Patents Issued in June 24, 2008
  • Patent number: 7391160
    Abstract: A system and apparatus for controlled fusion in a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic topology and conversion of fusion product energies directly to electric power. Preferably, plasma ions are magnetically confined in the FRC while plasma electrons are electrostatically confined in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions they are fused together by the nuclear force, thus forming fusion products that emerge in the form of an annular beam. Energy is removed from the fusion product ions as they spiral past electrodes of an inverse cyclotron converter. Advantageously, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement and energy conversion system include advanced (aneutronic) fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignees: Regents of the University of California, University of Florida Research Foundation
    Inventors: Hendrik J. Monkhorst, Norman Rostoker
  • Patent number: 7391161
    Abstract: A series-connected string of light bulbs, operating on AC voltage, each having connected thereacross a voltage regulating shunting circuit which regulates the voltage across an empty or otherwise inoperative socket so as to maintain unidirectional current across each of the remaining sockets in the string during one-half of an AC cycle, thereby insuring continuous but dimmed illumination of the light string. The voltage regulating shunting circuit of the present invention is a silicon rectifier diode connected in series with a voltage regulating diode. The voltage regulating diode may be an array of silicon diodes or a Zener diode. The voltage regulating shunting circuit can be mass produced by using conventional manufacturing techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: JLJ, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Janning
  • Patent number: 7391162
    Abstract: The invention relates to a luminaire with at least one LED and a method for operating the luminaire. The luminaire has a sensor for detecting at least a part of the light emitted by the LED and also a control unit for evaluating the sensor signals and for influencing the LED in a manner dependent on the sensor signals. After the luminaire has been switched on, a specific LED current flows and the light intensity of the LED is checked. In the case of a light intensity below a reference value, the LED current is raised by a defined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Aqua Signal Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ralph Rohlfing, Wolfgang Serfass
  • Patent number: 7391163
    Abstract: An apparatus of driving a lamp for a display device is provided. The driving apparatus includes an inverter (920), a lamp current sensor (940), and an inverter controller (930). The lamp current sensor (940)senses a current flowing in the lamp and output a feedback signal having a magnitude depending on the sensed current. The inverter controller (930) compares a dimming control signal from an external device with the feedback signal and controls the inverter (920) based on the comparison. The inverter (920) includes a transformer (T1) for applying a lamp drive voltage to a lamp for turning on or off the lamp and a voltage sensor (928) sensing the lamp drive voltage. The inverter (920) adjusts a turns ratio of the transformer in accordance with the sensed lamp drive voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeon-Yong Jang
  • Patent number: 7391164
    Abstract: A wireless handheld communications device with a liquid crystal display, especially, a field sequential liquid crystal display, includes a visual notification for a powered up, inactive state. The visual notification is preferably through a light emitting diode that may be part of the backlighting system for the LCD or may be independent from the backlighting system. The waveforms, periodicity, colour selection, and colour sequencing may be customizable by one or both of the manufacturer and user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Marc Drader, James Robinson, Robert Lowles
  • Patent number: 7391165
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting control device (100) having a DC power converter, a power factor improving power converter (1), a polarity reversing circuit (2), a starter circuit (3), and a controller (4). The power factor improving power converter 1 includes a switching device S, a power factor improver, and a power converter. The power factor improver operates to smooth a rectified voltage by storing energy in a first inductive device L1 and by discharging energy from a second inductive device L2, in which the first and second inductive devices are magnetically coupled together. The storing and discharging is performed by turning ON and OFF the switching device S. A predetermined DC voltage is converted by energy stored and discharged by a third inductive device L3 in response to the turning ON and OFF of the switching device S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd., Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred C. Lee, Jinghai Zhou, Yan Jiang, Masanao Okawa, Dung A. Tran, Hiroyasu Eriguchi
  • Patent number: 7391166
    Abstract: Disclosed is a low-cost parallel lighting system for discharge lamps for a surface light source, which reduces nonuniform brightness and static noise, and fulfills a requirement that lamp currents of individual cold-cathode fluorescent lamps should be uniform and stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Inventors: Masakazu Ushijima, Daisuke Taido
  • Patent number: 7391167
    Abstract: A backlight assembly device includes lamps, an inverter, a sensing unit, a normal lighting determiner and an inverter controller. The inverter applies a control signal to the lamps to control operation of the lamps. The sensing unit outputs sensing voltages in response to currents flowing in the lamps. The normal lighting determiner compares the sensing voltages to a reference voltage for determining an operating state of the lamps to output a determination signal and varies the reference voltage in response to a change in the operating state of the lamps. The inverter controller outputs the control signal in response to the determination signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyeon-Yong Jang, Min-Gyu Kim
  • Patent number: 7391168
    Abstract: A system for establishing communications between a central lighting controller and a series of electronic dimming ballasts uses an AC power supply line as a communication medium. A MOSFET switched by a control circuit selectively shorts the AC power lines when a rectified version of the power line signal indicates that the power line signal is nearing a zero crossing to create notches in the AC power signal. A simple receiver in each of the ballasts detects the presence or absence of notches in the power signal and interprets the results as digital data indicating a desired dimming level for each of the ballast. The ballasts then adjust their light output accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Jay Dernovsek, Deepak Shet, Brett Bell
  • Patent number: 7391169
    Abstract: System and method for processing analog voltage for cold-cathode fluorescent lamp. The system includes a voltage-to-current converter configured to receive an input analog voltage signal and generate a first current signal, and a current processing component configured to receive the first current signal and a predetermined current and generate a second current signal. Additionally, the system includes a current-to-voltage converter configured to receive the second current signal and generate an output analog voltage signal, and a dimming controller configured to receive the output analog voltage signal and generate a control signal for driving at least a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp. The voltage-to-current converter, the current processing component, and the current-to-voltage converter are configured to be biased between a first power supply voltage level and a second power supply voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianfeng Huang, Liqiang Zhu, Zhen Zhu, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 7391170
    Abstract: A voltage sensing circuit (230) for sensing voltage signals of input alternating current (AC) signals includes a plurality of voltage dividing circuits (23n (n=1, 2, 3, . . . , n)) and a charging circuit (232). The voltage dividing circuits are used for dividing voltage signals of the input AC signals. The voltage dividing circuits are connected to the charging circuit, and then the divided voltage signals can be transmitted between the voltage dividing circuits, thereby pulling high corresponding DC levels of the divided voltage signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Chan Ger, Chih-Chang Chang, Chi-Wen Kan
  • Patent number: 7391171
    Abstract: A display apparatus is provided having an LCD panel and a backlight unit to illuminate the LCD panel, and further including a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of the backlight unit, an inverter to drive the backlight unit, a power supply to supply power to the inverter, and a controller to control the power supply to supply an initial voltage that is higher than a normal voltage when the power is initially supplied, and gradually lower the voltage applied to the inverter to return to a substantially normal voltage in the case where the temperature of the backlight unit is higher than a predetermined normal temperature or when a time period has passed. Thus, the display apparatus and control method thereof reduce the time taken to stabilize brightness when initially driving a display apparatus, and display a stable and high-quality picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-woo Kim, Woon-suk Chang
  • Patent number: 7391172
    Abstract: An illumination control circuit allows a user to set a desired brightness level and maintains the desired brightness level over temperature and life of a light source. The illumination control circuit uses a dual feedback loop with both optical and thermal feedbacks. The optical feedback loop controls power to the light source during normal operations. The thermal feedback loop overrides the optical feedback loop when the temperature of the light source becomes excessive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Microsemi Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce R. Ferguson, George C. Henry, Roger Holliday
  • Patent number: 7391173
    Abstract: A capstan drive includes a first capstan that moves a device on a carriage and a second capstan that receives a second rotary motion to move the carriage. A first power transmission has a driven shaft coupled to the first capstan, a first drive shaft coaxial with the driven shaft to receive a first rotary motion for driving the device, and a second drive shaft coaxial with the driven shaft. A second power transmission couples the second rotary motion to the second drive shaft. The second power transmission has a drive ratio such that if there is no first rotary motion, a first cable is drawn in by the first capstan at the same rate as a second cable is drawn in by the second capstan in response to the second rotary motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc
    Inventor: Bruce M. Schena
  • Patent number: 7391174
    Abstract: The invention relates to a brushless DC motor control apparatus controlling the number of revolutions of a brushless DC motor having a rotor with n poles (where n is a natural number) that rotates due to a supply current with m phases (where m is a natural number) supplied to a stator, comprising: a rotation detector part, which counts the number of revolution pulses from the brushless DC motor caused by the rotation of the rotor, a revolution requirement amount input part, which receives the number of revolutions of the brushless DC motor as input and converts it to a corresponding revolution requirement amount, a comparison part, which compares the number of revolution pulses and the revolution requirement amount, and a current controller part, which controls the supply current supplied to the brushless DC motor according to comparison results from the comparison part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yeon-ho Son
  • Patent number: 7391175
    Abstract: A smart actuator that includes a driving device and an electric actuator such as a DC motor includes a driving current detecting circuit, a driving circuit connected to the electric actuator, a control circuit that controls the driving circuit according to current data provided by the current detecting circuit to supply the electric actuator with a set amount of driving current when the electric actuator has a designed operating condition and a correction circuit that corrects the current data of the driving current if the operating condition is shifted from the designed operating condition to supply the set amount of driving current to the electric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobumasa Ueda
  • Patent number: 7391176
    Abstract: The actuator comprises at least two terminals enabling it to be connected to a voltage source, an electric motor, a control unit) connected to means of powering the motor from the voltage source, the control unit comprising a voltage converter whose output powers a microcontroller driving the means for powering the motor. The control unit comprises a unit for monitoring the power-off time during which the actuator is not connected to the voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Somfy SAS
    Inventor: Bernard Grehant
  • Patent number: 7391177
    Abstract: In a master-slave manipulator system capable of presenting an obstacle and a limit to an operating range as a force feed-back with no use of a motor in an operation input device and having high reliability, a small size and good operability, the system comprises a manipulator having an arm, an operation input device for moving the arm of the manipulator, and a controller for controlling the manipulator and the operation input device, and the operation input device is provided on joints with a mode change-over mechanism having three modes: of which, in a first mode, power is not transmitted; in a second mode, power is transmitted in one direction and is not transmitted in a reverse direction thereof; and in a third mode, power is transmitted in the reverse direction and is not transmitted in the one direction, selecting one of the above modes and changing over from one mode to the selected mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosuke Kishi, Kazuhiro Umekita
  • Patent number: 7391178
    Abstract: A robot control apparatus with great safety is provided by detecting access of a teacher to a robot and automatically reducing the operating speed of the robot when the teacher accesses the robot. The robot control device equipped with a pendant (10) to be manipulated by a teacher, for controlling the operation of a robot on the basis of an operation command from the pendant (10), includes a detecting device (8) for detecting the position of the teacher; a signal processing unit (11) for receiving a signal from the detecting device to produce the position information of the teacher; and a limited speed selecting unit (12) for selecting the operating speed of the robot on the basis of the position information. The robot is controlled at the maximum speed set at the operating speed selected by the limited speed selecting unit (12) on the basis of the operation command from the pendant (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Michiharu Tanaka, Hirokazu Kariyazaki, Minoru Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7391179
    Abstract: An inductive contactless starter can be provided for single-phase AC motor, which can be designed to start a compressor motor with a starting capacitor or a common single-phase AC motor. The starter can comprise a current mutual-inductor composed of two primary coils and a secondary coil, a gate capacitor, a triac, and a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) resistor. By sampling relevant current signals with the current mutual-inductor, the starter can effectively control heat loss of the current sampling system down to milliwatt level (i.e., the starter is a “zero power loss” starter for single-phase AC motor), and thereby can improve energy efficiency greatly. Additionally, the starter can have a simple circuit and fewer components, and is reliable, improving reliability of the motor starting system while delivering motor starting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Changshu Tianyin Electromechanical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yunwen Zhao
  • Patent number: 7391180
    Abstract: A pulse width modulation (PWM) control circuit for a multimode electrical machine and a multimode electrical machine equipped with such a control circuit, including a configuration circuit that detects the operation mode of the electrical machine and produces a pulse width modulation to control a reversible current inverter circuit such that the electrical machine operates optimally in torque in engine modes and in current generator modes. The invention applies to vehicle alternators and starters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electrique Moteur
    Inventors: Paul Armiroli, Cédric Plasse
  • Patent number: 7391181
    Abstract: A dynamic pulse width modulation (PWM) selection device automatically switches between discontinuous PWM (DPWM) control methods. The PWM selection device comprises a PWM control module. The PWM control module determines a desired pulse width of a switching control signal according to a desired output signal. The PWM control module controls an actual pulse width of the switching control signal according to the desired pulse width and a first PWM control method. A selection module determines whether the desired pulse width exceeds a pulse width threshold. The selection module selects a second PWM control method when the desired pulse width exceeds the pulse width threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Welchko, Steven E. Schulz, Silva Hiti
  • Patent number: 7391182
    Abstract: An autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system includes a set of one or more self-standing rechargeable lighting fixtures (luminaries) removably supported on a recharging and support member. The luminaries each include a light diffusor that may resemble a-that turn on when removed from the recharging and support member. The luminaries may also turn on when power to the recharging and support member is turned off, turning the luminaries on automatically as during a power failure. The luminaries may each be inductively coupled to the recharging and support member, which enables to provide an aesthetically pleasing interface free of electrical contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
    Inventors: Stéfane E. Barbeau, Duane B. Smith, Donald Drum
  • Patent number: 7391183
    Abstract: To provide a system for controlling the charging of a secondary battery (battery), which is capable of keeping an initial charging/discharging characteristic of the battery in consideration of a change in environmental temperature and deterioration of the battery with elapsed time. An ordinary charging portion for performing a first charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level less than a full-charge level is used in combination with a refresh charging portion for performing a second charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level more than the full charge level. After the charging by the ordinary charging portion is continuously repeated by a specific number of times, for example, ten times, the next charging is performed by the refresh charging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kyoichi Ariga, Takashi Sone
  • Patent number: 7391184
    Abstract: One or more charger regulation tasks (e.g., one or more of those tasks typically performed by charger regulator circuitry of a separate battery charging apparatus) are integrated within a battery system (e.g., a battery pack of a portable information handling system) by utilizing component/s common to the battery system (e.g., microcontroller and FET components).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Shiguo Luo, John J. Breen, Ligong Wang
  • Patent number: 7391185
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a first switching element which shuts off a discharging current flowing to a battery cell and a second switching element which shuts off a charging current. A positive temperature coefficient thermistor is inserted between a gate control terminal of a protective control circuit and a gate of at least one of the switching elements, and a resistor is connected between the gate and a source of the switching element. The positive temperature coefficient thermistor is thermally connected to one or more of the first and second switching elements and/or to the battery cell. Thus, an abnormally overheated state of one or more of the switching elements or the battery cell leads to an increase in the resistance of the positive temperature coefficient thermistor causing shut-off of the switching element thereby protecting the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Tsubaki, Kazuto Miyagawa, Yutaka Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7391186
    Abstract: A vehicle alternator failure monitoring system and related monitoring method are disclosed wherein an ECU executes operations depending on a power generation status of a vehicle alternator and a vehicle alternator control device has a serial communication transmitter circuit operative to transmit a serial communication signal, indicative of the power generation status of the vehicle alternator, to the ECU. The serial communication transmitter circuit has a first power generation status signal transmission mode in which a first power generation status signal, representing the power generation status, is transmitted together with a failure flag representing the presence of or absence of an operational failure, related to the vehicle alternator, and a second power generation status signal transmission mode in which a second power generation status signal, representing the power generation status, is transmitted together with additional data representing an operational state of the vehicle alternator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tadatoshi Asada
  • Patent number: 7391187
    Abstract: An electrical circuit that provides accurate, regulated output voltage over a wide range of input voltages, while exhibiting each of three desired characteristics: accuracy across different supply/process/temperature; stability and linearity yielding phase/gain margins; and high (good) power supply rejection ratio (PSRR). The circuit comprises an output node having a load current and an amplifier having a first input coupled to a reference voltage and receiving a bias input current that is a pre-established proportionate size of the load current across the output node, such that a change in the load current results in a proportionate change in the bias input current. The electrical circuit represents a voltage regulator that provides accurate, linear output voltage that is a predictable portion of the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Todd Morgan Rasmus
  • Patent number: 7391188
    Abstract: A high efficiency switching power supply including an analog front end, a battery control circuitry portion, a display and equalization circuitry portion, field effect transistor (FET) drivers, an isolated power supply transformer circuitry (and three associated sets of tap circuitry), microcontroller circuitry, oscillator circuitry, overcharge protection circuitry, programmable logic circuitry portion, and a zero current predictor. Overbiasing of the FET power supply switches, and/or other various circuitry features disclosed herein, helps achieve electrical power efficiencies of preferably greater than 95%, even more preferably greater than 98% and even more preferably greater than 99%. Preferably, the switching power supply has one or more of the following: (1) high electrical power efficiency (>95%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Inventors: James K. Jacobs, Sankar DasGupta, David Vandermeer
  • Patent number: 7391189
    Abstract: A step-up/down DC-DC converter is disclosed that includes: a step-up/down part generating an output voltage by stepping up or down an input voltage; and a control part generating an error signal indicating an error between a voltage value obtained by dividing the output voltage and a predetermined reference voltage, and causing the step-up/down part to perform a step-up or step-down operation based on the comparison between the error signal and first and second triangle wave signals. The control part includes a first circuit generating the first triangle wave signal for step-down control and a second circuit generating the second triangle wave signal for step-up control. The first circuit generates a clock signal synchronized with the first triangle wave signal, and outputs the clock signal to the second circuit. The second circuit generates the second triangle wave signal synchronized with the first triangle wave signal based on the input clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohichi Nitta, Masahiro Matsuo, Ritsuko Nomura
  • Patent number: 7391190
    Abstract: A buck-boost converter is provided. In buck-boost mode, the converter operates in at least three phases. In one phase, the inductor current ramps upward. In another phase, the inductor current ramps downward. In yet another phase, the inductor current remains at roughly the same non-zero value. Only one pulse-width modulating signal is used in the buck-boost operation. A PWM comparator compares the pulse-width modulating signal with the error signal and trips when the error signal exceeds the pulse-width modulating signal. One of the three phases occurs at the beginning of the clock pulse before the PWM comparator trips. Another of the phases occurs while the PWM comparator is tripped. Yet another of the phases occurs from the time that the PWM goes from tripped to untripped until the beginning of the next clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jayendar Rajagopalan
  • Patent number: 7391191
    Abstract: A switching resistance linear regulator. The regulator comprises an output terminal producing a regulated output voltage, a first comparator, a second comparator, a first sourcing circuit coupled to the output terminal, and a first sinking circuit coupled to the output terminal. The first comparator compares a feedback signal representative of the output voltage and a first sourcing reference signal that is less than a reference signal. The second comparator compares the feedback signal and a first sinking reference signal that is greater than the reference signal. The first sourcing circuit is configured to be responsive to the first comparator by sourcing a first current to the output terminal. The first sinking circuit is configured to be responsive to the second comparator by sinking a second current from the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited
    Inventors: Laszlo Lipcsei, Serban Popescu, ChengHwa Teh
  • Patent number: 7391192
    Abstract: A device for providing power to suppress transient load demands and a system including the device are disclosed. The device includes a sense circuit to detect when a transient event occurs and one or more transistors configured to supply or sink current to the load. The system may include a second power regulator configured to respond to fast transient power demands. In this case, a first power regulator supplies power to the load and responds to slow transient events, while the second regulator responds only to fast transient events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Primarion, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Ostrom, Tim Ng, Clifford Duong
  • Patent number: 7391193
    Abstract: A step down voltage regulator with bypass comprised of devices designed to operate over a maximum rated voltage lower than a supply voltage. The regulator includes an output regulation device coupled to the supply voltage and an output. An output device protection circuit is provided which is responsive to the supply voltage and the output to ensure that the maximum rated voltage of the output regulation device is not exceeded. A bypass circuit having a bypass output device and being coupled to the supply voltage is provided with a protection circuit. The output regulation devices comprise p-channel transistors, and may have an operating maximum rated voltage in a range of 2.7-3.6 volts with the supply voltage is in a range of 4.4-5.25 volts, or 2.9-3.5 volts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Sandisk Corporation
    Inventors: Yongliang Wang, John Pasternak
  • Patent number: 7391194
    Abstract: Apparatus for minimizing power losses associated with dead time between ON times of two series connected switches of a power converter connected across a supply potential, the apparatus comprising a control arrangement for monitoring a selected parameter associated with power loss during the dead time of the converter; the control arrangement changing the dead time from a first dead time to a second dead time and comparing power loss associated with the selected parameter for the first and second dead times and determining which of the power losses associated with the two dead times is smaller; a dead time implementing stage for implementing the two dead times; and the control arrangement selecting the dead time associated with the smaller power loss and providing a signal to the dead time implementing stage to set the selected dead time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: James S Brown
  • Patent number: 7391195
    Abstract: In a method and system for controlling a direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter includes an inductor coupled to receive a voltage input at an input terminal. A diode is coupled in series between the inductor and an output terminal of the DC-DC converter. A switch is coupled between the inductor and a ground reference. The switch receives a control signal from a controller for adjusting a duty cycle of the DC-DC converter. The duty cycle controls an output voltage at the output terminal. The controller generates the control signal in response to receiving a feedback signal, which is derived as a predefined function of a voltage feedback signal indicative of the output voltage and a current feedback signal indicative of a current flowing through the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Kee-Chee Tiew, Jingwei Xu, Suribhotla Rajasekhar
  • Patent number: 7391196
    Abstract: A system for analyzing the operation of a switching power converter includes a digital controller for receiving an analog signal representing the output DC voltage of the power converter for comparison to a desired output voltage level and generating switching control signals to control the operation of the power supply to regulate the output DC voltage to said output voltage level. At least one portion of a control loop within the digital controller may be switched into the control loop in a first mode of operation and out of the control loop in a second mode of operation. A microcontroller emulates the operation of the at least one portion of the control loop during the second mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Ross Martin Fosler
  • Patent number: 7391197
    Abstract: An apparatus for regulating output voltages is used to regulate and output DC voltages, and can output a plurality of DC voltages through a simple structure. The apparatus for regulating output voltages can handle the current mode, and has the function of overcharge protection. The apparatus for regulating output voltages comprises a voltage conversion and comparison module, an analog to digital conversion module, an accumulation module, a pulse generator, a timing generator, a switch module, and an overcharge protection module. The apparatus for regulating output voltages can regulate a plurality of output voltages to provide stable DC power sources required by electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Ali Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Shien Chang, Chun-An Chao
  • Patent number: 7391198
    Abstract: A method for controlling the power factor of a power supply line is described, the method using a power factor control cell connected to the power supply line. Advantageously according to the invention, the power factor control is performed by adjusting the turn-on and turn-off time of a bipolar transistor comprised in the power factor control cell. A cell for controlling the power factor of a power supply line is also described, of the type comprising a first and a second input terminals, a first and a second output terminals, the first input terminal being connected to the first output terminal by means of the series of an inductor and a diode, connected to each other in correspondence with an internal circuit node and the second input terminal and the second output terminal being connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Rosario Scollo, Marc Laudani, Antonino Gaito
  • Patent number: 7391199
    Abstract: In a DC-DC converter conforming to the current mode control system, in which the valley value of an inductor current is controlled for output control, a current detection circuit 6 is configured to detect the current flowing from a low-side FET 2 to an inductor 3 using an FET 60, an NPN transistor 61, an NPN transistor 62, a PNP transistor 64, a PNP transistor 65 and a resistor 66, to detect the current flowing from the inductor 3 to the low-side FET 2 using an FET 67, a differential amplifier 68, an FET 69 and the resistor 66, and to output a current detection signal Vc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Akashi, Takashi Ryu, Takuya Ishii, Mikio Motomori, Hirohisa Tanabe, Makoto Ishimaru, Tomoya Shigemi
  • Patent number: 7391200
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device for delivering power to a load includes a P-MOS power transistor, an N-MOS bypass transistor and a gate driver circuit. The P-MOS power transistor is coupled between a supply voltage node and a power output node of the integrated circuit device, and the N-MOS bypass transistor is coupled between the power output node and a reference node of the integrated circuit device. The gate driver circuit responds to a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) control signal by outputting an active-low drive-enable signal to a gate terminal of the P-MOS power transistor and an active-high bypass-enable signal to a gate terminal of the N-MOS bypass transistor during respective, non-overlapping intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: NetLogic Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep Khanna, Varadarajan Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 7391201
    Abstract: Circuits and methods to achieve a regulated analog switch being capable to provide an output-voltage not exceeding a defined limit are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment a car battery provides a supply voltage up to 40 Volts, wherein a load must not have an output voltage higher than 22 Volts. The drain-source ON-resistance of the switch, realized by a high-voltage MOSFET, is kept to a minimum. The voltage regulation of the preferred embodiment is performed by a single stage operational amplifier and a two-stage amplifier having Miller compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventor: Cang Ji
  • Patent number: 7391202
    Abstract: A linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) system is disclosed. The system has an LVDT. A signal conditioner circuit is coupled to the LVDT. The signal conditioner circuit uses an inductance of the LVDT primary as a micro-power excitation carrier frequency to lower a drive power of the system. The signal conditioner circuit generates output currents that are summed and filtered to generate a position proportional voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Randy L. Brandt, Mitchell D. Decker, Phillip C. Williams, Jose V. Royo
  • Patent number: 7391203
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor for measuring the rotational speed of a rotating gear component is disclosed. The sensor includes a Hall probe, at least one permanent magnet and housing. The Hall probe is arranged in the influence area of the magnetic field of the permanent magnet. The intent is to produce the magnetic field sensor in a less complex manner. This is achieved by virtue of the fact that the permanent magnet is secured to the housing. One particular advantage of the device is that it is extraordinarily robust and is only slightly sensitive to vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Otmar Modest
  • Patent number: 7391204
    Abstract: A sensor signal conditioning circuit and sensor system incorporating the same. In one embodiment, the signal conditioning circuit includes a DC-coupled detector that converts a sensor signal into a discrete level signal. An AC-coupled detector having a dynamic DC threshold input also converts the sensor signal into a discrete level signal and has a startup delay associated with the dynamic DC threshold input. The signal conditioning circuit further includes a device that inhibits the DC-coupled detector responsive to the dynamic DC threshold input reaching a specified threshold voltage level such that the AC-coupled detector provides the detected output during steady-state sensor operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Honrywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Bicking
  • Patent number: 7391205
    Abstract: An angular-position magnetic-sensor device includes at least one stator and one rotor. A space between said stator and said rotor, defining over substantially 360°, is a main air gap including at least two movable magnetic poles of alternating polarities. The stator is provided with at least one secondary air gap in which there is placed at least one magnetosensitive element. The stator is composed of two pole shoes having angular widths that are substantially equal to 120° and 240° respectively, and the two magnetic poles each have an angular width substantially equal to 120°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: MMT S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Gandel, Daniel Prudham, Didier Frachon, Bruno Cavallier
  • Patent number: 7391206
    Abstract: To provide a low-cost magnetic detection circuit, in which the differential detection function accomplished by outputting differential signals may not be lost, and which may be hardly affected by temperature fluctuations and may be resistant to noise, and in which the number of magnetic detection elements may be reduced, and to provide an encoder, the costs of which may be further reduced by using such a magnetic detection circuit for the multi-revolution detection part, etc., a magnetic detection circuit includes a bridge circuit formed by two bridge sections between the current-source terminal and the grounding terminal. The first bridge section and the second bridge section of the bridge circuit include magnetic detection elements MR1, MR2, respectively, and, viewed from the output-signal output points, the magnetic detection elements MR1, MR2 in the two bridge sections are arranged on only one of the sides that include the current-source side and the grounding-terminal side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Hiroshi Haga, Mamoru Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7391207
    Abstract: A rotation angle detector detects a rotation angle of a magnetic field by selectively using a hall element from a plurality of hall elements disposed on one side of a semiconductor substrate. The hall elements are equiangularly disposed to each other in a ring shape. The rotation angle of the magnetic field is detected by using a portion of an output signal of the hall element having a substantially linear output characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Oohira
  • Patent number: 7391208
    Abstract: A position sensor for sensing an angular position including at least two magnetic conductive structures, at least two magnets, a magnetic flux responsive device, and an arcuate magnet. The at least two magnetic conductive structures include a first magnetic conductive structure and a second magnetic conductive structure. The first magnetic conductive structure is substantially arcuately parallel with the second magnetic conductive structure. The at least two magnets include a first magnet and a second magnet. The first magnet being magnetically coupled with the first magnetic conductive structure and with the second magnetic conductive structure. The second magnet being magnetically coupled with both the first magnetic conductive structure and the second magnetic conductive structure. The magnetic flux responsive device is constrained to travel a path that is partially located between the first magnetic conductive structure and the second magnetic conductive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Inventor: Ronald J. Wolf
  • Patent number: 7391209
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a new rotational position sensor, compound rotational position sensor and motor operated power steering device capable of detecting the rotational position of a rotation detection shaft of which a steering shaft is representative. According to a compound rotational position sensor of the present invention, the number of times a steering shaft has rotated from a reference position is identified by a rotational position sensor and the angle of rotation for one turn of the steering shaft is identified by an encoder. Furthermore, the current angle of rotation of the steering shaft may be specified as an absolute angle of rotation from the reference position based on these two pieces of rotational position information. Furthermore, since a magnetic circuit that is closed by the steering shaft and the base part is formed, the efficiency of the electromagnetic induction is improved, and the electric power consumed can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Takatsugu Asano