Plural Devices Patents (Class 323/225)
  • Patent number: 9627978
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement is disclosed for ascertaining switching times for a DC-DC voltage converter which has an actuating unit, configured to actuate circuit breakers in a full bridge which are arranged on a high-voltage side of the DC-DC voltage converter. In addition, the circuit arrangement has at least one comparison unit which is configured to compare a first voltage U dropping across a circuit breaker arranged on a low-voltage side of the DC-DC voltage converter with a first predetermined reference voltage U. In addition, the circuit arrangement has a first measuring unit, configured to start a first time measurement when a pair of the circuit breakers in the full bridge is switched on by the actuating unit and to terminate the first time measurement when U>U.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Peter Muhlenbrock
  • Patent number: 9602001
    Abstract: A buck converter includes a power stage circuit and a control circuit. The power stage circuit has a pair of switches, an output inductor, and an output capacitor. The control circuit has a current-sensing unit (CCS), an error-amplifying (EA) and transient-holding (TH) unit, a transient-optimized feedback unit (TOF), and a PWM generation unit. The CCS senses an output capacitor current. The EA with the TH receives a feedback voltage and a reference voltage to generate an error signal. The TOF receives the feedback voltage and the reference voltage to generate a proportional voltage signal by a variable gain value. The PWM generation unit receives the proportional voltage signal and a sensing voltage signal to generate a PWM signal. When the proportional voltage signal equals the sensing voltage signal, the switches are controlled by the PWM signal at an optimal time point so that transient responses are optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: NATIONAL CHENG KUNG UNIVERSITY, MEGAWIN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ting-Hsuan Hung, Szu-Yu Huang, Tai-Haur Kuo, Kow-Liang Wen
  • Patent number: 9577531
    Abstract: A buck-boost converter and a control circuit thereof are disclosed. When an input voltage is close to an output voltage (i.e., the buck-boost converter operates in a buck-boost mode), the control circuit of the buck-boost converter generates specific switching signals. Four switches of a switching regulator are switched by the switching signals, so that the four switches are not turned-on or turned-off frequently because of the input voltage closing to the output voltage. Accordingly, the buck-boost converter and the control circuit thereof of the disclosure can reduce switch noise of the four switches and switching loss of the whole circuit, to improve conversion efficiency of the buck-boost converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chih-Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 9564817
    Abstract: A method and semiconductor device for controlling skip mode operation during light load conditions in a resonant power converter includes a skip mode controller circuit that compares a feedback signal corresponding to the secondary output level with a reference voltage to determine when to invoke skip mode. When entering skip mode the skip mode controller ceases switching by turning on the lower switch for a prolonged time to leave the resonant capacitor partially charged. Upon resuming switching, the lower switch is turned on first to drive current through the inductances, and asymmetric switching is used where the upper switch is on, initially for shorter periods to allow zero voltage switching. If the load increases, the on-time of upper and lower switches converge and conventional symmetric switching resumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Roman Stuler, Vaclav Drda, Pavel Latal
  • Patent number: 9537309
    Abstract: There is provided a power supply circuit including a first series regulator including a first semiconductor element and a first constant voltage source, and a second series regulator including a second semiconductor element and a second constant voltage source, wherein the first series regulator and the second series regulator are cascaded and an input voltage to the first series regulator is a high voltage equal to or greater than 500 V.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Raghunath Bellala, Noritoshi Imamura
  • Patent number: 9520787
    Abstract: A voltage regulator device includes at least one output unit, a current sensing unit, a control unit, at least one transistor driving unit and a pulse width modulation unit. The output unit outputs an output signal. The output unit includes a first transistor, a second transistor and an energy storage element. The second transistor is electronically connected to the first transistor and the energy storage element, respectively. The current sensing unit is electronically connected to a first end and a second end of the energy storage element. The control unit is electronically connected to the current sensing unit and the output unit, respectively. The transistor driving unit is disposed corresponding to the output unit and is electronically connected to the control unit and the output unit. The pulse width modulation unit is electronically connected to the control unit and the transistor driving unit, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: ASUSTek COMPUTER INC.
    Inventor: Yi-Peng Lin
  • Patent number: 9444447
    Abstract: A switch electrically connected to a first terminal and a second terminal. A first comparator detects a load open state where the switch is off and a load is not connected to the second terminal. Upon detecting, a clamp circuit clamps the voltage of the second terminal to a clamp voltage higher than a first reference voltage and lower than an input voltage. A second comparator detects an output-to-supply short circuit state where the switch is off and the second terminal is connected to the power supply. A capacitor with one terminal connected to the second terminal and another terminal connected to a third terminal. A bootstrap circuit supplies a charge current to the third terminal at a constant voltage. A clamp voltage rise prevention circuit prevents the clamp voltage of the clamp circuit from rising, when the first comparator detects the load open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Ozono
  • Patent number: 9444364
    Abstract: A switching power converter includes a controller configured to transition from a first operating mode to a second operating mode by determining the operating conditions at the transition point between the operation modes. The controller uses the value of the voltage-time product determined at the boundary between the first and second operating modes to predict the voltage to be applied to the primary-side of the transformer. Using the predicted voltage, the controller can adjust the peak-power control threshold on a cycle-by-cycle basis without the transformer reaching saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Junjie Zheng, Liang Yan
  • Patent number: 9438118
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a boost-buck converter can include: (i) first and second switches coupled in series between input and an output of the boost-buck converter; (ii) a first inductor coupled to the input and third and fourth switches, where the third switch is coupled to ground, and the fourth switch is coupled to the output; (iii) a second inductor coupled to the output and a common node of the first and second switches; and (iv) a control circuit configured to control switching of the first, second, third, and fourth switches according to the input and output voltages, such that the boost-buck converter operates in at least one of: a buck mode and a boost mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 9426748
    Abstract: A power management technique is provided that operates with regard to a dynamic sleep threshold voltage. If a device's battery voltage is greater than the dynamic sleep threshold voltage, a voltage rail for the device is collapsed during a sleep mode for the device. Conversely, if the battery voltage is less than the dynamic sleep threshold voltage, the voltage rail is sourced during the sleep mode for the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Taha, Hector Freires Corleto, Rahul Kashyap
  • Patent number: 9407132
    Abstract: The efficient control of a plurality of high side switches, e.g. the high side switches of half bridges is presented. A control circuit contains a charge provisioning unit to provide an electrical charge. The control circuit contains a plurality of sets of high control switches for the plurality of high side switches, respectively; wherein each set of high control switches is used to arrange the charge provisioning unit in parallel to a gate-source capacitance of the respective high side switch. The control circuit comprises a controller to, during a phase of a plurality of different phases, control a respective set of high control switches from the plurality of sets of high control switches to arrange the charge provisioning unit in parallel to the gate-source capacitance of the respective high side switch from the plurality of high side switches, to switch on the respective high side switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Knoedgen, Slawomir Malinowski
  • Patent number: 9391501
    Abstract: A driver circuit using a power converter allows free-wheeling detection and/or provision of supply voltage. A circuit controls a switching state of a power switch. A first port of the switch is coupled to an inductor. The circuit is coupled to a control port of the switch wherein the control port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch. The circuit comprises a unit generating a signal for controlling the switching state of the switch wherein the signal is provided to the control port of the switch. Furthermore, the circuit comprises free-wheeling sensing means to detect an oscillation of a voltage at a measurement port of the switch wherein the measurement port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch and wherein the oscillation of the voltage at the measurement port indicates free-wheeling of the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Knoedgen, Julian Tyrrell
  • Patent number: 9356508
    Abstract: A control circuit is provided for a buck converter that includes at least an inductor coupled to an output of the buck converter. The control circuit includes a power switch configured for coupling to a line voltage and configured for charging the inductor, an input line voltage sampling circuit, and a constant-voltage (CV) and constant-current (CC) control module coupled to the power switch. During a charging period of the inductor, the CV and CC control module is configured to control the power switch to provide a constant output current by maintaining a constant peak inductor current, even when the input line voltage changes. During a discharging period of the inductor, the CV and CC control module is configured to monitor the sensed output voltage to control the power switch to provide a constant output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: BCD Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hu Wang, Yajiang Zhu, Ruixia Fei, Shuzhuang Lv
  • Patent number: 9318970
    Abstract: A voltage regulator for regulation both of AC and of DC voltages, is provided in a regulator module (30) which uses a repetitive switching signal (32) to control a switch (36) allowing current to be supplied to a reservoir capacitor (42) by supply from an unregulated rail (18). The module contains a dual inductor (44, 46, 48) having first (44) and second (46) identical windings and a common core. A current pass capacitor (43) is also provided. When the switch (36) is closed, the first winding (44) delivers current to the reservoir capacitor. When the switch (36) is open, both the second (44) and the first (46) windings deliver current to the reservoir capacitor (42). The apparatus can support balanced operation, where pairs of switches are operated alternately and oppositely. The switching signal (32) can be suitably voltage restored to provide a signal suitable to control and operates switches (36). Different configurations of transistor switches (36) and diodes (38) are shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Inventor: Raymond John Peto
  • Patent number: 9317049
    Abstract: A voltage converter (FIG. 4) for a power supply circuit is disclosed. The voltage converter comprises a control circuit (400) coupled to receive an enable (EN) signal. The control circuit produces a first control signal (PWM) to provide a load current (IL) in response to the enable signal. A sample and hold circuit (408) is arranged to produce a third control signal (CSP) to emulate the load current and a fourth control signal (CSN?) to sample and hold value of the third control signal. A comparator circuit (416) is arranged to compare the third and fourth control signals and produce the enable signal in response to a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Song Guo
  • Patent number: 9312763
    Abstract: The present invention is applicable to the field of direct current conversion, and provides a DC-DC converter. In the present invention, a DC-DC converter including a triangular wave generation module and a switch control module is adopted. The triangular wave generation module generates a triangular wave signal according to voltages at both ends of an energy storage inductor L1, and the switch control module outputs a control level according to its internally generated clock signal and the triangular wave signal to control a switching operation of a PMOS power tube and an NMOS power tube according to a preset switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qiang Xie, Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 9300211
    Abstract: A control circuit of a step-up/step-down DC/DC converter includes: a hysteresis comparator configured to receive a feedback voltage and a reference voltage, compare the feedback voltage with a threshold voltage corresponding to the reference voltage, and generate a pulse signal indicating a result of the comparison; a logic unit configured to fix a second switching transistor at an OFF state and switch a first switching transistor based on the pulse signal in a step-down mode and fix the first switching transistor at an ON state and switch the second switching transistor based on the pulse signal in a step-up mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD
    Inventor: Osamu Yanagida
  • Patent number: 9256085
    Abstract: A multifunctional building component is capable of serving as one or more of a window, a wall, a shading device, a roofing element, a color panel, a display, an energy harvesting device, an energy storage device, and an energy distribution device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: RAVENBRICK LLC
    Inventors: Wil McCarthy, Richard M. Powers, Alex K. Burney
  • Patent number: 9257965
    Abstract: A driver circuit using a power converter allows free-wheeling detection and/or provision of supply voltage. A circuit controls a switching state of a power switch. A first port of the switch is coupled to an inductor. The circuit is coupled to a control port of the switch wherein the control port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch. The circuit comprises a unit generating a signal for controlling the switching state of the switch wherein the signal is provided to the control port of the switch. Furthermore, the circuit comprises free-wheeling sensing means to detect an oscillation of a voltage at a measurement port of the switch wherein the measurement port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch and wherein the oscillation of the voltage at the measurement port indicates free-wheeling of the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Knoedgen, Julian Tyrrell
  • Patent number: 9247608
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load is able to operate in a burst mode to adjust the amount of power delivered to the electrical load to low levels. The load control device comprises a control circuit that operates in a normal mode to regulate an average magnitude of a load current conducted through the load to a target load current that ranges from a maximum rated current to a minimum rated current. The control circuit operates in the burst mode to regulate the average magnitude of the load current below the minimum rated current. During the burst mode, the control circuit regulates a peak magnitude of the load current to the minimum rated current during a first time period, and stops regulating the load current during a second time period, such that the average magnitude of the load current is below the minimum rated current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Venkatesh Chitta, Jeffrey S. Hayes, Robert D. Stevens, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9225245
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a coil, a first switch circuit that accumulates energy in the coil, and a plurality of second switch circuits that couple the coil to a plurality of output terminals. A first control unit generates a first control signal that controls the first switch circuit to turn on and off based on a combined value of a plurality of output voltages respectively output from the plurality of output terminals and a first reference value. A second control unit generates a second control signal that controls the plurality of second switch circuits to turn on and off in a cycle that is the same as the first control signal based on a first output voltage of the plurality of output voltages and a second reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventor: Toru Miyamae
  • Patent number: 9036386
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing power factor correction for high-power loads using two interleaved power factor correction stages. Each power factor correction stage includes a controllable switch that is operated to control the phasing of each power factor correction stage. The phasing of output current from the second power factor correction stage is shifted 180 degree relative to the output current from the first power factor correction stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventor: Vijay K. Earanky
  • Patent number: 9024598
    Abstract: Provided is a converter control device which detects an on-failure of an auxiliary switch constituting an auxiliary circuit of a soft switching converter and can prevent element failures. A current sensor for detecting the current flowing in a coil is provided between a fuel cell and the. A controller sequentially detects current by use of the current sensor and makes a judgment as to whether or not the detected current has exceeded an overcurrent threshold value stored in a memory (not shown). When the controller judges that the current has exceeded the overcurrent threshold value, the controller judges that a second switching element has an on-failure, and performs a fail-safe operation by stopping the driving of a converter (for example, a U-phase converter) of an auxiliary circuit provided with this second switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Hasegawa, Nobuyuki Kitamura, Kota Manabe, Takahiro Umehara
  • Patent number: 8994343
    Abstract: A circuit includes a reactor, a diode, and a switching element. The reactor and the diode are connected in series with each other on a power supply line. The switching element is provided between a power supply line and a point between the reactor and the diode. A circuit includes a reactor, a diode, and a switching element. The reactor and the diode are connected in series with each other on a power supply line. The switching element is provided between the power supply line and a point between the reactor and the diode. Characteristics of at least any of the reactors, the switching elements, and the diodes are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ohshita, Norio Sakae, Toshio Yabuki
  • Patent number: 8988048
    Abstract: A method and circuit for generating a clock signal. A power factor correction circuit has n channels operating out of phase and independently. The circuit is able to generate a clock signal for each channel according to the current cycle duration of each channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Joel Turchi, Stéphanie Conseil
  • Patent number: 8981589
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for regulating the state of charge of a battery. An exemplary electrical system includes a fuel cell coupled to a bus and a battery coupled to the bus via a switching arrangement coupled to a capacitor. An exemplary method for operating the electrical system involves operating the switching arrangement such that a voltage of the battery is substantially equal to a voltage of the fuel cell when a state of charge of the battery is greater than a lower threshold value and less than an upper threshold value, and operating the switching arrangement to couple the capacitor electrically in series between the battery and the bus when the state of charge of the battery is not between the lower threshold value and the upper threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sebastian Lienkamp, Peter Kilian, Stephen Raiser
  • Patent number: 8963514
    Abstract: An alternation voltage- or current generator comprises a first switch driving output network whose frequency can be tuned. The tuneable network comprises a first Inductor that is coupled with a first capacitor. A second inductor and/or at least a second capacitor and/or at least a series circuit of a third inductor and a third capacitor which is coupled via at a second switch to the network. The second switch is controlled by a controlled delay (PWM) which is synchronized by a sign change of current and/or voltage in the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Inventor: Markus Rehm
  • Patent number: 8963513
    Abstract: A switching power source according to one embodiment includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is connected to a positive electrode of a DC voltage source. The second transistor is connected between the first transistor and a negative electrode of the DC voltage source. The first transistor and the second transistor are alternately placed in conducting state. A gate signal is applied to a gate terminal of the first transistor with reference to a voltage of a terminal of the first transistor that is connected to the positive electrode. A gate signal is applied to a gate terminal of the second transistor with reference to a voltage of a terminal of the second transistor that is connected to the negative electrode. The first transistor and the second transistor are configured with wide bandgap semiconductors of mutually different materials, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Tsuno
  • Patent number: 8963516
    Abstract: A power supply includes an input terminal, an output terminal, a DC voltage regulator coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal to provide a substantially constant DC output voltage at the output terminal, a voltage divider coupled between the output terminal and ground (e.g., earth ground or another suitable reference potential), the voltage divider including at least a first resistance, a second resistance and a first node between the first resistance and the second resistance, the first node coupled to the DC voltage regulator to provide a feedback voltage to the DC voltage regulator for regulating the DC output voltage, and an adjustable shunt regulator coupled between the output terminal and the first node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Robert Henry Kippley, Bruce Arlen Frederick
  • Patent number: 8963515
    Abstract: A current sensing circuit and the control circuit thereof and a power converter circuit. The current sensing circuit includes a sample and hold circuit (1), a rising edge detecting circuit (2), a falling edge detecting circuit (3), a timing control circuit (4), a synchronous detecting circuit (5) and a low pass filter (6). The power converter circuit uses the current sensing circuit to sense and process the current flowing through a main switch (S1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sunsun Lighting China Co. Ltd
    Inventor: Jianning Sun
  • Patent number: 8957645
    Abstract: A method for providing non-resonant zero-voltage switching in a switching power converter. The switching power converter converts power from input power to output power during multiple periodic switching cycles. The switching power converter includes a main switch and an auxiliary capacitor adapted for connecting to the main switch, and an inductor connectible to the auxiliary capacitor. When the main switch is on, a previously charged (or previously discharged) auxiliary capacitor is connected to the main switch with auxiliary switches. The main switch is switched off with zero voltage while discharging non-resonantly (charging) the auxiliary capacitor by providing a current path to the inductor. The auxiliary capacitor is disconnected from the main switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Tzachi Glovinski
  • Patent number: 8933704
    Abstract: A device for testing capacitive loads of a power supply includes a controller, a power supply switching circuit, a capacitive load switching circuit, and a current sampling circuit. The power supply switching circuit selects one of output voltages of the power supply to be electronically connected to the capacitive load switching circuit and the current sampling circuit. The current sampling circuit samples an output current of one output of the power supply selected by the controller. The controller turns on and off switches of the capacitive load switching circuit for matching an output current of the power supply with a reference current until the output current equals to the reference current. The controller outputs a total magnitude of the capacitive loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun Bai, Fu-Sen Yang, Song-Lin Tong
  • Patent number: 8928295
    Abstract: A configurable-voltage converter circuit that may be CMOS and an integrated circuit chip including the converter circuit and method of operating the IC chip and circuit. A transistor totem, e.g., of 6 or more field effect transistors, PFETs and NFETs, connected (PNPNPN) between a first supply (Vin) line and a supply return line. A first switching capacitor is connected between first and second pairs of totem PN FETs pair of transistors. A second switching capacitor is connected between the second and a third pair of totem FETs. A configuration control selectively switches both third FETs off to float the connected end of the second capacitor, thereby switching voltage converter modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leland Chang, Robert Montoye, Jae-sun Seo
  • Patent number: 8928248
    Abstract: Provided is a step up/down converter, in which the inductor current can be easily detected by a simple configuration in any connecting mode of the switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Ishii, Takeshi Azuma
  • Patent number: 8901897
    Abstract: Operating a DC-DC converter that includes: a directly coupled inductor with a first and second coil element, the first and second coil element coupled to an output filter and a load; and power-switching phases, including: a first power-switching phase that includes a high-side and low-side switch, where the high-side switch is configured, when activated, to couple a voltage source to the first coil element and the low-side switch is configured, when activated, to couple the first coil element to a ground voltage; and a second power-switching phase that includes a high-side and low-side switch, where the high-side switch is configured, when activated, to couple the voltage source to the second coil element and the low-side switch is configured, when activated, to couple the second coil element to the ground voltage; and the switches are activated alternatively with no two switches are activated at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jamaica L. Barnette, Raymond M. Clemo
  • Patent number: 8896282
    Abstract: There is disclosed a converter controller which can simply and early detect an abnormality of an auxiliary circuit constituting a soft switching converter. On turning off a first switching element, a controller detects a voltage between both the ends of a snubber capacitor and a voltage between both the ends of the first switching element, to obtain a difference voltage. The controller compares the obtained difference voltage with a voltage threshold value stored in a memory (not shown) to judge whether or not the difference voltage is larger than the voltage threshold value. When the difference voltage is smaller than the voltage threshold value, the controller judges that an auxiliary circuit is normal, to end processing, whereas when the difference voltage is not less than the voltage threshold value, the controller judges that a failure (an open failure) occurs in the auxiliary circuit, to shift to a fail safe operation, thereby ending the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Hasegawa, Nobuyuki Kitamura, Kota Manabe
  • Patent number: 8896276
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter, capable of operation in either a boost or buck mode, includes a voltage source connected to an input switch through an inductive element such that a closed loop is formed. The DC-DC converter includes a switching network that receives one or more clock signals from an external clock source. The switching network has a first terminal connected to the inductive element, a second terminal connected to a first capacitor, and a third terminal connected to a second capacitor, wherein the switching network enables charging of the first capacitor and the second capacitor based on one or more clock signals such that the first capacitor and the second capacitor are charged alternately. The DC-DC converter includes a filter connected to a fourth terminal of the switching network, wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor discharge alternately based on the one or more clock signals through the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Anadigics, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Dolin, Paul Sheehy, Dirk Leipold
  • Patent number: 8884593
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a voltage converter, which uses an inductor coupled between a power supply and a reference voltage for providing a supply voltage. A plurality of output capacitors are coupled to both sides of the inductor, respectively, and receive the supply voltage for producing a positive voltage and a negative voltage. A plurality of output switches are coupled to both sides of the inductor, respectively, and control the inductor to charge the plurality of output capacitors. A feedback control circuit produces a control signal according to the positive and negative voltages for controlling the plurality of output switches. Thereby, the present invention can produce positive and negative voltage by means of the inductor. Accordingly, the voltage converter according to the present invention avoids usage of multiple inductors and capacitors in producing voltages with different levels, and thus reducing the circuit area as well as the manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sitronix Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Chung-Hsin Su
  • Patent number: 8878500
    Abstract: There are provided a power factor correction circuit, and a power supply including the same, the power factor correction circuit including a main switch adjusting a phase difference between a current and a voltage of input power, a main inductor storing or discharging the power according to switching of the main switch, a snubber circuit unit including a snubber switch forming a transfer path for surplus power present before the main switch is turned on and a snubber inductor adjusting an amount of a current applied to the snubber switch, and a reduction circuit unit including an auxiliary inductor inductively coupled to the snubber inductor and an auxiliary resistor consuming power induced from the snubber inductor through the auxiliary inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In Wha Jeong, Bum Seok Suh, Kwang Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8878502
    Abstract: A mode controller shifts, along with increase in an electric power in first and second of chopper circuits and, operation modes of the first and the second of the chopper circuits from a first mode to a third mode via a second mode. An operation controller causes, in the first mode, the first of chopper circuit to perform an chopping operation, and the second of chopper circuit to suspend the chopping operation, in the second mode, causes the first and the second of chopper circuits to alternatively perform the chopping operations, and in the third mode causes both of the first and the second of chopper circuits to perform the chopping operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Sakae, Kazuhiro Ohshita, Toshio Yabuki, Junya Mitsui
  • Patent number: 8860386
    Abstract: A converter circuit may include: a first node receiving an input voltage; a second node providing an output voltage; a first inductor between the first node and a third node; a capacitor between the third node and a first terminal of a diode, the other terminal of the diode providing said output voltage; a second inductor between the first terminal of the diode and common; an electronic switch acting between the third node and common; a first current generator acting between the first node and the switch to drive the switch to the conductive condition; and a second current generator sensitive to the current through the switch in the “on” condition and/or the output voltage on the second node, the second current generator to draw current from the first current generator to drive the switch to the non-conductive condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM GmbH
    Inventor: Francesco Angelin
  • Patent number: 8847563
    Abstract: A power converter circuit includes a storage component, a rectifier component comprising a first field effect transistor and having first and second bias states, and a switch including a second field effect transistor having first and second operational states. The first and second field effect transistors are High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Joseph Callanan
  • Patent number: 8841860
    Abstract: A power converter includes a single magnetic element in communication with a plurality of output channels. Each output channel includes one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that may output a desired light output. Desired amounts of current may be discharged from the single magnetic element through the LEDs to generate the desired light output. The current may be drawn through the LEDs by switching “on” and “off” switches connected to the LEDs. A controller in communication with the power converter may generate switching signals to turn “on” and “off” the switches to draw the desired amounts of current. The controller may measure the current and determine whether to adjust the switching signals if the measured current draw is not the desired current draw in order to generate the desired light output from the LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Gilliom
  • Patent number: 8843180
    Abstract: Embodiments for at methods, apparatus and systems for operating a voltage regulator are disclosed. One apparatus includes a switching voltage regulator, wherein the switching voltage regulator includes a series switch element, a shunt switch element, a switching controller and a switched output filter. The switching controller is configured to generate a switching voltage through controlled closing and opening of the series switch element and the shunt switch element. The switched output filter filters the switching voltage and generates a regulated output voltage, wherein the switched output filter includes a plurality of capacitors that are selectively included within the switched output filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: R2 Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. C. Brown, Daniel Dobkin, Pablo Moreno Galbis, Cory Severson, Lawrence M. Burns
  • Patent number: 8836299
    Abstract: A voltage converter includes a driver, a subsidiary voltage converter, an inductor, a capacitor, and a voltage detection unit. The subsidiary voltage converter generates a driving voltage transmitted to the driver to supply working power to the driver. The driver controls the capacitor to be alternately charged and discharged through the inductor, thereby generating an output voltage and output current between the inductor and the first capacitor. The voltage detection unit detects an electric potential difference of the inductor and generates a reference voltage according to the electric potential difference, and the subsidiary voltage converter receives the reference voltage and adjusts the driving voltage according to the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fang-Ta Tai, Jen-Fan Sun, Chen-Hsiang Lin, Cheng-I Lin
  • Patent number: 8823338
    Abstract: A universal electrical power converter having the combined capabilities of symmetrical and asymmetrical converters, bidirectionality, and simplicity is provided with methods for controlling it in single-stage conversion. In some cases, the converter charges an inductor connected in parallel between a regulated port and an unregulated port using energy stored by a capacitor positioned in parallel between the inductor and one of the ports until the inductor has a level of current stored that corresponds to the change in voltage desired at the regulated port, then discharges stored energy into the other port until a current cutoff threshold level is reached in the inductor. In some embodiments a single stage power converter is provided having three or more ports that can be connected and disconnected from the same inductor. Converters disclosed herein can convert AC signals when there is cross switching on at least one side or branch of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Green Charge Networks LLC
    Inventor: Stephen R. Taddeo
  • Patent number: 8823336
    Abstract: A bridgeless power factor corrector with a single choke is electrically connected to an AC power source. The bridgeless power factor corrector includes a choke element, a first switch, a second switch, a first diode, a second diode, a capacitor, a first rectify diode, and a second rectify diode. The choke element is electrically connected between the first switch and the second switch. The first switch and the second switch are controlled to be turned on or turned off by a first control signal and a second control signal, respectively, to provide a power factor correction for the AC power source when the AC power source is in a positive half cycle or a negative half cycle. Furthermore, a method of operating the bridgeless power factor corrector is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Chicony Power Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Lieh-Chung Yin, Chia-Hsien Yen
  • Patent number: 8816654
    Abstract: A universal-voltage discrete input circuit uses a high voltage depletion-mode field effect transistor in combination with a low-voltage, adjustable precision shunt regulator and an isolation circuit for interfacing a low voltage digital logic circuit to a switched external voltage ranging from about 7 volts to about 1000 volts AC or +/? DC, at a low fixed current. In addition to the wide input voltage range accepted at a uniform low current value, very high voltage isolation is provided between the external voltage and the low voltage digital logic circuit, and elimination of ground loops and common mode noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Daniel Rian Kletti, Timothy Mark Kromrey
  • Publication number: 20140225577
    Abstract: A buck-boost regulation methodology operable, in one embodiment, with a single inductor, four-switch (S1-S4) buck-boost regulator configured for DCM. Buck-boost transition switching control is operable when inductor charge time exceeds a max charge time, and inductor discharge time exceeds a max discharge time, and includes: (a) during charge transition cycles, at the end of the max charge time, if IL is less than a predetermined peak current IL—MAX, switching S2 on (grounding the output side of the inductor) and S4 off, causing IL to increase (a rapid S1S2 charging current ramp), until IL reaches IL—MAX, and (b) during discharge transition cycles, at the end of the max charge time, if IL is greater than zero, switching S1 off and S3 on (grounding the input side of the inductor), causing IL to increase (a rapid S3S4 IL discharging current ramp), until IL reaches zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventors: Vadim V. Ivanov, Rahul Prakash
  • Patent number: RE46045
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a buck boost converter for generating a regulated output voltage responsive to an input voltage. The buck boost converter includes an inductor, a first pair of switching transistors responsive to a first PWM signal and a second pair of switching transistors responsive to a second PWM signal. An error amplifier generates an error voltage responsive to the regulated output voltage and a reference voltage. A control circuit generates the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal responsive to the error voltage and a sensed current voltage responsive to a sensed current through the inductor. The control circuit controls switching of the first pair of switching transistors and the second pair of switching transistors using the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal responsive to the sensed current through the inductor and a plurality of offset error voltages based on the error voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC
    Inventors: Weihong Qiu, Zaki Moussaoui, Jun Liu