Patents Examined by Jeffrey A Gblende
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Patent number: 11088623Abstract: A power supply device includes an energy tank, a discharging and starting circuit, a fuse, a bridge rectifier, a transformer, a power switch element, an output stage circuit, and a controller. The energy tank includes an NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistor. The energy tank absorbs a burst high voltage, and converts the burst high voltage into thermal energy. The discharging and starting circuit is coupled to the energy tank. The discharging and starting circuit includes a bypass path. When the resistance of the NTC thermistor is smaller than a threshold value, the bypass path is enabled, such that the energy tank is coupled through the bypass path to a ground and a ground voltage. The bridge rectifier is coupled through the fuse to the energy tank. The discharging and starting circuit is selectively configured to enable the controller.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2020Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: ACER INCORPORATEDInventor: Tzu-Tseng Chan
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Patent number: 11081965Abstract: Disclosed is a universal input voltage detection system for a flyback converter having a transformer coupled between an input and an output of the flyback converter. The transformer includes a primary winding coupled to the input of the flyback converter to receive an input voltage and a secondary winding coupled to the output of the flyback converter. The universal input voltage detection system comprises a controller, coupled to a switch, at a primary winding side of the transformer. The switch is coupled to the primary winding of the transformer and a current through the primary winding is generated when the switch is turned on. The controller is configured to operate in either continuous conduction mode (CCM) or discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) and indirectly detect the input voltage to the flyback converter based on the current through the primary winding generated while the switch is turned on.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2020Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR INCInventors: Cong Zheng, Jianming Yao, Pan Xin, Jing Guo
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Patent number: 11079781Abstract: The disclosure is directed to techniques for a pass element in a linear regulator circuit. The pass element is configured with a transistor with a low input capacitance that provides current to the load for light current demand levels. When the output current exceeds a predetermined threshold, the pass element is configured to turn on a second transistor to provide the additional current. The configuration of the pass element with the regulator circuit causes the regulator circuit to operate with a low quiescent current and with large bandwidth for fast response to load changes.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2019Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Danilo Cellucci, Enrico Orietti
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Patent number: 11075578Abstract: A converter circuit includes a pull up component, a pull down component, and a controller configured to operate the pull up component and the pull down component so as to deliver power to a load. The controller is configured to operate the pull up and pull down components in first and second operational modes, based on an average current delivered to the load. The converter circuit also includes a mode control circuit to generate a mode control signal based in part on a representation of a peak current received at the switch node from the pull up component.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2020Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: SHENZHEN GOODIX TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Siavash Yazdi, Esmail Babakrpur Nalousi, Ahmed Emira
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Patent number: 11075584Abstract: A switch detection circuit is provided that senses the voltage on a rectifying component for rectifying a secondary winding current through a secondary winding of a flyback converter's transformer to determine whether a power switch transistor attached to a primary winding of the transformer has ceased cycling.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2017Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignees: Dialog Semiconductor Inc., Dialog Semiconductor (UK) LimitedInventors: Jun Zheng, Jianming Yao, Yimin Chen, Huaming Guo, Zhaowu Luo
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Patent number: 11068007Abstract: A voltage reference includes a flipped gate transistor coupled between a first node configured to carry an operating voltage and a second node configured to carry a negative supply voltage. A first transistor and a second transistor are coupled in series between the first node and the second node, a gate of the first transistor is coupled with a gate of the flipped gate transistor, and a gate of the second transistor is configured to receive the negative supply voltage. An output node between the first transistor and the second transistor is configured to output a reference voltage, and a current source coupled between the output node and the second node is configured to supply a current through the first transistor based on a current through the flipped gate transistor.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2018Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Mohammad Al-Shyoukh, Alex Kalnitsky
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Patent number: 11063506Abstract: A switching circuit may include first and second switching elements that are connected in parallel with each other. A controller may be configured to selectively perform either a first switching control to drive the first switching element or a second switching control to drive the second switching element. The first switching element may be constituted mainly of a first semiconductor material, and the second switching element may be constituted mainly of a second semiconductor material having a narrower band gap than the first semiconductor material. The second switching element may be larger in size than the first switching element. The controller may be configured to switch to the second switching control when an instruction value and/or an actual value of the current exceeds a predetermined threshold value while performing the first switching control.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2019Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Ayuki Koishi, Takashi Yamada, Yoshihiko Hiya
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Patent number: 11063520Abstract: A converter includes input voltage terminals, a series circuit connected to the input voltage terminals and including first and second switches connected in series, a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding, a resonant tank connected to the series circuit and including the primary winding, an auxiliary switch connected to the series circuit and the resonant tank, output voltage terminals connected to the secondary winding, and a controller that, based on a single control loop and a single control parameter, controls the auxiliary switch with pulse-width modulation and controls the first and second switches with pulse-frequency modulation.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2016Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yang Chen, Hongliang Wang, Yan-Fei Liu, Jahangir Afsharian, Bing Gong
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Patent number: 11056973Abstract: Voltage converter having light-load control. In some embodiments, a voltage converter can be configured to receive an input voltage and generate a regulated voltage. Such a voltage converter can include a determining unit configured to determine whether the voltage converter is in a first load state. The voltage converter can further include a driving unit in communication with the determining unit, and be configured to generate a first driving signal when the voltage converter is in the first load state. The voltage converter can further include a switching unit in communication with the driving unit, and be configured to route the first driving signal to a control element of the voltage converter when the voltage converter is in the first load state, and be further configured to route a second driving signal to the control element when the voltage converter is in a second load state.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2017Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventor: Tao Peng
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Patent number: 11050244Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a voltage transient detection circuit. The circuit generally includes a first switch having a first terminal coupled to an input signal source node, and a second switch having a first terminal coupled to the input signal source node. The apparatus includes a first shunt capacitive element coupled to a second terminal of the first switch, a second shunt capacitive element coupled to a second terminal of the second switch, a differential circuit having a first input coupled to the second terminal of the first switch, a second input coupled to the second terminal of the second switch, and an output coupled to an output node of the voltage transient detection circuit. For certain aspects, the apparatus also includes a first current source (selectively) coupled to the first shunt capacitive element and a second current source (selectively) coupled to the second shunt capacitive element.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2018Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Yikai Wang, Joseph Rutkowski
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Patent number: 11043895Abstract: A buck converter for converting a DC input voltage into a DC output voltage comprises a DC input circuit with a positive input terminal and a negative input terminal, for providing a DC input voltage, a converter circuit for converting a DC input voltage into a DC output voltage, and a DC output circuit with a positive output terminal, a negative output terminal and an output capacitor connected between the positive output terminal and the negative output terminal. The buck converter further comprises a switching device with a first switching terminal connected with the positive input terminal and a second switching terminal connected over a charging diode with the negative input terminal, a charging inductor as well as a frequency-dependent back-flow circuit connecting the positive output terminal with a power supply terminal of the switching device for supporting the power supply of the switching device.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: LEDVANCE GMBHInventors: Shengdie Lin, Yongchang Dai
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Patent number: 11043903Abstract: Reverse currents are prevented using existing components, like a primary-side current transformer. A power supply includes an isolation transformer, a switch, a synchronous rectifier, a smoother, a controller with a signal generator circuit that outputs main drive signals for main switching elements of the switch and drive signals for synchronous rectifier elements of the synchronous rectifier, and a current detector that has a current transformer, detects a current flowing to the switch, and outputs an output current detection signal. The controller includes an OR circuit that generates an OR signal for the main drive signals and a reverse current determination circuit that determines whether a reverse current has occurred based on the OR signal and the output current detection signal. When the occurrence of a reverse current has been determined, outputting of the main drive signals and the drive signals is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2020Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: TDK CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuki Ishizawa, Keita Fukudome
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Patent number: 11038426Abstract: Circuits and methods for operating a programmable load circuit that includes a plurality of sub-circuits connected in parallel between an input and an output. Each sub-circuit may include an inductor, a load, and a switch coupled to the inductor. Each switch may be configurable in a first state and a second state, wherein the inductor is either connected to the output through the load or connected to the output through a connection that bypasses the load. The switches of the plurality of first sub-circuits may be programmable to periodically switch between the first state and the second state according to a duty cycle, and the switches may be out of phase with each other by a predetermined amount. The duty cycle may be programmable to tune the load of the programmable load circuit.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2019Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: National Instruments CorporationInventor: Chin-Hong Cheah
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Patent number: 11031870Abstract: A power supply circuit having a rectifier circuit that rectifies an AC voltage, an inductor, a transistor that controls an inductor current flowing through the inductor, a drive signal generating circuit that generates a drive signal based on the inductor current and an output voltage generated from the AC voltage, and a drive signal output circuit outputting the drive signal. The drive signal generating circuit includes a command-value output unit that outputs a command value for increasing and decreasing the inductor current when the output voltage is lower or higher than a target level, respectively, a rectified-voltage calculation unit that calculates a value of the rectified voltage based on an inductance of the inductor and an amount of change in the inductor current in a predetermined time period, and an ON-period calculation unit that calculates an ON period in a switching period of the transistor.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2019Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Ryuji Yamada
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Patent number: 11022590Abstract: An electronic component comprises a carrier (3), a sensor device (2) mounted on the carrier (3), which sensor device (2) comprises a sensor chip (21), and an electrostatic discharge protection element (1) for protecting the sensor chip (21) from an electrostatic discharge, which protection element (1) is mounted on the carrier (3).Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2017Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: SENSIRION AGInventors: Markus Wiget, Stephan Braun, Lukas Winkler, Markus Graf, Lukas Hoppenau, Tobias Schmid
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Patent number: 11025159Abstract: An automotive power converter includes positive and negative DC rails, a pair of phase legs each having first and second switches connected in series, an output electrically connected between the first and second switches of each of the phase legs, and control circuitry configured to prevent turn on of the first switches responsive to current through either of the second switches exceeding a predefined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen
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Patent number: 11018661Abstract: A first aspect of the present invention will provide a short circuit detector, including: a voltage detection circuit to detect gate voltage which is input from a gate driving circuit to the semiconductor element; and a short circuit detection circuit to detect a short circuit state of the semiconductor element, when gate voltage of the semiconductor element becomes higher than or equal to first reference voltage in a transition period from when a turn-on signal is input to the gate driving circuit until when a mirror period of the semiconductor element starts.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2018Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Hirotoshi Kaneda
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Patent number: 11018575Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor assembly. The semiconductor assembly comprises a fully controlled power electronic device and a snubber circuit, wherein the snubber circuit is connected to the fully controlled power electronic device in parallel; the snubber circuit comprises a capacitor (C), an inductor (L), a resistor (R), a diode (D) and a half controlled power electronic device (A1); the inductor (L) and the half controlled power electronic device (A1) are connected in series and are together connected to the resistor (R) in parallel; and the diode (D) and the resistor (R) are connected in parallel and are together connected to the capacitor (C) in series.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITYInventors: Yifei Wu, Yi Wu, Fei Yang, Chunping Niu, Mingzhe Rong
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Patent number: 11018590Abstract: A control circuit for a flyback converter is configured to adjust a conduction time of an auxiliary switch of the flyback converter in accordance with a drain-source voltage of a main switch of the flyback converter when the main switch is turned on, in order to achieve zero-voltage switching of the main switch. The flyback converter can include: a main power stage having the main switch to control energy storage and transmission of a transformer; and a clamp circuit having an auxiliary switch to provide a release path for releasing energy of leakage inductance of the transformer.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2019Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTDInventors: Xiangdong Yang, Xiaoru Xu, Yongjiang Bai, Zhiliang Hu
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Patent number: 11018459Abstract: A USB Type-C receiver device, includes: a port including a channel configuration input; a ground pin; and a protection circuit for protection against high voltages on the channel configuration input, wherein the protection circuit includes a resistive circuit coupled between the channel configuration input and the ground terminal and configured to form both a voltage divider and a resistive pull-down circuit coupled between the channel configuration input and the ground pin.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SASInventors: Patrick Fulcheri, Kenichi Oku