Patents Examined by Gustavo Rosario Benitez
  • Patent number: 10050521
    Abstract: A voltage converter includes at least one charge pump 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. The charge pump voltage converter circuit provides an output voltage that is an average of its input voltages. Compared to a low dropout regulator, charge pump voltage converter circuit has high efficiency. This voltage converter will save power compared to converters using a low dropout regulator. An implementation of the voltage converter can includes at least two charge pump voltage converter circuits to generate to different output voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: IML International
    Inventors: Alberto Giovanni Viviani, Dimitry Goder
  • Patent number: 10042373
    Abstract: An integrated circuit voltage regulator includes a transconductor first stage; and a negative impedance cancellation stage, where the negative impedance cancellation stage comprises cross-coupled transistors at outputs of said transconductor first stage, and resistors in the transconductor first stage and the negative impedance cancellation stage introduce zeros in a transfer function, compensating for parasitic poles. The resistors may compensate for parasitic capacitance inherent in transistors. Load transistors may be coupled to outputs of the transconductance first stage. The voltage regulator may be implemented in a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) structure, which may be a system-on-chip integrated circuit. The voltage regulator may provide immunity to power supply noise. The negative impedance cancellation stage may include differential input transistors coupled to the cross-coupled transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC.
    Inventor: Raed Moughabghab
  • Patent number: 10044282
    Abstract: Using two converters placed in a primary-side and a secondary-side and each configured as a single-phase full-bridge, and one single-phase transformer TR, a power conversion device converts DC power of a primary-side capacitor to which a primary-side DC voltage is applied, to DC power of a secondary-side capacitor to which a secondary-side DC voltage is applied, through a transformer. A control device sets a dead time Td1 for the converter serving as a power-transferring side converter, to be equal to or less than a current-polarity reversal time Tcmtt, to thereby surely achieve zero-voltage switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takushi Jimichi, Tatsuya Okuda, Osamu Mori, Takaharu Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 10044276
    Abstract: A power supply includes a phase-cut pre-regulator. The phase-cut pre-regulator comprises a switching device connected between a line voltage and an input voltage of a bulk capacitor and a comparator receiving the line voltage and a reference voltage, comparing the line voltage with hysteresis reference voltages based on the reference voltage, and switching the switching device according to the compared result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Charlie Wang, Sang Cheol Moon, Young-Bae Park
  • Patent number: 10038434
    Abstract: Circuitry for soft shutdown of a power switch and a power converters that includes circuitry for soft shutdown are described. In one aspect, circuitry for soft shutdown of a power switch includes a sense input to be coupled to a power switch receive a signal representative of current passing through the power switch, a comparator to compare the signal with an overcurrent threshold indicative of an overcurrent condition of the power switch and to output a triggering signal in response to the comparison indicating the overcurrent condition, and a gating transistor to be coupled to a control terminal of the power switch, the gating transistor configured to divert a portion of a drive signal away from the control terminal of the power switch in response to the triggering signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Power Integrations Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Volke, Karsten Fink
  • Patent number: 10038370
    Abstract: A capacitor input circuit for a mobile power supply includes a bulk capacitor and a switch. The switch connects the bulk capacitor to receive a rectified AC voltage from a rectifier when an AC line voltage input to the mobile power supply is lower than a threshold voltage. When the AC line voltage is greater than the threshold voltage, the switch electrically floats the bulk capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Richard Nicholson
  • Patent number: 10038380
    Abstract: An apparatus is adapted to drive an insulating gate-type semiconductor element by a first control voltage and a second control voltage, that are supplied to a first insulating gate and a second insulating gate, respectively, and includes a first noise filter inputting a signal about current that passes through the insulating gate-type semiconductor element, a first comparator making a comparison between an output signal of the first noise filter and a first reference signal and outputting a first comparison result, a first control voltage output circuit, and a second control voltage output circuit, the second control voltage output circuit being adapted to reduce the second control voltage when it is determined from the first comparison result that overcurrent passes through the insulating gate-type semiconductor element, the first control voltage output circuit being adapted to reduce the first control voltage after the second control voltage is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Hashimoto, Mutsuhiro Mori
  • Patent number: 10037075
    Abstract: Voltage regulation techniques for electronic devices are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise an electronic element comprising one or more integrated circuits, a voltage regulator to regulate an input voltage of the electronic element, the voltage regulator to source an output current comprising at least a portion of an input current of the electronic element, the voltage regulator to operate in a current-limiting mode to limit the output current when the input current exceeds a threshold current, and a capacitor bank comprising one or more capacitors, the capacitor bank to source a supplemental current to supplement the output current of the voltage regulator when the voltage regulator operates in the current-limiting mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian J. Griffith, Viktor D. Vogman
  • Patent number: 10014785
    Abstract: A power source apparatus comprises: a transformer that insulates a primary system and a secondary system and uses primary/secondary windings to transform an input voltage into an output voltage; a switching control device that is disposed in the primary system to drive the primary winding, and an output monitor device that is disposed in the secondary system to monitor the output voltage. The transformer includes a first auxiliary winding disposed in the primary system and a second auxiliary winding disposed in the secondary system. The output monitor device drives the second auxiliary winding to generate an induced voltage in the first auxiliary winding when the output voltage becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold voltage. The switching control device temporarily stops driving of the first winding upon detecting a light load state and resumes the driving of the first winding upon detecting the induced voltage in the first auxiliary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Nate
  • Patent number: 10003269
    Abstract: A switching power converter is provided that cycles a power switch during a group pulse mode of operation to produce a train of pulses within a group period responsive to a control voltage being within a group mode control voltage range. Depending upon the control voltage, the number of pulses in each train of pulses is varied to provide a linear power delivery to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Fuqiang Shi, Kai-Wen Chin, Cong Zheng, Jianming Yao, Yong Li
  • Patent number: 10003252
    Abstract: A power converter circuit can be operated in a constant-current mode when a monitored output current exceeds a specified over-current threshold. A value representing an output voltage of the power converter circuit can be compared to a soft-start voltage reference value. The soft-start voltage reference value can be set (or reset) to a value representing the output voltage of the power converter when the difference between the soft-start voltage reference value and the value representing the output voltage of the power converter is greater than a specified threshold. The output voltage of the power converter can be regulated using the soft-start voltage reference value as a target voltage including ramping the soft-start voltage reference value at specified rate to maintain the soft-start voltage reference value within a specified range of a specified regulated output voltage value, such as to constrain a slew rate of the regulated output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Daly
  • Patent number: 9997991
    Abstract: A switched-mode power converter with current limit circuits for limiting the input current into the power converter and/or the output current is presented. The power converter contains a feedback loop for controlling the output voltage of the converter. A first voltage comparison unit within the feedback loop compares an output voltage with a reference voltage and outputs an error voltage based on the comparison. The power converter also contains a current control unit for limiting the input/output current. The current control unit contains a current comparison unit and a connection unit. The current comparison unit compares the input/output current with a current threshold and outputs an intermediate voltage based on the comparison. The connection unit connects the output of the current comparison unit and the output of the current comparison unit to the output of the first voltage comparison unit if the input/output current exceeds the current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Marcus Weis
  • Patent number: 9991883
    Abstract: A thyristor switch is constituted of a pair of arms connected in anti-parallel, each of the arms including a plurality of thyristors connected in series. A controller includes a phase detecting unit configured to detect a phase of a power supply voltage supplied from an alternating-current power supply, and a gate signal generating unit configured to interrupt a gate signal when an open command is provided to the static switch and the phase of the power supply voltage detected by the phase detecting unit matches a target phase. The target phase is set outside of a phase range where interruption of the gate signal is prohibited, the phase range being set so as to include a zero crossing point at which a load current is switched in polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuaki Matsumoto, Akinobu Ando, Yasuhiko Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 9973090
    Abstract: The present invention provides a buck-boost converter including a converter power stage, a first mode control unit, and a second mode control unit. In the buck-boost converter, the converter power stage may include at least one inductor and a plurality of switching devices. Further, the first mode control unit may operate the converter power stage in a buck mode and regulate an output voltage of the converter power stage as a first voltage. Further, the second mode control unit may operate the converter power stage in a boost mode or a buck-boost mode, and regulate an output voltage of the converter power stage as a second voltage higher than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Mitus, Inc.
    Inventor: Kin Keung Lau
  • Patent number: 9973072
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power converter stage (2) for providing power supply to a power converter controller (3), a power converter controller (3) for such power converter stage (2), a power converter (1) including such power converter stage (2) and such power converter controller (3), a method for providing power to a controller (3) of a power converter (1) and a software product for controlling a power converter (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Jurgen Margriet Antonius Willaert, Dalibor Cvoric
  • Patent number: 9966837
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply is provided comprising a pulse-width-modulator (PWM), a power section, and a drive section for the power switch. The drive section consists of a new method of driving the power switch where it is desired that the switch terminals be isolated from the PWM ground. The new driver design, which incorporates a small isolation transformer along with unique modifications to the traditional DC restore circuit, is directed to solving problems when PWM type switching power supplies encounter fault conditions such as a short circuit across their output as well as protecting the switch and the load when an ordinary shutdown or disable command is received. One problem that arises with switch drivers that utilize isolation transformers during an overload event or even an ordinary shutdown event is that the driver does not turn off and hold off the power switch when it is commanded to do so.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: VPT, INC.
    Inventor: Kevin L. Seaton
  • Patent number: 9966862
    Abstract: A switching power supply includes a first switching element connected between a primary winding of a transformer for the switching power supply and the ground, a shunt regulator serving as an output voltage detection circuit configured to detect an output voltage on a secondary winding side of the transformer, a photocoupler configured to transmit the output voltage to a control circuit, a second switching element configured to receive a stop signal for stopping operation of the switching power supply, and a photocoupler drive circuit configured such that when the second switching element has received the stop signal, power output from a low-frequency transformer power supply or the switching power supply is supplied to the photocoupler, and the stop signal is transmitted to the control circuit via the photocoupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Onkyo & Pioneer Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9948172
    Abstract: A ripple-eliminating power converter includes a first voltage converter configured to output a first voltage by stepping up or down a DC voltage supplied from a battery cell; a second voltage converter configured to receive the first voltage outputted from the first voltage converter and output a second voltage by stepping up or down the first voltage; and a ripple-eliminating capacitor disposed between the first voltage converter and the second voltage converter to transfer a DC component of the first voltage to the second voltage converter by eliminating an AC component included in the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM TECHNO-PARK
    Inventors: Joung Hu Park, Ahmed Ashraf
  • Patent number: 9935557
    Abstract: A multi-output power supply includes: a switching element that turns ON and OFF currents flowing through all primary coils of a plurality of transformers connected in parallel at a same time; a plurality of output circuits that rectify and smooth voltages induced in secondary coils of the plurality of transformers to produce a plurality of output voltages; a plurality of feedback voltage detection circuits that detect feedback voltages corresponding to the output voltages of the plurality of the output circuits; an averaging circuit that calculates an average feedback voltage from the feedback voltages detected by the feedback voltage detection circuits; and a control circuit that uses feedback control to turn the switching element ON and OFF according to the average feedback voltage calculated by the averaging circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Nishijima
  • Patent number: 9935541
    Abstract: A voltage converter includes at least one charge pump 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. The charge pump voltage converter circuit provides an output voltage that is an average of its input voltages. Compared to a low dropout regulator, charge pump voltage converter circuit has high efficiency. This voltage converter will save power compared to converters using a low dropout regulator. An implementation of the voltage converter can includes at least two charge pump voltage converter circuits to generate to different output voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: IML International
    Inventors: Alberto Giovanni Viviani, Dimitry Goder