Patents by Inventor Kun-Min Chen

Kun-Min Chen 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: 12283908
    Abstract: A motor driver having a temperature sensing mechanism is provided. A control circuit determines a time for outputting a controlling signal according to a pulse-width modulation signal received from an external pulse-width modulation circuit. A driving circuit outputs a driving signal according to the controlling signal. An output stage circuit operates according to the driving signal to output an output stage signal to a motor to drive the motor to rotate. In a temperature sensing mode, a thermal sensor circuit senses a temperature inside the motor driver to output a temperature sensing signal. An external system circuit determines whether or not the motor driver causes overheating to the motor when being adapted to the motor according to the temperature sensing signal, and evaluates whether or not the motor driver is applicable to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kun-Min Chen, Huan-Chieh Chou
  • Patent number: 12176840
    Abstract: A motor driver of setting pulse width modulation at commutation time points of a motor is provided. A commutation control circuit outputs a phase control signal and a commutation starting signal according to a preset phase angle and a commutation signal of the motor. A pulse width modulation calculating circuit determines a starting time point of each of a plurality of cycles of a pulse width modulation signal according to the commutation starting signal. The pulse width modulation calculating circuit determines time of each of the plurality of cycles of the pulse width modulation signal according to the phase control signal. The pulse width modulation calculating circuit determines widths of a plurality of pulse waves of the pulse width modulation signal according to a target rotational speed of the motor. A motor driver circuit drives the motor according to the pulse width modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kun-Min Chen
  • Publication number: 20240421588
    Abstract: A motor driver circuit having a reverse current detection mechanism is provided. The motor driver circuit includes a reverse current detector circuit, a control circuit, a driver circuit and an output stage circuit. The reverse current detector circuit detects a current flowing through a motor within a preset time interval to output a current detected signal. The control circuit determines whether or not the detected current is a reverse current to output a control signal according to the current detected signal. The driver circuit outputs a driving signal according to the control signal. The output stage circuit operates to output an output-stage signal to the motor according to the driving signal. The motor rotates according to the output-stage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2023
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventor: KUN-MIN CHEN
  • Patent number: 12149160
    Abstract: A power converter having a multi-stage high-side driving mechanism is provided. A control circuit outputs a first high-side control signal. A high-side driving circuit, according to the first high-side control signal and a first input voltage signal, outputs a first stage high-side driving signal to a control terminal of a high-side switch. As a result, a voltage of the control terminal of the high-side switch is pulled up to a first stage voltage from zero. Then, the control circuit outputs a second high-side control signal. A charge pump outputs a charging signal. The high-side driving circuit, according to the second high-side control signal and the charging signal, outputs a second stage high-side driving signal to the control terminal of the high-side switch. As a result, the voltage of the control terminal of the high-side switch is pulled up from the first stage voltage to a target voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kun-Min Chen, Ke-Tsung Chen
  • Publication number: 20240380318
    Abstract: A power converter having a charge pump frequency switching control mechanism is provided. In the power converter, frequencies of a plurality of pulse waves of a clock signal are determined, according to a level of a high-side control signal outputted to a control terminal of a high-side switch from a control circuit or a voltage of the control terminal (and a voltage of a second terminal) of the high-side switch. In the power converter, a charge pump supplies power to a high-side driver circuit at the frequencies of the clock signal, and the high-side driver circuit uses the power from the charge pump to drive the high-side switch and to pull up the voltage of the control terminal of the high-side switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventor: KUN-MIN CHEN
  • Patent number: 12095404
    Abstract: A motor forward and reverse rotation detector and a motor driver having the motor forward and reverse rotation detector are provided. A rotor position detecting circuit detects a position of a rotor of a motor to output a commutation signal. A forward and reverse rotation detecting circuit detects a back electromotive force of the motor to output a back electromotive force detected signal. The forward and reverse rotation detecting circuit, according to a phase relationship and a phase difference between the back electromotive force detected signal and the commutation signal, determines which one of a forward direction and a reverse direction is a rotational direction of the motor to output a rotational direction detected signal. A motor driving circuit drives the motor according to the rotational direction detected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kun-Min Chen, Shih-Hai Chien
  • Patent number: 12086085
    Abstract: A motor driver, a control method of the motor driver, and a motor driving system are provided. The motor driver includes a rotation information pin, an analog detecting circuit and a mode switching circuit. The rotation information pin is configured to receive a reference signal. The analog detecting circuit and the mode switching circuit are respectively and electrically connected to the rotation information pin and the analog detecting circuit. The analog detecting circuit determines whether the reference signal is an analog signal, and the motor driver is maintained in a master mode when the reference signal does not belong to the analog signal. The mode switching circuit determines whether the reference signal is a noise when the reference signal is the analog signal. The mode switching circuit switches the motor driver from the master mode to a slave mode when the reference signal is not the noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Li-Wei Chen, Chung-Hsien Fu, Kun-Min Chen
  • Publication number: 20240243688
    Abstract: A motor driver having a temperature sensing mechanism is provided. A control circuit determines a time for outputting a controlling signal according to a pulse-width modulation signal received from an external pulse-width modulation circuit. A driving circuit outputs a driving signal according to the controlling signal. An output stage circuit operates according to the driving signal to output an output stage signal to a motor to drive the motor to rotate. In a temperature sensing mode, a thermal sensor circuit senses a temperature inside the motor driver to output a temperature sensing signal. An external system circuit determines whether or not the motor driver causes overheating to the motor when being adapted to the motor according to the temperature sensing signal, and evaluates whether or not the motor driver is applicable to the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: KUN-MIN CHEN, HUAN-CHIEH CHOU
  • Patent number: 12034394
    Abstract: A motor driver using a correcting mechanism on a sensed motor position is provided. A rotor position detector circuit senses a position of a rotor of a motor to output a commutation signal. A back electromotive force detector circuit detects a back electromotive force signal of the motor. An actual phase difference calculator circuit calculates a phase difference between the back electromotive force signal and the commutation signal as an actual phase difference. An error phase angle calculator circuit calculates a difference between the actual phase difference and a reference phase difference as an error phase angle. A motor driving circuit corrects the commutation signal according to the error phase angle. The motor driving circuit determines the position of the rotor of the motor to drive the motor according to the corrected commutation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kun-Min Chen
  • Publication number: 20240106359
    Abstract: A motor driver of setting pulse width modulation at commutation time points of a motor is provided. A commutation control circuit outputs a phase control signal and a commutation starting signal according to a preset phase angle and a commutation signal of the motor. A pulse width modulation calculating circuit determines a starting time point of each of a plurality of cycles of a pulse width modulation signal according to the commutation starting signal. The pulse width modulation calculating circuit determines time of each of the plurality of cycles of the pulse width modulation signal according to the phase control signal. The pulse width modulation calculating circuit determines widths of a plurality of pulse waves of the pulse width modulation signal according to a target rotational speed of the motor. A motor driver circuit drives the motor according to the pulse width modulation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventor: KUN-MIN CHEN
  • Publication number: 20240072654
    Abstract: A power converter having a multi-stage high-side driving mechanism is provided. A control circuit outputs a first high-side control signal. A high-side driving circuit, according to the first high-side control signal and a first input voltage signal, outputs a first stage high-side driving signal to a control terminal of a high-side switch. As a result, a voltage of the control terminal of the high-side switch is pulled up to a first stage voltage from zero. Then, the control circuit outputs a second high-side control signal. A charge pump outputs a charging signal. The high-side driving circuit, according to the second high-side control signal and the charging signal, outputs a second stage high-side driving signal to the control terminal of the high-side switch. As a result, the voltage of the control terminal of the high-side switch is pulled up from the first stage voltage to a target voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: KUN-MIN CHEN, KE-TSUNG CHEN
  • Publication number: 20240072695
    Abstract: A motor forward and reverse rotation detector and a motor driver having the motor forward and reverse rotation detector are provided. A rotor position detecting circuit detects a position of a rotor of a motor to output a commutation signal. A forward and reverse rotation detecting circuit detects a back electromotive force of the motor to output a back electromotive force detected signal. The forward and reverse rotation detecting circuit, according to a phase relationship and a phase difference between the back electromotive force detected signal and the commutation signal, determines which one of a forward direction and a reverse direction is a rotational direction of the motor to output a rotational direction detected signal. A motor driving circuit drives the motor according to the rotational direction detected signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: KUN-MIN CHEN, Shih-Hai Chien
  • Publication number: 20240072692
    Abstract: A motor driver using a correcting mechanism on a sensed motor position is provided. A rotor position detector circuit senses a position of a rotor of a motor to output a commutation signal. A back electromotive force detector circuit detects a back electromotive force signal of the motor. An actual phase difference calculator circuit calculates a phase difference between the back electromotive force signal and the commutation signal as an actual phase difference. An error phase angle calculator circuit calculates a difference between the actual phase difference and a reference phase difference as an error phase angle. A motor driving circuit corrects the commutation signal according to the error phase angle. The motor driving circuit determines the position of the rotor of the motor to drive the motor according to the corrected commutation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventor: KUN-MIN CHEN
  • Patent number: 11876466
    Abstract: A motor controlling circuit is provided. A first terminal of a first high-side transistor and a first terminal of a second high-side transistor are coupled to a common voltage. A first terminal of a first low-side transistor is connected to a second terminal of the first high-side transistor. A first node between the first terminal of the first low-side transistor and the second terminal of the first high-side transistor is connected to a first terminal of a motor. A first terminal of a second low-side transistor is connected to a second terminal of the second high-side transistor. A second node between the first terminal of the second low-side transistor and the second terminal of the second high-side transistor is connected to a second terminal of the motor. The driver circuit regulates at least one of the transistors such that no current flows to the common voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kun-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 11804800
    Abstract: A motor current protecting circuit is provided. A voltage calculating circuit determines whether or not each of low-side switches is fully turned on and then determines whether or not a voltage difference between a first terminal and a second terminal of each of the low-side switches being fully turned on is larger than or equal to a zero value. The voltage calculating circuit adds up the voltage differences each of which is larger than or equal to the zero value to output a voltage signal. A control circuit controls a driver circuit to switch the low-side switches and high-side switches according to the voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kun-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 11761450
    Abstract: A rotation locking system of a motor of a fan is provided. A closed-loop control circuit outputs an initial duty cycle signal according to a current rotational speed and a target rotational speed. A driver circuit outputs a driving signal to the motor to drive the motor to rotate according to the initial duty cycle signal. A lookup table arithmetic circuit looks up, from a lookup table, two reference duty cycles correspond to two reference rotational speeds that are respectively equal to the current rotational speed and the target rotational speed. The lookup table arithmetic circuit calculates a difference between the two reference duty cycles. A speed feedback control circuit compensates the initial duty cycle signal according to the difference to output a final duty cycle signal to the driver circuit. The driver circuit drives the motor to rotate according to the final duty cycle signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Che-Ming Hsu, Kun-Min Chen
  • Publication number: 20230223887
    Abstract: A motor current protecting circuit is provided. A voltage calculating circuit determines whether or not each of low-side switches is fully turned on and then determines whether or not a voltage difference between a first terminal and a second terminal of each of the low-side switches being fully turned on is larger than or equal to a zero value. The voltage calculating circuit adds up the voltage differences each of which is larger than or equal to the zero value to output a voltage signal. A control circuit controls a driver circuit to switch the low-side switches and high-side switches according to the voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventor: KUN-MIN CHEN
  • Patent number: 11601035
    Abstract: A motor current controlling circuit having a voltage detection mechanism is provided. A first terminal of a first low-side transistor is connected to a second terminal of a first high-side transistor. A node between the first terminal of the first low-side transistor and the second terminal of the first high-side transistor is connected to a first terminal of a motor. A first terminal of a second low-side transistor is connected to a second terminal of a second high-side transistor. A zero current detector circuit detects a voltage of the node and determines whether or not a current flowing through the motor is equal to a zero value to output a zero current detected signal according to the detected voltage. A controller circuit controls a driver circuit to turn on or off the high-side transistors and the low-side transistors according to the zero current detected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kun-Min Chen
  • Publication number: 20230058109
    Abstract: A motor driver, a control method of the motor driver, and a motor driving system are provided. The motor driver includes a rotation information pin, an analog detecting circuit and a mode switching circuit. The rotation information pin is configured to receive a reference signal. The analog detecting circuit and the mode switching circuit are respectively and electrically connected to the rotation information pin and the analog detecting circuit. The analog detecting circuit determines whether the reference signal is an analog signal, and the motor driver is maintained in a master mode when the reference signal does not belong to the analog signal. The mode switching circuit determines whether the reference signal is a noise when the reference signal is the analog signal. The mode switching circuit switches the motor driver from the master mode to a slave mode when the reference signal is not the noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: LI-WEI CHEN, CHUNG-HSIEN FU, KUN-MIN CHEN
  • Publication number: 20230049456
    Abstract: A rotation locking system of a motor of a fan is provided. A closed-loop control circuit outputs an initial duty cycle signal according to a current rotational speed and a target rotational speed. A driver circuit outputs a driving signal to the motor to drive the motor to rotate according to the initial duty cycle signal. A lookup table arithmetic circuit looks up, from a lookup table, two reference duty cycles correspond to two reference rotational speeds that are respectively equal to the current rotational speed and the target rotational speed. The lookup table arithmetic circuit calculates a difference between the two reference duty cycles. A speed feedback control circuit compensates the initial duty cycle signal according to the difference to output a final duty cycle signal to the driver circuit. The driver circuit drives the motor to rotate according to the final duty cycle signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: CHE-MING HSU, KUN-MIN CHEN