Patents Issued in April 14, 2015
  • Patent number: 9007010
    Abstract: Provided is a system and method for calibrating an offset of a resolver in a motor of a vehicle. More specifically, a current is applied to the ?d-axis of the motor, the Vq, Vd, Iq, and Id of the motor is measured and a power input to the motor is calculated by a controller, and when the input power is not within a predetermined range, the controller adjusts the offset of the resolver to a positive or negative value accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Soon Woo Kwon, Joon Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 9007011
    Abstract: A driving control device of a brushless motor includes an inverter circuit having: first arm-side switching elements that are connected between respective phases of respective armature coils of the brushless motor and one terminal of a power supply; and second arm-side switching elements that are connected between respective phases of the respective armature coils and the other terminal of the power supply, and a control unit, wherein, in a short-circuit braking according to a short-circuit braking signal, the control unit outputs a signal of turning off all the first arm-side switching element and outputs a signal of controlling the at least one of the second arm-side switching elements to perform a switching operation and turning on the other second arm-side switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masato Aoki
  • Patent number: 9007012
    Abstract: A slide-out or retractable room for a mobile living quarters, such as a recreational vehicle, is provided with actuating assemblies mounted on opposite side walls of the slide-out room and the adjacent wall of the main living area. The actuating assemblies include a pair of parallel gear racks mounted on the side wall, which are engaged by pinions rotated by torque shafts mounted on the main living quarters. Each torque shaft is rotated by a separate motor. A roller engages a bearing surface on the lower portion of the gear racks. Accordingly, the slide-out room is extended and retracted by rotating the torque shafts to cause the gear racks and the attached slide-out room to extend and retract. The weight of the slide-out room is supported by the rollers, thereby supporting the slide-out room off of the floor of the main living quarters as it extends and retracts. A synchronizing control operates the motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Lippert Components Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Schwindaman, Thomas J. Rogers, Michael W. Howard
  • Patent number: 9007013
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inverter control system and method for an eco-friendly vehicle, by which overall improvements can be obtained in terms of switching loss, electromagnetic performance, noise-vibration-harshness (NVH) performance, control stability, and so forth, when compared to a conventional case in which one fixed switching frequency and one fixed sampling frequency are used over the entire operation area. To this end, the inverter control method for an eco-friendly vehicle which generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal according to a switching frequency and a sampling frequency and controls ON/OFF driving of a switching element, in which a controller changes and sets the switching frequency according to a current motor speed, changes and sets a sampling frequency according to the switching frequency, and controls on/off driving of a switching element according to the switching frequency corresponding to the motor speed and the sampling frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Su Hyun Bae, Won Kyoung Choi, Sung Kyu Kim, Mu Shin Kwak
  • Patent number: 9007014
    Abstract: A method for minimizing power losses in an alternating current (AC) machine is provided. The method includes determining a first rotor flux signal based on signals of voltage and current inputs to the AC machine, and extracting a ripple component of the rotor flux signal. The method further includes determining a power compensating value that corresponds to a stored energy value of the AC machine, determining a second rotor flux signal that serves to minimize power losses, and providing the second rotor flux signal to a power inverting unit that adjust accordingly the voltage and current input signals provided to the AC machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Ali M. Bazzi, Philip T. Krein
  • Patent number: 9007015
    Abstract: A handheld device for jump starting a vehicle engine includes a rechargeable lithium ion battery pack and a microcontroller. The lithium ion battery is coupled to a power output port of the device through a FET smart switch actuated by the microcontroller. A vehicle battery isolation sensor connected in circuit with positive and negative polarity outputs detects the presence of a vehicle battery connected between the positive and negative polarity outputs. A reverse polarity sensor connected in circuit with the positive and negative polarity outputs detects the polarity of a vehicle battery connected between the positive and negative polarity outputs, such that the microcontroller will enable power to be delivered from the lithium ion power pack to the output port only when a good battery is connected to the output port and only when the battery is connected with proper polarity of positive and negative terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: The NOCO Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Lewis Nook, William Knight Nook, James Richard Stanfield, Derek Michael Underhill
  • Patent number: 9007016
    Abstract: A charging apparatus that enables power line communication to be performed even via a charging apparatus. This charging apparatus is provided in a vehicle having an electrical storage apparatus that stores power supplied to a power supply inlet, a wheel driving section that rotates a wheel by means of power stored in the electrical storage apparatus, and an in-vehicle device that is connected to the storage apparatus via a power line; and has an AC/DC conversion section that converts power supplied from the power supply inlet from alternating-current to direct-current and outputs this to the electrical storage apparatus, and a capacitor that causes a power line communication signal input from the power supply inlet to bypass the AC/DC conversion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryota Yukizane
  • Patent number: 9007017
    Abstract: An intelligent battery management method (300) and device (600). The method (300) can include the steps of: monitoring (310) parameters including at least a wireless communication device battery temperature and battery state of charge and a dock battery state of charge; comparing (320) the monitored parameters with a decision matrix; and enabling (330) at least one of charging and cooling a wireless communication device battery based on the compared parameters and the decision matrix. The method (300) can provide active charging and cooling, which can help to prolong the useful life of a battery and provide a maximum recharging capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Jason N. Howard
  • Patent number: 9007018
    Abstract: A charger for charging electronic devices, including a top having a perforated portion and a housing, the housing including a rechargeable battery; one or more cables electrically coupled to the battery; one or more cable retractors; two or more legs extending from the housing supporting the charger on a surface; one or more windows arranged between the legs that extend only partially toward the surface such that the cables and a charging head may pass through the space between the windows and the surface when the cables are in an extended state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Edison Junior, LLC
    Inventors: James Siminoff, John Modestine
  • Patent number: 9007019
    Abstract: A non-contact charging method, in which a battery-powered device is set down on a charging platform, a power receiving coil in the battery-powered device is electromagnetically coupled to a power transmission coil in the charging platform, power is transmitted from the power transmission coil to the power receiving coil by electromagnetic induction, and a battery (52) in the battery-powered device is charged. The charging current of the battery is detected on the battery-powered device side, the transmission efficiency is detected from the detected charging current, the detected transmission efficiency is compared to an efficiency threshold value, it is determined that a foreign object is on the charging platform when the detected charging efficiency is less than the efficiency threshold value and it is determined that a foreign object is not on the charging platform when the detected charging efficiency is greater than the efficiency threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Iijima, Sadao Minami, Yuki Makita
  • Patent number: 9007020
    Abstract: Charging service vehicles with battery and generator sources are disclosed. The service vehicle is a vehicle having electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment, removably mounted battery module(s) or a battery module connection point, and an alternator or generator transported by the vehicle. The alternator or generator is configured to provide power to the battery module or to the charging equipment. Battery modules used may be quick-disconnecting or have their discharge monitored and controlled by an onboard controller device, and in some cases are automotive SLI batteries. Some embodiments have connection points that can be configured as charging points to recharge battery modules on the vehicle or as discharging points to provide power to the EV charging equipment. These features are beneficial to extend the utility of batteries in a service vehicle, provide additional power for EV charging, and to efficiently utilize vehicle electronics and generation capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Green Charge Networks
    Inventors: Ronald D. Prosser, Stephen R. Taddeo, Stephen P. Israel, David L. Edgar, Carl J. Allendorph
  • Patent number: 9007021
    Abstract: There is provided the installation structure for charging equipment in a rear vehicle body capable of enhancing rigidity of the rear vehicle body, performing roundabout installation of the outlet cable without applying large load to the cable, preventing deterioration of the charging equipment due to external factors, and readily installing the charging equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Hara, Masahiro Asou
  • Patent number: 9007022
    Abstract: A stationary charging system that is capable of battery charging even when a charging unit has a fault is mounted in a vehicle and includes a power unit for generating direct-current charging power, a plurality of charging units (CHG1 to CHG9) that constitute the power unit, a control unit (MCU), and a first CAN communication line for allowing data exchange between the control unit the charging units, the charging units create charging unit status data concerning results of fault diagnosis on themselves, and transmit the data to the control unit, and the control unit classifies the charging units into a plurality of charging unit groups 4-1, 4-2, and 4-3, and changes output statuses of the charging units for each of the charging unit groups upon reception of charging unit status data indicative of a fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Nichicon Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeo Ohkuma, Takamasa Mitsuya, Shinsuke Tachizaki
  • Patent number: 9007023
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure describes an apparatus that may include a battery unit including one or more lithium-ion battery cells, and a charging unit configured with a first automatic shut-off, where the automatic shut-off is responsive to detection of an upper threshold voltage level of the battery unit. The apparatus may include an inverter configured with a second automatic shut-off, where the second automatic shut-off is responsive to detection of a lower threshold voltage level of the battery unit, and an input connection functionally connected to the charging unit. The apparatus may be configured to isolate the battery unit from the inverter responsive to detecting both (a) the input connection is disconnected from an input voltage source, and (b) the inverter is shut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Elite Power Solutions LLC
    Inventor: Yuan Dao
  • Patent number: 9007024
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing the batteries and the power source as a single combined output to power the load, allowing the system to use power source with reduced maximum power output, reducing system cost and complexity. Furthermore, the switch matrix controller efficiently and dynamically manages the internal power transfer to minimize the charging/discharging cycle of the batteries while ensuring that the power source and the batteries meet changing load power demand. Finally, maximizing charging time and having independent control of each battery increase power efficiency, prolong the operational life of the battery, and increase overall system life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: American Reliance, Inc.
    Inventors: Fu Yu Li, Kalvin Chen
  • Patent number: 9007025
    Abstract: Systems and methods for simultaneously charging two or more cell strings of a hybrid battery system from a shared input current path to the battery system. An input common charging current may be limited to the smallest maximum allowable charging current value of multiple battery cell strings of a hybrid battery system, or may be provided as the greater of the maximum allowable charging currents of multiple battery cell strings of a hybrid battery system with current supplied to individual cell strings that require less than the maximum current being individually controlled so as not to exceed the maximum allowable current for each of the individual cell strings of the hybrid battery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Miller, Fu-Sheng Tsai
  • Patent number: 9007026
    Abstract: Provided is a battery device including, in a charge/discharge protection circuit for controlling charge/discharge of a secondary battery by a single bidirectionally conductive field effect transistor, a charge/discharge control circuit with which the number of elements to be used is reduced to reduce the layout area. The charge/discharge control circuit includes a switch circuit for controlling a gate of the bidirectionally conductive field effect transistor based on an output of a control circuit for controlling the charge/discharge of the secondary battery, the switch circuit including a first terminal connected to a back gate of the bidirectionally conductive field effect transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Sakurai, Toshiyuki Koike, Kazuaki Sano, Fumihiko Maetani
  • Patent number: 9007027
    Abstract: Charging and discharging an energy storage device (ESD) generates heat and may prevent its temperature from dropping to unsafe levels. By monitoring and managing the charge and discharge of an ESD with respect to the periods of time in which demand charges are determined, the heating will have minimal adverse effect on demand charges. ESDs may also exchange energy in a controlled manner for heating purposes and reduce reliance on utility grid-based energy sources. ESD heating may also be made more efficient by offsetting the heating with load shedding during charging periods. Precharging the ESD while heating or preheating the ESD by charging and discharging can prevent new maximum demand levels from appearing and thereby limit increases in demand charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Green Charge Networks LLC
    Inventor: Ronald D Prosser
  • Patent number: 9007028
    Abstract: A control device controls charging/discharging of an electric power storage device for supplying electric power to a load device. The control device includes: a limit value setting unit setting a limit value of charging electric power for the electric power storage device based on the state of the electric power storage device; a target setting unit setting a target value of the charging electric power based on the state of the load device and the limit value; a correction unit correcting the limit value based on a difference between the target value and the actual electric power input to and output from the electric power storage device; and a command setting unit setting a command value of the charging electric power based on the state of the load device and the corrected limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 9007029
    Abstract: The state of charge of a lithium-ion cell module including several cells is managed by observing changes in a cell's differential capacity curve exceeding or falling short of a preset limit value during a discharging or charging process of the cell. Each of the changes is a change which is specific for this particular cell and consistent with a specific state of charge of the cell, whereby the ordinal number of a differential capacity curve change is used as a basis for determining a state of charge of the cell consistent with the change or a difference in the states of charge between two or more cells. The thus determined state of charge differences between cells are then sought to be balanced by a balancing system adapted to balance a charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: European Batteries Oy Konkurssipesa
    Inventors: Kai Vuorilehto, Antti Vayrynen
  • Patent number: 9007030
    Abstract: A method of estimating remaining battery power in electric vehicles is provided. The method uses coulometric detection method to obtain remaining battery power and uses an open voltage method to modify the coulometric detection method when modified conditions are met as well as different battery characteristics and conditions when in use. The remaining battery power in electric vehicles can conduct a dispersion degree detection at every stage and when a detection value is larger than a preset value, a self-adjusting mechanism will be activated to modify the battery power. When the battery is charged for a longer period of time, a regression method is used to establish a modified equation to increase precision of estimating remaining battery power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Automotive Research & Testing Center
    Inventors: Kuo-Liang Weng, Yi-Chau Chiou, Jia-Sing Hsu
  • Patent number: 9007031
    Abstract: A power source is electrically connected with a battery and an electrical load. The power source has an output voltage and provides current for the battery and electrical load. A charging voltage for the battery is determined based on temperature of the battery. An offset voltage is determined based on the provided current to the battery. The output voltage is determined based on the charging and offset voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran
  • Patent number: 9007032
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control method for charging a terminal and an apparatus thereof. The method includes steps of: judging whether the terminal is in an operation state or a standby state when the terminal is in a full-charged state (101); controlling a charging circuit of the terminal to be in a switching-on state when the terminal is in the operation state (102); and controlling the charging circuit of the terminal to be in a switching-off state when the terminal is in the standby state. With the control of switching-on or switching-off of the charging circuit based on the states of the terminal, the service life of the terminal is prolonged, a heat emission phenomenon caused by long-time charging of the terminal is avoided, and the charging safety of the terminal is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Zhifeng Fan, Jingmei Yuan
  • Patent number: 9007033
    Abstract: The present application provides systems and methods for battery temperature detection and parasitic resistance compensation. Compensation circuitry is provided to generate a compensation current, proportional to a battery charging or discharging current, to compensate for the parasitic resistance associated with the line connection between a charger/monitor and a battery pack. The compensation current operates to adjust a reference current supplied to a temperature sensor, to enable accurate temperature measurement of the battery pack while reducing or eliminating influence from the parasitic resistance. The compensation circuitry can be utilized in a battery charger topology to enhance battery charging control and/or a battery monitoring topology to enhance battery discharge control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventor: Guoxing Li
  • Patent number: 9007034
    Abstract: An electric power generation control system for a vehicle, which enables generation of electric power by a generator as much as possible while preventing an electrical component from being overheated by power generation by the generator. The electric power generation control system selectively switches a mode of the generator between first and second modes in which an instruction voltage is higher and not higher than an allowable voltage of a wire harness, respectively. A counter value is counted up in the first mode and down in the second mode. When the counter value has reached a higher limit value, the first mode is inhibited and the power generation mode is set to the second mode. This increase the proportion of an execution time period of the first, and accordingly, when a possibility of overheating the wire harness becomes high, the instruction voltage is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Iida, Masahiko Asakura, Satoru Sunada, Hiroshi Endo, Kojiro Tsutsumi, Ryuko Komatsu, Nobumasa Toyoshima
  • Patent number: 9007035
    Abstract: A charge control circuit supplies power from an external power source to a first common node and charges a second common node. A regulator circuit is coupled between the external power source and the first common node, and a transistor is coupled between the first common node and the second common node. A current sensing and control device senses the current from the first common node to the second common node and generates a first control signal. A first voltage sensing and control device senses a voltage at the first common node, and generates a conduction control signal to control the transistor. A second voltage sensing and control device senses a voltage at the second common node, and generates a second control signal. The regulator circuit provides system power to the first common node according to the first control signal and the second control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Nien-Hui Kung
  • Patent number: 9007036
    Abstract: The rotary electrical machine is capable of functioning as a generator and outputs a continuous output voltage (Ub+) that is adjustable by an excitation current. The digital regulator (2) of the machine comprises an excitation current control means (7) and a control loop (6) that includes a device (10) for measurement, by sampling, of the output voltage (Ub+), the measurement device generating a signal sampled at a predetermined first sampling frequency (F1 e). The machine has a bandwidth that is limited by a predetermined first cutoff frequency (F1 c). The measurement device includes an apparatus for oversampling such that the first sampling frequency (F1 e) is greater than twice the first cutoff frequency (F1 c), and the control loop also includes an apparatus (12) for decimating the sampled signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Valeo Equipments Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Pierre Tisserand, Pierre Chassard, Laurent Labiste
  • Patent number: 9007037
    Abstract: A multi-phase control system having multi-phase operation with single phase control includes a main control module, a lineman module, and an add-on lineman module. The main control module and the lineman module control, automatically or manually, the first phase and first phase tap changer of a multi-phase system. The add-on lineman module and the main control module control, automatically or manually, additional phases of the multi-phase system. In certain example embodiments, the multi-phase control system detects when a line voltage of an additional phase is de-energized and allows the tap changer of the additional phase to be powered by a line voltage of the first phase. In certain example embodiments, the tap changer of a de-energized phase is powered by an external power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Daniel J. Daley, Craig A. Colopy, Christopher J. Coughlin, Timothy P. Brenny, Timothy M. Kromrey
  • Patent number: 9007038
    Abstract: A direct-current stabilized power supply device for stepping down an input voltage from a solar cell, including: a first constant voltage power supply circuit connected to the solar cell and including a constant current limiter circuit; a switch circuit; a switching-type second constant voltage power supply circuit connected to the switch circuit; and a voltage detection circuit that detects the output voltage of the first constant voltage power supply circuit. When the detected output of the first power supply circuit is equal to or higher than a first determination voltage, the switch circuit is closed, and power is supplied to the load from the second power supply circuit, and when the detected voltage is equal to or lower than a second, lower, determination voltage the switch circuit is opened, and the power supplied from the second power supply circuit is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Onamba Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Shizuya, Yukitaka Miyata, Yasufumi Konishi
  • Patent number: 9007039
    Abstract: Provided is a single inductor multiple output (SIMO) direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter that may perform DC/DC conversion by transferring, to output nodes, input current that is input and thereby stored in a single inductor. An output selection unit of the SIMO DC/DC converter may select, from output nodes, a first output node to be supplied with current from a driving unit, and provide output voltage of the first output node and reference voltage of the first output node to a hysteresis comparison unit. The hysteresis comparison unit may control on-time and/or inductor peak current by determining whether the output voltage of the first output node is higher than the reference voltage of the first output node by at least a first threshold, and whether the output voltage of the first output voltage is lower than the reference voltage of the first output voltage by at least a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Chul Woo Kim, Jung Moon Kim
  • Patent number: 9007040
    Abstract: Disclosed is a DC-DC power conversion apparatus (10) including two or more switching units (SU1, SU2) each of which further includes two semiconductor switching elements (Sa, Sb), and wherein each of the semiconductor switching elements (S1a, S1b, S2a, S2b) of each of the switching units are all connected in series, and which also includes an energy transition capacitor (C1) for conducting charging/discharging, and an inductor (L). The DC-DC power conversion apparatus (10) is also provided with a control unit that makes the semiconductor elements execute operations in four types of switching modes, according to the ratio (V2/V0) of the input/output voltages of the power conversion apparatus and the direction of the power transmission, and that also makes the elements carry out a current-discontinuing operation wherein the inductor current will become zero during switching operation, upon low load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Matahiko Ikeda, Masaru Kobayashi, Hirotoshi Maekawa, Naoki Moritake, Takao Mitsui
  • Patent number: 9007041
    Abstract: A controller for protectively reducing an output of a converting circuit includes a feedback circuit, a logic control circuit, an over-state judgment circuit, and a protection control circuit, is disclosed. The feedback circuit generates a modulation signal according to an output of a converting circuit. The logic control circuit is coupled to the feedback circuit and controls the converting circuit according to the modulation signal for stabilizing the output of the converting circuit. The over-state judgment circuit receives an over-state reference signal and a detecting signal, and generates a protection signal in response to levels of the detecting signal and the over-state reference signal. The protection control circuit is coupled to the logic control circuit and the over-state judgment circuit and controls the logic control circuit to lower the output of the converting circuit when receiving the protection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Green Solution Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Li-Min Lee, Chung-Che Yu, Shian-Sung Shiu, Quan Gan
  • Patent number: 9007042
    Abstract: In a DC/DC converter, a first operation section calculates a first operation value, based on a difference voltage between an instruction value for a high-voltage-side voltage and a detected value of a high-voltage-side voltage, a second operation section calculates a second operation value, based on a difference voltage between a voltage instruction value for a charge-discharge capacitor and a voltage detected value of the charge-discharge capacitor, and a switching control section obtains a conduction ratio, based on the first operation value and the second operation value, and controls, based on the conduction ratio, switching operations of first to fourth semiconductor circuits, thereby controlling the high-voltage-side voltage, and the voltage of the charge-discharge capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Okuda, Takahiro Urakabe, Masaru Kobayashi, Matahiko Ikeda, Hirotoshi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 9007043
    Abstract: According to example configurations herein, a controller receives a value indicative of a number of phases in a power supply to be activated for producing an output voltage to power a load. A resonant frequency of the power supply changes depending on the number of phases activated. According to one configuration, a controller utilizes the value to proportionally adjust at least one control parameter associated with the power supply in accordance with a change in the resonant frequency. In addition to modifying a parameter based on the number of activated phases and/or the resonant frequency of the power supply, the controller can also use the value of the input voltage as a basis to adjust at least one control parameter. Moreover, according to one example configuration, the controller digitally computes values for the at least one control parameter based on a number of phases to be activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Venkat Sreenivas
  • Patent number: 9007044
    Abstract: An embodiment of a driving device is proposed for supplying at least one regulated global output current to a load. The driving device includes programming means for programming a value of the global output current within a global current range. Reference means are provided for supplying a reference voltage, which has a value corresponding to the value of the global output current. Conversion means are then used for converting the reference voltage into the global output current. The conversion means may further include a plurality of conversion units for corresponding partial current ranges, which partition the global current range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto La Rosa, Massimo Michele Antonio Sorbera
  • Patent number: 9007045
    Abstract: An output device includes an output transistor that outputs an output current, a first driver that drives the output transistor so that a feedback voltage of an output voltage of the output transistor is in agreement with a reference voltage, an RC circuit that has a capacitor connected to the ground and a resistor connected in series to the capacitor, and a second driver that drives the output transistor to increase the output current when a potential difference between ends of the resistor, generated by the feedback voltage supplied between ends of the RC circuit, is increased by a decrease of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Terada, Yoichi Takano, Shinichiro Maki
  • Patent number: 9007046
    Abstract: A high voltage DC-DC voltage converted includes a charge pump section and an op-amp section. During ramp-up, the charge pump can drive the load and the op-amp is in a unity gain configuration until the output level reaches the regulation level. While under regulation, when the load current is small and the charge pump is typically inefficient, the charge pump portion can be disconnected from the load and idled, while the op-amp is reconfigures as a comparator to maintain the output. This allows for the pump portion to be optimized for the large currents while the op-amp portion can be used to also have high efficiency during the low current, regulation phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Feng Pan
  • Patent number: 9007047
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle buck power conversion control apparatus and method, which improves control performance of power conversion even when load current is changed by further considering input current varied according to the load current in controlling a pulse width modulation signal by using an existing fixed chopping wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyo Jin Bang
  • Patent number: 9007048
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of forming a multi-channel power supply controller includes forming a plurality of channels configured to regulate an output voltage between first and second values, configuring the controller to select a channel that has a lowest current value and initiate forming a drive signal for that channel responsively to the output voltage having a value that is less than the first value, configuring a reset circuit for each channel to terminate the respective drive signal responsively to at least the output voltage having a value greater than the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Gang Chen, Gabor Reizik, Paul J. Harriman, Kisun Lee
  • Patent number: 9007049
    Abstract: A current source circuit with temperature compensation includes a power supply terminal, a reference current source unit connected to the power supply terminal, a feedback control unit connected to the power supply terminal and the reference current source unit, a current source generating unit connected to the feedback control unit and a ground terminal connected to the current source generating unit. The reference current source unit is a current source connected to the power supply terminal. The feedback control unit includes a first switching element, connected to the current source, and an inverting amplifier, connected between the current source and the first switching element. The current source generating unit includes a second switching element, connected to the first switching element, the current source and the inverting amplifier, and a first resistor, connected to the first and the second switching elements and the ground terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: IPGoal Microelectronics (Sichuan) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junwei Huang
  • Patent number: 9007050
    Abstract: A wireless soil sensor includes a curved surface and at least two groups of sensor-pin electrodes. A tine-catching block is disposed within the sensor body, near a top of the sensor to protect against aeration tools damaging components of the sensor. The electrical circuitry and the battery are separately potted in an epoxy material and oriented vertically, creating a central gap through which an incoming aeration tine is directed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventor: Jason Lester Hill
  • Patent number: 9007051
    Abstract: An electric current detection circuit for detecting an electric current flowing to a load includes a voltage generation circuit, a plurality of comparators, and a reference voltage shift circuit. The voltage generation circuit includes a plurality of resistors coupled in series and generates different voltages by dividing a reference voltage with the resistors. The comparators determine a current level of the electric current flowing to the load using the voltages generated by the voltage generation circuit as threshold values. The reference voltage shift circuit shifts the reference voltage. The electric current flowing to the load is detected based on the current level determined by the plurality of comparators before shifting the reference voltage and the current level determined by the plurality of comparators after shifting the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Anden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Hattori, Kazunori Ozawa, Fukuo Ishikawa, Nobutomo Takagi
  • Patent number: 9007052
    Abstract: A system for sensing voltage in an isolated converter includes an input circuit isolated from an output circuit using a first transformer, the first transformer having a primary coil and a secondary coil, wherein the output circuit includes an output inductor and an output capacitor, and wherein the input circuit includes a power source that provides power to the output circuit through the first transformer; a feedback winding coupled to the output inductor to form a second transformer; and a monitor circuit that calculates a voltage across the output capacitor using a voltage across the feedback winding, a voltage across the primary coil of the first transformer, a turns ratio of the first transformer, and a turns ratio of the second transformer in order to provide feedback to control the input circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason A. Ohnemus, David A. Fox
  • Patent number: 9007053
    Abstract: Disclosed is an eddy current non-destructive inspection device which includes an eddy current probe with a probe conductor resistance dynamically changing due to operation conditions, such as temperature. The device further includes a signal generating circuit generating an inspection frequency signal and a low frequency signal. Sensed inspection frequency signals are processed to produce resulting signals with possible drift. A low frequency processing circuit includes a resistance calculator producing a substantially true value of the dynamic probe resistance, based on which compensation operations are configured to correct the drifted resulting signals and produce corrected resulting signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventor: Andrew Thomas
  • Patent number: 9007054
    Abstract: An angle sensor to provide sensor-to-magnet misalignment detection and correction capability in rotation angle measurement applications is presented. The angle sensor has magnetic field sensing elements to sense magnetic field associated with a rotating magnet. The angle sensor includes circuitry to generate signals based on the sensing by the sensing elements. The signals provide information that can be combined according to an error function to provide misalignment detection. The angle sensor can be used with or can be incorporated in an angle measurement device that employs a processing unit to produce a rotation angle value. In one embodiment, the processing unit is configured to implement the error function and correct the angle value for detected misalignment. In another embodiment, the error function is performed by a programming device and detected misalignment is corrected through mechanical adjustment of sensor-to-magnet position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas P. Friedrich, Andrea Foletto, P. Karl Scheller, William P. Taylor, Michael C. Doogue
  • Patent number: 9007055
    Abstract: Provided are a self-pinned spin valve magnetoresistance effect film, a magnetic sensor using the same, and a rotation angle detection device. The self-pinned spin valve magnetoresistance effect film has a strong coupling magnetic field in a pinned layer, a small reduction in the change in resistance, and superior resistance to magnetic fields without reducing the coercive force in a first ferromagnetic layer, which is a pinned layer in the film, even when exposed to a strong external magnetic field. By inserting a non-magnetic layer between a ground layer and a pinned layer to form the spin valve magnetoresistance effect film, the self-pinned spin valve magnetoresistance effect film having superior resistance to magnetic fields, a magnetic sensor using the same, and a rotation angle detection device are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoki Ono, Yasunori Abe, Fumio Shirasaki
  • Patent number: 9007056
    Abstract: Disclosed is a monitoring device for a rotary encoder electronically connectable to the monitoring device. A pulse generating unit generates a comparison pulse signal by extracting a portion corresponding to a specific phase range from a first pulse included in a first pulse signal output from the rotary encoder. The rotary encoder detects rotation of a rotating body and outputs the first pulse signal and a second pulse signal, the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal having a phase difference from each other. A determining unit determines an abnormality of the rotary encoder, based on a state of a pulse of the comparison pulse signal at a specific timing of a second pulse included in the second pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunori Okamoto, Teruyuki Nakayama, Minoru Hashimoto, Daichi Kamisono
  • Patent number: 9007057
    Abstract: The device to measure the absolute rotation angle of a rotating shaft includes a rotating disc, fixed to the shaft. A group of permanent magnets of different sizes and polarities is disposed on a circular track. Further, a group of Hall sensors, fixed to a static part of the device, are disposed on a circular path, in proximity of the rotating disc magnets tracks, and generate electric signals proportional to the strength of the magnetic field produced by the magnets in proximity. The signs of these electric signals are used to calculate a code characteristic of a low resolution absolute angular position. Two analog signals are associated to the obtained code, according to a predefined table. The associated analog signal having the closest value to zero is used as an entry to a pre-recorded table containing the correspondent angular position of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Servosence (SMC) Ltd.
    Inventor: Yves Villaret
  • Patent number: 9007058
    Abstract: A method and a dual-stage trapped-flux magnet cryostat apparatus are provided for implementing enhanced measurements at high magnetic fields. The dual-stage trapped-flux magnet cryostat system includes a trapped-flux magnet (TFM). A sample, for example, a single crystal, is adjustably positioned proximate to the surface of the TFM, using a translation stage such that the distance between the sample and the surface is selectively adjusted. A cryostat is provided with a first separate thermal stage provided for cooling the TFM and with a second separate thermal stage provided for cooling sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Zahirul Islam, Ritesh K. Das, Roy Weinstein
  • Patent number: 9007059
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for calibrating eddy current sensors. A calibration curve is formed relating thickness of a conductive layer in a magnetic field to a value measured by the eddy current sensors or a value derived from such measurement, such as argument of impedance. The calibration curve may be an analytic function having infinite number terms, such as trigonometric, hyperbolic, and logarithmic, or a continuous plurality of functions, such as lines. High accuracy allows the omission of optical sensors, and use of eddy current sensors for endpoint detection, transition call detection, and closed loop control in which a process parameter is changed based on the measured magnetic flux density change in one or more processing zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sudeep Kumar Lahiri, Paul Franzen