Patents Examined by Harry Behm
  • Patent number: 9831767
    Abstract: A circuit and method for providing improved load transient response in a DC-DC converter. A DCM modulator is incorporated into the converter controller to generate a DCM enable signal for the driver circuits for the converter. During normal operation, the DCM enable signal will remain in a first state and the driver circuits will operate in a continuous conduction mode. However, upon a load transient, the DCM enable signal will change to a second state and the driver circuits will operate in a discontinuous conduction mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Dattatreya Baragur Suryanarayana, Preetam Tadeparthy, Brian Carpenter, Rama Venkatraman
  • Patent number: 9831772
    Abstract: A system includes an inductance, a sensing circuit, a filter circuit, and a switch. The inductance includes a first terminal connected to (i) an output of a power supply supplying a DC voltage and (ii) a load, and a second terminal connected to a node. The sensing circuit is configured to sense voltage at the node. The filter circuit is configured to filter the voltage at the node, and output a filtered voltage. The switch is configured to communicate with the node, and control current through the load based on the filtered voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell International LTD.
    Inventors: Jinho Choi, Young Chul Ryu, Wanfeng Zhang, Chang Qian
  • Patent number: 9831760
    Abstract: An electrical converter is interconnected via a filter with an electrical load or an electrical power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Peter Al-Hokayem, Tobias Geyer, Nikolaos Oikonomou
  • Patent number: 9825527
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a pulse width modulation (PWM) control signal generates a sawtooth ramp signal at a first frequency under standard operating conditions using a ramp generator, and generates a sawtooth ramp at a second frequency under alternative operating conditions. The sawtooth ramp is combined with an error threshold by a PWM controller to generate a square wave PWM control signal. The error threshold is adjusted simultaneous with adjusting the frequency of the sawtooth ramp, thereby preventing either a voltage overshoot and a voltage undershoot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail Zarkhin, Alfons Fisch
  • Patent number: 9825523
    Abstract: A converter control arrangement (18) for regulating the output current of a dc source power converter (16) comprises a current regulator (20) for regulating the output current based on a comparison of an output current value (Iout) of the dc source power converter (16) with a desired target current value (Itgt). When the output voltage value (Vout) of the dc source power converter (16) is within a normal operating voltage range between minimum and maximum voltage values (Vmin, Vmax) defined with respect to a voltage reference value (Vref) of the dc source power converter (16), the converter control arrangement (18) controls the target current value (Itgt) so that it is equal to a desired reference current value (Iref).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology LTD
    Inventors: Lihua Hu, Richard Ian Stephens, Martin Samuel Butcher
  • Patent number: 9819278
    Abstract: A DC/DC conversion apparatus includes a DC voltage source, an oscillation circuit, switch elements, a switch controller, and a transformation circuit. An inductor is provided in the oscillation circuit, a transformer is provided in the transformation circuit and a primary side of the transformer is connected in series with the oscillation circuit. Before a direction of a voltage applied to the oscillation circuit is switched from a first direction to a second direction, the switch controller disconnects electrical connection between the oscillation circuit and the DC voltage source and a first resonance loop is defined by a portion of the plurality of switch elements and the oscillation circuit. When a current flowing through the inductor is equal or substantially equal to an excitation current on the primary side of the transformer in the first resonance loop, at least one switch element in the first resonance loop is turned off to define a second resonance loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiale Dai, Yu Cao, Kezhi Wang
  • Patent number: 9812968
    Abstract: A converter comprises a switch network coupled to a power source, wherein the switch network comprises a plurality of power switches, a magnetic device coupled to the switch network, a detector coupled to the magnetic device through a magnetic coupling and a control circuit configured to receive a zero voltage switching signal from the detector and adjust gate drive signals of the power switches based upon the zero voltage switching signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jinbo Huang, Xujun Liu, Dianbo Fu, Liming Ye, Heping Dai, Daoshen Chen
  • Patent number: 9812982
    Abstract: A method and apparatuses for handling delayed zero crossing in fault current through a circuit breaker are disclosed. An interface arrangement is configured to couple an alternating current, AC, power system with a direct current, DC, power system, or vice versa. The interface arrangement includes at least one converter for conversion of AC power to DC power, or vice versa, which includes a DC side for coupling of the converter to the DC power system and an AC side for coupling of the converter to the AC power system. A circuit breaker is arranged in a current path between the AC side of the at least one converter and the AC power system. There may be a risk of delayed zero crossing in fault current occurring in case a fault occurs in a predefined portion of the interface arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventor: Ying Jiang-Häfner
  • Patent number: 9812976
    Abstract: A power supply includes a control transistor that controls a primary winding of a transformer to induce current on a secondary winding of the transformer to generate an output voltage. A pulse width modulation (PWM) controller integrated circuit (IC) chip drives the control transistor through a gate pin. The PWM controller IC chip has a feedback pin that receives a feedback signal indicative of the output voltage. A high voltage (HV) startup transistor is controlled through the feedback pin. The HV startup transistor turns ON during startup to generate a supply voltage from current received from the input voltage of the power supply. The HV startup transistor turns OFF when the supply voltage reaches a startup voltage level that is sufficient to start the switching operation of the control transistor and thereby receive operating current from an auxiliary winding of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Hangseok Choi
  • Patent number: 9806603
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement, having: a comparator device for comparing a value of an electrical input voltage with an upper threshold value and/or with a lower threshold value; an increasing device for increasing an electrical output voltage if the comparison by the comparator device shows that the value of the input voltage is greater than the upper threshold value; and a reducing device for reducing the electrical output voltage if the comparison shows that the value of the input voltage is less than the lower threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: PHOENIX CONTACT GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Jochen Zeuch, Hartmut Henkel
  • Patent number: 9806595
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electrical converter comprises the acts of determining an error value based on a difference between an estimated output value and a reference output value, the estimated output value being based on measurements in the electrical converter; comparing the error value with an error band and in the case of the error value exceeds the error band, controlling the electrical converter by switching to a different control scheme. The converter is controlled with the modified pre-calculated switching by determining a pre-calculated switching sequence for the converter based on an actual state of the electrical converter, the switching sequence comprising a sequence of switching transitions of the converter; modifying the pre-calculated switching sequence by modifying transition times of switching transitions of the pre-calculated switching sequence, such that the error value is minimized; and applying at least a part of the modified switching sequence to the electrical converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Tobias Geyer, Nikolaos Oikonomou, Georgios Papafotiou
  • Patent number: 9798346
    Abstract: Provided is a reference voltage circuit capable of outputting, with a low voltage and low current consumption, a voltage that is less liable to change due to a temperature change, and has a low GND terminal reference voltage. The reference voltage circuit includes a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor connected by a current mirror circuit, the first NMOS transistor having a gate and a drain connected to each other via a first resistor, the second NMOS transistor having a gate connected to the drain of the first NMOS transistor, and a source connected to a GND terminal via a second resistor, the second NMOS transistor having a threshold voltage lower than a threshold voltage of the first NMOS transistor, in which a reference voltage is output from the source of the second NMOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SII Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Fumiyasu Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 9793811
    Abstract: A voltage converter includes first and second charging elements, first and second switches, and first and second switch controllers. The first switch controller adjusts a first activation timing of a first control signal in response to a pulse width modulation signal, a switch signal, and a first control signal. The first control signal is a signal for controlling the first switch. The second switch controller adjusts a second activation timing of a second control signal in response to the pulse width modulation signal, the first control signal, and a second control signal. The second control signal is a signal for controlling the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gwang-Yol Noh, Yus Ko, Dongjin Keum, Hwayeal Yu
  • Patent number: 9787201
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter is operated in a boost mode by operating a plurality of low-voltage side switches with a first fixed duty cycle (greater than 0.5), with cutting off a plurality of the first high-voltage side switches and a plurality of the second high-voltage side switches, with conducting a plurality of the first diodes of the first high-voltage side switches and a plurality of the second diodes of the second high-voltage side switches, and with alternatively conducting and cutting off a bidirectional switch. In a buck mode, the low-voltage side switches are cut off and a plurality of diodes of the low-voltage side switches are conducted. Furthermore, the first high-voltage side switches are complemented and are operated with a second fixed duty cycle (less than 0.5) while the second high-voltage side switches are conducted and cut off alternatively and the bidirectional switch is switched on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Ablerex Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Jung Chiang, Kuo-Fang Huang, Wen-Chung Chen
  • Patent number: 9787200
    Abstract: A method comprises detecting a signal representing a drain-to-source voltage of a switch of a synchronous rectifier of an inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) resonant converter, comparing the signal with a predetermined threshold, generating a first logic state if the drain-to-source voltage is greater than the predetermined threshold, generating a second logic state if the drain-to-source voltage is less than the predetermined threshold and in response to the first logic state and the second logic state, adjusting a switching frequency of the LLC resonant converter such that the switching frequency moves back and forth across a boundary of body diode conduction, wherein a frequency difference between the switching frequency and a resonant frequency of the LLC resonant converter is less than or equal to one frequency adjustment step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dianbo Fu, Heping Dai, Liming Ye, Daoshen Chen
  • Patent number: 9774260
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes circuitry for reducing conductive emissions caused when the regulators switch from one transistor switch to the other. The switching regulator includes at least one switch with a diode connected from the source to the drain of at least one of the transistor switches. When the regulator switches from one transistor switch to the other, the circuitry initiates turning on the switch with a relatively small, current-limited signal, waits for the diode across the recently turned off switch to complete reverse recovery, and then quickly turns the new switch fully on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (CHINA) INVESTMENT CO. LTD
    Inventor: Ming Jiang
  • Patent number: 9774257
    Abstract: A switching regulator control circuit includes a circuit configured to generate a control signal to control conduction of the regulator switch in response to a reference signal that is ramped to control a rate of change of the regulated output of the regulator and the control signal is gated in response to a PWM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Wibben, Kurt Kimber, Peter Tod
  • Patent number: 9768686
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein describe a switching power converter that includes a switch, an inductor, a diode, and a controller that generates a control signal to turn on and turn off the switch. The controller generates the control signal by generating a reference signal, integrating a difference between a voltage value of the generated reference signal, and a voltage difference between voltage values of the switching node and the second output terminal, and generating the control signal by processing the integrated voltage difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Andrey B. Malinin
  • Patent number: 9762136
    Abstract: A voltage source converter includes a number of valves, the valves including switching elements with anti-parallel diodes provided in a bridge for switching between two states. The bridge is provided in at least one phase leg that stretches between two direct current poles and has at least one midpoint, which is connected to an alternating current terminal. The switching element of at least one valve is a thyristor. The converter further includes a commutation cell associated with the valve, where the commutation cell is controllable to reverse-bias the valve if it is to stop conducting current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Praveen Kumar Barupati, Tomas Jonsson, Sasitharan Subramanian
  • Patent number: 9762129
    Abstract: A power converter controller includes a primary controller coupled to operate in a first mode to control a power switch with a primary switching pattern. A secondary controller is galvanically isolated from the primary controller. The secondary controller is coupled to initiate a transition operation with the primary controller to take control of the power switch with one or more control signals through a communication link. The primary controller is coupled to acknowledge receipt of the one or more control signals to the secondary controller and transition from the first mode to a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, Alex B. Djenguerian, Sheng Liu