Patents by Inventor Mikko SAARINEN

Mikko SAARINEN 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: 20170324353
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a change in a capacitance in an electric system, and an electric system comprising a multilevel inverter and at least two capacitances connected in series between a negative DC pole and a positive DC pole of the inverter, wherein the connection point between the capacitances is connected to one of the at least one middle DC pole of the inverter, and a controller configured to provide by the inverter an AC current component to one of the at least one middle DC pole of the inverter, which AC current component is distributed between the two capacitances connected to the middle DC pole, and monitor resulting AC voltage components in the two capacitances, and determine on the basis of a difference between the monitored AC voltage components a change in at least one of the two capacitances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Tero Viitanen, Jarno Alahuhtala, Mikko Saarinen
  • Publication number: 20170155385
    Abstract: A gate drive circuit adapted to control a power semiconductor component, the gate drive circuit comprising a gate driver connectable to a positive auxiliary voltage and to a negative auxiliary voltage, the gate drive circuit comprising a feedback circuit having an inductive coupling element for providing a feedback signal, wherein one end of the feedback circuit having the inductive coupling element is connected to a known reference potential and the other end of the feedback circuit is connected to the gate driver, and the inductive coupling element is inductively coupled to the main current path of the power semiconductor component for providing feedback signal to the gate driver based on the change rate of the current of the power semiconductor component for limiting the change rate of the current of the power semiconductor component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Mikko Saarinen, Markus Oinonen
  • Patent number: 9590619
    Abstract: A gate drive circuit creates a bipolar voltage to a gate of an IGB power transistor, and compensates for Miller currents of the IGB power transistor. The compensating is performed by a switching element connected in series with a capacitor between the gate (X4) and a supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Oy
    Inventors: Jukka-Pekka Kittilä, Mika Niemi, Mikko Saarinen
  • Patent number: 9294010
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a method for controlling a switching branch of a three-level converter to enter a stop state. The switching branch including a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch, a first diode and a second diode, a third semiconductor switch and a fourth semiconductor switch, a third diode, and a fourth diode, a fifth semiconductor switch and a sixth semiconductor switch, a fifth diode, and a sixth diode, and a manner of controlling the semiconductor switches. When the switching branch is set to enter a stop state, current flowing in a main circuit of the switching branch is transferred in a controlled manner to diodes that conduct the current, when all the semiconductor switches of the main circuit of the converter are turned OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: ABB TECHNOLOGY OY
    Inventors: Tero Viitanen, Mikko Saarinen
  • Publication number: 20150381166
    Abstract: A gate drive circuit creates a bipolar voltage to a gate of an IGB power transistor, and compensates for Miller currents of the IGB power transistor. The compensating is performed by a switching element connected in series with a capacitor between the gate (X4) and a supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: ABB OY
    Inventors: Jukka-Pekka KITTILĂ„, Mika Niemi, Mikko Saarinen
  • Publication number: 20140268940
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a method for controlling a switching branch of a three-level converter to enter a stop state. The switching branch including a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch, a first diode and a second diode, a third semiconductor switch and a fourth semiconductor switch, a third diode, and a fourth diode, a fifth semiconductor switch and a sixth semiconductor switch, a fifth diode, and a sixth diode, and a manner of controlling the semiconductor switches. When the switching branch is set to enter a stop state, current flowing in a main circuit of the switching branch is transferred in a controlled manner to diodes that conduct the current, when all the semiconductor switches of the main circuit of the converter are turned OFF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ABB Oy
    Inventors: Tero VIITANEN, Mikko SAARINEN
  • Publication number: 20140063667
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a method and arrangement for detecting an overvoltage of a semiconductor switch. The arrangement including a first semiconductor switch and a driver unit controlling the switch. An overvoltage is detected over the semiconductor switch, and a voltage is adjusted at a supply voltage input of the driver unit on the basis of the overvoltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: ABB OY
    Inventor: Mikko SAARINEN