value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Nexgen Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Anders Lind
  • Patent number: 11764694
    Abstract: A configurable control loop arrangement for forming a control loop of a DC-DC converter that is configured to generate a control signal to control the DC-DC converter, the configurable control loop arrangement comprising: a digital-to-analog converter; a comparator; a timer configured to provide a timing-signal for controlling one or more of: the comparator in the determination of the comparison signal; the application of the comparison signal to a configurable-event-generation-logic-module; and the operation of the configurable-event-generation-logic-module; wherein the configurable-event-generation-logic-module comprises a flip-flop circuit, and wherein the configurable-event-generation-logic-module, when implemented in the control loop, is configured to provide for generation of the control signal based on the comparison signal, the timing-signal and a selected mode of the flip-flop circuit, and wherein the control signal is for application to one or more switches of the DC-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Lingling Wang, Kai-Wen Cheng, Chongli Wu, Xiaoxiang Geng, Xuwei Zhou
  • Patent number: 11764684
    Abstract: System controller and method for regulating a power converter. For example, the system controller includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. The system controller is configured to receive an input signal at the first controller terminal and generate a drive signal at the second controller terminal based at least in part on the input signal to turn on or off a transistor in order to affect a current associated with a secondary winding of the power converter. Additionally, the system controller is further configured to determine whether the input signal remains larger than a first threshold for a first time period that is equal to or longer than a first predetermined duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yaming Cao, Qiang Luo, Yuan Lin, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 11764695
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement and to an actuating method for a DC voltage converter, in particular a DC voltage converter with phase-shifted full-bridge topology, wherein power can also be transmitted from the primary side to the secondary side when the electrical voltage on the primary side undershoots the product of the electrical voltage on the secondary side and the transmission ratio of a transformer in the DC voltage converter. In this way, for example, a capacitor on the primary side of the DC voltage converter can be discharged to a safe, low voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Kienzler, Emiliano Gudino Carrizales, Jan Riedel
  • Patent number: 11757375
    Abstract: A DC-AC inverter system using a state observer and a control method thereof are provided. The control method of the DC-AC inverter system includes the following steps. The state observer outputs a filter-capacitor-current estimation value at a next sampling time according to a DC link voltage at a current sampling time and a filter-capacitor-voltage actual value at the current sampling time. The filter-inductor-current estimation value at the next sampling time is compared with the filter-capacitor-current estimation value at the next sampling time to obtain a load current estimation value at the next sampling time. An inductor voltage estimator outputs a filter-inductor-voltage estimation value at the next sampling time according to the load current estimation value at the next sampling time. A feed-forward control is performed according to the filter-inductor-voltage estimation value at the next sampling time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Wan-Pei Chen, Yoshihiro Konishi, Kuan-Wen Chen, Yeh-Hsiang Ho, Wan-Ju Ho
  • Patent number: 11750088
    Abstract: The application provides a method for controlling a PFC circuit including a diode bridge arm, DNPC bridge arm and capacitor group connected in parallel. The control method includes: switching working mode of the PFC circuit back and forth between first mode and third mode via second mode in each switching cycle when positive half cycle of a modulation wave is modulated, and switching working mode of the PFC circuit back and forth between sixth mode and fourth mode via fifth mode in each switching cycle when negative half cycle of the modulation wave is modulated. The durations of the second and fifth modes are as short as possible, thereby decreasing a current flowing into or out from midpoint of the capacitor group, and reducing voltage fluctuation at the midpoint. The application further provides a PFC circuit using the control method and a power conversion device having the PFC circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng Lu, Hongyang Wu, Wenfei Hu
  • Patent number: 11742767
    Abstract: A flux-corrected switching power converter includes a first transformer, a first switching stage, a controller, and a flux correction current source. The first transformer includes a first magnetic core, a first primary winding, and a first secondary winding, and the first switching stage is electrically coupled to the first secondary winding. The controller is configured to control switching of at least the first switching stage. The flux correction current source is electrically coupled to the first primary winding, and the flux correction current source is configured to inject current into the first primary winding to at least partially cancel magnetic flux in the first magnetic core that is generated by current flowing through the first secondary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Laszlo Lipcsei
  • Patent number: 11742768
    Abstract: A half bridge switching cell includes two primary switching elements and a transformer with primary and secondary windings. Synchronized rectifiers correspond to the primary switching elements such that each of the synchronized rectifiers conducts when the corresponding primary switching element is not conducting. Each secondary winding is connected to one of the synchronous rectifiers and to a common connection and controlled current source. The primary switching elements conduct during offset times separated by a dead time. A magnetizing current flows through the secondary windings and synchronous rectifiers during the dead time. The magnetizing current flows into the primary winding when each of the synchronous rectifiers is turned off after the dead time, discharging a parasitic capacitance across the one of the primary switching elements when the corresponding synchronous rectifier is turned off, thereby creating a zero voltage switching condition at turn on for the primary switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Inventor: Ionel Jitaru
  • Patent number: 11728725
    Abstract: An alternating current to direct current conversion circuit includes a rectifier circuit, a first DC to DC conversion module and a second DC to DC conversion module. The first DC to DC conversion module includes multiple power switches and an inductor and is coupled between the rectifier circuit and the second DC to DC conversion module. Multiple power switches in the first DC to DC conversion module are controlled to be turned on simultaneously, so that a voltage across each of the power switches in the first DC to DC conversion module is reduced. The alternating current to direct current conversion circuit includes no power switch with a high withstand voltage, so that the alternating current to direct current conversion circuit has a small volume, low switching loss, less energy loss, and good heat dissipation, thereby increasing power density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SILERGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY (HANGZHOU) LTD
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Chen Zhao
  • Patent number: 11728740
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved flyback converter that separates the magnetic components of the converter into a transformer and a separate, discrete energy storage inductor. This arrangement can improve the operating efficiency of the converter by reducing the commutation losses as compared to a conventional flyback converter. The magnetic components may be constructed on separate magnetic cores or may be constructed on magnetic cores having at least one common element, thereby allowing for at least partial magnetic flux cancellation in a portion of the core, reducing core losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay G. Phadke, Prudhvi Mohan Maddineni
  • Patent number: 11728722
    Abstract: A control circuit for a power converter comprising switching transistors and an output inductor is disclosed. One terminal of the output inductor serves as an output node, and another terminal of the output inductor serves as a switching node. The control circuit is configured to generate a control signal for controlling switching transistors in the power converter. The control circuit includes: a RC oscillator network connected to two terminals of the output inductor, the RC oscillator network configured to generate an oscillation signal containing a feedback ramp slope compensation component in response to a change in a voltage across the terminals of the output inductor; a comparator; an on-time generation circuit; and a control signal generation circuit to generate the control signal for controlling the switching transistors in the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI BRIGHT POWER SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shungen Sun, Hanfei Yang
  • Patent number: 11722070
    Abstract: An alternating current to direct current conversion circuit includes N first power converters instead of a boost circuit including a power switch with a high withstand voltage. The N first power converters each have an input end and theses input ends are connected in series, to perform power factor correction. Therefore, the alternating current to direct current conversion circuit includes no power switch with a high withstand voltage, so that the alternating current to direct current conversion circuit has a small volume, low switching loss, less energy loss, and good heat dissipation, thereby increasing power density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SILERGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY (HANGZHOU) LTD
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Chen Zhao