Patents Examined by Jeffrey A Gblende
  • Patent number: 11855541
    Abstract: A plurality of power conversion units each include an inductor, a switching circuit, and a PWM control IC. An MPU outputs control signals to the plurality of power conversion units. Output parts of the plurality of power conversion units are connected to an output terminal in a parallel manner. Operating number signal generating circuits of feedback signal generating circuits generate an operating number signal Sop on the basis of individual current signals based on inductor currents in the plurality of power conversion units, and output the operating number signal to the MPU. The MPU sets operations of the plurality of power conversion units on the basis of the operating number signal, and outputs the control signals including the settings of the operations of the power conversion units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norikazu Sakamoto, Tatsuya Hosotani
  • Patent number: 11855524
    Abstract: A gate driver circuit comprises an auxiliary winding, a voltage summer, an auxiliary voltage bus, a gate driver integrated circuit (IC), and a controller. The auxiliary winding is positioned adjacently to the inductor and configured to inductively couple with the inductor. The voltage summer comprises a pair of diodes coupled to the auxiliary winding and a pair of capacitors coupled to the pair of diodes. The auxiliary voltage bus is configured to receive a summed voltage from the voltage summer based on a sum of voltages stored in the pair of capacitors. The gate driver IC is configured to receive a voltage from a positive rail of the auxiliary voltage bus and to output a gate control signal to control a switching device based on the received voltage and based on a pulse signal generated by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: AES Global Holdings PTE Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Ryan, Diarmuid Hogan
  • Patent number: 11848617
    Abstract: Power converter electronic circuitries configured to harvest and store energy from at least the parasitic oscillation occurring during the operation thereof. Methodologies of using such energy for the current injection, carried out by discharging the parasitic capacitance across the switching elements to achieve zero voltage switching condition for these switching elements. In a specific case, the methodology of current injection (with the use of so harvested and stored energy) is self-adjusting, causing the optimization of the energy required to discharge the parasitic capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventor: Ionel Jitaru
  • Patent number: 11848608
    Abstract: A control circuit for controlling a switching regulator includes a timer, a comparator, a driver circuit and a controller. The timer generates an input signal indicative of whether a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since an activation of a drive signal. The comparator is configured to compare a feedback voltage with a reference voltage to generate a comparison signal. The driver circuit is controlled by a control signal to generate the drive signal according to one of the input signal and the comparison signal. The control signal indicates whether a mode is enabled. When the mode is enabled, the driver circuit is configured to generate the drive signal according to the input signal. The controller is configured to, in response to an activation of the input signal, generate the control signal according to a result of a comparison of the feedback voltage with another reference voltage higher than the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR INTERNATIONAL LP
    Inventors: Chi-Kuang Chang, Cheng-Hsiung Tsai
  • Patent number: 11848603
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller configured to generate a PWM signal for controlling a power switch of a forward converter, a bias switch and a bias capacitor connected in series and coupled to a bias winding of the forward converter, and a comparator having a first input connected to the bias capacitor, a second input connected to a predetermined reference and an output configured to generate a signal for controlling the bias switch to allow a magnetizing current from the bias winding to charge the bias capacitor when a voltage across the bias capacitor is less than the predetermined reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Huawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yushan Li, Liming Ye, Heping Dai
  • Patent number: 11848620
    Abstract: A first leg includes a first switch circuit disposed between a first node to which a positive electrode of a DC power supply is connected and a second node and a second switch circuit disposed between the second node and a third node. A first filter circuit includes a first capacitor. A bridge circuit includes a second leg and a third leg that are disposed in parallel between the first node and the third node. A clamp circuit includes a bidirectional switch disposed between a fourth node that is a midpoint of the second leg and a fifth node that is a midpoint of the third leg. A second filter circuit includes a first reactor and a second reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Amimoto, Yu Kawai
  • Patent number: 11837959
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller. The controller controls a main power supply to produce an output signal to power multiple dynamic loads such as disposed in series or other suitable configuration. The controller detects a transient power consumption condition associated with a first dynamic load of the multiple dynamic loads. The controller then adjusts control of the main power supply and generation of the output signal based on the detected transient power consumption condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Darryl Tschirhart, Kushal Kshirsagar, Danny Clavette, Prasan Kasturi
  • Patent number: 11837946
    Abstract: A GaN half bridge circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a bootstrap power supply voltage generator is configured to supply a first power voltage and includes a switch node. The circuit also includes a bootstrap transistor, a bootstrap transistor drive circuit, and a bootstrap capacitor connected to the switch node and to the bootstrap transistor. The bootstrap capacitor is configured to supply the first power voltage while the voltage at the switch node is equal to the second switch node voltage, the bootstrap transistor is configured to electrically connect the bootstrap capacitor to a power node at a second power voltage while the voltage at the switch node is equal to the first switch node voltage, and the bootstrap power supply voltage generator does not include a separate diode in parallel with the drain and source of the bootstrap transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Navitas Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Santosh Sharma, Daniel Marvin Kinzer
  • Patent number: 11837945
    Abstract: An integrated circuit for a power supply circuit that includes a state-indicating circuit, which is a first or second circuit when the power supply circuit is of a non-isolated or isolated type, as the case may be. The integrated circuit including a voltage generation circuit that generates, at a first terminal, a voltage that is (1) lower than a first level, when the first circuit is coupled to the first terminal, (2) higher than a second level, when the second circuit is coupled to the first terminal, and (3) higher than the first level and lower than the second level, when no state-indicating circuit is coupled to the first terminal, and a determination circuit that determines that the power supply circuit is of the non-isolated or isolated type, when the voltage at the first terminal is lower or higher than the second level, as the case may be.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Hiasa
  • Patent number: 11831242
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of control modules coupled to a multi-phase power converter having a plurality of power stage circuits correspondingly coupled to the plurality of control modules, where each control module includes: a first port coupled to a second port of a previous control module; a second port coupled to a first port of a next control module, and being configured to generate a transmission signal for the next control module; and where the transmission signal represents at least two types of information, and is configured to control the corresponding power stage circuit to operate sequentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Dong Wu
  • Patent number: 11824429
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter includes N inductors and N power modules which correspond to N phases. The N inductors each include a plurality of inductor chips that are electrically connected in parallel to each other. The plurality of inductor chips are mounted separately on a main mounting surface and a sub-mounting surface of a printed circuit board. The sub-mounting surface is opposite to the main mounting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuki Sasao, Masanori Hayashibara, Hideki Ito
  • Patent number: 11817781
    Abstract: A power converter can include at least one first power stage circuit and a second power stage circuit, where each of the at least one first power stage circuit can include: at least one power switch, configured as a main power switch; a first magnetic element; a first energy storage element configured to be coupled to a first node of the first power stage circuit together with one adjacent power stage circuit, and to be charged or discharged through the adjacent power stage circuit; and an auxiliary module configured to ensure that a current flowing through the first magnetic element is not less than zero in a current discontinuous mode, where a first terminal of the second power stage circuit is coupled to an adjacent first power stage circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Wang Zhang, Chen Zhao
  • Patent number: 11804780
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a multi-mode control method for an active clamp flyback converter. In the flyback converter, the controller realizes mode switching between a trailing edge non-complementary mode, a leading edge non-complementary mode, and a leading edge non-complementary Burst mode of two driving signals after comparing a detection feedback voltage with the set mode switching threshold voltages. The disclosure adopts the trailing edge non-complementary mode to reduce a circulating current of the converter, uses the leading edge non-complementary mode to replace the ordinary flyback mode to improve light load efficiency, and uses the leading-edge non-complementary Burst mode at no-load to limit a peak current of a primary side in leading-edge non-complementary Burst mode to avoid generation of audio noise, and allowing a low no-load power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: MORNSUN GUANGZHOU SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiangyang Yin, Haizhou Wang, Yuan Yuan, Xiang Liu
  • Patent number: 11799372
    Abstract: A semiconductor switch driving apparatus is configured to drive a semiconductor switch, the semiconductor switch not having a body diode and having a threshold voltage for performing switching between off and on lower than a threshold voltage of a silicon device. The semiconductor switch driving apparatus includes: a first drive voltage switching circuit configured to switch a drive voltage of the semiconductor switch to a first adjustment voltage between an off-voltage and an on-voltage, at a predetermined time immediately before a timing at which the semiconductor switch is driven from off to on; and a second drive voltage switching circuit configured to switch, after the drive voltage of the semiconductor switch has been switched by the first drive voltage switching circuit, the drive voltage of the semiconductor switch to the on-voltage at the timing at which the semiconductor switch is driven from off to on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Hirota, Keiji Tashiro
  • Patent number: 11799386
    Abstract: An isolated power converter can include: a primary side having a primary winding and a primary power transistor; a secondary side having a secondary winding and a secondary power transistor; a secondary control circuit configured to change a voltage across the secondary winding to change a voltage across the primary winding during a period when both the primary power transistor and the secondary power transistor are in a turn-off state; and a primary control circuit configured to control switching states of the primary power transistor, such that an output signal of the isolated power converter matches an output demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Qiao Zhang, Xinlei Li
  • Patent number: 11799373
    Abstract: This DC pulse power supply device includes: a DC power supply unit (10); and a pulsing unit (20) that generates a pulse output using a step-up chopper circuit connected to the DC power supply unit. A clamp voltage unit (30) has an output end that is connected to a connection point (s) between a switching element (22) and a DC reactor (21), and applies a clamp voltage (VC) to one end of the switching element (22). During an off period (Toff) of the step-up chopper circuit, the voltage at both ends of the switching element is clamped so as to prevent damage to the switching element, suppress output voltage fluctuations resulting from load current fluctuations, and suppress power loss caused by a load current and a discharge current flowing through a resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: KYOSAN ELECTRIC MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itsuo Yuzurihara, Toshiyuki Adachi, Tomohiro Yoneyama, Koichi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11791716
    Abstract: A power supply control device includes: a drive switch circuit formed by cascade-connecting a depletion type first transistor and an enhancement type second transistor, and configured to drive a transformer of an insulated switching power supply; a control circuit configured to control the second transistor; and a start-up circuit configured to charge a power supply voltage of the control circuit by using a source voltage of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hatano
  • Patent number: 11791737
    Abstract: The invention discloses a control method in use of a synchronous rectifier controller, controlling a synchronous rectifier in a power supply supplying power a load. The synchronous rectifier is turned ON in response to a terminal signal of the synchronous rectifier. An ON-time of the synchronous rectifier is made not less than a minimum ON-time. A detection result in association with the load is provided, for determining the minimum ON-time. The minimum ON-time is a first period when the detection result indicates the load as a first load, and a second period, shorter than the first period, when the detection result indicates the load as a second load heavier than the first load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: LEADTREND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsung-Chien Wu, Chung-Wei Lin, Ming-Chang Tsou, Jun-Hao Huang
  • Patent number: 11784565
    Abstract: Control circuitry for controlling a current through an inductor of a power converter, the control circuitry comprising: comparison circuitry configured to compare a measurement signal, indicative of a current through the inductor during a charging phase of the power converter, to a signal indicative of a target average current through the inductor for the charging phase and to output a comparison signal based on said comparison; detection circuitry configured to detect, based on the comparison signal, a crossing time indicative of a time at which the current through the inductor during the charging phase is equal to the target average current for the charging phase; and current control circuitry configured to control a current through the inductor during a subsequent charging phase based on the crossing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventor: Malcolm Blyth
  • Patent number: 11784567
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes a switching power supply configured to have a first operating mode synchronized by a first clock signal generated by a clock generator a second asynchronous operating mode. The clock generator is configured such that the first clock signal becomes equal, upon transition from the second operating mode to the first operating mode, to the signal having the closest rising edge of a second clock signal and a third clock signal complementary to the second clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Sebastien Ortet