Patents Examined by Jye-June Lee
  • Patent number: 11171577
    Abstract: The power conversion device includes an inverter circuit in which one or a plurality of current limitation circuits that limit an electric current flowing in each of legs are provided and a control unit that controls, when a target voltage or a target current of the inverter circuit is outside a predetermined range, the current limitation circuits such that the electric current flowing in each of the legs is not limited and alternately performs the ON/OFF control of the two switching elements of each of the legs with a dead time in between and controls, when the target voltage or the target current is within the predetermined range, the current limitation circuits such that the electric current flowing in each of the legs is limited and alternately performs the ON/OFF control the two switching elements of each of the legs of the inverter circuit without the dead time in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kiribuchi, Satoshi Miyagawa, Hitoshi Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 11152853
    Abstract: A power device includes a first conversion module and a second conversion module. The first conversion module includes a first conversion unit and receives a first divided voltage of a bus voltage. The second conversion module includes a cascade conversion circuit with a second conversion unit and a third conversion unit. The input terminal of the second conversion module and the input terminal of the first conversion module are connected with each other in series. The input terminal of the second conversion module receives a second divided voltage of the bus voltage. The output terminal of the second conversion module and the output terminal of the first conversion module are electrically connected with each other in parallel so as to provide an output voltage to a load. The third conversion unit detects the output voltage to control the output voltage stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming Li, Yiqing Ye, Chengshang Yang
  • Patent number: 11146184
    Abstract: A frequency converter having a shunt resistor for emitter shunt current measurement includes a drivable switch, which is interconnected and driven in such a way that it prevents an undesired current flow via a bootstrap capacitor and the shunt resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Schmidhauser AG
    Inventor: Andreas Burgermeister
  • Patent number: 11146166
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe a power converter in a wind turbine that includes a rectifier and an inverter. The rectifier includes a plurality of phase legs where each phase leg includes a plurality of full bridge cells configured to block fault current from flowing from a generator through the rectifier. Moreover, the wind turbine does not have any circuit breaker between the rectifier and the generator. The inverter also includes a plurality of phase legs where each phase leg includes a plurality of full bridge cells configured to block fault current from flowing from a transformer through the inverter. Moreover, the wind turbine does not have any circuit breaker between the inverter and the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Philip Carne Kjær
  • Patent number: 11146059
    Abstract: A circuit is provided for managing an inrush current of a load. The load is coupled between a voltage source and a terminal for a negative supply potential. The circuit includes a switch that is coupled between the voltage source and the load, and that is configured to connect the load to or disconnect the load from the voltage source. The circuit further includes at least one load capacitor coupled in parallel to the load between the switch and the terminal for negative supply potential. The circuit further includes a control unit. The control unit has a sense unit and a switching unit. The sense unit is configured to determine the inrush current when the switch is closed to connect the load to the voltage source, and the switching unit is configured to control the switching of the switch depending on the inrush current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Avinash Sridhara Karanth
  • Patent number: 11139752
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes an inverter, a smoothing capacitor, Y capacitors, and a power supply wiring that electrically connects a DC power supply and the inverter. The power supply wiring includes power terminal portions to which the DC power supply is connected, power terminal portions to which the inverter is connected, and capacitor terminal portions to which the Y capacitors are connected. In the power supply wiring, a parasitic inductance L1 between the power terminal portions and the capacitor terminal portions are made smaller than a parasitic inductance L2 between the power supply terminal portions and the capacitor terminal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuya Okubo
  • Patent number: 11128114
    Abstract: A power control apparatus can include a power circuit configured to transfer power to a load circuit. The apparatus can also include one or more environmental sensors configured to register environmental data including at least one of movement, hazardous gas, environmental temperature, environmental moisture, and collision data associated with the apparatus. The apparatus can also include a power controller circuit operatively connected to the one or more environmental sensors and the power circuit, the power controller circuit being configured to receive the environmental data from the one or more environmental sensors, determine whether the received environmental data exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in response to determining that the received environmental data exceeded a predetermined threshold, interrupting supply of power from the power circuit to the load circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Western Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Kralik, Alfred Neufeld, Brandon McLellan
  • Patent number: 11121623
    Abstract: An apparatus for power conversion includes a transformation stage for transforming a first voltage into a second voltage. The transformation stage includes a switching network, a filter, and a controller. The filter is configured to connect the transformation stage to a regulator. The controller controls the switching network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: David Giuliano
  • Patent number: 11121634
    Abstract: A first full-bridge circuit, a transformer, a first reactor, a second full-bridge circuit, a second reactor, a capacitor, and a control unit are included. When activated, the control unit switches one or more of a combination of a first switching leg and a second switching leg and a combination of a third switching leg and a fourth switching leg with a certain second phase difference and drives first, third, fifth, and seventh switching devices or second, fourth, sixth, and eighth switching devices with a first duty ratio, which is lower than a duty ratio during normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11114949
    Abstract: An inverter control board that is configured to be connected to an inverter for performing conversion between direct current power and multiple-phase alternating current power, wherein the inverter has arms, each arm provided for one alternating current phase and comprising a series circuit of a high-side switching element to be connected to a direct-current positive electrode and a low-side switching element to be connected to a direct-current negative electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keita Mutsuura, Maiko Nitta
  • Patent number: 11108319
    Abstract: The power conversion device includes: a boosting unit for boosting DC voltage, the boosting unit including a second switching element, a third switching element, a second reverse-current blocking element, and a third reverse-current blocking element which are connected in series, the boosting unit including an intermediate capacitor connected between a connection point between the second reverse-current blocking element and the third reverse-current blocking element, and a connection point between the third switching element and the second switching element; a smoothing capacitor which is connected in parallel to the boosting unit and smooths the DC voltage boosted by the boosting unit; and a control unit for turning on the third switching element so that the intermediate capacitor is charged to charge completion voltage of the intermediate capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuki Matsunaga, Shuta Ishikawa, Akihiko Iwata
  • Patent number: 11101770
    Abstract: Disclosed are a photovoltaic power plant and a primary frequency modulation control method therefor. The photovoltaic power plant comprises a photovoltaic power plant and an active power control system. The photovoltaic power plant comprises a photovoltaic array and a photovoltaic inverter, the photovoltaic inverter converting direct current electric energy generated by the photovoltaic array into alternating current electric energy. The active power control system is used for determining the variable quantity of active power of a single machine according to an operating state of the photovoltaic inverter when frequency values of grid connection points of the photovoltaic power plant meet a pre-set primary frequency modulation triggering condition, and regulating the active power output by the photovoltaic inverter. According to the disclosed photovoltaic power, the response speed and accuracy of primary frequency modulation of a generator set can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING GOLD WIND SCIENCE & CREATION WINDPOWER EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yi Zhang, Yuan Qiao, Xianwen Bao
  • Patent number: 11096268
    Abstract: A motor electronics unit includes a printed circuit board having a first side and a second side with electronic components connected to the printed circuit board. An electrical conductor is connected to the printed circuit board. A heat sink is connected to the printed circuit board. A pre-molded electrical connector shroud has a portion of the electrical conductor positioned within the electrical connector shroud. A housing has an endcap, both co-molded in a low pressure injection molding process of a thermally conductive polymeric material. The endcap encapsulates the printed circuit board including the electronic components connected to the printed circuit board and covers a first portion of the heat sink, with a second portion of the heat sink uncovered by the polymeric material of the endcap to permit heat transfer away from the printed circuit board. The endcap also encapsulates a portion of the electrical connector shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Goatley, Brian Howe
  • Patent number: 11081974
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: first and second control devices that generate first and second control commands respectively; and first and second relay devices that transmit, to each sub module, the first and second control commands respectively. The first and second control devices receive instruction information indicating a system that is to control operation of each sub module. The first and second control commands each include a drive command, abnormality determination information about the control device, and instruction information. Even when the instruction information indicates a first system, each sub module selects a second system as a system to control operation of each sub module in response to detection of occurrence of abnormality to the first control device, and performs PWM control for a switching element in accordance with the drive command included in the second control command for the second system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Hario, Noriyuki Imada
  • Patent number: 11073855
    Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide a system that uses a capacitor-based power converter to generate a gate voltage (e.g., boot strap voltage) for a buck converter. According to various embodiments described herein, the capacitor-based power converter includes at least one of a combination of a capacitive voltage divider circuit with a low-dropout (LDO) regulator, or a combination of a capacitive doubler circuit with an LDO regulator, to generate the gate voltage for the buck converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew D. Rowley
  • Patent number: 11073856
    Abstract: An input circuit includes a first input transistor and a second input transistor connected to an input terminal; a current source which makes a current flow in the second input transistor through a current mirror; a switch provided between the current mirror and the current source, and having a switch control terminal connected to the drain of the first input transistor; and a transistor connected to the first input transistor, on/off of the transistor being controlled by an output signal, wherein a current drivability of the second input transistor is switched by an output signal, and a threshold voltage to the input signal is determined based on the current drivability of the second input transistor and the current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: ABLIC INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiomi Shiina, Fumimasa Azuma
  • Patent number: 11063517
    Abstract: A power supply circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes n capacitors, m power branches, and a control chip, where the m power branches include at least one first-type power branch and at least one second-type power branch, the first-type power branch includes a pre-boost topology structure and an open-loop topology structure connected in series to the pre-boost topology structure, the pre-boost topology structure is connected to the control chip, the pre-boost topology structure includes a straight-through state and a closed-loop state, and the control chip is configured to control, based on an output voltage of the power source, the pre-boost topology structure to switch between the straight-through state and the closed-loop state, so that the pre-boost topology structure pre-adjusts the output voltage of the power source and outputs a voltage range that meets a requirement of the open-loop topology structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yujian Lin, Haitao Chen, Yue Chen, Zhiqiang Xiang
  • Patent number: 11063534
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for providing power conversion between a direct current (DC) source and an alternating current (AC) power grid. According to one embodiment, a power converter device includes a transformer having a first winding and a second winding. The power converter device further includes zero voltage switch circuitry and zero current switch circuitry. The zero voltage switch circuitry is electrically coupled to the first winding, and configured to be electrically coupled to a DC voltage source via a first port and a second port. The zero current switch circuitry is electrically coupled to the second winding of the transformer and configured to be electrically coupled with an AC power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Wensong Yu, Iqbal Husain
  • Patent number: 11043899
    Abstract: A multi-stage, multi-level DC-DC step-down converter includes a first stage and a second stage having two identical cells connected in parallel. The first stage includes an input capacitor, four switches, and one flying capacitor. The two cells of the second stage each include four switches and one flying capacitor, and an output filter. The cells of the second stage are driven at half the switching frequency of the input stage, and provides a step-down ratio of 4:1. A third stage having four cells may be added to achieve a step-down ratio of 8:1, a fourth stage having eight cells may be added to achieve a step-down ration of 16:1, etc., each additional stage including a doubling of the number of cells connected in parallel, with all cells being substantially identical, and each stage operating at a further reduced fraction of the switching frequency. Embodiments are particularly suitable for applications such as a 48V intermediate bus architecture for servers and datacenters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Inventors: Samuel Dylan Webb, Yan-Fei Liu
  • Patent number: 11038422
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit for controlling a single-inductor multiple-output voltage regulator. The voltage regulator includes the single inductor and is configured to generate an independent regulated voltage at each of a plurality of outputs. The circuit includes: a plurality of output switches configured to selectively respectively connect each of the plurality of outputs to a first inductor terminal of the inductor; and a controller configured to control the plurality of output switches in a plurality of switching periods such that, in an operational state, each of the plurality of outputs is periodically connected to the first inductor terminal for a respective connected time duration to generate the regulated voltage at a corresponding output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: u-blox AG
    Inventors: Stefano Perticaroli, Simone Bongiovanni, Danilo Ruscio, Volha Varlamava, Filippo Neri