Patents Examined by Nguyen Tran
  • Patent number: 11456661
    Abstract: The process for starting a power supply circuit which includes a switched-mode power supply is performed using: a first phase during which, if an output voltage of the switched-mode power supply is lower than a first voltage, the switched-mode power supply operates in pulse width modulation mode to increase its output voltage up to said first voltage; and when the output voltage has reached the first voltage, a second phase during which the switched-mode power supply operates in a bypass mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Sebastien Ortet, Cedric Thomas
  • Patent number: 11456598
    Abstract: Technologies are described herein for a two-wire power delivery system that may be employed by a mobile device with a reversable cable. The described techniques allow for the two-wire power cable to be inserted in any orientation into the mobile device, without requiring a special keying or registration element, and without requiring any additional pins or wires. The mobile device includes a passive protection circuit that assists the two-wire power cable system in detecting the correct orientation for power delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Julian Arlo Binder, Brandon Baxter Harris
  • Patent number: 11456592
    Abstract: A method manages a fault on a DC voltage side of a converter assembly including a modular multistage converter with switching modules having semiconductor switches and an energy store. Some switching modules are a first type and others are a second type. During operation, a positive switching module voltage, negative switching module voltage or zero voltage are generated at terminals of switching modules of the first type, and a positive switching module voltage or zero voltage are generated at terminals of switching modules of the second type. Upon detecting a DC voltage side fault, switching modules of the first type are actuated such that the polarity of their energy store voltages corresponds to the polarity of a fault current, and energy stores of switching modules of the first type are charged to a voltage exceeding their rated voltage. A converter assembly carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Epameinondas Kontos, Kilian Dallmer-Zerbe, Dominik Ergin, Ilhom Gafur, Sebastian Semmler
  • Patent number: 11444453
    Abstract: An ESD protection circuit is provided. An embodiment provides an ESD protection circuit of a crystal oscillator for bearing an output swing level in an ESD IO for improving a reference clock isolation by adding a stacked diode to the ESD protection circuit and for improving a protection function by applying a secondary diode structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Korea Inc.
    Inventor: Je Cheol Moon
  • Patent number: 11444531
    Abstract: A voltage converter, which is configured as a step-down converter for reducing an input direct voltage to an output direct voltage lower than the input direct voltage, includes a first step-down converter circuit arrangement, having a first semiconductor switching element with a first control input, a first coupled choke having a first freewheeling diode, and a first input capacitor and a first output capacitor. A second step-down converter circuit arrangement, includes a second semiconductor switching element having a second control input, a second coupled choke having a second freewheeling diode, and a second input capacitor and a second output capacitor. An associated control device controls the voltage converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Zehetbauer, Gerhard Werner, Matthias Zimmermann, Roberto Scibilia
  • Patent number: 11444460
    Abstract: A power quality compensation system has the functions of controlling the bus voltage and the current peak value. A first instruction current under control of a first peak current processing unit is lower than or equal to a first current threshold value. A second peak current processing unit outputs a second PWM driving signal according to a sampled current and a second current threshold value. A third peak current processing unit outputs a third PWM driving signal according to the sampled current and a third current threshold value. A conversion unit is operated according to the PWM driving signals. Moreover, the first current threshold value is adjusted in real time according to the comparing result of the sample current and the first current threshold value and the comparing result of the real DC bus voltage and the reference DC bus voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heng Huang, Ran Liu, Shuai Wu
  • Patent number: 11444537
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a circuit includes a Direct Current (DC)-DC buck-boost converter and a controller. The controller includes an error amplifier configured to receive a feedback signal responsive to an output signal of the buck-boost converter. The error amplifier is configured to compare the feedback signal and a reference signal to generate an error signal. The controller includes a modulator circuit that is configured to receive the error signal and compare the error signal with a periodic ramp signal to generate a modulated signal. The controller further includes a digital logic block to generate switching signals in response to the modulated signal that is fed to the buck-boost converter to control the output signal of the buck-boost converter. The controller includes a capacitance multiplier circuit coupled to the output of the error amplifier to configure a dominant pole so as to compensate the buck-boost converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Srinivas Venkata Veeramreddi, Sudhir Polarouthu
  • Patent number: 11431264
    Abstract: An electrical converter chosen from the group consisting of an inverter able to generate an AC voltage from a DC voltage and a rectifier able to generate a DC voltage from an AC voltage. This converter comprises a first inductor and a controllable switch that are connected in series between first and second DC voltage ports. The converter comprises a piezoelectric resonator comprising: a first electrode connected directly to a first power terminal of the switch, a second electrode connected directly to a second power terminal of the switch, and a piezoelectric material interposed between the first and second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Ghislain Despesse, Xavier Maynard
  • Patent number: 11431244
    Abstract: A capacitor management circuit for a power management circuit, where the power management circuit includes a bidirectional converter having first and second ports, the capacitor management circuit includes a plurality of capacitor modules, and where each capacitor module includes: a switch and a capacitor coupled in series between two terminals of the second port; and a control circuit configured to detect state information of the corresponding capacitor, and to control operation state of the switch, in order to realize independent control of each capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Yunliang Ma, Lingdong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11429128
    Abstract: A voltage pre-regulator can receive a variable voltage in a middle voltage range (e.g., dozens of volts) and provide a regulated voltage in a safe operating region of a low voltage device. The use of the voltage pre-regulator can allow circuits to use low voltage devices to perform additional regulation/conversion without fear of damage. The voltage pre-regulator disclosed herein can perform the voltage reduction and regulation functions of pre-regulation with commonly used transistor types because the disclosed circuits and method use a bias circuit. The bias circuit uses positive feedback so that no additional start-up circuitry is required. The positive feedback is controlled by negative feedback so that the pre-regulator is able to provide a regulated voltage that is stable over a range of input voltages and temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Matej, Barbara Pankova Maludova
  • Patent number: 11424678
    Abstract: A frequency limit circuit includes a frequency-voltage converter, a compensation voltage generator and a compensator. The frequency-voltage converter generates a conversion voltage proportional to an operation frequency of the DC-DC converter based on a pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) voltage control signal indicating the operation frequency. The compensation voltage generator generates a compensation voltage based on a difference between the conversion voltage and a frequency limit voltage. The compensator adjusts a compensation current at an output node of the DC-DC converter based on the compensation voltage to restrict the operation frequency. The operation frequency of the DC-DC converter may be restricted efficiently by adjusting the compensation current through the negative feedback operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyunseok Nam
  • Patent number: 11416014
    Abstract: A triggered sink circuit for a linear voltage regulator, such as low-dropout voltage regulator (LDO), is disclosed. The triggered sink circuit is activated only when needed to sink current from an output in response to a transient load change. The triggered sink circuit includes a large sink transistor that when activated drains current from the output of the LDO to quickly restore an output voltage back towards a regulated value, thereby improving a load transient response to the load change. The improved load transient response prevents the output transistor of the LDO from being completely deactivated to restore regulation. Accordingly, the LDO's response to a subsequent load transient can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Petr Kadanka
  • Patent number: 11418034
    Abstract: A zero-sequence current balancer for a controlling zero-sequence current in a three-phase power system includes a cascade multilevel modular inverter (CMMI) coupled to the three-phase power system, wherein the CMMI has a plurality of modules, each module having a module capacitor, and a real power injector circuit provided between the three-phase power system and the CMMI, wherein the real power injector circuit is structured and configured to cause real power to injected into and/or absorbed from the CMMI to regulate a voltage of one or more of the module capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Switched Source PB, LLC
    Inventor: Nicholas Benavides
  • Patent number: 11411513
    Abstract: A perpetual self-sustained frictionless maglev generator started from an external power or battery source is disclosed. The power from the generator can be remote at each station avoiding vulnerability from terrorist attacks. All automobiles, airplanes, watercraft, and space ships would be self-sustained and not require any fuel unless for emergency backup purposes only. They all can be measured/controlled by GPS on a distance used and charged for that use accordingly on a monthly basis. Nuclear disaster would not be a threat because the government could use this generator to power their apparatus instead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventor: Ryan Neil McAlister
  • Patent number: 11404863
    Abstract: A power supply is configured to limit its output power, converting an input voltage on a primary side into a bus voltage on a secondary side. A current-sense resistor detects a bus current output from the power supply to provide a current-sense signal. A bus switch is electrically connected to a secondary winding on the secondary side, configured to selectively supply power to the bus voltage. A power delivery controller controls the bus switch in response to the current-sense signal and a power detection signal on the secondary side. The power delivery controller provides a power threshold in response to the bus voltage, compares the power detection signal with the power threshold, and turns off the bus switch to stop supplying power to the bus voltage if the power detection signal exceeds the power threshold, thereby limiting the output power of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: LEADTREND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hsien-Te Huang, Ming-Chang Tsou, Chih-Nan Hsia, Mao-Shih Li, Pai-Feng Liu, Chin-Ho Wu
  • Patent number: 11401783
    Abstract: A high-speed current sensing circuit configured to measure current associated with switching devices of a power generation system. The circuit includes logic for turning one or more corresponding switching devices off before failure, so as to limit the duty cycle of the one or more corresponding switching devices. In the event of a failure, the system is configured to continue operating and generating energy to complete or at least continue performing the service despite the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services. Inc.
    Inventor: Imran Sharif Vehra
  • Patent number: 11387742
    Abstract: A full-bridge resonant conversion circuit comprises a full-bridge rectification unit, a resonant unit, a first transformer, a second transformer and a synchronous rectification unit, wherein the full-bridge rectification unit comprises a first connection end and a second connection end, the resonant unit comprises a first resonant inductor, a resonant capacitor and a second resonant inductor, the resonant capacitor is connected in series with the first resonant inductor or the second resonant inductor. The first transformer comprises a first primary winding connected in series with the first resonant inductor, and a first secondary winding. Also, the second transformer comprises a second primary winding connected in series with the first primary winding and connected with the second resonant inductor, and a second secondary winding connected in parallel with the first secondary winding, and the synchronous rectification unit is connected with the first secondary winding and the second secondary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SEA SONIC ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chih-Sheng Chang
  • Patent number: 11387746
    Abstract: A switching circuit includes a diode, a semiconductor switch, and a first bidirectional switch. The semiconductor switch is configured to conduct a first current from a second terminal to a third terminal of the semiconductor switch when a first on-state signal is sent to a first terminal of the semiconductor switch. An anode of the diode is connected to the second terminal of the semiconductor switch, and a cathode of the diode is connected to the third terminal of the semiconductor switch. The first bidirectional switch includes a first terminal, a second terminal connected to the anode of the diode, and a third terminal and is configured to conduct a second current from the second terminal to the third terminal or from the third terminal to the second terminal when a second on-state signal is sent to the first terminal of the first bidirectional switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Hang Dai, Thomas Merlin Jahns, Bulent Sarlioglu, Renato Amorim Torres
  • Patent number: 11381096
    Abstract: A system for managing sensor power to a remote wireless condition monitoring sensor installed on a railway rolling stock. The system provides an energy harvester that derives wireless sensor power, a rechargeable battery connected to the energy harvester for supplying energy to the rechargeable battery and for powering the system, an antenna for sending signals to a remote database based on measured vibration and acceleration data, a central processing unit having a memory an arithmetic logic unit and a control unit for controlling a function of the system. The remote wireless condition monitoring sensor is protected from potentially fatal over voltage and under voltage conditions and the operating life is prolonged by entering dedicated modes of operation based on battery voltage and available energy capacity as instructed by the central processing unit. Also, a method for carrying out the function of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Julian Franchitti, Mark Rhodes
  • Patent number: 11374401
    Abstract: An overvoltage absorption circuit and a single-phase HERIC topology are provided. The overvoltage absorption circuit is applicable to the single-phase HERIC topology, and includes a clamping capacitor, an absorption resistor, a first diode, and a second diode. One terminal of the clamping capacitor and one terminal of the absorption resistor are each connected to collectors of two cross transistors in the single-phase HERIC topology. The other terminal of the clamping capacitor and the other terminal of the absorption resistor are each connected to the anodes of the first diode and the second diode. The cathode of the first diode is connected to the emitter of one of the two cross transistors. The cathode of the second diode is connected to the emitter of the other of the two cross transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Sungrow (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Peng Zhang