Patents Examined by Ronald W. Leja
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Patent number: 10529702Abstract: An apparatus includes an integrated circuit, a plurality of bi-directional pins, and an electro-static discharge (ESD) clamp. The integrated circuit is configured to provide a ground potential. The plurality of bi-directional pins are configured to provide a differential input signal for the integrated circuit. The electro-static discharge (ESD) clamp is coupled between the ground potential and the plurality of bi-directional pins.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2014Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Zhong Chen, Danyang Zhu, Zhuang Ma
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Patent number: 10511165Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit assembly for protecting a unit to be operated from a supply network against overvoltage, comprising an input having a first and a second input connection, which are connected to the supply network, an output having a first and a second output connection, to which the unit to be protected can be connected, and a protection circuit, which is provided between the first and the second input connections in order to limit the voltage present at the first and the second input connections. According to the invention, the protection circuit has a power semiconductor, in particular an IGBT, wherein a series circuit consisting of a diac, i.e., a bidirectional electrode, and a Zener element is connected between the collector and the gate of the power semiconductor, wherein the sum of the Zener voltage and the diac voltage results in a clamping voltage for the power semiconductor, which lies above the voltage of the supply network and defines the protection level.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: DEHN + SÖHNE GMBH + CO. KGInventors: Franz Schork, Ralph Brocke, Thomas Böhm, Dominik Donauer
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Patent number: 10504655Abstract: The composite electronic component includes: the capacitor including a body in which a plurality of dielectric layers and internal electrodes facing each other, with the dielectric layer interposed therebetween, are stacked, and the ESD protection device including first and second lead electrodes disposed on the body of the capacitor, a discharge part disposed between the first and second lead electrodes, and a protection layer disposed on the first and second lead electrodes and the discharge part; an input terminal connected to the internal electrode of the capacitor and the first lead electrode of the ESD protection device; and a ground terminal connected to the internal electrode of the capacitor and the second lead electrode of the ESD protection device. G2/G1<4.0 is satisfied, in which G1 is a distance between the internal electrodes adjacent to each other and G2 is a distance between the first and second lead electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Man Su Byun, Ho Yoon Kim, Dae Heon Jeong, Kyung Hwa Yu, Min Kyoung Cheon, Soo Hwan Son
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Patent number: 10497598Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic structural element, at least one electrode disposed on the ceramic structural element, and a surface dielectric layer disposed over the at least one electrode, the surface layer activated by a voltage in the electrode to form an electric charge to electrostatically clamp a substrate to the electrostatic chuck. The surface dielectric layer comprises: (i) an insulator layer of amorphous alumina, of a thickness of less than about 5 microns, disposed over the at least one electrode; and (ii) a stack of dielectric layers disposed over the insulator layer. The stack of dielectric layers includes: (a) at least one dielectric layer including aluminum oxynitride; and (b) at least one dielectric layer including at least one of silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2015Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: ENTEGRIS, INC.Inventors: Richard A. Cooke, Wolfram Neff, Carlo Waldfried, Jakub Rybczynski, Michael Hanagan, Wade Krull
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Patent number: 10498131Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic circuit and a method. The electronic circuit includes a plurality of electronic switches each including a load path and a control node, wherein the load paths are connected in parallel between a first load node and a second load node of the electronic circuit; a current sense circuit configured to sense a load current between the first load node and the second load node and to generate a current sense signal representing the load current; a drive circuit configured to drive the plurality of electronic switches based on at least one input signal; and an overload detector. The overload detector is configured to receive the current sense signal and a select information, and generate an overload signal dependent on the current sense signal and the select information.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2016Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Alfons Graf
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Patent number: 10497501Abstract: An example apparatus may include a solenoid actuator with a solenoid coil and a corresponding solenoid armature. A plurality of switches may be coupled to the solenoid coil. A controller may be electrically coupled to the plurality of switches, the controller having a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor. The memory device may contain a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to receive a feedback signal corresponding to a condition of at least one of the solenoid coil and the solenoid armature; and generate a control signal to alter the state of at least one of the plurality of switches based, at least in part, on the received feedback signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2015Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventor: Jianying Chu
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Patent number: 10490994Abstract: A device for current sensing of a power transistor system having a power transistor, a first series circuit which includes a first transistor and a first resistance, the first resistance disposed in a load circuit of the first transistor, a second series circuit which has a second transistor and a second resistance disposed in a load circuit of the second transistor, the first series circuit, the second series circuit and the power transistor situated in parallel with one another, the first resistance connected to the first transistor in an electrically conductive manner when the first transistor is switched on, and the second resistance connected to the second transistor in an electrically conductive manner when the second transistor is switched on, and a gate terminal of the first transistor is connected in an electrically conductive manner to a gate terminal of the power transistor when the power transistor is switched on.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2015Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Thomas Jacke, Werner Schiemann
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Patent number: 10488886Abstract: Flexible display systems and methods for controlling and operating the same are disclosed herein. According to an aspect, a display system is provided. The display system comprises a display that is configured to be shaped in one of a first shape and a second shape, the first shape and the second shape being different shapes. The display system further comprises electromagnets attached to the display and oriented such that when the electromagnets are actuated, the display is held in the first shape.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Jason Allen Browne, Jeffrey Ross Hamilton, Ross Lee Mickens, Mike Yubo Zhu
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Patent number: 10491099Abstract: A switching regulator control circuit is used in a switching regulator that converts an input voltage into an output voltage by the switching of a switching device, and generates a switching signal for controlling the ON/OFF operation of the switching device. The switching regulator control circuit has a fault detector and a fault protector. The fault detector detects, based on the duty ratio of the switching signal or a variable correlated to it and included in a control signal used to generate the switching signal, a fault state where the duty ratio falls outside the normal modulation range. The fault protector stops the switching of the switching device when the fault detector detects a fault state.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuhei Yamaguchi, Tetsuo Tateishi
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Patent number: 10483062Abstract: An electric wire protection device comprising a pyrotechnic cutoff switch disposed between an electric wire connecting a load and a vehicle-mounted power supply that is connected to a reference potential. The pyrotechnic cutoff switch is disposed between the electric wire and has: a conductive part through which current between the vehicle-mounted power supply and the load flows; a cutting blade cuts the conductive part; a drive part, actuated by gunpowder, propels the cutting blade in a direction in which the conductive part is to be cut; and first and second terminals that input and output current that drives the drive part. In addition, the electric wire protection device comprises: a conductive wire having one end thereof connected to the electric wire and the other end thereof connected to the first terminal; and a diode having an anode connected to the reference potential and a cathode connected to the second terminal.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Yuuki Sugisawa
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Patent number: 10473711Abstract: A multi-channel device with a single diagnosis status pin may be configured to detect if one or more channels has a fault. The multi-channel device, which may operate within a system, can communicate which channel, of a plurality of channels, has the fault using only a single diagnosis status pin and no additional diagnosis control pins. The multi-channel device may output a fault signal on the diagnosis status pin and in response to an interrogation input signal on the same channel as a fault channel indicate to the system which channel is the fault channel.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2016Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Markus Ladurner, Albino Pidutti, Daniel Mayer
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Patent number: 10476253Abstract: A power pedestal including a receptacle, a circuit breaker electrically connected between a power source and the receptacle and including separable contacts structured to trip open and electrically disconnect the receptacle from the power source, a current sensor structured to detect current flowing to the receptacle, and a ground fault detection device structured to sense a ground fault based on an output of the current sensor and to control the circuit breaker to trip open the separable contacts in response to detecting the ground fault. The ground fault detection device has an adjustable range of ground fault protection.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2016Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITEDInventors: Jason Demetrios Easton, Chris Emmons Drueke, Paul David Seff
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Patent number: 10468874Abstract: The present invention refers to a combined device for electrical protection against transient overvoltages and monitoring of an electrical installation, of those used in installations with alternating single-phase or multi-phase current, or direct current, of those formed by cartridges plugged in to a fixed base or formed by a monoblock, both types of devices comprising one or more components for overvoltage protection in each plug-in cartridge or in the monoblock, characterised in that it comprises monitoring means configured so that they continuously measure and process one or several parameters related to the state of the electrical installation and the protective device itself, and connected to said monitoring means a series of indication means configured to indicate one or a combination of output parameters are comprised.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2015Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignees: CIRPROTEC, S.L., MERSEN USA NEWBURYPORT-MA, LLCInventors: Carles Pons Gonzalez, Jose Antonio Martin Peidro
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Patent number: 10468870Abstract: An electrostatic protection circuit includes a trigger circuit that is connected between a first power line and a second power line. The trigger circuit is configured to output a trigger signal in response to a voltage fluctuation between the first and second power lines. A shunt element has a main current path between the first power line and the second power line and is controllable to be on and off using the trigger signal. A control circuit is configured to supply a control signal to turn off the shunt element when a current value of the main current path of the shunt element exceeds a predetermined threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventor: Kazuhiro Kato
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Patent number: 10470282Abstract: The present invention relates to a static electricity removal booth, and more specifically to a static electricity removal booth which measures and displays the amount of static electricity accumulated in a human body before entrance into or exit from an explosion-proof area where an inflammable, such as gunpowder, refined petroleum or inflammable gas, is handled, allows an enterer to enter the inside of the static electricity removal booth when a voltage equal to or higher than an allowable value is measured, removes the bodily static electricity by bringing sprayed moisture including a conductive material into contact with the enterer in an omnidirectional manner, and then allows the enterer to enter the explosion-proof area, thereby preventing an explosion accident attributable to human body-accumulated static electricity from occurring.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: ESGK CO., LTD.Inventor: Kwi Young Kim
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Patent number: 10454080Abstract: A connector assembly includes a connector having a plurality of terminals configured to be mated with a control module connector associated with a battery module and a multi-wire planar cable extending from the connector along a cable axis. The multi-wire planar cable has a plurality of flat wires terminated to corresponding terminals and a common jacket for the plurality of flat wires. The flat wires have exposed terminating portions at a sensor end of the multi-wire planar cable for termination to different voltage sensors associated with corresponding buss bars. The terminating portions are staggered along the cable axis. The multi-wire planar cable is angled such that the cable axis is non-parallel to a cell stack-up direction of the battery cells with the exposed terminating portions being aligned along a terminating axis generally parallel to the cell stack-up direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignees: TE Connectivity Corporation, TYCO Electronics Japan G.K.Inventors: Weiping Zhao, Haifeng Liu
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Patent number: 10443560Abstract: A method of manufacturing a control device suitable for use in a vehicle includes providing a housing, a circuit board, and thermal fuse. A first contact of the fuse is soldered at the circuit board at a first solder joint and a second contact is soldered at the circuit board at a second solder joint. During assembly of the circuit board at the housing, an engaging tab of the thermal fuse engages the housing whereby the housing urges the engaging tab and the first contact of the thermal fuse in a direction away from a surface of the circuit board. When the control device is assembled and in use, and when a temperature exceeds a threshold temperature so that the first solder joint at the first contact sufficiently melts, the first contact moves away from the circuit board to break the electrical connection at the first solder joint.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2018Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventor: Michael Vogelbacher
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Patent number: 10447026Abstract: A circuit protection device is provided. The circuit protection device includes an active energy absorber that is coupled between two power lines in an electrical power distribution system and is configured to selectively conduct fault current responsive to overvoltage conditions. The active energy absorber includes an overvoltage protection module that includes two thyristors that are connected in anti-parallel with one another and a varistor that is connected with the overvoltage protection module as a series circuit. The series circuit including the varistor and the overvoltage protection module is connected between the power lines.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2016Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: RIPD IP DEVELOPMENT LTDInventors: Grigoris Kostakis, Zafiris G. Politis, Fotis Xepapas, Alexis Chorozoglou, Christos Prevezianos
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Patent number: 10447024Abstract: Disclosed herein is a current circuit breaker that protects a semiconductor module by using fast switches to block a current. The current circuit breaker includes: a first switch configured to be opened upon a fault current being generated; a second switch connected to the first switch and configured to be opened after a predetermined period of time elapses since the first switch has been opened; a semiconductor module having an end connected to the first switch and another end connected to the second switch; a capacitor having a terminal connected to the second switch and the other terminal connected to the semiconductor module; and a surge arrester connected across the capacitor and configured to change its resistance according to a voltage across the capacitor to block the fault current.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.Inventor: Jung-Wook Sim
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Patent number: 10446300Abstract: An anti-surge structure built in switches includes three metal-oxide varistors disposed in an insulating body in stair-like arrangement. The metal-oxide varistors further has an insulating band surrounding a middle metal-oxide varistor and defining four isolated insulating areas within the insulating body, so as to avoid high voltage flashover and to protect the structure from external impacts. With the stair-like arrangement, each metal-oxide varistor has a connecting area for both ends of a metal strap to be welded thereon by low-temperature solder paste. When the low-temperature solder paste are melted by heat, a compressed spring element thereof is ejected to displace a pushing element thereof and to further detach two connecting points of the structure, so as to break a circuit connected by the structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Inventors: Yi-Hsiang Wang, I-Ying Wang