Patents Examined by Jeffrey Sterrett
  • Patent number: 8994345
    Abstract: There is described a buck-boost converter comprising: a voltage source; an inductor, wherein a first terminal of the inductor is switchably connected to the voltage source; and a plurality of capacitors switchably connected to a second terminal of the inductor, wherein a respective plurality of output voltages are formed across the plurality of capacitors, further comprising: an error determination means, for determining an error in each of the plurality of voltages, an inner control loop adapted to switchably connect one of the plurality of capacitors to the second terminal of the inductor in dependence on the determined errors; and an outer control loop adapted to control switching between buck mode and boost mode in dependence upon the determined errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Nujira Limited
    Inventor: Martin Paul Wilson
  • Patent number: 8988052
    Abstract: A control circuit for controlling a power supply including a first switch and a second switch coupled in series between a first potential and a second potential. The control circuit includes a detection circuit that detects a magnitude relation of a voltage value at a node between the first and second switches and a reference value during a period in which the first switch and the second switch are inactivated. The detection circuit generates a control signal corresponding to the magnitude relation. A regulation circuit regulates a switching timing of the second switch in response to the control signal to decrease a difference between the voltage value at the node and the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Futamura, Takashi Matsumoto, Ryuta Nagai
  • Patent number: 8975879
    Abstract: This invention provides a switching converter having a plurality N of outputs providing N output signals and at least one inductor, comprising a first controlling device for controlling the total energy flowing over the inductor to the N outputs dependent on a first control signal, at least a second controlling device for distributing the total energy between the N outputs by means of at least a second control signal, wherein the first controlling device is coupled to all N outputs for receiving a number M of the respective feedback output signals of the N outputs, M?N, wherein the first controlling device comprises first means for weighting the M feedback output signals and second means for providing the first control signal dependent on the weighted M feedback output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignees: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH, State-Key Laboratory of ASIC & System
    Inventors: Weiwei Xu, Zhiliang Hong, Dirk Killat
  • Patent number: 8976558
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power supply device includes a rectifying circuit configured to rectify an alternating-current power supply, a first capacitor configured to smooth a voltage after rectification, and a falling voltage chopper circuit configured to supply electric power to a load. The first capacitor is set to a capacity in which a section where a voltage after smoothing drops to an output voltage to the load is provided in a rectified half period of the alternating-current power supply. The falling voltage chopper circuit includes at least one switching element configured to receive an input of the voltage after smoothing, operate in a section where the voltage after smoothing exceeds the output voltage, and pause in a section of the output voltage and a second capacitor provided on an output side and having a capacity larger than the capacity of the first capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Go Kato, Takuro Hiramatsu, Kenji Sakai, Chikako Katano, Hiroshi Takenaga, Tomoaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8976556
    Abstract: Inverter is modulated based on first, second, and third switching states determined according to a reference vector represented as a sum of a remainder vector connecting the reference vector with a first vertex of a modulation triangle and a set of vertex vectors connecting a center vertex of space vector diagram with the first vertex. A first switching state of the inverter at the first vertex is determined based on angles of vertex vectors in the set. A second switching state of the inverter at a second vertex of the modulation triangle and a third switching state of the inverter at a third vertex of the modulation triangle are determined based on the first switching state and the remainder vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Koon Hoo Teo, Yi Deng
  • Patent number: 8976559
    Abstract: Disclosure includes control methods and power controllers with load compensation adapted for a power supply powering a load. A disclosed power controller comprises a converter and a control circuit. The converter converts the load signal at a first node to output a load-compensation signal at a second node. The load signal corresponds to an output power provided from the power supply to the load, and the converter includes a low-pass filter coupled between the first and second nodes. The control circuit is coupled to an inductive device via a feedback node, for controlling the output power to make a cross voltage of the inductive device approach a target voltage, based on a feedback voltage at the feedback node. The higher the load-compensation signal the higher the target voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Leadtrend Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Lun Shen, Ren-Yi Chen, Yu-Yun Huang
  • Patent number: 8971063
    Abstract: A grid tied inverter connectable to an electricity grid, the grid tied inverter comprising a DC to DC current fed push-pull converter operable to generate a current waveform from a DC voltage source, the current waveform being substantially synchronised to the electricity grid, and a transformer having a first side connected to the DC to DC current fed converter and a second side having an output line connectable to the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Charles Knill
  • Patent number: 8971075
    Abstract: A method of operating a power factor correction (PFC) circuit and a corresponding power factor correction circuit include determining an adaptive switching frequency of the PFC circuit related to a current of the boost inductor of the PFC circuit, and operating the PFC circuit at a light load based on the adaptive switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhong Ye, Bosheng Sun
  • Patent number: 8964425
    Abstract: A power converter including a rectifier stage connected to plural phases of a network delivering an input current at a determined fundamental frequency, a DC power supply bus and a bus capacitor connected to the DC power supply bus. The converter includes a controlled current source situated on the DC power supply bus, the current source making it possible to control a rectifier current, flowing on the DC power supply bus, and a controller for the controlled current source to control a rectifier current, flowing on the DC power supply bus. The controller is configured to implement a regulation loop into which are injected a first harmonic and a second harmonic synchronized respectively at six times and twelve times the fundamental frequency of the input current delivered by the network, the amplitude and phase of these harmonics being determined to limit the THDi and the PWHD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventors: Arnaud Videt, Thomas Devos, Heu Vang
  • Patent number: 8952674
    Abstract: A voltage regulator circuitry (50) adapted to operate in a high-temperature environment of a turbine engine is provided. The voltage regulator may include a constant current source (52) including a first semiconductor switch (54) and a first resistor (56) connected between a gate terminal (G) and a source terminal (S) of the first semiconductor switch. A second resistor (58) is connected to the gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch (54) and to an electrical ground (64). The constant current source is coupled to generate a voltage reference across the second resistor 58. A source follower output stage 66 may include a second semiconductor switch (68) and a third resistor (58) connected between the electrical ground and a source terminal of the second semiconductor switch. The generated voltage reference is applied to a gating terminal of the second semiconductor switch (58).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc., Arkansas Power Electronics International, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Mitchell, John R. Fraley, Jie Yang, Cora Schillig, Bryon Western, Roberto Marcelo Schupbach
  • Patent number: 8953342
    Abstract: System and method for regulating a power conversion system. A system controller for regulating a power conversion system includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. The system controller is configured to receive at least an input signal at the first controller terminal, and generate a gate drive signal at the second controller terminal based on at least information associated with the input signal to turn on or off a transistor in order to affect a current associated with a secondary winding of the power conversion system. The system controller is further configured to, if the input signal is larger than a first threshold, generate the gate drive signal at a first logic level to turn off the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 8947067
    Abstract: Disclosed is bandgap voltage reference generator having a programmable resistor. The programmable resistor can be programmed to provide a proper ratio between the PTAT current and the CTAT current to reduce the effect of process variations on the bandgap voltage. The bandgap voltage reference generator includes a calibration circuit that programs the programmable resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Hossein Zarei
  • Patent number: 8947068
    Abstract: A control circuit includes: a first current generating circuit arranged for generating at least one output current according to a reference signal; a second current generating circuit arranged for generating a reference current corresponding to the reference signal according to the reference signal; and a follower circuit coupled to the second current generating circuit for generating a control current according to the reference current, and feeding back the control current to the first current generating circuit from the second current generating circuit in a signal-following manner to control the reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheng Tao
  • Patent number: 8947058
    Abstract: A switching power supply device includes a switching power supply integrated circuit that includes a dead time generating unit that generates high-side and low-side drive signals having a dead time based on a PWM signal, a drive signal generating unit that generates first and second PWM signals based on the drive signals and a voltage of an output terminal, and a driver that includes high-side and low-side switch elements driven by the PWM signals; a filter that is connected to the output terminal; a first diode having a cathode connected to the source of the high-side switch element and an anode connected to the output terminal; and a second diode having a cathode connected to the source of the low-side switch element and an anode connected to the output terminal. The first and second diodes are arranged outside the switching power supply integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Dan Ozasa
  • Patent number: 8942016
    Abstract: A second control circuit is configured to switch a pulse signal to a level which turns off a second switching transistor when a coil current that flows through a primary winding reaches a predetermined threshold current. The second control circuit is configured to start a switching operation when a power supply for an electronic device is turned on, to set the threshold current to a first value when an intermediate voltage is higher than a predetermined level, and to set the threshold current to a second value that is lower than the first value when the intermediate voltage is lower than a predetermined level. A first control circuit is configured to start a switching operation upon receiving an instruction from a microcontroller to start operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Nate, Hiroshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8937472
    Abstract: Disclosed is a DC-DC converter including: a switch unit controlling a flow of a current based on a buck-boost topology; a short circuit unit short circuited or opened according to an external setting to change a topology of the switch unit; an inductor storing a current induced by the switch unit; a topology selecting unit selecting a topology in response to an external input signal and generating a signal corresponding to the selected topology; a pulse width modulating unit generating a signal for determining an operation time of the switch unit; a reverse flow detecting unit detecting a reverse flow of a current flowing through the switch unit to generate a signal; and a switch control unit controlling the switch unit in response to signals of the topology selecting unit, the pulse width modulating unit and the reverse flow detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Sewan Heo, Yil Suk Yang, Jong Kee Kwon
  • Patent number: 8933681
    Abstract: A novel integrated switched mode power supply circuit that provides supply voltages to an integrated circuit may be of minimal complexity and have the capacity for a wide range of input supply voltages. The novel power supply may include cascaded, unregulated step-down charge pumps (e.g. unregulated voltage splitters), one or more linear regulators coupled to the output of the cascaded voltage splitters, and a start-up current source to provide the IC supply current until the input supply voltage is sufficiently high for the voltage splitter(s) to be functional to provide the IC supply current. Furthermore, each voltage splitter may be activated or disabled depending on the value of the input supply voltage, and the input of a disabled voltage splitter may be shorted to its output via an integrated power switch. Using (cascaded) voltage splitters to provide the IC supply current reduces overall power dissipation in the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Demetri J. Giannopoulos, Aaron Shreeve
  • Patent number: 8922176
    Abstract: An apparatus is configured to provide a voltage rising at the output with a programmable slew rate. The apparatus comprises a ramp-up control circuit module for supplying an increasing output voltage that is output to a load circuit. The ramp-up control circuit comprises an amplifier that receives the output of a plurality of selectable mirrored current sources that build up voltage across a capacitor for programming a selected linear slew rate for the increasing output voltage. The apparatus further comprises a glitch filter circuit for stabilizing the increasing output voltage so as to minimize glitches, including current and voltage stress, in the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Tetelbaum, Tomer Shaul Elran
  • Patent number: 8912773
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a synchronous buck converter comprises a multi-mode control circuit for detecting a load condition of a variable load, an output stage driven by the multi-mode control circuit, wherein the variable load is coupled to the output stage, and a feedback circuit connected between the output stage and the multi-mode control circuit. The multi-mode control circuit is configured to adjust a current provided by the output stage to the variable load based on the load condition. In one embodiment, the multi-mode control circuit selectably uses one of at least a first control mode and a second control mode according to the load condition, wherein the first control mode is a pulse-width modulation (PWM) mode selected for switching efficiency when the load condition is heavy and the second control mode is an adaptive ON-time (AOT) mode selected for switching efficiency when the load condition is light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Parviz Parto, Seungbeom Kevin Kim, Amir M. Rahimi, Suresh Kariyadan
  • Patent number: 8902619
    Abstract: A power supply current monitor comprising a processor operable to monitor a pulsed voltage signal generated by a power supply and generate an alert when a pulse width for the pulsed voltage signal is outside an expected pulse width range; wherein the pulse width is dependent on an amount of current being supplied to a load by the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Grek