Patents Examined by Jeffrey A Gblende
  • Patent number: 11722050
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of unit converters includes: a main circuit; a control circuit that controls the plurality of switching elements according to a control signal received from the controller; a power supply that lowers a voltage of a first capacitor to generate a power supply voltage and supplies the power supply voltage to the control circuit; and a current-limiting resistance circuit having a variable resistance value and disposed between the main circuit and the power supply. The power supply includes a second capacitor, an overcharge suppression circuit, a power supply circuit, and a controller. The controller includes: an overcharge suppression control circuit that controls the overcharge suppression circuit in accordance with a magnitude of a voltage of the second capacitor; and a resistance switching circuit that changes a resistance value of the current-limiting resistance circuit in accordance with a magnitude of a voltage of the first capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Yachida, Jumpei Isozaki, Taichiro Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 11722067
    Abstract: Disclosed examples include flyback converters, control circuits and methods to facilitate secondary side regulation of the output voltage. A primary side control circuit operates a primary side switch to independently initiate power transfer cycles to deliver power to a transformer secondary winding in a first mode. A secondary side control circuit operates a synchronous rectifier or secondary side switch to generate a predetermined cycle start request signal via a transformer auxiliary winding to assume secondary side regulation and to cause the primary side controller to initiate new power transfer cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Satish Kumar Vemuri, James M. Walden, Isaac Cohen
  • Patent number: 11716027
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a switching converter, an inductor, and a linear voltage regulator. The inductor is electrically connected between a first switching node and a second switching node of the switching converter. The power supply device is configured such that when the switching converter is in an ON state the inductor is charged with a charging current. The power supply device is further configured such that when the switching converter is in an OFF state, the switching converter modulates an input voltage to generate a positive-bias output voltage at a positive-bias output node, the charging current flows from the inductor such that a negative input voltage is generated at a linear voltage regulator input node, and the linear voltage regulator regulates the negative input voltage to generate a negative-bias output voltage at a negative-bias output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Chang Joon Park, Martin Francis Galinski, III
  • Patent number: 11703896
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a low-dropout regulator that limits a quiescent current. It mainly includes an error amplifier, an output switching transistor, a feedback switching transistor, a current duplicating circuit, and a clamping current source. The clamping current source is added between an input voltage and the feedback switching transistor, so that a feedback current outputted by the feedback switching transistor is clamped, and the highest value is only proportional to a current value of the clamping current source. In this way, the quiescent current outputted by the low-dropout regulator is no longer increasing indefinitely in proportional to a load current, which can effectively solve the technical problems of poor stability and decreased efficiency caused by the infinite increase of the quiescent current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hua-Chun Tseng
  • Patent number: 11705813
    Abstract: System and method via which a switching element is switched in a regulated state of a switching converter at a predetermined stable switching frequency, wherein a switch-on point of the switching element is predetermined by a switching signal generated via a sawtooth signal reaching/exceeding a switch-on threshold value such that the switch-on point of the switching element falls in a valley of an oscillating voltage prevailing at the switched-off switching element, where a prevailing period duration of the switching signal is continuously determined to detect the period duration that is compared with a predetermined reference period duration of a period duration reference unit, a control variable is generated from the comparison and a gap is changed between the sawtooth signal, which is influenced with the valley-identifying signal, and the switch-on threshold value until ascertaining, with reference to the determined prevailing period duration, the stable switching frequency has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Jalal Hallak
  • Patent number: 11698653
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to multi-stage system. The system may include a first stage having a current bias generator that generates a biasing current. The system may include a second stage that is coupled to the first stage, and the second stage may include a load that utilizes the biasing current generated by the current bias generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Philex Ming-Yan Fan, Benoit Labbe, Parameshwarappa Anand Kumar Savanth
  • Patent number: 11699955
    Abstract: A method involves determining that a power converter is in a no-load or ultra-light load mode of operation. In response to determining that the power converter is in a no-load or ultra-light load mode of operation, a voltage amplitude of a feedback signal of the power converter is allowed to rise towards a voltage amplitude that is greater than or equal to a first threshold voltage level. Upon determining that the voltage amplitude of the feedback signal is greater than or equal to the first threshold voltage level, a first sequence of enabling pulses are issued to a primary side switch of the power converter to reduce a voltage amplitude of the feedback signal. Upon determining that the voltage amplitude of the feedback signal is greater than or equal to a second threshold voltage level, a normal mode of operation of the power converter is entered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Silanna Asia Pte Ltd
    Inventor: Aleksandar Radic
  • Patent number: 11699949
    Abstract: Power management systems are described. In an embodiment, a power management system includes a voltage source, a circuit load located within a chip, and a switched capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR) coupled to voltage source and the circuit load to receive an input voltage from the voltage source and supply an output voltage to the circuit load. The SCVR may include circuitry located within the chip and a discrete integrated passive device (IPD) connected to the chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay Dabral, David A. Secker, Jun Zhai, Ralf M. Schmitt, Vidhya Ramachandran, Wenjie Mao
  • Patent number: 11695343
    Abstract: A control circuit comprising an output controller coupled to an output side of a power converter. The output controller comprises a switch control signal generator to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of the power controller and to communicate a control signal to an input controller coupled to an input side to control a turn ON of a power switch. The control signal is generated in response to the feedback signal and is communicated in response to an enable signal. The output controller comprises an extremum locator to generate the enable signal in response to a winding signal representative of an instantaneous voltage on an output terminal of an energy transfer element and the extremum locator enables the switch control signal generator such that the transition of the power switch from the OFF state to the ON state occurs substantially when the winding signal reaches an extremum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: POWER INTEGRATIONS. INC.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, David Michael Hugh Matthews, Vikram Balakrishnan, Roland Sylvere Saint-Pierre, Zhao-Jun Wang, Giao Minh Pham, Qing McIntosh
  • Patent number: 11695328
    Abstract: A control circuit for a switching converter, can include: a current compensation signal generating circuit configured to generate a current compensation signal based on a current sampling signal representing an inductor current; and a control signal generating circuit configured to adjust a current control parameter of a current control loop in the switching converter according to the current compensation signal, in order to increase power factor (PF) and reduce total harmonic distortion (THD).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Jian Deng, Jin Jin, Xuecheng Tian
  • Patent number: 11689097
    Abstract: A UHV-LV interface circuit that is capable of the following, among other things: 1) starting up a primary controller of a power converter circuit with a precisely controlled startup charging profile; 2) performing pulse-based line-voltage sensing with reduced power and improved sensing accuracy; and 3) discharging a capacitor, e.g., class-X2 capacitor, with a stable supply voltage for the controller. The UHV-LV interface circuit can use a single UHV device, such as a single depletion-mode transistor, e.g., field-effect transistor (FET).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen Chuen Liu, Xugang Ke, Min Chen, Wei Gu
  • Patent number: 11689099
    Abstract: A power converter and a method of operation thereof is disclosed including an input, an output, a sensor unit, a switched power converter, and a processor module. The power converter may convert an input power into an output power. The power converter may sense real-time measurements of the input power and the output power to determine a real-time calculated efficiency. The power converter may chop the input power into sized and positioned portions of the input power based on a plurality of determined operating parameters. The power converter may determine the operating parameters based on the real-time calculated efficiency and on a plurality of other operating factors/conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Volpe and Koenig, P.C.
    Inventor: Eran Ofek
  • Patent number: 11682970
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-path converter, which adds a current transfer path using a capacitor to a current transfer path using an inductor to supply a current that is output to an output end (load) to a plurality of parallel paths, thereby reducing a total RMS current flowing through the inductor, and a control method therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Gyu Hyeong Cho, Yeun Hee Huh, Se Un Shin, Sung Won Choi, Yong Min Ju, Sang Jin Lim
  • Patent number: 11682979
    Abstract: A transient current in a rectifier circuit is effectively reduced. In a rectifier circuit, a first rectifier is provided between a first terminal and a second terminal. In the rectifier circuit, when a switch element is turned ON, a primary winding current flows from a power supply to a primary winding of a transformer. When the switch element is turned OFF, a second rectifier current flows from a secondary winding of the transformer to a second rectifier. During a period in which the second rectifier current is flowing, a reverse voltage is applied between the first terminal and the second terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Shiomi
  • Patent number: 11677306
    Abstract: A method of inductor current reconstruction for a power converter can include: acquiring at least one of a current that represents a current flowing through a main power transistor, and a current that represents a current flowing through a rectifier transistor, in order to generate a switching current sampling signal in the power converter; and generating an inductor current reconstruction signal representing an inductor current in one complete switching cycle according to the switching current sampling signal and an inductor voltage signal representing a voltage across an inductor in the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Chiqing Fang, Zhiwei Xu, Kaiwei Yao, Chen Zhao
  • Patent number: 11677318
    Abstract: A circuit for controlling a switching power supply includes a disable signal generator generating a disable signal in response to an input clock signal, a timer circuit generating a timeout signal in response to the disable signal, a comparison signal generator generating a comparison signal in response to an output signal of the power supply, a first threshold signal generator generating a first threshold signal in response to the comparison signal, the first threshold signal having a value greater than that of the comparison signal, and a first comparator comparing the first threshold signal and a sense signal to de-assert the modulation signal when the sense signal is equal to or greater than the first threshold signal and the timeout signal has a first logic value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gang Chen, Rong-Shyang Ou
  • Patent number: 11677324
    Abstract: A converter system includes a switch adapted to be coupled to an inductor, and configured to switch between first and second states responsive to a loop control signal. Calibration circuitry is configured to operate in first and second control modes, provide a calibration voltage in the first control mode, and store the calibration voltage in the second control mode. In a first instance of the first control mode, the calibration voltage is based on a difference between a feedback voltage and a reference voltage. In a second instance of the first control mode, the calibration voltage is the stored calibration voltage from the second control mode. A comparator is coupled to the switch and the calibration unit, and is configured to provide the loop control signal based on a combination of at least the feedback voltage, the reference voltage, the calibration voltage, and a periodic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Biao Chen, Jiancong Ruan, Runqin Tan
  • Patent number: 11671016
    Abstract: A multi-phase converter for an energy system, as is used in fuel cell vehicles, and methods for operating the multi-phase converter, are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Martin Breu, Maximilian Schiedermeier
  • Patent number: 11671015
    Abstract: A three-level Boost circuit is provided. The three-level Boost circuit includes: an input capacitor, an inductor, a first switch, a second switch, a first freewheeling diode, a second freewheeling diode, a flying capacitor, a balance capacitor, a charging diode, a clamp diode, a discharging diode and an output series capacitor bank. The output series capacitor bank includes multiple output capacitors connected in series, and has a first node and a second node; a potential of the first node is higher than a potential of a cathode of the charging diode, and a potential difference between a cathode of the second freewheeling diode and the second node does not exceed a withstand voltage of the second freewheeling diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: SUNGROW POWER SUPPLY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tengfei Wang, Jiacai Zhuang, Jun Xu, Nianan Pan
  • Patent number: 11671020
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Xiangdong Yang, Xiaoru Xu, Yongjiang Bai, Zhiliang Hu