Using Converter Patents (Class 323/207)
  • Publication number: 20110095733
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power factor correction circuit and a driving method thereof. The power factor correction circuit includes a power switch controlling an inductor current flowing in an inductor, an auxiliary inductor coupled to the inductor with a predetermined turn ratio, and a power factor correction controller controlling output power by controlling a switching operation of the power switch. The power factor correction controller determines whether or not an output voltage of the output power is an over-voltage by using the sum of a source current and a sink current that control a zero current detection voltage to be included within a predetermined clamping range, the zero current detection voltage corresponding to an auxiliary voltage that is a both-end voltage of an auxiliary inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Young-Bae PARK, Sang Cheol MOON, Byoung Heon KIM, Byung Kwon CHOI, Cheng Sung CHEN
  • Publication number: 20110096242
    Abstract: A display apparatus and a power supplying method are provided. The display apparatus includes a signal receiver which receives a video signal; a signal processor which processes the video signal; a display unit which displays an image based on a video signal processed by the signal processor; and a power supply which converts an alternating current (AC) voltage into a direct current (DC) voltage and supplies an operation voltage to the display unit, the power supply including: a power factor correction (PFC) unit which adjusts the DC voltage and corrects a power factor of the power supply; a detector which detects a plurality of voltages in the power supply and outputs a common detection signal indicating whether at least one of the plurality of voltages is abnormal; and a controller which receives the common detection signal, and controls the PFC unit based on the common detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-yong JOO, Jin-hyung LEE, Won-myung WOO, Yong-joo LEE, Sung-bum JUNG, Se-ra LEE
  • Publication number: 20110095734
    Abstract: A power supply includes a PFC (power factor correction) converter that has an input and an output. The PFC converter input is coupled to an input of the power supply. The power supply also includes a resonant mode converter that has an input and an output. The resonant mode converter input is coupled to the PFC converter output and the resonant mode output is coupled to an output of the power supply. A control unit is also included in the power supply and is coupled to receive a feedback signal that is representative of the output of the power supply. The control unit is coupled to provide control signals coupled to control switches of the resonant mode converter at a controlled switching frequency to control the output of the power supply. The control unit is further coupled to provide a PFC control signal coupled to control a switch of the PFC converter at a switching frequency that is harmonically related to the controlled switching frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Raymond Kenneth Orr, Roger Colbeck, Hartley Horwitz, Philip Craine, Mircea Cristian Boros
  • Publication number: 20110095732
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power factor correction circuit and a driving method thereof. The power factor correction circuit receives an input voltage and maintains an output voltage at a constant level by controlling switching operation of a power switch connected to an inductor that supplies the output voltage. In this case, the power factor correction circuit controls switching operation of the power switch by differentiating a control structure for an output voltage respectively according to a stabilization period during which the output voltage is constantly maintained and a start-up period during which the output voltage is increased before being stabilized. In addition, the power factor correction circuit controls the switching operation of the power switch according to the control structure of the start-up period during a predetermined correction delay period from a time that the stabilization period starts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Young-Bae PARK, SangCheol MOON, Byoung Heon KIM
  • Patent number: 7923973
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a power converter. In one aspect, a controller for use in a power converter includes a first calculator coupled to determine an end of an on time of a power switch of the power converter by integrating an input current to output an on time signal representative of the end of the on time of the power switch. The controller also includes a second calculator coupled to determine an end of an off time of the power switch by integrating a difference between an input voltage and an output voltage to output an off time signal representative of the end of the off time of the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur B. Odell
  • Patent number: 7919950
    Abstract: A power factor correction converter includes a diode bridge arranged to perform full-wave rectification on an AC input power supply, a switching element arranged to perform switching on an output voltage thereof, an inductor arranged to pass a current interrupted by the switching element and to accumulate and emit excitation energy, a diode, and a smoothing capacitor defining a step-up chopper circuit. A digital signal processing circuit detects a phase of an input voltage, and a switching frequency of the switching element is modulated in accordance with the phase. Accordingly, the switching frequency can be appropriately modulated without depending on an input voltage, so that a wide range of input voltages can be accepted while suppressing EMI noise with a peak generated in the switching frequency and higher-order frequency components thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Uno, Tomokuni Tokugawa, Tatsuya Hosotani
  • Patent number: 7908310
    Abstract: A multiplier-divider capable of offsetting errors includes a plurality of multiplication and division units to perform processes and arrangements so that errors generated by signals passing through the multiplier-divider are offset. As a result impact of the errors is reduced. More than one processing signal can be obtained from the same power supply to reduce loss of external sampling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: FSP Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Kuo-Fan Lin
  • Patent number: 7898237
    Abstract: System and method for power controller. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a power factor correction apparatus. The apparatus includes a multiplier component that is configured to process a first input signal and a second input signal. For example, the first input signal is associated with a rectified alternating current signal, and the second input signal is associated with an error signal. The multiplier component further is configured to generate a first output signal based on the first input signal and the second input signal. The apparatus also includes a comparator component that is configured to process a third input signal and fourth input signal. The third input signal is associated with the first output signal. The comparator component is further configured to generate a second output signal based on the third input signal and the fourth input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yunqi Shao, Yuan Lin, Jun Ye, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 7893663
    Abstract: A power factor correction apparatus which uses Pulse Frequency Modulation (PFM) to control an AC/DC converter is disclosed. Only a current signal from the converter is used to determine the switching frequency. Sensing of the input line voltage is not needed. The switching frequency varies with the line voltage such that the converter emulates a resistive load. By using PFM control, EMI is spread over a range rather than concentrated at a few frequencies. Thus a smaller EMI filter can be used. Since the switching frequency decreases with the loading of the converter, the switching loss decreases with the loading as well. Thus, the need of meeting efficiency standards, e.g. the 80 PLUS and Energy Star, can be fulfill without extra circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Inventor: ShekWai Ng
  • Publication number: 20110037443
    Abstract: A parallel PFC converter comprises a first PFC circuit, a second PFC circuit, and a voltage divider. The second PFC circuit is connected in parallel with the first PFC circuit for generating an output voltage of the parallel PFC converter. The voltage divider is coupled to receive the output voltage for generating a first feedback signal and a second feedback signal. The first feedback signal is higher than the second feedback signal. The first PFC circuit and the second PFC circuit respectively comprises a first switching control circuit and a second switching control circuit for regulating the output voltage. It is an object of the present invention to reduce the power loss for improving the efficiency of the PFC converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: SYSTEM GENERAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Ming-Hsuan Lee, Jian Chang, Shih-Jen Yang
  • Patent number: 7884582
    Abstract: A method in connection with a frequency converter for correcting the power factor of the frequency converter, and a power factor correction unit. The method includes connecting the power factor correction unit between a rectifier bridge of the frequency converter and the supplying AC voltage network, generating with the power factor correction unit DC voltage from the AC voltage of the supply network and feeding the generated DC voltage to the frequency converter via the rectifier bridge of the frequency converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: ABB OY
    Inventor: Tero Viitanen
  • Patent number: 7869234
    Abstract: A three-phase AC/DC active power converter provides an H-bridge that is controlled by a DSP (digital signal processing) controller that places the H-bridge in a voltage-boost mode of operation when voltage of a DC-link capacitor maintained by the H-bridge is near than the voltage input from a three-phase power source. The voltage difference between the boosted DC-link voltage and the three-phase power source voltage provides a voltage potential thereby giving the control loops a possible gain value. The gain value provides loop stability to thereby prevent an inrush of electrical current into the power converter upon startup. The converter also allows harmonic distortion to be modified through wave shaping of the normally pure sinus conduction signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ametek, Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Kazlauskas
  • Patent number: 7859863
    Abstract: A single-stage power factor correction circuit includes a first rectifier, a second rectifier, a full bridge rectifier, a capacitor, a fly back transformer, and a switch. Unlike conventional single-stage power factor correction circuits, the present invention just needs to pass through two rectifiers at positive and negative half cycles, so as to reduce the conduction loss, lower the temperature of the power supply, and control the voltage of the control energy storage capacitor, and stabilize voltage output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Chicony Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsun-Hsiao Hsia, Chung-Ping Ku
  • Patent number: 7859872
    Abstract: The magnitude and wave shape of instantaneous power draw from a single phase alternating current power source to a power converter is controlled by a closed loop power control scheme independent of the direct current output voltage of the converter. A fast averaging methodology for the value of control magnitude and wave shape of the instantaneous power draw by the converter from the alternating current source can be used in the closed loop power control scheme to limit the magnitude of power draw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Kaiser Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Johns
  • Patent number: 7855466
    Abstract: An electric power system includes a variable speed generator driven by an engine and an electrical energy storage device. The generator and the storage device are coupled to a variable voltage DC bus. An inverter converts DC electricity from the DC bus to AC electricity for one or more electrical loads. A detector is included to monitor electric current provided to the DC bus by the storage device and provide a corresponding signal. Control circuitry is responsive to this signal to regulate power output from the storage device to the DC bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Cummins Power Generation IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall L. Bax, Mitchell E. Peterson, Mark Naden
  • Patent number: 7812586
    Abstract: A one cycle control power factor correction control circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a first input operable to receive a signal indicative of an input voltage to the voltage converter, a second input operable to receive a signal indicative of an inductor current in an inductor of the voltage converter and an amplifier operable to amplify the signal indicative of the inductor current, wherein a gain of the amplifier is based on the signal indicative of the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Soldano, Ramanan Natarajan
  • Patent number: 7813884
    Abstract: A method to incorporate the steady-state model of the generalized power flow controller into a Newton-Raphson power flow algorithm adopts a flexible steady-state model of the generalized power flow controller, which can be applied to calculate the power flow solution of a power grid embedded with STATCOM, UPFC, GUPFC and the generalized power flow controller in a single framework. The method only incorporates the control variables of the shunt voltage sourced converter into the state vector of the Newton-Raphson power flow algorithm. The increment of the state variables due to incorporating the generalized power flow controller is less than the prior art. Further, the method can preserve the quadratic convergence characteristic of the Newton-Raphson power flow algorithm after embedding the generalized power flow controller into a power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Chang Gung University
    Inventors: Chia-Chi Chu, Sheng-Huei Lee, Chung-Hsiung Chen
  • Patent number: 7800348
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for providing VAR compensation using an AC motor drive, in which an off-line motor drive is configured to prevent power transfer to a motor load output, with a line side converter being operated to control a voltage or current in an intermediate circuit for leading or lagging VAR compensation of an AC power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Navid R. Zargari
  • Patent number: 7800347
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a DC-DC converter includes a reactor and a switching element, repeats an accumulation and a discharge of energy of the reactor by a switching operation of the switching element, and converts a direct-current input voltage to acquire a direct-current output voltage. The control apparatus includes: a current value acquiring unit that acquires current values of the reactor in a current rising section and a current descending section of a current waveform of the reactor at a time interval of a half of a switching period of the switching element; and a center value estimating unit that estimates a center value of a current of the reactor based on the current values acquired in the current rising section and the current descending section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shintaro Tsujii, Hichirosai Oyobe, Kenji Yamada
  • Patent number: 7759910
    Abstract: A high voltage AC transmission cable system for transmitting power between two points, each connected to one or more power networks, and a method to operate the system. At least one transformer is arranged at each end of the AC transmission cable, wherein at least one of the transformers is arranged to operate the transformer at a voltage whereby losses due to reactive power transport and dielectric losses are minimized. The AC cable is run at a variable voltage regulated such that the voltage is a function of the load for the transmission cable. This operating voltage is not necessarily the same as the nominal voltages in the connection points. A control and communication system and a graphical user interface for carrying out the method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Sture Lindahl, Kenneth Johansson, Udo Fromm, Stefan Johansson
  • Publication number: 20100171472
    Abstract: A static compensator system for providing reactive and/or active power to a power network. The system includes a static compensator, which has a DC capacitor Ud and a voltage source converter. The static compensator is connected to an energy storage device. The system further includes a booster converter device connected in series with the energy storage device and in parallel with the DC capacitor Ud of the static compensator. The booster converter device and the energy storage device are further connected in parallel with the voltage source converter of the static compensator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventor: Lennart Angquist
  • Patent number: 7746040
    Abstract: An input current shaping AC to DC converter with PFC front end that reduces input current harmonics is provided. In one embodiment, an AC to DC converter connectable with an alternating current source and operable to output a direct current has a PFC front end followed by a DC/DC converter. The PFC front end reduces harmonic components present in an input current waveform received by the PFC front end from the alternating current source and includes current steering circuitry and, optionally, valley filling circuitry. The DC/DC converter is one that presents pure resistive input impedance to the PFC front end. The DC/DC converter outputs the direct current to a load connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Garrity, Zaohong Yang
  • Patent number: 7746043
    Abstract: A method and system monitor gate charge characteristics of one or more field effect transistors in a switching power converter to detect an end of an inductor flyback time interval. The switching power converter includes a switch coupled to an inductor to control current flow in the inductor. When the switch turns OFF, a collapsing magnetic field causes the inductor current to decrease and the inductor voltage to reverse polarity. When the magnetic field completely collapses, the inductor current goes to zero. At the end of the inductor flyback time interval, a voltage is induced across a Miller capacitance of the switch. The voltage can be detected as a transient change in the gate voltage of the switch. A switch gate sensor detects the gate voltage change associated with the end of the inductor flyback time interval and provides a signal indicating an end of the inductor flyback time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Melanson
  • Publication number: 20100134076
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reactive power regulation and voltage support for renewable energy plants. In one embodiment, a system and method are provided for coordinating voltage and reactive power output of a plant with one or more requirements associated with a utility. The method can include generating a VAR regulator output signal based at least in part on a reactive power control signal received from a utility, controlling reactive power and voltage output of the one or more power sources based at least in part on the generated VAR regulator output signal, aggregating reactive power output or the one or more power sources, and providing the aggregated reactive power to the utility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark Edward Cardinal, Einar V. Larsen
  • Publication number: 20100127671
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an interleaved power factor (PFC) correction boost converter. In order to enable the interleaved PFC boost converter circuit to operate over a wide range of input voltages and frequencies the circuit comprises: A first converter (A); A second converter (B) configured to operate in conjunction with the first converter; and A timing circuit (X) connected to both the first converter (A) and the second converter (B), wherein timing information is shared between the first converter and the second converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: DIPOLAR AB
    Inventor: Kjell Lidström
  • Patent number: 7710082
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a controller for the cascade H-bridge three-phase multilevel converter used as a shunt active filter. Based on the proposed mathematical model, the controller is designed to compensate harmonic distortion and reactive power due to a nonlinear distorting load. Simultaneously, the controller guarantees regulation and balance of all capacitor voltages. The idea behind the controller is to allow distortion of the current reference during the transients to guarantee regulation and balance of the capacitors voltages. The controller provides the duty ratios for each H-bridge of the cascade multilevel converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Instituto Potosino De Investigacion Cientifica y Technologica (IPICYT)
    Inventors: Gerardo Escobar Valderrama, Misael Fransisco Martinez Montejano, Andres Alejandro Valdez Fernandez, Raymundo Enrique Torres Olguin
  • Patent number: 7706157
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment includes a method for balancing thyristor bridge circuits, the method comprising, determining currents of thyristors in a first leg of thyristors of a thyristor bridge circuit, determining a first set of gate firing times for the thyristors in the first leg of thyristors responsive to determining the current of the thyristors in the first gate of thyristors, wherein the first set of gate firing times are operative to balance a current load between the thyristors in the first leg of thyristors, and gating the thyristors in the first leg of thyristors according to the first set of gate firing times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Robert Pearson, Pedro Monclova
  • Patent number: 7706161
    Abstract: The improved single stage power converter circuit topology substantially reduces EMI that is conducted to the AC line, reduces input AC current inrush, improves output ripples by the use of an auxiliary supply near zero crossings of the line AC voltage, provides Power Factors greater than 0.95, provides Total Harmonic Distortions less than 15%, and maintains constant power, including constant power in a non-linear output load. Further, this circuit topology provides output open and short circuit protections by reducing current stress in power components. This topology can also make the power source to appear as a fast-acting variable impedance source, an ideal source for powering an output load that has negative resistance characteristics such as gas discharge lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Energy Conservation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Fazle S. Quazi
  • Patent number: 7692939
    Abstract: In a control circuit for powering up a switching power supply into a powered output bus, the control circuit is built such that before a turning-on of the switching power supply the controller reference is the slave that follows the bus voltage which is the master. At the moment when the converter is turned on, the master/slave relationship changes such that after the turning-on of the switching power supply the output voltage of the switching power supply is the slave that follows the controller reference. Hence, the status of the output level is memorized by the voltage loop prior to start-up of the converter such that the conflict between the soft-starting voltage loop of the converter and the pre-biased output is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: DET International Holding Limited
    Inventor: Bogdan T. Bucheru
  • Patent number: 7688042
    Abstract: A power factor correction apparatus is for correcting a power factor of transmission lines. The power factor correction apparatus includes a switch, a compensator, a detecting apparatus, a voltage processing circuit, a voltage comparison unit, and a time-delay unit. The switch is electrically connected to the transmission lines. The compensator is electrically connected to the switch for compensating the power factor. The detecting apparatus is electrically connected to the transmission lines for detecting voltages transmitted in the transmission lines. The voltage processing circuit electrically is connected to the detecting apparatus and the switch. The voltage processing circuit includes a voltage comparison unit and a time-delay unit. The voltage comparison unit is electrically connected to the detecting apparatus for comparing the voltages with each other to generate a voltage. The time-delay unit is electrically connected to the voltage comparison unit and the switch delaying the voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Fang Wong, Tsung-Jen Chuang, Jun Li
  • Patent number: 7688041
    Abstract: A power factor correction method and apparatus which use Pulse Frequency Modulation (PFM) to control an AC/DC converter is disclosed. The average current drawn by the AC/DC converter is compared with a reference sinusoidal signal and the error is used to determine the switching frequency. The switching frequency varies with the sinusoidal reference signal such that the converter emulates a resistive load. By using PFM control, EMI is spread over a range rather than concentrated at a few frequencies. Since the switching frequency decreases with the loading of the converter, the switching loss decreases with the loading as well. Thus, the need of meeting efficiency standards, e.g. the 80 PLUS and Energy Star, can be fulfill without extra circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Inventor: ShekWai Ng
  • Patent number: 7679537
    Abstract: A precision digital to analog conversion circuit and method are provided. A regulated direct current (DC) voltage having a DC voltage magnitude is supplied to a device, such as a processor. The processor generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) output signal based, at least in part, on the regulated DC voltage. An analog output signal is generated from the PWM output signal. The regulated DC voltage is compared to a precision reference DC voltage, the DC voltage magnitude is selectively adjusted based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Dale Trumbo, Alex Wedin, Sam Fritzinger
  • Patent number: 7663899
    Abstract: The present invention provides an active compensation device that is connected between a power system and a non-linear load in parallel for providing an instantaneous compensation current for the non-linear load. The active compensation device comprises an electricity-storing unit, a bridge switching unit, and a controlling unit. The bridge switching unit is connected electrically with the electricity-storing unit for charging or discharging the electricity-storing unit; the controlling unit is used to produce control signals to switch the bridge switching unit. The electricity-storing performs a dual-direction current operation by means of switching the bridge switching unit to compensate the power system so as to increase instantaneously the current capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Powertech Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Lung Lee
  • Publication number: 20100013444
    Abstract: This invention relates to a power converter (1) comprising a converter input (3), a converter output, a power factor pre-regulation stage (5), an isolation stage (7) and a control unit (9). The power factor pre-regulation stage (5) further comprises a buck power factor correction (PFC) circuit (15) and a bulk capacitor (25) fed by the buck PFC circuit. The amount of line current provided to the bulk capacitor (25) by the buck PFC circuit (15) may be adjusted according to the converter requirements in order to keep the voltage across the bulk capacitor (25) sufficient to ensure uniform operation of the power converter. Monitoring of the voltage across the bulk capacitor (25) and monitoring of the isolation stage (7) output current is provided to determine when additional current is to be applied to the bulk capacitor (25) and to ensure the power converter (1) operates within pre-defined parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventor: George Young
  • Patent number: 7646186
    Abstract: A holdover circuit is configured with a holdover capacitor, preferably an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, to provide uninterruptible operation for an electrical load operable over a limited range of input voltage during brief power interruptions. The holdover circuit includes a switching regulator configured with two active switches that are controlled with complementary duty cycles to charge and discharge the holdover capacitor at a voltage higher than the voltage of the load. The controller for the switching regulator may be configured to regulate the voltage of the holdover capacitor at a voltage proportional to the load voltage or at a constant voltage. The controller for the switching regulator is configured to operate in different modes during normal powered operation and during holdover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Edward Jung, Paul David Aloisi, James G. Bird
  • Patent number: 7642666
    Abstract: An interface device transmits a reactive power command depending on a power system from a voltage regulation device of the power system to a wind power generation apparatus electrically connected to the power system, and the wind power generation apparatus receives the reactive power command. Then, the wind power generation apparatus outputs reactive power according to a value obtained by adding, to a reactive power command, another reactive power command for suppression of voltage fluctuation caused by output power of the wind power generation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Ichinose, Shinya Oohara, Motoo Futami
  • Patent number: 7642757
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) connected to a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) are disclosed. The UPFC automatic operation system receives power system data from the SCADA system, automatically determines UPFC's optimum operation conditions according to power system states. The system includes: a UPFC acting as a serial/parallel FACTS to control variables of a power system; a SCADA for periodically acquiring line data of the power system and state data of the UPFC; and an upper controller for analyzing data received from the SCADA, and determining an UPFC's optimum operation mode for each power system condition and UPFC's optimum set-point control commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Korea Electric Power Corporation
    Inventors: Jong-Soo Yoon, Seung-Pil Moon, Won-Kyo Lee, Chang-Gon Kim, Jin-Boo Choo, Young-Cheul Choi, Young-Soo Jeon, Byung-Hoon Chang, Soo-Yeol Kim
  • Patent number: 7633782
    Abstract: This invention teaches power factor corrected 3-phase ac-dc power converters in which the duty-cycles are determined by “natural modulation”, that is, they are forced by a fixed algorithm that has been optimized for efficient switching. The duty-cycles do not regulate the output voltage but they do force the input currents to be proportionately correct for good power factor. A feedback control circuit modulates the effective turns-ratio of a variable dc-dc transformer to regulate the output voltage. For a buck converter, the most efficient duty-cycle is 100%, that is, the buck switch is always on. For a boost converter, the most efficient duty-cycle is 0%, that is, the boost switch is always off. “100% duty-cycle” as defined for a buck 3-phase ac input means that there is no off-time. The switch duty-cycles are as follows: The duty-cycle for the phase with the highest voltage magnitude (the dominant phase) is 100%, and sum of the duty-cycles of the other two phases equals 100%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Inventor: Edward Herbert
  • Patent number: 7630215
    Abstract: A power apparatus and method thereof include first and second signal processing units. The first signal processing unit filters and adjusts a first inputted PWM signal in a predetermined bandwidth to set a reference potential. The second signal processing unit compares the reference potential with a second inputted PWM signal, varies a power to be output according to a result of the comparison, converts the power into a high power, and outputs the converted power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-hwa Cho
  • Patent number: 7630221
    Abstract: The configurations of a bridgeless PFC circuit system and a controlling method thereof are provided. The proposed system includes a bridgeless PFC circuit having a first and a second input terminals, a first switch having a first terminal, a first inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first input terminal and a second terminal coupled to the first terminal of the first switch, and a second inductor having a first terminal coupled to the second input terminal, a first auxiliary winding coupled to the first inductor and generating a first sensing signal, and a second auxiliary winding coupled to the second inductor and generating a second sensing signal, wherein the first and the second sensing signals are used to generate an inductor current sensing signal controlling the switching of the first switch accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Lubo Sui, Hongyuan Jin, Hongjian Gan
  • Publication number: 20090278511
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the idle current requirement of a base frequency clocked supply side converter (1) on idle and with low motor loads, provided with controllable semiconductors (T1,T2,T3,T4, T5,T6), wherein the base frequency clocking of the semiconductor switches (T1,T2,T3,T4,T5,T6) occurs depending on the desired direction of flow of power. A converter (1) for carrying out said method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Norbert Benesch
  • Patent number: 7605570
    Abstract: A bridgeless power factor correction converter that can reduce common-mode noise and enhance power density is made up of a boost inductor coupled to an input end, a bidirectional switch connected in series with the boost inductor, a first series rectifying circuit having a junction node connected between the boost inductor and the bi-directional switch, a second series rectifying circuit connected in parallel with the first series rectifying circuit and having a junction node coupled to the bi-directional switch, and an output capacitor connected in parallel with the second series rectifying circuit, in which the second series rectifying circuit is made up of slow-recovery diodes and the first series rectifying circuit is made up of fast-recovery diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Teng Liu, Xiaoni Xin, Jianhong Zeng, Jianping Ying, Wei Zhao
  • Publication number: 20090251114
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an alternating-current power supply device which can improve a power factor of an alternating-current load, realizes low cost and miniaturization, and recovers magnetic energy. The alternating-current power supply device includes a bridge circuit composed of four reverse conducting semiconductor switches, a capacitor that is connected between direct-current terminals of the bridge circuit and absorbs the magnetic energy at the time of cutting off the current, an alternating-current voltage source that is connected to the induction load in series and is inserted between alternating-current terminals of the bridge circuit, and a control circuit that gives a control signal to gates of the respective reverse conducting semiconductor switches and controls on/off states of the respective reverse conducting semiconductor switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: MERSTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Shimada, Hideo Sumitani, Taku Takaku, Takanori Isobe
  • Publication number: 20090230929
    Abstract: The configurations of a bridgeless PFC circuit system and a controlling method thereof are provided. The proposed system includes a bridgeless PFC circuit having a first and a second input terminals, a first switch having a first terminal, a first inductor having a first terminal coupled to the first input terminal and a second terminal coupled to the first terminal of the first switch, and a second inductor having a first terminal coupled to the second input terminal, a first auxiliary winding coupled to the first inductor and generating a first sensing signal, and a second auxiliary winding coupled to the second inductor and generating a second sensing signal, wherein the first and the second sensing signals are used to generate an inductor current sensing signal controlling the switching of the first switch accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Lubo Sui, Hongyuan Jin, Hongjian Gan
  • Publication number: 20090224729
    Abstract: At least one embodiment of the present invention proposes a dynamic voltage compensator for compensating voltage fluctuations in a three-phase power supply system. In at least one embodiment, the dynamic voltage compensator includes two dynamic voltage restorers (DVR), and two phases are selected arbitrarily from the three-phase power supply system with each selected power supply phase connected in series with one of said dynamic voltage restorers respectively. The dynamic voltage restorers are each used to monitor the voltage between the power supply phase it is connected to and the power supply phase unselected, and to restore the voltage to a normal level when voltage fluctuation is monitored, and at the same time the phase voltage of the unselected phase can also be restored to its normal level. In this way, it can ensure that the phase voltages of the three phases can be restored to the normal level by using only two sets of single-phase DVRs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Jian Duo Li, Yue Zhuo
  • Publication number: 20090200994
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating on-demand power. The method comprises receiving a peak reactive current request, generating a control signal based on the peak reactive current request, and utilizing the control signal to drive a DC/AC inverter to generate reactive power commensurate with the peak reactive current request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Fornage
  • Patent number: 7570029
    Abstract: An active power conditioner includes a first power electronic switch set, a second power electronic switch set, a third power electronic switch set, an input filter and an output filter. The active power conditioner can supply a stable AC voltage to a load when a voltage variation occurs at an AC power source by controlling either the second power electronic switch set or the third power electronic switch set via high-frequency switching, and the other power electronic switch sets that are not switched in high frequency are controlled to switch in low-frequency switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Ablerex Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin-Chang Wu, Hung-Liang Chou, Min-Sheng Huang, Han-Sheng Wei, Ya-Tsung Feng
  • Patent number: 7567064
    Abstract: A converter unit is disclosed which produces an output voltage based on reference signals (u*d, u*q) that are generated from active and reactive components (P, Q) of the converter's output power. A first reference signal for a reactive component of the output voltage (u*q) is set to zero, thus regulating the reactive component of the output voltage to zero. Therefore, only the active component is contributing to the actual output voltage. The reference signal for the active component of the output voltage (u*d) is produced based on the active power component (P) with an active power vs. active voltage droop. To synchronize the frequencies of multiple converter units, a reactive power vs. frequency droop can be introduced for each converter unit, regulating the frequency based on changes in the reactive power component (Q) of each converter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Srinivas Ponnaluri, Peter Steimer
  • Patent number: 7555665
    Abstract: A power module includes a plurality of converters having outputs for coupling to a supply voltage. The power module further includes a connector having a pin to provide a signal indicative of whether the power module is being disconnected from a system. A controller is responsive to the signal indicating that the power module is being disconnected by sequentially deasserting enable signals to the converters to disable the converters in a sequential order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steve A. Belson, Paul A. Wirtzberger, Terrel L. Morris
  • Patent number: RE41170
    Abstract: Power compensation is provided from a power compensation device to a utility power network carrying a nominal voltage. The power compensation device has a steady-state power delivery characteristic. The power compensation is providing by detecting a change of a predetermined magnitude in the nominal voltage on the utility power network and controlling the power compensation device to deliver, for a first period of time and in response to the detected change in the nominal voltage, reactive power to the utility power network. The power compensation device is controlled to deliver, for a second period of time following the first period of time, reactive power to the utility power network at a level that is a factor N(N>1) greater than the steady-state power delivery characteristic of the power compensation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Gregory Hubert, Douglas C. Folts, Warren Elliott Buckles