Patents Examined by Thomas Skibinski
  • Patent number: 10110220
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a system comprises a power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) configured to provide power in the system, a plurality of auxiliary MOSFETs, and a switch network configured to switchably and simultaneously couple a first of the plurality of auxiliary MOSFETs to the power MOSFET and a second of the plurality of auxiliary MOSFETs to a feedback voltage regulator. The switch network is further configured to switchably and simultaneously couple the first of the plurality of auxiliary MOSFETs to the feedback voltage regulator and the second of the plurality of auxiliary MOSFETs to the power MOSFET. The feedback voltage regulator is configured to cause a voltage at one or more of the plurality of auxiliary MOSFETs to match a voltage at the power MOSFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Robert Alan Neidorff
  • Patent number: 10110211
    Abstract: A synchronous circuit may be provided. The synchronous circuit may include a first buffer configured to receive an input signal and control the transition timing of an output signal based on a control code. The synchronous circuit may include a delay circuit configured to control a delay time based on the control code to constantly maintain a time that the input signal received by the first buffer arrives at a synchronizing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jin Cheol Seo
  • Patent number: 10110217
    Abstract: A load driving device includes: a first turn-on drive circuit turning on a first power device as one of a plurality of gate-driven power devices; a second turn-on drive circuit turning on a second power device as another one of the plurality of gate-driven power devices different from the first power device; a current detection circuit detecting a current in at least the first power device; and a control circuit controlling the first turn-on drive circuit to turn on the first power device by applying a gate voltage with a first change rate, and subsequently controlling the second turn-on drive circuit to turn on the second power device by applying a gate voltage with a second change rate, which is larger than the first change rate, based on a condition in which the current detection circuit does not detect an overcurrent in the first power device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasutaka Senda
  • Patent number: 10110223
    Abstract: A single-ended-to-differential converter for driving an LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) driving circuit includes a first converting circuit, a second converting circuit, and a controller. The first converting circuit converts an input signal into a first output signal. The first converting circuit has a tunable delay time. The second converting circuit converts the input signal into a second output signal. The second converting circuit has a fixed delay time. The controller generates a first control signal and a second control signal according to the first output signal and the second output signal, so as to adjust the tunable delay time of the first converting circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: VIA ALLIANCE SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yeong-Sheng Lee
  • Patent number: 10110017
    Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for a power receiver circuit. A power receiver circuit may include power generating elements that may generate alternating current. The power receiver circuit may include group circuits that may connect power generating elements in parallel to combine the alternating current from the power generating elements into a single alternating current. The power receiver circuit may include rectifier circuits which may include rectifier channels connected to the group circuits and may include a rectifier that may generate direct current from alternating current. The power receiver circuit may include a step down converter connected to rectifier circuits that may convert direct current to direct current of a target voltage level. An output switch and linear regulator may be connected to the step down converter, and a microcontroller may be connected to the linear regulator and the output switch and may control the output switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: uBeam Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Bolus
  • Patent number: 10103714
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to adjust voltage for thermal mitigation are provided. The apparatus includes a circuit, a plurality of switches configured to provide power of a power domain to the circuit, a plurality of thermal sensors disposed at different locations about the circuit and configured to detect temperatures at the different locations, and a control circuit configured to determine that one of the detected temperatures at one of the locations exceeds a temperature threshold, and in response, adjust one or more of the plurality of switches in proximity with the one location to reduce power provided to the circuit. The method includes providing power of a power domain through a plurality of switches, detecting a temperature at a location exceeding a temperature threshold, and adjusting the plurality of switches in proximity with the location to reduce the power provided, in response to the detecting the temperature exceeding the temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Palkesh Jain, Manoj Mehrotra, Yuancheng Chris Pan, Shih-Hsin Jason Hu
  • Patent number: 10103727
    Abstract: A power switch circuit includes a first input voltage, a first switch element, a switcher, a first bootstrap capacitor, and a second bootstrap capacitor. The first switch element includes a first control end, a first input end, and a first output end. The first input end is coupled to the first input voltage. The first output end provides an output voltage. The switcher is coupled to the first switch element. The first bootstrap capacitor is coupled to the switcher and provides a first driving voltage. The second bootstrap capacitor is coupled to the switcher and provides a second driving voltage. The first bootstrap capacitor and the second bootstrap capacitor alternately supply the first driving voltage or the second driving voltage to the first control end through an operation of the switcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: uPI Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Wen Hsiao, Wen-Chieh Tsai
  • Patent number: 10097082
    Abstract: An integrated circuit power factor controller includes a pulse width modulator and a line sensing circuit. The pulse width modulator has a first input for receiving a feedback signal, a second input for receiving a line sense signal, and an output for providing a drive signal having a duty cycle formed in response to the feedback signal and the line sense signal. The line sensing circuit has an input for receiving the drive signal, and an output coupled to the second input of the pulse width modulator for providing the line sense signal. The line sensing circuit forms the line sense signal in response to measuring a duty ratio of the drive signal. In another form, an offline converter includes an integrated circuit power factor controller that provides a line sense signal in response to a duty ratio of the drive signal without measuring a voltage on the input line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Joel Turchi, Christophe Basso
  • Patent number: 10097004
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a photovoltaic power installation configured to deliver power to a power distribution grid at a point of common coupling, the photovoltaic power installation including a determination unit configured to determine an amount of self-consumed power of the photovoltaic power installation, and a first power inverter configured to generate power in accordance with 1) the determined amount of self-consumed power, and 2) a power level to be delivered at the point of common coupling. The disclosure further relates to an associated method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Kristo Iila, Soeren Baekhoej Kjaer, Christian Harald Benz, Wulf-Toke Franke
  • Patent number: 10092198
    Abstract: A medical pendant system, comprising: a movable component, an execution component and a bus (1); the movable component comprises a key control module (3); the key control module (3) comprises a braking system control key (K1, K4) and a pendant lifting/lowering control key (K2, K3); the execution component comprises an output control part (4), the output control part (4) being connected respectively with a bus power supply (5), a pendant motor (9) and a braking system (10); the movable component and the execution component are connected respectively to the bus (1); the bus (1) is used for transmitting power supply and also for transmitting instructions from the movable component to the execution component. In the vertical direction the medical pendant system can be adjusted steplessly without having to alter the lengths of the cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Maquet (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Shengping Zhan, Wei Zhang, Jiasheng Huang, Qunhua Li, Ming Ji
  • Patent number: 10097361
    Abstract: A gain circuit for power sourcing equipment of Power over Ethernet is disclosed and provides a guard band for the input offset voltages of its operational amplifier. The guard band may be represented by a voltage value and may be set to be greater than the maximum input offset voltage of the input terminals of the operational amplifier. In some embodiment, the guard band allows the voltage of the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier to be greater than 0 V without sacrificing the gain precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: IC PLUS CORP.
    Inventor: Chef Hsiao
  • Patent number: 10097085
    Abstract: A system for generating pulsed power, including: an input receiving an input pulse; a pulse generator generating high voltage pulses including a first input receiving a signal from the input pulse in a charge phase of the generator and a second input receiving a trigger signal of a discharge phase of the generator; a control circuit connected to both the input for receiving the input pulse and to the second input of the generator, the control circuit configured to generate a trigger signal when the end of the input pulse is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Baptiste Cadilhon, Bruno Cassany
  • Patent number: 10090830
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods of breaking a circuit using a switch are disclosed. In an example, a variable voltage is applied across a switch, which comprises a series connection of switching elements which are individually controllable between a blocking state and a conductive state. The state of the switching elements is controlled such that at least a portion of switching elements are in the blocking state, and fewer switching elements are in the blocking state when the applied voltage magnitude is low than when the applied voltage magnitude is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Konstantin Vershinin, Jonathan Nicholls
  • Patent number: 10088189
    Abstract: A smart-home device may include wire connectors that couple to an inductive power coil and a load, one or more solid-state switching elements having a first operating state in which they create a connection between the wire connectors and a second operating state in which the connection is interrupted. The smart-home device may cause the switching element(s) to operate in the first operating state to power the load; detect an anomaly from measurements from power monitoring circuitry; cause the switching element(s) to operate in the second operating state for at least a first time interval; and after the expiration of the first time interval, cause the one or more switching elements to operate in the first operating state and determine whether the anomaly is still present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Brian J. Conner, Daniel Adam Warren, Orville Buenaventura, Michael Ayoubi, Edwin H. Satterthwaite
  • Patent number: 10081318
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle includes receiving measurement signals which include information relating to a temporal current and/or volt profile of an electronic control unit of the motor vehicle. The method also provides vehicle information which includes information relating to a desired state of the electronic control unit. The method also determines a discrepancy between the received measurement signals and the vehicle information provided. If the discrepancy determined is greater than a predefined tolerance value, a manipulated state of the electronic control unit is determined as part of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Kurtz, Alfons Brunner
  • Patent number: 10084345
    Abstract: A resonant wireless power (RWP) system is provided that includes a signal generator that provides an input signal waveform. An amplifier structure amplifies signals for transmissions to a receiver that is powered from a fixed DC voltage supply. The amplifier structure is operated either using differential or single-ended amplifiers to provide two different output power levels, in burst mode to provide a range of output power levels, or using a capacitor in a matching network that is adjusted to provide a range of output power levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: MEDIATEK Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Patrick Stanley Riehl, Anand Satyamoorthy, Yung-Chih Yen
  • Patent number: 10079538
    Abstract: A circuit includes a charge pump to generate an output reference voltage. A first bootstrap refresh circuit receives the reference voltage from the charge pump and is coupled between first and second bootstrap nodes of a DC/DC converter. The first bootstrap refresh circuit supplies first charge current that is sourced from the first bootstrap node to the second bootstrap node based on a control signal indicating a first operating mode of the DC/DC converter. A second bootstrap refresh circuit receives the reference voltage from the charge pump and is coupled between the first and second bootstrap nodes of the DC/DC converter. The second bootstrap refresh circuit supplies second charge current from the second bootstrap node to the first bootstrap node based on the control signal indicating a second operating mode of the DC/DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Xiaochun Zhao, Hasibur Rahman, Artur Lewinski, Tulong Yang
  • Patent number: 10079595
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a circuit for driving a signal at an output node. The circuit generally includes a voltage divider network having a first terminal coupled to the output node. The circuit also includes a first transistor having a gate coupled to a second terminal of the voltage divider network and a plurality of transistors. A gate of each of the plurality of transistors may be coupled to a respective tap node of the voltage divider network, and the plurality of transistors may include a third transistor having a source coupled to a drain of the first transistor. The circuit may also include a second transistor coupled to the first transistor and having a gate coupled to an input node of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent R. Den Hartog, Eric J. Lukes, Matthew J. Paschal, Nghia V. Phan, Raymond A. Richetta, Patrick L. Rosno, Timothy J. Schmerbeck, Dereje G. Yilma
  • Patent number: 10073482
    Abstract: A capacitor structure is described. A capacitor structure including a substrate and at least one device formed on the substrate. The device including first and second sections. Each of the first and second sections including a plurality of source/drain regions formed in the substrate and a plurality of gates formed above the substrate such that each of the plurality of gates is formed between each pair of source/drain regions to form a section channel between each pair of source/drain regions. The plurality of gates of the first and second sections are coupled with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Rien Gahlsdorf, Jianwen Bao
  • Patent number: 10075026
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a novel WPT system to deliver power from a stationary source (e.g., a primary coil) to a moving telemetric device (e.g., a secondary coil) via magnetic resonance coupling. Novel configurations of the secondary employing ferrite components placed at specific locations and orientations within the coil. Embodiments of these secondary coil configurations are constructed and their performance is tested. Measurements show that ferrite components improved power transfer at most orientations, beyond that of the nominal ferrite-less configuration. The use of angled ferrite components further improved power transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: UVic Industry Partnerships Inc.
    Inventors: Basem M. Badr, Nikolai Dechev, Kerry R. Delaney, Robert Somogyi-Csizmazia