Patents by Inventor Ansel Barchowsky

Ansel Barchowsky has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Flying capacitor multilevel converters for anode supplies in hall effect thrusters
    Patent number: 11451126
    Abstract: A flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) converter including a gate driver circuit comprising a DC-DC flyback converter having a plurality of isolated outputs. In various examples, the FCML circuit further includes a first control circuit connected to the FCML circuit determining the load current associated with a desired power output from the load; and determining a desired output voltage associated with the load current; a second control circuit that drives an inductor current (IL) through the inductor so that the output applies an output voltage comprising the desired output voltage; and a third control circuit obtaining a comparison of an average of the inductor current (IL) through the inductor with a predetermined reference current (ILREF) and setting the duty cycle so that the average does not exceed the predetermined reference current. Also described is the converter driving a load comprising a plasma and a propulsion system comprising the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ansel Barchowsky, Ryan W. Conversano, Christopher B. Stell, Vatché Vorperian
  • FLYING CAPACITOR MULTILEVEL CONVERTERS FOR ANODE SUPPLIES IN HALL EFFECT THRUSTERS
    Publication number: 20210067044
    Abstract: A flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) converter including a gate driver circuit comprising a DC-DC flyback converter having a plurality of isolated outputs. In various examples, the FCML circuit further includes a first control circuit connected to the FCML circuit determining the load current associated with a desired power output from the load; and determining a desired output voltage associated with the load current; a second control circuit that drives an inductor current (IL) through the inductor so that the output applies an output voltage comprising the desired output voltage; and a third control circuit obtaining a comparison of an average of the inductor current (IL) through the inductor with a predetermined reference current (ILREF) and setting the duty cycle so that the average does not exceed the predetermined reference current. Also described is the converter driving a load comprising a plasma and a propulsion system comprising the converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ansel Barchowsky, Ryan W. Conversano, Christopher B. Stell, Vatché Vorperian