Patents by Inventor Douglas K. Maly

Douglas K. Maly 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: 7505294
    Abstract: A tri-level inverter power module has an architecture employing a high degree of modularity that allows a base power module to be quickly, easily, and cost effectively configured to address a large variety of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Sayeed Ahmed, Fred Flett, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Douglas K. Maly
  • Patent number: 7443692
    Abstract: A power converter utilizes a high frequency capacitor and a bulk capacitor coupled across the DC terminals to reduce high frequency effect and voltage overshoot, leading to space and cost savings in power converter design. Each capacitor may be physically coupled adjacent the gate driver board via clips, clamps, and/or fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajay V. Patwardhan, Douglas K. Maly, Sayeed Ahmed, Fred Flett
  • Patent number: 7301755
    Abstract: Power converters such as power modules configured as inverters employ modularized approaches. In some aspects, semiconductor devices are thermally coupled directly to thermally conductive substrates without intervening dielectric or insulative structures. Additionally, or alternatively, semiconductor devices are thermally coupled to thermally conductive substrates with relatively large surface areas before heat transferred from the semiconductor devices encounters a dielectric or electrically insulating structure with correspondingly high thermal impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Pablo Rodriguez, Douglas K. Maly, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Kanghua Chen, Sayeed Ahmed, Gerardo Jimenez, Fred Flett
  • Patent number: 7292451
    Abstract: Power converters such as power modules configured as inverters employ modularized approaches. In some aspects, semiconductor devices are thermally coupled directly to thermally conductive substrates without intervening dielectric or insulative structures. Additionally, or alternatively, semiconductor devices are thermally coupled to thermally conductive substrates with relatively large surface areas before heat transferred from the semiconductor devices encounters a dielectric or electrically insulating structure with correspondingly high thermal impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Pablo Rodriguez, Douglas K. Maly, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Kanghua Chen, Sayeed Ahmed, Gerardo Jimenez, Fred Flett
  • Patent number: 7289343
    Abstract: Power converters such as power modules configured as inverters employ modularized approaches. In some aspects, semiconductor devices are thermally coupled directly to thermally conductive substrates without intervening dielectric or insulative structures. Additionally, or alternatively, semiconductor devices are thermally coupled to thermally conductive substrates with relatively large surface areas before heat transferred from the semiconductor devices encounters a dielectric or electrically insulating structure with correspondingly high thermal impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Pablo Rodriguez, Douglas K. Maly, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Kanghua Chen, Sayeed Ahmed, Gerardo Jimenez, Fred Flett
  • Patent number: 7180763
    Abstract: A power converter comprising a DC/AC bridge circuit electrically coupled between positive and negative DC bus terminals and a set of phase terminals, a DC/DC bridge circuit electrically coupled to the positive and negative DC bus terminals and a set of DC bridge terminals. The power converter may be configured to control the transfer of power to and/or from the DC bridge terminals and to control the transfer of power to and/or from the AC phase terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Ajay V. Patwardhan, Douglas K. Maly, Fred Flett, Sayeed Ahmed, Pablo Rodriguez, Kanghua Chen, Gerardo Jimenez
  • Patent number: 7046535
    Abstract: Power converters such as power modules configured as inverters employ modularized approaches. In some aspects, semiconductor devices are thermally coupled directly to thermally conductive substrates without intervening dielectric or insulative structures. Additionally, or alternatively, semiconductor devices are thermally coupled to thermally conductive substrates with relatively large surface areas before heat transferred from the semiconductor devices encounters a dielectric or electrically insulating structure with correspondingly high thermal impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Pablo Rodriguez, Douglas K. Maly, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Kanghua Chen, Sayeed Ahmed, Gerardo Jimenez, Fred Flett
  • Patent number: 6987670
    Abstract: A dual power module architecture employing a high degree of modularity, that allows a base power module to be quickly, easily, and cost effectively configured to address a large variety of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Sayeed Ahmed, Fred Flett, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Douglas K. Maly
  • Patent number: 6906404
    Abstract: A power module employs at least one capacitor electrically coupled across the input terminals to reduce voltage overshoot. The capacitor may be surface mounted to a high side collector plating area and a low side emitter plating area. The power module may employ a lead frame and terminals accessible from an exterior of a module housing, for making electrical couplings to externally located power sources and/or loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas K. Maly, Sayeed Ahmed, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Fred Flett
  • Patent number: 6861835
    Abstract: A non-invasive, non-destructive method and system for determining power transistor peak die voltage utilizes values for each of a plurality of parameters determined by measurement of external terminal voltages for any number of switches, such as transistors of an inverter. Stray inductance values are calculated and used with measured current gradient to calculate the peak die voltages for the switches. A refinement of the method determines transistor peak die voltage without measuring current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas K. Maly, Orrin B. West, Chingchi Chen
  • Publication number: 20040228094
    Abstract: A dual power module architecture employing a high degree of modularity, that allows a base power module to be quickly, easily, and cost effectively configured to address a large variety of applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Sayeed Ahmed, Fred Flett, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Douglas K. Maly
  • Publication number: 20040227231
    Abstract: A power module employs at least one capacitor electrically coupled across the input terminals to reduce voltage overshoot. The capacitor may be surface mounted to a high side collector plating area and a low side emitter plating area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas K. Maly, Sayeed Ahmed, Ajay V. Patwardhan, Fred Flett
  • Publication number: 20040230847
    Abstract: A power converter utilizes a high frequency capacitor and a bulk capacitor coupled across the DC terminals to reduce high frequency effect and voltage overshoot, leading to space and cost savings in power converter design. Each capacitor may be physically coupled adjacent the gate driver board via clips, clamps, and/or fasteners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Ajay V. Patwardhan, Douglas K. Maly, Sayeed Ahmed, Fred Flett
  • Publication number: 20040104718
    Abstract: A non-invasive, non-destructive method and system for determining power transistor peak die voltage utilizes values for each of a plurality of parameters determined by measurement of external terminal voltages for any number of switches, such as transistors of an inverter. Stray inductance values are calculated and used with measured current gradient to calculate the peak die voltages for the switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas K. Maly