Patents Examined by Jye-June Lee
  • Patent number: 11637495
    Abstract: A voltage converter includes an input voltage line; an inductor coupled to the input voltage line; transistors coupled to the inductor; an output voltage line coupled to at least one of the transistors; a current sensor coupled to at least one of the input voltage line, the inductor, or the output voltage line; and a comparator coupled between the current sensor and the transistors. A DC-DC converter may include a voltage converter having an inductor and a plurality of transistors and configured to convert an input voltage into a power voltage and output the power voltage to an output terminal, an input current sensor configured to sense the input current of the converter, and a controller configured to change the slew rate of an inductor voltage in response to the input current of the converter and a preset reference current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dong Kwan Han
  • Patent number: 11632045
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a current loop controller configured to control a boost converter, including: an amplifier configured to scale a measured current; a subtractor configured to subtract the scaled measured current from a desired current and to output an error signal; a controller including an integral part and a proportional part configured to produce a control signal based upon the difference signal and a gain value, wherein the gain value is based upon a measured value tps, wherein tps is the on-time plus the secondary time of the boost converter; and a switch signal generator configured to produce a gate signal based upon the control signal, wherein the gate signal controls the boost converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Hinderikus Maria Langeslag, Remco Twelkemeijer
  • Patent number: 11626790
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a circuit board on which wirings are formed and plural semiconductor switching elements are mounted; and a driver circuit which is mounted on the circuit board, and operates at least two of the plural semiconductor switching elements together; wherein the plural semiconductor switching elements are provided as packages having a same shape, and placed in such a positional relationship in which an inter-control-terminal distance that is a distance between their respective control terminals is shorter than a length of a terminal side that is a side of each of the packages at which the control terminal is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kei Hayase
  • Patent number: 11626808
    Abstract: A power converter provides a low-voltage output using a full-bridge fault-tolerant rectification circuit. The output circuit uses controlled switches as rectifiers. A fault detection circuit monitors circuit conditions. Upon detection of a fault, the switches are disabled decoupling the power converter from the system. A common-source dual MOSFET device includes a plurality of elements arranged in alternating patterns on a semiconductor die. A common-source dual synchronous rectifier includes control circuitry powered from the drain to source voltage of the complementary switch. A DC-to-DC transformer converts power from an input source to a load using a fixed voltage transformation ratio. A clamp phase may be used to reduce power losses in the converter at light loads, control the effective output resistance of the converter, effectively regulate the voltage transformation ratio, provide narrow band output regulation, and control the rate of change of output voltage for example during start up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Vicor Corporation
    Inventor: Patrizio Vinciarelli
  • Patent number: 11626794
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a current loop controller configured to control a boost converter, including: an amplifier configured to scale a measured current; a subtractor configured to subtract the scaled measured current from a desired current and to output an error signal; a controller including an integral part and a proportional part configured to produce a control signal based upon the error signal; a measuring circuit configured to measure the actual switching period of the boost converter; and a switch signal generator configured to produce a switching signal based upon the control signal and the measured actual switching period, wherein the switch signal controls the boost converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Hinderikus Maria Langeslag, Remco Twelkemeijer
  • Patent number: 11621630
    Abstract: A switching converter controller includes: a control loop adapted to be coupled to an output terminal of a power stage; and a hybrid hysteretic control (HHC) circuit coupled to the control loop. The HHC circuit includes a resonant capacitor voltage (Vcr) node adapted to be coupled to a resonant capacitor (Cr) of the power stage, where the Vcr node sums a sense voltage for Cr with a frequency compensation ramp. The HHC circuit also includes a soft-start controller coupled to the Vcr node. The soft-start controller includes a clamp circuit coupled to the Vcr node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Salvatore Giombanco, Brent Alan McDonald
  • Patent number: 11617280
    Abstract: A power electronics unit (1) for an electric drive unit, having an electrically conductive carrier element (2) and a power semiconductor module (3) arranged on the carrier element (2). The power semiconductor module (3) is designed to convert a direct current into a three-phase alternating current, and a current sensor (4) used to determine the alternating current is integrated such that it forms a main module (5) with the carrier element (2) and the power semiconductor module (3). A drive train for a motor vehicle having such a power electronics unit (1) is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Linbo Tang, Marco Bender, Matthias Kastle, Jan-Ulrich Biskup
  • Patent number: 11616443
    Abstract: A buck-boost converter including an inductor, a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a voltage detection circuit, and a voltage control circuit is provided. The first transistor is coupled to a first terminal of the inductor and receives a first control signal. The second transistor is coupled to the first terminal of the inductor and receives a second control signal. The third transistor is coupled to a second terminal of the inductor and receives a third control signal. The fourth transistor is coupled to the second terminal of the inductor and receives a fourth control signal voltage. The detection circuit detects the third control signal to selectively provide a voltage drop indication signal. When a voltage conversion mode is a buck mode, the voltage control circuit switches a conduction state of the third control signal in response to the voltage drop indication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: PEGATRON CORPORATION
    Inventor: En-Kai Lien
  • Patent number: 11611286
    Abstract: A method for determining rectifier-stage output current and/or grid-side currents (iu, iv, iw) of a frequency converter (1) having a passive rectifier (3), an inverter (4), a DC-link with a DC-link inductor (Ldc) and a DC-link capacitor (Cdc) between the rectification stage (3) and the inverter stage (4) is described. In a frequency converter the current information for the grid-side currents (iu, iv, iw) should be obtained without a current sensor at the grid-side (2). To this end the method comprises the step of calculating a current in the DC-link (5) by using at least a voltage value (Urec) and characteristics of the rectifier (3) in the DC-link (5) and/or grid side currents to form a corrected current using the calculated current and a measured current or currents or a fraction of a measured current or currents, or a fraction of a measured current or currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Danfoss Power Electronics A/S
    Inventor: Henrik Rosendal Andersen
  • Patent number: 11606030
    Abstract: There is presented a driver and a corresponding method for driving a p-type power switch. The driver includes a capacitor coupled to a control terminal of the power switch. The driver is configured to apply a control voltage to the control terminal and to connect the control terminal to ground to reduce the control voltage down to a target value to switch the power switch on. When identifying that the control voltage has reached the target value, the driver disconnects the control terminal from ground. The driver may be used in various circuits including switching power converters, audio amplifiers and charge-pump circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor B.V.
    Inventor: Marinus Wilhelmus Kruiskamp
  • Patent number: 11601040
    Abstract: AC to DC power supplies are disclosed. One AC to DC power supply includes a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side and a passive rectifier coupled to the secondary side of the transformer. The passive rectifier is configured to rectify AC power at the secondary side to DC power at an output of the rectifier. An active rectifier is configured to control voltages applied to the primary side of the transformer to induce a non-sinusoidal voltage at the secondary side of the transformer and a sinusoidal current drawn by the passive rectifier. An isolating DC-to-DC converter is coupled between the active rectifier and the output of the passive rectifier to magnetically couple power from the active rectifier to the output of the passive rectifier while galvanically isolating the active rectifier from the output of the passive rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: AquaHydrex, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Seymour
  • Patent number: 11601038
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a device including a first switch, a diode, and a passive resistive element electrically in series between conduction and control terminals of the first switch, a terminal of the diode located on the side of the first switch being coupled to a node of application of a potential variable with respect to the potential of said conduction terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Dominique Bergogne, Guillaume Regis
  • Patent number: 11594967
    Abstract: A hysteretic current control switching power converter with a clock-controlled switching frequency is disclosed. A power converter includes a switching circuit including a high side switch and a low side switch coupled to one another at a switching node, with an inductor being coupled between the switching node and a regulated supply voltage node. The power converter further includes a control circuit configured to alternately cause activation of the high side switch and the low side switch, wherein the control circuit is configured to activate the low side switch in response to a first voltage reaching peak threshold value, the first voltage corresponding to a current through the inductor. A ramp voltage circuit is configured to, in response to a clock signal, generate a ramp voltage, wherein the peak threshold value is based on the ramp voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Couleur, Nicola Rasera, Nikola Jovanovic, Pietro Gabriele Gambetta
  • Patent number: 11588392
    Abstract: A switch-mode power supply and a zero current detector for use therein. A zero current detector includes an input stage and an output stage. The output stage is coupled to the input stage. The output stage includes a detector output terminal, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The first transistor includes an input terminal and a control terminal. The input terminal is coupled to the detector output terminal. The control terminal is coupled to the input stage. The second transistor includes an input terminal, a control terminal, and an output terminal. The input terminal is coupled to the control terminal of the first transistor. The control terminal is coupled to the input terminal of the second transistor. The output terminal is coupled to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Srinivas Venkata Veeramreddi, Subhash Sahni
  • Patent number: 11569755
    Abstract: A rectifier circuit has one or more bridge circuits each with: a first leg with two diodes in series and an AC terminal at a midpoint between the two, a second leg with two semiconductor switches in parallel to the first, a third diode connected to a upper node of each leg, a fourth diode connected to a lower node of each leg, and a capacitor leg with two capacitors in series between the third and fourth diode. A midpoint between the capacitors is connected to a midpoint between the semiconductor switches. The first arrangement is two controllable semiconductor switches in series. A gate node of the second is connected to a first load terminal of the first switch and the first load terminal is connected to the lower node. The second semiconductor switch is a third controllable semiconductor switch with a gate node connected to the lower node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Ashot Melkonyan
  • Patent number: 11569733
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load may have a closed-loop gate drive circuit for controlling a semiconductor switch of a controllably conductive device. The controllably conductive device may be coupled in series between the source and the load. The gate drive circuit may generate a target signal in response to a control circuit. The gate drive circuit may shape the target signal over a period of time and may increase the target signal to a predetermined level after the period of time. The gate drive circuit may receive a feedback signal that indicates a magnitude of a load current conducted through the semiconductor switch. The gate drive circuit may generate a gate control signal in response to the target signal and the feedback signal, and render the semiconductor switch conductive and non-conductive in response to the gate control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Brian J. Bollinger, Venkatesh Chitta, Firozbabu Cholashari, Jonathan Waldron
  • Patent number: 11552553
    Abstract: A load abnormality detecting circuit for an inverter to detect abnormality of a load during an operation of the inverter which has a switching element and a phase synchronizing loop controlling an output frequency to be a resonance frequency of the load, the load abnormality detecting circuit includes a phase shift detection part that detects a phase shift between an output voltage and an output current which are applied from the inverter to the load and sends an abnormal load signal based on the detected phase shift. The switching element including a self-arc-extinguishing element and a reflux diode connected in reversely parallel to the self-arc-extinguishing element. The phase shift detection part detects advance and delay of a phase of the output current with respect to the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: NETUREN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiko Kanai
  • Patent number: 11539282
    Abstract: A switching control circuit for controlling a power supply circuit that generates an output voltage from an alternating current (AC) voltage inputted thereto. The power supply circuit includes an inductor receiving a rectified voltage corresponding to the AC voltage, and a transistor controlling an inductor current flowing through the inductor. The switching control circuit controls switching of the transistor, and includes a first arithmetic circuit that calculates a first time period, from when the transistor is turned off to when the inductor current reaches a predetermined value, based on a first voltage corresponding to the rectified voltage, a second voltage corresponding to the output voltage, and the inductor current upon turning on of the transistor; and a drive circuit that causes the transistor to be on in a second time period corresponding to the second voltage, and causes the transistor to be off in the first time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Endo
  • Patent number: 11532984
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a parallel arrangement of discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) voltage regulators to provide a regulated voltage to a load. The individual DCM voltage regulators may be triggered (e.g., switched to a charge state) when the regulated voltage falls below a lower threshold. Different DCM voltage regulators in the parallel arrangement may have different lower thresholds. In some embodiments, different DCM voltage regulators may include different inductance and/or transistor size (e.g., to tune the DCM voltage regulators to different current handling capabilities). Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Edward Burton
  • Patent number: 11522440
    Abstract: A power delivery system may include a power converter configured to electrically couple to a power source and further configured to supply electrical energy to one or more loads electrically coupled to an output of the power converter and control circuitry configured to control the power converter in accordance with a control variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajit Sharma, Jason W. Lawrence, Graeme G. Mackay