Patents by Inventor Tiam Poh LAU

Tiam Poh LAU 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: 11785687
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller (such as associated with a power converter). The controller is operative to receive input control settings. Based on the input control settings, the controller controls a magnitude of an output current generated by the power converter. The output current from the power converter powers light emitting hardware. The controller transitions between operating the power converter in an asynchronous mode and a synchronous mode to produce the output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Alexey Evstifeev, Tiam Poh Lau, Michael Weirich
  • Publication number: 20230068030
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller (such as associated with a power converter). The controller is operative to receive input control settings. Based on the input control settings, the controller controls a magnitude of an output current generated by the power converter. The output current from the power converter powers light emitting hardware. The controller transitions between operating the power converter in an asynchronous mode and a synchronous mode to produce the output current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Alexey EVSTIFEEV, Tiam Poh Lau, Michael Weirich
  • Patent number: 11205950
    Abstract: An apparatus (such as a power converter circuit) includes s primary winding, an auxiliary winding, and an over-voltage protection circuit (such as a controller and corresponding one or more circuit components). The primary winding receives an input voltage. The auxiliary winding is magnetically coupled to the primary winding. The primary winding receives energy from the input voltage, the auxiliary winding receives the energy from the primary winding. The over-voltage protection circuit controls conveyance of the energy received from the primary winding through a discharge circuit path to a reference voltage (such as ground). Conveyance of the energy (as received from the auxiliary winding) associated with the input voltage through the discharge circuit path prevents damage to a respective power converter circuit during exposure of the input voltage to a power surge condition such as due to lightning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Marcus Schaemann
  • Publication number: 20210257829
    Abstract: An apparatus (such as a power converter circuit) includes s primary winding, an auxiliary winding, and an over-voltage protection circuit (such as a controller and corresponding one or more circuit components). The primary winding receives an input voltage. The auxiliary winding is magnetically coupled to the primary winding. The primary winding receives energy from the input voltage, the auxiliary winding receives the energy from the primary winding. The over-voltage protection circuit controls conveyance of the energy received from the primary winding through a discharge circuit path to a reference voltage (such as ground). Conveyance of the energy (as received from the auxiliary winding) associated with the input voltage through the discharge circuit path prevents damage to a respective power converter circuit during exposure of the input voltage to a power surge condition such as due to lightning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Marcus Schaemann
  • Patent number: 10637359
    Abstract: Power converter controllers, power converters and corresponding methods are provided. A power converter controller may have a first input for receiving an indication of an output of the power converter and a second input operative to receive a supply voltage. A control circuit of the power converter controller (10) controls a primary side switch of the power converter based on both the supply voltage and the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Marcus Schaemann, Tiam Poh Lau
  • Patent number: 10523111
    Abstract: A device for overvoltage protection includes a gate driver module and an overvoltage protection module. The gate driver module is configured to selectively activate a switching element to provide input power to a primary side winding of a transformer for generating a target output at a secondary side winding of the transformer. The overvoltage protection module is configured to determine a transition threshold based on a previously sensed supply voltage at a voltage supply pin configured to receive power for operating the circuit from a primary side auxiliary winding of the transformer and determine the circuit is operating in an overvoltage condition when a current supply voltage at the voltage supply pin exceeds the transition threshold, wherein the current supply voltage occurs at the supply pin after the previously sensed supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Marcus Schaemann
  • Publication number: 20190222125
    Abstract: Power converter controllers, power converters and corresponding methods are provided. A power converter controller may have a first input for receiving an indication of an output of the power converter and a second input operative to receive a supply voltage. A control circuit of the power converter controller (10) controls a primary side switch of the power converter based on both the supply voltage and the indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Marcus SCHAEMANN, Tiam Poh Lau
  • Patent number: 10219343
    Abstract: In an example, a controller that controls one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein the controller is configured to receive an output voltage from a secondary transformer winding of a transformer, and receive first information across a galvanic isolation barrier, wherein the first information includes a desired LED brightness. The controller is further configured to receive second information across the galvanic isolation barrier, and the second information includes an output voltage of an auxiliary transformer winding; The controller may control the one or more LEDs based on the first information, and also control the output voltage of a secondary transformer winding and the output voltage of the auxiliary transformer winding based on the first information and the second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Marcus Schaemann, Tiam Poh Lau
  • Publication number: 20180279431
    Abstract: A drive circuit and a method are disclosed. The drive circuit includes output nodes configured to be coupled to a load, a capacitor coupled between the output nodes, and a power converter. The power converter is configured to store an initialization value in a memory in at least one of a plurality of on-phases of the drive circuit and to control an initialization phase of at least one other of the plurality of on-phases based on the initialization value stored in the memory. The initialization value is dependent on an output voltage across the capacitor during a load drive phase of the at least one on-phase, and the power converter is further configured to regulate an output current during the load drive phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Marcus Schaemann, Tiam Poh Lau
  • Patent number: 9936552
    Abstract: In one example, a system includes a controller, a transformer including at least a primary winding and an auxiliary winding, a voltage supply, and a driver. The controller is configured to output an indication of a target current or a target power. The voltage supply is configured to receive an electrical current having a constant average current over time from the auxiliary winding and to output variable electrical current for supplying the controller. The voltage supply includes a capacitor for storing energy and a current sink for consuming a current. The driver is configured to selectively energize the primary winding for supplying one or more load devices based on the target current or the target power and selectively energize the primary winding for operating the voltage supply based on an indication of a voltage at the voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Marcus Schaemann
  • Patent number: 9930743
    Abstract: A device includes light source and a controller. The light source includes a first LED coupled to a second LED, where a first terminal of the first LED is coupled to a first terminal of the second LED. The controller is configured to receive an input signal indicative of a color of light. The controller is also configured to adjust, based on the input signal, a first proportion of a current, the first proportion being applied to the first LED. The controller is also configured to adjust, based on the input signal, a second proportion of the current, the second proportion being applied to the second LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Zhongfang Wang, Tiam Poh Lau
  • Patent number: 9793790
    Abstract: An overvoltage protection circuit and a method for protecting against an output from a power supply reaching overvoltage levels is provided. The overvoltage protection provides two operational modes for the power supply. In both modes, the overvoltage protection monitors the output voltage of the power supply and disables it if the output voltage reaches a threshold indicating an overvoltage event. In normal operation, this threshold is set to a level that is higher than a nominal safety threshold defined for the power supply whereas in reduced operation, this threshold is set to a value lower than the safety threshold. When an overvoltage event is detected in normal operation, the overvoltage protection transitions the power supply into the reduced operational mode before reactivating it. The power supply may be reactivated, produce an overvoltage event, and be deactivated multiple times in the reduced operational mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Marcus Schaemann
  • Publication number: 20170187292
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) includes a controller including a measurement circuit and a pulse width modulator having an output configured to be coupled to a control node of a switch of the SMPS. The measurement circuit is configured to determine a phase angle of an AC line input of the SMPS and modulate a frequency of a control signal at the output of the pulse width modulator based on the phase angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Marcus Schaemann, Tiam Poh Lau
  • Publication number: 20170149325
    Abstract: An overvoltage protection circuit and a method for protecting against an output from a power supply reaching overvoltage levels is provided. The overvoltage protection provides two operational modes for the power supply. In both modes, the overvoltage protection monitors the output voltage of the power supply and disables it if the output voltage reaches a threshold indicating an overvoltage event. In normal operation, this threshold is set to a level that is higher than a nominal safety threshold defined for the power supply whereas in reduced operation, this threshold is set to a value lower than the safety threshold. When an overvoltage event is detected in normal operation, the overvoltage protection transitions the power supply into the reduced operational mode before reactivating it. The power supply may be reactivated, produce an overvoltage event, and be deactivated multiple times in the reduced operational mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Marcus Schaemann
  • Patent number: 9572207
    Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide a dimming arrangement for a variable load, such as a lamp. The dimming arrangement is coupled to a drive circuit for the load and arranged to reduce a drive current associated with the drive circuit, based on a control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Zhongfang Wang
  • Publication number: 20150048761
    Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide a dimming arrangement for a variable load, such as a lamp. The dimming arrangement is coupled to a drive circuit for the load and arranged to reduce a drive current associated with the drive circuit, based on a control voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Tiam Poh LAU, Zhongfang WANG