Patents Examined by Lucy M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10833501
    Abstract: A power circuit having a reverse voltage recovery boost circuit that speeds up a recovery time of the power circuit after a reverse voltage condition has cleared is provided. The power circuit includes a reverse voltage detector that detects the reverse voltage condition. After the reverse voltage condition clears, the reverse voltage recovery boost circuit transfers a portion of power to one transistor that is stored in another transistor thereby transitioning the one transistor from a non-conductive state to a conductive state, which allows a transfer of power from the input voltage to the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Justin Patrick Vogt, Michael James Mills
  • Patent number: 10825709
    Abstract: An electrostatic chucking method uses a substrate processing apparatus including an electrostatic chuck, a focus ring, a supply unit configured to supply a heat transfer medium to a space formed between the focus ring and the electrostatic chuck, and a plurality of electrodes provided at a region in the electrostatic chuck which corresponds to the focus ring. The electrostatic chucking method includes supplying by the supply unit the heat transfer medium to the space for a plasma processing period for which a plasma for processing the substrate is generated, and applying different voltages to the plurality of electrodes to attract and hold the focus ring on the electrostatic chuck for a period other than the plasma processing period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasuharu Sasaki, Taketoshi Tomioka, Hiroki Kishi, Jisoo Suh
  • Patent number: 10826488
    Abstract: A switch device includes a common node that is connected to end nodes, such as that of computer interface ports. The switch device includes several switch circuits that can be connected in series to form a switch path between the common node and an end node. A switch circuit can include a main switch, such as a transistor that can be configured to withstand a positive or negative voltage surge by automatically changing the connection of its gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lei Huang, Na Meng, Kenneth P. Snowdon
  • Patent number: 10819543
    Abstract: An isolator chip includes a transmitter circuit coupled to provide differential output signals to respective first terminals of a first and a second capacitor and a receiver circuit coupled to receive the differential output signals from respective second terminals of the first and second capacitors. The transmitter circuit includes a voltage-clamping circuit coupled to receive an input signal and to provide a clamped signal, an oscillator coupled to receive the clamped signal and to provide the differential output signals, and a common mode transient immunity (CMTI) circuit that couples respective first terminals of the first and second capacitors to a lower rail responsive to the clamped signal being low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sudhir Komarla Adinarayana, Sreenivasa S Mallia, Sreeram Subramanyam Nasum
  • Patent number: 10804689
    Abstract: An arc flash validation system that detects incident energy produced by an arc flash is disclosed. The arc flash validation system comprises one or more power transformers (PT) and current transformers (CT). The voltage and current outputs from the PT and CT may indicate the incident energy of an arc flash. The PT and CT outputs may be stored in system memory. The arc flash validation system may analyze the stored data and compare the stored data to a predicted hazard level to generate a relay-event report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark L. Zeller
  • Patent number: 10797479
    Abstract: A method of operating an electrical power distribution system including a plurality of circuit protection devices and an additional circuit protection device communicatively coupled by a communications network is described. The method includes transmitting, by each circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices, an electrical current communication to the communication network, the electrical current communication including an indication of an electrical current detected by the transmitting circuit protection device formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network. The additional circuit protection device receives the electrical current communications from the plurality of circuit protection devices and determines, based on the received electrical current communications, whether a ground fault condition exists in the electrical power distribution system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Shawn Alan Morgan, Lathom Alexander Louco, Jeffrey Marcel Kubascik, Lucas Ray Mallory, Craig Benjamin Williams
  • Patent number: 10790660
    Abstract: The invention relates to an overvoltage protection arrangement for information and telecommunication technology, consisting of a housing with means formed on the housing base for mounting top-hat rails, overvoltage protection elements which can be found in the housing, electric connection means, and at least one circuit board as a wiring support for the overvoltage protection elements. When viewed laterally, the housing is designed approximately in the shape of a T standing on its head and has a beam-shaped main part with a protruding head part, wherein the electric connection means can be accessed and actuated via the upper face of the beam-shaped main part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: DEHN SE + CO KG
    Inventors: Peter Igl, Julius Maria Schrafl
  • Patent number: 10790792
    Abstract: An LC composite device includes a capacitor portion, an inductor portion, and a magnetic body portion. The capacitor portion is configured of a first substrate and a thin film capacitance element formed on the first substrate through a thin film process. The inductor portion is configured of a second substrate and a thin film inductance element formed on the second substrate through a thin film process. The magnetic body portion includes a magnetic substrate, and the capacitor portion. The inductor portion and the magnetic body portion are stacked in a positional relationship in which the magnetic body portion and the inductor portion are in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Nakaiso
  • Patent number: 10777351
    Abstract: A complex electronic component includes a body including a first external electrode and a second external electrode, disposed on an external surface thereof and a laminate; a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, disposed in the laminate and electrically connected to the first external electrode and the second external electrode, respectively; a third electrode and a fourth electrode, disposed on the laminate to be spaced apart from each other and electrically connected to the first external electrode and the second external electrode, respectively; and an ESD discharge layer disposed between the third electrode and the fourth electrode. In addition, a distance between the third electrode and the fourth electrode is within a range of 30 ?m to 60 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Soo Hwan Son, Ho Yoon Kim, Man Su Byun
  • Patent number: 10777992
    Abstract: A method monitors a circuit breaker in an electrical power supply network, in which one section of the electrical power supply network is monitored in respect of the occurrence of a fault. Upon detection of a fault in the monitored section, a trigger signal is output to a circuit breaker bordering the section, and a switch-fault signal indicating a fault upon opening the circuit breaker is generated if a continuous current flow through the circuit breaker is detected after the trigger signal is output. In order to provide for a preferably rapid and reliable detection of a continuous current flow or an interruption of the current flow during the monitoring of a circuit breaker, it is provided that a curve shape of the time curve of the instantaneous current flowing through the circuit breaker is investigated in order to detect a continuous current flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joerg Blumschein, Olaf Neugebauer, Yilmaz Yelgin
  • Patent number: 10770270
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is described to carry a workpiece for processing such as high power plasma processing. In embodiments, the chuck includes a top plate to carry the workpiece, the top plate having an electrode to grip the workpiece, a cooling plate under the top plate to cool the top plate, a gas hole through the cooling plate and the top plate to feed a gas to the workpiece through the top plate, and an aperture-reducing plug in the cooling plate gas hole to conduct gas flow through the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaeyong Cho, Haitao Wang, Vijay D. Parkhe, Kartik Ramaswamy, Chunlei Zhang
  • Patent number: 10741425
    Abstract: A substrate support includes a baseplate, a ceramic layer arranged on the baseplate, a bond layer arranged in a first gap between the baseplate and the ceramic layer, a channel formed through the baseplate, the bond layer, and the ceramic layer, and a plug arranged in the channel. The plug includes a lower portion arranged in the baseplate and an upper portion arranged in the ceramic layer. The lower portion includes a pocket and sidewalls surrounding the pocket. The upper portion extends below the ceramic layer and the first gap into the pocket, the sidewalls of the lower portion overlap the upper portion, and a second gap between the upper portion and the lower portion is located within the pocket of the lower portion below the first gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fangli Hao, Yuehong Fu, Zhigang Chen
  • Patent number: 10742019
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of monitoring switching by an on-load tap changer (OLTC) 1 from a first contact 3a to a second contact 3b of a transformer winding 2. The method includes measuring a voltage of the transformer. The method also includes measuring a temperature of the OLTC. The method also includes, based on the measured voltage and temperature, determining whether the switching from the first contact to the second contact has been successful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG
    Inventor: Bengt-Olof Stenestam
  • Patent number: 10742022
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods for detecting faults in an electric power delivery system. In one embodiment, system may include a data acquisition subsystem configured to receive a plurality of representations of electrical conditions. The system may also include an incremental quantities subsystem configured to calculate an incremental current quantity and an incremental voltage quantity based on the plurality of representations. A fault detection subsystem may be configured to determine a fault type based on the incremental current quantity and the incremental voltage quantity, to select an applicable loop quantity, and to declare a fault based on the applicable loop quantity, the incremental voltage quantity, and the incremental current quantity. A protective action subsystem may implement a protective action based on the declaration of the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, Mangapathirao Venkata Mynam, Armando Guzman-Casillas, Bogdan Z. Kasztenny, Veselin Skendzic, David E. Whitehead
  • Patent number: 10734799
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may provide power supply voltages in a safe and reliable manner that meets safety and regulatory concerns and does not exceed physical limitations of cables and other circuits and components used to provide the power supply voltages. One example may provide a cable having a sufficient number of conductors to provide power without exceeding a maximum current density for the conductors. Another example may provide a cable having more than the sufficient number of conductors in order to provide an amount of redundancy. Current sense circuits may be included for one or more conductors. When an excess current is sensed, a power source in the power supply may be shut down, the power source may be disconnected from one or more conductors, or both events may occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Costa, Bharat K. Patel, Neal V. Cecil, Timur O. Starobinets, Ruenjou Lu, Dane Oleson, Fei Ni
  • Patent number: 10731952
    Abstract: A safety guard for an ammunition cartridge (cartridge) of a conductive energy weapon (CEW) includes a body having a first electrical contact on a first side of the body and a second electrical contact on a second side of the body opposite the first side of the body. The first and second electrical contacts are in electrical communication with each other through the body. The first and second electrical contacts are configured to contact a first electrode of the cartridge and a second electrode of the cartridge, respectively, when the body is placed over the cartridge. The safety guard is configured to prevent the cartridge from firing when a firing input, such as a trigger pull, is received by the CEW from a user. In implementations the body incudes at least one clip having a projection configured to be inserted in a corresponding depression of the cartridge of the CEW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Leonidas IP, LLC
    Inventor: Steven Abboud
  • Patent number: 10734871
    Abstract: A grounding rope assembly for electrically grounding a rotatable conductive shaft of a dynamo-electric machine. The assembly includes a grounding rope member including a plurality of conductive wires extending along the length of the grounding rope member and one or more discrete fixation points intermediate the first and second ends of the grounding rope member. Two or more of the plurality of conductive wires are affixed together at each of the discrete fixation points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CUTSFORTH, INC.
    Inventors: Robert S. Cutsforth, Jason R. Kammerer
  • Patent number: 10720768
    Abstract: An electronic circuit breaker having a control unit and a controllable semiconductor switch which is connected in a current path between a voltage input and a load output, wherein the semiconductor switch is integrated into a voltage-controlled current source circuit, the output current of said current source circuit when the load is connected being adjusted by means of the control unit in such a way that the power of the semiconductor switch is lower than or equal to a maximum power value, and wherein the control unit outputs a setpoint value to the voltage-controlled current source circuit and receives a difference value from said voltage-controlled current source circuit, which difference value is formed from a deviation of an actual value, which represents the output current, from the setpoint value and is supplied to the semiconductor switch as a control signal for driving said semiconductor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ellenberger & Poensgen GmbH
    Inventor: Diego Fernando Asanza Maldonado
  • Patent number: 10714933
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes: a signal terminal for inputting a signal or for outputting a signal; functional circuitry coupled to the signal terminal; a positive supply rail for supplying a positive voltage; a ground supply rail for supplying a ground voltage; a first electrostatic discharge protection circuit coupled between the positive supply rail and the ground supply rail; a second electrostatic discharge protection circuit coupled between the signal terminal and the ground supply rail; an enable circuit coupled to the signal terminal and to the positive supply rail; and a common trigger circuit having a trigger output signal coupled to the first electrostatic discharge protection circuit and to the second electrostatic discharge protection circuit. Additional apparatus and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ponnarith Pok, Timothy Don Davis
  • Patent number: 10700678
    Abstract: A voltage driver shifts a voltage on a gate as a control terminal of a power semiconductor element in response to an ON command or an OFF command. A gate voltage detector generates a detection signal of a gate-emitter voltage. A delay signal generator generates a delay signal obtained by adding a delay time to the detection signal. A subtractor generates a voltage difference signal between the detection signal and the delay signal. When the voltage difference signal exceeds a reference voltage during an operation of turning on the power semiconductor element, a short-circuit state detector detects a hard-switching fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Horiguchi, Yasushi Nakayama