Abstract: The high-voltage system has at least one feed line and at least one high-power circuit breaker, the at least one feed line having a longitudinally extended feed line inner conductor and a feed line outer conductor surrounding the feed line inner conductor, and the high-power circuit breaker having a longitudinally extended circuit breaker inner conductor and a circuit breaker outer conductor surrounding the circuit breaker inner conductor in the form of a housing, and the inner conductors and the outer conductors being electrically conductively connected to one another. At least one heat pipe is provided for the purpose of dissipating thermal energy from the circuit breaker inner conductor. The heat pipe interacts with a cooling gas flow extending along the circuit breaker inner conductor.

Abstract: A protection arrangement for a power semiconductor component made of a plurality of cells, in which a current sensor made of a current sense transistor and current sense resistors and also a temperature sensor, is disclosed. The current sense transistor and the temperature sensor are provided in a gap or in different gaps between the cells, while the current sense resistor is fitted directly on at least one cell. The temperature sensor may, include a plurality of stages which are located from the center of the power semiconductor component to an edge of the latter in the gap between two cells.

Abstract: A system is presented. The system includes a micro-electromechanical system switch. Further, the system includes a balanced diode bridge configured to suppress arc formation between contacts of the micro-electromechanical system switch. A pulse circuit is coupled to the balanced diode bridge to form a pulse signal in response to a fault condition. An energy-absorbing circuitry is coupled in a parallel circuit with the pulse circuit and is adapted to absorb electrical energy resulting from the fault condition without affecting a pulse signal formation by the pulse circuit.

Abstract: An electrical appliance includes a power cord having a GFCI device and an associated remote test/reset unit. The power cord includes a first end portion provided with a plug adapted to be inserted into an electrical outlet. The first end portion extends to a second end portion that is electrically coupled to a plurality of electrical components in the appliance. The test/reset unit is spaced from the GFCI device along the power cord. Preferably, the test/rest unit is connected to the power cord through an extension lead. With this arrangement the test/reset unit is actually remote from the GFCI device, allowing easy access to service personnel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device that includes an output circuit with power thereof supplied from one power supply system, an input circuit with an input terminal thereof connected to an output terminal of the output circuit through a signal line and with power thereof supplied from other power supply system different from the one power supply system, and a circuit that restrains a current flowing from the output circuit into the signal line when an ESD stress is applied from the output circuit to a signal transmitting/receiving portion of the input circuit.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a switched mode power supply circuit is configured to monitor and control its output voltage during discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) operation, to prevent output over-voltage conditions. For example, in one embodiment, a switched mode power supply circuit is configured to operate selectively in continuous conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous conduction mode (DCM), and it includes a control circuit that is configured to detect an output over-voltage condition during DCM operation. The control circuit reduces the output voltage of the switched mode power supply circuit responsive to detecting the output over-voltage condition, such as by activating a pull-down device and/or temporarily reverting the switched mode power supply circuit to continuous conduction mode (CCM) operation.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection circuit and a semiconductor device that prevent the breakdown of a semiconductor device caused by an electrostatic discharge (ESD) which suddenly changes. When voltage which is far higher than VDD1 is applied to a power supply line as a result of an ESD, a great electric potential difference is produced between VDD1 and VSS. At this time an electric current path for making an electric charge generated by overvoltage flow to a grounding line is formed by a clamp circuit. As a result, an electric current flows into GND of a circuit block. This prevents the production of a great electric potential difference between VDD1 and VSS. In addition, at this time a rapid change in the level of the overvoltage applied to a signal line is suppressed by a protection circuit. This prevents the dielectric breakdown of gate oxide films of transistors included in a circuit block which receives a control signal.

Abstract: There is disclosed a self-testing circuit interrupting device which provides uninterrupted power to a load during a complete electronic and electromechanical components self test to allow autonomous periodic automated self testing without damaging or resetting connected load equipment.

Abstract: A power supply controller can include a switching element electrically connected between a power source and a load, an anomaly detecting circuit capable of outputting an abnormal signal, a power supply circuit which generates a constant voltage, a holding circuit which is activated by being supplied with the constant voltage generated by the power supply circuit, continuously outputs a shutoff signal to cause the switching element to perform a shutoff operation on the basis of the abnormal signal, an output circuit, such that if a first off signal is being inputted from an external source, the first off signal continues for a predetermined period of time after the start of the continuous output of the shutoff signal, outputs a second off signal, and an electrical conduction circuit structured to enable the power supply circuit into conduction in response to an on signal from an external source and enable the power supply circuit out of conduction if the second off signal is outputted.

Abstract: The protection of an inductance of a voltage step-up converter, comprising a first switch with an inverted input logic between the inductance and a terminal of connection of a load to be supplied, the control electrode of which can be connected either to the inductance supply voltage, or to a voltage smaller than the voltage of a power electrode of said first switch, on the inductance side.

Abstract: A voltage converter includes an electronic induction device, a switch device, a protection circuit, and a control circuit. The switch device, electrically connected to the electronic induction device, is utilized for selectively establishing an electrical connection between the electronic induction device and a predetermined voltage level according to a control signal. The protection circuit, coupled to the electronic induction device, is utilized for selectively establishing an electrical connection between the electronic induction device and the predetermined voltage level, wherein the protection circuit is enabled to establish the electrical connection when a current passing through the switch device exceeds a predetermined current limit. The control circuit, coupled to the switch device, is utilized for generating the control signal.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a semiconductor switch that is arranged between a DC power supply and a load to control a turning ON/OFF operation of the load, a counter electromotive force judging unit that determines whether a counter electromotive force produced on a first wiring line is greater than a threshold voltage, the first wiring line connecting the semiconductor switch to the DC power supply, and a control unit that controls the semiconductor switch so as to be turned OFF when the counter electromotive force judging unit determines that the counter electromotive force is greater than the threshold voltage.

Abstract: A protection circuit for a parallel power system having at least two parallel coupled voltage regulators is disclosed. The protection circuit includes at least two isolation control circuits, each control circuit being coupled to a respective voltage regulator. Each isolation control circuit includes a current sense circuit for sensing current polarity at an output of the respective voltage regulator, and a controller for automatically isolating the respective voltage regulator when an over-voltage condition exists at an output of the parallel power system and a positive current polarity is sensed at the output of the respective voltage regulator. The at least two isolation control circuits isolate only a voltage regulator having positive current outflow during the over-voltage condition. In one embodiment, each isolation control circuit further includes an over-voltage detection circuit for detecting when the over-voltage condition exists at the output of the parallel power system.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting a circuit. The system includes a protection circuit that includes an inverter and a capacitor coupled to the inverter. The inverter and the capacitor are implemented using logic circuits of a circuit core, and the inverter shunts electrostatic discharge ESD current through the capacitor. According to the system and method disclosed herein, because the protection circuit shunt circuit shunts ESD current using logic circuits of the circuit core, ESD protection is achieved while not requiring large FETs. Also, the protection circuit protects circuits against ESD events that conventional FET cannot protect.

Abstract: An antenna for use in a conveyor system in which items on which radio frequency identification tags are disposed are moved on a conveyor along a path of travel, includes a ground plane, a substrate having a bottom surface received adjacent the ground plane, at least one patch element disposed on a top surface of the substrate, a cover received adjacent the top surface of the substrate, and a front static conductive strip disposed along a front edge of the cover. The antenna is disposed beneath the conveyor and a front edge of the antenna is transverse to the path of travel. The front static conductive strip is electrically connected to the ground plane such that an electrostatic discharge event adjacent the front static conductive strip is discharged to the ground plane.

Abstract: A switch system comprising a detection device that operates in first and second modes and that conducts first and second currents based on the first and second modes, respectively. A control module input circuit outputs first and second voltages based on the first and second currents. The switch system further includes a control module that receives the first and second voltages and that compares the first and second voltages to first and second predetermined voltage ranges, respectively. Further, the control module detects at least one of a proper operation and a faulty operation of the switch system based on the comparison. The control module receives the first voltage when the detection device conducts the first current and receives the second voltage when the detection device conducts the second current.

Abstract: An overvoltage protection circuit includes an output transistor connected between a first power supply and an output terminal, a load connected to the output terminal, a dynamic clamping circuit for controlling a voltage difference between the first power supply and the output terminal, and a clamp selection switch electrically connected between the dynamic clamping circuit and the output terminal, and a conductive condition of the clamp selection switch is determined according to a comparison between a reference voltage and a voltage of the output terminal.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection circuit comprises a comparator coupled between a power supply terminal and ground. The comparator responds to an electrostatic discharge event producing a trigger signal at a comparator output. The comparator comprises a first and second current mirror. The first and second current mirrors each comprise a sense device and a mirror device. The mirror devices are coupled in series between the power supply terminal and ground. The first mirror device produces an incident current and the second mirror device receives an absorption current. With a supply voltage on the power supply terminal equal to or greater than a trigger supply voltage, the absorption current exceeds the incident current and produces a trigger signal at the comparator output. The trigger signal activates a shunt device that shunts current from the power supply terminal to ground.

Abstract: A method of holding an object with an electrostatic chuck and conveying the held object includes steps of measuring a property of the object concerning an electrostatic attraction force generated between the object and the electrostatic chuck; and controlling a characteristic of conveyance of the object based on a measurement result in the measuring step.

Abstract: System and method for protecting a power converter. The system includes a compensation system configured to receive an input signal and generate a control signal, a cycle threshold generator configured to receive the control signal and generate a cycle threshold, and a comparator configured to receive the cycle threshold and a feedback signal and generate a comparison signal. Additionally, the system includes a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a modulation signal in response to the comparison signal, and a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and control an input current for a power converter. The input current is associated with an output power for the power converter. The cycle threshold corresponds to a threshold power level for the output power. The threshold power level is constant, decreases, or increases with respect to the input signal.