Patents Examined by Harry R Behm
  • Patent number: 11349301
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a sensor arrangement (2) in a motor vehicle (1) on the basis of a DSI protocol in a Power Function Class mode, wherein the sensor arrangement (2) has a central unit (3) and a multiplicity of sensor units (S1, S2, . . . , SN), the central unit and the sensor units are connected to one another in series by means of a bus cable (4), the sensor units each have a test resistor (RS1, RS2, . . . , RN) connected in series with the bus cable, an electrical test load (L1, L2, . . . , LN) that can be connected to the bus cable, and an address counter (A1, A2, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventor: Marek Lewandowski
  • Patent number: 11341897
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes: a first converter including a pass transistor coupled between the first node and a first output, and a body diode connected in parallel to the pass transistor; a sensor coupled between both ends of the pass transistor and which detects a driving current; and a second converter which outputs a second power voltage lower than the first power voltage to a second output. The second converter includes a master inverting converter which outputs the second power voltage independently of the driving current, a slave inverting converter which outputs the second power voltage when the driving current is greater than a predetermined threshold or when the input power voltage is greater than a predetermined boosting voltage limit, and an inverting converter controller which controls operations of the master and slave inverting converters in first and second drive modes based on the driving current and the input power voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sungchun Park
  • Patent number: 11340310
    Abstract: This voltage imbalance assessment method is for a power conversion device comprising a forward converter for rectifying the voltage of a three-phase AC power supply, a smoothing capacitor for smoothing the rectified voltage, a detection unit for detecting the smoothed voltage, and a control unit. The control unit: uses the detected voltage to generate data indicating frequency components; compares, in the data indicating frequency components, the magnitude of the component that is four times the power supply frequency with the magnitude of the component that is six times the power supply frequency; and assesses the voltage imbalance of the three-phase AC power supply on the basis of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushige Hotta, Keisuke Tanabe, Yusuke Arao
  • Patent number: 11329567
    Abstract: A forward converter includes an input voltage source divided into multiple divided input voltage sources, each of which provides a portion of a total input voltage of the input voltage source. The forward converter includes an output circuit with an output capacitor, a transformer having multiple primary windings, a secondary winding, and a relaxation winding. Each primary winding is connected in series with a corresponding primary side switching device. A combination of the primary winding and the corresponding primary side switching device is in parallel with a corresponding divided voltage source. The secondary winding outputs a voltage via the output circuit. The relaxation winding is connected across the divided input voltage sources or the output capacitor. A controller circuit controls the primary side switching devices to control power flow from the input voltage source to the output capacitor based on an indication of a voltage across the output capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Appulse Power Inc.
    Inventors: Seyed-Behzad Mahdavikhah-Mehrabad, Nenad Vukadinovic
  • Patent number: 11329479
    Abstract: A control system and method for sectionalizing switches and pulse-testing interrupter/reclosers in a distribution grid feeder which enables fault location, isolation and service restoration without requiring an external communications infrastructure to pass information between the switches. The method includes switches entering an armed state when they experience a high fault current during an initial fault event. Then, when the interrupter/recloser runs its test pulse sequence, any armed switch counts all test pulses as fault pulses, while non-armed switches count the test pulses as load pulses. Switches open to isolate the fault based on threshold values of fault pulse count and load pulse count. When an initially active interrupter/recloser completes its test pulse sequence, another interrupter/recloser begins its sequence, and all switches reconfigure their threshold values based on the new interrupter/recloser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Meisinger, Martin Bishop, Stephen Williams, David Porter
  • Patent number: 11320495
    Abstract: Systems and methods may be used to determine fault types and/or directions even during a loss of potential by receiving, at one or more processors, an indication of a pre-fault power flow direction for a power delivery system. The one or more processors then determine a fault direction during a fault for the power delivery system using current vector angles and the pre-fault power flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Kanchanrao Gangadhar Dase, Mohammed Shabbir Pithapur
  • Patent number: 11316425
    Abstract: A cascade multiplier includes a switch network having switching elements, a phase pump, and a network of pump capacitors coupled with the phase pump and to the switch network. The network of pump capacitors includes first and second capacitors, both of which have one terminal DC coupled with the phase pump, and a third capacitor coupled with the phase pump through the first capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: David Giuliano
  • Patent number: 11309800
    Abstract: A controller for use with a power converter and a power switch comprising a primary controller and a secondary controller. The primary controller to control the power switch to transfer energy from the input side to the output side of the power converter. The secondary controller to transmit a control signal to the primary controller through a communication link, and to initiate a transition operation with the primary controller through the communication link. The secondary controller comprises a secondary switch control circuit configured to output the control signal in response to an output of the power converter, a charging circuit coupled to an energy storage element for providing power to the secondary control circuit, and a voltage detection circuit coupled to the energy storage element, wherein the voltage detection circuit is configured to indicate to the secondary switch control circuit when to initiate the transition operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, Alex B. Djenguerian, Sheng Liu
  • Patent number: 11307236
    Abstract: A method for locating a ground fault in an IT network which has a converter with a rectifier connected to a power transmission network, a DC link and an inverter connected to an electrical machine includes measuring a common-mode voltage property of the converter or of the power transmission network and comparing the common-mode voltage property with an output voltage property of an output voltage of the inverter. When the IT network experiences a ground fault, the comparison of the common-mode voltage property with the output voltage property is used to determine whether a machine area of the IT network connected downstream of the converter, which includes the electrical machine and a connecting line between the electrical machine and the converter, causes the ground fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Benno Weis
  • Patent number: 11303128
    Abstract: A suppression method of high-frequency resonance for VSC-HVDC (Voltage Source Converter-High Voltage Direct Current Transmission) system based on nonlinear filter in voltage feed-forward control. It includes that the nonlinear filter is used for the voltage feed-forward link in the current inner loop control. The specific method is to extract each sequence component of the AC (Alternating Current) voltage, calculate the average value of the sequence component at N sample points, compare the current average value with the output result of nonlinear filter in the previous period, and output the result of nonlinear filter in the current period. After corrected, the result is a fixed value varying according to gradient which acts on the voltage feed-forward link of the inner loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Inventors: Bin Liu, Fengmei Cao, Shu Liu, Hongming Mei, Zhichao Liu, Hongxia Qin, Xiaoyu Zhang, Hualong Yu, Xianchao Guo, Jing Wen
  • Patent number: 11303213
    Abstract: A method includes converting a ramp voltage signal into a ramp current signal, a feedback signal into a feedback current signal, a reference signal into a reference current signal, and a control signal into a control current signal through a plurality of adjustable-gain units, and determining a turn-on of a high-side switch of a power converter through comparing a first control voltage and a second control voltage, wherein the first control voltage is generated based on a sum of the ramp current signal and the feedback current signal, and the second control voltage is generated based on a sum of the reference current signal and the control current signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: M3 Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoyu Xi, Bo Yang
  • Patent number: 11303112
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for at least partially removing the oscillations occurring at the end of a current discharge through the structural diodes for a switching structure supplying power to an inductive load in the form of an H-bridge and including two controlled high or low power switches forming part of a high circuit or a low circuit, respectively, between a respective output and a power source or a ground, the switching structure having one of its outputs below the ground potential and the other above the potential of the power source during the current discharge through the structural diodes. A detection or anticipation of the end of discharge and a forced preservation of a freewheel after the detection of the end of discharge are carried out, the forced preservation of the freewheel after the detection of the end of discharge taking place for a predetermined preservation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Angelo Pasqualetto
  • Patent number: 11303223
    Abstract: Provided is a detector. The detector includes: one or more detection diodes configured to detect a change in an environment of a detection target; a Y capacitor including a plurality of capacitors separately disposed between one end of the detection diodes and a GND and between the other end of the detection diodes and the GND; and a rectifier circuit disposed at least between one end of the detection diodes and the GND or between the other end of the detection diodes and the GND, connected in series with the Y capacitor, and configured to transmit a common-mode current accompanying noise induced in the detection diodes to the GND and cut off a normal-mode loop current that flows between the plurality of capacitors and the detection diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Hoda, Jia Li, Hiroki Funato, Ryuji Kurihara
  • Patent number: 11290020
    Abstract: A voltage mode controller applied to short-circuited protection of a power converter includes gate control signal generation circuit and control circuit. The control circuit generates control signal to make the gate control signal generation circuit generate predetermined signal to power switch of the primary side of the power converter before the power converter starts up and when supply voltage is greater than first reference voltage, enables short-circuited protection after predetermined enabling period of the predetermined signal if detection voltage is less than second reference voltage during the predetermined enabling period. The short-circuited protection makes the power converter not start up, and after the power converter starts up, the short-circuited protection is enabled to turn off the power converter if the detection voltage is less than the second reference voltage for de-bounce time and compensation voltage is greater than third reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Leadtrend Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Ruei-Jhih Jheng, Wei-Cheng Su
  • Patent number: 11283290
    Abstract: A system for providing a rapid threshold amount of power to a customer load during transfer between a primary power supply and a secondary power supply is disclosed. The system is electrically connected between a customer metering system and the customer load. The system includes a secondary power supply not in electrical connectivity with the primary power supply. The secondary power supply includes a secondary power supply source for generating electrical power, a switching module, and an energy storage system in electrical communication with the secondary power supply source and the switching module. The energy storage system includes a high discharge battery and is configured to rapidly discharge power to the customer load when the switching module switches between the primary power supply and the secondary power supply. The switching module includes at least one set of contacts in communication with at least one inverter of the secondary power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Inventors: James Richmond, Scott Gall, Timothy Richmond
  • Patent number: 11271488
    Abstract: A system and method using four switches connected in an H-bridge (full bridge) topology within a series-connected FACTS device is disclosed. System and method can be used to bypass a FACTS device. The switches in H-bridge are connected to an alternating current (AC) source allowing for various switching states, and enabling non-monitoring mode, local bypass monitoring mode, low-loss monitoring mode, and diagnostic mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Smart Wires Inc.
    Inventors: Amrit Iyer, Antonio Ginart, Shreesha Adiga Manoor, Haroon Inam
  • Patent number: 11269230
    Abstract: An electrochromic device, with an external power supply configured to supply a limited amount of power to the electrochromic device and a boost circuit power supply that is local to the electrochromic device and configured to supply power to the electrochromic device that is larger than the limited amount of power supplied by the external power supply is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Coffin, Douglas F. Brainard
  • Patent number: 11258347
    Abstract: A method of reducing THD can include: acquiring a first average inductor current during a first conduction time of a main power transistor of a power converter in a switching cycle; acquiring a second average inductor current during a second conduction time and an off time of the main power transistor in the switching cycle; and adjusting the second conduction time of the main power transistor in accordance with a difference between the first and second average inductor currents, where the first and second conduction times are successive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Longqi Wang, Jianxin Wang
  • Patent number: 11257636
    Abstract: A method for synchronizing opening of a circuit breaker is presented. The circuit breaker is arranged to interrupt a current to an inductive load. The method is performed in a control device (2) and comprises measuring (S100) a reference signal as a function of time for a circuit breaker (1) connected to an inductive load (5), obtaining (S110) an indication of a power factor of the inductive load through the circuit breaker, determining (S120) an arcing time for opening of the circuit breaker, the arcing time being dependent on the obtained indication of a power factor, predicting (S130) a zero crossing of a current through the circuit breaker based on the measured reference signal, and providing (S140) contact separation of a contact pair of the circuit breaker at a point of time before the predicted zero crossing, the point of time being determined by the determined arcing time and the predicted zero crossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Magnus Backman, Elisabeth Lindell, Andrea Bianco
  • Patent number: 11255895
    Abstract: A sensor system having a current interface includes a supply and current interface, an electronic control unit and an enhanced initialization sensor. The supply and current interface is configured to receive a supply voltage. The electronic control unit is coupled to the supply and current interface. The enhanced initialization sensor is coupled to the supply and current interface. The enhanced initialization sensor is configured to initialize the supply and current interface at a suitable current level to mitigate erroneous information. measurement system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christoph Schroers, Christof Bodner, Simon Hainz