Patents Issued in July 4, 2017
  • Patent number: 9698673
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electronic circuit by means of the first, second and third operating parameters, comprises: determining a range of variation of the third parameter for each value of the first parameter by varying the second parameter, said ranges being different; determining a target value of the third parameter; if the target value is within one of the ranges, operating the electronic circuit by setting the third parameter to the target value; and in the opposite case, selecting the two ranges framing the target value and operating the electronic circuit by consecutively bringing the third parameter into each one of the selected ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Université de Montpellier
    Inventors: Yeter Akgul, Edith Beigne, Pascal Benoit, Suzanne Lesecq, Diego Puschini Pascual
  • Patent number: 9698674
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a plurality of switches configured to be in a first charging mode until current through an inductor reaches a first current threshold to thereby indicate an end of the first charging mode. Responsive to the end of the first charging mode the DC-DC converter is configured to operate in a second charging mode for a time period ?T in which a first side of the inductor is coupled to an input voltage and a second side of the inductor is coupled to a load. Responsive to the end of the time period ?T, the DC-DC converter operates in a discharge mode until current through the inductor reaches its minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Cherkassky, Bruce Del Signore
  • Patent number: 9698675
    Abstract: Provided are a driving circuit and its operation method and a display apparatus. The driving circuit comprises a boost circuit unit, a load unit and a voltage monitoring unit, the load unit is connected to a power source providing an initial input voltage, the boost circuit unit is connected to both the load unit and the voltage monitoring unit, the load unit is connected to the voltage monitoring unit; the load unit provides a resistor of fixed resistance value; and the voltage monitoring unit determines whether an actual voltage input into the boost circuit unit is smaller than a predetermined voltage, and generates a reset signal which is used to control the driving circuit to restart if it is determined that the actual voltage is smaller than the predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhengxin Zhang, Shuai Xu, Jie Cao, Zhiyong Wang
  • Patent number: 9698676
    Abstract: Techniques are presented for determining current levels based on the behavior of a charge pump system while driving a load under regulation. Rather than diving the load directly, a fixed pump output voltage is used to supply a step-down regulator, which it turn drives the load at the selected voltage. While driving the load under regulation, the number of pump clocks during a set interval is counted. This can be compared to a reference that can be obtained, for example, from the numbers of cycles needed to drive a known load current over an interval of the duration. By comparing the counts, the amount of current being drawn by the load can be determined. This technique can be applied to determining leakage from circuit elements, such as word lines in a non-volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Huynh, Trung Pham, Sung-en Wang, Jongmin Park
  • Patent number: 9698677
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a brownout recovery circuit configured for a switch power supply circuit with a first switch, can include: (i) an under-voltage detection circuit that activates a detection signal when a bootstrap capacitor is not in an under-voltage state, and deactivates the detection signal when the bootstrap capacitor is in the under-voltage state; (ii) a logic circuit that generates a first control signal according to a main control signal from the switch power supply circuit and a second switch state; (iii) a first control circuit that generates a first switch signal according to the detection signal, and controls the first switch thereby; and (iv) a second control circuit that receives the first control signal, and generates a second switch signal to control the second switch thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Huiming Wu
  • Patent number: 9698678
    Abstract: A circuitry for regulating a current for an electromechanical load comprises a first connection and a second connection for the electromechanical load. The first connection can be coupled to a first supply potential thereby, and a potential of the second connection can be modified by means of a pulse width modulation. The circuitry also comprises a measurement assembly having a first measurement signal input, which is coupled to the first connection and a second measurement signal input, which is coupled to the second connection. The measurement assembly is designed thereby to determine a measurement signal that is proportional to a potential difference between the first and second connection, in order to regulate the current for the electromechanical load on the basis of the measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Matthias Schunk, Matthias Gnan
  • Patent number: 9698679
    Abstract: A circuit for DC-DC conversion with current limitation comprises a DC-DC converter (100) with a coil (110) and a controllable switch (120) that can be switched into a low-impedance and a high-impedance state, and a current limiter (300a, 300b) for generating a control signal (IOC) for controlling the state of the controllable switch in the DC-DC converter (100). The current limiter (300a, 300b) is constructed such that the current (IL) through the coil at which the current limitation takes place is nearly independent of the ratio of the on-times and off-times of the controllable switch in the DC-DC converter (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: AMS AG
    Inventors: Thomas Jessenig, Manfred Lueger, Christian Halper, Peter Bliem
  • Patent number: 9698680
    Abstract: A switching power device includes: a main circuit having a switching element and a coil that adjusts a current flowing through the coil and outputs a voltage; an output voltage detection circuit that outputs a first voltage; an error amplification circuit that outputs an error signal in response to a difference between the first voltage of the output voltage detection circuit and a second voltage; an oscillation circuit that outputs an oscillation signal; a driving circuit that outputs the driving signal to the switching element in response to a comparison result by comparing the oscillation signal of the oscillation circuit and the error signal of the error amplification circuit; and a soft-start control unit that controls the second voltage in response to the first voltage of the output voltage detection circuit when the first voltage reaches a soft-start threshold voltage between a standard detection voltage and a start detection voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Satake, Yoshihiro Kizaki
  • Patent number: 9698681
    Abstract: An adaptive duty cycle limiting circuit is used with a switching DC-to-DC converter for preventing the duty cycle entering a region of operation having negative gain. The adaptive duty cycle limiting circuit includes a duty cycle ramp signal generator, a voltage source for providing a voltage having a fractional value of an input voltage source, and a comparator that compares the duty cycle ramp signal with the fractional value of the input voltage source. When the voltage level of the duty cycle ramp signal is less than the fractional value of the voltage source, a cycle limit signal is activated and communicated to a switching control circuit to adjust the duty cycle of the switching DC-to-DC converter to prevent the duty cycle entering the region of operation where the gain of the switching DC-to-DC converter becomes negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Naoyuki Unno, Kemal Ozanoglu, Pier Cavallini, Louis de Marco
  • Patent number: 9698682
    Abstract: Disclosed are an LDC control apparatus for preventing an LDC from being overheated, and a method of operating the same. The LDC control apparatus includes a comparator configured to compare a heat release temperature of an LDC with a predetermined criterion temperature, an adjustor configured to adjust a predetermined criterion current value according to a result of the comparison of temperature, and a controller configured to compare the adjusted criterion current value with an output current value being output from the LDC, and control the LDC by converting a control mode of the LDC according to a result of the comparison of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Deok Kwan Choi
  • Patent number: 9698683
    Abstract: Control loop coefficients for a digital voltage regulator controller are determined by determining PID (proportional-integral-derivative) coefficients that satisfy gain and phase margin targets for a digital voltage regulator controller, as a function of a plurality of system parameters for the digital voltage regulator controller, and re-determining one or more of the PID coefficients to flatten an output impedance response of the digital voltage regulator controller for frequencies below a bandwidth of the digital voltage regulator controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Amir Babazadeh, Benjamim Tang
  • Patent number: 9698684
    Abstract: A control apparatus for use in controlling a power converter adapted to carry out power conversion between a high-voltage end and a low-voltage end includes an input configured for receiving at least one input signal conveying a sensed voltage across the high-voltage end, a sensed voltage across the low-voltage end and a sensed current through the low-voltage end; circuitry configured for determining a target switching frequency, a target dead time and a target duty cycle for the converter based at least in part on the sensed voltages, the sensed current and at least one circuit characteristic of the converter; and an output configured for releasing at least one output signal to cause the converter to carry out soft switching in accordance with the target switching frequency, the target dead time and the target duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: Di Wu, Konrad Woronowicz
  • Patent number: 9698685
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a single-inductor multiple-output (SIMO) direct current (DC-DC) converter circuit, with the SIMO DC-DC converter circuit having a set of output nodes. The apparatus also includes a panoptic dynamic voltage scaling (PDVS) circuit operatively coupled to the SIMO DC-DC converter circuit, where the PDVS circuit has a set of operational blocks with each operational block from the set of operational blocks drawing power from one supply voltage rail from a set of supply voltage rails. Additionally, each output node from the set of output nodes is uniquely associated with a supply voltage rail from the set of supply voltage rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA PATENT FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Benton H Calhoun, Aatmesh Shrivastava
  • Patent number: 9698686
    Abstract: A detection device includes a driving circuit which drives a physical quantity transducer, a detection circuit which detects a desired signal, a power-supply terminal into which a power-supply voltage is input, a regulator circuit which performs a voltage adjustment of stepping down the power-supply voltage from the power-supply terminal, and supplies a regulated power-supply voltage obtained by the voltage adjustment to the driving circuit and the detection circuit as an operating power-supply voltage, and a buffer circuit which is supplied with the power-supply voltage, receives a drive signal from the driving circuit, and outputs an amplified drive signal in which an amplitude of the drive signal increases to the physical quantity transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Maki, Teppei Higuchi, Takashi Nomiya
  • Patent number: 9698688
    Abstract: An effective method enhances energy saving at low load in a resonant converter with a hysteretic control scheme for implementing burst-mode at light load. The method causes a current controlled oscillator of the converter to stop oscillating when a feedback control current of the output voltage of the converter reaches a first threshold value, and introduces a nonlinearity in the functional relation between the frequency of oscillation and said feedback control current or in a derivative of the functional relation, while the control current is between a lower, second threshold value and the first threshold value, such that the frequency of oscillation remains equal or smaller than the frequency of oscillation when the control current is equal to the second threshold value. Several circuital implementations are illustrated, all of simple realization without requiring any costly microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Claudio Spini, Aldo Vittorio Novelli, Fabrizio Bognanni
  • Patent number: 9698689
    Abstract: A zero-voltage switching buck converter circuit and control circuit are provided. The buck converter circuit may include a first inductor, a smoothing capacitor coupled to the first inductor, a rectifier diode coupled in parallel with the first inductor and the smoothing capacitor, a control switch coupled to the first inductor, a control circuit configured to turn the control switch off and on repeatedly at a high frequency rate; and a snubber network coupled to the first inductor and the control circuit. The snubber network may include second and third inductors connected in series, wherein one terminal of the first inductor is connected to a node connecting the second and third inductors, and an auxiliary switch connected to the control circuit. A first terminal of the second inductor that is not connected to the node may be coupled to the control switch, and a first terminal of the third inductor that is not connected to the node may be coupled to the auxiliary switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander Mednik
  • Patent number: 9698690
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of controlling a converter can include: (i) when first and fourth switches are on, and second and third switches are off, generating an on time signal according to an input voltage and a stable output voltage of the converter; (ii) generating an off time signal according to the input voltage and the stable output voltage of the converter; (iii) generating a reference time voltage according to a reference current signal and a reference voltage signal; and (iv) controlling the first, second, third, and fourth switches based on whether the on time signal is activated to indicate that the converter is operating in a buck mode, the off time signal is activated to indicate that the converter is operating in a boost mode, or the reference time signal is activated to indicate that the converter is operating in a buck-boost mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Kailang Hang
  • Patent number: 9698691
    Abstract: A switching DC-to-DC converter has an adaptive duty cycle limiting circuit with an inductor current sensor to generate a sense signal indicative of magnitude of the inductor current. A replica signal is generated from the sense signal and transferred through a replica parasitic resistance circuit. A differential voltage is developed across the replica parasitic resistances and compared with a maximum limit voltage level. The maximum limit voltage level is indicates that a gain level of the switching DC-to-DC converter has decreased even though the duty cycle has increased. A duty cycle limit signal is generated and transferred to disable a switch in a switching circuit for limiting the duty cycle of the switching DC-to-DC converter, when the gain level has decreased such that the switching DC-to-DC converter does not enter a region where the gain of the switching DC-to-DC converter has a negative slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Kemal Ozanoglu, Selcuk Talay, Pier Cavallini, Naoyuki Unno, Louis deMarco
  • Patent number: 9698692
    Abstract: A multi-phase interleaved converter includes n sub-circuits of phases, a current controller and a balancing controller. The n sub-circuits of phases have inputs connected in parallel and outputs connected in parallel in order to convert a direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) input voltage of one level into a DC or AC output voltage of another level. The current controller receives a current control command and a phase current value of a particular sub-circuit of a particular phase among the n sub-circuits of the respective phases to output a control signal for controlling the particular sub-circuit of the particular phase. The balancing controller receives phase current values of the n sub-circuits of the respective phases and receives a control signal output from the current controller to adjust the duty ratios of control signals applied to the other sub-circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Hui Sung Jang, Shin Hye Chun, Mu Shin Kwak, Hyun Wook Seong
  • Patent number: 9698693
    Abstract: A control circuit configured to control a power stage circuit of a switch-type converter can include: a current detection circuit configured to detect whether an inductor current rises to a first threshold value during an on time of a first switch, and to detect whether the inductor current is greater than a second threshold value when an on time of a second switch is greater than or equal to a current detection blanking time, where the power stage circuit includes the first and second switches and the inductor; and a logic circuit configured to deactivate a first switch control signal and to activate a second switch control signal when the inductor current rises to the first threshold value such that the first switch remains off and the second switch remains on during a regulation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Hongfeng An
  • Patent number: 9698694
    Abstract: Control circuits are provided for regulating an output voltage of a switched mode power supply having a variable input voltage and at least one power switch. The control circuits are operable to generate a comparison voltage based on the output voltage of the switched mode power supply and a duty cycle of a control signal provided to the at least one power switch, determine a reference voltage based on whether the generated comparison voltage falls within one of a plurality of voltage ranges, and adjust the duty cycle of the control signal provided to the at least one power switch of the switched mode power supply as a function of the determined reference voltage and the output voltage. Each voltage range is associated with a different reference voltage. Switched mode power supplies including the control circuits and methods implemented by the control circuits are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ASTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Mao Xi Xiang, Jian Zhen Ma, YuanDong He, HongLian Fang
  • Patent number: 9698695
    Abstract: A method of cycle-by-cycle operation of a switched-mode power converter includes converting an input voltage at the primary side to an output voltage at the secondary side by switching a transistor connected to the primary side from an on-state to an off-state during the present cycle, detecting valleys in a voltage across the transistor in the off-state, determining which valley at which the transistor is to be switched from the off-state to the on-state in the next switching cycle, and determining a maximum peak current limit for the primary side above which the transistor is switched from the on-state to the off-state in the next switching cycle. The maximum peak current limit is determined as a function of the input voltage and the valley at which the transistor is to be switched from the off-state to the on-state in the next switching cycle. Forced valley switching techniques are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Marc Fahlenkamp, Torsten Hinz, Martin Krueger, Josef Neulinger
  • Patent number: 9698696
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus comprises: a transformer that includes primary/secondary windings that are electromagnetically connected to each other with polarities opposite to each other, an output switch that activates/inactivates an electric-current route that extends from an application terminal for an input voltage to a ground terminal via the primary winding a rectifying-smoothing portion that generates an output voltage from an induced voltage, a feedback voltage generation portion that monitors a switch voltage appearing at a connection node between the primary winding and the output switch and generates a feedback voltage in accordance with the output voltage, a reference voltage generation portion that generates a reference voltage, a comparator that compares the feedback voltage and the reference voltage with each other to generate a comparison signal, and a switching control portion that generates an output switch control signal by means of an on-time control method in accordance with the comparison si
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sawada, Satoshi Oishi, Koji Takahata, Yohei Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 9698697
    Abstract: A storage (80) stores a first drooping characteristic of a rated current Ioc1, and a second drooping characteristic of an allowable current value Ico2 that is greater than the rated current value Ioc1. A controller (70) is configured to select a drooping characteristic stored in the storage (80) in accordance with the current value detected by an output current detector (50) and a mask condition, and perform droop control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SHINDENGEN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Wakabayashi, Konosuke Nitta
  • Patent number: 9698698
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for igniting thin rods composed of electrically conductive material at are thin silicon rods, wherein a three-phase AC system forming a three-phase system is used to feed electrical energy to the thin rods, wherein the three-phase AC system forms the three-phase system or a three-phase transformer having a secondary-side three-phase winding system forms the three-phase system, and wherein the three phases of the three-phase system or of the secondary-side three-phase winding system are interconnected or controlled such that voltages comprising voltage vectors of the three phases cancel one another out in a three-phase closed vector triangle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Günter Heid
  • Patent number: 9698699
    Abstract: A DC link has first and second power supply lines. A first rectifying circuit has a plurality of input terminals that input an AC voltage and a pair of output terminals connected to the DC link. An inverter converts a voltage applied to the DC link into another AC voltage. A boost chopper has a capacitor at an output stage. A switch switches discharge and non-discharge from the capacitor to the DC link. In the boost chopper, charge into the capacitor is performed at least at a first period. The first period is a part of a period during which a discharge duty as a time ratio of continuity of the switch is larger than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoya Yamashita, Toshiyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9698700
    Abstract: A power converter can be controlled to generate a target output power. The control process may include obtaining a target current reference for the power converter, sensing an output current of the power converter, and determining a difference between the target current reference and the sensed output current. The next switching duty cycle for the next switching period of the switching circuits in the power converter can be derived based on at least the present switching duty cycle of the present switching period, and the difference between the target current reference and the sensed output current. The switching circuits of the power converter can then be switched according to the derived next switching duty cycle in the next switching period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: DRS Consolidated Controls, Inc., University of Connecticut
    Inventors: Scott Ramsay, Michael Kelley, Matthew Tarca, John Thompson, David Gellis, Thomas Parsons, Sung Yeul Park, Sungmin Park
  • Patent number: 9698701
    Abstract: A power module packaging structure includes a first conducting layer, a first insulating layer, a second conducting layer, a first power device, and a first controlling device. The first insulating layer is disposed above the first conducting layer. The second conducting layer is disposed above the first insulating layer. The first power device is disposed on the first conducting layer. The first controlling device is disposed on the second conducting layer and used for controlling the first power device. The first conducting layer, the second conducting layer, the first power device, and the first controlling device form a loop. A direction of a current which flows through the first conducting layer in the loop is opposite to a direction of a current which flows through the second conducting layer in the loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Zeng Li, Jun-Cheng Lu, Tao Wang, Zheng-Fen Wan, Zhen-Qing Zhao
  • Patent number: 9698702
    Abstract: A switching power supply and a power supply apparatus that incorporates the switching power supply are provided. Advantages of the switching power supply include the following: 1. Two or more switching power supplies can be used in parallel when they have the same kind of input power and the same rated output power. 2. Two or more switching power supplies can be used in parallel when they have the same rated output power but different kinds of input power. 3. Two or more switching power supplies can be used in parallel when they have the same kind of input power but different rated output powers. 4. Two or more switching power supplies can be used in parallel when they have different kinds of input power and different rated output power. 5. When the above-described switching power supplies are connected in parallel, the respective load proportion of each of them can be adjusted at will.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Inventors: Miin-Shyue Shiau, Chien-Chih Hung
  • Patent number: 9698703
    Abstract: A switching converter includes a transformer having a primary winding to which an input voltage is supplied and formed of two primary winding halves, a tap between the winding halves, and a pair of switching elements in series connection with the winding halves. A voltage divider formed of two capacitors and across which the input voltage is supplied is connected at a center tap between the two capacitors to the primary winding tap through a damping element or network. Each switching element is connected through a respective driver to a controller that operatively effects synchronous control of the switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Janusz Dyszewski, Andreas Emberger
  • Patent number: 9698704
    Abstract: A converter includes multiple submodules that are serially connected on the input side to a DC power supply circuit via an inductor. Each submodule has an input-side half bridge and an at least single-phase output-side full bridge and an intermediate circuit capacitor connecting the half bridge and the full bridge forming an intermediate DC voltage circuit. According to the method, the submodules are alternately connected to the power supply circuit, thereby also connecting the intermediate circuit capacitor of the respective connected submodule to the power supply circuit, and the intermediate circuit voltage dropping across the respective intermediate circuit capacitor of each submodule is measured. The submodule to be connected is selected according to the voltage deviation of the corresponding intermediate circuit voltage from a specified target voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Marc Hiller
  • Patent number: 9698705
    Abstract: To suggest an electromechanical transducer device with a high S/N ratio, an electromechanical transducer device includes a first substrate; electromechanical transducer elements two-dimensionally arrayed on a front surface of the first substrate and configured to provide conversion between acoustic waves and electric signals; an electric wiring substrate that is a second substrate electrically connected with a back surface of the first substrate; a first acoustic matching layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; an acoustic attenuating member arranged on a back surface of the second substrate; and a second acoustic matching layer provided between the second substrate and the acoustic attenuating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Akiyama, Chienliu Chang
  • Patent number: 9698706
    Abstract: An electro-hydrodynamic system including an energy harvester and an adjustable member, wherein the energy harvester includes a charge source including: an injector configured to emit particles into a wind stream and an electrode configured to charge the particles to a first polarity and to generate a first electric field. The adjustable member supports the energy harvester, and is configured to control a distance between electrical ground and at least one component of the energy harvester. A method for controlling the electric field magnitude of an electro-hydrodynamic system including placing an energy harvester comprising a charge source at a distance away from electrical ground, the distance being an equilibrium distance; receiving a first measurement of a parameter indicative of electric field magnitude near the charge source; and in response to the first measurement surpassing a threshold, increasing the distance between the energy harvester and electrical ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Accio Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Dawn White, Randy Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9698707
    Abstract: A device for converting thermal power into electric power includes many conversion cells arranged inside and on top of a substrate. Each conversion cell includes a curved bimetal strip and first and second diodes coupled to the bimetal strip. The diodes are arranged in a semiconductor region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS (CROLLES 2) SAS, Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Stephane Monfray, Arthur Arnaud, Thomas Skotnicki, Onoriu Puscasu, Sebastien Boisseau
  • Patent number: 9698708
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are disclosed for locomoting fuel-free nanomotors in a fluid. In one aspect of the disclosed technology, a system for locomoting fuel-free nanomotors can include an electrically-driven nanowire diode formed of two or more segments of different electrically conducting materials, a fluid container, and a mechanism that produces an electric field to drive the nanowire diode to locomote in the fluid. In another aspect, a system for locomoting fuel-free nanomotors can include a magnetically-propelled multi-segment nanowire motor formed of a magnetic segment and a flexible joint segment, a fluid container, and a mechanism that generates and controls a magnetic field to drive the multi-segment nanowire motor to locomote in the fluid. The disclosed fuel-free nanomotors can obviate fuel requirements and can be implemented for practical in vitro and in vivo biomedical applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Joseph Wang
  • Patent number: 9698709
    Abstract: A motor driving device includes an inverter circuit having switching elements; and a control device controlling the switching of the switching elements. The control device sets a carrier frequency to f1 when a two-phase modulation scheme is selected, and sets the carrier frequency to f0, which is half of the carrier frequency f1, when a three-phase modulation scheme is selected. Thereby, the frequency of the secondary component of a current flowing in a filter circuit of when selecting the three-phase modulation scheme may be deviated from the resonance frequency of the filter circuit. Accordingly, the current ripple generated in the filter circuit may be reduced even when selectively switching the modulation scheme for the PWM modulation among a plurality of modulation schemes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Sakai
  • Patent number: 9698710
    Abstract: A solar energy utilization system includes a solar panel, a motor driven by an inverter circuit functioning as a motor drive circuit with power output by the solar panel, a solar output voltage monitor functioning as a monitor that monitors an input or an output of the solar panel and also functioning as a monitor that monitors an input or an output of the inverter circuit, and a controller. The controller has a control mode in which the inverter circuit is controlled such that an output voltage of the solar panel is maintained at a voltage higher than a maximum power point voltage. In this control mode, the controller performs the control such that a rotation speed of the motor is changed repeatedly at predetermined timings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohtaroh Kataoka, Masaru Nomura, Takeshi Shiomi, Shuji Wakaiki, Akihide Shibata, Hiroshi Iwata
  • Patent number: 9698711
    Abstract: A control device for controlling a multi-phase AC motor generating a steering assist torque in an electric power steering device of a vehicle, includes: first and second inverters in first and second systems that output first and second alternating current voltages to first and second multi-phase winding wire sets, respectively; and a control unit that controls a phase difference between the first and second alternating current voltages. The first and second multi-phase winding wire sets provide a stator of the motor, and generate a rotating magnetic field in a rotor. The control unit sets a control range including a reference phase difference, which reduces a specified-order harmonic component, and changes the phase difference within the control range according to a characteristic required of the motor, or so as to cause a fluctuation in the energization of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jirou Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9698712
    Abstract: An inverter apparatus includes an inverter circuit, a capacitor, and a control unit. In the first control mode, the control unit shifts a phase of at least one of PWM signals of three phases such that a time period during which polarities of output voltages of three phases are the same is shorter in the first control mode than the time period in the second control mode; and controls the inverter circuit so as to supply a direct current to the three-phase AC motor as a d-axis current by outputting the PWM signals of three phases, each having a phase after the phase shift processing. In the second control mode, the control unit controls the inverter circuit so as to supply an alternating current to the three-phase AC motor by outputting the PWM signals of three phases, each having a phase before the phase shift processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yoshiki Nagata, Takashi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 9698713
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of an apparatus for correcting an offset of a current sensor. The apparatus includes an inverter, a detector, and a RMS calculator, and a controller. The RMS calculator converts the high frequency component extracted from the filter into an effective (RMS) value. The controller, if the effective (RMS) value of the d-axis or q-axis current transformed by the RMS calculator is larger than a preset reference, increases/decreases a currently-set DC offset of each of the current sensors by a certain amount, and replaces the currently-set DC offsets with a DC offset corresponding to a smallest one of the effective (RMS) values of the d-axis or q-axis transformed by the RMS calculator, thereby correcting each of the current sensors. Accordingly, a pulsation in an output torque in controlling an electric motor can be effectively prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sun-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 9698714
    Abstract: A method for implementing asynchronous operation of a permanent magnet motor (PMM) by detecting asynchronous operation of the PMM and creating cyclic variations in the PMM output using the asynchronous operation of the PMM. In another embodiment, an apparatus that comprises a microcontroller that obtains computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory medium that when executed by the microcontroller causes the apparatus to determine that a rotor shaft within a PMM is rotationally restricted and to vary a plurality of frequencies and a plurality of amplitude currents supplied to the monitor to produce a reverse impact on a downhole tool coupled to the PMM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ACCESSESP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: David Malone, Omar Benzaid, Aider Matarrita Sequeira
  • Patent number: 9698715
    Abstract: A method and a system for generating auxiliary power for an islanded wind turbine are described, wherein the wind turbine may comprise a generator configured to provide power to a main grid. The method comprises: detecting an island mode of operation wherein said wind turbine is electrically disconnected from said main grid; in response to said disconnection, adjusting the rotational speed of said wind turbine to a value within a range of low rotational speeds; converting said generator output to a value suitable for charging said auxiliary power distribution system; and, connecting the output of said converter to said auxiliary power distribution system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: XEMC DARWIND B.V.
    Inventor: Florentius Johannes Bodewes
  • Patent number: 9698716
    Abstract: The controller estimates torque output by the motor and controls the current supplied to the motor in such a manner that a torque estimate of the motor obtained by the estimation corresponds to the torque command value. A torque estimation calculator 120 estimates the torque output by the motor. A phase error command calculator 125 calculates a command value of a phase error from the deviation between the torque estimate and a torque command value. A speed estimation calculator 130 outputs a speed estimate in such a manner that a phase error estimate corresponds to the command value of the phase error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tobari, Kazuya Sekine
  • Patent number: 9698717
    Abstract: A motor drive device driving any of a feed shaft or spindle of a machine tool or arm of an industrial machine or industrial robot etc., comprising a current detecting part detecting a motor current, a current control part using an output from the current detecting part as the basis to output a command value to the motor, and a power converting part using a current command as the basis to supply power to the motor, the current detecting part comprising a current slope detecting part and a switching part using an output of the current slope detecting part to switch a plurality of filter characteristics to switch a mode of current detection. The switching part switches to a filter with a narrow/a broad bandwidth when the slope of the current is small/large to thereby improve the precision of current detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryouta Yamaguchi, Taku Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9698718
    Abstract: A motor speed control system includes a motor, a control module and a displaying module. The motor includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor includes at least one induction rotor portion. The stator includes at least one induction stator portion. The induction rotor portion is corresponding to the induction stator portion. The control module is electrically connected to the rotor and the stator. The control module controls an induction rotor current of the induction rotor portion and an induction stator current of the induction stator portion to produce a rotor speed. The control module decreases or turns off the induction rotor current to keep the rotor speed at a predetermined value according to a rotational inertia of the rotor and the induction stator current when the rotor speed reaches the predetermined value. The displaying module displays the rotor speed and variable currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: HANKING POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tzu-Nan Chuang
  • Patent number: 9698719
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a linear vibration motor driver including an amplitude and temperature testing unit, a gain controller, and a coil resistance detector and an amplifier. The amplitude and temperature testing unit receives a motor drive input signal and a feedback drive signal output by the amplifier, and outputs a corresponding estimated motor amplitude and real-time temperature according to the motor drive input signal and the feedback drive signal. The amplifier adjusts magnification, amplifies the motor drive input signal according to the magnification and outputs the feedback drive signal to drive the motor. The present disclosure can adjust the magnitude of the drive signal according to current estimated amplitude and maximum amplitude and make corresponding rectification of the amplifier magnification upon too high temperature to extend the service life of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: AAC TECHNOLOGIES PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Huan Ge, Lijian Ye, Rongguan Zhou
  • Patent number: 9698720
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical drive system having: an energy storage device for generating a supply voltage and having at least one energy supply line, with one or more energy storage modules connected in series in the energy supply line, each module comprising an energy storage cell module with at least one energy storage cell and a coupling device with a plurality of coupling elements which is designed to selectively connect the energy storage cell module into the respective energy supply line or to bypass the same in the respective energy supply line; a fuel cell system which is coupled to the output terminals of the energy storage device and connected in parallel to the energy storage device; and a control device which is coupled to the energy storage device and is designed to control the coupling devices of the energy storage modules in order to adjust a supply voltage at the output terminals of the energy storage device which corresponds to an output voltage of the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Hawliczek, Peter Feuerstack
  • Patent number: 9698721
    Abstract: AC motor driving system and driving method thereof are provided. The driving system and method are capable of increasing power factor, adjusting waveform of the DC ripple voltage for increasing driving efficiency. The driving system is basically constructed by connecting three circuits. The first circuit is a three-phase full wave rectifying circuit and is used to transfer commercial electricity to a first DC voltage. Then, the second circuit is used to transfer the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage that ripples voltage thereof having a semi-sinusoidal waveform. The third circuit is an AC driving circuit, and receives the second AC voltage for driving the AC motor. Thereby, the driving efficiency can be increased. The capacitance used in the present disclosure has low capacitance value, thus the power factor can be increased, and usage time of the AC motor driving apparatus can also be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: RHYMEBUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming-Shi Huang, Chang-Ming Wang, Kuan-Cheng Chen, Ming-Chang Chou
  • Patent number: 9698722
    Abstract: A temperature estimation module estimates each junction temperature of a corresponding semiconductor device, among a plurality of semiconductor devices, for each phase of an inverter. The temperature estimation module or the data processing system determines a hottest device with a highest junction temperature among the semiconductor devices. A thermal adjustment module or data processing system determines if the highest junction temperature parameter is less than maximum junction temperature parameter for the respective semiconductor device or deciding whether or not to adjust a duty cycle of the semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: David M. Loken, Long Wu, Tianjun Fu, Robert B. Shaw, Neal D. Clements
  • Patent number: 9698723
    Abstract: A roof attachment system has a stud for retaining a fixture to a roof and is mountable to and sealable with a roof. The attachment system includes a base and a retaining stud which projects upwardly from the base. A membrane is disposed over the base. Cooperative upper and lower mount plates include peripheral oppositely projecting teeth which form an intermediate axial gap. A retainer ring is disposed in into the gap and alternately engages against the teeth of the upper and lower mount plates to axially tighten the attachment components to provide a seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: OMG, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew J. Liptak