Patents Examined by Matthew Grubb
  • Patent number: 8902617
    Abstract: A switching delay controller is configured to control a switching delay between the switching of first and second switching elements in a switched mode power supply. The switched mode power supply generates a feedback signal indicative of a difference between an output of the switched mode power supply and a reference for the output, and switches the first and second switching elements to convert an input voltage into an output voltage based on the feedback signal. The switching delay controller includes a switching delay calculator operable to cause a change of the switching delay for at least one switching cycle of the switched mode power supply, and a feedback signal monitor operable to monitor the feedback signal and determine a change in the feedback signal in response to the change of the switching delay by the switching delay calculator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Fredrik Wahledow, Henrik Borgengren, Magnus Karlsson, Anders Kullman, Jonas Malmberg
  • Patent number: 8890504
    Abstract: A power adapter includes a processing circuit converting mains power to another alternating current (AC) power or a direct current (DC) power, a first output outputting the converted AC or DC power, a sense resistor connected between the processing circuit and the first output for sampling current flowing through the first output and converting the sampled current to a sampled voltage, an amplifying circuit connected to the sense resistor for amplifying the sampled voltage, and a metallic oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). A gate of the MOSFET is connected to the amplifying circuit. A drain of the MOSFET is connected to the first output through a first resistor and grounded through a second resistor. A source of the MOSFET is grounded. A node between the first and second resistors is connected to the processing circuit. The amplifying circuit makes the MOSFET work in a variable resistance region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ying-Bin Fu, Yuan-Xi Chen, Ya-Jun Pan
  • Patent number: 8885366
    Abstract: A method for operating the DC-to-DC voltage regulator including plural active switches and plural inductors is disclosed. The method including the steps of: turning on the first active switch, and then turning off the first active switch when the current flowing in the first inductor is equal to zero; turning on the third active switch, and then turning off the third active switch when the current flowing in the second inductor is equal to zero; turning on the second active switch, and then turning off the second active switch when the current flowing in the first inductor is equal to zero; and turning on the fourth active switch, and then turning off the fourth active switch when the current flowing in the second inductor is equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Ming-Hung Yu, Yung-Fu Huang, Min-Ju Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8866457
    Abstract: A voltage regulator has a phase compensation circuit which changes consumption current according to load current thereby to reduce consumption current. The phase compensation circuit includes: a first transistor having a drain connected to an output terminal of an error amplifier circuit; a second transistor having a drain connected to a gate of the first transistor and a gate connected to the gate of the first transistor; a current mirror circuit connected to the output terminal of the error amplifier circuit, a drain of the first transistor, and the drain of the second transistor; and a capacitor connected between the gate of the second transistor and a drain of an output transistor. Thereby, current consumed by the phase compensation circuit can be changed according to the load current, resulting in that the voltage regulator consumes less current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Daiki Endo, Socheat Heng
  • Patent number: 8860394
    Abstract: A dynamic voltage response network for a switching regulator with droop control providing a droop control signal includes a voltage identification setting network, a pass and hold system, and a reset network. The voltage identification setting network initiates a hold condition and adjusts an output voltage reference in response to a change in a voltage identification input. The pass and hold system passes the droop control signal during a pass condition and holds the droop control signal during the hold condition. The reset network resets the pass and hold system to the pass condition in response to a reset signal. The reset signal may be provided in response to a variety of conditions, such as load transients, proximity between the developed droop control signal and the held droop control signal, timeout after the output voltage reference is adjusted, among other reset conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC
    Inventors: M. Jason Houston, Steven P. Laur, Rhys S. A. Philbrick
  • Patent number: 8860385
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a voltage controlled current source for bus regulation is disclosed. A bus current delivered to an electrical bus from a current source is controlled using a synchronous switch according to a PWM duty cycle. Further, the PWM duty cycle is controlled to be proportional to an error signal based on a comparison of a voltage of the electrical bus to a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Robert Matthew Martinelli
  • Patent number: 8847564
    Abstract: A freewheeling MOSFET is connected in parallel with the inductor in a switched DC/DC converter. When the freewheeling MOSFET is turned on during the switching operation of the converter, while the low-side and energy transfer MOSFETs are turned off, the inductor current circulates or “freewheels” through the freewheeling MOSFET. The frequency of the converter is thereby made independent of the lengths of the magnetizing and energy transfer stages, allowing far greater flexibility in operating and converter and overcoming numerous problems associated with conventional DC/DC converters. In one embodiment the freewheeling MOSFET is an N-channel MOSFET with its body connected to circuit ground and not shorted to either its source or its drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard K. Williams
  • Patent number: 8847574
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical isolator circuit comprising an input stage comprising first and second inputs, the input stage being configured to receive an input voltage signal; an output stage comprising first and second outputs electrically connected across a load capacitor; and a DC isolator comprising a first capacitor between said first input and said first output and second capacitor between said second input and said second output. The first and second plates of each of the first, second and load capacitors are defined by conductive layers of a printed circuit board and the dielectric of each of the first, second and load capacitors are defined by a non-conducting part of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Europe Limited
    Inventors: Iain Barnett, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz, William Michael James Holland
  • Patent number: 8841890
    Abstract: A shunt regulator for an RFID tag chip is powered from split outputs from the RF rectifier, including a first output for providing a power delivery path to on-chip circuits and a second output for providing a discharge-regulation path. The shunt regulator includes a capacitor coupled between the first output and ground. The shunt regulator further includes an input node for receiving a power supply voltage from the rectifier split outputs, a first diode having an anode coupled to the input node, a second diode having an anode coupled to the input node, a resistor divider circuit and amplifier coupled between a cathode of the first diode and ground, transistor having a control terminal coupled to an output of the resistor divider and amplifier circuit, and a current path coupled between a cathode of the second diode and ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Agustin Ochoa, Howard Tang
  • Patent number: 8837177
    Abstract: An electric generating system using a solar cell improves the quality of output power by including a converter for converting an output voltage generated from the solar cell into DC voltage in a pulse shape. An inverter converts the DC voltage in the pulse shape into an AC voltage and applies the AC voltage to a power system and a control device for determining whether an erroneous operation of the electric generating system using the solar cell is generated or not based on an output voltage of the solar cell, an output current of the solar cell and a voltage of the power system. At least one inverter switching device among a plurality of inverter switching devices performs a switching at a frequency higher than a frequency during a normal operation at an interval where the erroneous operation is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignees: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd., Sungkyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate Collaboration
    Inventors: Tae Won Lee, Yong Hyok Ji, Young Ho Kim, Doo Young Song, Min Ho Heo, Tae Hoon Kim, Se Ho Lee, Chung Yuen Won
  • Patent number: 8829884
    Abstract: The present invention provides a current balancing circuit and method for balancing the respective currents in a plurality of parallel circuit branches in a target circuit. The current balancing circuit including: a plurality of balancing transistors, each having a collector, an emitter, and a base, the collector and emitter of each balancing transistor connected in series with a respective circuit branch; and a selection circuit for selectively connecting the circuit branch having the smallest current amongst the circuit branches to the bases of each balancing transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Inventors: Wenxing Zhong, Sinan Li, Wu Chen, Shu Yuen Ron Hui
  • Patent number: 8816655
    Abstract: A voltage regulator apparatus includes a first power transistor and a second power transistor connected in parallel to each other between a first power source and a second power source, and a control unit for turning on the first power transistor and the second power transistor. An aspect ratio of the first power transistor is smaller than an aspect ratio of the second power transistor. The control unit turns on the second power transistor in a predetermined period of time after the first power transistor is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Haigang Zhu
  • Patent number: 8816668
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuit includes a control signal generation circuit configured to generate control signals in response to a voltage characteristic determination signal and a reference voltage generation circuit configured to output a main reference voltage, having one of a first characteristic of being proportional to temperature, a second characteristic of being constant irrespective of temperature, and a third characteristic of being inversely proportional to temperature, in response to the control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Je Il Ryu
  • Patent number: 8811045
    Abstract: A circuit includes a transformer and a controller. The transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding, and operates in multiple switching cycles. A switching cycle includes a charging period and a discharging period. During the charging period, the transformer is powered by the input voltage and a current flowing through the primary winding increases. During the discharging period the transformer discharges to power the load and a current flowing through the secondary winding decreases. The controller includes a pin that receives a first feedback signal indicating the input voltage during the charging period and receives a second feedback signal indicating an electrical condition of the secondary winding during the discharging period. The controller generates a first control signal and a second control signal to regulate the input voltage and an output current flowing through the load, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: 02Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhimou Ren, Ching-Chuan Kuo, Jianlong Gao, Xinmin Yi, Yunning Xie
  • Patent number: 8810227
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power supply includes producing an error signal based on a difference between a power supply output voltage and a reference voltage. A clock frequency is produced that is proportional to the error signal up to maximum frequency, and a sensed current signal is produced that is proportional to a current in switched-mode power supply. The error signal is summed with the sensed current signal to produce a first signal, and the first signal is compared to a first threshold. The method also includes producing a first edge of a drive signal at a first edge of the clock signal, and producing a second edge of the drive signal when the first signal crosses the first threshold in a first direction based on the comparing, where the second edge opposite the first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Marco Flaibani, Cristian Garbossa, Enrico Orietti, Andrea Vecchiato
  • Patent number: 8803494
    Abstract: A switching regulator that practices the current invention includes a high-side switch M1 connected between an input voltage and a node LX. A low-side switch is connected between the node LX and ground. An inductor L is connected between LX and an output node (VOUT). A filtering capacitor connects VOUT to ground. The switching regulator has two distinct operational phases. During the first operational phase, the high-side switch is OFF and the low-side switch is ON. During the second operational phase, the high-side switch is ON and the low-side switch acts as a current source. During transitions between the second and first operational phases, the low-side switch is controlled to momentarily decrease the regulated drain-to-source current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin D'Angelo, Robert Wrathall
  • Patent number: 8804378
    Abstract: A method of optimizing a gain adjustment value Kadj for a digital controller in an isolated switched mode power supply. The power supply includes an opto-coupler having a current transfer ratio (CTRX) within a range defined by a minimum current transfer ratio (CTRMIN) and a maximum current transfer ratio (CTRMAX). The method includes determining the CTRX of the opto-coupler, determining an optimal gain adjustment value KadjX based on the determined CTRX of the opto-coupler, and storing the optimal gain adjustment value KadjX in the digital controller. The method can be performed by the digital controller or by a programming device external to the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Antonio Remetio Soleno, Jonathan Ross Bernardo Fauni
  • Patent number: 8797769
    Abstract: An example controller for a power converter includes a feedback sampling circuit, drive logic and a false sampling prevention circuit. The feedback sampling circuit is coupled to sample a feedback signal received from a terminal of the controller and to generate a sample signal representative of a value of the feedback signal. The drive logic is coupled to the feedback sampling circuit and coupled to control the power switch to regulate an output of the power converter in response to the sample signal. The false sampling prevention circuit is coupled to receive a sampling complete signal that indicates when the sampling of the feedback signal is complete. The false sampling prevention circuit is further coupled to the drive logic to extend the off time of the power switch until the sampling complete signal indicates that the sampling of the feedback signal by the feedback sampling circuit is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Yury Gaknoki, David Kung, Michael Yue Zhang
  • Patent number: 8792261
    Abstract: A power conversion device connected with a three-phase power system through a transformer, including unit converters cascade-connected so that reactors are unnecessary, and volume and weight are reduced. The secondary winding of the transformer is an open winding having six terminals. A first converter group, includes a circuit which has three converter arms, which are star-connected, connected to three of the terminals of the secondary winding. A second converter group, having three different converter arms which are star-connected, is connected to three other terminals of the secondary winding. A neutral point (the point where the star connection is made) of the first converter group, and a neutral point of the second converter group are made to be the output terminals of the power conversion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigenori Inoue, Shuji Katoh, Jun Narushima, Tetsuya Kato
  • Patent number: 8786268
    Abstract: A method for automatically compensating a voltage regulator initially disconnects the error amplifier and compensation network from the feedback loop. A DC bias voltage is applied to the feedback loop to cause the regulator's output voltage to be at 90% of its nominal value. An AC perturbation signal is then added to the DC bias voltage to cause the output voltage to have a ripple at a frequency of the AC signal. The gain of the feedback loop and the phase difference between the AC signal and the ripple is then measured. The measured values are then used to automatically adjust operating characteristics of the error amplifier and the compensation network such that, when these components are connected back in the feedback loop during normal operation, the feedback loop has the desired gain and phase margin at the frequency of the AC signal, such as the loop's unity gain frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jian Li, Jindong Henry Zhang