Patents Examined by Thienvu V. Tran
  • Patent number: 11855641
    Abstract: A resistor network with reduced area and/or improved voltage resolution and methods of designing and operating the same are provided. Generally, the resistor network includes a resistor ladder with a first number (n) of integrated resistors coupled in series between a top and a bottom contact, with one or more contacts coupled between adjacent resistors. A second number of integrated resistors is coupled in parallel between the top and bottom contacts, and a third number of integrated resistors is coupled in series between the second integrated resistors and either the top or the bottom contact. Each of the integrated resistors has a resistance of R, and a voltage developed across each resistor in the resistor ladder is equal to a voltage applied between the top and bottom contacts divided by n. Where the second number is n?1, and the third number is 1, the total number of resistors is 2n.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Oren Shlomo
  • Patent number: 11855548
    Abstract: A power conversion device in an embodiment includes a first power converter; a plurality of direct current-direct current (DCDC) converter devices; and a second power converter. The first power converter includes a plurality of first positive-side arms; a plurality of first negative-side arms; a first positive-side star connection line configured to connect the plurality of first positive-side arms in a star shape; a first negative-side star connection line configured to connect the plurality of first negative-side arms in a star shape; and a first terminal configured to connect the first positive-side star connection line and the first negative-side star connection line to each phase of a power supply side alternating current (AC) system and the plurality of first positive-side arms and the plurality of first negative-side arms mutually convert a first AC power and a first DC power of the power supply side AC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoto Niimura
  • Patent number: 11855441
    Abstract: An electrical receptacle including an outlet for electrically connecting to an external load, a load terminal electrically connected to the outlet, a line terminal electrically connected to a line and configured to receive line power, an interrupting device, and a testing circuit. The interrupting device electrically connects the load terminal to the line terminal when in a first condition and electrically disconnects the load terminal and the line terminal when in a second condition. The testing circuit is configured to determine when the external load is electrically connected to the outlet, and place the interrupting device in the first condition when the external load is electrically connected to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert Simon, Matthew Samojeden
  • Patent number: 11853090
    Abstract: A low-dropout regulator including a first comparator, an edge trigger, a second comparator, a third comparator, and an output stage circuit is provided. The first comparator generates a first comparison signal according to a first reference signal and an output signal. The edge trigger outputs a trigger signal according to the first comparison signal, a second comparison signal, and a third comparison signal. The second comparator generates the second comparison signal according to the output signal and a second reference signal. The third comparator generates the third comparison signal according to the output signal and a third reference signal. The output stage circuit outputs the output signal according to the first comparison signal, the second comparison signal, and the third comparison signal. The output stage circuit includes a plurality of hysteresis controllers and a plurality of power transistors. Each hysteresis controller controls a conduction state of a corresponding power transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Chih-Feng Lin
  • Patent number: 11848599
    Abstract: A drive circuit for a switch drives an upper-arm switch and a lower-arm switch that include body diodes. Of the body diodes in upper- and lower-arm switches, the diode through which a feedback current flows during a dead time is a target diode. Of the upper- and lower-arm switches, the switch that includes the target diode is a target switch. The remaining switch is an opposing arm switch. The drive circuit maintains an electric potential of a control terminal relative to a second terminal of the target switch at a negative voltage over a period from a timing subsequent to a start timing of a dead time immediately after the target switch is switched to an off-state until a point within a period over which the opposing arm switch is set to an on-state, and subsequently maintains the electric potential at an off-voltage until a next dead time is ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsunori Kimura, Yoshinori Hayashi, Kengo Mochiki
  • Patent number: 11848148
    Abstract: A system and method for an isolation transformer boost system. The system includes an isolation transformer, a sensor, and an electronic processor coupled to the sensor. The electronic processor configured to receive an electrical characteristic measurement from the sensor, compare the electrical characteristic measurement to a predetermined threshold, and activate an electrical characteristic boost when the electrical characteristic measurement is below the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Steve Liscinsky, Jean-Yves Schneider, Joseph DiMaria, Jack Brunier
  • Patent number: 11848611
    Abstract: A switching power supply device includes first to fourth switches sequentially connected in series, an inductor, a first capacitor whose first end is connected to a connection node of the first switch and the second switch and whose second end is connected to a connection node of the third switch, the fourth switch, and the inductor, a second capacitor whose first end is connected to a connection node of the second switch and the third switch, and a controller that controls switching on and off of the first to fourth switches. In at least one of a first pair configured with the first switch and the third switch and a second pair configured with the second switch and the fourth switch, the controller shifts a timing of switching from off to on between two switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawano, Yuhei Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11845697
    Abstract: The composite sintered body includes Al2O3, and MgAl2O4. The content of Al2O3 in the composite sintered body is not less than 95.5% by weight. The average sintered grain size of Al2O3 in the composite sintered body is not less than 2 ?m and not greater than 4 ?m. The standard deviation of sintered grain size distribution of Al2O3 in the composite sintered body is not greater than 0.35. The bulk density of the composite sintered body is not less than 3.94 g/cm3 and not greater than 3.98 g/cm3. In the composite sintered body, the ratio of amount of crystal phase of MgAl2O4 to that of Al2O3 is not less than 0.003 and not greater than 0.01.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kyohei Atsuji, Noboru Nishimura, Asumi Nagai, Yuji Katsuda
  • Patent number: 11848605
    Abstract: A power converter includes a circuit board, a first magnetic core, and a housing. The circuit board includes an insulating substrate and a first coil conductor. The insulating substrate includes a first side surface. The first magnetic core includes a first magnetic core member and a second magnetic core member. A first side surface of the insulating substrate is opposed to a first portion of the housing and is spaced away from the first portion of the housing. The first magnetic core member and the second magnetic core member are both thermally connected to the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Tamura, Koji Nakajima, Yoshikazu Nozuki, Masaya Nonomura, Taro Kimura, Yu Kishiwada
  • Patent number: 11841724
    Abstract: A module level power electronics (MLPE) photovoltaic system and a method for photovoltaic string control are provided. The method is applied to a control unit in the MLPE photovoltaic system. The control unit detects an output current of each photovoltaic string in the MLPE photovoltaic system, and then controls, for photovoltaic strings connected in parallel to a same inverter in the MLPE photovoltaic system, a voltage of a photovoltaic string with larger output current to be reduced, or controls a voltage of a photovoltaic string with smaller output current to be increased, so that backflow current can be reduced to preset range tolerable for MLPE device. The method is from a perspective of the MLPE photovoltaic system, the backflow current is limited by controlling voltage change of associated photovoltaic string without additional hardware cost, effectively protecting MLPE device in the MLPE photovoltaic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Yang, Yuqi Peng, Jun Xu
  • Patent number: 11843244
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a current detection circuit having a high detection precision. The current detection circuit includes: a current output type differential amplifier; a first input resistor, configured to be connected between a first input end of the differential amplifier and a first current sense terminal; a second input resistor, configured to be connected between a second input end of the differential amplifier and a second current sense terminal; an output resistor, configured to be connected to an output end of the differential amplifier; a first feedback current path, configured to allow a first feedback current to flow between the first input end and the output end of the differential amplifier; and a second feedback current path, configured to allow a second feedback current to flow between the second current sense terminal and the output end of the differential amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Aoki
  • Patent number: 11843236
    Abstract: An arc detection system for an aircraft high voltage and direct current electrical circuit which includes a sensor sensing high-frequency magnetic fields created by current pulses, a signal conditioning block, a database including a time threshold, status signals of events occurring in aircraft normal operation procedures, a processing unit configured to calculate a statistical dispersion of the high-frequency magnetic fields of the current pulses of the signals measured by the sensor, calculate a threshold under no-arc conditions as a function of the previous measured signals, check if the signals measured by the sensor are above the threshold under no arc-conditions during the time threshold, if positive, check if any status signal of events due to normal operation procedures has been activated, and if negative, activate the operation of an electrical protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAU
    Inventors: Guillermo Robles, Juan Manuel Martínez Tarifa, Daniel Izquierdo Gil, Gabriel Barroso De María, Manuel Gómez De La Calle
  • Patent number: 11837950
    Abstract: The invention provides a switching power supply and an electronic device, comprising an active clamp circuit and a transformer, the active clamp circuit including a first clamp capacitor, a second clamp capacitor, and a path guiding module that is connected at two terminals of the first clamp capacitor and two terminals of the second clamp capacitor respectively; the path guiding module, the first and the second clamp capacitors are all directly or indirectly connected to a primary side of the transformer; the path guiding module is configured to guide the first and the second clamp capacitors to obtain an electric energy from different positions on the primary side of the transformer in a first time period, and to guide the first and the second clamp capacitors to discharge the primary side of the transformer after being connected in parallel with each other in a second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: HUAYUAN SEMICONDUCTOR (SHENZHEN) LIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Chunming Guo, Zhiwei Qiu, Chenglong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11835399
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a bandgap reference circuit that includes a first bandgap element, a second bandgap element, and a current mirror circuit. The bandgap reference circuit is configured to generate a temperature-dependent first voltage and a temperature-independent reference voltage. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the first voltage into an output code based on the reference voltage and output the first voltage as temperature information, and a setting control circuit configured to change at least one setting of the bandgap reference circuit based on the temperature information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 11837958
    Abstract: A multiphase power converter comprises a regulator, a value-supply system arranged for collecting at least one operating point of the power converter, and a predictor for determining updated phase statuses, for activating or deactivating each of the phases (111, 112, 113, . . . ) during a further operation of the power converter. The updated phase statuses are determined using a process based on the at least one collected operating point and predictor parameters obtained from a machine-learning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Schwabe, Jens A. Ejury, Sandro Cerato
  • Patent number: 11831231
    Abstract: A control device (101) for controlling a power converter (109) is configured to form a frequency droop value based on electric power supplied by the power converter to an alternating current system, decrease a frequency control value by the frequency droop value, form a power control value based on a target value of the electric power, increase the frequency control value by the power control value, and supply the frequency control value to the power converter to control alternating voltage frequency of the power converter. The electric power is driven to a value at which a combined effect of the frequency droop value and the power control value makes the alternating voltage frequency of the power converter to be the same as operating frequency of the alternating current system. Thus, the electric power can be controlled by changing the power control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Danfoss Editron Oy
    Inventors: Antti Summanen, Antti Tarkiainen
  • Patent number: 11824464
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to provide a semiconductor device capable of protecting a switching element even though having a capacitor connected to a control signal input terminal of the switching element. Semiconductor device includes an IGBT including a gate configured to be input a gate signal and a current detection terminal used to detect at least one of overcurrent or short-circuit current, a gate capacitor arranged between the gate and a reference potential terminal, the gate capacitor being disconnected from the gate as needed, and a disconnection unit configured to disconnect a connection between the gate capacitor and the gate when a detection current being a current output from the current detection terminal is equal to or larger than a first current set on a basis of a minimum current causing oscillation in a loop circuit formed by including the IGBT and the gate capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Kumazawa
  • Patent number: 11824459
    Abstract: A synchronous average harmonic current controller for a bidirectional resonant power converter provides efficient load invariant voltage gain. The controller includes a switched capacitor filter which averages and compensates a current signal over each half of the synchronous switching period. The control signal encodes an independent modulated phase and non-modulated differential duty cycle error response. The error response signals provide negative feedback to a pulse width modulation stage which results in reduction of the synchronous average harmonic current. At this operating point, the harmonic voltage gain is related closely to the commanded bridge duty cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Lee Fredrik Mazurek
    Inventor: Lee Fredrik Mazurek
  • Patent number: 11822359
    Abstract: A current-balanced voltage source may include two regulated voltage sources, each having an input and an output, and an amplifier to receive a control voltage at a positive input and a feedback voltage at a negative input. The output of each amplifier is coupled to the input of the respective regulated voltage source. The outputs of the regulated voltage sources are coupled together to source a current to a load. A differential amplifier may include positive and negative differential inputs, and positive and negative differential outputs. The positive differential input is coupled to the output of the first regulated voltage source and the negative differential input is coupled to the output of the second regulated voltage source. The positive differential output provides the feedback to the first regulated voltage source, and the negative differential output provides the feedback to the second regulated voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: ACACIA COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Yuval Shohet, Robert Manlick
  • Patent number: 11824546
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatuses and methods for minimum energy tracking loop that includes an oscillator to imitate a threshold path of a load system and automatically adjust a clock frequency as a supply voltage to the load system is changed, a voltage regulator configured to supply a power, an energy sensing unit which is connected to the oscillator and the voltage regulator and calculates a proportional energy proportional to a total energy consumed by the load system at a specific supply voltage, a minimum energy finder to find a minimum energy point of the load system by monitoring the calculated proportional energy proportional to the total energy at a plurality of supply voltages, a buck converter to supply a power to the load system with a supply voltage at which the load system operates with a minimum energy when the minimum energy point is found in the minimum energy finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University
    Inventors: Bai Sun Kong, Jong Woo Kim