Abstract: A power supply controller having final test and trim circuitry. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a selector circuit, a trim circuit, a shutdown circuit and a disable circuit. The trim circuit includes a programmable circuit connection that can be selected by the selector circuit by toggling a voltage on an external terminal such as for example a power supply terminal, a control terminal or a function terminal of the power supply controller. The programmable circuit connection in the trim circuit can be programmed by applying a programming voltage to the external terminal. The shutdown circuit shuts down the power supply controller if the temperature rises above an over temperature threshold voltage. The shutdown circuit includes adjustment circuitry that can be used to test the shutdown circuit. The adjustment circuitry can adjust and reduce the over temperature threshold of the power supply controller.

Abstract: An ionization system for a predefined area includes a plurality of emitter modules spaced around the area, a system controller for individually addressing and monitoring the emitter modules and communication lines for electrically connecting the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address and including at least one electrical ionizer.

Abstract: A current inductive timer socket comprises: a principle relay circuit including an output relay and a voltage input terminal, a reed relay circuit including a capacitor, a plurality of diodes, a reed relay and a resistance, a counter circuit including a DC rectifier, seven series-connected counters, and a time select switch, a holding circuit including a neon light, a photodiode, an operational amplifier, a transistor, a diode and a resistance, a time switch circuit including three time switches, and three series-connected exciting transistors, and an inductive and amplification circuit including a transformer parallel-connected to a rated resistor, a set of two-stage operational amplifiers, a resistance, and a capacitor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection to electronic circuits using a gate clamp circuit.

Abstract: In a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck, wafer voltage is determined from RF measurements at the bias input using previously determined constants based upon transmission line properties of the bias input, and this wafer voltage is used to accurately control the DC wafer clamping voltage.

Abstract: An integrated high side switch with multi-fault protection. When a fault condition is detected, the switch is turned off. The switch includes a pair of transistors that are connected such that the source of the first transistor is connected with the source of the second transistor. The drain of the first transistor is thus connected to the supply voltage. A first current mirror generates a current sense output. A second current mirror generates an internal current to detect an over current fault condition. The transistors in the current mirrors are connected like the switch transistors. A high voltage operational amplifier and a transistor are used as feedback to insure that the voltage at the output of the current mirrors matches the voltage at the output of the switch. This ensures that the current mirrors generate scaled versions of the current flowing through the switch.

Abstract: To reduce the electric power wasted in an overvoltage protection circuit, a regulator IC 100 incorporates an overvoltage protection circuit 105 that stops the output operation of the regulator when the output voltage Vo becomes higher than a predetermined threshold voltage Vth1. The overvoltage protection circuit 105 includes switch means FET3 that turns on and off the overvoltage protection operation thereof according to a predetermined control signal.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for supporting a semiconductor wafer, including: a chuck body having a dielectric region and an insulating region, the insulating region having a higher electrical resistivity than the dielectric region, an electrode embedded in the chuck body, and a barrier layer provided between dielectric region and the insulating region.

Abstract: In a direct-current voltage-driven magnetic contactor, a main contact is in an open circuit condition in an attraction period of an initial period of excitation by an operating coil, and in a closed circuit condition in a subsequent holding period, and a drive circuit includes a direct-current power supply voltage detecting circuit that gives a start signal when an applied voltage of a exciting direct-current power supply exceeds a predetermined value, a first drive circuit that makes a starting semiconductor switching element perform an ON operation on receiving the start signal, and a second drive circuit that makes a current limiting semiconductor switching element perform a switching operation when a terminal voltage of a charging capacitor reaches the predetermined value.

Abstract: The battery pack according to the present invention is to avoid any trouble or the like of the primary or secondary battery inside the battery pack with a simple mechanical construction when a load is intermittently connected between the external terminals of the battery pack. For this end, the battery pack includes at least the battery cell and a protection circuit for shutting off overcurrent discharge and features in the provision of shut-off holding means and releasing means. The shut-off holding means maintains discharge shut-off condition after abnormal discharge shut-off by shorting or connecting a low resistance between the external plus terminal and the external minus terminal from outside of the battery pack. The releasing means releases the shut-off condition of the shut-off holding means when a predetermined voltage is applied between the external plus terminal and the external minus terminal.

Abstract: In the case of a protective device in a controller which contains at least one processor and is connected to a sensor via a sensor ground line and at least one further line, the invention provides that a ground in the controller is connected to the sensor ground line via a semiconductor switch which disconnects or connects the ground and the sensor ground line as a function of whether the current through the sensor ground line and/or the voltage between ground and the sensor ground line are/is in each case greater or less than a predetermined value, and that the voltage which is applied to ground or is applied to the sensor ground line can be applied to an internal ground, which is used for measurement purposes, controlled by the processor with the aid of two further semiconductor switches.

Abstract: A controller implements a state machine for operating the bi-directional power converter with a flexible load pattern while maintaining a thermal condition of the power converter within acceptable limits. The state machine implements a wait loop in response to selected conditions to maintain the thermal condition.

Abstract: A potential of an end of the coil is inputted to a plate-OFF detecting portion which detects OFF-tendency in which a plate of a relay is about to get apart from a head of a core of the relay. When the OFF-tendency is detected, a coil current for supplying a coil of the relay is set to a first current value with which a plate of an electromagnetic relay is drawn and a movable contact of the relay comes in contact with a fixed contact of the relay. When an external disturbance ends, the coil current is returned to a second current value, which is smaller than the first current value, so that the movable contact and the fixed contact are kept in contact with each other.

Abstract: A current limiting circuit capable of increasing a range of applicable load values is disclosed. An output circuit (100) may include a current limiting circuit. A current limiting circuit may include a voltage detecting circuit (1) and a voltage clamping circuit (2). A voltage detecting circuit (1) may detect a plurality of output voltages (Vout). Voltage clamping circuit (2) may clamp a control terminal of an output transistor (M1) to a plurality of clamped voltages in response to the plurality of detected output voltages (Vout). In this way, an output transistor (M1) may have a plurality of current limitation values as an output voltage (Vout) changes. By doing so, an output circuit (100) may be applicable to a multitude of load (LOAD) values and properly operate without risks of overcurrent or undesired quiescent operating states being entered, as just two examples.

Abstract: Prior to the operation of a solenoid type of fuel injector, a DC voltage is applied across the injector to create a current through the injector that is below the activation current of the injector. A capacitor is then placed in series with the injector and the flyback energy from the injector transfers a charge onto the capacitor. When the injector current drops to a predetermined level, the capacitor is removed from the circuit and isolated. This process is repeated until a minimum charge is on the capacitor. By placing the capacitor charge onto the injector at the time that the injector is to be activated, the opening response of the injector is improved. By applying the charge on the capacitor to the injector in a manner to neutralize the eddy currents when the voltage across the injector is removed, the closing response is improved.

Abstract: In an ion bean acceleration system, transient electrical arc suppression and ion beam accelerator biasing circuitry. Two-terminal circuitry, connectable in series, for suppressing arcs by automatically sensing arc conditions and switch from at least a first operating state providing a relatively low resistance electrical pathway for current between source and load terminals to at least a second, relatively high resistance electrical pathway. Selection of circuit component characteristics permits controlling the delay in returning from the second state to the first state after the arc has been suppressed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and circuitry for protecting a circuit during hot-swap events. Hot swap protection circuitry includes as overcurrent detection circuit which decouples power from a load. Circuitry is provided to detect ground-fault conditions. Noise detection circuitry is provided to reduce noise in the power that is delivered to the load.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a current-limiting protection circuit for a power supply, which applies to a power supply that has a maximum power-limiting function, wherein the user will be alarmed by a time-delay alarm circuit of the current-limiting protection circuit when the power used by the loads is in a heavy-load state or a full-load state, and within the delay time preset in the time-delay alarm circuit, the user can adjust the power-limiting value according to the power needed by the loads. Thus, via the current-limiting protection circuit for the power supply of the present invention, the objective of the best power selection and protection of the power supply is achieved.

Abstract: A multiple function safety compliance test instrument includes a high voltage output switching relay protected by a solid state in-line circuit breaker.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for switching a semi-conductor circuit breaker by means of which the resistance of the breaker gap of the semi-conductor circuit breaker is controlled by a control voltage (Vst), such that the power loss (Pist) from the circuit breaker does not exceed a predetermined setpoint (Psoll). The invention also relates to a device for carrying out said method wherein a transfer gate, which is controlled by a charge pump, is used as a semi-conductor circuit breaker.