Patents Examined by Nusrat Quddus
  • Patent number: 10305468
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a first switch SWx which switches whether or not to supply a first power supply voltage Vx generated by accumulating a charge outputted from a power source 10, as a second power supply voltage VDD to a first circuit 13, and a second switch SW1 which switches whether or not to connect to the first circuit 13 a smoothing capacitor C1 which suppresses a fluctuation of the second power supply voltage VDD, and the first switch SWx is switched to an on state in response to that the first power supply voltage Vx has reached a sufficient voltage, and then the second switch SW1 is switched to the on state in response to that the second power supply voltage VDD has reached a sufficient voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichiro Noguchi, Koichi Nose, Yoshifumi Ikenaga, Yoichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10298109
    Abstract: A control signal is applied to a pulse generating circuit configured to generate pulses that are modulated in width. A circuit provides for slope-compensation of the control signal. The circuit includes a digital-to-analog converter that generates a decreasing sawtooth signal. A triggering circuit operates to trigger steps of the sawtooth signal and resetting the sawtooth signal. The sawtooth signal is reset at a cadence of a frequency of the pulses that are modulated in width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Link, Vincent Onde
  • Patent number: 10298123
    Abstract: A power supply includes a reference voltage generator circuit, a ramp generator circuit, and control circuitry. During operation, the reference voltage generator circuit compares a magnitude of a received output voltage feedback signal to a received reference voltage. Based on the comparison, the reference voltage generator circuit produces a varying reference voltage and outputs it to the ramp generator circuit. As its name suggests, a magnitude of the varying reference voltage varies over time. The ramp generator circuit produces a ramp voltage signal, a magnitude of which is offset by the varying reference voltage. To maintain an output voltage of the power supply within regulation, the control circuitry receives the varying reference voltage and controls activation of a power converter circuit to power a load based on a comparison of the ramp voltage signal and the output voltage feedback signal of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Danny Clavette, Kang Peng, Keng Chen, Mark A. Crowther
  • Patent number: 10291147
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to electrical circuits. A system (e.g., inverter current system) is provided. The system includes plural inverters connected to a common bus and at least one capacitor. The inverters are configured to convert a direct current (DC) through the common bus to an alternating current (AC), by alternating different switches of the inverters between open and closed states in a respective switching cycle for each of the inverters. The system includes a controller circuit. The controller circuit is configured to adjust a current conducted onto the common bus to the inverters so that a root mean square of the current meets one or more designated criteria. The controller circuit controls the inverters to apply a frequency shift to the respective switching cycle of one or more of the inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Subhas Chandra Das
  • Patent number: 10281940
    Abstract: A low dropout regulator provided includes: an impedance unit; a differential amplifier being electrically connected to the impedance unit; a current mirror unit being electrically connected to the differential amplifier; and an adaptive bias unit being electrically connected to the differential amplifier and the current mirror unit. The impedance unit is electrically connected to a negative feedback route of the differential amplifier to make a gain of the negative feedback route greater than a gain of a positive feedback route of the differential amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Han Yang, Chia-So Chuang
  • Patent number: 10277130
    Abstract: A series-parallel resonant power converter comprises a primary-side start-up controller and a secondary-side controller, wherein the primary-side start-up controller sends power to the secondary-side controller when power (voltage) is first applied to the series-parallel resonant power converter. The start-up controller starts up the series-parallel resonant power converter using an open-loop start-up technique wherein the secondary-side closed-loop controller takes over control of the series-parallel resonant power converter once it becomes powered and activated. During light-load or no load conditions, the secondary-side controller sends an off resonance higher frequency or a standby code inhibit (disable) command to the start-up controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLGOY INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Thomas Quigley
  • Patent number: 10270334
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for regulating a power converter. An example system controller includes: a driver configured to output a drive signal to a switch to affect a current flowing through an inductive winding of a power converter, the drive signal being associated with a switching period including an on-time period and an off-time period. The switch is closed in response to the drive signal during the on-time period. The switch is opened in response to the drive signal during the off-time period. A duty cycle is equal to a duration of the on-time period divided by a duration of the switching period. One minus the duty cycle is equal to a parameter. The system controller is configured to keep a multiplication product of the duty cycle, the parameter and the duration of the on-time period approximately constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qian Fang, Cong Lan, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 10256747
    Abstract: In a control unit for drive-controlling a switching element unit of each power conversion device, a voltage correction amount calculation unit calculates a correction amount corresponding to voltage drop due to impedance between the switching element unit and filter reactor. A voltage command correcting unit corrects a voltage command generated by the voltage command generation unit, using the correction amount. Thus, for a power conversion device 21 that has a small output impedance, correction is performed so as to increase the output impedance, and a PLL unit changes the frequency in accordance with active power calculated from output voltage and output current of the power conversion device, so as to uniform power allocations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kato, Yu Kawai, Kenji Fujiwara, Kikuo Izumi, Tatsuya Okuda
  • Patent number: 10250119
    Abstract: An illustrative current-doubling DC-DC conversion method includes: converting an input voltage into forward voltage pulses and reverse voltage pulses on a primary of a transformer having a secondary coupled between a drive terminal of a first inductor and a drive terminal of a second inductor, the first and second inductors each having a common terminal coupled to a first output voltage terminal; selectively coupling the first inductor's drive terminal to a charge terminal of a reserve capacitor or to a second output voltage terminal, the first inductor's drive terminal being coupled to the charge terminal at least during the forward voltage pulses; selectively coupling the second inductor's drive terminal to the charge terminal of the reserve capacitor or to the second output voltage terminal, the second inductor's drive terminal being coupled to the charge terminal at least during the reverse voltage pulses; and concurrently coupling the drive terminals of the first and second inductors to the charge termin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gang Chen, Michael A. Stapleton
  • Patent number: 10250144
    Abstract: An example relates to a method for operating a converter comprising a primary side of a transformer and a secondary side of the transformer, wherein a switching element is used for conveying energy from the primary side to the secondary side, the method comprising (i) determining a voltage drop across the primary side of the transformer; (ii) determining at least one additional voltage drop across at least one component of the converter's primary side; and (iii) determining an input voltage at the converter via the voltage drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventors: Marcus Schaemann, Robert Pizzuti, Ali Fawaz
  • Patent number: 10243482
    Abstract: A phase leg for a multilevel inverter includes a first direct current lead, an outer solid-state switch, an inner solid-state switch, and a midpoint-clamping device. The outer solid-state switch device is connected to the first direct current lead. The inner solid-state switch is connected in series with the outer solid-state switch. The midpoint-clamping device is a bi-directional current flow device connected between a second DC lead and a node between the inner and outer solid-state switches for reducing conduction losses associated with current flowing through the phase leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Adam M. White
  • Patent number: 10238015
    Abstract: Technology leading to a size reduction in a power conversion apparatus comprising a cooling function and technology relating to enhancing productivity and enhancing reliability necessary for commercial production are provided. Series circuits comprising an upper arm and lower arm of an inverter circuit are built in a single semiconductor module 500. The semiconductor module has cooling metal on two sides. An upper arm semiconductor chip and lower arm semiconductor chip are wedged between the cooling metals. The semiconductor module is inserted inside a channel case main unit 214. A DC positive electrode terminal 532, a DC negative electrode terminal 572, and an alternating current terminal 582 of a semiconductor chip are disposed in the semiconductor module. The DC terminals 532 and 572 are electrically connected with a terminal of a capacitor module. The alternating current terminal 582 is electrically connected with a motor generator via an AC connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Tokuyama, Kinya Nakatsu, Ryuichi Saito
  • Patent number: 10218269
    Abstract: Provided is a switching regulator in which a MOS transistor Q1 (first switch) and a MOS transistor Q2 (second switch) are complementarily turned on/off according to an output voltage VOUT, and in which a MOS transistor Q3 (third switch) and a MOS transistor Q4 (fourth switch) are complementarily turned on/off by fixing an on-duty D of the MOS transistor Q3 (third switch) in a step up/down mode. The switching regulator performs current mode control according to information of current flowing in the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuhei Yamaguchi, Tetsuo Tateishi
  • Patent number: 10218287
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a single phase full-bridge rectification circuit, a reactor being connected to a power source in series between one of input terminals of the single phase full-bridge rectification circuit and the power source, capacitors being connected to each other in series via a connection point between output terminals of the single phase full-bridge rectification circuit, a first switch connected between the input terminal and the connection point, and a second switch connected between the input terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Satou, Junya Mitsui
  • Patent number: 10218282
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for sequencing outputs in a multi-output power converter system are disclosed herein. During start-up multiple CC/CV outputs may be sequenced so that energy is first provided to a highest voltage secondary output and subsequently provided to a lowest voltage secondary output. Additionally, control may be exerted so as to concurrently and monotonically increase voltages during at least part of the start-up transient; and concurrent control may be further implemented using control circuitry and a variable reference generator. In some embodiments a variable reference may be generated from a capacitor voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Moore, Matthew David Waterson, Antonius Jacobus Johannes Werner
  • Patent number: 10211729
    Abstract: A control circuit in a switching regulator, the switching regulator including an inductor and a switching circuit configured to control a current passing through the inductor in response to a control signal, the control circuit configured to receive a feedback voltage of an output voltage of the switching regulator and receive the current passing through the inductor as a current sensing signal. The control circuit includes a first internal signal generator configured to generate a first internal signal based on the feedback voltage and a reference voltage, a second internal signal generator configured to generate a second internal signal based on the current sensing signal such that a base level of the second internal signal varies according to the feedback voltage and the reference voltage, and a comparator configured to output the control signal based on the first and second internal signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Quoc hoang Duong, Yus Ko, Pan-jong Kim, Hyun-seok Shin, Jeong-woon Kong
  • Patent number: 10211625
    Abstract: Arc flash mitigation devices are employed to protect personnel during maintenance of photovoltaic inverters. During normal operation, an alternating current (AC) output of a photovoltaic inverter is coupled to a low voltage winding of a step up transformer through a bus-bar (e.g., an electrically conductive interconnect), which has higher current rating than a fuse. During maintenance, the bus-bar is replaced with the fuse. The fuse may be employed in conjunction with a switch. The switch may be a disconnect switch that places the bus-bar in parallel with the fuse during normal operation, and decouples the bus-bar from the fuse during maintenance. The switch may also be a transfer switch that places either the bus-bar or the fuse in series with the AC output of the photovoltaic inverter and the low voltage winding of the step up transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Seshadri Sivakumar, Jiyong Lian, Venkat Reddy Konala, David Barr, Priyantha Sirisooriya, Jacqueline Ahmad, Jason Spokes
  • Patent number: 10205396
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (300) for controlling a galvanically isolated DC converter (100). The DC converter (100) comprises a full bridge (110) for converting an input DC voltage (UinDC) into an input AC voltage (UinAC), a transformer (120) for converting the input AC voltage (UinAC) into an output AC voltage (UoutAC), and a rectifier (130) for converting the output AC voltage (UoutAC) into an output DC voltage (UoutDC). The method comprises the steps: determining (320) the duty cycle (D) of the full bridge (110); comparing (330) the determined duty cycle (D) with a duty cycle threshold value (Dth); calculating (340) an input DC voltage (UinDCcalc) according to an input current (I_in), the output DC voltage (UoutDC), a transformation ratio (U) of the transformer (120) and an adapted value (D_ad) of the duty cycle of the full bridge (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Gholamabas Esteghlal
  • Patent number: 10205395
    Abstract: System and method for regulating an output current of a power conversion system. An example system controller for regulating an output current of a power conversion system includes a driving component, a demagnetization detector, a current-regulation component, and a signal processing component. The driving component is configured to output a drive signal to a switch in order to affect a primary current flowing through a primary winding of the power conversion system. The demagnetization detector is configured to receive a feedback signal associated with an output voltage of the power conversion system and generate a detection signal based on at least information associated with the feedback signal. The current-regulation component is configured to receive the drive signal, the detection signal and a current-sensing signal and output a current-regulation signal based on at least information associated with the drive signal, the detection signal, and the current sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yunchao Zhang, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 10205380
    Abstract: In one implementation, a power converter with over-voltage protection includes a power switch coupled to a power supply through a tank circuit, and a control circuit coupled to a gate of the power switch. The control circuit is configured to turn the power switch OFF based on a current from the tank circuit, thereby providing the over-voltage protection to the power converter. In one implementation, the power converter is a class-E power converter. In one implementation, the control circuit is configured to sense the current from the tank circuit based on a voltage drop across a sense resistor coupled to the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Ribarich, Jorge Cerezo, Ajit Dubhashi