Patents Examined by Gustavo A Rosario-Benitez
  • Patent number: 10749440
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes an input detector for detecting input parameters of the DC input to the inverter; an output detector for detecting output parameters of the DC output from the power converter device; a duty calculator for calculating a duty for the switching elements of the inverter; a frequency search range calculator for determining an upper limit and a lower limit of a frequency search range for determining the drive frequency after the operating condition is changed, using at least one parameter of the input parameters, the output parameters, and a duty parameter; and a frequency search processor for determining the drive frequency by searching the frequency search range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Toyoda, Takaaki Takahara, Ryota Kondo, Hiroyasu Iwabuki
  • Patent number: 10749442
    Abstract: A power supply device includes: a power supply; a conversion module including a plurality of conversion units configured to perform voltage conversion of power supplied by the power supply, the plurality of conversion units being electrically connected in parallel to each other; and a change unit that an operation number, which is the number of the conversion units performing the voltage conversion. The change unit prohibits a change to an operation number in which current imbalance occurs between the conversion units performing the voltage conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryota Kitamoto
  • Patent number: 10749432
    Abstract: A voltage converter includes a low dropout regulator voltage converter circuit. The voltage converter generates three voltages (e.g., 1.2 volts, 2.5 volts, and 1.8 volts) for an electronic system, which can be a smartphone or electronic tablet or other device. An implementation has at least one charge pump voltage converter circuit. The low dropout regulator voltage converter circuit provides an output voltage based on its input voltages and can operate with a very small input-to-output differential voltage. Compared to using a Buck converter, a low dropout regulator does not have an external inductor, which saves space. An implementation of the voltage converter can also include at least one charge pump voltage converter circuit to generate a voltage of the voltage converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: IML International
    Inventors: Alberto Giovanni Viviani, Dimitry Goder
  • Patent number: 10742121
    Abstract: A first charging path is provided for the charging of an a bootstrap capacitor that stores a driver power supply voltage for driving an active clamp switch transistor in a flyback converter. The first charging path couples charge from an active clamp capacitor to charge the bootstrap capacitor. A power supply capacitor stores a power supply voltage for a controller of a power switch for the flyback converter. A second charging path couples charge from the power supply capacitor to charge the bootstrap capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Wenduo Liu, Cong Zheng
  • Patent number: 10742122
    Abstract: System and method for regulating a power conversion system. A system controller for regulating a power conversion system includes an operation-mode-selection component and a driving component. The operation-mode-selection component is configured to receive a first signal related to an output load of the power conversion system and a second signal related to an input signal received by the power conversion system and output a mode-selection signal based on at least information associated with the first signal and the second signal. The driving component is configured to receive the mode-selection signal and generate a drive signal based on at least information associated with the mode-selection signal, the driving signal corresponding to a switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuan Lin, Xiaomin Huang, Qiang Luo, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 10727734
    Abstract: A control unit for a switching converter has an inductor element coupled to an input and a switch element coupled to the inductor element and generates a command signal having a switching period to switch the switch element and determine a first time period in which an inductor current is flowing in the inductor element for storing energy and a second time period in which energy is transferred to a load. An input current is distorted relative to a sinusoid by a distortion factor caused by current ripple on the inductor current. The duration of the first time period is determined based on a comparison between a peak value of the inductor current and a current reference that is a function of an output voltage of said voltage converter. A reference modification stage modifies one of the current reference and sensed value of the inductor current to compensate for distortion introduced by the distortion factor on the input current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Giovanni Gritti
  • Patent number: 10727756
    Abstract: Provided is a circuit module having less noise, and an inverter using the same. The circuit module 2 is provided with a circuit part 4, an input terminal part 5, an output terminal part 6, and a support 21. The circuit part 4 includes a conversion circuit, and a switch circuit. The output terminal part 6 includes a first output terminal 61 and a second output terminal 62 that are respectively electrically connected to a pair of output points of the circuit part 4. The arrangement of the output terminal part 6 on one surface of the support 21 is such that the first output terminal and the second output terminal are positioned around the circuit part 4 on the same side with respect to the circuit part 4, or the first output terminal and the second output terminal are adjacent to one another around the circuit part 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Goto, Yusuke Iwamatsu, Akira Yoshitake
  • Patent number: 10725487
    Abstract: A power circuit of an embodiment includes an amplifier circuit having a first and a second input. The amplifier circuit receives power from a power input and outputs an output voltage corresponding to a voltage difference between the first and second inputs. A reference voltage circuit supplies a reference voltage to the first input. A feedback circuit supplies a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage to the second input. A first ballast capacitance element is between the power input and the first input of the amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Akio Ogura
  • Patent number: 10715053
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus is provided in which an upper arm semiconductor device, a lower arm semiconductor device and a capacitor. At least either upper arm semiconductor device or lower arm semiconductor device constitutes a parallel-connected body. In an opposite arm against the parallel-connected body, a permissible element is provided. In the switching elements that constitute the parallel-connected body, a last off element and a non-last off circuit are identified. Inductance of a last off closed circuit where current flows through the last off element, reflux element in the opposite arm and the capacitor is smaller than inductance of a non-last off closed circuit where current flows through the last off element, reflux element in the opposite arm and the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsunori Kimura, Kengo Mochiki
  • Patent number: 10707759
    Abstract: Systems and methods for boosting battery voltage with boost converters are provided. Aspects include coupling a discharge path of a battery to an input side of a power converter in a power supply, wherein the power supply comprises a rectifier and the power converter. A charge path of the battery is coupled to an output side of the power converter and a processor monitors an output voltage of the power converter. The processor also monitors an input voltage of the power converter and responsive to the output voltage of the power converter dropping below a threshold voltage, the processor enables the discharge path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noah B. Singer, Steven J. Ahladas, Brian C. Tucker
  • Patent number: 10707743
    Abstract: A circuit for converting DC to AC power or AC to DC power comprises a storage capacitor, boost and buck inductors and switching elements. The switches are controlled to steer current to and from the storage capacitor to cancel DC input ripple or to provide near unity power factor AC input. The capacitor is alternately charged to high positive or negative voltages with an average DC bias near zero. The circuit is configured to deliver high-efficiency power in applications including industrial equipment, home appliances, mobility devices and electric vehicle applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Inventor: Robert W. Horst
  • Patent number: 10686361
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a resonant converter that includes a synchronous rectifier driver. The synchronous rectifier driver reduces voltage spikes on drains of transistors within the resonant converter by placing an active clamp between the drains of the transistors and an output terminal of the resonant converter. The active clamp reduces the voltage spikes by sinking current at the drains of the transistors to an output capacitor. By sinking the current to the output terminal, power loss is minimized and efficiency of the resonant converter is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Maurizio Foresta
  • Patent number: 10666142
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a switching converter includes a switching circuit configured to receive a switching signal and to alternatingly connect an output node of the switching circuit with a supply node and a reference node in accordance with the switching signal. An input voltage is operably applied between the supply node and the reference node. The switching converter further includes an inductor coupled between the output node of the switching circuit and an output node of the switching converter as well as an oscillator configured to generate a clock signal with an oscillator frequency depending on the input voltage. A switching controller is configured to receive the clock signal and to generate the switching signal using pulse-width modulation (PWM), wherein the frequency of the switching signal is set in accordance with the oscillator frequency and a duty cycle of the switching signal is deter-mined using current-mode control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Marco Vanin, Cristian Garbossa, Stefano Orlandi, Winand Van Sloten
  • Patent number: 10666152
    Abstract: A switching power converter is provided with a phase-shifting RC network for phase-shifting a divided version of a drain voltage of a power switch transistor into a phase-shifted voltage. A comparator compares the phase-shifted voltage to a DC bias voltage to detect peaks and valleys during resonant oscillations of the drain voltage of the power switch transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Henry Jun, Chuanyang Wang
  • Patent number: 10658934
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply controller includes a latch having an output for providing a drive signal, an off-time control circuit operating in valley switching and frequency reduction modes controlling an off-time of the latch based on at least a zero current detect signal, and an on-time control circuit resetting the latch in response to a current sense signal exceeding a feedback voltage representative of a load and to the current sense signal exceeding a modulated peak current threshold value. The on-time control circuit resets the latch in response to a current sense signal exceeding a feedback voltage representative of a load and to the current sense signal exceeding a peak current threshold value. In the frequency reduction mode, the on-time control circuit modulates the peak current threshold value by increasing the peak current threshold value by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alan David Finkel, Armando Gabriel Mesa
  • Patent number: 10651719
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a commutation process of a load current between two switching modules are disclosed that each have a MOSFET that can be controlled by a gate-source voltage, and an intrinsic-body inverse diode. To reduce oscillations in the down-commutation of the inverse diodes caused by parasitic circuit parameters, after switching off one of the switching modules, the gate-source control voltage applied to this switching module is temporarily switched off until being increased again the vicinity of the threshold voltage for switching on the MOSFET, before and while the other switching module is switched on, in order to commutate the current from the inverse diode of the one switching module to the MOSFET of the other switching module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Hendrik Gloes, Martin Geske, Piotr Szczupak
  • Patent number: 10644584
    Abstract: A power controller provides open-circuit protection for a power supply when an open circuit occurs between a ground end of an auxiliary winding and an input ground. The power controller provides a PWM signal to determine an ON time and an OFF time of a power switch connected in series between an input voltage and the input ground. A deviation detector in the power controller detects a winding voltage at a floating end of the auxiliary winding during the ON time, and asserts an open protection signal when a variation of the winding voltage during the ON time fits a first predetermined condition, so as to keep the power switch turned OFF and provide the open-circuit protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: LEADTREND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuan Hsien Chou, Fong Cheng Yang
  • Patent number: 10637370
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a DC-AC converter including a reactor and a plurality of drive switches and configured to convert DC power supplied via input terminals into AC power and supply the AC power to an AC power source connected to output terminals. In the apparatus, a current corrector is configured to set a current correction value including a harmonic component for a frequency component of a supply voltage of the AC power source that has minima at zero crossings where the supply voltage is zero and superimpose the current correction value on a sinusoidal commanded current generated based on the supply voltage of the AC power source, thereby generating a commanded current after correction. A current controller is configured to operate the drive switches using peak current mode control to control the reactor current to the commanded current after correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiji Iyasu, Yuji Hayashi, Yuichi Handa
  • Patent number: 10627842
    Abstract: The subject disclosure includes paralleling of monolithic embedded low drop-out (LDO) linear regulator power rails to provide additional load current, while maintaining accurate current sharing and balancing between the paralleled LDOs without additional power consumption for different load current requirements. Lossless current sensing is used to sense the current for each channel. An offset generator compares the voltages for a master channel and one or more slave channels, and generates an offset voltage according to the sensed error. The offset voltage is added between an input reference voltage and an output regulated voltage to cancel the offset of each channel, so the current of each channel is substantially the same. The lossless current sensing can be realized with equivalent series resistance compensation or current limit sensing. The offset generator can be realized with a resistor and current mirror topology or an input pair added to an error amplifier input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Danzhu Lu, Brandon Day, Yihui Chen, Jie He
  • Patent number: 10622883
    Abstract: Resonant power converters. Example embodiments are integrated circuit controllers for a resonant power converter, the controllers including: a frequency controller configured to control frequency of signals driven to a high-side gate terminal and a low-side gate terminal; a fault detector configured to sense an overcurrent condition of a primary winding of the resonant power converter, and to assert an overcurrent signal responsive to the overcurrent condition; a feedback controller that, during periods of time when the overcurrent signal is de-asserted, is configured to sense a signal representative of output voltage by way of the feedback terminal and to create an intermediate signal; and the feedback controller further configured to, during periods when the overcurrent signal is asserted, modify the intermediate signal to increase the frequency of the signals driven to the high-side gate terminal and the low-side gate terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Vaclav Drda, Roman Stuler