Patents Examined by Yemane Mehari
  • Patent number: 11451131
    Abstract: Pulse train conditioning circuits and related methods are disclosed. An example circuit includes a first transistor having a first current terminal and a first gate terminal, a second transistor having a second current terminal and a second gate terminal, a third transistor having a third current terminal and a third gate terminal, a fourth transistor having a fourth current terminal and a fourth gate terminal, the fourth gate terminal coupled to the first through third gate terminals, a first switch having first through third terminals, the first terminal coupled to the first current terminal, the second terminal coupled to the third current terminal, and the third terminal coupled to the fourth current terminal, and a second switch having fourth through sixth terminals, the fourth terminal coupled to the second current terminal, the fifth terminal coupled to the third current terminal, and the sixth terminal coupled to the fourth current terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Ramesh Mosur Chandrasekaran
  • Patent number: 11451140
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a battery circuit module group in which a plurality of battery circuit modules are connected in series via their output terminals. The power supply device further includes a control circuit configured to: output, at intervals of a certain time, a gate signal for turning on and off a first switching element and a second switching element of each battery circuit module to the battery circuit modules in the battery circuit module group; and select one of the battery circuit modules that receives an input of the gate signal to output a predetermined voltage from the power supply device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO
    Inventors: Shigeaki Goto, Keisuke Ishikawa, Shuji Tomura, Naoki Yanagizawa
  • Patent number: 11451133
    Abstract: The present document describes a control unit for a converter circuit comprising a plurality of converter blocks, wherein each converter block comprises one or more switches which are turned on or off during switching events, and wherein at least some of the converter blocks share a common supply rail. The control unit is configured to determine that a first converter block from the plurality of converter blocks requests a switching event at a first time instant. Furthermore, the control unit is configured to determine whether a second converter block from the plurality of converter blocks, with which the first converter block shares a common supply rail, has a reserved switching time slot for a switching event at the first time instant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Nuno Dias
  • Patent number: 11444551
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve availability when a power is lost. In a power conversion device 1, a gate drive power supply circuit 50 can supply a gate drive power within a predetermined normal voltage range. A backup power supply circuit 70 supplies the gate drive power to a lower arm gate circuit 40 when a voltage of the gate drive power applied from the gate drive power supply circuit 50 to the lower arm gate circuit 40 falls below a normal voltage range. When the gate drive power is supplied from the backup power supply circuit 70, the lower arm gate circuit 40 drives a lower arm switching circuit 22 in a short state in which all switching elements of the lower arm switching circuit 22 are turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Ogura, Ryuji Kurihara, Ryoichi Inada
  • Patent number: 11437185
    Abstract: A method and system for predicting performance of a fluid filled electrical device are provided. The system includes a sensing unit operable communicating with a fluid level estimation system. The sensing unit includes one or more sensors physically mountable on and/or around the electrical device, recording temperature data associated with the fluid and the ambient environment. The fluid level estimation system determines temperatures of the fluid and a an ambient temperature, generates feature vectors for one or more of the temperatures based on their correlation with the ambient temperature, and estimates a fluid level inside the electrical device and thereby the performance, based on the feature vectors and a probability density function derived from a distribution constructed using historical temperature gradient data associated with the electrical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Simit Pradhan
  • Patent number: 11437916
    Abstract: A flyback converter is disclosed that includes an auxiliary switch controller that adaptively controls the auxiliary switch for improved zero voltage switching. The auxiliary switch control adaptively adjusts the auxiliary switch on-time period responsive to a transformer reset time for the flyback converter, a resonant oscillation period for a power switch terminal voltage for a power switch transistor, and an on-time period for the power switch transistor to provide the improved zero voltage switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Cong Zheng, Wenduo Liu, Jianming Yao
  • Patent number: 11435769
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a low-dropout regulator (LDO) is disclosed. The system and method include a charge pump that is controlled to provide a charge pump voltage to power the LDO. The charge pump voltage can be adjusted relative to the LDO's input voltage to ensure efficient operation of the LDO for input voltages over a range. The charge pump is also controlled to limit the maximum charge pump voltage provided to ensure safe operation of the LDO. The system and method also include a under voltage lockout circuit that enables the LDO when it is determined that the charge pump voltage is sufficient to meet multiple criteria. For example, the charge pump voltage may be analyzed to determine if it is above a minimum voltage and if it is also sufficiently higher than the LDO's output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Pavel Londak, Jan Matej, Petr Rozsypal
  • Patent number: 11431246
    Abstract: A power converter with an automatic balance mechanism of a flying capacitor is provided. The flying capacitor and a first terminal of an output inductor are connected to a switch circuit. Two terminals of an output capacitor are respectively connected to a second terminal of the output inductor and grounded. Two input terminals of an error amplifier are respectively connected to a node between the output capacitor and the output inductor, and coupled to a reference voltage. The error amplifier outputs an error amplified signal according to a voltage of the node and the reference voltage. A comparator circuit receives a ramp signal. A slope of the ramp signal is proportional to a voltage of the flying capacitor. The comparator circuit compares the ramp signal with the error amplified signal to output a comparison signal. The driving circuit drives the switch circuit according to the comparison signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fu-Chuan Chen
  • Patent number: 11424561
    Abstract: An electrical receptacle includes a printed circuit board (PCB), a power control unit coupled to the PCB, AC electrical conductors, and an electrical receptacle coupled to the PCB. The electrical contacts are in electrical communication with respective ones of the electrical conductors. A first portion of each electrical conductor is coupled to a power source and a second portion of each electrical conductor is coupled to respective ones of the electrical contacts. The power control unit includes a controller and a switch, the switch operable to selectively establish continuity between the first and second portions of at least one of the electrical conductors. The controller is configured to selectively place the switch into either a closed position or an open position in response to a signal received from an environmental or occupancy sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventors: Norman R. Byrne, Timothy J. Warwick, Daniel P. Byrne, Robert Craig Klem, Roger D. Burdi
  • Patent number: 11411427
    Abstract: In an uninterruptible power supply apparatus, in a power failure of a commercial AC power supply, a switch is turned off to electrically cut off the commercial AC power supply from an AC input filter, and a DC voltage converter is controlled such that a DC voltage that is the difference between terminal-to-terminal voltages of first and second capacitors is eliminated, and when the DC voltage exceeds a threshold voltage, a converter is controlled to reduce the DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yousuke Hayashi, Toshihide Nakano
  • Patent number: 11402180
    Abstract: An actuatable bay conducted electrical weapon comprises a plurality of bays. Each of the bays is configured to releasably receive a deployment unit comprising one or more electrodes. At least one of the bays the plurality of bays is coupled to a body of the conducted electrical weapon via a respective movable member. Each respective movable member is coupled to the body of the conducted electrical weapon by a respective kinematic joint. Responsive to an activation of a control interface, each respective movable member is configured to move about each respective kinematic joint to an expanded position, wherein a distance between each of the bays of the plurality of bays is greater in the expanded position than in a collapsed position. The increased distance is configured to provide a greater initial spread between the one or more electrodes to increase a likelihood of causing NMI in a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Axon Enterprise, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke Salisbury, Patrick W. Smith
  • Patent number: 11398723
    Abstract: A battery control apparatus includes: an MCU including a first control terminal, a first sensing terminal connected to a first node, a second control terminal, a third control terminal, a second sensing terminal connected to a second node, and a fourth control terminal; a relay including a switch and a coil connected between the first node and the second node; and a first reduction circuit including a first transistor having a first gate connected to the first control terminal and a first end connected to the first node, and a second transistor having a second gate connected to the second control terminal and the MCU controls the first gate and the second gate to respectively allow the first transistor to be turned on and the second transistor to be turned off when there is no voltage change of the first node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Jang Hyeok Choi
  • Patent number: 11394315
    Abstract: A Power over Data Lines (PoDL) system provides a DC voltage and differential data signals on the same wire pair. A Powered Device (PD) load is coupled to the wire pair, via a gyrator, for being powered by the DC voltage. The gyrator emulates the DC-coupling properties of inductors using active components. The gyrator includes transistors that are controlled to act as a full-bridge rectifier for ensuring a correct polarity DC voltage is applied to the PD load. Since the transistors operate in saturation and are coupled to be insensitive to differential data signals on the wire pair, the current supplied to the PD load is substantially unaffected by the differential data signals. Negative feedback circuits in the gyrator reduce fluctuations in current through the gyrator due to differential data signals on the wire pair. No inductors are required in the gyrator. A PHY is AC-coupled to the wire pair via capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Andrew J. Gardner, Heath Stewart, Gitesh Bhagwat
  • Patent number: 11387643
    Abstract: A method, a device, and a system for protecting parallel-connected topology units are provided. A target signal transmitted via the signal synchronization line is obtained, and the target signal is sent to other controllers based on a type of the target signal. If the target signal is a carrier synchronization signal, the current power module is controlled to perform carrier synchronization and to be in a working mode. If the target signal is a power module fault signal, the current power module is controlled to be in a shutdown mode. The signal synchronization lines between the parallel-connected topology units are shared in a time-sharing manner, where the carrier synchronization signal is transmitted if the power module works normally, and the power module fault signal is transmitted if the power module is faulty. The topology units monitor the transmitted target signal in real time for fast synchronous protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SUNGROW POWER SUPPLY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng Liang, Nianan Pan, Zhicheng Wang, Lin Cheng, Longlin Sun, Jigui Feng
  • Patent number: 11381074
    Abstract: An electrical protection system protects a high-voltage DC electrical installation and comprises at least one sensor of first type configured to perform measurements of a non-electrical physical quantity, at least one sensor of second type configured to perform measurements of an electrical physical quantity, and a control unit connected to said at least one sensor of first type and to said at least one sensor of second type. The control unit commands a circuit breaker of the high-voltage DC electrical installation to open when, in a sliding time window, an abnormal non-electrical phenomenon is detected by virtue of the measurements of said at least one sensor of first type and when, furthermore, an abnormal electrical phenomenon is detected by virtue of the measurements of said at least one sensor of second type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus SAS
    Inventors: Didier Chassaigne, Jean Rivenc, Richard Perraud
  • Patent number: 11380571
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrostatic chuck for holding a wafer. The electrostatic chuck includes at least one dielectric layer, an electrode layer coupled to the dielectric layer, and a chuck base. The chuck base includes a plurality of lock holes. The dielectric layer and the electrode layer are disposed on the chuck base. Each of the lock holes of the chuck base includes a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion. The first portion has a first opening on a bottom surface of the chuck base. The second portion has a second opening on the bottom surface of the chuck base. A width of the second opening of the second portion is smaller than a width of the first opening of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: XIA TAI XIN SEMICONDUCTOR (QING DAO) LTD.
    Inventor: Woohyun Jeong
  • Patent number: 11374400
    Abstract: A bi-directional direct current (DC) solid state power controller (SSPC) architecture and control method. The SSPC protects a DC distribution system by isolating both the positive and negative buses independently in case of short circuit or ground fault. The SSPC architecture includes two self-heal interleaved capacitors and includes a fast, soft-charging control technique that provides line-isolated charging of the DC bulk capacitor to avoid inrush current when powering up the DC distribution system. The soft-charging function alternately charges one of the two interleaved capacitors, while the other capacitor discharges to the DC bulk capacitor. Repetitive switching results in a charging and discharging process that increases the voltage of the DC bulk capacitor prior to powering up the DC distribution system, while keeping the DC power source isolated from the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Chandana Jayampathi Gajanayake, David Loder, Yu Yang, Amit Kumar Gupta
  • Patent number: 11359899
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic detonation device for a blasting system. The electronic detonation device include: an electronic detonator; a wireless communication module; an electric wire connecting the electronic detonator to the wireless communication module; and a communication module support in which the electric wire is stored in a wound state, with the wireless communication module positioned on an upper surface of the communication module support. The communication module support is provided with a pile part configured to be driven into a ground for fixation, so that the electronic detonation device enables stable communication reliability to be secured by orienting the wireless communication module toward the sky, thereby preventing malfunction during blasting and improving blasting accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: HANWHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Doo Hyun Lee, Ki Won Hwang
  • Patent number: 11362582
    Abstract: A desired OFF period module is configured to determine a desired OFF period for a plurality of switches of a PFC circuit based on an input voltage and an output voltage. A blanking timer module is configured to output a blanking signal, set the blanking signal to a first state when a countdown timer is greater than zero, and set the blanking signal to a second state when the countdown timer reaches zero. A switching control module is configured to: transition a first switch of the plurality of switches from an ON state to an OFF state in response to (i) a measured current through an inductor of the PFC circuit being greater than a demanded current through the inductor and (ii) the blanking signal being in the second state; and maintain the first switch in the OFF state for the desired OFF period after the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Green, Paul Rancuret
  • Patent number: 11355925
    Abstract: A neutral arrangement is provided for a converter station of a direct current power transmission system that includes a first converter. The neutral arrangement includes surge arrestors and a group of neutral buses. Each surge arrestor is connected between a neutral bus and ground. The neutral arrangement includes a high voltage insulation zoom area having a first group of surge arrestors and a low voltage insulation zoom area having a second group of surge arrestors. The surge arrestors in the first group have a first arrestor reference voltage and the surge arrestors in the second group have a second arrestor reference voltage that is lower than the first arrestor reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventor: Ying-Jiang Hafner