Patents Examined by Timothy J. Dole
  • Patent number: 10014796
    Abstract: A transformer system includes: a main transformer including a primary winding coupled to AC mains and a secondary winding; a load circuit including a load switch configured to be coupled to a load, the load circuit being coupled to the secondary winding of the main transformer; an auxiliary power supply coupled to AC mains; a controller coupled to an output of the auxiliary power supply; an electronic switch between the AC mains and the primary winding of the main transformer and configured to be controlled by the controller; and a load detector coupled to the load circuit and configured to detect whether the load is connected to the main transformer and to output a load signal to the controller in accordance with whether or not the load is connected to the main transformer, wherein the controller is configured to control the electronic switch in accordance with the load signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Gardenia Industrial Limited
    Inventors: You Wei Meng, Bo Gao
  • Patent number: 10014783
    Abstract: The present invention provides a switching regulator with PFC function and a control circuit and a control method thereof. The switching regulator with PFC function includes a power stage circuit, a current sense circuit, and a control circuit. The power stage circuit operates at least one power switch therein according to an operation signal to convert an input voltage to an output voltage. When a transient voltage of the input voltage exceeds a transient voltage upper limit, or when a transient slew rate of the input voltage exceeds a transient slew rate upper limit, the control circuit adjusts a frequency response gain from a stable state frequency response gain to a transient state frequency response gain, such that a transient current of an output current does not exceed a current upper limit, and/or that a transient response time of the output current does not exceed a threshold transient time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yi-Wei Lee, Chien-Yang Chen, Isaac Y. Chen, Ta-Yung Yang
  • Patent number: 10014771
    Abstract: A switching shunt regulator circuit includes a current source having an input for receiving an input voltage and an output for providing a DC current, and a shunt voltage regulator coupled to the output of the current source. The current source is configured to provide DC current to a DC load and DC current to the shunt voltage regulator when the DC load is coupled to the output. The DC current to the shunt voltage regulator regulates a voltage at the output. The shunt voltage regulator has a current carrying capacity greater than the sum of the DC current to the DC load and the DC current to the shunt voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: ASTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Vijay Gangadhar Phadke
  • Patent number: 10013003
    Abstract: A switching regulator circuit incorporates an offset circuit, connected in a control loop of the regulator circuit, that, in response to a signal indicating an imminent load current step, adjusts a duty cycle of a power switch for the current step prior to the regulator circuit responding to a change in output voltage due to the current step. In one embodiment, a load controller issues a digital signal shortly before a load current step. The digital signal is decoded and converted to an analog offset signal in a feedback control loop of the regulator to immediately adjust a duty cycle of the switch irrespective of the output voltage level. By proper timing of the offset, output voltage ripple is greatly reduced. The current offset may also be used to rapidly change the output voltage in response to an external signal requesting a voltage step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory Manlove, Yi Ding Gu, Jian Li
  • Patent number: 10014765
    Abstract: A single-stage power factor correction power supply has two transformers: a main transformer and an auxiliary transformer (fly-back transformer). The main transformer transfers energy from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit. The auxiliary transformer is used to correct input current waveform. A fill-valley circuit is used to stored energy when the input voltage is higher than the voltage across bulk capacitors in the fill-valley circuit and to release energy when the input voltage is lower than the voltage across the bulk capacitors in fill-valley circuit. A small capacitance value capacitor is used to improve input current waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Fuxiang Lin
  • Patent number: 10014782
    Abstract: A DC/DC conversion apparatus includes a DC voltage source, an oscillation circuit being electrically connected to the DC voltage source, a plurality of switch elements, a switch controller, which closes or opens electrical connection between the DC voltage source and the oscillation circuit by switching turn-on and turn-off of the plurality of switch elements, and switches a direction of a voltage applied on the oscillation circuit between a first direction and a second direction, a transformation circuit, a detector to detect one or more parameter values of an input voltage and input current of the DC voltage source and an output voltage and output current to the transformation circuit, wherein when the parameter values vary, the switch controller adjusts a length of time in which the voltage applied on the oscillation circuit is in one of the first direction and the second direction, such that the output voltage and/or output current returns to an initial value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiale Dai, Yu Cao, Kezhi Wang
  • Patent number: 10008931
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, in a semiconductor integrated circuit, a first input terminal of an error amplifier is electrically connected to a third node between a second node and a reference potential. A second input terminal of the error amplifier is electrically connected to a reference voltage. An output terminal of the error amplifier is electrically connected to a gate of an output transistor. A first input terminal of a comparator is electrically connected to a fourth node between the second node and the reference potential. A second input terminal of the comparator is electrically connected to the reference voltage. One end of a coupling capacitance is electrically connected to an output terminal of the comparator. A gate of an auxiliary transistor is electrically connected to the other end of the coupling capacitance. A drain of the auxiliary transistor is electrically connected to the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ideno, Hidefumi Kushibe
  • Patent number: 10008956
    Abstract: In a first period having a first period length, first data and second data are alternately given to an inverter control unit. The first data has a first value indicating a length of time from the start point of time of the first period to a matching point of time as a point of time when a converter carrier takes a converter threshold value and an inverter threshold value corresponding to a second period having the first value as its length. The second data has a second value indicating a length of time from the matching point of time to the end point of time of the first period and an inverter threshold value corresponding to a second period having the second value as its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 10008936
    Abstract: A method for performing phase shedding for a voltage converter having a multi-phase output stage circuit includes: sensing an input current of the voltage converter to generate a first digital signal when enabling at least one first output stage within the multi-phase output stage circuit; sensing the input current of the voltage converter to generate a second digital signal when further enabling a second output stage within the multi-phase output stage circuit; comparing the first digital signal with the second digital signal to generate a comparison resultant signal; dynamically adjusting the phase shedding threshold according to the comparison resultant signal, to automatically search/determine an optimal phase shedding threshold; and, performing the phase shedding when an operation of the voltage converter exceeds the optimal phase shedding threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventor: Shan-Fong Hong
  • Patent number: 10008941
    Abstract: A combined voltage regulator and snubber circuit generally has a voltage regulator device in parallel with the energy storage element of the snubber circuit operatively connectable in series with a leakage inductance current path; the leakage inductance being part of a magnetic component utilized in a switch-mode power supply having an input voltage source, controllable semiconductor switches, freewheeling semiconductor switches, feedback controller, reactive energy storage components and a load; the voltage regulator generally providing constant or variable voltage to the gate driver of the controllable semiconductor and/or feedback controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Appulse Power Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksandar Radic, Seyed-Behzad Mahdavikhah-Mehrabad
  • Patent number: 10008918
    Abstract: A system is disclosed which provides the minimization of peak-to-peak output voltage ripple in multi-phase DC-DC switching converters, with two or more different value inductors (asymmetric inductors), by the optimization of phase-shifting determined by the inductance on each phase. An object of the disclosure is to ensure both the AC accuracy of the output voltage and the efficiency of the DC-DC switching converter is increased. The output voltage ripple improvement is shown to be dependent on the duty-cycle. Another object of the disclosure is to minimize the total inductor current ripple and improving the efficiency of the DC-DC switching converter by reducing the capacitor loss. Still another object of the disclosure is to minimize the output voltage ripple in the multi-phase DC-DC switching converter by ensuring the sum of the inductor current vectors is equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Santhos Ario Wibowo, Hidenori Kobayashi, Seiichi Ozawa, Hidechika Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10003251
    Abstract: A power converting method for high frequency inverter and low frequency inverter connecting in parallel, which is for converting a direct current power into an alternating current power, includes the following steps. A low frequency inverting module which electrically connected to the direct current power is provided. A high frequency inverting module which is electrically connected to the low frequency inverting module in parallel is provided. A high frequency switching duty ratio of the high frequency inverting module is adjusted to output a second current according to a first current produced by the low frequency inverting module. The second current is for compensating ripples of the first current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tsai-Fu Wu, Yen-Hsiang Huang, Li-Chun Lin
  • Patent number: 10003270
    Abstract: A controller includes a drive circuit that generates a drive signal to switch a power switch to control a transfer of energy to of a power converter output in response to a current sense signal, a feedback signal, and a current limit signal. A current limit generator generates the current limit signal in response to a load coupled to the output. An exclusion frequency range detection circuit generates a frequency skip signal in response to the drive signal to indicate when an intended frequency of the drive signal is within an exclusion frequency window. The current limit signal is unvarying for at least a switching cycle when the intended frequency of the drive signal is within the exclusion frequency window. A first latch generates a hold signal to control the current limit generator to hold the current limit signal in response to the frequency skip signal and the feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Vikram Balakrishnan, Giao Minh Pham, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
  • Patent number: 9999150
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to improve the cooling performance for a bus bar and a smoothing capacitor in an electric power converter. The electric power converter of the present invention includes a power semiconductor module including a power semiconductor element that converts a DC current to an AC current, a capacitor cell that smooths a DC voltage, a bus bar that electrically connects the power semiconductor module and the capacitor cell, a base plate that is disposed between the bus bar and the capacitor cell, and a sealing material that seals the capacitor cell, the bus bar, and the base plate. The base plate forms an opening through which a capacitor terminal extending from the capacitor cell passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Maeda, Toshiya Satoh
  • Patent number: 9998013
    Abstract: A power supply can be operated in a low power mode by adjusting the pulses provided to a power supply switch until a pulse resulting in a reduced amount of power that exceeds a minimum power threshold required by a load coupled to the power supply switch is identified. For each successive switching cycle, a pulse causing a lower power to be provided to the load is produced. When a pulse is produced that causes a power to be provided to the load that does not exceed the minimum power threshold required by the load, a subsequent pulse is produced that causes a greater power to be provided to the load than the previous pulse. If the greater power exceeds the minimum power threshold, the subsequent pulse is stored and similar pulses are provided for the remainder of the low power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Andrey B. Malinin
  • Patent number: 9998008
    Abstract: A first power transistor of a DC-DC converter is connected between a voltage supply node and a common node, a second power transistor is connected between a reference node and the common node, and an inductor is connected between the common node and the output node of the DC-DC converter. A controller switches the first transistor off and the second transistor off during a step-down event at the load if current in the inductor exceeds a positive threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Amir Babazadeh, Benjamim Tang
  • Patent number: 9998031
    Abstract: A neutral point clamped, multilevel level converter includes a DC voltage link; a first capacitor coupling one side of the DC link to a neutral point; a second capacitor coupling another side of the DC link to the neutral point; a plurality of phase legs, each phase leg including switches, each phase leg coupled to an AC node; a current sensor associated with each AC node; and a controller generating a PWM signal to control the switches, the controller generating a current zero sequence component in response to current sensed at each of the current sensors, the controller adjusting a modulation index signal in response to the current zero sequence component to produce the PWM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Luis Arnedo, Marinko Kovacic, Yang Wang, Shashank Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 9991775
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a constant on-time converter having fast transient response, which adaptively adjusts an on-time and an off-time by a first compensation circuit and a second compensation circuit, to accordingly adjust an inductive current. When a load converts a light loading into a heavy loading, the constant on-time converter adaptively adjusts the on-time of the clock signal. When the load converts a heavy loading into a light loading, the constant on-time converter adaptively adjusts the off-time of the clock signal. Therefore, the output voltage can be adjusted rapidly in response to different load changes to enhance the transient response of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hsin-Tai Lin, Chih-Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 9991713
    Abstract: An energy storage system (ESS) for an electrical system includes an energy storage, and a converter interface arranged for connecting the energy storage to the electrical system. The converter interface includes a modular multilevel converter in which each phase leg includes a plurality of series connected cells of which at least one is a half-bridge cell and at least one is a full-bridge cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AB
    Inventors: Tomas Tengner, Christopher Townsend, Hector Zelaya de la Parra, Alireza Nami
  • Patent number: 9991809
    Abstract: The feedback IC is provided at the secondary side of the DC/DC converter and is coupled to the photo coupler. The error amplifier amplifies an error between a voltage detection signal according to an output voltage of the DC/DC converter and a target voltage, and draws a current according to the error from the input side of the feedback photo coupler via the photo coupler connection terminal. The abnormal detection circuit asserts an abnormal detection signal when an abnormal condition in a secondary side of the DC/DC converter is detected. The protection circuit is coupled to the photo coupler connection terminal, and acts on the feedback photo coupler via the photo coupler connection terminal so that a feedback operation by the error amplifier is invalid and an on-period of the switching transistor is shorten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hiroki Kikuchi, Ryo Shimizu