Patents by Inventor Maeng-Ho Seo

Maeng-Ho Seo 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: 6316882
    Abstract: An electronic ballast for use in illuminating a lamp includes a voltage reference generator that uses a plurality of current amplifiers and resistors having substantially identical resistance characteristics to remain stable in response to temperature variations and despite resistance process dispersion. The reference voltage generator further includes an ON/OFF controller and a dimming function that may be controlled via a single input terminal. Additionally, the dimming function uses a capacitor to prevent abrupt changes in an input signal from causing abrupt changes in a feedback signal that controls an output frequency of the ballast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Fairfield Korea Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Nak-Choon Choi, Maeng-Ho Seo
  • Patent number: 6175218
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Power Factor Correction (PFC) controller which comprises a boost converter, an error amplification unit, a calculator, and a switching driver. The error amplification unit reduces the error voltage of the output voltage of the boost converter to a specific reference voltage. The calculator receives first and second input voltages proportional to the input power of the converter and the output voltage of the error amplification unit, and outputs the voltage proportional to the first input voltage and the output voltage of the error amplification unit and inversely proportional to the second input voltage. The switching driver controls the switch to OFF when the voltage which detects the current flowing to switch of the boost converter becomes equal to the output voltage of the calculator, and controls the switch to ON when the zero current of the coil of the boost converter is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Nak-Choon Choi, Kyung-Hee Jang, Maeng-Ho Seo
  • Patent number: 6122180
    Abstract: Disclosed is an SMPS with a constant power control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Fairfield Korea Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Maeng-Ho Seo, Sang-Heum Yeon
  • Patent number: 5973458
    Abstract: A sequential feedback control system for an electronic ballast provides feedback control during soft start and dimming operations. The system includes a feedback control portion that generates a feedback signal responsive to the power consumption of the ballast and receives a control signal for controlling the power consumption of the ballast. A dimming controller generates a dimming signal responsive to a time signal, and a soft start controller generates a soft start signal responsive to the time signal. An adder generates the control signal by adding the feedback signal and the dimming signal. The dimming controller includes a first resistor for setting the steady state power level during dimming operations and a second resistor for setting the rate of change of the power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Maeng-Ho Seo, Nak-Choon Choi
  • Patent number: 5949229
    Abstract: A power factor correction circuit for a boost converter includes a current feedforward loop that senses the input voltage by detecting variations in the rate of change of current in an inductor, thereby eliminating the need for a voltage feedforward loop. A current sense circuit generates a current signal responsive to the input current flowing through the inductor when a switching transistor is turned on. A comparator compares the current signal to a sawtooth signal, thereby generating a control signal for turning the transistor off. The output of the converter is controlled by a voltage feedback loop which includes an error amplifier that generates an error signal responsive to the output voltage. The error signal is then multiplied by the current signal before the current signal is compared to the sawtooth signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nak-Choon Choi, Maeng-Ho Seo
  • Patent number: 5764039
    Abstract: A power factor correction circuit for a boost-type voltage converter determines the input voltage by sensing the rate at which the current through an inductor changes when a switching transistor is turned on. The circuit includes a current sense circuit which generates a control signal in response to the current flowing in the inductor. The control signal is compared with a sawtooth signal to control the input current waveform. An output detecting circuit generates a comparison reference signal for regulating the output voltage of the converter. The comparison reference signal is summed with the control signal to provide a comparison signal. A comparison circuit compares the comparison signal with the sawtooth signal and generates a pulse width modulated signal for controlling the switch. A compensation signal generator generates a compensated comparison signal in response to a ripple component in the output signal of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nak-Choon Choi, Maeng-Ho Seo
  • Patent number: 5726534
    Abstract: A feedback control system of ballast which has function to detect the number of lamp and is applied to an integrated circuit to control the ballast for a fluorescent lamp etc, and provides the ballast with the feedback control system which can detect the number of lamp, control ballast continuously by means of the n-lamp detector and soft start controller which produce the compensated current from the feedback current and direct link voltage. Therefore, the feedback control system can control the ballast accurately according to the load change such as the change of input voltage, number of lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Maeng-ho Seo
  • Patent number: 5642065
    Abstract: Switching loss in push-pull switching transistors in a resonant inverter or the like, is minimized by assuring the switching of each of the transistors into conduction occurs when the voltage across its principal conduction path is zero-valued, or substantially so. This is done responsive to sensing the flow of forward currents through clamp diodes connected across the principal conduction paths of each of the transistors. This sensing is done so as to avoid the need for an additional coupling transformer. More particularly, the current flow to or from either of the terminals of the primary direct voltage supply, which current flow is in a first direction when either of the switching transistors is conductive and is in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the clamp diodes are conductive, is sensed for determining the times when the switching transistors are to begin to be conditioned for conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nak-choon Choi, Maeng-ho Seo