Patents Examined by Jared J. Fureman
  • Patent number: 7944665
    Abstract: An electric control and protection system for an output channel of automation equipment, the output channel being capable of controlling an electrical load as a function of a control signal from the automation equipment, the control and protection system including: a device that switches the electrical load including an MOS switching transistor, a source of the MOS switching transistor being connected to a positive voltage terminal via a resistor and a drain of the MOS switching transistor being connected to the electrical load, the MOS switching transistor being switchable between an on-state in which the electrical load is connected to the resistor and an off-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventors: Gérard Gomez, Jean-Louis Lachenal, Richard Tonet
  • Patent number: 7940502
    Abstract: There is provided a backlight unit having a protection circuit using a center-tap, the backlight unit including: a current balancing unit including a plurality of primary coils individually transmitting the lamp driving power from an inverter unit to the lamps, and a plurality of secondary coils each formed of one conductor having a center-tap, and receiving an electromagnetically induced voltage from each of the plurality of primary coils, the one end and the center-tap of each of the plurality of secondary coils connected in series with the one end and the center-tap of the neighboring secondary coil to form at least one closed loop and maintain current transmitted to each of the lamps balanced; a sensing unit sensing a variation in current of the closed loop and a variation in current of the primary coil from the current balancing unit; and a determination unit determining whether each of the lamps performs an abnormal operation or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyo Young Kim, Jong Rak Kim, Sung Hun Oh
  • Patent number: 7940506
    Abstract: An automated AC line filter and surge suppression apparatus 100 having an inductive current sense loop (ICSL) circuit 10 for sensing inductive current at a load and controlling the application of AC line filter 112 to an AC power line to the load. Current sensor 12 in series with the input line senses inductive load current. A first bridge rectifier 14 rectifies the sensed load current to a proportionate DC voltage, which triggers a switch 24. The output of switch 24 is fed into an opto-isolator 26, which in turn controls second switch 28. Switch 28 connects or disconnects AC line filter 112 from the system according to a predetermined sensed inductive current at the load. MOVs 102 and capacitive elements 104 provide continuous surge suppression protection to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Dollar Energy Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph S. Lewis
  • Patent number: 7939970
    Abstract: A method and system for reducing the cost of a combined offshore wind generation plant is provided by coupling the AC output of plural wind turbine generators to a single AC-DC converter prior to transmission of the DC power to an onshore DC-AC inverter site. The wind speed is monitored at selected locations within the wind plant, optionally, at selected turbine generators, and the operating frequency of the AC-DC converter is adjusted in accordance with a combine wind speed signal to permit operation of the plural wind turbines as a group. AC-DC followed by DC-AC conversions decouples the AC frequency produced by the wind turbines and allows the turbines to operate at variable frequency as a group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Reigh Allen Walling, Einar Vaughn Larsen, Robert William Delmerico
  • Patent number: 7939963
    Abstract: A power supply to provide multiple synchronous outputs includes a standby power system to receive input power and regulate to become standby power and a main power system to receive the input power and regulate to become main output power. The main power system has a rectification output unit to deliver the main output power. The power supply further has at least one delay trigger unit to receive the main output power and a voltage regulation output unit. The delay trigger unit sets a voltage judgment level and determines whether to output a trigger signal based on the main output power being greater or smaller than the voltage judgment level. The voltage regulation output unit can be activated by getting the standby power. According to the generation time series of the trigger signal, the time series to generate the secondary output power can be regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Heng-Chia Chang, Yi-Hua Wang
  • Patent number: 7939968
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing uninterruptible power are provided by aspects of the invention. One aspect is more particularly directed to an uninterruptible power supply for providing power to a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Enné Hjort, Michael Pedersen
  • Patent number: 7939972
    Abstract: The switch device includes a control switch that turns on/off an electrical connection between an apparatus and the power supply, a condition judging circuit that judges conditions of driving the control switch, an electric wave reception circuit that receives an electric wave, and a power supply circuit that generates power from the electric wave received by the electric wave reception circuit. An electric wave transmission device that transmits an electric wave for making the switch device operate is arranged in a space, whereby the electric wave can be received by the electric wave reception device in the specific space. The switch device controls the control switch to be turned off/on when the electric wave is received. Alternatively, when the electric wave is not received, the switch device turns on/off the control switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Fukutome
  • Patent number: 7939964
    Abstract: A modularized power supply switch control structure aims to control a main power system of a power supply. The main power system includes at least one high voltage output unit at a high voltage output end and one low voltage output unit at a rear low voltage output end. A control unit is connected to the high voltage output unit and the low voltage output unit to control start/stop time series of the high voltage output unit and the low voltage output unit so that the high voltage output unit and the low voltage output unit can be started asynchronously. Thus the power supply can output a start voltage at the start instant to meet load requirement. A plurality of power output modules deliver output asynchronously. Hence output current or voltage surge at the start instant can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Yu-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 7936095
    Abstract: When a certain period of time has elapsed since a direction retrieval unit received a control signal from an appliance controller, the direction retrieval unit instructs the microwave transmitter to transmit microwaves, and then instructs the microwave transmitter to perform scanning of the microwaves. When a notification signal receiver receives a notification signal from a remote controller, the direction retrieval unit instructs the microwave transmitter to stop the scanning of the microwaves. After this, the direction retrieval unit instructs a power controller to raise a power level of the microwaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: PANASONIC, Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru Kawabata
  • Patent number: 7936092
    Abstract: A method and a device are provided for providing a supply voltage for the consumers of a vehicle electrical system, using generator units connected in parallel. The measurement voltage inputs and the monitor outputs of the controllers of the generator units are used in the initialization phase for the assignment of master or slave function, as well as for address assignment if warranted, and during later parallel operation are used to bring the degree of utilization of the generators of the generator units connected in parallel into agreement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Peuser
  • Patent number: 7936085
    Abstract: A voltage detection circuit comprises a tap to be connected to a positive line and a return tap to be connected to a return line on a power supply. The potential difference between the positive line and the return line is the input line voltage. A scaling resistor network scales down the input line voltage to be indicative of a voltage on the input line. The scaled voltage is connected to an input for a comparator. A reference voltage is supplied to the comparator. The reference voltage supplied to the comparator is indicative of a threshold voltage at which an output of the circuit changes states. An output of the comparator communicates a signal to an optical isolation device when the input line voltage is below the threshold voltage to turn the optical isolation device on and send a signal to an output of the optical isolation device. The optical isolation device is not turned on if the input line voltage exceeds the threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Adrian E. Vandergrift
  • Patent number: 7936081
    Abstract: A power converter control system for electric powertrains is disclosed. The power converter control system may include at least one power producing device and at least one power consuming device. The power converter control system may further include at least one power electronics module configured to convert and condition a flow of electrical current between the at least one power producing device and the at least one power consuming device. The at least one power electronics module may further be configured to serialize a flow of a first set of signals between the at least one power electronics module and at least one controller. The first set of signals may correspond to at least one characteristic of the at least one power electronics module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Wayne Lindsey, Jason Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 7936087
    Abstract: A switching controller for parallel power converters is disclosed. The switching controller includes an input circuit coupled to an input terminal of the switching controller to receive an input signal. An integration circuit is coupled to the input circuit to generate an integration signal in response to the pulse width of the input signal. A control circuit generates a switching signal for switching the power converters. The switching signal is enabled in response to the enabling of the input signal. A programmable delay time is generated between the input signal and the switching signal. The pulse width of the switching signal is determined in response to the integration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventors: Ta-yung Yang, Rui-Hong Lu, Jenn-Yu G. Lin
  • Patent number: 7936084
    Abstract: A system and a method for distribution of electric power inside an aircraft. The system includes at least two systems distributing electric power from at least one power source to electric loads of the aircraft via electric and/or electronic protection/switching components, the components being configurable and commandable by dedicated electronics. Each electric distribution system includes command electronics in which a configuration file is downloaded allocating an installation status to each of the protection/switching components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventors: Pascal Serventi, Guillaume Larroque
  • Patent number: 7936089
    Abstract: A system may include a module that includes a component, a logic device to provide an instruction on behalf of the component, and control logic to generate a desired output voltage signal in response to a constant current, where the desired output voltage signal indicates a determined voltage that the component is configured to operate with when performing an operation. The system may include a board that includes a power supply to produce the determined voltage based on the instruction, and an interface to couple the determined voltage to the component to allow the component to perform the operation on behalf of the board, send the constant current to the control logic, and receive the desired output voltage signal from the control logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaspal Gill, David Keith Owen, Troy Sheets, Daniel Lewis Kline
  • Patent number: 7936544
    Abstract: A power supply for a device which has a load, comprising a first resonant generator and a second resonant generator, coupled in parallel, each generator having a phase output. The power supply further comprises a control circuit coupled to the first and second generators controlling the first and second phase outputs, wherein the first phase output and the second phase output are summed to provide a variable power supply to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: EMD Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Beland
  • Patent number: 7936091
    Abstract: An energy supply system adapted for supplying energy to equipment on a high voltage platform. The system includes a fuel cell and an effectuating capacitor. The system also includes an intermediate storage and supply unit. This unit stores energy from the fuel cell and supplies energy to the effectuating capacitor via an electric transforming unit. A high voltage platform including the energy supply system. An electrical network including the platform. A method for supplying energy to equipment on a high voltage platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Lennart Ängquist, Per Halvarsson, Bengt Stridh, Torbjörn Ringvall
  • Patent number: 7933103
    Abstract: Disclosed is an overcurrent detection device for detecting an overcurrent in a load circuit which is arranged to control the driving and the stopping of a load 1 by a semiconductor switch (FET1) provided between a battery VB and the load 1. An added voltage (V1?V3) is generated which is obtained by adding a voltage (V1?V2) generated across the both ends of the semiconductor switch (FET1) to a voltage (V3?V2) which is generated at the time of current change due to the inductance Lp of a copper foil wiring pattern 3 for coupling the semiconductor switch (FET1) and the load 1. A comparator CMP1 for comparing the added voltage with an overcurrent determination voltage (V1?V4) set in advance is provided. When the comparator CMP1 detects that the added voltage exceeds the overcurrent determination voltage, it is determined that an overcurrent is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Shunzou Ohshima
  • Patent number: 7933104
    Abstract: A safety switching apparatus for failsafe disconnection of an electrical load has a first and a second connecting terminal for connecting a first signaling switch and a third and a fourth connecting terminal for connecting a second signaling switch. It also has a first and a second output switching element, which are designed to produce a redundant output switching signal. The first connecting terminal is connected to a first potential and the third connecting terminal is connected to a second potential. The potentials differ from one another. In addition, the second connecting terminal is coupled to the first switching element in such a way that the first switching element receives the first potential via the first signaling switch. Likewise, the fourth connecting terminal is coupled to the second switching element in such a way that the second switching element receives the second potential via the second signaling switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Bauer, Guenter Hornung, Thomas Nitsche
  • Patent number: RE42319
    Abstract: A voltage suppression device for suppressing voltage surges in an electrical circuit, comprised of a voltage sensitive element having a predetermined voltage rating, the voltage sensitive element increasing in temperature as voltage applied across the voltage sensitive element exceeds the voltage rating. Terminals are provided for electrically connecting the voltage sensitive element between a power line of an electrical circuit and a ground or neutral line of the electrical circuit. A normally closed, thermal switch is electrically connected in series with the voltage sensitive element between the power line and the voltage sensitive element, the thermal switch being thermally coupled to the voltage sensitive element wherein the thermal switch moves from a normally closed position to an open position to form a gap between the thermal switch and the voltage sensitive element when the temperature of the voltage sensitive element reaches a level indicating an over-voltage condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: MERSEN France SB SAS
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Martenson, Jerry L. Mosesian