Patents Examined by Kevin H Sprenger
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Patent number: 10972011Abstract: The invention provides a series resonant LLC power converter unit to provide a plurality of power outputs. The power converter unit comprises a plurality of transformers arranged such that at least one primary winding of each transformer is connected in parallel and configured to provide a power output. An inductive element is positioned in parallel with a single primary winding selected from said plurality of transformers, wherein the inductive element and single primary winding restricts variation in inductance for said plurality of transformers and power outputs in operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2016Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Excelsys Technologies Ltd.Inventors: Jonathan James Wilkinson, Diarmuid Hogan
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Patent number: 10958067Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) chip having circuitry adapted to detect and unlatch a latched transistor, and methods for operating the same are provided. In one example, an IC chip includes a body, a power rail disposed in the body and coupled to at least one of a plurality of contact pads disposed on the body, and a first core circuit disposed in the body. The first core circuit includes a first current limiting circuit, a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) device having a first transistor, a second transistor, and a first latch sensing circuit. The first current limiting circuit is coupled to the power rail. First terminals of the first and second transistors are coupled to the first current limiting circuit. The first latch sensing circuit has a first input terminal coupled to second terminals of the first and second transistors. The first latch sensing circuit also has an output terminal coupled to the first current limiting circuit.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Pierre Maillard, Yanran Chen, Michael J. Hart
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Patent number: 10950382Abstract: An electric power system is provided that includes a three-phase to two twelve-phase transformer. The transformer includes first and second primary winding groupings, secondary winding groupings, and third, fourth, and fifth windings. The groupings can include sub windings. First primary winding groupings are coupled to form a wye configuration and coupled to second primary winding groupings and the windings. The first of the two twelve-phase outputs at the same voltage as the input voltage while the second twelve-phase output is at a lower voltage. Diode pairs are connected to each other, each diode pair having an inner connection connected to one of the outputs of the transformer and first and second ends respectively connected to a positive dc bus and a negative dc bus. The diode pairs operatively rectify the transformer output voltage to form a DC voltage with a reduced common mode voltage.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Jian Huang
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Patent number: 10951020Abstract: A power supply control device prevents an electrical wire and a switch element from smoking. The power supply control device includes a switch element provided at a midpoint in an electrical wire that connects a power supply and a load. A current detection unit detects the current value of current flowing in the electrical wire. A temperature estimation unit estimates the wire temperature of the electrical wire based on the current value detected by the current detection unit. A control unit turns on or off the switch element based on the wire temperature estimated. The control unit estimates the smoking temperature of the switch element by changing the heat dissipation time constant of the electrical wire used in temperature calculation to a smaller value, and turns off the switch element if the wire temperature is greater than or equal to the estimated smoking temperature of the switch element.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2016Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yuuki Sugisawa, Shunichi Sawano
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Patent number: 10938313Abstract: An apparatus includes an active bridge section with input terminals that receive power from a constant current source where the active bridge section operates at a fixed switching frequency. The apparatus includes a resonant section with a resonant inductor, a transformer and a resonant capacitor. The inductor is connected in series with a primary winding and the capacitor is connected in parallel with a secondary winding of the transformer. The resonant section is connected to an output of the active bridge section. The apparatus includes an output rectifier section that receives power from the resonant section and includes output terminals for connection to a load, and includes a controller that regulates output voltage to the load where the controller regulates output voltage to the load by controlling switching of the active bridge section. The fixed switching frequency of the active bridge section matches a resonant frequency of the resonant section.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Utah State UniversityInventors: Tarak Saha, Hongjie Wang, Anindya Chitta Bagchi, Regan A. Zane
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Patent number: 10928846Abstract: A power detect circuit is disclosed. A power detect circuit includes a voltage multiplier that receives an external supply voltage and generates a second supply voltage that is greater than the former. A voltage regulator is coupled to receive the second supply voltage and outputs a regulated supply voltage. A bandgap circuit is coupled to receive the second supply voltage when a first switch is closed, and the regulated supply voltage when a second switch is closed. The bandgap circuit generates a reference voltage for the voltage regulator, as well as one or more output voltages. A comparator circuit is coupled to receive the one or more output voltages from the bandgap circuit, and may compare these one or more output voltages to the regulated supply voltage.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Seyedeh Sedigheh Hashemi, Vahid Majidzadeh Bafar, Ali Mesgarani, Mansour Keramat
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Patent number: 10924004Abstract: A converter circuit arrangement and a method for operating a converter circuit arrangement are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2017Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: ALBERT-LUDWIGS-UNIVERSITÄT FREIBURGInventors: Lucas Spohn, Daniel Schillinger, Yiannos Manoli
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Patent number: 10910943Abstract: A bidirectional power factor correction (PFC) module is coupled to an AC power source, an energy storage unit, and a DC bus. The bidirectional PFC module includes a bridge arm assembly and a control unit. The bridge arm assembly includes a first bridge arm, a first inductor, a second inductor, and a second bridge arm. The control unit provides a plurality of control signals to control the first bridge arm and the second bridge arm to make the bidirectional PFC module operate in an AC power supply mode, a DC power supply mode, or a power feed mode.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2019Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.Inventors: Hung-Chieh Lin, Chao-Li Kao, Yi-Ping Hsieh, Jin-Zhong Huang, Chao-Lung Kuo
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Patent number: 10910182Abstract: The present application discloses a contactor coil control circuit, including a switch control circuit, a drive circuit, a fast turn-off circuit, a diode D1, a first MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor TR1 and a contactor coil.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: MORNSUN GUANGZHOU SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Xiangyang Yin, Shengbin Tang, Junxi Su
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Patent number: 10908663Abstract: A power switch multiplexer with configurable overlap is disclosed. An integrated circuit (IC) includes a first functional circuit block coupled to receive a supply voltage from a first supply voltage node. The IC further includes an input circuit and an output circuit. Responsive to receiving an input signal, the input circuit asserts an activation signal to cause one of a second supply voltage node and a third supply voltage node to be electrically coupled to the first supply voltage node. Subsequently the input circuit asserts a deactivation signal to cause the other one of the second and third supply voltage nodes to be electrically decoupled from the first supply voltage node. The output circuit is coupled to receive the activation signal and the deactivation signal, and configured to assert a first output signal subsequent to receiving the activation signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2019Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Victor Zyuban, Greg M. Hess, Hemangi U. Gajjewar
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Patent number: 10892685Abstract: A power supply device is provided. The power supply device includes an AC/DC converter configured to convert an input AC power into a first DC power having a predetermined size, and to output the first DC power, a DC/DC converter configured to convert the first DC power into a second DC power according to an enable signal, and a switch including a soft switch connected to the first DC power at one end, and configured to, in response to the soft switch being turned on, voltage-distribute the first DC power, and to provide the voltage-distributed first DC power to the DC/DC converter as an enable signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2017Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.Inventors: An-sik Jeong, Hong-ki Jung
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Patent number: 10886910Abstract: A semiconductor device, including a main switching element having a gate terminal and an emitter terminal, a sense switching element connected to the main switching element for detecting a current flowing through the main switching element, and a voltage division circuit connected between the gate terminal and the emitter terminal of the main switching element. The voltage division circuit includes a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series. A connection point of the first resistor and the second resistor is connected to the sense switching element, so that a voltage applied to the gate terminal of the main switching element is divided by the voltage division circuit, and a portion of the voltage is applied to the sense switching element.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Masahiro Sasaki
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Patent number: 10886848Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter, comprising a first, second, and third DC voltage network, and a first, second, and third DC-DC regulator, wherein the first, second, and third regulator each having a DC voltage main connection that is supplied with a DC voltage network voltage related to a common reference potential, a respective DC voltage network current flowing through each connection, the DC-DC regulators being coupled via a first DC-link capacitor connected between a first DC-link potential and a second DC-link potential, and the DC-DC regulators are each coupled with a DC-link regulator, via which the first DC-link potential or the second DC-link potential can be set independently of the DC voltage network voltages and the DC voltage network currents.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2016Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KGInventors: Johannes Kolb, Juergen Remmlinger, Mario Gommeringer, Alexander Schmitt
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Patent number: 10879810Abstract: A synchronous rectifier OFF control module and a synchronous rectifying control circuit. The synchronous rectifier OFF control module may receive a zero-cross threshold signal and a drain-source voltage signal indicative of a drain to source voltage of a synchronous rectifier, and to compare the drain-source voltage signal with the zero-cross threshold signal to determine whether the rectifier current flowing through the synchronous rectifier is crossing zero. The synchronous rectifier OFF control module may further receive a peak current detection signal indicative of a peak value of the rectifier current, and to adjust the magnitude of the zero-cross threshold signal to vary in the same direction as the peak value of the rectifier current based on the peak current detection signal. The synchronous rectifier OFF control module may provide more accurate control to the turn OFF moment of the synchronous rectifier and thus can help to reduce power loss.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tianzhu Zhang
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Patent number: 10879814Abstract: In a multilevel power converter (20), a power conversion circuit is formed of semiconductor modules (1 to 4), the multilevel power converter (20) includes: a capacitor (5) on the positive electrode side; a capacitor (6) on the negative electrode side; an AC bus (L1); a capacitor bus (L2); a positive electrode bus (L3); and a negative electrode bus (L4), and the semiconductor modules (1 to 4) are arranged such that the inductance in a communication loop is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2016Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventor: Yosuke Fujii
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Patent number: 10879794Abstract: A dc-dc controller is provided. The dc-dc controller includes a current sensing pin, a zero-current comparator, a comparison circuit and a threshold adjustment circuit. The current sensing pin is coupled to an output stage to receive a current sensing signal related to the output current. The zero-current comparator is coupled to the current sensing pin, and receives the current sensing signal and a first preset value to provide a zero-current signal. The comparison circuit is coupled to the zero-current comparator and the current sensing pin, and compares the current sensing signal with a second preset value to provide an adjustment signal. The threshold adjustment circuit is coupled to the comparison circuit and the zero-current comparator, and generates the first preset value according to the adjustment signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: uPI Semiconductor Corp.Inventors: Chih-Lien Chang, Min-Rui Lai
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Patent number: 10848142Abstract: A protection device includes a dynamic gate bias circuit and an input pass switch. The dynamic gate bias circuit comprises an input pass switch configured to receive a first input and a first control signal; a voltage level shifter coupled to the input pass switch; a current mirror coupled to the voltage level shifter at a first node; a regulator coupled to the current mirror at a second node; and a transistor coupled to the first node, wherein the transistor is configured to receive a second control signal from the first node and to receive the first input.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Kemal Safak Demirci, Shanmuganand Chellamuthu
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Patent number: 10838478Abstract: A power system includes a power controller, an input power module for receiving AC power from a wall mains, a power driver electrically connected to the input power module to receive the AC power from the input power module, convert the AC power to low and medium voltage DC power, and selectively output the low or medium DC power under the control of power controller, and an output power module for providing DC power to a charging track with exposed electrical contacts along an upper surface. The power controller includes a microcontroller unit having software embedded therein to implement a control application that includes a main function loop, including a state machine operable to cycle through dither task states and drive states to test conditions of the power system and the track.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Bretford Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Shankar Eswaran, Senthilkumar Vaiyapuri
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Patent number: 10826405Abstract: According to an aspect of this disclosure, a circuit includes a voltage source and an output load, first and second resonant modules disposed between the voltage source and the output load, and first and second transformers. The circuit is further arranged such that the first transformer is disposed between the first resonant module and the output load, and the second transformer is disposed between the second resonant module and the output load. The circuit also includes a plurality of half-bridges coupled between the first and second resonant modules and the voltage source. The circuit further includes a voltage divider disposed between the voltage source and the plurality of half-bridges.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: ABB Power Electronics Inc.Inventors: Sandeep Bala, Liming Liu, Jing Xu
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Patent number: 10811955Abstract: System and method for protecting a power converter. An example system controller for protecting a power converter includes a signal generator, a comparator, and a modulation and drive component. The signal generator is configured to generate a threshold signal. The comparator is configured to receive the threshold signal and a current sensing signal and generate a comparison signal based on at least information associated with the threshold signal and the current sensing signal, the current sensing signal indicating a magnitude of a primary current flowing through a primary winding of a power converter. The modulation and drive component is coupled to the signal generator.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chao Yao, Yunchao Zhang, Yuan Lin, Zhiqiang Sun, Lieyi Fang