Patents Examined by Rajnikant Patel
  • Patent number: 10185343
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuit converts an applied input voltage into a desired output voltage and outputs the same from a voltage output terminal. A first resistor, a second resistor, and a third resistor are connected in series between the voltage output terminal and a ground terminal. When a switch is brought to an open state, an output voltage based on a voltage divided by a combined resistance of the second and third resistors and the first resistor is supplied. When the switch is brought to a closed state, an output voltage based on a voltage divided by the second and first resistors is supplied. The semiconductor circuit has a configuration of controlling the resistance value of each voltage division resistor by a control signal from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: ABLIC INC.
    Inventor: Takao Nakashimo
  • Patent number: 10186968
    Abstract: The present application discloses a direct current (DC) converter including a voltage divider for dividing a voltage provided by a DC voltage source, having a positive DC voltage input terminal, a negative DC voltage input terminal, and a divided voltage output terminal; a conversion circuit having a first switch, a second switch, an inductor unit, a first unidirectional conductor, and a second unidirectional conductor; a positive converted voltage output terminal; and a negative converted voltage output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Enhui Guan, Shuo Chen
  • Patent number: 10177661
    Abstract: A method comprises generating a first ramp signal and a second ramp signal for controlling a buck converter portion and a boost converter portion of a buck-boost converter respectively, comparing the first ramp signal and the second ramp signal to a control signal, controlling the buck converter portion using the comparing the first ramp signal to the control signal and the boost converter portion using the comparing the second ramp signal to the control signal, comparing a current flowing through the inductor to a current threshold and terminating a switching cycle based upon the comparing the current flowing through the inductor to the current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Liming Ye, Jinbo Huang, Heping Dai, Dianbo Fu, Daoshen Chen
  • Patent number: 10177569
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a power compensation circuit is configured to be coupled to a power supply. The power compensation circuit includes a measurement circuit and a compensation circuit. The measurement circuit is configured to receive a power supply signal from the power supply, and determine a variation of the power supply signal. The compensation circuit is coupled to the measurement circuit and configured to generate a compensation power consumption based on the variation of the power supply signal, where the compensation power consumption is controlled inversely with the variation of the power supply signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Elmar Bach, Benno Mühlbacher, Andreas Wiesbauer
  • Patent number: 10177662
    Abstract: A first control device sends a common required carrier frequency, and a synchronizing signal that is synchronous with a first triangular wave, to a second control device. On satisfaction of a first condition that a carrier frequency of the first triangular wave is different from the required carrier frequency, the first control device changes the carrier frequency of the first triangular wave to value of the required carrier frequency. The second control device calculates a recognizing carrier frequency of the first triangular wave, based on the synchronizing signal. On satisfaction of second conditions that a carrier frequency of a second triangular wave is different from the recognizing carrier frequency and that the recognizing carrier frequency is equal to the required carrier frequency from the first control device, the second control device changes the carrier frequency of the second triangular wave to value of the required carrier frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuya Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10170984
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method, includes operating a power converter that comprises an electronic switch connected in series with an inductor in one of a first operation mode and a second operation mode. Operating the power converter in each of the first operation mode and the second operation mode includes driving the electronic switch in a plurality of successive drive cycles based on drive parameter. Each of the plurality of drive cycles includes an on-time in which the electronic switch is switched on and an off-time in which the electronic switch is switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventors: Martin Krueger, Daniel Bichler, Jing Hu, Markus Schmid, Juergen Stahl
  • Patent number: 10168720
    Abstract: A linear power supply (1) includes a P-channel (or PNP) first output transistor (10) connected between an input terminal of an input voltage (Vin) and an output terminal of an output voltage (Vout), an N-channel (or NPN) second output transistor (20) connected in parallel to the first output transistor (10), and a control circuit (30) that switches between a first mode and a second mode according to the input voltage (Vin), in which the first mode uses the first output transistor (10) while the second mode uses the second output transistor (20) as an output transistor that generates the output voltage (Vout) from the input voltage (Vin).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kotaro Iwata, Hiroki Inoue, Zhencheng Jin
  • Patent number: 10168727
    Abstract: An adaptive low-dropout regulator (LDO) having a wide voltage endurance range includes a power supply voltage tracker (P1), a voltage-current converter (101), an error amplifier (201), a current mirror circuit (102), and a dynamic voltage divider (103). One end of the power supply voltage tracker (P1) is connected to a Vdd, the other end thereof is connected to the voltage-current converter (101) connected to an input end of the current mirror circuit (102), and an output end of the current mirror circuit (102) is connected to sources of two input field effect transistors (N3, N4) in the error amplifier (201). Sources of two load field effect transistors (P2, P3) in the error amplifier (201) are connected to the Vdd. Dynamic voltage dividers (103A, 103B) are connected respectively between each of the input field effect transistors (N3, N4) and the corresponding load field effect transistors (P2, P3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: VANCHIP (TIANJIN) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 10158292
    Abstract: As may be consistent with one or more embodiments, an apparatus and or method involves a switching power supply circuit and a control circuit therefor. The switching power supply circuit operates in high and low-power modes. In the high power mode, high and low power rails of a first circuit and of a second circuit are coupled to a power source circuit (e.g. a battery). In the low-power mode, the first circuit is operated in a high power domain and the second circuit is operated in a low power domain using recycled charge from the high power domain. The control circuit operates the switching circuit in the high-power mode and low-power mode (for power conservation) in response to a control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Ajay Kapoor, Steven Mark Thoen
  • Patent number: 10153697
    Abstract: A multi-phase power supply circuit includes multiple phases to convert an input voltage into a respective output voltage to power a load. A first phase of the multi-phase power supply includes a core power supply circuit including, for example, high side switch circuitry and low side switch circuitry. During normal operation, the core power supply circuit converts an input voltage into a respective output voltage to power a load. To provide failure mode protection with respect to the core power supply circuit and prevent a failure mode in which the first phase would otherwise produce a dangerous over-voltage condition, the first power supply phase includes an input voltage switch circuit disposed between an input voltage source and the core power supply circuit. The input voltage switch circuit provides a way of preventing the input voltage from being conveyed to the core power supply circuit during a failure mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Mudassar Khatib, Danny Clavette
  • Patent number: 10152937
    Abstract: This semiconductor device includes a first regulator that stabilizes an input voltage to generate a stabilized voltage; a voltage boosting circuit that boosts the stabilized voltage to generate a boosted voltage; a second regulator that stabilizes the boosted voltage to generate a first power supply voltage; and a third regulator that is connected to the second regulator in parallel, and that stabilizes the boosted voltage to generate a second power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sachiyuki Abe, Nobuyuki Oikawa
  • Patent number: 10148170
    Abstract: A switching power converter is provided that uses at least two peak current thresholds. In particular, the switching power converter clamps a desired peak current to not fall below a low peak current threshold value while a rectified input voltage is decreasing and to not fall below a high peak current threshold value subsequent to zero crossing times for an AC input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Guang Feng, Xiaoyan Wang, Nan Shi
  • Patent number: 10139850
    Abstract: A current mirror includes an input transistor and an output transistor, wherein the sources of the input and output transistor are connected to a supply voltage node. The gates of the input and output transistors are connected through a switch. A first current source is coupled to the input transistor to provide an input current. A copy transistor has a source connected to the supply node and a gate connected to the gate of the input transistor at a mirror node. A second current source is coupled to the copy transistor to provide a copy current. A source-follower transistor has its source connected to the mirror node and its gate connected to the drain of the copy transistor. Charge sharing at the mirror node occurs in response to actuation of the switch and the source-follower transistor is turned on in response thereto to discharge the mirror node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Pasotti, Laura Capecchi, Riccardo Zurla
  • Patent number: 10141745
    Abstract: We describe a photovoltaic (PV) panel system comprising a PV panel with multiple sub-strings of connected solar cells in combination with a power conditioning unit (microinverter). The power conditioning unit comprises a set of input power converters, one connected to each sub-string, and a common output power conversion stage, to provide power to an ac mains power supply output. Integration of the micro-inverter into the solar PV module in this way provides many advantages, including greater efficiency and reliability. Additionally, embodiments of the invention avoid the need for bypass diodes, a component with a high failure rate in PV panels, providing lower power loss and higher reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Garrity, Asim Mumtaz
  • Patent number: 10135334
    Abstract: A switching power conversion system includes a main power circuit structured to convert power from a power source at an input voltage to an output voltage using a first inductive current. The power conversion system also includes a secondary power circuit structured to scale the first inductive current to a second inductive current smaller than the first inductive current by a scaling factor. A controller is configured to control operations of the main power circuit and the secondary power circuit. Zero voltage switching (ZVS) and zero current switching (ZCS) is detected by sensing voltages across switches on the secondary power circuit. Accuracy can thus be improved. Output current of the conversion system is also determined by monitoring the voltage across a sense resistor in the secondary power circuit, which is a scaled representation of the output current, thus power loss can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: VLT, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrizio Vinciarelli, Steven Montminy, Wesley Roach
  • Patent number: 10133287
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an amplifier, a pass transistor, a compensation circuit, and a bias voltage generator. The amplifier has an output terminal. The pass transistor has a gate and an output terminal. The gate is coupled to the output terminal of the amplifier, and the output terminal of the pass transistor is coupled to a load. The compensation circuit is coupled between the output terminal of the amplifier and the output terminal of the pass transistor. The compensation circuit has a variable impedance. The bias voltage generator is coupled between the output terminal of the pass transistor and the compensation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yih-Shan Yang
  • Patent number: 10128769
    Abstract: A power adjusting circuit includes a sensor configured to measure a voltage and a current of the first AC output by an inverter, an AC/DC/AC converter configured to receive the first AC output from the inverter, and a controller configured to convert the first AC output to a second AC output having a desired power factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Julian De Hoog, Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, Ramachandra Kolluri
  • Patent number: 10128761
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a primary-controlled high power factor quasi resonant converter. The converter converts an AC power line input to a DC output to power a load, generally a string of LEDs, and may be compatible with phase-cut dimmers. The power input is fed into a transformer being controlled by a power switch. The power switch is driven by a controller having a shaping circuit. The shaping circuit uses a current generator, switched resistor and capacitor to produce a reference voltage signal. The controller drives the power switch based on the voltage reference signal, resulting in a sinusoidal input current in a primary winding of the transformer, resulting in high power factor and low total harmonic distortion for the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giovanni Gritti, Claudio Adragna
  • Patent number: 10122269
    Abstract: A system that includes a regulator circuit is disclosed. The regulator circuit includes first and second phase units whose outputs are coupled to a power supply node of a circuit block, via respective coupled inductors. The first phase unit may initiate a charge cycle of the power supply node in response to assertion of a clock signal and generate a compensated current using currents measure through both inductors and the clock signal. In response to a determination that the compensated current is greater than a demand current generated using a voltage level of the power supply node and a reference voltage, the first phase unit may halt the charge cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fabio Gozzini, Jay B. Fletcher, Shawn Searles, Sanjay Pant
  • Patent number: 10122175
    Abstract: For voltage angle control, a control module generates a control signal for a grid. A canceling function generates an output voltage angle as a function of the control signal that regulates the grid. The output voltage signal includes an angular canceling function that cancels an angular control portion of a dynamic response of the grid such that the control signal controls the grid as a second-order quadrant-axis current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhendong Zhang, Ahmed S. Mohamed Sayed Ahmed