Abstract: Various exemplary devices, systems, and methods for power distribution for temperature regulation of home appliances are provided. In general, in some implementations an apparatus includes a first heating element and a second heating element configured to generate heat to be output in response to being powered with alternating current (AC) power. The apparatus includes a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the generated heat and a processor configured to, based on the temperature, generate a set of cycles with a random distribution of a total AC power percentage among the cycles. An AC power percentage of each of the cycles is within a set of AC power percentage values, to control the first heating element and the second heating element such that the total AC power percentage leads to a temperature adjustment to reach a reference temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a magnetometer-based current sensor (e.g., a Hall-effect or fluxgate-based current sensor) configured to sense a magnetic field generated by a current in at least one conductor connecting a motor drive output to a motor and to responsively produce a first current sense signal and a magnetometer-based voltage sensor (e.g., a Hall-effect or fluxgate-based voltage sensor) configured to sense a magnetic field generated in response to a voltage of the at least one conductor and to responsively produce a first voltage sense signal. The apparatus further includes a signal conversion circuit configured to receive the first current sense signal and the first voltage sense signal and to generate a second current sense input and a second voltage sense input for provision to a current sense input and a voltage sense input, respectively, of a motor protection relay that protects the motor.

Abstract: A motor starter includes a plurality of semiconductor switches configured to couple respective phases of an AC power source to respective phases of a motor and a control circuit configured to configured to selectively operate the semiconductor switches to gradually increase a voltage applied to the motor, to determine root mean square (RMS) current values of a current of the motor as the voltage increases, and to cause the semiconductor switches to apply a full voltage or a more steeply ramping voltage to the motor responsive to the RMS current values meeting a criterion.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a magnetometer-based current sensor (e.g., a Hall-effect or fluxgate-based current sensor) configured to sense a magnetic field generated by a current in at least one conductor connecting a motor drive output to a motor and to responsively produce a first current sense signal and a magnetometer-based voltage sensor (e.g., a Hall-effect or fluxgate-based voltage sensor) configured to sense a magnetic field generated in response to a voltage of the at least one conductor and to responsively produce a first voltage sense signal. The apparatus further includes a signal conversion circuit configured to receive the first current sense signal and the first voltage sense signal and to generate a second current sense input and a second voltage sense input for provision to a current sense input and a voltage sense input, respectively, of a motor protection relay that protects the motor.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a motor drive or other power converter, includes a first controller circuit coupled to at least one serial communications channel and configured to transmit at least one serial communications signal including drive signals and at least one second controller circuit configured to receive the transmitted at least one serial communications, to recover the drive signals therefrom and to transmit the recovered drive signals on respective ones of a plurality of parallel channels to at least one driver circuit that drives semiconductor switches of a power converter. The first controller circuit may be included in a first module, the at least one second controller circuit may be included in at least one second module, and the at least one serial communications channel may include at least one cable (e.g. a fiber optic cable) connecting the first module to the at least one second module.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a motor drive or other power converter, includes a first controller circuit coupled to at least one serial communications channel and configured to transmit at least one serial communications signal including drive signals and at least one second controller circuit configured to receive the transmitted at least one serial communications, to recover the drive signals therefrom and to transmit the recovered drive signals on respective ones of a plurality of parallel channels to at least one driver circuit that drives semiconductor switches of a power converter. The first controller circuit may be included in a first module, the at least one second controller circuit may be included in at least one second module, and the at least one serial communications channel may include at least one cable (e.g. a fiber optic cable) connecting the first module to the at least one second module.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a motor drive or other power converter, includes a first controller circuit coupled to at least one serial communications channel and configured to transmit at least one serial communications signal including drive signals and at least one second controller circuit configured to receive the transmitted at least one serial communications, to recover the drive signals therefrom and to transmit the recovered drive signals on respective ones of a plurality of parallel channels to at least one driver circuit that drives semiconductor switches of a power converter. The first controller circuit may be included in a first module, the at least one second controller circuit may be included in at least one second module, and the at least one serial communications channel may include at least one cable (e.g. a fiber optic cable) connecting the first module to the at least one second module.