Patents Examined by Shawn Riley
-
Patent number: 8274799Abstract: A resonant mode power converter is controlled with a control unit including a current limiting circuit coupled to receive a first current representative of a power converter output and a second current generated in response to a reference voltage. The current limiting circuit is coupled to limit the first current in response to the second current. An oscillator is coupled to receive the first current to generate a control signal having a control frequency in response to the first current. The power converter output is controlled in response to the control frequency of the control signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2011Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Anthony Reinberger, Paul Demone
-
Patent number: 8264859Abstract: A transistor is brought into conduction when, for example, a voltage between both ends of a second clamp capacitor exceeds a predetermined reference voltage. A resistance value of a discharge resistor is smaller than a value obtained by dividing the reference voltage by the maximum value of a current flowing through the discharge resistor. When the transistor is brought into conduction as a result of a voltage between both ends of the second clamp capacitor exceeding the predetermined reference voltage, a voltage applied to the discharge resistor, which results from a regenerative current, is larger one of the voltage between both ends of the second clamp capacitor and a voltage drop of the discharge resistor due to the regenerative current. The voltage drop and the voltage between both ends are smaller than a voltage between DC power supply lines, whereby it is possible to reduce an electrostatic capacitance of the discharge resistor.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2008Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kenichi Sakakibara
-
Patent number: 8258858Abstract: A circuit includes a supply voltage and a control current line including two resistors. A sink current line branches off from the control current line between the resistors. A current sink transistor has an emitter that is connected to the sink current line and a collector that is connected to ground via a first further resistor. At least one reference transistor has an emitter that is connected to its base, to the supply voltage via a second further resistor and to the base of the current sink transistor. The collector of the reference transistor is connected to ground or to an emitter of a further reference transistor, which is switched in a manner similar to the first reference transistor.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2011Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: EPCOS AGInventor: Erwin Spits
-
Patent number: 8259468Abstract: A three-phase inverter for converting DC power from a generator into three-phase AC power comprises a transformer for transforming two single phase alternating voltages with a fixed phase offset present at corresponding two primary windings into a three-phase alternating voltage present at secondary windings of the transformer. An inverter circuitry for receiving a direct voltage of the generator between two input lines and for supplying the two single phase alternating voltages to the two primary windings of the transformer is included in the three-phase inverter and comprises a split DC link having a center point connected to both input lines via corresponding capacitors and connected to a first terminal of each primary winding of the transformer, and two inverter half-bridges connected to both input lines, wherein a center point of each half bridge is connected to a second terminal of a corresponding one of the primary windings of the transformer.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2009Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AGInventor: Regine Mallwitz
-
Patent number: 8254150Abstract: An inverter provides alternating current (iout) to a load (130) containing a welding circuit. The inverter includes at least one commutation circuit (110) and a bridge circuit (120) connected to a bus forwarding power from a DC power source (100). The bus is also galvanically connected to the load (130) via the bridge circuit (120). The at least one commutation circuit (110) receives power from the DC power source (100); receives energy from inductive elements in the load (130) during a storage phase of a cyclic procedure, and controls energy feedback to the load (130) during a feedback phase of the cyclic procedure. The at least one commutation circuit (110) is a two-pole having a first pole (p1) connected to a first node (A) and a second pole (p2) connected to a second node (B). The at least one commutation circuit (110) is arranged to receive energy from the load (130) and feedback energy to the load (130) via the first and second nodes (A; B), either directly or via the bridge circuit (120).Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: ESAB ABInventors: Rolf Karlsson, Per Andersson, Dan Wessman
-
Patent number: 8254151Abstract: In a switched mode power supply, and in accordance with a method for operating a switched mode power supply, the magnitude of each occurrence of a current flowing during operation of a power output switch is sensed for negative feedback control. A sense voltage is generated proportional to the primary supply voltage. Whenever the sense voltage exceeds a threshold, output power of the power supply is limited by increasing the sensed magnitude of each occurrence of the flowing currents by adding to each sensed magnitude a voltage proportional to the sense voltage. Threshold voltages can be selected by using Zener diodes having different breakdown voltages. Respective ranges within the overall range of the primary supply voltage in which supplemental power limiting occurs and does not occur can thus be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2007Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Thomson LicensingInventor: William Vincent Fitzgerald
-
Patent number: 8253279Abstract: An Inductive power switching supply with a digital control for active implantable medical devices is disclosed. A switching power supply (14) receives as input (12) an input voltage (Vi) from a battery (10) and delivers as output (16) an output voltage (VO). The switching power supply comprises an inductor having an inductance value (L) and a switching network (S1 . . . S5, D1 . . . D4), providing, according to a predefined topology, at least two alternative configurations including a charge phase and a discharge phase. The switching network is controlled at the end of the charging and discharging phases and the output voltage is regulated as a function of the input voltage from the nominal voltage. The switching network control does not measure current through the inductor. An analog-to-digital converter (20) is used to deliver a digital value representative of the input voltage (Vi).Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Sorin CRM S.A.S.Inventor: Pascal Pons
-
Patent number: 8248043Abstract: A control circuit for a DC-DC converter includes a controller configured to control, based on a feedback voltage, a first switch provided between an inductor and a reference potential and a second switch provided between a coupling node of the first switch and the inductor and an output terminal, a third switch provided between the second switch and the output terminal and turned off when an overcurrent flows in a coupling path between the second switch and the output terminal, and a selector configured to select a voltage of a first position which is located on a side of the second switch in the coupling path as the feedback voltage when the third switch is turned off, or a voltage of a second position which is located on a side of the output terminal in the coupling path as the feedback voltage when the third switch is turned on.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor LimitedInventors: Koichi Inatomi, Naoki Nagase
-
Patent number: 8248044Abstract: Embodiments for at least one method and apparatus of controlling a bypass resistance of a voltage regulator are disclosed. One method includes generating a regulated output voltage based upon a switching voltage. The switching voltage is generated through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and a shunt switch element, the series switch element and the shunt switch element being connected between voltages based on an input voltage. A control of a duty cycle of the switching voltage is provided by sensing and feeding back the regulated output voltage. The bypass resistance is controlled based on a parameter related to the duty cycle, wherein the control of the duty cycle is persistent during the control of the bypass resistance.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2010Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: R2 Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: James E. C. Brown, Bret Rothenberg, Lawrence M. Burns
-
Patent number: 8242761Abstract: A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier comprising a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage having interposed therebetween a frequency compensation network for a loading current to flow therethrough. The regulator includes a current limiter inserted the flow-path of the loading current for the compensation network to increase the slew rate of the output of the differential amplifier by dispensing with the capacitive load in the frequency compensation network during load transients in the regulator.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: STMicroelectronics Design and Application s.r.o.Inventor: Karel Napravnik
-
Patent number: 8243480Abstract: An example power supply controller includes a regulation circuit, a current sense circuit, and a response circuit. The regulation circuit is coupled to regulate a sense terminal to a voltage level. The current sense circuit is coupled to the sense terminal to sense a current through the sense terminal a measurement delay period after a magnitude of the current through the sense terminal reaches a first threshold current level. The response circuit is coupled to the sense circuit and is responsive to the current through the sense terminal only after the measurement delay period.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2011Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Zhao-Jun Wang, Stefan Bäurle, David Michael Hugh Matthews
-
Patent number: 8243474Abstract: The control circuit for power supplying includes a driving module and a control module, wherein the driving module includes a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, and a fourth switch. In a first power supply mode, the first switch and the second switch are turned on, and the third switch and the fourth switch are turned off. The load current flows to the ground terminal via the first switch, the inductive load, and the second switch. When the control module sends a switching signal to the driving module, the first switch and the second switch are turned off and the third switch and the fourth switch are turned on, and the load current flows to the high potential terminal via the fourth switch, the inductive load, and the third switch due to the current inertia.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Feeling Technology Corp.Inventors: Hsuan-Chuan Chen, Teng-Tsai Lin
-
Patent number: 8243478Abstract: An example power converter includes an energy transfer element, a switch, a controller, and a current offset circuit. The controller switches the switch between an ON state and an OFF state to regulate the output of the power converter and is adapted to terminate the ON state of the switch in response to a switch current flowing through the switch reaching a switch current threshold. The current offset circuit is coupled to the input to be directly powered from an input voltage of the power supply. The current offset circuit generates an offset current to flow through the switch only during the ON state of the switch in response to a magnitude of the input voltage. The input current of the power converter is adjusted in response to the offset current.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2011Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventor: David Michael Hugh Matthews
-
Patent number: 8243477Abstract: A controller that forces primary regulation is disclosed. An example controller includes a switched element to be coupled to a second winding of an energy transfer element of a power supply. A secondary control circuit is coupled to the switched element. The secondary control circuit is to be coupled across an output of the second winding to switch the switched element in response to a difference between an actual output value at the output of the second winding and a desired output value to force a current in a third winding of the energy transfer element that is representative of the difference between the actual output value at the output of the second winding and the desired output value. A primary switch is to be coupled to a first winding of the energy transfer element. A primary control circuit is coupled to the primary switch. The primary control circuit is to be coupled to receive the current forced in the third winding of the energy transfer element in response to the secondary control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: William M. Polivka, Raymond Kenneth Orr
-
Patent number: 8242754Abstract: A resonant power converter with half bridge and full bridge operations and a method for control thereof are provided. The resonant power converter includes a full bridge circuit, a control circuit and a PFC circuit. The full bridge circuit switches a power transformer in response to switching signals. The control circuit coupled to receive a feedback signal and an input signal generates switching signals. The feedback signal is correlated to the output of the power converter and the input signal is correlated to the input voltage of the full bridge circuit, where the full bridge circuit is operated as a full bridge switching when the input signal is lower than a threshold, and the full bridge circuit is operated as a half bridge switching when the input signal is higher than the threshold. The PFC circuit generates the input voltage of the full bridge circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: System General Corp.Inventor: Ta-Yung Yang
-
Patent number: 8238124Abstract: Dual-mode AC/DC power converters and associated methods of operation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the AC/DC converter includes a primary winding, a switching transistor coupled to the primary winding, the switching transistor configured to carry a drain-source current, and a feedback voltage port configured to carry a feedback voltage. The feedback voltage port is coupled to the switching transistor to switch off the switching transistor when the drain-source current reaches a peak current limit. The peak current limit increases with increasing feedback voltage if and only if the feedback voltage satisfies an ordered relationship with a threshold.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2009Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.Inventors: Huanyu Lu, En Li
-
Patent number: 8237493Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of reducing an inductance is provided. In the semiconductor device in which a rectification MOSFET, a commutation MOSFET, and a driving IC that drives these MOSFETs are mounted on one package, the rectification MOSFET, a metal plate, and the commutation MOSFET are laminated. A current of a main circuit flows from a back surface of the package to a front surface thereof. The metal plate is connected to an output terminal via a wiring in the package. Wire bondings are used for wirings for connecting the driving IC, the rectification MOSFET, and the commutation MOSFET, all terminals being placed on the same plane. For this reason, the inductance becomes small and also a power source loss and a spike voltage are reduced.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventors: Takayuki Hashimoto, Nobuyoshi Matsuura, Masaki Shiraishi, Yukihiro Satou, Tetsuya Kawashima
-
Patent number: 8233295Abstract: Methods, system and apparatus are provided for quickly approximating a peak summed magnitude (A) of a phase voltage (Vph) waveform in a multi-phase system that implements third harmonic injection.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2010Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Ray M. Ransom, Gabriel Gallegos-Lopez, Michael H. Kinoshita
-
Patent number: 8228050Abstract: A switching power supply is a buck DC-DC converter that includes a plurality of inductors and switching devices that control the connection relations of the inductors, the ON and OFF of the switching devices are controlled such that the inductors are connected in series to each other while the switching devices are ON and such that the inductors are connected in parallel to each other while the switching devices are OFF for obtaining a low output voltage easily. The ON and OFF of the switching devices are controlled such that some of the inductors are disconnected for realizing a DC-DC converter that exhibits different performance. The switching power supply according to the invention facilitates preventing the circuit scale from being enlarged, preventing especially the number of large-capacity capacitors from increasing and obtaining a low output voltage.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2010Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tadahiko Sato
-
Patent number: 8222873Abstract: A circuit for regulating voltage in a power driver, the circuit comprising a current amplifier adapted to measure current flowing through an input resistor, separate AC and DC components of the current flowing through an input resistor, and apply an AC gain factor to the AC component and a DC gain factor to the DC component.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2010Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Wendong Zhang, Hakam D. Hussein