Patents by Inventor Chi-Chen Chung

Chi-Chen Chung 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).

  • Patent number: 10992234
    Abstract: A circuit for controlling a power converter includes an SR switching device, a light load detection circuit generating a load detection signal in response to a conduction signal and an operation mode signal, and an SR driver generating a control signal having a value according to the load detection signal and provide the control signal to the SR switching device. A method of controlling a power converter includes generating a load detection signal in response to a conduction signal and an operation mode signal and generating a control signal having a value according to the load detection signal. The control signal has a first value when the load detection signal is asserted and has a second value when the load detection signal is de-asserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sangcheol Moon, Jintae Kim, Chi-Chen Chung, Cheng-Sung Chen
  • Patent number: 10608544
    Abstract: A Synchronous Rectifier (SR) controller circuit includes a dead time evaluation circuit, an offset voltage controller circuit, an off threshold control circuit, and a comparator circuit. The dead time evaluation circuit produces an indication of whether a measured dead time of an SR switching device is less than a target dead time. The offset voltage controller circuit determines an offset count using the indication, an offset voltage using the offset count, and high and low saturation indicators according to the offset count. The off threshold control circuit determines a threshold count using the high and low saturation indicators and an off threshold voltage using the threshold count. The comparator circuit determines whether a measured voltage of the SR switching device is greater than a virtual off threshold voltage, the virtual off threshold voltage corresponding to the off threshold voltage minus the offset voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sangcheol Moon, Hangseok Choi, Chi Chen Chung, Cheng-Sung Chen
  • Publication number: 20190229634
    Abstract: A circuit for controlling a power converter includes an SR switching device, a light load detection circuit generating a load detection signal in response to a conduction signal and an operation mode signal, and an SR driver generating a control signal having a value according to the load detection signal and provide the control signal to the SR switching device. A method of controlling a power converter includes generating a load detection signal in response to a conduction signal and an operation mode signal and generating a control signal having a value according to the load detection signal. The control signal has a first value when the load detection signal is asserted and has a second value when the load detection signal is de-asserted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sangcheol MOON, Jintae KIM, Chi-Chen CHUNG, Cheng-Sung CHEN
  • Publication number: 20190020283
    Abstract: A Synchronous Rectifier (SR) controller circuit includes a dead time evaluation circuit, an offset voltage controller circuit, an off threshold control circuit, and a comparator circuit. The dead time evaluation circuit produces an indication of whether a measured dead time of an SR switching device is less than a target dead time. The offset voltage controller circuit determines an offset count using the indication, an offset voltage using the offset count, and high and low saturation indicators according to the offset count. The off threshold control circuit determines a threshold count using the high and low saturation indicators and an off threshold voltage using the threshold count. The comparator circuit determines whether a measured voltage of the SR switching device is greater than a virtual off threshold voltage, the virtual off threshold voltage corresponding to the off threshold voltage minus the offset voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sangcheol MOON, Hangseok CHOI, Chi Chen CHUNG, Cheng-Sung CHEN
  • Patent number: 10110137
    Abstract: A Synchronous Rectifier (SR) controller circuit includes a dead time evaluation circuit, an offset voltage controller circuit, an off threshold control circuit, and a comparator circuit. The dead time evaluation circuit produces an indication of whether a measured dead time of an SR switching device is less than a target dead time. The offset voltage controller circuit determines an offset count using the indication, an offset voltage using the offset count, and high and low saturation indicators according to the offset count. The off threshold control circuit determines a threshold count using the high and low saturation indicators and an off threshold voltage using the threshold count. The comparator circuit determines whether a measured voltage of the SR switching device is greater than a virtual off threshold voltage, the virtual off threshold voltage corresponding to the off threshold voltage minus the offset voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sangcheol Moon, Hangseok Choi, Chi Chen Chung, Cheng-Sung Chen
  • Publication number: 20180301999
    Abstract: A Synchronous Rectifier (SR) controller circuit includes a dead time evaluation circuit, an offset voltage controller circuit, an off threshold control circuit, and a comparator circuit. The dead time evaluation circuit produces an indication of whether a measured dead time of an SR switching device is less than a target dead time. The offset voltage controller circuit determines an offset count using the indication, an offset voltage using the offset count, and high and low saturation indicators according to the offset count. The off threshold control circuit determines a threshold count using the high and low saturation indicators and an off threshold voltage using the threshold count. The comparator circuit determines whether a measured voltage of the SR switching device is greater than a virtual off threshold voltage, the virtual off threshold voltage corresponding to the off threshold voltage minus the offset voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sangcheol MOON, Hangseok CHOI, Chi Chen CHUNG, Cheng-Sung CHEN
  • Patent number: 9401592
    Abstract: A discharge circuit for an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter is provided. The discharge circuit includes a switch circuit, a control circuit, and a detection circuit. The switch circuit is coupled to an X-capacitor of the EMI filter. The control circuit is coupled to the switch circuit and configured to turn on the switch circuit in a predetermined period to provide a discharge path. The detection circuit is coupled to the discharge path. In the predetermined period, the detection circuit detects whether a cross point occurs between a discharge voltage signal on the discharge path and a reference voltage signal to generate a detection signal which is provided to the control circuit. When the detection circuit detects that the cross point does not occur, the control circuit continuously turns on the switch circuit according to the detection signal after the predetermined period has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD (TAIWAN) CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuan-Pu Lee, Chi-Chen Chung, Chen-Hua Chiu, Wei-Hsuan Huang
  • Patent number: 9379616
    Abstract: A control circuit with deep burst mode for power converter according to the present invention comprises a load detection circuit and a PWM circuit. The load detection circuit generates a switching control signal in response to a feedback signal. The feedback signal is correlated to a load condition of the power converter. The PWM circuit generates a switching signal to regulate an output of the power converter in response to the switching control signal and the feedback signal. The control circuit performs a deep burst mode to switch the switching signal only one time during each deep burst period when the load condition of the power converter is a very light-load. Therefore, switching loss is reduced so that the power consumption of the power converter is also reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventors: Chi-Chen Chung, Wei-Hsuan Huang
  • Patent number: 9337736
    Abstract: A controller with power saving for a power converter includes a delay circuit, a detection circuit, an output circuit, a counter circuit, a wake-up circuit and a PWM circuit. The delay circuit determines a delay time. The detection circuit activates the delay circuit whenever an output load of the power converter is lower than a light-load threshold. The output circuit generates a power-saving signal to cease a regulation of the power converter after the delay time ends. The regulation of the power converter is resumed once the output load increases during the regulation of the power converter is being ceased. The counter circuit coupled to the delay circuit is counted by the delay circuit to determine a sleep period. The output circuit generates the power-saving signal to cease the regulation of the power converter after the sleep period ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: SYSTEM GENERAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chi-Chen Chung, Wei-Hsuan Huang
  • Patent number: 9306459
    Abstract: This invention provides a control circuit for burst switching of a power converter comprising: an adaptive circuit generating an adaptive threshold in response to a feedback signal correlated to an output load of the power converter; and a switching circuit generating a switching signal to switch a transformer of the power converter in accordance with the adaptive threshold and the feedback signal for regulating an output of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SYSTEM GENERAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Wei-Hsuan Huang, Chi-Chen Chung
  • Publication number: 20150146331
    Abstract: A discharge circuit for an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter is provided. The discharge circuit includes a switch circuit, a control circuit, and a detection circuit. The switch circuit is coupled to an X-capacitor of the EMI filter. The control circuit is coupled to the switch circuit and configured to turn on the switch circuit in a predetermined period to provide a discharge path. The detection circuit is coupled to the discharge path. In the predetermined period, the detection circuit detects whether a cross point occurs between a discharge voltage signal on the discharge path and a reference voltage signal to generate a detection signal which is provided to the control circuit. When the detection circuit detects that the cross point does not occur, the control circuit continuously turns on the switch circuit according to the detection signal after the predetermined period has elapsed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Yuan-Pu Lee, Chi-Chen Chung, Chen-Hua Chiu, Wei-Hsuan Huang
  • Publication number: 20140043002
    Abstract: A control circuit with deep burst mode for power converter according to the present invention comprises a load detection circuit and a PWM circuit. The load detection circuit generates a switching control signal in response to a feedback signal. The feedback signal is correlated to a load condition of the power converter. The PWM circuit generates a switching signal to regulate an output of the power converter in response to the switching control signal and the feedback signal. The control circuit performs a deep burst mode to switch the switching signal only one time during each deep burst period when the load condition of the power converter is a very light-load. Therefore, switching loss is reduced so that the power consumption of the power converter is also reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: SYSTEM GENERAL CORP.
    Inventors: CHI-CHEN CHUNG, WEI-HSUAN HUANG
  • Publication number: 20130241509
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a controller with power saving for a power converter. The controller includes a delay circuit, a detection circuit, an output circuit, a counter circuit, a wake-up circuit and a PWM circuit. The delay circuit determines a delay time. The detection circuit activates the delay circuit whenever an output load of the power converter is lower than a light-load threshold. The output circuit generates a power-saving signal to cease a regulation of the power converter after the delay time ends. The regulation of the power converter is resumed once the output load increases during the regulation of the power converter is being ceased. The counter circuit coupled to the delay circuit is counted by the delay circuit to determine a sleep period. The output circuit generates the power-saving signal to cease the regulation of the power converter after the sleep period ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: SYSTEM GENERAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chi-Chen CHUNG, Wei-Hsuan HUANG
  • Publication number: 20120206944
    Abstract: This invention provides a control circuit for burst switching of a power converter comprising: an adaptive circuit generating an adaptive threshold in response to a feedback signal correlated to an output load of the power converter; and a switching circuit generating a switching signal to switch a transformer of the power converter in accordance with the adaptive threshold and the feedback signal for regulating an output of the power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: System General Corporation
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Wei-Hsuan Huang, Chi-Chen Chung
  • Publication number: 20080309302
    Abstract: The invention discloses DC-DC converters comprising an inductance, a pulse width modulator generating a pulse signal according to the voltage level of a transformed voltage output terminal, a load sensor sensing a load current, an adaptive enable signal generator generating a PMOS transistor enable signal and an NMOS transistor enable signal based on the pulse signal and the load current, and a power transistor set comprising at least one PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor. The power transistor set is used in coupling the transformed voltage output terminal to an original DC voltage source or ground via the inductance. The conductance of the PMOS and NMOS transistors are controlled by the PMOS and NMOS transistor enable signals, respectively. The adaptive enable signal generator makes a first dead-time between the PMOS and NMOS transistor enable signals decreasing with increasing load current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RERSEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Ke-Horng Chen, Hong-Wei Huang, Sy-Yen Kuo, Chi-Chen Chung
  • Patent number: 7358805
    Abstract: A fully differential sensing apparatus and an input common mode feedback circuit are provided. The input common mode feedback circuit includes a common mode error amplifier and a plurality of adaptive conductance elements. Each adaptive conductance element behaves with a low impedance characteristic when its anode voltage is greater than its cathode voltage by a positive threshold voltage or, on the contrary, when the anode voltage of such an adaptive conductance element is lower than its cathode voltage by a negative threshold voltage, the adaptive element also behaves with a low impedance characteristic; otherwise the aforementioned adaptive conductance element behaves with a high impedance characteristic. The common mode error amplifier and a plurality of such adaptive conductance elements form a negative feedback loop to effectively maintain the input common voltage of a fully differential input amplifier, which can be used for a fully differential sensing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Tim K. Shia, Chi-Chen Chung, Long-Xi Chang
  • Publication number: 20070285166
    Abstract: A fully differential sensing apparatus and an input common mode feedback circuit are provided. The input common mode feedback circuit includes a common mode error amplifier and a plurality of adaptive conductance elements. Each adaptive conductance element behaves with a low impedance characteristic when its anode voltage is greater than its cathode voltage by a positive threshold voltage or, on the contrary, when the anode voltage of such an adaptive conductance element is lower than its cathode voltage by a negative threshold voltage, the adaptive element also behaves with a low impedance characteristic; otherwise the aforementioned adaptive conductance element behaves with a high impedance characteristic. The common mode error amplifier and a plurality of such adaptive conductance elements form a negative feedback loop to effectively maintain the input common voltage of a fully differential input amplifier, which can be used for a fully differential sensing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Tim K. SHIA, Chi-Chen Chung, Long-Xi Chang
  • Patent number: 5293759
    Abstract: An absorption refrigeration system uses a solution and a refrigerant contained in the solution as working mediums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: Industrial Technology research Institute
    Inventors: Chung-Chiang Lee, Hung-Yao Chao, Peggy Lin, Chi-Chen Chung, Yuh-Yuan Yo