Patents Examined by Shawn Riley
  • Patent number: 8320139
    Abstract: A switching regulator with frequency limitation comprises a switch, a current sensing circuit, a voltage feedback circuit, a control circuit and a frequency limitation circuit. The current sensing circuit senses the current flowing through the switch and generating a current sensing signal representative of it. The voltage feedback circuit senses the output signal of the switching regulator and generates a feedback signal accordingly. The control circuit compares the current sensing signal with the feedback signal and turns off the switch based on the comparison result. The frequency limitation circuit is electrically coupled to the control circuit to limit the switching frequency of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Hu, James C. Moyer, Junming Zhang, Yuancheng Ren
  • Patent number: 8314597
    Abstract: A load driving apparatus is provided. The load driving apparatus is configured to output an electrical signal to a load. The load driving apparatus includes a driver and an average voltage/current detector. The driver receives an input voltage and a control signal. The driver tunes the electrical signal according to the control signal. The average voltage/current detector receives the electrical signal outputted to the load and generates the control signal by comparing the electrical signal and a reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan Hsieh, Wei-Jen Lai, Chih-Jen Yen
  • Patent number: 8310221
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided which comprises circuitry for DC-DC conversion configured to switch an inductor current through an inductor using slope compensation, wherein the circuitry comprises a slope compensation stage configured to generate a slope compensation signal as a function of an switching frequency of the DC-DC conversion and an input voltage of the DC-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Herzer, Sumeet P. Kulkarni, Jochen Neidhardt, Maciej Jankowski
  • Patent number: 8310222
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller forms a compensation current modulates a value of the feedback signal responsively to a value of a timing control signal used to form a clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Tomas Tichy
  • Patent number: 8310293
    Abstract: A forward converter circuit includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding. A first transistor is coupled in series with the primary winding and a second transistor is coupled in series with the secondary winding. A control circuit generates PWM control signals for controlling operation of the first and second transistors. The control signals are generated responsive to source PWM signals processed through programmable delay timers to generate set/reset control signals which set an output PWM control signal duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas L. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8305062
    Abstract: An embodiment of method is described for controlling a voltage regulator of the type comprising at least one modulator of the PWM type, the method comprising: 1) generation of a control voltage signal for said PWM modulator; 2) frequency modulation of said control voltage signal obtaining a modulated control voltage signal having an harmonic at a switching frequency of said voltage regulator of reduced entity with respect to said control voltage signal; and 3) application of said modulated control voltage signal to said PWM modulator for generating a driving signal for said voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Zafarana, Osvaldo Enrico Zambetti, Andrea Cappelletti
  • Patent number: 8299764
    Abstract: A controller integrated circuit for a switched mode regulator which converts an input voltage to an output voltage. The controller includes a phase pin, a modulation circuit and a filter. The modulation circuit is configured to regulate the output voltage using the input voltage and output voltage level information. The filter has an input coupled to the phase pin and an output providing the output voltage level information which approximates the output voltage based on phase pin voltage. Various filters are contemplated, including passive and active low pass filters and the like. A regulator using such a controller is disclosed. A method of determining a voltage level of an output voltage includes receiving a phase voltage from a phase pin coupled to the phase node, and filtering the phase voltage to provide an output sense voltage having a voltage level approximating the voltage level of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Laur, Rhys S. A. Philbrick
  • Patent number: 8295064
    Abstract: A disclosed operation control method of a charge pump circuit for boosting an input voltage to a desired magnitude in the range between the input voltage and twice the input voltage and outputting the boosted voltage. The method includes the steps of (a) during a charging period, charging, with the input voltage, one or more of the capacitors connected in series by selectively turning on one or more of the first switches in accordance with the desired voltage magnitude, turning on the third switch, and selectively turning on the second switch or one of the fourth switches; and (b) during a discharging period, turning off the third switch and the second switch or the fourth switch having been turned on; selectively turning on one or more of the first switches; and turning on one or more fourth and the fifth switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yohichi Shiwaya
  • Patent number: 8294434
    Abstract: A constant current output control type switching regulator that reduces the number of parts, resolves the loss of the current running in the resistor, and eliminates the need to change the time constant of the integrator due to changing the inductor value. The switching regulator creates the adjustment reference voltage by multiplying the proportion of Vout/Vin by the reference voltage, and when the clock signal is high, the current sense voltage is sampled when the current of the initial current value runs in the switching transistor, and when the clock signal is low, the potential difference between the adjustment reference voltage and the sampled current sense voltage is added to the adjustment reference voltage and creates the second reference voltage; and with the signal CPOUT controls the operation of the transistors upon execution of PWM control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Junji Nishida
  • Patent number: 8294307
    Abstract: An apparatus for voltage controlling used in a portable electronic device includes an HDMI connector, a detector and a voltage selector. The HDMI connector is to establish a connection with an external device. The detector is to detect whether the connection is established by detecting a voltage of a hot plug detect pin of the HDMI connector and to further compare the voltage to a threshold voltage so as to generate a control signal accordingly. The voltage selector is to select one of a first voltage and a second voltage based on the control signal and to further output the selected voltage to a power pin of the HDMI connector. In the apparatus, the control signal orders the voltage selector to select the second voltage if the voltage is not lower than the threshold voltage, and to select the first voltage otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Meng-Che Tsai
  • Patent number: 8294450
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a bandgap reference circuit and a start-up circuit. The bandgap reference circuit includes a positive power supply node and a PMOS transistor including a source coupled to the positive power supply node. The start-up circuit is configured to be turned on during a start-up stage of the bandgap reference circuit, and to be turned off after the start-up stage. The start-up circuit includes a switch configured to interconnect a gate and a drain of the PMOS transistor during the start-up stage, and to disconnect the gate of the PMOS transistor from the drain of the PMOS transistor after the start-up stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Fu Lee, Gu-Huan Li
  • Patent number: 8294432
    Abstract: A power converter includes an inverter circuit for superimposing a generated voltage on an AC input voltage, a diode bridge full-wave rectifying circuit connected to the inverter circuit, smoothing capacitors connected between DC output terminals of the rectifying circuit, short-circuit switches connected to the rectifying circuit, a rectification mode changing circuit connected to the rectifying circuit, a short-circuit switch control circuit for maintaining the short-circuit switches in an on state in a short-circuit phase range, a rectification mode control circuit for maintaining the rectification mode changing circuit in an off state in the short-circuit phase range and an inverter control circuit for PWM-controlling the inverter circuit so that an output voltage of the rectifying circuit follows a target output voltage when the rectification mode changing circuit is in the off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Awane, Masaki Yamada
  • Patent number: 8294433
    Abstract: A disclosed constant current supply type switching regulator includes a switching element configured to activate a switch operation depending on an input control signal, an inductor configured to be charged with the input voltage in response to the switching element activating the switch operation, a rectification element configured to discharge the inductor in response to the switching element shifting to a cutoff state, a current detection circuit unit configured to generate a current proportional to a current flowing into the switching element and generate and supply a current sense voltage depending on the proportional current and a control circuit unit configured to average the current sense voltage supplied from the current detection circuit unit and perform PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control on the switching element for supplying a constant current in order to force the averaged voltage to be equal to a first reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Junji Nishida
  • Patent number: 8284574
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an inverter includes operating the inverter in a one of a normal run mode or a pulse mode depending on one or more criteria. When operating in the pulse mode, the inverter generates a sinusoidal output pulse waveform including a plurality of pulses having a determined pulse width. The pulse width is less than a half-wave period of a full-cycle sinusoidal waveform and may be determined as function of, for example, the output power of the inverter, a grid voltage, and/or other criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Chapman, Philip Krein
  • Patent number: 8284577
    Abstract: An exemplary method is disclosed for operation of a converter circuit having first and second partial converter systems, the partial converter systems being connected in series to one another via two series-connected inductances. A junction point of the two series-connected inductances forms an output connection. Each partial converter system can include at least one two-pole switching cell, each switching cell having two series-connected controllable bidirectional power semiconductor switches. The power semiconductor switches in the switching cells of the first and second partial converter system are controlled by first and second control signals. A capacitive energy store in the converter circuit can be designed independent of desired current at the output connection of the converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Manfred Winkelnkemper
  • Patent number: 8283901
    Abstract: A power converter and method of controlling a power switch therein to improve power conversion efficiency at low output current. In one embodiment, the power converter includes a first power switch coupled to a source of electrical power and a second power switch coupled to the first power switch and to an output terminal of the power converter. The power converter also includes a controller configured to alternately enable conduction of the first and the second power switches with a duty cycle in response to an output characteristic of the power converter. The controller is configured to control a level of current in the first power switch when the second power switch is substantially disabled to conduct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Enpirion, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas D. Lopata, Ashraf W. Lotfi
  • Patent number: 8283902
    Abstract: A voltage regulator has a switch configured to alternately couple and decouple a voltage source through an inductor to a load, feedback circuitry to generate a feedback current, a current sensor configured to measure the feedback current, and a controller configured to receive the feedback current measurement from the current sensor and, in response thereto, to control a duty cycle of the switch. The feedback circuitry includes an amplifier having a first input configured to receive a desired voltage, a second input, and an output, a capacitor connecting the second input to the output of the amplifier, and a resistor connecting the output of the amplifier and the output terminal such that a feedback current proportional to a difference between the desired voltage and an output voltage at an output terminal flows through the resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Seth Kahn, Michael D. McJimsey
  • Patent number: 8283908
    Abstract: An ON-OFF timer circuit for use in a DC-DC converter to minimize or eliminate the risk of developing sub-harmonic oscillations that may cause the dc-dc system to be unstable is presented. The apparatus controls and limits the ‘On’ time duration and ‘Off’ time duration within one pulse cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Panasonic Semiconductor Asia Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Ishii, Chun Kiong Leslie Khoo, Ulysses Ramos Lopez, Gin Kooi Lim, Khairullah Bin Zayadi
  • Patent number: 8279627
    Abstract: An example controller for use in a power converter includes an oscillator and a logic circuit. The oscillator is to be coupled to a switch of the power converter and determines a switching cycle period of the switch. The logic circuit is also to be coupled to the switch to control a duty cycle of the switch in response to a magnitude of a feedback signal to regulate an output of the power converter. The logic circuit controls the duty cycle of the switch such that a control loop gain of the power converter is substantially constant during a transition of the controller between duty cycle control modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Baurle, Giao Pham
  • Patent number: 8279649
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a DC-to-AC inverter is disclosed. The DC-to-AC inverter may be configured to convert DC power received from an alternative energy source to AC power for supplying an AC grid or load. The inverter may determine whether the power presently supplied by the alternative energy source is less than a predetermined amount of power and, if so, disable an output converter of the inverter. Additionally, the inverter may predict the voltage of a DC bus of the inverter at a future point in time and, if the predicted DC bus voltage is greater than a predetermined maximum DC bus voltage, enable the output converter to transfer energy from the DC bus to the AC grid to reduce the DC bus voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Trishan Esram, Alexander Gray, Eric Martina, Patrick L. Chapman