Patents Examined by Kyle J Moody
  • Patent number: 12057768
    Abstract: A ripple amplitude compensation circuit for ripple-based control of DC-DC converter, wherein the ripple amplitude compensation circuit for adjusts the gains of the voltage loop and ripple loop according to the ripple amplitude. With the present invention, the ripple-based control loop's performance can be optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Reed Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Jiwei Fan, Yingqian Ma, Yifan Dong
  • Patent number: 12057775
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a current detecting circuit, a synchronous rectification type DC/DC buck converter and a control circuit thereof. The current detection circuit is used with a push-pull switching circuit to detect a source current flowing in a low-side transistor. The switching circuit, (i) in a first phase, connects a first end of the capacitor to a ground line, and connects a second end of the capacitor to a switch line connecting a high-side transistor and the low-side transistor. The switching circuit, (ii) in a second phase, sets the first end of the capacitor to a high impedance, and connects a second end of the capacitor to the ground line. An output circuit has a high impedance input and outputs a current detection signal based on a voltage generated at the first end of the capacitor in the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Ishino
  • Patent number: 12051981
    Abstract: A power conversion unit is provided with a power conversion module performing conversion between direct current power and alternating current power, a first bus bar connected to the power conversion module and inputting and outputting the power, a chassis housing the power conversion module, and a terminal connecting the first bus bar and a second bus bar connected to an external device. The terminal and at least a part of the chassis are integrally formed of a resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Susumu Kumakura
  • Patent number: 12051980
    Abstract: Described is a hybrid electronic and magnetic structure that enables a transformer with fractional and reconfigurable effective turns ratios (e.g. 12:0.5, 12:2/3, 12:1, and 12:2) and hereinafter referred to as a Variable-Inverter-Rectifier-Transformer (VIRT). A VIRT is valuable in converters having wide operating voltage ranges and high step-up/down, as it offers a means to reduce turns count and copper loss within a transformer while facilitating voltage doubling and quadrupling. Such characteristics are beneficial for reducing the size of a transformer stage in many power electronics applications, such as USB wall chargers. In embodiments, a VIRT comprises a plurality of switching cells distributed around a magnetic core and coupled to half-turns wound through that core. By controlling operating modes of the switching cells, it is possible to gain control over flux paths and current paths in the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: David J. Perreault, Mike Kavian Ranjram, Intae Moon
  • Patent number: 12051975
    Abstract: In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a converter system for a three level boost converter. In embodiments, the system includes a voltage input configured to connect to a voltage source, a switching module operatively connected to the voltage input to output quasi-square wave, a voltage output configured to supply voltage to a load, and a logic module. In embodiments, the logic module can be configured to control the switching module to modulate voltage from the voltage source to the voltage output to maintain a zero-voltage switching condition for at least a specified interval, using a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: Collins Aerospace Ireland, Limited
    Inventors: Douglas Araujo Pedroso, Ignacio Castro Álvarez
  • Patent number: 12046989
    Abstract: During diode emulation mode, a controller controls a magnitude of current supplied by an inductor of a power converter to produce an output voltage that powers a dynamic load. In response to detecting that a magnitude of the current crosses a threshold level, the controller: i) deactivates a first switch such as a low-side switch of the power converter, and ii) starts a timer. The controller monitors a magnitude of the output voltage following deactivation of the first switch. Via the timer, the controller measures a time duration between a time of starting the timer and a trigger event of the output voltage falling below a setpoint reference voltage. In response to the output voltage falling below the setpoint reference, the controller i) selects a setting of a pulse width as a function of the time duration, and ii) activates a second switch, such as a high-side switch of the power converter, for the selected pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Ramanjaneya Rachumalla, Paul Sisson
  • Patent number: 12047006
    Abstract: A flyback converter includes a primary winding, a main switch, a charging switch, a primary side controller and an energy storage device. The primary winding receives an input power; the primary side controller has a power input terminal and provides a first control signal and a second control signal to the main switch and the charging switch; after the main switch is turned off, the charging switch maintains turned on during a charging period. During the charging period, the input power passes through the primary winding and the charging switch, and stores a first portion of the input power in the energy storage device as a power supply energy; the power input terminal is coupled to the energy storage device, and the primary side controller receives the power supply power from the energy storage device through the power input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: ARK MICROELECTRONIC CORP. LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-Lun Shen, Jian-Heng Guo
  • Patent number: 12047007
    Abstract: Controller and method for a switching power supply. For example, a controller for a switching power supply includes: a first terminal configured to receive a feedback voltage representing an output voltage associated with a secondary winding of the switching power supply; a second terminal configured to output a drive voltage to a first transistor associated with a primary winding coupled to the secondary winding of the switching power supply; a comparator configured to receive the feedback voltage and a predetermined feedback threshold and generate a comparison signal based at least in part on the feedback voltage and the predetermined feedback threshold; a pulse-width detector configured to detect a pulse width of the drive voltage during a first switching cycle, compare the detected pulse width with a predetermined time threshold, and generate a detection signal based at least in part on the detected pulse width and the predetermined time threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuan Lin, Penglin Yang, Dongze Yang, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 12046448
    Abstract: Bias supplies and plasma processing systems are disclosed. One bias supply comprises an output node, a return node, and a switch network and at least one power supply coupled to the output node and the return node. The switch network and the at least one power supply configured, in combination, to apply an asymmetric periodic voltage waveform and provide a corresponding current waveform at the output node relative to the return node. A timing parameter estimator receives a digital representation of a full cycle of the voltage and current waveforms, and generates a pulse width control signal based on a crossing time that the current waveform crosses a threshold current value after falling from a positive peak current value to control the switch network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Maneesh Kumar Singh, Hien Minh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 12044731
    Abstract: A time and frequency domain signal conditioning device including one or more signal terminals, one or more rails, and a passive signal conditioning means for reducing a switching noise jitter signature present in an output signal of a feedback control loop circuitry with a plurality of noise carrying jittering ramps is disclosed. The passive signal conditioning means including the rails is characterized by a set of specified characteristics to condition pre-existing noise amplitude and slopes of the output signal such that the conditioned output signal cooperates with the feedback control loop circuitry. As a consequence, the switching noise jitter signature which is produced by transient noise displacement or noise perturbation in the time domain when the output signal jitters can be reduced in the output of the feedback control loop circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: TRANSSIP, INC.
    Inventor: Chih Wei Wong
  • Patent number: 12040724
    Abstract: A bridge rectifier and associated control circuitry collectively form a “regtifier” which rectifies an input time varying voltage and regulates the rectified output voltage produced without the use of a traditional voltage regulator. To accomplish this, the gate voltages of transistors of the bridge rectifier that are on during a given phase may be modulated via analog control (to increase the on-resistance of those transistors) or via pulse width modulation (to turn off those transistors prior to the end of the phase). The transistors of the bridge rectifier that would otherwise be off during a given phase may be turned on to help dissipate excess power and thereby regulate the output voltage. This modulation is based upon both a voltage feedback signal and a current feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
    Inventor: Yannick Guedon
  • Patent number: 12040628
    Abstract: A bridge rectifier is controlled by control circuitry to act a “regtifier” which both regulates and rectifies without the use of a traditional voltage regulator. To accomplish this, the gate voltages of transistors of the bridge that are on during a given phase may be modulated to dissipate excess power. Gate voltages of transistors of the bridge that are off during the given phase may alternatively or additionally be modulated to dissipate excess power. The regtifier may act as two half-bridges that each power a different voltage converter, with those voltage converters powering a battery. The voltage converters may be switched capacitor voltage converters that switch synchronously with switching of the two half-bridges as they perform rectification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
    Inventor: Yannick Guedon
  • Patent number: 12040722
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for controlling a synchronous rectifier (SR) transistor of a flyback converter includes: determining a first voltage across conduction terminals of the SR transistor; asserting a turn-on signal when a body diode of the SR transistor is conducting current; asserting a turn-off signal when current flowing through the conduction terminals of the SR transistor decreases below a first threshold; generating a gating signal based on an output voltage of the flyback converter and on the first voltage; turning on the SR transistor based on the turn-on signal and on the gating signal; and turning off the SR transistor based on the turn-off signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Claudio Adragna
  • Patent number: 12040708
    Abstract: A multi-level power converter with hysteretic control is disclosed. In one embodiment, a power converter includes a switching circuit and a control circuit. The switching circuit includes a plurality of switches, a capacitor, and a switch node coupled to a regulated supply voltage node via an inductor. The switching circuit is configured to couple the switch node to different circuit nodes according to different switch states. The control circuit is configured to activate a particular set of switches according a current switch state, perform a comparison of an output current of the switching circuit to various threshold values, and determine a next switch state using results of the comparison and duty cycle information. Based on these results, the control circuit is configured to cause a transition from the current switch state to the next switch state by activating a different set of switches according to the next switch state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Enrico Pardi
  • Patent number: 12040706
    Abstract: A circuit includes a current sensor circuit having inputs and an output. The current sensor inputs are adapted to be coupled to inductor terminals a power converter. The current sensor circuit includes a tunable time constant circuit coupled between the current sensor inputs and the current sensor output. A time constant control circuit is coupled to a tunable time constant circuit, and is configured to tune the time constant circuit responsive to the current sensor output and another signal representative of inductor current. An adjustable gain circuit has a first input coupled to the current sensor output. A direct current resistance (DCR) control circuit has an output coupled to a second input of the adjustable gain circuit, and the DCR control circuit is configured to provide a gain adjust signal at the output thereof responsive to an average current of the inductor and a current command signal for the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ronnie Antone Bean, Jr., Benjamin Matthew Mccue
  • Patent number: 12040718
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a plurality of switches, a current sensing circuit and a controller. The current sensing circuit is configured to sense an output current of the power supply apparatus. The controller includes a differentiator circuit that is coupled to the current sensing circuit and is configured to detect a rate of change of the output current. The controller further includes a pulse frequency modulation circuit that is configured to generate a plurality of first switching signals. The controller is configured to regulate a switching frequency of the plurality of first switching signals according to the rate of change of the output current in response to determining that the rate of change of the output current is greater than a rate threshold value and the switching frequency of the plurality of first switching signals is greater than a frequency threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Lite-On Singapore Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Shu Fan Lim, Duy Hung Dam, Kiran Meravanagi Umesh
  • Patent number: 12040716
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter includes N converters connected in parallel and each having an inductor, a switching element, and a reverse-flow preventing element. Each converter is controlled at phases different from each other and such that a sum of switching frequencies F is out of a first non-selected frequency band. The inductor has an inductance that decreases as the switching frequency F increases. The switching element is controlled using the switching frequency F higher than a second non-selected frequency band of which upper and lower limit frequencies are 1/N of upper and lower limit frequencies of the first non-selected frequency band, and has a total gate charge such that a total loss is smaller than that in a case where the switching frequency F is set to be lower than the second non-selected frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoshino, Tomokazu Sakashita
  • Patent number: 12028980
    Abstract: A switched capacitor converter package includes a semiconductor package on a first side of an electrical routing apparatus, a first capacitor and a second capacitor on a second side of the electrical routing apparatus, wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor are adjacent to each other and connected in parallel, and a third capacitor and a fourth capacitor connected on the second side of the electrical routing apparatus, wherein the third capacitor and the fourth capacitor are adjacent to each other and connected in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Halo Microelectronics International
    Inventors: Rui Liu, Songnan Yang
  • Patent number: 12027976
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter circuit with selectable working modes is disclosed. Compared with the traditional chip that works in one mode, the DC-DC converter with selectable working modes adds only a mode selection circuit, so that the chip can work in voltage control mode or current control mode. On the one hand, the applications of the chip are more extensive, and on the other hand, when the applications are different, the cost of developing a DC-DC converter with selectable working mode is greatly reduced compared with the traditional DC-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRONIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CHINA
    Inventors: Hua Fan, Yilin Liu, Huichao Yue, Kai Xu, Quanyuan Feng, Huaying Su, Guosong Wang
  • Patent number: 12017542
    Abstract: A safety circuit for a power system of a vehicle includes a hazardous voltage interlock loop (HVIL) circuit configured to disconnect a high-voltage energy source from a high-voltage system, the HVIL-circuit comprising a contactor and a HVIL control unit; a current meter arranged to measure a current; a fuse; a switching circuit controlling the contactor of the HVIL-circuit. A safety circuit control unit is connected to the current meter and to the switching circuit for controlling the contactor. The safety circuit control unit is configured to, if the HVIL control unit provides a control signal to the switching circuit to open the contactor, and if the current measurement exceeds a first threshold current value, control the switching circuit to delay the opening of the contactor by a controllable time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mats Nyström