Patents Examined by Jue Zhang
  • Patent number: 11909271
    Abstract: A rotating machine includes: an electric motor that includes a stator and a rotor that is rotatable relative to the stator; a rotary member to be rotated that is provided on the shaft; and a fastening member made of magnetic material and provided to fasten the rotary member to a shaft. The rotor includes: a rotor core made of magnetic material; a plurality of permanent magnets attached to the rotor core such that the permanent magnets are spaced from each other in a circumferential direction and magnetic poles of the permanent magnets that face an outer peripheral side of the rotor core in a radius direction of the rotor core have the same magnetic polarity; and the shaft. The shaft is made of magnetic material, provided to extend through a central part of the rotor core in an axial direction of the rotor core, and magnetized by part of magnetic fluxes generated from the permanent magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuma Nomoto, Hiroki Aso, Ryogo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11909326
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an isolated power converter having an input connected to an input dc power source, a first output and a second output, and a non-isolated power converter having an input connected to the second output of the isolated power converter, wherein the first output of the isolated power converter and an output of the non-isolated power converter are connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Huawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heping Dai, Liming Ye, Dianbo Fu, Daoshen Chen
  • Patent number: 11908614
    Abstract: This application relates to an active current compensation device which actively compensates for a noise occurring in a common mode in each of two or more high-current paths. In one aspect, the active current compensation device includes a sensing unit configured to generate an output signal corresponding to a common-mode noise current on each of the two or more high-current paths, and an amplification unit configured to amplify the output signal to generate an amplified current. The device may also include a compensation unit configured to generate a compensation current on the basis of the amplified current and allow the compensation current to flow to each of the two or more high-current paths, and a malfunction detection unit configured to detect a malfunction of the amplification unit. The malfunction detection unit and at least a portion of the amplification unit may be embedded in one integrated circuit (IC) chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignees: UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology)
    Inventors: Jin Gook Kim, Sang Yeong Jeong
  • Patent number: 11909316
    Abstract: Circuits and methods for protecting the switches of charge pump-based power converters from damage if a VOUT short circuit event occurs and/or if VIN falls rapidly with respect to VX or VOUT. A general embodiment includes a VX Detection Block coupled to the core block of a power converter. The VX Detection Block is coupled to VX and to a control circuit that disables operations of an associated converter circuit upon detection of large, rapid falls in VX during the dead time between clock phase signals, thereby prevent damaging current spikes. Some embodiments include a VIN Detection Block configured to detect and prevent excessive in-rush current due to rapidly falling values of VIN to the power converter. The VIN Detection Block is coupled to VIN, and to VX or VOUT in some embodiments, and to a control circuit to that disables operation of an associated converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: Antony Christopher Routledge
  • Patent number: 11909331
    Abstract: A power supply includes an inverter configured to direct current (DC) power into alternating current (AC) power, an impedance matching circuit configured to supply the AC power to a load; and a controller configured to adjust disposition of a powering period, in which the AC power is output, and a freewheeling period, in which the AC power is not output, to adjust a power amount of the power supplied to the load through the impedance matching circuit by the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: EN2CORE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Yeong-Hoon Sohn, Se-Hong Park, Sae-Hoon Uhm
  • Patent number: 11909287
    Abstract: A motor has: a housing; a stator disposed inside the housing; a rotor disposed inside the stator; and a shaft coupled to the rotor. The stator has a stator core, an insulator disposed on the stator core, and a coil wound around the insulator. The insulator has: a first body; an inside guide protruding from the inside of the first body; an outside guide protruding from the outside of the first body; a first blade portion disposed to be spaced apart from one side of the first body and to protrude from the outside guide in the radial direction; a second blade portion disposed to be spaced apart from the other side of the first body and to protrude from the outside guide in the radial direction; and a protruding portion extending from one radial side of the first blade portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tae Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 11909351
    Abstract: An inline DC feeder DC/DC voltage step-up harness for photovoltaic solar facilities includes a housing, a plurality of PV input connectors, an at least one PV output connector. The housing incorporates a DC/DC converter, and has an input and an output. The plurality of PV input connectors are operatively connected to the housing at the input. The PV output connector is operatively connected to the housing at the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: ADERIS ENERGY, LLC
    Inventors: Olee Joel Olsen, Jr., Adam Will Foodman, Bradley Allan Micallef
  • Patent number: 11907000
    Abstract: Solar power systems and methods utilize DC power transmission and centralized power inversion. The solar power systems include a photovoltaic (PV) bus system and a fixed bus system. The PV system utilizes a control mode handoff control method, which includes determining that a local maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control is enabled; in response to determining that the local MPPT control is enabled, starting an MPPT mode timer; performing local MPPT; determining that the MPPT mode timer is greater than a predetermined period; and, in response to determining that the MPPT mode timer is greater than a predetermined period, handing off MPPT control to the next MPPT controller. The distributed MPPT control method may include sequential MPPT control, adaptive ?V MPPT control, and/or power limiting control. The fixed bus system includes PV string-level MPPT controllers and a fixed DC input central inverter or multiple fixed DC modular inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NEXTRACKER LLC
    Inventors: Yang Liu, Alexander W. Au, Fei Gu
  • Patent number: 11899480
    Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit can include two feedback loops, such as to reduce or suppress an unwanted transient condition in an output voltage during transient conditions such as during startup or during load current demand transients. One of the two feedback loops can include a shunt device arranged to provide a temporary current pathway during the transient condition to change current provided to a load connected to an output of the voltage regulation circuit. In addition, or instead, the voltage regulator circuit can include an open-loop regulation circuit separate from a loop corresponding to the first error amplifier. The open-loop regulator circuit can operate in a lower-power mode as compared to a closed-loop regulator circuit. A portion or an entirety of the voltage regulator circuit can be implemented in an integrated circuit, such as monolithically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Tse, James Lin
  • Patent number: 11901818
    Abstract: An apparatus includes first and second pluralities of switches, a controller for controlling these switches, gate-drivers for driving switches from the first plurality of switches, and first and second terminals configured for coupling to corresponding first and second external circuits at corresponding first and second voltages. During operation, the controller causes the first plurality of switches to transition between states. These transitions result in the second voltage being maintained at a value that is a multiple of the first voltage. The controller also causes the second plurality of switches to transition between states. These transitions resulting in capacitors being coupled or decoupled from the second voltage. The gate drivers derive, from the capacitors, charge for causing a voltage that enables switches from the first plurality of switches to be driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: David Giuliano, Gregory Szczeszynski, Raymond Barrett, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11899478
    Abstract: A low-power semiconductor device is provided. A retention transistor is provided between a control circuit and an output transistor. An output terminal of the control circuit is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the retention transistor, and the other of the source and the drain of the retention transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the output transistor. A node to which the other of the source and the drain of the retention transistor and the gate of the output transistor are electrically connected is a retention node. When the retention transistor is in an on state, a potential corresponding to a potential output from the control circuit is written to the retention node. Then, when the retention transistor is in an off state, the potential of the retention node is retained. Thus, a gate potential of the output transistor can be kept at a constant value even when the control circuit is off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keita Sato, Yuto Yakubo, Yoshiaki Oikawa, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11901838
    Abstract: A power module includes: a first substrate layer that is disposed on a first plane; a second substrate layer that is disposed on a second plane that is parallel to the first plane; first and second electrical conductors that are configured to be electrically connected to first and second direct current (DC) reference potentials, respectively, and that extend outwardly from the power module on a third plane that is parallel to the first and second planes; third, fourth, and fifth electrical conductors that are configured to be electrically connected to first, second, and third alternating current (AC) reference potentials, respectively, and that extend outwardly from the power module on a fourth plane that is parallel to the first, second, and third planes; and a plurality of dies of switches, respectively, disposed between the first and second substrate layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ming Liu, Muhammad Hussain Alvi, Chandra S. Namuduri
  • Patent number: 11899487
    Abstract: The present invention includes: a first current source, through which a first current is made to flow; a second current source, through which a second current set at a certain ratio to the first current is made to flow; a first current path, which includes a second resistor, a first resistor, and a first bipolar transistor that are connected to the first current source in a sequential manner, and through which the first current is made to flow; a second current path, which includes a third resistor and a 0th bipolar transistor that are connected to the second current source in a sequential manner, and through which the second current is made to flow; an operational amplifier, which controls current amounts of the first current and the second current by an output from an output end, and of which a positive input end is connected to a connection point between the second resistor and the first resistor, and of which a negative input end is connected to a connection point between the third resistor and the 0th bi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: WILL SEMICONDUCTOR (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 11901805
    Abstract: A method for switching off power semiconductor switches in a bridge circuit having first through sixth power semiconductor switches. The method includes a switch-off process for establishing a final switch configuration in which all power semiconductor switches in the bridge circuit are in a switched-off state. Over the course of the switch-off process, a switch configuration is established in which the fifth power semiconductor switch and the sixth power semiconductor switch are concurrently in a switched-on state, while the first power semiconductor switch and the fourth power semiconductor switch are in a switched-off state. Also disclosed is a bridge circuit having a control circuit configured to carry out such a method. In addition, an inverter that includes at least one bridge circuit of this type is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Uwe Stickelmann
  • Patent number: 11901819
    Abstract: An embodiment voltage converter includes a first transistor connected between a first node of the converter and a second node configured to receive a power supply voltage, a second transistor connected between the first node and a third node configured to receive a reference potential, a first circuit configured to control the first and second transistors, and a comparator including first and second inputs. The first input is configured to receive, during a first phase, a first voltage ramp and, during a second phase, a set point voltage. The second input is configured to receive, during the first phase, the set point voltage and, during the second phase, a second voltage ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Sebastien Ortet, Olivier Lauzier
  • Patent number: 11894761
    Abstract: An AC power supply for connection to at least one electrode of an electrodynamic screen includes a DC-to-DC converter electrically coupled to a source of DC voltage including an output. The system includes a DC-to-AC converter electrically coupled to the output of the DC-to-DC converter, including a two-terminal passive element electrically coupled in series with a first transistor including a control terminal electrically coupled to a periodic voltage signal configured to switch the first transistor between an on/off state. The system includes an AC output including an AC voltage configured to change periodically. The system includes a regulator circuit configured to sample the AC output voltage and detect when the AC output voltage reaches a predetermined voltage. The regulator circuit is configured to electrically couple the power supply to the source of DC voltage when the output voltage is less than the predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Sol Clarity, Inc.
    Inventors: Annie Bernard, Ryan Eriksen, Benjamin Livney, Mark Horenstein
  • Patent number: 11894760
    Abstract: A control circuit and method for a fuel-saving multi-state switch is provided. The control circuit comprises a vehicle body ECU, a fuel-saving control unit, and a PWM voltage regulating unit. The fuel-saving control unit is connected to the vehicle body ECU through a CAN bus to collect CAN signals. The fuel-saving control unit determines a switch gear required by a current vehicle according to the CAN signals and outputs a PWM pulse signal having a corresponding duty cycle. The PWM voltage regulating unit is connected to the fuel-saving control unit to receive the PWM pulse signal. The PWM voltage regulating unit outputs a voltage value corresponding to the switch gear according to the PWM pulse signal. The vehicle body ECU is connected to the PWM voltage regulating unit to receive the voltage value, so as to control a speed and torque of an engine according to the voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Xiamen Yaxon Network Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Wenshun Chen, Jiaxiang Li
  • Patent number: 11888397
    Abstract: A DC-DC switching converter includes power switches selectively coupling an output terminal with a first voltage or with a second voltage. A driver stage is coupled with the power switches for driving the power switches. A driver control stage is coupled with the driver stage for controlling the operation of the driver stage. An output current sensing circuit is coupled with the output terminal and with the driver control stage, and is configured to sense a sign of an output current delivered by the DC-DC switching converter at the output terminal and to generate control signals for the driver control stage. The driver control stage controls the operation of the driver stage according to states of the control signals received from the output current sensing circuit, for selectively delaying the activation of the power switches depending on the sensed sign of the output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectron S.r.l.
    Inventors: Niccolo' Brambilla, Sandro Rossi, Valeria Bottarel
  • Patent number: 11888392
    Abstract: A power converter module includes an active metal braze (AMB) substrate, power converter circuitry, and a housing. The AMB substrate includes an aluminum nitride base layer, a first conductive layer on a first surface of the aluminum nitride base layer, and a second conductive layer on a second surface of the aluminum nitride base layer opposite the first surface. The power converter circuitry includes a number of silicon carbide switching components coupled to one another via the first conductive layer. The housing is over the power converter circuitry and the AMB substrate. By using an AMB substrate with an aluminum nitride base layer, the thermal dissipation characteristics of the power converter module may be substantially improved while maintaining the structural integrity of the power converter module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Wolfspeed, Inc.
    Inventors: Mrinal K. Das, Adam Barkley, Henry Lin, Marcelo Schupbach
  • Patent number: 11885847
    Abstract: Proposed is an automatically testable short circuit breaker that includes: a pseudo short circuit signal driving circuit unit connected to opposite ends of a test button in a short circuit breaker; a pseudo short circuit signal recognition circuit unit which recognizes a short circuit detection signal and outputs a diagnosis signal; and a pseudo short circuit signal shut-off circuit unit which induces the short circuit detection signal to grounding so that the short circuit detection signal does not flow into the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventor: Young Kil Choi