Patents Examined by Nguyen Tran
  • Patent number: 11563377
    Abstract: Hybrid power converters are presented. The power converters can receive an input voltage at an input node and generate an output voltage at an output node. The power converters can have an inductor coupled between an inductor node and the output node. The power converters can have a first flying capacitor coupled between a first capacitor node and a second capacitor node. The power converters can have a second flying capacitor coupled between a third capacitor node and the inductor node. A first switching element may be coupled between the input node and the first capacitor node, and a fifth switching element may be coupled between the first capacitor node and the third capacitor node. Additionally, a sixth switching element may be coupled between the second capacitor node and the inductor node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Marco Ruggeri
  • Patent number: 11552567
    Abstract: A single-inductor multiple output (SIMO) switched-power DC-DC converter for a class-D amplifier provides outputs that are symmetric about a common-mode input voltage of the amplifier, while remaining asymmetric about a return terminal of the amplifier and switching converter. The DC-DC converter includes an inductive element, a switching circuit that energizes the inductive element from an input source, and a control circuit that controls the switching circuit. The control circuit may have multiple switching modes, and in one of the multiple switching modes, the switching circuit may couple the inductive element between outputs of the converter so that stored energy produces a differential change between the voltages of the outputs. The control circuit may implement a first control loop that maintains a common mode voltage of the pair of outputs at a predetermined voltage independent of the individual voltages of the pair of outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: CIRRUS LOGIC, INC
    Inventors: Xin Zhao, Jun Yan, Xiaofan Fei, Mark May, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 11545901
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control system of a buck converter, relating to the field of Internet of Things. The control system of a buck converter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first control module, a second control module, and a mode selector. The first control module is turned on and the second control module is turned off through an analog current sensor in the mode selector when an IoT device switches from a transmission mode to a sleep mode or a standby mode, so that the first control module outputs a first voltage pulse to the driving and level shifter module, wherein a frequency of the first voltage pulse is determined by a frequency of a first clock in the first control module, and a width of the first voltage pulse is determined by a frequency of a second clock in the first control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: University of Macau
    Inventors: Wenliang Zeng, Chi Seng Lam, Sai Weng Sin, Weng Keong Che, Rui Paulo Da Silva Martins, Ran Ding
  • Patent number: 11539203
    Abstract: A system and method of protecting the input components of a power supply. An input overcurrent protection module is provided, which may be implemented in firmware, which monitors the input current through an input interface of the power supply. When the input current exceeds a threshold current (i.e., a current above the maximum rating of an input component, such as an input cable), the input current protection module determines whether an input overcurrent event is occurring. When it is determined that an input overcurrent event has occurred, the input current protection module disables the output circuitry of the power supply and triggers a few timers. The input overcurrent protection module continues to monitor the input and, if the input current continues to exceed the threshold current, is configured to shut down the power supply. In this way, input components may be protected from overcurrent issues in high-power systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Rama Prasad Atluri, Steward Gavin Goodson, II, Mark A Lawrence
  • Patent number: 11532935
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a rapid shutdown device for a photovoltaic system, which is connected between a photovoltaic power generation module and a photovoltaic inverter and comprises an input port and an output port. The rapid shutdown device further comprises: a first switch and a second switch; a third switch and a fourth switch; a controller coupled to control terminals of the first switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch, and configured to control on and off of the first switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch, so that the rapid shutdown device operates in a normal state, a bypass state or a shutdown state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Xuancai Zhu, Bingwen Weng, Yuxi Wang, Bin Wang, Chengjun He
  • Patent number: 11527949
    Abstract: A protection circuit is adapted to a switching-capacitor regulation circuit having a capacitor. The protection circuit comprises a current source, first and second switch circuits, and a control unit. First, the control unit turns on the second switch circuit to make a top end and a bottom end of the capacitor, and control the first switch circuit to make the current source no connect the capacitor, and then set a voltage of the top and the bottom to be a first preset voltage. Next, the control unit turns off the second switch circuit to disconnect the top end and the bottom end, and turn on the first switch circuit to flow current from the bottom end of the capacitor. When a voltage difference between the top end and the bottom end is equal to a preset initial voltage, the control unit control the first switch circuit to disconnect the current source and the capacitor; next, the control unit controls current flow in or out from the top of the capacitor based on the voltage on the top of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chung Ming Hsieh, Yeh-Tai Hung, Chung-He Li
  • Patent number: 11522454
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply includes a microcontroller, an interface circuit connected to the controller, and a boost circuit connected to the controller. A feedback circuit is connected to the controller, and an SiPM is connected to the boost circuit and the feedback circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Leder, Greg H. Nelson
  • Patent number: 11522362
    Abstract: Electric power is transferred to an electric load as alternating current over at least two incoming and outgoing lines. At least one line circuit manages at least one parameter of the transferred electric power. A central circuit exchanges data and/or commands with the at least one line circuit over a respective galvanically isolated communication interface, such that a reference potential of the central circuit is floating relative to an earth potential of the at least two incoming and outgoing lines. A respective surge protection capacitor is arranged in parallel with each galvanically isolated communication interface. The surge protection capacitors are configured to accumulate a respective fraction of an electric charge resulting from an undesired overvoltage on one of said incoming lines so as to split up the undesired overvoltage into two or more voltages over the galvanically isolated communication interfaces each of which voltage is smaller than the undesired overvoltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: EPSPOT AB
    Inventor: Jan Olin
  • Patent number: 11515787
    Abstract: A power supply includes a reference voltage generator, a power supply phase, and an adjustor. During operation, the reference voltage generator produces a reference voltage. The power supply phase produces an output voltage to power a load as a function of an output voltage feedback signal derived from the output voltage and the reference voltage. The adjustor adjusts a magnitude of the reference voltage to maintain regulation of the output voltage with respect to a desired voltage setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Keng Chen, Luca Petruzzi
  • Patent number: 11515805
    Abstract: A capacitive element has its terminals coupled together by two thyristors electrically in antiparallel. The discharge of the capacitive element is controlled by the application of a gate current to one thyristor of the two thyristors which is in a reverse-biased state in response to a voltage stored across the terminals of the capacitive element. The reverse-biased thyristor responds to the applied gate current by passing a leakage current to discharge the stored voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics LTD
    Inventor: Laurent Gonthier
  • Patent number: 11507121
    Abstract: A circuit includes a reference voltage generator circuit and a regulation loop circuit having an output voltage terminal. The regulator circuit further includes a fault detection circuit having a first input terminal coupled to the output voltage regulator terminal of the regulation loop circuit. The fault detection circuit asserts, on an output terminal of the fault detection circuit, a fault flag signal responsive to a voltage on the first input terminal falling below a first threshold. A programmable filter is coupled between the reference voltage generator circuit and the regulation loop circuit and is coupled to the fault detection circuit. The programmable filter has a programmable time constant. The programmable filter responds to an assertion of the fault flag signal by decreasing the time constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rohit Phogat, Ramakrishna Ankamreddi, Siddhant Rohela
  • Patent number: 11502617
    Abstract: A generator system can include a generator configured to produce an output of alternating current (AC), a rectifier connected to the generator to rectify the AC into direct current (DC) rectifier output, an inverter connected to the rectifier to receive the DC rectifier output and configured to output three phase AC inverter output, and a plurality of output lines connected to the inverter to receive the three phase AC inverter output. The system can include a control module configured to control the output of the inverter. The control module can be operatively connected to one or more of the output lines via one or more local sense leads to receive a local feedback. The control module can be configured to control the inverter as a function of the local feedback to provide one or more of protection, voltage regulation, or harmonic correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Randall Bax, Dwight D. Schmitt
  • Patent number: 11497488
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a surgical instrument. The method includes connecting a power assembly to a control circuit, wherein the power assembly is configured to provide a source voltage, energizing, by the power assembly, a voltage boost convertor circuit configured to provide a set voltage greater than the source voltage, and energizing, by the voltage boost convertor, one or more voltage convertors configured to provide one or more operating voltages to one or more circuit components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Richard L. Leimbach, Shane R. Adams, Mark D. Overmyer, Brett E. Swensgard, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Kevin L. Houser
  • Patent number: 11489336
    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: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Julian Arlo Binder, Brandon Baxter Harris
  • Patent number: 11480989
    Abstract: A voltage reference circuit is disclosed comprising: a supply terminal; a ground terminal; a first current source and a Zener diode connected in series between the supply and ground terminals and having a first node therebetween and configured to supply a Zener voltage at the first node; an output node configured to provide a voltage reference; and a CTAT, circuit connected between the first node and the output node; wherein the CTAT circuit comprises: two bipolar transistors, having their respective emitters connected at a second node, and configured to, in operation, have equal collector-emitter currents, the base of the first bipolar transistor being connected to the first node, the base of the second bipolar transistor being connected to a centre node of a first voltage divider; and wherein the first voltage divider is connected between the emitter of the second bipolar transistor and the output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongwei Liu, Yuan Gao, Estelle Huynh
  • Patent number: 11482926
    Abstract: Disclosed is a detachable Bluetooth power supply apparatus, which includes a housing, a USB interface embedded in the housing and a Bluetooth power supply circuit arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the USB interface. The Bluetooth power supply circuit includes a storage battery, a DC power supply module connected to the storage battery and a Bluetooth control circuit connected to the DC power supply module and the USB interface. The detachable Bluetooth power supply apparatus is simple in structure, easy to control and convenient to replace and has very high practical value and popularization value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: JDH Sourcing Management Limited
    Inventor: Tang Hoi Man Cynthia
  • Patent number: 11482919
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first gate drive transistor and a second gate drive transistor connected in series, a common node of the first gate drive transistor and the second gate drive transistor connected to a gate of a power switch, the second gate drive transistor configured as a bulk switch having a bulk terminal connected to a bulk terminal of the power switch, a first auxiliary transistor connected between the bulk terminal and a source of the power switch, a second auxiliary transistor coupled between the gate of the power switch and a system ground, and a third auxiliary transistor coupled between a logic control ground and the system ground, wherein the second auxiliary transistor and the third auxiliary transistor are configured to pull the gate of the power switch and the logic control ground down to the system ground in response to a turn off of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Halo Microelectronics International
    Inventors: Suming Lai, Kenneth Chung-Yin Kwok
  • Patent number: 11482934
    Abstract: The invention provides a series resonant LLC power converter unit to provide a plurality of power outputs. The power converter unit comprises a plurality of transformers arranged such that at least one primary winding of each transformer is connected in parallel and configured to provide a power output. An inductive element is positioned in parallel with at least one primary winding selected from said plurality of transformers, wherein the inductive element restricts variation in inductance for said plurality of transformers and power outputs in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: EXCELSYS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Jonathan James Wilkinson, Diarmuid Hogan
  • Patent number: 11476764
    Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a direct current (DC) to DC converter module for use between an electrical storage device, electric power source and an electric load. The converter module having at least one DC to DC converter; first input terminals connected to inputs of the DC to DC converter; output terminals connected to outputs of the DC to DC converter; second input terminals connected to the outputs of the DC to DC converter; and control circuitry connected to the DC to DC converter, the control circuitry being configured to monitor at least one of a voltage and current at the second input terminals. The control circuitry is configured to control the DC to DC converter in order to adjust a gain or conversion factor of the DC to DC converter based at least partially on the monitored voltage and/or current at the second input terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: L7 Drive Oy
    Inventor: Daniel Salonen
  • Patent number: 11463009
    Abstract: This application provides a flying capacitor charging method and apparatus, applied to a multi-level topology circuit, to provide a flying capacitor charging solution with a small occupation area and strong applicability. The circuit is connected to an input power source by using a first switch, and is connected to an output power source by using a second switch. A first end of a first capacitor in flying capacitors in the circuit is connected to a first electrode of a first semiconductor switch transistor, a second end of the first capacitor in the flying capacitors in the circuit is connected to a second electrode of a second semiconductor switch transistor, and a second electrode of the first semiconductor switch transistor is connected to a first electrode of the second semiconductor switch transistor by using a second capacitor. The second capacitor is an input capacitor, an output capacitor, or another flying capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: HUAWEI DIGITAL POWER TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yiming Jiang