Patents Examined by Lucy M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 12244133
    Abstract: A solid state circuit breaker has both solid state electronics and a physical switch. The solid state circuit breaker facilitates power measuring for end loads connected to a panel board circuit, e.g. receptacles, lighting, etc., over current protection, and disconnection all within one device. The solid state circuit breaker can be used at 100% of its rated capacity as opposed to 80% code-mandated limitation for thermal magnetic circuit breakers. The solid state circuit breaker also can provide power/current data (real-time) without the need of an additional device. The solid state circuit breaker further facilitates electronic, i.e. remote, opening, closing, and current limiting for demand response or load shedding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Onx, Inc.
    Inventors: Jumie Yuventi, Bahman Sharifipour, Liyang Zhang, Bruno Bambaren
  • Patent number: 12237660
    Abstract: A leakage current detection and interruption device includes a switch module configured to control electrical connection between input and output ends of power supply lines; a leakage current detection module configured to generate a leakage fault signal in response to a leakage current in the power supply lines; a leakage-responsive drive module configured to drive the switch module to disconnect the electrical connection in response to the leakage fault signal; a fault-responsive drive module configured to drive the switch module to disconnect the electrical connection in response to a fault in the leakage-responsive drive module; and a self-test module configured to generate a self-test signal and to generate a self-test fault signal in response to a fault in the leakage current detection module and/or the leakage-responsive drive module. By providing the fault-responsive drive module, the device can automatically disconnect the electrical power when the leakage-responsive drive module has a fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Inventor: Chengli Li
  • Patent number: 12237662
    Abstract: In some examples, this description provides for an apparatus. The apparatus includes a power switch having a power switch source configured to receive an input voltage, a power switch drain, and a power switch gate. The apparatus also includes a current sense component coupled to the power switch. The apparatus also includes a current limiting circuit coupled to the power switch gate, the power switch drain, and the current sense component. The apparatus also includes an over-current protection (OCP) circuit coupled to the power switch source, the power switch drain, and the power switch gate. The apparatus also includes an output voltage (VOUT) clamp coupled to the power switch drain and the power switch gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Eung Jung Kim, Wenchao Qu
  • Patent number: 12227083
    Abstract: A circuit breaker for an electric load includes first and second terminals; a number of first separable contacts each electrically connected between one of the first terminals and one of the second terminals; a first mechanism to open, close or trip open the first contacts; a number of second separable contacts each electrically connected in series with a corresponding one of the first contacts; a second mechanism to open or close the second contacts; a processor to cause the second mechanism to open or close the second contacts, annunciate through one of the second terminals a power circuit electrical parameter for the electric load, receive from a number of the second terminals a confirmation from or on behalf of the electric load to cause the second mechanism to close the second contacts, and determine a fault state operatively associated with current flowing through the second contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Ronald L. Thompson, Jason-David Nitzberg, David Austin Eldridge, Brandon J. Rogers
  • Patent number: 12224738
    Abstract: An example switch device includes a switching element to connect/disconnect a current path from a power supply terminal to a ground terminal via a load, and an overcurrent protection circuit to limit output current flowing in the switching element to be an overcurrent limit value or less. When an output short circuit of the load is detected, the overcurrent protection circuit decreases the overcurrent limit value to be lower as a power supply voltage is higher. The overcurrent protection circuit includes a reference current generation portion that includes: a differential amplifier portion, an upper side current generation portion arranged to generate a predetermined an upper side current, a lower side current generation portion arranged to generate a lower side current, and a difference current generation portion arranged to output a difference current based on the lower side current and the upper side current, as the reference current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Takuma
  • Patent number: 12218127
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an electrical discharge circuit having stable discharging mechanism. A voltage-dividing circuit generates a detection signal such that a first inverter outputs an inverted detection signal. A first PMOS and a first NMOS are coupled through a first terminal between the voltage input terminal and a ground terminal. A second NMOS is coupled between a second terminal and the ground terminal. A first PMOS control terminal is coupled to the second terminal. A first and a second NMOS control terminals respectively receive the inverted detection signal and the detection signal. A resistor and a capacitor are coupled through the control terminal coupled to the second terminal and between the voltage input terminal and the ground terminal. A second inverter receives an inverted boosted detection signal from the control terminal to output a boosted detection signal to control an electrostatic discharge MOS to discharge the voltage input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chung-Yu Huang
  • Patent number: 12217994
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck device containing a substrate, a stack stacked on an upper surface of the substrate in the thickness direction, and a ceramic layer stacked on an upper surface of the stack in the thickness direction. A sleeve formed from an insulating material is inserted into a through-hole that penetrates through the substrate and the stack in the thickness direction. The upper surface of the sleeve in the thickness direction has a two-level structure including a first upper surface positioned on the same plane as an upper surface of the substrate in the thickness direction, and a second upper surface positioned above the first upper surface in the thickness direction of the sleeve and disposed proximate to the ceramic layer. In a plan view, an edge portion of the stack is disposed on top of the first upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: TOMOEGAWA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 12210047
    Abstract: A DC electrical network intended to supply electricity to an electrical load via an electric power source. A first pole of the electric power source is linked to first ends of two first electrical lines, second ends of which are linked to one another, and also to a first pole of the electrical load via two stages of a contactor. A second pole of the electric power source is linked to first ends of two second electrical lines, second ends of which are linked to one another, and also to a second pole of the electrical load via two other stages of the contactor. The electrical network further comprises a processing unit configured to control the contactor to open if current measurements correspond to currents flowing in opposite directions through the two first electrical lines or through the two second electrical lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventor: Etienne Foch
  • Patent number: 12205751
    Abstract: An inductor device includes a first trace, a second trace, and a capacitor. The first trace includes a first sub-trace and a second sub-trace. The first sub-trace and the second sub-trace form a plurality of first wires together at a first side of the inductor device, and form a plurality of second wires together at a second side of the inductor device. The second sub-trace is coupled to one terminal of the first sub-trace at a first node. The third sub-trace and the fourth sub-trace form a plurality of third wires together at the first side of the inductor device, and form a plurality of fourth wires together at the second side of the inductor device. The fourth sub-trace is coupled to one terminal of the third sub-trace at a second node. The capacitor is coupled to the first node and the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Hsiao-Tsung Yen
  • Patent number: 12205843
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a substrate support assembly having a ground electrode mesh disposed therein along a side surface of the substrate support assembly. The substrate support assembly has a body. The body has an outer top surface, an outer side surface and an outer bottom surface enclosing an interior of the body. The body has a ground electrode mesh disposed in the interior of the body and adjacent the outer side surface, wherein the ground electrode does not extend through to the outer top surface or the outer side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Rice, Vijay D. Parkhe
  • Patent number: 12198967
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a substrate support that includes a body having a substrate receiving surface, the body comprising a dielectric material. The body also includes a first foil embedded in the body below the substrate receiving surface. The body also includes an electrically conductive mesh embedded in the body below the first foil. The body also includes a center tap structure formed in a bottom surface of the body that is in electrical communication with the mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaushik Rao, Govinda Raj, Anubhav Srivastava, Santhosh Kumar Pillappa
  • Patent number: 12191651
    Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit, a memory storage device, and an overcurrent protection method are disclosed. The overcurrent protection circuit includes a load switch, a first mirror circuit, a second mirror circuit, and a control circuit. The first mirror circuit is configured to generate a first node voltage in a state that a voltage difference between two terminals of the load switch is within a first voltage region. The second mirror circuit is configured to generate a second node voltage in a state that the voltage difference between the two terminals of the load switch is within a second voltage region. The control circuit is configured to cut off the load switch according to at least one of the first node voltage and the second node voltage to perform an overcurrent protection. The first voltage region is different from the second voltage region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: PHISON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Shu-Han Chou
  • Patent number: 12191123
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes a ceramic base including an electrode, a cooling base including a coolant flow path formed therein, a bonding layer bonding the ceramic base and the cooling base, a stepped hole penetrating the bonding layer and the cooling base and including an upper hole portion with a small diameter, a lower hole portion with a large diameter, and a hole stepped portion between the upper hole portion and the lower hole portion, the upper hole portion passing through a region in which the coolant flow path is formed, a stepped insulating pipe inserted through the stepped hole and including an upper pipe portion with a small diameter, a lower pipe portion with a large diameter, and a pipe stepped portion between the upper pipe portion and the lower pipe portion; and a connection terminal bonded to the electrode and inserted through the stepped insulating pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takebayashi, Tatsuya Kuno, Seiya Inoue
  • Patent number: 12176165
    Abstract: A slow-release relay circuit includes: a power storage circuit connected in parallel to a relay including a coil; a discharge circuit that releases electrical charge of the power storage circuit; and a timer circuit that, when detecting interruption of supply of power to the relay, drives the discharge circuit after a prescribed time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Shigeeda
  • Patent number: 12165792
    Abstract: An arrester assembly including a first terminal electrically connected to an energized conductor and a second terminal electrically connected to a ground conductor. The arrester assembly further includes a plurality of arrester modules electrically connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal and a disconnect device electrically connected in series with the plurality of arrester modules between the first terminal and the second terminal. Components of the arrester assembly are coordinated to disconnect or isolate failed surge arresters without creating a short circuit condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen Franklin Poterala
  • Patent number: 12142435
    Abstract: A multilayer capacitor includes: a body including a multilayer structure in which one or more first internal electrodes and one or more second internal electrodes are alternately stacked in a first direction with one or more dielectric layers interposed therebetween; and first and second external electrodes disposed on the body and spaced apart from each other to be connected to the first internal electrodes and the second internal electrodes, respectively. The body further includes: a plurality of side margin layers with the multilayer structure interposed therebetween in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction; and one or more edge margin portions for providing a margin between an edge of at least one of the side margin layers in a third direction and the multilayer structure, and between an edge of at least one of the side margin layers in the first direction and the multilayer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jang Ho Lee, Ki Pyo Hong, Sung Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 12128838
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating an auxiliary power unit (APU) of an aircraft are described. The method comprises obtaining external environment parameters of the aircraft, determining an available output power for the APU as a function of the external environment parameters, and setting an overcurrent protection threshold of the APU to a level associated with the available output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER INC.
    Inventors: Claude Lavoie, Marek Hicar
  • Patent number: 12107408
    Abstract: A circuit breaker system includes a first circuit breaker and a second circuit breaker. The first circuit breaker has a first trip unit, a first control unit, and a first electrical sensor. The first control unit is configured to control the first trip unit. The second circuit breaker has a second trip unit, a second control unit, and a second electrical sensor. The second control unit is configured to control the second trip unit. The first control unit is in communication with the second control unit. The first control unit is configured to monitor the communication with the second control unit to determine whether there is an internal device failure in the second circuit breaker. The first control unit is configured to change the first control unit's standard tripping characteristics to emergency tripping characteristics based on detecting the internal device failure of the second circuit breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Inventors: Richard Jurkovicts, Rainer Meisel, Werner Dichler
  • Patent number: 12095451
    Abstract: A gate driver to control a high-power switching device is disclosed. The gate driver includes a multifunction pin that allows the gate driver to be controlled by a multifunction signal to perform a number of different functions. For example, a level of the multifunction signal at the multifunction pin can enable/disable the output of the gate driver. In another example, a level of the multifunction signal that is held for a period while the gate driver is in a fault state can reset the state of the gate driver. In another example, pulsing the multifunction signal a number of times can activate a test of the fault detection capabilities of the gate driver. Utilizing one pin for this control, simplifies circuit complexity for communication between a controller and the gate driver, thereby reducing cost and increasing reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kinam Song, Michal Kuban, Vlad Anghel, Guy Rahamim, John Constantino
  • Patent number: 12089388
    Abstract: A composite material structure includes: a first composite material member including a first reinforcing fiber that is electrically conductive and impregnated with a first resin; a second composite material member including a second reinforcing fiber that is electrically conductive and impregnated with a second resin; an adhesive layer disposed between the first composite material member and the second composite material member to bond the first composite material member to the second composite material member; and an electromagnetic shielding member covering at least part of an area, exposed to an exterior, of the adhesive layer. At least one of the first and second composite material members has a predefined lightning current direction in which a lightning current generated by a lightning strike passes. The shielding member is disposed over an entire plane of a side face in a direction orthogonal to the lightning current direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsufumi Aoi, Kazuki Yamawaki, Akio Ikeda, Hisashi Shimizu