For Reactive Power Control Patents (Class 323/205)
  • Patent number: 9030043
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of avoiding that wind turbine voltage levels within a wind power plant do not exceed predetermined overvoltage and/or undervoltage protection levels. In particular, the present invention relates to shifting of an output voltage level of a wind power plant in order to protect an internal power plant grid against overvoltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Jorge Martinez Garcia
  • Publication number: 20150123626
    Abstract: A power control apparatus includes: a first obtainment unit which obtains a power flow value at a power flow measuring point and a voltage value at a voltage measuring point provided; a power flow control unit which calculates a first power change value, to cause the power flow value to approach a predetermined target value; a voltage control unit calculates a voltage value at the voltage measuring point when the first power has been changed by the first power change value, and sets a second power change value, based on whether or not the voltage value falls within a predetermined voltage range; and a notification unit which notifies the power adjustment apparatus of a command value for causing the power adjustment apparatus to input or output the first power changed by the first power change value and the second power changed by the second power change value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Kenichi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150108952
    Abstract: A transmission system and a method for transmitting electrical power which has been produced by at least one off-shore wind turbine to a utility grid being located on-shore is provided. The transmission system has (a) an off-shore transformer, which is connectable to the at least one wind turbine and which is configured for changing a first AC voltage level provided by the at least one wind turbine to a second AC voltage level, (b) a subsea AC transmission cable having an off-shore input end and an on-shore output end, wherein the input end is connected to the off-shore transformer, and (c) a compensation unit for compensating at least partially a reactive power being produced within the subsea AC transmission cable, wherein the compensation unit is electrically coupled to the subsea AC transmission cable at a node being located in between the off-shore input end and the on-shore output end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jesper Moeller, Jan Thisted
  • Publication number: 20150102785
    Abstract: A dynamic high-energy switch used for correcting load imbalance through connecting and disconnecting capacitance in a power feed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Robert Turner
  • Patent number: 9002761
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for automatically adapting power grid usage by controlling internal and/or external power-related assets of one or more users in response to power regulation and/or frequency regulation functions in a manner beneficial to both the power grid itself and the users of the power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: Rey Montalvo
  • Patent number: 8994468
    Abstract: A modulation method is provided. The modulation method includes the steps of receiving multiple sinusoidal signals, obtaining the maximum value of the sinusoidal signals, obtaining the median value of the sinusoidal signals, and obtaining the minimum value of the sinusoidal signals within a period to generate a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value, generating a difference according to an upper limit and a lower limit of a predetermined comparison value, and comparing the two differences to generate an optimized modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Shih-Hsiang Chien, Yong-Kai Lin, Chin-Hone Lin
  • Publication number: 20150077068
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a voltage fluctuation suppressing apparatus is provided with a power storage device connected to an electric power system, a basic control unit to control an output of the power storage device, a voltage detector to measure a voltage of a connection point to the electric power system, and an output control unit to divide a control amount to be outputted to the basic control unit into a reactive power command value and an active power command value and to output them. The output control unit is provided with a reactive power upper limit value calculation unit, a reactive power calculation/output unit, and an active power calculation/output unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Shinya Naoi, Yasuhiro Noro, Yasuyuki Miyazaki, Takahiro Shimoo, Toshiaki Asano, Hideyuki Miyaji, Shinji Yurino, Yuji Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150069978
    Abstract: A voltage control apparatus includes: a voltage value obtainment unit configured to obtain voltage values at the one or more voltage measuring points; an impedance obtainment unit configured to obtain a system impedance from a distribution substation to each of power adjustment apparatuses; a control variable calculating unit configured to calculate a control variable including at least one of (i) a value corresponding to an allowable upper limit of a voltage value at the first voltage measuring point and (ii) a value corresponding to an allowable lower limit of the voltage value at the first voltage measuring point, based on the voltage values at the one or more voltage measuring points and the system impedances; and a notification unit configured to notify the power adjustment apparatuses of the calculated control variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Watanabe, Junji Kondoh
  • Publication number: 20150069979
    Abstract: An apparatus is capable of improving the power factor of a power supply powered by a high power line and a ground power line. The apparatus comprises a line voltage detector and an ON time controller. The line voltage detector provides a scaled voltage to represent a line voltage of the high power line. The ON time controller has a valley voltage detector, which provides, in response to the scaled voltage, a valley representative representing a valley voltage of the line voltage. The ON time controller controls an ON time of a power switch in the power supply in response to the valley representative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Chang-Yi Lin, Yi-Chuan Tsai
  • Patent number: 8970184
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method, and a computer program product are provided. The apparatus determines an input voltage and an input current of a power system driving a low power factor load, the input voltage varying based on a power cycle, determines at least a first portion of the power cycle at which the input current exceeds a threshold, and couples at least one substantially resistive load to the low power factor load during at least a second portion of the power cycle different from the at least a first portion of the power cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: William H. Von Novak, III
  • Publication number: 20150054473
    Abstract: In a reactive power compensation device, a control unit controls a magnitude of reactive power to be output by a reactive power output unit, based on a detected system voltage and one or more control parameters in a first operation mode. In a second operation mode, the control unit changes the magnitude of the reactive power to be output by the reactive power output unit to a power system in an output change period, calculates system impedances of the power system at a plurality of detection time points within the output change period, based on change amounts of the system voltage detected at the plurality of detection time points and corresponding change amounts of the reactive power, and, when a variation in the calculated system impedances is within an acceptable range, adjusts the one or more control parameters, based on the calculated system impedances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro MATSUDA, Shinichi MATSUDA, Masatoshi TAKEDA
  • Patent number: 8953041
    Abstract: An Engineer's View (EV) wireless video system for powered and unpowered model railroad engines is disclosed. The invention uses commercially available wireless spy cameras, powered by a custom power supply circuit which is compatible with either DC or DCC track systems. The present invention is compatible with all commercial model railroad gauge diesel engines including HO and N Gauge or may be factory installed. The EV system demonstrates a remarkably stable and realistic image of a model railroad layout. Moreover, the present invention may also provide a stable source of power to the engine where stalling could occur at points of track defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventors: Richard Johnson Bartlett, Sr., William Travis Bartlett
  • Publication number: 20150022163
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power factor correction (PFC) circuit can include: (i) a rectifier bridge and a PFC converter coupled to an input capacitor; (ii) a harmonic wave compensation circuit configured to shift a phase of a DC input voltage provided from the rectifier bridge, where the harmonic wave compensation circuit comprises a phase of about ?45° when a corner frequency is about 50 Hz; and (iii) a PFC control circuit configured to control the PFC converter, where the PFC control circuit comprises a first sampling voltage, and the harmonic wave compensation circuit is configured to control a phase of the first sampling voltage to lag a phase of the DC input voltage by about 45°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Yunlong Han, Huiqiang Chen
  • Patent number: 8934268
    Abstract: A power electronic converter for use in high voltage direct current power transmission and reactive power compensation which includes at least one converter limb including first and second DC terminals for connection in use to a DC network. The or each converter limb includes at least one first converter block and at least one second converter block connected between the first and second DC terminals. The or each first converter block includes a plurality of line-commutated thyristors and at least one first AC terminal for connection in use to an AC network. The or each second converter block includes at least one auxiliary converter including a plurality of self-commutated switching elements. The self-commutated switching elements are controllable in use to inject a voltage to modify a DC voltage presented to the DC side of the converter limb and/or modify an AC voltage and an AC current on the AC side of the power electronic converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: David Trainer, Andre Paulo Canelhas, Colin Charnock Davidson, Carl David Barker
  • Publication number: 20150002107
    Abstract: Reducing current harmonics at light loads is disclosed. In an example, a method includes increasing output voltage of a boost converter to reach a higher potential in a low power mode. After reaching the higher potential, the method includes dropping a set point for the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel Humphrey, Mohamed Amin Bemat
  • Publication number: 20140375283
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control method for supporting active power factor correction (APFC) loads, comprising: providing square wave width of an output voltage waveform to be a comparatively large value to improve effective value of the output voltage, in order to meet the requirements for active power factor correction (APFC) loads; and gradually decreasing square wave width of the output voltage waveform from the comparatively large value to a comparatively small value to gradually decrease effective value of the output voltage to a desirable stable voltage effective value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: LIAN ZHENG ELECTRONIC (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaijun Xie, Wuhua Hu
  • Publication number: 20140369097
    Abstract: A controller for use in a power converter includes a load sensing circuit coupled to output an error signal in response to a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter. The error signal is representative of a load coupled to an output of the power converter. A burst mode control circuit is coupled to output a burst mode control signal in response to the error signal. An offset current generator circuit is coupled to output an offset current in response to the error signal. A drive circuit is coupled to control switching of a power switch to control a transfer of energy from an input of the power converter to the output of the power converter in response to the error signal, the burst mode control signal, the offset current, and a current sense signal representative of a current through the power switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel C. Prescott, Roger Colbeck
  • Patent number: 8907615
    Abstract: An electrical power generation system, such as a solar power inverter, can provide dynamic real-time power compensation, so as to mitigate the effects of voltage sags and swells (e.g., on a utility grid) and thereby provide voltage support functionality to a local grid. The electrical power generation system can do so by receiving first synchrophasor measurements that are taken at a point on the utility grid and transmitted to the electrical power generation system and by taking second synchrophasor measurements. The first and second synchrophasors indicate voltage magnitude and frequency of the alternating current (AC) at their respective measurement points. The electrical power generation system can compare the first synchrophasors with the second synchrophasors and based upon the comparison, vary the power factor of the power the electrical power generation system generates (e.g., by either supplying or absorbing reactive power).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Mills-Price, Michael Ropp
  • Publication number: 20140354245
    Abstract: A method for controlling electric power supply, the method comprising: (a) controllably down converting by a step-down power converter entry voltage from a power source and preventing up-conversion by a step-up power converter, substantially when the entry voltage is larger than a measured exit voltage and is in compliance with a first criterion that is based on the entry voltage and on the measured exit voltage; wherein the measured exit voltage is measured at an exit of both step-up power converter and the step-down power converter; and (b) controllably up converting by the step-up power converter the entry voltage and preventing down-conversion by the step-down power converter, substantially when the entry voltage is lower than the measured exit voltage and is in compliance with a second criterion that is based on the entry voltage and on the measured exit voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: ELTA SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Enrique Batikoff, Robert Zelig
  • Publication number: 20140347020
    Abstract: Electrical power is fed from a wind energy installation into an AC voltage system via an energy transmission path, which is delimited by an installation-side transformer and a system-side transformer. A power factor correction device is connected, at a common node between the energy transmission path and the AC voltage system using a closed-loop control device, which controls the wind energy installation and which receives a variable which is proportional to the reactive power on the energy transmission path and a further measured variable. A measurement signal produced at the output of the power factor correction device is used as further measured variable. The closed-loop controller has such a control characteristic that the voltage on the low-voltage side of the system-side transformer increases, depending on the reactive power on the energy transmission path, from the inductive range to the capacitive range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Bernhard Strobl
  • Patent number: 8897042
    Abstract: A power source system including power-factor modifying circuits to modify a power factor of supplied electric power, a time difference circuit to output start signals for instructing the power-factor modifying circuits to start an operation to the power-factor modifying circuits at specified time intervals, and a control circuit to supply the electric power to the power-factor modifying circuit to start the power-factor modifying circuit when the power-factor modifying circuit acquires the start signal output from the time difference circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaki, Susumu Eguchi
  • Publication number: 20140328096
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques for power factor correction on a constant current system. In an example embodiment, the present disclosure provides a power factor correction circuit which receives a constant current power input. The power factor correction circuit provides an input voltage tuned to match the phase of the input current. The input voltage is tuned via charging and draining an input capacitor by a switching device. The switching device is driven on a duty cycle synchronously associated with the input current waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventor: Traver Gumaer
  • Patent number: 8872484
    Abstract: Aspects relate to utilizing power factor correction to compensate for a leading power factor produced mainly due to electromagnetic interference (EMI) capacitors in front of a power factor correction stage. Provided is a power supply that includes a power factor correction circuit that includes a second harmonic generator component. The harmonic generator component includes a filter component and an integrator component. The filter component is configured to receive a rectified voltage and a power factor correction current and block a direct current component. The integrator component is configured to receive an alternating current component from the filter component and produce a harmonic that causes an angle of the power factor correction current to change from a leading power factor to a unity power factor or to a lagging power factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Sangsun Kim
  • Patent number: 8868313
    Abstract: A method for controlling the combustion in a gas turbine including measuring, with one or more probes situated adjacent to the combustion chamber of the turbine, the amplitude of the pressure oscillations inside the combustion chamber and the persistence time or cycle of the same oscillations, evaluating the behavior under fatigue conditions of the combustion chamber, by constructing the Wohler curve for a certain material which forms the combustion chamber for a predefined combustion frequency and for the amplitude and cycle values of the pressure oscillations measured, measuring the cumulative damage to the combustion chamber during functioning under fatigue conditions of the turbine using the Palmgren-Miner hypothesis and exerting protection actions of the turbine if the cumulative damage value measured is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Asti
  • Patent number: 8856557
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for providing power balancing for power supplies. A power module measures an amount of input power for each of a plurality of switching power supplies. A conversion module converts the measured amount of input power of each power supply to a digital power measurement signal. An averaging module determines an average amount of input power per power supply based on a summation of the digital power measurement signal of each power supply. A comparison module compares the digital power measurement signal of a power supply to the determined average amount of input power per power supply. An input power adjustment module adjusts the input power of the power supply to cause the amount of input power of the power supply to be substantially equal to the determined average amount of input power per power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert DiMarco, Randhir S. Malik
  • Publication number: 20140292287
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, comprising first and second field effect transistors arranged in a cascode configuration: wherein the first field effect transistor is a depletion mode transistor; and wherein the second field effect transistor comprises a first source to gate capacitance and a second additional source to gate capacitance connected in parallel to the first source to gate capacitance. A power factor correction (PFC) circuit comprising the semiconductor device. A power supply comprising the PFC circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Philip RUTTER, Maarten SWANENBERG
  • Publication number: 20140285163
    Abstract: A PFC circuit includes: a switching circuit having a power switch; an on time control circuit for controlling an on time period of the power switch; a first off time control circuit; a second off time control circuit; and a logic circuit selectively controls the power switch working under CCM or DCM; when working under CCM, the first off time control circuit controls an off time period of the power switch and when working under DCM, the second off time control circuit controls the off time period of the power switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sicon Lin, Yiqing Jin, Yuancheng Ren, Junming Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140266081
    Abstract: An embodiment relates to a method for adjusting a dead zone, wherein an amplitude of an oscillating signal is determined, and wherein the dead zone is adjusted based on the amplitude of the oscillating signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Alfredo Medina GARCIA
  • Publication number: 20140266082
    Abstract: A switching mode power converter includes a DSC with a digital PWM module configured for complementary operation mode during normal operation. The control algorithm of the DSC is configured such that during an initialization stage immediately following power up of the device relevant digital PWM modules used for interleaving operation are reconfigured to temporarily operate in an independent operation mode with the duty cycle associated with each channel set at zero. The reconfigured digital PWM modules remain set in the independent operation mode for a predefined period of time. Once the predefined time period is reached, the reconfigured digital PWM modules are again reconfigured back to the original complementary operation mode configuration and the control algorithm resumes normal operation of the DSC and digital PWM modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
    Inventor: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
  • Publication number: 20140253056
    Abstract: A power supply circuit includes a pre-regulator configured to receive an input voltage and to generate an output voltage, and a switching current regulator coupled to an output of the pre-regulator and configured to regulate a level of current supplied to an output load. The switching current regulator is controlled by a switching signal having a duty cycle. The circuit further includes a controller that generates the switching signal. The controller monitors the duty cycle of the switching signal and controls a level of the output voltage generated by the pre-regulator by providing a control signal in response to the duty cycle of the switching signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuequan Hu, Daniel Pope
  • Patent number: 8819698
    Abstract: A method for cross-platform web-based native device feature access may include receiving a call from a web application to access a native device feature, with the call being redirected to a platform agnostic custom URL. The method may further include translating the custom URL into a native object call, and accessing the native device feature based on the native object call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L. P.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Sandholm, Francois-Xavier Kowalski, David Penkler
  • Publication number: 20140232357
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a reactive power contribution to reactive power flowing in an electricity distribution network, so as to optimise this reactive power flow are described. A reactive power characteristic of electrical power flowing in the electricity distribution network is detected at a power device. The reactive power characteristic relates to a reactive power component of electricity flowing in the network. On the basis of the detected reactive power characteristic a reactive power contribution to the electricity distribution network is controlled so as to adjust a value of the detected reactive power characteristic. This enables individual power consumption and/or provision devices to react autonomously to local variations in the electricity distribution network, and to provide a reactive power contribution, to drive the detected reactive power characteristic towards a desired value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Reactive Technologies Finland OY
    Inventor: Heikki Huomo
  • Publication number: 20140210427
    Abstract: A dynamic high-energy switch used for correcting load imbalance through connecting and disconnecting capacitance in a power feed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: POWER METRICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Hamid Pishdadian
  • Patent number: 8773110
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide method and apparatus for detecting attributes of an input power supply. The method includes receiving a first signal generated based on a second signal that is predictive. The first signal includes a portion that substantially corresponds to the second signal. Further, the method includes detecting attributes of the portion of the first signal that substantially corresponds to the second signal, and determining attributes of the second signal based on the attributes of the portion of the first signal that substantially corresponds to the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Siew Yong Chui, Rajesh Tiruvuru
  • Patent number: 8769548
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are disclosed for managing computer resources available to multiple running instances of a media player program. The methods include monitoring consumption of computing resources of multiple running instances of a media player program to render respective media content in a graphical user interface of a computing device. The graphical user interface associated with an additional program configured to render additional content, different from the media content, to the graphical user interface. The additional program can be a browser. The methods further include instructing the multiple instances to reduce respective portions of the computing resources consumption upon determining that a requested increase in computer resources consumption of the media player program would cause the computer resources consumption of the media player program to exceed a first predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Antti Piira, Rishit Shah, Rupen Chanda, Gavin Peacock, Jian Zheng, Brent Getlin, Thomas Reilly
  • Patent number: 8766581
    Abstract: There are provided a power factor correction circuit capable of transferring extra power to a ground before performing switching for a power factor correction to thereby reduce a switching loss generated in switching for a power factor correction, and a power supply device and a motor driving device having the same. The power factor correction circuit includes: a main switch switching input power to adjust a phase difference between a current and a voltage of the input power; and an auxiliary switch switched on before the main switch is switched on, to thereby form a transmission path for extra power of the main switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min Gyu Park, Kee Ju Um, Bum Seok Suh
  • Publication number: 20140176090
    Abstract: A method for regulating a power line voltage includes determining a slow voltage variation by filtering an actual voltage at terminals of the voltage regulation apparatus. A fast active power variation is determined by filtering a measured active power of the DG system; wherein a first frequency of the slow voltage variation is smaller than a second frequency of the fast active power variation. The voltage regulation apparatus settings are controlled based on the slow voltage variation and a reactive power output of the DG system is controlled based on fast active power variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Johal Harjeet, Naresh Acharya, Kathleen Ann O'Brien, Xinhui Wu
  • Publication number: 20140177302
    Abstract: There are provided a power factor correction apparatus and a power supply apparatus, the power supply apparatus including a power supply unit switching input power to supply preset driving power to a load, and a control unit providing a switching control signal having a preset number of pulses for a predetermined time to the power supply unit to control power switching of the power supply unit, and when a voltage level of the driving power is equal to or higher than that of at least one intermediate voltage set between a preset normal operating voltage and a preset abnormal operating voltage, skipping a portion of the number of pulses of the switching control signal for the predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Joon Youp SUNG, Jung Sun KWON, Seo Hyung KIM, Jae Shin LEE
  • Patent number: 8760095
    Abstract: To prevent demagnetization of a permanent magnet synchronous rotating machine, a rotating machine control device according to the present invention is a rotating machine control device comprising: a power converter having a switch part on each of a positive side and a negative side for each phase; and short circuit detection unit for detecting a short circuit of the switch part, wherein a command to turn on positive-side switches and negative-side switches of a plurality of phases of the switch part is issued in the case where the short circuit detection unit detects the short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Daigo Kaneko, Kento Mochizuki, Takeshi Shinomiya, Daisuke Kori, Seikichi Masuda
  • Publication number: 20140125297
    Abstract: A bridgeless power factor corrector with a single choke is electrically connected to an AC power source. The bridgeless power factor corrector includes a choke element, a first switch, a second switch, a first diode, a second diode, a capacitor, a first rectify diode, and a second rectify diode. The choke element is electrically connected between the first switch and the second switch. The first switch and the second switch are controlled to be turned on or turned off by a first control signal and a second control signal, respectively, to provide a power factor correction for the AC power source when the AC power source is in a positive half cycle or a negative half cycle. Furthermore, a method of operating the bridgeless power factor corrector is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: CHICONY POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lieh-Chung YIN, Chia-Hsien YEN
  • Publication number: 20140117947
    Abstract: A control integrated circuit for a power factor correction converter has a pin for detecting an alternating-current information and a direct-current information of an input signal. The control integrated circuit comprises a signal peak detector for detecting a peak value of the input signal to the pin to obtain the direct-current information of the input signal. Since the alternating-current information and the direct-current information of the input signal can be obtained through the same pin, the pin count of the control integrated circuit can be decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Chih LAI, Jyun-Che HO, Isaac Y. CHEN
  • Patent number: 8711592
    Abstract: A linear transformer power supply is disclosed that extracts a high level of energy from a linear transformer during the full cycle of AC input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Elster Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Mark C. Fischer, Kenneth C. Shuey
  • Publication number: 20140103861
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device includes a controller configured to be coupled to a first switch of a power factor corrector. The controller is configured to produce a variable switching frequency depending on a load current. For a first load current, the controller is configured to produce a first switching frequency, and for a second load current, the controller is configured to produce a second switching frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Andrea Carletti, Albino Pidutti
  • Publication number: 20140103885
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement of tracking a selected (e.g., maximum) power point of a photovoltaic system is disclosed, in which method an operation point of the photovoltaic system is changed based on the change of operation point and a change of power generated by the photovoltaic system. The method can include repeatedly determining a current or voltage of the photovoltaic system, determining a power of the photovoltaic system, determining a change of power of the photovoltaic system with respect to a previous determined power, and changing the operation point of the photovoltaic system by changing a current or voltage reference of the system stepwise depending on the change of power and a direction of a previous change of the current or voltage reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: ABB Oy
    Inventors: Tuomas PULLI, Janne HELLBERG
  • Publication number: 20140097807
    Abstract: Methods and systems for mitigation of intermittent generation impact on electrical power system may be provided. A voltage of the power line may be monitored. A change in the voltage of the power line may be determined. A power output of an energy generation source connected to the power line may be altered based on the determined change in the voltage on the power line to compensate for the change in the voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Petra Solar, Inc.
    Inventor: Hussam Alatrash
  • Publication number: 20140097806
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method, and a computer program product are provided. The apparatus determines an input voltage and an input current of a power system driving a low power factor load, the input voltage varying based on a power cycle, determines at least a first portion of the power cycle at which the input current exceeds a threshold, and couples at least one substantially resistive load to the low power factor load during at least a second portion of the power cycle different from the at least a first portion of the power cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventor: William H. Von Novak, III
  • Publication number: 20140071723
    Abstract: The disclosed technology performs power factor correction involving rectifying and adjusting an input power supply signal with a PWM signal. The PWM signal is generated based on a closed feedback signal obtained from a load, as well as adjusted harmonic content retrieved from a sensed input power supply signal. The adjusted harmonic content is produced by extracting a fundamental signal and a plurality of harmonic signals from the sensed input power supply signal, modifying the plurality of harmonic signals by dividing by the fundamental signal, and combining the modified harmonic signals into a duty factor distortion signal. The duty factor distortion signal controls a duty factor of the PWM signal to provide a substantially square wave template. Furthermore, the power factor is increased by forcing the input power supply signal to follow the substantially square wave template.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventor: Robert S. Wrathall
  • Patent number: 8664895
    Abstract: A controller for controlling power to a light source includes a first sensing pin, a second sensing pin, a third sensing pin, and a driving pin. The first sensing pin receives a first signal indicating an instant current flowing through an energy storage element. The second sensing pin receives a second signal indicating an average current flowing through the energy storage element. The third sensing pin receives a third signal indicating whether the instant current decreases to a predetermined current level. The driving pin provides a driving signal to a switch to control an average current flowing through the light source to a target current level. The driving signal is generated based on one or more signals selected from the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiesheng Yan, Youling Li, Feng Lin, Xinhe Su, Ching-Chuan Kuo
  • Patent number: 8653799
    Abstract: A multilevel converter has a plurality of converter strands, which are connected to the phases of a three-phase-network in a star or delta connection. From phase voltage values and phase current values, an active component characteristic of the overall active current and two asymmetrical components characteristic of a distribution of the overall flowing active and reactive currents are determined. The active and the two asymmetrical components are each filtered and multiplied with the phase voltage values and the two filtered asymmetrical components. The multiplied values are then weighed and added to the phase current values. From the asymmetrical components and the phase voltage values, a zero current is determined and added to the phase current values such that it symmetrizes a potential asymmetrical active current flow that would occur without the zero current. From the modified phase current values, a control state for the converter strands is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hörger, Wolfgang Meusel
  • Publication number: 20140002033
    Abstract: A bridgeless power factor correction (PFC) circuit, which includes an alternating current power supply module, a power module, and a control module; the power module includes one or more interleaved PFC circuits, each interleaved PFC circuit includes one inductor, one pair of first switching components, and at least one capacitor, a first end of the inductor is connected to the alternating current power supply module, and a second end of the inductor is connected to one end of each capacitor through one of the first switching components and is also connected to the other end of each capacitor through the other one of the first switching components; and the control module samples a current of each first switching component in the power module, and turns off a first switching component through which a negative current flows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wenbin Chen, Shengyong Dai, Boning Huang