Patents by Inventor Karsten Handt

Karsten Handt 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).

  • Publication number: 20260051889
    Abstract: A common-source configuration of two transistors, each having a source terminal, a sink terminal and a control terminal, has two control circuits for controlling one of the transistors each, to control a load current through the configuration. The configuration has a main current path for the load current, and an auxiliary current path for the load current which runs parallel to a section of the main current path. A control series resistor is arranged in one of the control circuits in the auxiliary current path. The source terminals are electrically connected, and the two sink terminals and the two source terminals are in the main current path. Running parallel to a section of the main current path is the auxiliary current path, one half of which is formed by a section of the first control circuit and the other half is formed by a section of the second control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2025
    Publication date: February 19, 2026
    Inventors: Julian Stefan Breiter, Karsten Handt, Hauke Nannen
  • Publication number: 20260031296
    Abstract: A solid-state hybrid switchgear includes first and second isolating contacts, first and second arcing contacts, first and second switch units, and a control unit. The first switch unit is connected in parallel with the first arcing contact. The second switch unit is symmetrical with the first switch unit and connected in parallel with the second arcing contact. The control unit is separately connected to the first and second switch units, and configured to output a first control signal to turn on the first and/or second switch unit to transfer a contact current, and after receiving a current transfer signal, output a second control signal to control the first and/or second switch unit to be turned off. The high-voltage and high-current solid-state hybrid switchgear can extinguish arcs during the connection and disconnection process, thereby improving safety performance. A control method for the solid-state hybrid switchgear is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2025
    Publication date: January 29, 2026
    Inventors: Jie Liu, Mou Wang, Karsten Handt
  • Patent number: 12206398
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a switching device for a DC voltage grid. The device may include: a first controllable semiconductor switch with a control contact and two load contacts; and a controller for the first switch using a control signal at the control contact. The controller is configured to: actuate the first switch using a control pulse that causes the electrical conductivity of the semiconductor switch to reduce for less than 1 ms; apply a current to a test circuit including the first switch; ascertain a first value representing the voltage or the change in voltage across the first switch as a result of the control pulse and the applied current; analyzing the first value; and generating a signal that represents the functionality of the first semiconductor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel
  • Patent number: 12184269
    Abstract: An electronic switch includes a turn-off semiconductor switch, a capacitor, a varistor, with the capacitor and the varistor being arranged in a first series circuit which is arranged in parallel with the turn-off semiconductor switch, a switch, and a resistor, with the switch and the resistor being arranged in parallel with the turn-off semiconductor switch and with the first series circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel
  • Patent number: 11978601
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a DC network comprising: an electrical conductor; a switching unit arranged at one end of the conductor to break the electrical connection via the conductor, the switching unit including a controllable power semiconductor connected in series in the current path of the conductor; wherein the conductor includes a first section and a second section starting from the switching unit with a connection point between the first section and the second section; a first overvoltage protection apparatus connected between the connecting point and a second pole of the DC network; and a second overvoltage protection apparatus connected between that end of the second section remote from the switching unit and the second pole. The overvoltage protection apparatuses each have a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel, Boris Kuschel, Jörg Weiss
  • Patent number: 11942811
    Abstract: A method is for precharging a second network section with electrical energy from a first network section of a DC network. In an initial state, an initial voltage prevailing in the second network section is lower than a DC voltage prevailing in the first network section. At a first point in time, the two network sections are connected via a resistor current path having a precharging resistor. At a subsequent second point in time, as soon as the voltage in the second network section is between the initial voltage and the DC voltage, the two network sections are connected via a semiconductor switch which is situated parallel to the resistor current path and is operated in a clocked mode or in a linear mode as a controllable resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Hubert Schierling
  • Patent number: 11881706
    Abstract: A switching device for opening a current path of a direct-voltage network, which current path has source-side and load-side inductors, the switching device includes at least two switching modules, which are connected in series, each of the switching modules having at least one controllable semiconductor switching element, in parallel with which a series circuit of a resistor and a capacitor is connected. During operation of the switching device in order to open the current path, the controllable semiconductor switching element of at least one of the switching modules is switched into a conductive state with a duty cycle until the energy stored in the inductors has been dissipated, the duty cycle being dependent on the difference between the actual voltage and a target voltage across the semiconductor switching element, the target voltage being calculated at least from the system voltage of the direct-voltage network and the number of switching modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Hänsel, Karsten Handt
  • Patent number: 11876365
    Abstract: A switching module a method for connecting a load to a DC network are disclosed. The switching module includes a first module connection, a second module connection, a third module connection, a first electronic switch connected between the first module connection and the second module connection, and a second electronic switch connected between the second module connection and the third module connection. The two electronic switches are connected in anti-series between the first module connection and the third module connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Karsten Handt
  • Publication number: 20230253170
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a DC network comprising: an electrical conductor; a switching unit arranged at one end of the conductor to break the electrical connection via the conductor, the switching unit including a controllable power semiconductor connected in series in the current path of the conductor; wherein the conductor includes a first section and a second section starting from the switching unit with a connection point between the first section and the second section; a first overvoltage protection apparatus connected between the connecting point and a second pole of the DC network; and a second overvoltage protection apparatus connected between that end of the second section remote from the switching unit and the second pole. The overvoltage protection apparatuses each have a capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel, Boris Kuschel, Jörg Weiss
  • Publication number: 20230198518
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a switching device for a DC voltage grid. The device may include: a first controllable semiconductor switch with a control contact and two load contacts; and a controller for the first switch using a control signal at the control contact. The controller is configured to: actuate the first switch using a control pulse that causes the electrical conductivity of the semiconductor switch to reduce for less than 1 ms; apply a current to a test circuit including the first switch; ascertain a first value representing the voltage or the change in voltage across the first switch as a result of the control pulse and the applied current; analyzing the first value; and generating a signal that represents the functionality of the first semiconductor switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel
  • Patent number: 11626727
    Abstract: An energy supply network has a bus line with a line impedance for energy distribution. The energy supply network also includes a number of power-electronic converters having a respective commutation capacitor wherein the storage capacity thereof is selected in such a way that a controlling of the associated power-electronic converter is guaranteed during operation of the energy supply network and an excess of voltage is managed during a commutation. At least one energy accumulator is provided, which can be connected selectively to the bus line by controlling a switch device via a computer unit, wherein the storage capacity of the energy accumulator is substantially greater than the storage capacity of a respective commutation capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Sebastian Nielebock, Markus Pfeifer, Jens Weidauer
  • Patent number: 11601124
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a DC switch for disconnecting a DC line. The switch may include: a power semiconductor switch arranged in a current path of the DC line; a first sensor for measuring the input and output voltages; a second sensor for measuring the current flowing through the DC line; and a controller for the power semiconductor switch. The control device is configured to: switch on the DC switch for a first time period; determine the input voltage present; determine the output voltage present at the end of the first time period; determine the current intensity present at the end of the first time period; and determine an inductance and/or capacitance from the determined values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel
  • Patent number: 11476656
    Abstract: An electronic switch is composed of two anti-serially connected turn-off semiconductor switches having at least four terminals and at least three terminals, respectively. A method for detecting a turn-off current through the electronic switch for a DC voltage grid includes measuring a first voltage between an emitter terminal and an auxiliary emitter terminal at the first switch, measuring a second voltage between a collector terminal and an emitter terminal or between a drain terminal and a source terminal at the second switch, comparing the first and second measured voltage or a time integral of the first and second measured voltage with a reference value, and turning off at least one of the two turn-off semiconductor switches when the reference value is exceeded. An electronic switch for performing the method and a DC voltage grid with such an electronic switch are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel
  • Publication number: 20220182051
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a DC switch for disconnecting a DC line. The switch may include: a power semiconductor switch arranged in a current path of the DC line; a first sensor for measuring the input and output voltages; a second sensor for measuring the current flowing through the DC line; and a controller for the power semiconductor switch. The control device is configured to: switch on the DC switch for a first time period; determine the input voltage present; determine the output voltage present at the end of the first time period; determine the current intensity present at the end of the first time period; and determine an inductance and/or capacitance from the determined values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Stefan Hänsel
  • Publication number: 20220158437
    Abstract: A switching module a method for connecting a load to a DC network are disclosed. The switching module includes a first module connection, a second module connection, a third module connection, a first electronic switch connected between the first module connection and the second module connection, and a second electronic switch connected between the second module connection and the third module connection. The two electronic switches are connected in anti-series between the first module connection and the third module connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Karsten HANDT
  • Publication number: 20220149613
    Abstract: A switching device for opening a current path of a direct-voltage network, which current path has source-side and load-side inductors, the switching device includes at least two switching modules, which are connected in series, each of the switching modules having at least one controllable semiconductor switching element, in parallel with which a series circuit of a resistor and a capacitor is connected. During operation of the switching device in order to open the current path, the controllable semiconductor switching element of at least one of the switching modules is switched into a conductive state with a duty cycle until the energy stored in the inductors has been dissipated, the duty cycle being dependent on the difference between the actual voltage and a target voltage across the semiconductor switching element, the target voltage being calculated at least from the system voltage of the direct-voltage network and the number of switching modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Hänsel, Karsten Handt
  • Publication number: 20220123551
    Abstract: An energy supply network has a bus line with a line impedance for energy distribution. The energy supply network also includes a number of power-electronic converters having a respective commutation capacitor wherein the storage capacity thereof is selected in such a way that a controlling of the associated power-electronic converter is guaranteed during operation of the energy supply network and an excess of voltage is managed during a commutation. At least one energy accumulator is provided, which can be connected selectively to the bus line by controlling a switch device via a computer unit, wherein the storage capacity of the energy accumulator is substantially greater than the storage capacity of a respective commutation capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Karsten Handt, Sebastian Nielebock, Markus Pfeifer, Jens Weidauer
  • Publication number: 20220094188
    Abstract: A method is for precharging a second network section with electrical energy from a first network section of a DC network. In an initial state, an initial voltage prevailing in the second network section is lower than a DC voltage prevailing in the first network section. At a first point in time, the two network sections are connected via a resistor current path having a precharging resistor. At a subsequent second point in time, as soon as the voltage in the second network section is between the initial voltage and the DC voltage, the two network sections are connected via a semiconductor switch which is situated parallel to the resistor current path and is operated in a clocked mode or in a linear mode as a controllable resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten HANDT, Hubert SCHIERLING
  • Publication number: 20220021198
    Abstract: An electronic switch is composed of two anti-serially connected turn-off semiconductor switches having at least four terminals and at least three terminals, respectively. A method for detecting a turn-off current through the electronic switch for a DC voltage grid includes measuring a first voltage between an emitter terminal and an auxiliary emitter terminal at the first switch, measuring a second voltage between a collector terminal and an emitter terminal or between a drain terminal and a source terminal at the second switch, comparing the first and second measured voltage or a time integral of the first and second measured voltage with a reference value, and turning off at least one of the two turn-off semiconductor switches when the reference value is exceeded. An electronic switch for performing the method and a DC voltage grid with such an electronic switch are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: KARSTEN HANDT, STEFAN HÄNSEL
  • Publication number: 20220014185
    Abstract: An electronic switch includes a turn-off semiconductor switch, a capacitor, a varistor, with the capacitor and the varistor being arranged in a first series circuit which is arranged in parallel with the turn-off semiconductor switch, a switch, and a resistor, with the switch and the resistor being arranged in parallel with the turn-off semiconductor switch and with the first series circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: KARSTEN HANDT, STEFAN HÄNSEL