Using Choke And Switch Across Source Patents (Class 323/222)
  • Patent number: 10727744
    Abstract: The system and method creates a substantially constant output voltage ripple in a buck converter in discontinuous conduction mode by varying the on-time of a pulse width modulator (PWM) signal driving the buck converter when the buck converter is operating in discontinuous conduction mode. A first signal is generated that is a function of the switching frequency of the buck converter. This signal is low-pass filtered and compared with a second signal that is a function of the switching frequency of the buck converter when operating in continuous conduction mode and with constant PWM on-time. The output signal generated by the comparator is a signal that is equal to the ratio of the first signal and the second signal. The on-time of a voltage controlled oscillator is controlled by the output signal, the oscillator signal causing the on-time of the PWM signal to vary in a controlled fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC
    Inventors: Michael Jason Houston, Steven Patrick Laur
  • Patent number: 10727747
    Abstract: A power converter and a method to convert between a first voltage at a first node and a second voltage at a second node is presented. The power converter has a flying capacitor, an inductor, a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, and a fifth switch. Furthermore, the power converter has a control unit to control the first, second, third, fourth and fifth switches in a first sequence of operation phases to provide step-up conversion between the first voltage and the second voltage; and in a second sequence of operation phases to provide step-down conversion between the first voltage and the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Nicola Macri
  • Patent number: 10727735
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement, signal processor, and method for interleaved switched boundary mode power conversion are disclosed. The circuit arrangement comprises at least an input for receiving an alternating input voltage from a power supply; an output to provide an output voltage to a load; a first interleaved circuit comprising: a first energy storage device; and a first controllable switching device; and one or more secondary interleaved circuits, each comprising: a secondary energy storage device; and a secondary controllable switching device; and a signal processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Santosh Manjunath Bhandarkar, Alex Dumais
  • Patent number: 10727742
    Abstract: A power converter including a load transient enhancing module and associated method for improving load transient response of the power converter. The load transient enhancing module detects whether load transient is occurring in a load of the power converter, and turns the secondary switch off and locks the secondary switch at “OFF” state to turn on a body diode of the secondary switch once load transient is occurring in the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Changjiang Chen, Lei Li
  • Patent number: 10720833
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a capacitive power converter connected to a first terminal side, an LC circuit connected to a second terminal side and including an inductor and a second capacitor, and a control circuit that performs switching of a plurality of switch elements. The control circuit performs the switching at a switching frequency equal to or higher than a resonant frequency determined by the capacitance of the capacitive power converter and the capacitance and the inductance of the LC circuit, steps down an input DC voltage inputted to the first terminal, and outputs an output DC voltage from the second terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunori Tsuda, Masanari Tago
  • Patent number: 10720835
    Abstract: A method may include monitoring a current through a power inductor of a boost converter and detecting when a mathematical integral of a difference between the current as monitored and a desired average current for the power inductor is equal to zero. Another method may include in a first mode of operation of a boost converter, controlling switching behavior of switches of the boost converter to regulate an output voltage generated by the boost converter and in a second mode of operation of the boost converter, controlling switching behavior of switches of the boost converter to regulate an input current received by the boost converter. Another method may include monitoring a current through a power inductor of a boost converter and detecting when the current as monitored exceeds a maximum current for the power inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. King, Eric B. Smith
  • Patent number: 10715033
    Abstract: A method of enhancing a power factor during a half-line cycle of a power factor correction (PFC) converter includes generating an input voltage signal representative of a value of an input voltage of the PFC converter. A variable multiplication factor is adjusted to be greater than one for a first part of the half-line cycle and less than one for a second part of the half-line cycle. A pre-distortion signal is generated to be representative of the value of the input voltage of the PFC converter times the variable multiplication factor. An input current of the PFC converter is sensed. A first signal is generated in response to a sensed input current of the PFC converter multiplied by the pre-distortion signal. An on-time of a switch of the PFC converter is ended in response to the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger Colbeck
  • Patent number: 10707764
    Abstract: A power apparatus includes a power circuit configured to receive an input voltage and generate an output voltage, a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and the processor configured to calculate an integral value of an error between the output voltage and a target voltage of the power circuit, calculate a duty ratio based on the integral value, the power circuit being controlled according to the calculated duty ratio so that the output voltage becomes the target voltage, calculate a slope of the integral value with respect to an output current of the power circuit, and generate a first warning signal when the calculated slope exceeds a first warning threshold in a case where the calculated slope is different from an initial value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Fujio Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 10700611
    Abstract: A current fed power supply circuit, a method for producing DC voltages from a current source, and a power delivery system are provided herein. One embodiment of a current fed power supply circuit includes: (1) input terminals, (2) an energy storage device having a first end coupled to the input terminals, (3) power switching circuitry coupled to a second end of the energy storage device and including a transformer having a primary winding and a plurality of secondary windings, and (4) multiple output terminals that are each uniquely coupled to one of the plurality of secondary windings, wherein the power switching circuitry converts a current received at the input terminals to a plurality of regulated voltages at the multiple output terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: George David Goodman
  • Patent number: 10700612
    Abstract: A PFWM control method for a combination power supply of the boost converter and the bridge type DC-DC converter which also includes BUCK. A method of using the PFWM to control both boost and DC-DC converters simultaneously. A monitor module senses the bridge type DC-DC converter's output voltage, current or power, to obtain the frequency of PFM for driving switching components; predetermined a duty by design and use a frequency to adjust the boost output so as to adjust the DC-DC output voltage, current or power. Another monitor module senses the input instant voltage and the boost output voltage to obtain a maximum duty which is used to prevent the boost inductor from saturation. Combine above frequency and duty into at least a pair of complement PFWM driving signals, to directly or indirectly drive the combination power supply of boost converter and bridge type DC-DC converter's switching components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: SHANGHAI TUITUO TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Renhong Li, Zhuo Shen
  • Patent number: 10700600
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods for using a direct-current to direct-current (DCDC) converter and a control unit coupled to the DCDC converter. The DCDC converter includes a first node to receive an input signal, a second node to couple to a terminal of an inductor, and a third node to couple to an output node. The DCDC converter includes a driver controlled by a signal. The control unit is arranged to generate control information based on a duty cycle of the signal to control the duty cycle range of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Holger Wenske, Stephan Henzler
  • Patent number: 10693378
    Abstract: A circuit assembly for a power converter includes a substrate, power stage integrated circuit (IC) dies, and output inductors that connect switch nodes of the power stage IC dies to an output node of the power converter. The power stage IC dies are mounted on one side of the substrate and the output inductors are mounted on an opposing side of the substrate. Two output inductors go through a magnetic core. A heatsink is attached to surfaces of the power stage IC dies. A power stage IC die has a pair of switching transistors, and a switch node formed by the switching transistors is connected by an output inductor to the output node of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jinghai Zhou, Chia-Hsin Chang
  • Patent number: 10693373
    Abstract: A hybrid power converter includes a switching circuit, an LC circuit, and a detection circuit. The switching circuit includes three or more switching transistors in series that may turn on or off according to a switching cycle to generate a series of voltage pulses at an output port across one of the switching transistors. The LC circuit may be coupled to the output port of the switching circuit to receive the series of pulses and to generate an inductor current in the LC circuit. The inductor current may charge a capacitor of the LC circuit to generate an output voltage of the hybrid power converter. The detection circuit may be coupled to the switching circuit and may generate a low frequency portion of the inductor current based on one or more currents of the switching transistors to adjust the switching cycle based at least on the low frequency portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Linear Technology Holding LLC
    Inventors: Jian Li, San-Hwa Chee
  • Patent number: 10693307
    Abstract: A system for charging a battery from various three phase or single phase grid supply voltages includes a full wave bridge rectifier for receiving the AC supply voltage, two DC to DC converters for receiving unregulated DC output voltage from the rectifier, a first switch connected to a first input line of a first one of the two converters and a second switch connected to a first input line of a second one of the two converters, wherein each of the switches is set to a first position when the supply voltage is at a lower one of the varying voltage levels and to a second position when the supply voltage is at a higher one of the varying voltage levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: James McLaughlin, Amrita Rane, Julien Richer
  • Patent number: 10686316
    Abstract: An energy storage system that comprises an energy reservoir and a system controller. The energy reservoir is charged by DC energy from a DC energy source while discharging DC energy to a DC/AC converter. A system controller regulates the DC energy discharged from the energy reservoir to the DC/AC converter to nearly balance the amount of DC energy charged into the energy reservoir. Because this charging and discharging is nearly balanced, the size of the energy reservoir can be made quite small relative to the amount of charging and discharging. This is advantageous where the flow of charge and discharge is high, as might be the case if the energy reservoir receives charge from all or a substantial portion of a power station, such as a solar power station. With such a controller, the use of an energy reservoir becomes technically feasible even with such large current flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: LT LIGHTING (TAIWAN) CORP.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Wen-Tai Shuy, Wen Tien Chang, Chang Horang Li, Zhen Hui Lee, Zheng Zhao Guo, Wen Tsung Lo
  • Patent number: 10686378
    Abstract: A regulated partial power controlled converter is presented, with the partial power controlled converter containing a DC/DC converter receiving an input signal. The regulated partial power converter providing a first converted signal from a first terminal, and providing a second converted signal from a second terminal. The regulated partial power converter also contains a first capacitor connected between an output node and an intermediate node, a second capacitor connected between the intermediate node and a ground, and a charge balance circuit connected to the output node, the intermediate node, and the ground. An output power of the partial power controlled converter is based on a first partial power provided by the DC/DC converter and a second partial power provided by a charge balance circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Heping Dai, Liming Ye, Dianbo Fu
  • Patent number: 10673542
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electrical load by means of pulse width modulation, (PWM) includes specifying a setpoint switching frequency fsetpoint and a setpoint duty ratio dsetpoint and determining the carrier frequency fch of a radio transmitter. The actual switching frequency fsw of the PWM is adapted to the carrier frequency fch of the radio transmitter in such a way that a multiple k*fsw of the actual switching frequency fsw is equal to the carrier frequency fch with an integer factor k. The actual switching frequency fsw is set to the value closest to the setpoint switching frequency fsetpoint for which the amplitude of the harmonics k*fsw in the harmonic spectrum of the actual switching frequency fsw is smaller than the amplitudes of their closest lower (k?1)*fsw and upper (k+1)*fsw adjacent harmonics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Norbert Hees, Andreas Bendicks, Marc Wiegand, Stephan Frei
  • Patent number: 10673320
    Abstract: When a magnitude of a voltage between a pair of first voltage points in a main circuit exceeds a first clamp value, a first clamp circuit absorbs electrical energy of the main circuit from the pair of first voltage points to clamp the voltage to the first clamp value. When a magnitude of a voltage between a pair of second voltage points in the main circuit falls below a second clamp value, a second clamp circuit injects electrical energy to the main circuit from the pair of second voltage points to clamp the voltage to the second clamp value. A voltage conversion circuit performs voltage conversion between a first clamp voltage defining a first clamp value and a second clamp voltage defining a second clamp value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Higashiyama, Fumito Kusama
  • Patent number: 10673489
    Abstract: A system configured to provide galvanic isolation of data or power signals between primary and secondary sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TRIUNE IP LLC
    Inventors: Ross E. Teggatz, Eric Blackall, Wayne T. Chen
  • Patent number: 10667349
    Abstract: The invention discloses an Alternating Current (AC) dimming and emergency power supply method. When there is commercial power, a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) pulse module controls a relay to switch off dimming AC output by a dual-operational amplification module and an AC signal sent by a central processor module, and at this moment, AC of the commercial power supplies power to a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) illumination module through an LED driving module and simultaneously charges a storage battery through a voltage stabilization charging module; and when there is no commercial power input, the central processor module outputs and transmits a positive power signal to the relay through the dual-operational amplification module, and the relay connects the dimming AC output by the dual-operational amplification module with the AC signal sent by the central processor module, and transmits the positive power signal to the AC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Inventor: Dongcheng Lu
  • Patent number: 10658980
    Abstract: A circuit that receives AC power for rectification and analog DC control signals for processing. Two voltages may be noted. A first voltage may be between a supply ground and an internal device ground of a rectifier. A second voltage may be between a terminal of an input control signal source and the internal device ground. To get a control signal value, one may need a differential of those two voltages that can be accomplished with an operational amplifier configured as differential amplifier. A range of an input control signal may be from zero to a particular magnitude of voltage. A reasonably priced operational amplifier might not have an ability provide an output to zero. However, a linearized transistor output stage, having an output that can go to zero, may be connected to an output of the operational amplifier so as to effectively provide an output that goes to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Petr Senfluk, Petr Gross
  • Patent number: 10658924
    Abstract: A power converter includes an input voltage detection section, a power factor correction (PFC) section, a DC-DC conversion section, and a control section that stops power conversion operation in a case where an input voltage value is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. The control section resumes power conversion operation such that a second input current value lower than a first input current value corresponding to the input voltage value is input into the PFC section after stopping the power conversion operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Chizuwa, Isao Isogai
  • Patent number: 10651724
    Abstract: Various enhancements to grid-interactive inverters in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes input terminals configured to receive a direct current, output terminals configured to provide an alternating output current to the utility grid, a controller, an output current sensor, and a DC-AC inverter stage comprising a plurality of switches controlled by control signals generated by the controller. In addition, the controller is configured to: generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch a direct current in a bidirectional manner; measure the alternating output current; perform frequency decomposition of the output current; and generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch current in a way that the magnitude of a plurality of unwanted current components is subtracted from the resulting output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Chilicon Power, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Richard Jones, Alexandre Rudolph Kral
  • Patent number: 10651802
    Abstract: Envelope trackers providing compensation for power amplifier output load variation are provided herein. In certain configurations, a radio frequency (RF) system includes an antenna, a power amplifier that receives a radio frequency signal and outputs an amplified radio frequency signal to the antenna, a plurality of detectors coupled to the power amplifier and operable to generate a plurality of detection signals, and an envelope tracker that controls a supply voltage of the power amplifier based on an envelope of the radio frequency signal. The envelope tracker processes the plurality of detection signals to generate a load variation detection signal indicating a change in an output load of the power amplifier arising from a change in a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the antenna. Additionally, the envelope tracker adjusts a gain of the power amplifier based on the load variation detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Sabah Khesbak, Serge Francois Drogi
  • Patent number: 10650773
    Abstract: A display device includes a display panel, and a power management circuit including a switching regulator for supplying a power in a discontinuous conduction mode or in a continuous conduction mode, and a sensing circuit for sensing whether the switching regulator is operated in the discontinuous conduction mode, the switching regulator including a comparator for monitoring the supplied power, and an RS latch for receiving an output signal from the comparator, and the sensing circuit including a phase lock loop circuit for generating a first clock signal, a phase delay circuit for generating a second clock signal having a phase delayed from the first, and a determination circuit for outputting a first value when a pulse width of the output signal from the RS latch is small, and for outputting a second value when the pulse width of the output signal from the RS latch is not small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kihyun Pyun, Yu-chol Kim, Minyoung Park, Min-soo Choi
  • Patent number: 10641799
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of current balancing, current sensing and phase balancing, offset cancellation, digital to analog current converter with monotonic output using binary coded input (without binary to thermometer decoder), and compensator for a voltage regulator (VR), are provided. In one example, an apparatus includes: a plurality of inductors coupled to a capacitor and a load; a plurality of bridges, each of which is coupled to a corresponding inductor from the plurality of inductors; and a plurality of current sensors, each of which is coupled to a bridge to sense current through a transistor of the bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gerhard Schrom, J. Keith Hodgson, Alexander Lyakhov, Chiu Keung Tang, Narayanan Raghuraman, Narayanan Natarajan
  • Patent number: 10644593
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter and corresponding method for transitioning between a discontinuous conduction mode, DCM, and a continuous conduction mode, CCM, wherein the DC-DC converter is configured to power a signal processing system within an integrated circuit, is provided. The method comprises receiving input data, wherein the input data is for inputting into the signal processing system; determining an amplitude of the input data; and transitioning between DCM and CCM based on the amplitude of the input data. A DC-DC converter and respective method for transitioning from CCM to DCM comprising determining an estimated current representative of an inductor current through an inductor of the DC-DC converter; and transitioning from CCM to DCM based on the estimated current, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Ullas Pazhayaveetil, Sarang Vadnerkar, Theodore M. Burk, Jeffrey May
  • Patent number: 10637356
    Abstract: A power converter control circuit includes a first ramp generator connected to an input voltage and configured to produce a first ramp signal; a second ramp generator connected to the input voltage and configured to produce a second ramp signal; an error amplifier configured to produce an error amplifier output. The first ramp signal and the error amplifier output are used to produce a first (pulse width modulation) PWM signal and the second ramp signal and the error amplifier output are used to produce a second PWM signal. The first and second PWM signals control an operating state of the circuit. In some embodiments, the first ramp signal includes an extended ramp reset time. In some embodiments, the first ramp generator includes a switching device, a current source, and a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gustavo Mehas, Rui Liu, Lijie Zhao, Siqiang Fan, Tae Kwang Park, Zhitong Guo
  • Patent number: 10637353
    Abstract: A system is disclosed which provides feedback voltage DC level cancelling for a configurable output of a DC-DC switching converter. By simplifying the design, the operational amplifier can be used for a wider output voltage range. Extension of the usage case to a Boost DC-DC switching converter can give noticeable performance improvements. Offset introduction using a flying capacitor is attractive because it does not require trimming. The proposal also allows for improvements for DC-DC switching converters designed for lower supply voltages, with no decrease in the differential input signal swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Soichiro Ohyama, Hidechika Yokoyama, Andrey Malinin
  • Patent number: 10634735
    Abstract: Apparatus including a regulator configured to generate a regulated output and a diagnostic circuit configured to generate a diagnostic signal indicative of whether the regulator is able to maintain regulation is described. The regulator includes an amplifier having a first input responsive to a reference voltage, a second input responsive to a feedback signal associated with the regulated output, and an output at which a control voltage is provided and further includes a pass element controlled by the control voltage and coupled to a node which the regulated output is provided. The diagnostic circuit is responsive to the control voltage and to the reference voltage to generate the diagnostic signal. The regulator may be a voltage regulator or a current regulator and in some embodiments, the diagnostic signal takes the form of a composite signal indicative of whether a voltage regulator and whether a current regulator can maintain regulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Vladimir Kravljaca, Virag V. Chaware, Jesse Lapomardo
  • Patent number: 10622881
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a circuit for providing a current from a source to a load. A commutation cell includes a main switch that controls a voltage applied by the source to the load. An opposite switch maintains the current in the load when the load is disconnected from the source by the main switch. The opposite switch returns the load current to the main switch when the main switch connects again the load to the source. The disclosed circuit configuration reduces recovery current, losses and electromagnetic losses. A synchronizing controller controls opening and closing sequences of the main switch and of the opposite switch. The disclosed circuit can provide a DC-DC voltage converter. Combining two such circuits can provide a DC-AC voltage converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: TM4 Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Cyr, Jianhong Xu, Maalainine El Yacoubi, Jean Ricard
  • Patent number: 10615669
    Abstract: A protection device may include a resistor, the resistor including a first end for coupling between a load and a second end for coupling to a DC source. The protection device may also include a capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the second end of the resistor and the DC source, and a second terminal coupled to ground, the capacitor further comprising a capacitor body, wherein the capacitor body comprises a ferroelectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuriy B. Matus, Kedar Bhatawadekar, Martin Pineda, Werner Johler
  • Patent number: 10601306
    Abstract: A power supply unit for an information handling system, including a filter module configured to filter an AC voltage signal; a rectifier module to rectify the filtered AC voltage signal to generate a DC voltage signal, the DC voltage signal proportional to the AC voltage signal; a voltage regulator module configured to determine that the DC voltage signal is above a threshold voltage level, and in response, clamp the DC voltage signal such that the clamped DC voltage signal i) is not proportional to the AC voltage signal and ii) is less than the threshold voltage level; a capacitor module to average peaks voltages of the clamped DC voltage signal; and a DC/DC converter to convert the averaged DC voltage signal to a converted DC voltage signal, the converted DC voltage signal having a desired DC voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Cheng Yu, Merle Jackson Wood, III, Chung-Cheng Liao, Chi Che Wu
  • Patent number: 10601319
    Abstract: Voltage converter including at least: a boost circuit to convert an input voltage Vin to an output voltage Vout, a setpoint for the output voltage Vout is, by a fixed additional value Vf, larger than the input voltage Vin, and the fixed additional value is independent of the input voltage Vin measurement circuit emits an electrical trigger signal based on a difference between the output voltage Vout and the input voltage Vin, and a trigger circuit adjusts the output voltage Vout depending on the electrical trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas-Tarp Hansen, Finn Frederiksen
  • Patent number: 10601318
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes a power conversion circuit including an inductor and configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage in accordance with at least one switching signal. The circuit further includes a first current sense circuit configured to generate a current sense signal that represents an inductor current, a voltage sense circuit configured to generate a voltage sense signal that represents the output voltage, and a switching controller including an error amplifier configured to generate an error signal representing the difference between a reference voltage and the voltage sense signal. The switching controller further includes an oscillator circuit configured to generate, for pulse frequency modulation (PFM) operation of the power conversion circuit, the switching signal as a sequence of pulses with a pulse repetition frequency that depends on the error signal and the current sense signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Marco Flaibani, Stefano Orlandi
  • Patent number: 10592254
    Abstract: Technologies for fast low-power startup include a computing device with a processor having a power management integrated circuit. The computing device initializes platform components into a low-power state and determines, in a pre-boot firmware environment, the battery state of the computing device. The computing device determines a minimum-power startup (MPS) configuration that identifies platform components to be energized and determines whether the battery state is sufficient for the MPS configuration. If sufficient, the computing device energizes the platform components of the MPS configuration and boots into an MPS boot mode. In the MPS boot mode, the computing device may execute one or more user-configured application(s). If the battery state is sufficient for normal operation, the computing device may boot into a normal mode. In the normal mode, the user may configure the MPS configuration by selecting features for the future MPS boot mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh Poornachandran, Vincent J. Zimmer, Karunakara Kotary, Venkatesh Ramamurthy, Pralhad M. Madhavi
  • Patent number: 10591547
    Abstract: A solid state circuit breaker, including a solid state switch, an inductor connected with the solid state switch in series and a fault detection circuit. The solid state switch has a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The fault detection circuit is used for detecting health status of the solid state switch and identifying fault type of the solid state switch in a condition that a fault occurs on the solid state switch based on one or more of a measured voltage between the source electrode and the drain electrode of the solid state switch, a measured voltage of two terminals of the inductor, a reference voltage and a switching control signal provided to the gate electrode of the solid state switch. A motor driving system having the solid state circuit breaker is further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Tao Wu, Fei Li, Changjin Liu
  • Patent number: 10594215
    Abstract: Described examples include DC-DC power conversion systems, apparatus and methods for linearizing a DC-DC circuit conversion gain, including a gain circuit providing an output signal according to a gain value and the difference between a first compensation signal and a threshold signal, and a switching circuit selectively operative when the first compensation signal exceeds the threshold signal to linearize the conversion gain by providing a second compensation signal for pulse width modulation of at least one DC-DC converter switch according to the threshold signal and the gain circuit output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sujan K. Manohar, Angelo W. Pereira
  • Patent number: 10581328
    Abstract: A switch mode power supply, which functions in a continuous current mode and a discontinuous mode employing a zero crossing control circuit for determining a polarity of an inductor current and from the polarity of the inductor current, controlling an operational state of a switching section of the switch mode power supply such that the inductor current becomes approximately zero amperes at the end of each demagnetization phase of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Guillaume de Cremoux, Nicolas Borfigat
  • Patent number: 10574144
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a DC/DC conversion system is disclosed. The DC/DC conversion system includes a boost converter coupled to a plurality of parallel buck converters. The boost converter and plurality of buck converters each include an inductor, where the inductors are magnetically coupled to each other. The DC/DC conversion system further includes a control system configured to control the boost converter and plurality of buck converters such that combined duty cycles of the plurality of buck converters are about equal to a duty cycle of the boost converter and the duty cycles of the plurality of buck converters are modulated out of phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ramanujam Ramabhadran, Kum-Kang Huh, Mohammed Agamy, Ahmed Elasser
  • Patent number: 10554133
    Abstract: These teachings apply with respect to a direct current (DC)-output converter and provide for adjusting a number of switching pulses per burst cycle as a function, at least in part, of converter output loading. This adjustment can be made by controlling burst frequency with respect to at least one predetermined threshold frequency. The predetermined threshold frequency can comprise a non-audible frequency such that the number of switching pulses is adjusted to prevent the burst frequency from itself constituting an audible signal. The adjustment of the number of switching pulses per burst cycle may only occur when the output loading is less than a predetermined level of loading. These teachings may also provide for clamping the pulse frequency for the pulses in each burst package to a particular value when dynamically controlling the number of pulses in each burst package. The aforementioned particular value may constitute, for example, a highest available switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Pei-Hsin Liu, Bing Lu
  • Patent number: 10554200
    Abstract: Peak detection methods, apparatus, and circuits are disclosed. An example peak detector includes a first peak-hold circuit having a first input terminal and a first output terminal, the first peak-hold circuit to determine a first peak of a rectified input voltage at the first input terminal during a first time interval, and to track a second peak of the rectified input voltage during a second time interval, the second time interval distinct from the first time interval, and a second peak-hold circuit having a second input terminal and a second output terminal, the second peak-hold circuit to determine, during the second time interval, a greater of the first peak and the second peak, the first output terminal coupled to the second input terminal, the greater of the first peak and the second peak output at the second output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Maxim James Franke, Michael Ryan Hanschke, Antonio Amoroso, Rosario Stracquadaini
  • Patent number: 10554126
    Abstract: An auto-calibrated current sensing comparator is provided. A secondary dynamic comparator shares the same inputs and acts to adjust a calibration control of the current sensing comparator. The calibration control may be in the form of adjusting the offset of the current sensing comparator or adjusting a propagation delay that is added to its output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignees: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH, Dialog Semiconductor B.V.
    Inventors: Marinus Wilhelmus Kruiskamp, Guillaume de Cremoux
  • Patent number: 10555092
    Abstract: Frequent replacement of a battery is avoided even if power consumption is large, and the structure is simplified and waterproofness is improved. Furthermore, cost reduction is achieved because driving components are selectable from components with variously different operating voltages. A hearing aid includes a secondary battery having a nominal voltage higher than a nominal voltage of an air battery, driving components driven by power at different voltages supplied from the secondary battery, and a transformation unit configured to output the charging power of the secondary battery at a voltage suitable for driving each driving component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takezo Hatanaka, Hisashi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 10545549
    Abstract: A power adapter for supplying electrical power to a mobile device. The power adapter may have a processor and an interface for data communication and power transmission with the mobile device, memory internal to a casing of the power adapter, and an AC/DC power conversion circuit electrically coupled to the processor. The AC/DC power conversion circuit is configured to receive an AC power input and convert the AC power input to a DC power output over the interface for the mobile device. The processor is configured to: recognize a load associated with the mobile device connected to the DC power output; set the DC power output based on the load; receive backup data from the mobile device over the interface; and store the backup data from the mobile device within the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Silanna Asia Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Mete Erturk, Karim Arabi, Seyed-Behzad Mahdavikhah-Mehrabad, Aleksandar Radic, Sheikh Mohammad Ahsanuzzaman
  • Patent number: 10545426
    Abstract: The power supply apparatus includes an inductor; a switching element, which is connected in series to the inductor, and is configured to be driven in accordance with an input pulse signal; and a booster circuit, which is connected to both ends of the inductor, and includes a plurality of rectification units each including a diode and a capacitor, wherein the power supply apparatus is configured to repeat an operation of successively driving the switching element in accordance with the input pulse signal in a cycle that is longer than a cycle in which the switching element is successively driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Jun Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 10547296
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for cross-conduction detection. An example apparatus includes a cross detector circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor coupled to a load, a third transistor coupled to a first controlled delay circuit and the first transistor, a fourth transistor coupled to a second controlled delay circuit and to the third transistor at a phase node, and a control circuit coupled to the first controlled delay circuit, the second controlled delay circuit, and the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gaetano Maria Walter Petrina, Michael Lueders, Nicola Rasera
  • Patent number: 10541600
    Abstract: A power factor correction device for three-phase AC-DC conversion enables effective correction and stable power conversion with a simple construction and control system. The device may include input terminals to which three-phase AC is inputted, and Positive and negative electrode terminals each connected to a load device. Transformers each have a primary coil with an end connected to the input terminals. Switching element(s) have ends applied with the voltage of another end of the primary coil, other ends connected to a common potential terminal on the side of the primary coil, and control ends. Rectifying devices have ends applied with the voltage of another end of the secondary coil so as to pass current flow into the positive electrode terminal. A smoothing condenser is disposed between the positive and negative electrode terminals. The control ends of the switching elements are controlled by a control signal having a constant duty ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Masaji Haneda
  • Patent number: 10539944
    Abstract: A power supply circuit in a PLC includes a first node that receives a DC voltage with a first level, a second node that outputs a voltage for driving a control unit, wiring connecting the first and second nodes, a first rectifier on the wiring having a forward direction from the first node to the second node, a charger for charging and discharging, a first converter that converts a discharging voltage from the charger into a DC voltage with a second level lower than the first level and outputs the voltage, and a second rectifier connected between an output of the first converter and the second node to have a forward direction from the first converter to the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ueda, Hideki Harada, Daisuke Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 10536083
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a circuit with power factor correction (PFC) are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method comprises providing, by a single-stage power converter, a delay in phase between a peak current command and a rectified input voltage such that a phase of a transformer current intentionally lags behind a phase of the rectified input voltage to maintain a power factor (PF) level and a total harmonic distortion (THD) level for the single-stage power converter. In one or more analog embodiments, a resistor and a capacitor are implemented into a conventional single-stage power converter to provide the delay in phase between the peak current command and the rectified input voltage. In one or more digital embodiments, a controller within a conventional single-stage power converter exclusively provides the delay in phase between the peak current command and the rectified input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaolin Gao