Patents Examined by Jared J. Fureman
  • Patent number: 7928599
    Abstract: Present invention relates to an electro-mechanical anti-theft device suitable both to inhibit rotation of the steering axis of a motor vehicle and to interrupt feeding of necessary electric switchboards for correct operation of the same motor vehicle. As to this latter object of the invention, a signal originating from a chip, housed inside a protected cylinder, can be coded by a suitable switchboard, only when the steering lock device is disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventor: Pietro Selicato
  • Patent number: 7928600
    Abstract: A DC high voltage power source is constituted by an AC-DC converting means (4, 6) that converts a voltage of a commercial AC power source (3) to a DC voltage and steps up the converted DC voltage, a DC-AC converting means (7) that converts the DC voltage stepped up by the previous means to an AC voltage, two insulating transformer (8, 9) that steps up the AC voltage converted by the previous converting means while insulating each others and a series connection of DC voltages obtained after converting the output voltages from the transformers to DCs and smoothing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Hishikawa, Takuya Domoto
  • Patent number: 7928601
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter for controlling the order for providing a semiconductor integrated circuit device with a plurality of power supply voltages. A switch control circuit controls activation and inactivation of a transistor of the switch circuit based on the comparison result of a first voltage and a reference voltage and a notification signal provided to the switch control circuit. The switch control circuit generates a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage when the first voltage is higher than the reference voltage and the notification signal indicates that other semiconductor integrated circuit devices are ready to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Hidekiyo Ozawa, Hidenobu Ito, Chikara Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7929265
    Abstract: A radio frequency interface circuit (11) for a radio frequency identification tag comprising—at least two input terminals (RF+, RF?) for connecting the circuit (10) with an antenna structure of the radio frequency identification tag, —one or more variable resistive loads (14) coupled across pairs of the input terminals (RF+, RF?)—one or more rectifiers (15) each connected on its input side to a pair of input terminals (RF+, RF?) and on its output side to a parallel connection of voltage control means (16) and modulation control means (17), wherein combiner means (18) are provided which are adapted to receive an output signal (19, 20) from the voltage control means (16) and the modulation control means (17), respectively, and to generate a control signal (21) for controlling each variable resistive load (14) depending on the received signals (19, 20) in such a way that each variable resistive load (14) serves as a modulation and voltage regulation circuit, and wherein each variable resistive load is adapted to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Roland Brandl, Ewald Bergler, Robert Spindler
  • Patent number: 7929266
    Abstract: An electronic device can be used with a system, such as an ignition system, that operates a relatively high voltage. The device can include a signal clamping control module that can include a signal reference module and a feedback control module. The signal reference module is operable to provide a reference signal to the feedback control module. The feedback control can be configured to receive a scaled signal from a signal scaling module, wherein the scaled signal is representative of a signal at a current carrying electrode of a power transistor. Based on the comparison of the reference signal to the scaled signal, the measurement module provides one or more signals to a control signal drive module. The feedback control module provides a control electrode signal to a control electrode of the power transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Ibrahim Kandah, Shiraz J. Contractor, William E. Edwards, Randall C. Gray
  • Patent number: 7929263
    Abstract: The present invention is a latching electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit that enables and latches an ESD clamping circuit upon an ESD event, and disables and un-latches the ESD clamping circuit upon either a drop in the DC supply voltage below a defined threshold or a time-out. The time-out protects against effects of inadvertent latching or any anomaly in which the latching ESD clamping circuit does not un-latch. An ESD event is a voltage spike between the DC supply voltage and ground wherein the ESD clamping circuit applies a low impedance between the DC supply voltage and ground to dissipate the energy contained in the voltage spike, thereby protecting adjacent circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Peachey, Carlos Gamero
  • Patent number: 7929268
    Abstract: An exciting voltage arithmetic portion calculates an exciting voltage of an electromagnet using a signal of a gap sensor. On the other hand, a sensorless exciting voltage arithmetic portion calculates an exciting voltage of the electromagnet using a signal of the current sensor. The exciting voltage adjusting portion adjusts a mixing ratio between an output value of an exciting voltage arithmetic portion and an output value of the sensorless exciting voltage arithmetic portion corresponding to a gap length. The excitation of the electromagnet is controlled according to an output value of the exciting voltage adjusting portion so as to reduce influences of noises on the gap sensors thereby always achieving a stable levitation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mimpei Morishita
  • Patent number: 7928604
    Abstract: A universal system used to monitor external conditions, particularly including environmental conditions, to preemptively activate secondary power sources and isolate electric loads from a main power source such as an electric utility's power grid for the purpose of protecting the load from dangerous power conditions brought about by the external condition. The system includes a universal control module capable of communicating with a variety of external stimuli sensors and automatic transfer switches that switch a load's power source from one source to another upon activation, which results in the isolation of the load from the main (or another) power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: The Storm Shelter Corporation
    Inventor: J. Dennis Page
  • Patent number: 7929260
    Abstract: A method of eliminating arc flash in a motor control center is disclosed. The method includes sensing an arc flash corresponding to the motor control center. In response to sensing the arc flash, and subsequent to a delay, determining whether the arc flash continues, and in response to determining that the arc flash continues, triggering an arc crowbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: George William Roscoe, Thangavelu Asokan, Adnan Kutubuddin Bohori
  • Patent number: 7928597
    Abstract: Power system and method for providing electrical power are provided. The system includes a traction system and auxiliary equipment coupled to a power bus. The traction system includes one or more electromotive machines having a first type of stator winding that provides protection relative to voltage spikes expected at the traction stator under a first voltage level appropriate for the traction system. The auxiliary equipment includes one or more electromotive machines having a second type of stator winding that provides protection relative to spikes expected at the auxiliary stator under a second voltage level lower than the first voltage level. Inverter circuitry is coupled to drive the auxiliary equipment, and signal-conditioning circuitry is provided to attenuate voltage spikes produced by the inverter circuitry. The power bus is operated at the first voltage level, and the voltage spike attenuation is sufficient to protect the auxiliary stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sudhir Kumar Gupta, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Bret Dwayne Worden, Jeffrey Louis Daigle, Emil Nikolov, Dimitrios Ioannidis
  • Patent number: 7923860
    Abstract: A switching power supply circuit includes a plurality of switching regulators and a timing adjustment circuit. The plurality of switching regulators converts an input voltage input to an input terminal into a plurality of predetermined constant voltages, and outputs the plurality of predetermined constant voltages from a plurality of output terminals, respectively. The timing adjustment circuit adjusts phases of a plurality of pulse signals generated by the plurality of switching regulators so that the phases of the plurality of pulse signals are different from each other, and outputs the plurality of adjusted pulse signals to respective switch circuits of the plurality of switching regulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Furuse, Yasuhiro Ishizaka, Senta Sekido
  • Patent number: 7923857
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method for supplying power to an aircraft comprising several generators supplying alternating current to several different primary electrical master boxes (10, 11, 12 and 13), the various aircraft loads being connected to each of these master boxes. This system comprises conventional master boxes (10, 11, 12 and 13) which supply power loads and at least one master box (40, 41) devoted to actuator loads, this at least one devoted master box being connected to conventional master boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventors: Olivier Langlois, Etienne Foch, Lucien Prisse, Xavier Roboam
  • Patent number: 7923868
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit configured to apply a supply voltage to a switching element (e.g., a transistor). The circuit includes a latch and a processor. The latch is configured to sample a voltage of an output signal of the switching element, and the processor is configured to generate a power adjustment signal to adjust the supply voltage based on the voltage sampled by the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Anidjar, Mohammad S. Mobin, Gregory W. Sheets, Vladimir Sindalovsky, Lane A. Smith
  • Patent number: 7924541
    Abstract: A power plug having leakage current protection function is disclosed. The power plug includes a changeover mechanism for making and breaking electrical connection between the input (line) and output (load) side of the plug, and a control circuit for detecting a leakage current and a short circuit. A reset button and a test button are provided. When the reset button is pressed, a reset shaft operates the changeover mechanism to achieve electrical connection between the input and output sides. When there is a current leakage, a short circuit or other abnormal conditions at the output side of the plug (or the input side of the appliance connected to the plug), the control circuit generates a signal to operate the changeover mechanism to electrically disconnect the input and output sides. The test button can simulate a short circuit to electrically disconnect the input and output sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Inventor: Long Zhang
  • Patent number: 7924536
    Abstract: A short circuit protection device for the protection of an alternator in which turning on/off a trigger switch causes conduction/cutoff of the field current of the field coil of the alternator is disclosed. The protection device enables the field current to pass through a sensor so that when the field current is abnormally high and the voltage drop across the sensor rises, the potential of an input end of a boost circuit electrically connected to the sensor correspondingly arises and an output end of the boost circuit electrically connected to a shutoff device drives the shutoff device to turn off the trigger switch, and the boost circuit further keeps the shutoff device in on-state to hold the trigger switch off till the short circuit condition is eliminated and the protection circuit system is reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Mobiletron Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chien-Wen Chen
  • Patent number: 7923863
    Abstract: A system for line powering includes at least one office-end PSU, one standby PSU and one power switching unit. The office-end PSU provides power for a group of subscriber lines in a centralized manner. The power switching unit monitors the power supply status of the office-end PSU and controls the switching between the office-end PSU and standby PSU. In embodiments of the invention, different rectifier/boost circuits and different step-down circuits need not be set for each pair of subscriber lines between the office-end PSU and the remote device. When an office-end PSU fails to supply power, the standby PSU can be switched over quickly to supply power for the remote device, which cuts down the cost for designing the office-end PSU and the standby PSU while ensuring the reliability of power supply for the remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhen Qin, Xuefeng Pan, Tianli Jiang, Yingjie Zhou, Xianyin Li
  • Patent number: 7923856
    Abstract: A method for causing, in a power distribution network, an oscillation allowing data to be transmitted, includes connecting at least one capacitive load in series with a modulation circuit between two wires of the network. The amplitude modulation circuit includes at least one Zener diode and at least one switch. A short make pulse is applied to the switch such that it is conductive and short-circuits the Zener diode by modulating the amplitude of the network voltage. The duration of the make pulse is such that the amplitude modulation of the network voltage causes a response of the network in the form of a high-frequency oscillation of the network voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Watteco
    Inventors: Paul Bertrand, Michel Gaeta, Franck Hieramente
  • Patent number: 7924538
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protective circuit for an electrical device operated in particular in an explosion-hazard area, with a limiting circuit connected downstream of a pair of input terminals for limiting an output voltage present at a pair of output terminals and/or an output current delivered at the output terminals below a threshold value and a shorting circuit, which shorts the output or input terminals when a threshold value is exceeded, the control signal that controls the limitation originating from the same place as the signal that triggers the shorting circuit, and with a measuring circuit, which uses the output voltage or the output current to provide a control signal, which is fed on the one hand to a final control element for reducing the output voltage or the output current and on the other hand to the shorting circuit, the measuring circuit comprising a ZENER diode and/or a measuring resistor and the control signal being a voltage that is in particular a transistor-amplified or impedance-co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Werner Turck GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hans-Christian Weinert
  • Patent number: 7924546
    Abstract: A system is presented for an improved igniter and an igniter bobbin for a high voltage burner igniter that reduces parts count and simplifies assembly of the igniter used in fuel based burners for boilers, forced air furnaces and water heaters. In one aspect of the invention, the igniter bobbin of the present invention comprises two high voltage insulators and a coil bobbin of a high voltage transformer molded or otherwise integrated together into a single monolithic structure. In another aspect, the igniter bobbin may be molded from an insulative material to form the single monolithic structure that insulates the high voltage electrodes which are inserted within the high voltage insulators portion of the structure, and to insulate the primary and secondary coils that are wound onto the coil bobbin portion of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: R.W. Beckett Corporation
    Inventor: John P. Graham
  • Patent number: 7923864
    Abstract: A power feed system includes: an information device; a terminal device that is connected the information processing device, and that has a power source; and a selection unit that selects, as power utilized by the terminal device, at least one of first power from the power source of the terminal device and second power supplied from the information processing device according to an operating state of the terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Azuma, Taketoshi Yamaguchi, Yukio Yamazaki