Abstract: A method for diagnosing a state of a submodule in initial charging of an MMC converter includes identifying, by an upper level controller, a stopped state of the MMC converter; supplying, by the upper level controller, an alternating current (AC) voltage from an AC side to N submodules in the MMC converter when the MMC converter is in the stopped state; charging a capacitor in the submodule with the supplied AC voltage to store an initial charging voltage in the capacitor; determining, by a submodule controller, whether the submodule is in a fault state and when the submodule is in a fault state, transmitting a fault signal to the upper level controller; and detecting, by a voltage detection unit of the submodule the initial charging voltage stored in the capacitor and transmitting the initial charging voltage to the submodule controller.

Abstract: A display panel is provided, including a test circuit, a display control switch and a selection circuit. In the test circuit, the test switch has a control terminal connected to the test control line, a first terminal connected to the test signal line, and a second terminal connected to the data line. In the display control circuit, the display switch has a control terminal connected to the display control line, a first terminal connected to the display signal line, and a second terminal connected to the data line. In the selection circuit, the selection switch has a control terminal connected to the selection control line, a first terminal connected to the selection signal terminal, and a second terminal connected to the display control line. The selection signal terminal provides a signal for turning off the display switch when the test switch and the selection switch are turned on.

Abstract: A system for determining electrical characteristics of an electric load can comprise a signal modulation circuit that can include a first integral controller configured to control AC reference voltage based on a requested maximum AC current and an estimated maximum AC current, a second integral controller configured to control DC reference voltage based on a requested DC current and an estimated DC current, a signal demodulation circuit including an AC current estimation circuit configured to generate the estimated maximum AC current for the signal modulation circuit, a DC current estimation circuit configured to generate the estimated DC current for the signal modulation circuit, and a resistance and inductance (RL) estimation circuit configured to determine inductance of the electric load based on the estimated maximum AC current and phase shift, wherein the estimated maximum AC current is a value lower than a DC offset current value.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) comprising a time-to-digital converter circuit (TDC), wherein time inputs to the TDC are (i) one or more input to an input/output (I/O) buffer of a pad of the IC, and (ii) one or more output from the I/O buffer. The IC comprises a digital comparator circuit electrically configured to: receive a stream of digital output values from the TDC, compare each value of the stream to one or more previous value in the stream, and when the comparison reflects a difference value greater than a threshold, issuing a notification to a user of the IC.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to detect a fault on a circuit. A current sensor is provided for sensing current on at least one line conductor and/or a neutral conductor on a circuit, and a switch is operated between at least first and second positions to selectively control a signal pathway on the at least one line conductor or the neutral conductor in relations to the sensor. The sensor performs a first current measurement corresponding to current across one conductor from the at least one line conductor and the neutral conductor in the first position, and a second current measurement corresponding to a current balance or imbalance between the conductors in the second position. The current sensor outputs the first current measurement for detecting an arc fault in the first position, or the second current measurement for detecting a ground fault in the second position.

Abstract: A power supply in a test and measurement device includes a stimulus having an output coupled to an amplifier in which an output signal from the stimulus controls an output level of the amplifier. The stimulus may include a Digital to Analog Converter. A measurement circuit detects the output level of the amplifier. The power supply includes an overpulse generator that can be structured to accept a desired amplifier output level, overdrive the stimulus at a first level for a first time period, and drive the stimulus at a second level for a second time period. The measurement circuit determines when the overpulse generator switches from driving the stimulus at the first level to driving the stimulus at the second level. The time period for driving the stimulus at the second level starts as the actual amplifier output level approaches the desired amplifier output level.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to circuits and techniques for detecting or responding to temperature of a power switch. A driver circuit for the power switch may be configured to deliver a modulation signal to a control node of the power switch to control on/off switching of the power switch, wherein the driver circuit is further configured to modulate an output impedance of the driver circuit at the control node, perform one or more voltage measurements while modulating the output impedance of the driver circuit, and control the power switch based at least in part on the one or more voltage measurements.

Abstract: An armor piece may include a tested material. The armor piece also may include a plurality of electrical contacts distributed about and electrically connected to the tested material. The armor piece further may include a non-volatile memory (NVM) device. The NVM device may be hardened against exposure to x-ray radiation. The NVM device may be configured to store control voltages associated with respective electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts.

Abstract: Provided a method including applying a Fourier Transform to an AC current waveform measured to perform conversion thereof to a frequency domain; adjusting entire phase components of frequency spectra obtained as a result of the Fourier Transform, such that a phase component of an AC power supply frequency becomes zero; and applying an inverse Fourier Transform to the frequency spectra with the entire phase components thereof adjusted to obtain a current waveform in a time domain.

Abstract: A method for testing a power module includes connecting an output capacitor of the power module to a load meter; inputting an input signal, an enable signal, a PowerGood signal, and an output signal of the power module to first, second, third, and fourth channels of an oscillometer, respectively; adjusting the load meter to a no-load state, and capturing and storing the power-on waveforms and power-off waveforms of four channels of signals of the power module; adjusting the load meter to a full-load state, and capturing and storing the power-on waveforms and power-off waveforms of the four channels of signals of the power module; and determining whether the power-on sequence, power-off sequence, overshoot voltage value, and undershoot voltage value of the power module are normal based on the power-on waveforms and power-off waveforms of the four channels of signals stored by the load meter under the no-load and full-load states.

Abstract: Provided are a failure diagnosis method and apparatus for open circuit failure of a power tube of a three-phase rectifier based on a current signal, relating to a failure diagnosis technique for power electronic equipment and capable of quickly and accurately diagnosing on an open circuit failure of the power tube of the three-phase rectifier without adding a hardware component. The failure diagnosis method only requires a sampled current existing in the control system of the rectifier and some intermediate computing signals and is therefore simple and requires little computing resource. A distorted current after the open circuit failure occurs in the power tube of the rectifier and a positive/negative half cycle where the current is present when the failure occurs serve as diagnostic variables. By analyzing the sampled current, a quick diagnosis on the power tube having the open circuit failure is provided. Thus, the invention is highly applicable.

Abstract: A circuit for sensing the driving current of a motor, the circuit comprising: a driver configured to generate a driving current for each phase of a multiple-phase motor, the instantaneous sum of all the driving currents being zero; a current sensor for each phase of the multiple-phase motor, each current sensor configured to measure the driving current of that phase and comprising a plurality of current sensor elements arranged with respect to each other such that each current sensor element has the same magnitude of driving current systematic error due to magnetic fields external to the driving current to be measured; and a controller configured to, for each phase of the multiple-phase motor, generate an estimate of the driving current of that phase to be the measured driving current of that phase minus 1/n of the total of the measured driving currents for all phases, n being the number of phases of the multiple-phase motor.

Abstract: A calibration setup for measuring a signal generator is provided. The calibration setup includes a calibration unit, a comb generator configured to output a comb signal and the signal generator to be measured that is configured to output an output signal. The comb signal has a higher bandwidth than the output signal. The comb signal has equidistant discrete frequency lines. The output signal has discrete frequency lines. Each of the equidistant discrete frequency lines of the comb signal is different to the discrete frequency lines of the output signal with regard to frequency. The calibration unit is configured to mix the comb signal with the output signal, thereby obtaining a mixed signal.

Abstract: Electrical component location is provided. Employed location techniques may include providing a signal, having components to be located sense the signal and report back the sensed signal, and determining relative locations for one or more of the components using the sensed signals reported by the components.

Abstract: Embodiments disclose herein include a sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer comprises a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface between the first surface and the second surface. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a plurality of sensor regions formed along the first surface, wherein the sensor regions comprise self-referencing capacitive sensors. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a vibration sensor embedded within the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a method for performing a testing procedure of an electrical power system for a wind turbine by means of a power supply unit, wherein the method includes connecting the power supply unit to a low voltage distribution system of the wind turbine. The method further includes closing a low voltage circuit breaker so that electrical connection is provided between the low voltage distribution system and an auxiliary transformer. Electrical power to a power converter is provided from the power supply unit via the low voltage distribution system thereby energizing a direct current link of the power converter. The power converter is synchronized with an electrical grid, and a main transformer switchgear unit is closed, such that electrical connection is provided between a main transformer and the electrical grid.

Abstract: A circuit for a Synthetic Physically Unclonable Function, acronym SPUF, in a computer device, wherein the circuit is configured to receive data from a plurality of hardware sensors and/or actuators accessible in the computer device; to determine deviations in the data; to determine a multivariate distribution of the deviations and to determine an identifier from the multivariate distribution. In described developments, deviations comprise random errors, statistical moments in data originating from sensors and/or actuators amongst accessible ones in the computer device can be selected, and entropy can be maximized. Computer program product embodiments are described.

Abstract: A device for sensing the relative rotary position of first and second parts about a rotation axis, the device comprising a follower constrained to move on a first track fast with the first part and on a second track fast with the second part, the first track being linear and the second track comprising a plurality of circular arcs and at least one transition section connecting one of the circular arcs to another, the tracks being arranged so as to convert relative rotation of the parts into linear motion of the follower, wherein the second track is generally spiral, each circular arc is of constant radius about the rotation axis and the first track is perpendicular to the rotation axis.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises a first monitoring pad and a second monitoring pad; a test circuit including an NMOS transistor having a drain and source coupled between a first voltage terminal and a common node, a PMOS transistor having a drain and source coupled between the common node and a second voltage terminal, a first switching element having a first terminal coupled to the common node via a first resistor and a second terminal coupled to the first monitoring pad, and a second switching element having a third terminal coupled to the common node via a second resistor and a fourth terminal coupled to the second monitoring pad; and a test control circuit suitable for controlling the test circuit.

Abstract: A method of testing a semiconductor device may include preparing a semiconductor substrate in which the semiconductor substrate includes a test element group including first and second test circuits, measuring first and second leakage currents in the first and second test circuits, respectively, and calculating leakage components by comparing the first and second leakage currents. Each of the first and second test circuits may include an active region, which is an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode, which is configured to cross the active region and to extend in a first direction, and an active contact, which is on the active region, is spaced apart from the gate electrode, and extends in the first direction. The second test circuit may further include a first gate contact that is connected to the gate electrode and overlaps the active region in a vertical direction perpendicular to the substrate.