Including Plural Loads Commonly Controlled Patents (Class 323/267)
  • Patent number: 9000743
    Abstract: A multi-channel constant voltage and constant current converting controller is provided. It comprises a multi-channel balance circuit and an error amplifier circuit. The multi-channel balance circuit receives a first voltage signal and load current detecting signals and outputs a second voltage signal and amplifying load current detecting signals. The error amplifier circuit receives the second voltage signal, the amplifying load current detecting signals and a reference voltage and outputs an error amplifying signal. The error amplifier circuit outs the error amplifying signal according to the reference voltage and the maximum value between the second voltage signal and amplifying load current detecting signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Green Solution Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Chiang Ting
  • Patent number: 9000673
    Abstract: A multi-channel constant current source particularly suitable for driving an array of light-emitting diodes as an illumination apparatus provides a power source stage voltage regulator for providing a variable voltage using pulse width modulation as an input to a plurality of constant current driver channels to regulate the constant current provided. Pulse width modulation thus allows both the power source stage and the constant current driver operating frequencies to be decoupled and individually optimized to maintain efficiency while emulating dimming effects of, for example, incandescent bulbs, over a full range of light output flux. Pulse width modulation can also be employed in the constant current channel drivers to avoid chromaticity shift during dimming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Weiyi Feng, Fred C. Lee
  • Patent number: 8994345
    Abstract: There is described a buck-boost converter comprising: a voltage source; an inductor, wherein a first terminal of the inductor is switchably connected to the voltage source; and a plurality of capacitors switchably connected to a second terminal of the inductor, wherein a respective plurality of output voltages are formed across the plurality of capacitors, further comprising: an error determination means, for determining an error in each of the plurality of voltages, an inner control loop adapted to switchably connect one of the plurality of capacitors to the second terminal of the inductor in dependence on the determined errors; and an outer control loop adapted to control switching between buck mode and boost mode in dependence upon the determined errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Nujira Limited
    Inventor: Martin Paul Wilson
  • Patent number: 8994346
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that may be implemented to dynamically manage voltage regulator switching frequency. In one embodiment, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented to dynamically find the optimal voltage regulator switching frequency based on the load current (IOUT) and efficiency in a switching voltage regulator device (VR), such as a voltage regulator down device (VRD) that is embedded on a system board of an information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Dell Products LP
    Inventors: Johan Rahardjo, Abey K. Mathew, John J. Breen
  • Patent number: 8988140
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes logic regions and dynamically adjustable voltage controllers. A voltage controller connected to each logic region enables voltage adjustment while the chip is operating. Each voltage controller has a selector device connected to voltage input lines providing different voltages. A voltage sensor connected to the output of the selector device provides a supply voltage to one of the logic regions. A control circuit dynamically monitors the supply voltage, captures and stores a digital representation of the supply voltage during each cycle of a clock, and tracks variations over time, based on operation of the logic regions. When variations in the supply voltage exceed an operational threshold of one of the logic regions, the control circuit submits a request to a central controller. When the central controller grants permission, the control circuit dynamically adjusts the voltage by enabling the selector device to choose a different voltage input line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard S. Graf, Joseph A. Iadanza, Faraydon Pakbaz, Jack R. Smith, Sebastian T. Ventrone, Ivan L. Wemple
  • Patent number: 8981740
    Abstract: A multiple output switching circuit (300) comprising an input (302) configured to receive power from a power source; a first output (304) configured to provide a first output voltage; and an inductor (308) and a power switch (306) connected between the input (302) and first output (304). The power switch (306) is operable to transfer power from the input (302) to the first output (304). The switching circuit further comprising a second output (312) configured to provide a second output voltage; a second switch (310) coupled between the first output (302) and the second output (312); and a second switch controller (314) configured to provide the second switch (310) with a second switch control signal (318) such that power is transferred from the input (302) to the second output (312) when the first output voltage level reaches a first output threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Leendert Albertus Dick van den Broeke
  • Patent number: 8975879
    Abstract: This invention provides a switching converter having a plurality N of outputs providing N output signals and at least one inductor, comprising a first controlling device for controlling the total energy flowing over the inductor to the N outputs dependent on a first control signal, at least a second controlling device for distributing the total energy between the N outputs by means of at least a second control signal, wherein the first controlling device is coupled to all N outputs for receiving a number M of the respective feedback output signals of the N outputs, M?N, wherein the first controlling device comprises first means for weighting the M feedback output signals and second means for providing the first control signal dependent on the weighted M feedback output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignees: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH, State-Key Laboratory of ASIC & System
    Inventors: Weiwei Xu, Zhiliang Hong, Dirk Killat
  • Patent number: 8946932
    Abstract: The present invention provides a configurable dc-dc power converter module and method of manufacture for such module. The power converter module comprises an isolated subassembly with a capacitor bank, control circuits and an isolated power train that converts an input voltage to an intermediate bus voltage. The power module further comprises multiple non-isolated power trains electrically coupled to the isolated subassembly that are powered by the intermediate bus voltage to produce output voltages. The number of output voltages is determined by the number of populated non-isolated power trains, which may include all of the non-isolated power trains in the power module or a subset thereof. In one embodiment of the invention the non-isolated power trains are located on a carrier PWB that is electrically coupled to the bus PWB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Boylan, Carl Milton Wildrick, Sun-Wen Cyrus Cheng
  • Patent number: 8933675
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe the use of two inductors in a non-isolated power converter. The power converter receives power from a non-regulated power source, and converts the received power to regulated output signals. Each inductor in the power converter receives power provided from the non-regulated power source via a switch controlled by a controller, and provides a regulated output to a power converter load. A first regulated output provided by a first inductor can be representative of a second regulated output provided by a second inductor. In addition, a voltage feedback signal can be provided for use by the controller based on the first regulated output and/or the second regulated output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaolin Gao
  • Patent number: 8933681
    Abstract: A novel integrated switched mode power supply circuit that provides supply voltages to an integrated circuit may be of minimal complexity and have the capacity for a wide range of input supply voltages. The novel power supply may include cascaded, unregulated step-down charge pumps (e.g. unregulated voltage splitters), one or more linear regulators coupled to the output of the cascaded voltage splitters, and a start-up current source to provide the IC supply current until the input supply voltage is sufficiently high for the voltage splitter(s) to be functional to provide the IC supply current. Furthermore, each voltage splitter may be activated or disabled depending on the value of the input supply voltage, and the input of a disabled voltage splitter may be shorted to its output via an integrated power switch. Using (cascaded) voltage splitters to provide the IC supply current reduces overall power dissipation in the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Demetri J. Giannopoulos, Aaron Shreeve
  • Patent number: 8929109
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a double-output half-bridge LLC serial resonant converter, comprising: a half-bridge rectifying unit, a first resonant unit, a first transformer unit, a first rectifying unit, a first output unit, a second resonant unit, a second transformer unit, a second rectifying unit, a second output unit, a voltage dividing unit, a voltage regulating unit, a light-coupling isolation unit, and a control unit. In the present invention, the double-output half-bridge LLC serial resonant converter has an inventive circuit framework, which can not only solve the unbalance load current and the output voltage cross regulation occurred in the conventional double-output convertor, but also normally modulate the no-load or light-load output voltage; therefore the output voltage deviation can be effectively controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventors: Zen-Shan Chang, Ying-Sun Huang, Kuo-Sheng Fu, Kuo-Kuang Jen, Chien-Min Kao
  • Patent number: 8912771
    Abstract: A power regulators system and method is disclosed. In one embodiment, a power regulator system (10) is provided and includes at least one power supply (16) each configured to convert a DC rail voltage to a DC load voltage. The DC load voltage can be less than the DC rail voltage and can be provided to power at least one electronic component. The system (10) also includes a power rail regulator (12) configured to generate the DC rail voltage based on an input voltage and to regulate a magnitude of the DC rail voltage to vary between a minimum voltage magnitude and a maximum voltage magnitude and to regulate a variable magnitude of an output current. The DC rail voltage and the output current can be regulated based on load requirements associated with the at least one electronic component (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel Humphrey, Mohamed Amin Bemat
  • Patent number: 8908395
    Abstract: An example power converter includes an energy transfer element, a switch, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a drive signal generator and an unregulated dormant mode control circuit. The unregulated dormant mode control circuit renders dormant the drive signal generator thereby ceasing the regulation of the output by the drive signal generator when the energy requirement of the one or more loads falls below a threshold for more than a first period of time. The drive signal generator is unresponsive to changes in the energy requirements of the one or more loads when dormant. The unregulated dormant mode control circuit powers up the drive signal generator after a second period of time has elapsed, such that the drive signal generator is again responsive to changes in the energy requirement of the one or more loads after the second period of time has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex B. Djenguerian, Leif Lund
  • Patent number: 8908402
    Abstract: A modular high-frequency converter includes submodules, each having an input-side half bridge and a DC link circuit with a DC link capacitance connected in parallel to the half bridge. A DC link circuit voltage drop across the DC link capacitance of each submodule is controlled to a target voltage by adjusting a duty cycle with a closed-loop control structure having a pilot control and a downstream closed-loop error control. Within the framework of the pilot control, a target value for each duty cycle and a target value for the supply current are determined, using a mathematical model of the converter, based on the load-side output currents flowing out of the DC link voltage circuits and on target values of the DC link circuit voltages. Switch position parameters, which map the effect of the switch positions of the input-side half bridges, are each replaced by an associated duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Kopf, Marcel Lutze, Mirjam Mantel, Markus Reinhard, Stefan Völkel
  • Patent number: 8908391
    Abstract: An example post regulator controller for use in a power converter having a regulated output and an additional output is disclosed. The post regulator controller includes an inductor to be coupled between the regulated output of the power converter and a post regulator switch of the power converter. The inductor is to be coupled to drive the post regulator switch with an induced voltage across the inductor to redirect energy from the regulated output to the additional output of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur B. Odell
  • Patent number: 8896278
    Abstract: A multi-phase switching converter and control method thereof. The multi-phase switching converter includes a plurality of switching circuits and a controller. The output terminals of the plurality of switching circuits are coupled together to provide an output voltage to a load. The controller is configured to generate a plurality of control signals to turn on the plurality of switching circuits successively. When a load current increase is detected, the controller operates in an overlap mode and at least two switching circuits subsequent to the current switching circuit are turned on simultaneously. After the overlap mode, the controller resumes to the interleave mode and turns on the plurality of switching circuits successively from the switching circuit subsequent to the at least two switching circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qian Ouyang, Lijie Jiang, Xiaokang Wu, Bo Zhang, Suhua Luo
  • Patent number: 8878513
    Abstract: A regulator for providing a plurality of output voltages is provided. The regulator includes a basic unit and a plurality of replica units. The basic unit amplifies an input voltage to obtain a core voltage according to a first control signal. Each of the replica units outputs one of the output voltages according to the input voltage and one of a plurality of second control signals, wherein at least two of the output voltages have different voltage levels. The first control signal is set according to the second control signals, to make the voltage level of the core voltage substantially equal to or less than a maximum voltage level of the output voltages and substantially equal to or greater than a minimum voltage level of the output voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Mediatek Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: KianTiong Wong
  • Patent number: 8841892
    Abstract: An IC provides tracking between multiple regulated voltages. The IC includes, a voltage reference circuit, a voltage multiplier circuit, and first and second voltage regulator circuits. The voltage reference circuit generates a first reference voltage. The first voltage regulator circuit generates, at a first terminal of a first output transistor, a first regulated voltage that is based on the first reference voltage. The voltage multiplier circuit generates a second reference voltage from an equivalent of the first reference voltage. The second voltage regulator circuit generates, at a first terminal of a second output transistor, a second regulated voltage that is based on the second reference voltage. At least one terminal of the second output transistor is capacitively coupled to the first terminal of the first output transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Miten H. Nagda, Dale J. McQuirk
  • Patent number: 8836297
    Abstract: A switching device is disclosed in which electric current through a rectification circuit, depending on whether a main switching element turns on or off, and thus electric current from the rectification circuit flows through whichever of first and second sub-switching elements, turns on. By controlling the turning on and off of the first and second sub-switching elements, the switching is performed which determines through which of the first and second output circuits the electric current from the rectification circuit flows. Thus, a voltage that is a result of transforming a voltage from a DC power supply in response to the electric current flowing through the first output circuit, is output from a first output terminal, and a voltage that is a result of transforming a voltage from the DC power supply in response to the electric current flowing through the second output circuit, is output from a second output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Sako
  • Patent number: 8797771
    Abstract: An AC-DC step-up converter circuit architecture for generating multiple output voltages, both positive and negative, in an implantable biomedical device is disclosed. Switches and active rectifiers are used inside the converter for charging capacitors from the AC source and delivering currents to the loads. Regulated output voltages with high power efficiency are obtained by controlling the on/off times of the switches using feedback loops that include integrator circuits configured to provide control parameters related to the various output voltages and their associated predetermined reference voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research
    Inventor: Edward K. F. Lee
  • Patent number: 8791591
    Abstract: A zero-current switching multiple-output-regulator (“ZCS MOR”) converts power from an input source via a transformer to a main output and one or more auxiliary outputs. Each output is coupled to a respective winding of a transformer preferably by switches controlled as synchronous rectifiers. The synchronous rectifier for each auxiliary output preferably turns on at the start of current flow in its respective winding and off as its respective current returns to zero, independently of the other outputs. The synchronous rectifier for the main output may be held ON until the synchronous rectifiers for each of the auxiliary outputs stop conducting. In the event energy stored in the transformer is insufficient to supply one or more heavily loaded auxiliary outputs, the current in the winding for the main output is allowed to reverse thereby transferring energy from the main output capacitance to the heavily loaded auxiliary outputs. A feed back loop is preferably closed around the main output for regulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: VLT, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrizio Vinciarelli
  • Patent number: 8786211
    Abstract: A system includes a single-inductor-multiple-out (SIMO) converter having storage circuitry in communication with a plurality of output channels, and a controller that controls and measures current flow through the SIMO converter. A signal generator may output switching signals to store current in the storage circuitry and discharge the stored current into the plurality of output channels. The discharged current may be measured and compared to a desired current draw through the output channels over a sample period. A compensator may determine whether to change one or more timing parameters used to control the flow of current through the SIMO converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Gilliom
  • Patent number: 8773103
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a step-down unit to step down an input voltage, a switching unit to perform switching on a stepped-down voltage obtained through the stepping down by the step-down unit so as to externally output the voltage, an output variation detection unit to detect a corresponding variation of output from the switching unit, a delay unit to delay the input voltage by a prescribed time period, a delay variation detection unit to detect a corresponding variation of a delayed voltage output from the delay unit, an addition unit to add corresponding variations of the power supply voltage and the delayed voltage respectively detected by the output variation detection unit and the delay variation detection unit, and a control unit to perform feedback control on the basis of the corresponding variations of the power supply voltage and the delayed voltage added by the addition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yu Yonezawa, Yoshiyasu Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8773087
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power supply circuit (10) and methods for supplying electrical power to at least one load output. The circuit comprises a main power supply unit (12) with a voltage input (14), a main switching element (26) and a reactive element (28). The switching element (26) is controllable to deliver an output voltage or current (I out). Output units (20a, 20b, 20c) with load outputs are connected to a main power supply unit (12). In order to drive loads connected to the load outputs, e.g. LEDs, OLEDs or laser diodes, with exact pulses, each output unit (20a, 20b, 20c) has a load switching element (38) to connect or disconnect the main power supply unit (12) to or from the load output. There are further provided switched capacitor units (34), each with a capacitor (C) and a capacitor switching element (40). The capacitor units may be operated such that the capacitors remain essentially charged at different voltage levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Rob Otte, Henricus Marie Peeters, Vincent Gerardus Petrus Cornelis Van Den Broek, Carsten Deppe
  • Patent number: 8773088
    Abstract: A novel method to operate and control single inductor multiple output switching power converter is presented. The method includes the means for generating one or more synthetic ripple signals and operating the converter at constant switching frequency allowing high frequency operation, maintaining stability in all conditions with minimum cross regulation between the outputs independently on the levels of load present at the outputs. The method further includes means for setting the maximum frequency of multiplexing the energy stored in the inductor between the various outputs reaching the desired compromise between the value of the output capacitors, the switching frequency of the output power devices and the acceptable output voltage ripple. Two different topologies are proposed that can be used for single inductor multiple output buck power converters and for boost power converter allowing the extension to buck-boost configurations as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: ETA Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Menegoli, Fabio Alessio Marino
  • Patent number: 8749213
    Abstract: Methods and circuits for power supply arrangement and control are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a switching regulator controller can include: (i) a first feedback circuit for sensing an output of a switching regulator to compare against a regulation reference, and to generate a control signal suitable for matching the output of the switching regulator to the regulation reference during a steady state operation of the switching regulator; and (ii) a second feedback circuit for sensing a regulation difference between the output and the regulation reference, and to generate an adjustment signal in response to the regulation difference, where the adjustment signal adjusts the control signal under transient conditions to improve transient responses of said switching regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Silergy Technology, Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) Ltd
    Inventor: Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8742622
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for thermal protection in a power system may be provided. In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for thermal protection in a power system having a plurality of power modules selectively enabled and disabled in accordance with an efficiency policy may be provided. The method may include determining if an operating temperature for the power system is greater than a first threshold temperature. The method may also include enabling one or more power modules disabled in accordance with the efficiency policy in response to a determination that the operating temperature is greater than the first threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: George Richards, III
  • Patent number: 8736195
    Abstract: A system includes a single-inductor-multiple-out (SIMO) converter having storage circuitry in communication with a plurality of output channels, and a controller that controls and measures current flow through the SIMO converter. A signal generator may output switching signals to store current in the storage circuitry and discharge the stored current into the plurality of output channels. The discharged current may be measured and compared to a desired current draw through the output channels over a sample period. A compensator may determine whether to change one or more timing parameters used to control the flow of current through the SIMO converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Gilliom
  • Patent number: 8723492
    Abstract: A controlled headroom low dropout regulator (CHLDO) having an LDO with an input voltage provided by a capacitor. An incremental voltage is added to an output voltage of the LDO to create a reference voltage. The reference voltage is compared to the input voltage to determine when to couple/de-couple the capacitor with a current source. If the capacitor is coupled to the current source, the capacitor will charge only if the voltage driven by the current source exceeds the input voltage provided by the capacitor. When the input voltage developed on the capacitor exceeds the reference voltage, the capacitor is automatically de-coupled from the current source. Multiple CHLDOs can be charged from a single current source, wherein charging automatically proceeds from the lowest voltage CHLDO to the highest voltage CHLDO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth A. Korzeniowski
  • Patent number: 8692526
    Abstract: A power source capable of supplying power to operate electronics of a system is disclosed. In one example, the power source takes advantage of an electrical potential difference between primary and secondary grounds. The power source can reduce system cost and power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chee K. Fong, Suet F. Tin, Perry S. Stultz
  • Patent number: 8674669
    Abstract: Single inductor based switching regulators are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a switching regulator can include: (i) output switches coupled to a common inductor node and to a corresponding output supply node, where each output supply node has a voltage converted from an input voltage received at an input supply node; (ii) an inductor coupled to the common inductor node and to first and second input switches, where the first input switch is coupled to ground, and the second input switch is coupled to the input supply node, the first and second switches controlling charge through the inductor; and (iii) a control circuit receiving feedback signals indicating output voltages on the output supply nodes, the control circuit controlling the output switches for regulation of the output voltages in response to the feedback signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) Ltd
    Inventor: Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8633709
    Abstract: A system for testing a motherboard performance includes a control device, a voltage processing circuit, a voltage regulating circuit and a voltage feedback circuit. The control device stores a plurality of predetermined voltage values and outputs control signals according to the plurality of predetermined voltage values. The voltage processing circuit receives the control signal and outputs a plurality of PWM signals according to the control signal. The voltage regulating circuit receives the plurality of PWM signal and outputs a plurality of DC voltage to a plurality of voltage input terminals of the motherboard. The voltage feedback circuit collects voltage signals at the plurality of voltage input terminals of the motherboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ling-Yu Xie, Xing-Ping Xie
  • Patent number: 8629664
    Abstract: A multi-path constant current drive circuit includes a DC/AC converter, a main transformer and at least two rectifying and filtering units. The main transformer includes at least one assistant side winding with a tap; together with the assistant side winding of the main transformer, each of the at least two rectifying and filtering units respectively forms a power supply loop; each power supply loop includes a first rectifying loop and a second rectifying loop, which are relatively used for the rectification of the positive and the negative half-cycle alternating voltage; a current-equalizing transformer is arranged between the adjacent first power supply loop and second power supply loop, the windings of the current-equalizing transformer are respectively in the rectifying loops contained in the first power supply loop and the second power supply loop, thus realizing the current equalization between the different rectifying loops in which the adjacent rectifying and filtering units are contained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Inventronics (Hangzhou), Inc.
    Inventors: Liang'an Ge, Xiaoli Yao, Guichao Hua, Xinke Wu, Lijun Ren
  • Patent number: 8629663
    Abstract: A first control system for a power supply includes a switch-mode DC-DC converter module and an FET gate drive module. The switch-mode DC-DC converter module receives an input voltage and generates first and second voltages, the first voltage powering a DC-DC control module. The FET gate drive module selectively drives a plurality of FETs of the power supply using the second voltage thereby generating a desired output voltage from the input voltage. A second control system is directed to driving the second voltage to a desired gate voltage, wherein the desire gate voltage is determined based on at least one of a plurality of operating parameters. A third control system includes controlling first and second voltages generated by a SIDO voltage converter based on the first and second voltages and a damping factor, and generating the damping factor based on current flowing through the inductor of the SIDO voltage converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul W. Latham, II, Mansur B. Kiadeh, Sudha Durvasula
  • Patent number: 8624567
    Abstract: A controller for a DC/DC converter includes multiple signal generators and a control circuit. The signal generators generate multiple pulse signals, each signal generator generating a corresponding pulse signal of the pulse signals and controlling the corresponding pulse signal to have a predetermined pulse width by counting a same preset number of cycles of a same oscillating signal. The control circuit selectively activates the signal generators according to an output of the DC/DC converter to generate the pulse signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventor: Serban Mihai Popescu
  • Patent number: 8614569
    Abstract: The switched-mode power supply includes a switching cell having an inductive element with two connections and several individually selectable outputs, and in which the two connections of the inductive element are joined respectively to at least two of the individually selectable outputs. It is thus possible to generate and regulate at least two different voltages, one positive and one negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventors: Christophe Premont, David Chesneau, Christophe Bernard
  • Patent number: 8588682
    Abstract: A near field RF communicator has an inductive coupler (223) to enable inductive coupling with a magnetic field of an RF signal; a rectifier (213,214,215,216) to rectify an AC voltage derived from an RF signal inductively coupled to the inductive coupler (223); and a regulator (209,210,211,220,221,900) to regulate a voltage derived from an RF signal inductively coupled to the inductive coupler, the regulator having a voltage-controlled impedance (210, 211) and a regulator controller (209) to provide a control voltage for the voltage controlled impedance and to vary the control voltage in dependence upon a current flowing through the voltage controlled impedance (210, 211). To prevent the voltage regulator from drawing excess current and energy from an RF field in which the communicator is present the voltage regulator is controlled to provide a chosen impedance characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Innovision Limited
    Inventor: Robin Wilson
  • Publication number: 20130285565
    Abstract: A multi-channel constant current source particularly suitable for driving an array of light-emitting diodes as an illumination apparatus provides a power source stage voltage regulator for providing a variable voltage using pulse width modulation as an input to a plurality of constant current driver channels to regulate the constant current provided. Pulse width modulation thus allows both the power source stage and the constant current driver operating frequencies to be decoupled and individually optimized to maintain efficiency while emulating dimming effects of, for example, incandescent bulbs, over a full range of light output flux. Pulse width modulation can also be employed in the constant current channel drivers to avoid chromaticity shift during dimming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Weiyi Feng, Fred C. Lee
  • Patent number: 8572415
    Abstract: A storage system includes one or more first power supplies which receive power from the first input and supplies power to each of multiple load groups through multiple first paths and multiple second power supplies which receive power from the second input and supplies power to each of the multiple load groups through multiple second paths. Each load group is comprised of at least one load, and each load is a storage device. Power is supplied from different second power supplies respectively to two or more load groups to which power is supplied from the first power supply through two or more first paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yosuke Tsuyuki
  • Patent number: 8570005
    Abstract: A device for converting power from a floating source of DC power to a dual direct current (DC) output, the device includes: positive and negative input terminals connectible to the floating source of DC power; and positive and negative, and ground output terminals connectible to the dual DC output that may feed an inverter. The inverter may be either a two or three level inverter. A charge storage device may be connected in parallel to, and charged from, the positive and negative input terminals. A resonant circuit may be also connected between the charge storage device and the dual DC output. The resonant circuit may include an inductor connected in series with a capacitor. The charge storage device may discharge through the resonant circuit by switching through to either the negative output terminal or the positive output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Vadim Lubomirsky
  • Patent number: 8541992
    Abstract: A DC voltage converter, comprising: a multi-ratio capacitive converter; a linear voltage regulator in series with the multi-ratio capacitive converter; and a controller; the controller arranged to control the ratio of the multi-ratio capacitive converter dependent upon the voltage difference across the linear voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrik Johannes Bergveld, Franciscus Adrianus Cornelis Maria Schoofs
  • Patent number: 8536935
    Abstract: A system for uniform power regulation of an integrated circuit is disclosed. In each of a plurality of regions, the system includes a comparison circuit having a first input coupled to receive a reference voltage and a second input coupled to receive a feedback voltage. The comparison circuit provides a gating voltage to a driver circuit that is coupled to a first supply voltage. The driver circuit is configured to provide a regulated voltage responsive to the gating voltage. A feedback adjustment circuit is configured to trim the regulated voltage by a region-specific trim value and output the trimmed regulated voltage as the feedback voltage on the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. LeBoeuf, Eric E. Edwards
  • Patent number: 8531164
    Abstract: An operational transconductance amplifier used in conjunction with a multiple chip voltage feedback technique allows multiple strings of LEDs and current sinks to be efficiently powered by a simple feedback oriented voltage regulator within an appliance. A connected series of differential amplifiers or multiplexors are used to monitor the voltages between the connected LEDs and the current sinks, in order to progressively determine the lowest voltage. The operational transconductance amplifier compares this voltage to a reference voltage and injects or removes current from the feedback node of a voltage regulator, thereby altering the voltage present at the feedback node. This causes the voltage regulator to adjust its output, ensuring that the current sinks of the LED strings have adequate voltage with which to function, even as the LEDs have different forward voltages and the strings are asynchronously enabled and disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Kevin D'Angelo
  • Patent number: 8508073
    Abstract: Methods and mechanisms to simultaneously regulate two or more supply voltages provided to an integrated circuit by a voltage regulator. In an embodiment of the invention, a voltage regulation message exchanged between the integrated circuit and the voltage regulator includes an identifier indicating two or more supply voltages selected from a plurality of supply voltages provided to the integrated circuit by the voltage regulator, where the voltage regulation message relates to the indicated two or more supply voltages. In another embodiment, the voltage regulation message indicates a desired supply voltage level to which the indicated two or more supply voltages are to transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hung-Piao Ma, Alon Naveh, Gil Schwarzband, Annabelle Pratt, Jorge Pedro Rodriguez, Joseph T. Dibene, II, Sean M. Welch, Kosta Luria, Edward R. Stanford
  • Patent number: 8503145
    Abstract: A fault protected current source is provided that can be used to safely drive LEDs in reliability test systems. The current source is includes circuits and processes that detect the common faults found in LED reliability test systems. After a fault is detected, the current source shuts down drive before destructive spikes are produced. Because only true LED failures are counted, this fault protected current source can be used to construct reliability test systems that produce more accurate reliability test data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Vektrek Electronic Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffery Neil Hulett
  • Patent number: 8493040
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a regulator circuit is provided. The regulator circuit includes a control circuit configured and arranged to adjust an oscillation frequency of a variable frequency oscillator in response to a feedback signal indicating the regulated output voltage. A charge pump is coupled to an output of the variable frequency oscillator and is configured to charge one or more energy storage elements in response to the output of the variable frequency oscillator. The regulator circuit includes a plurality of output stages, each having an input driven by the output of the charge pump and being configured to drive the regulated output voltage. Each output stage is selectably enabled or disabled in response to respective enable signal provided to the output regulator by an enable control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Andre Gunther, Kevin Mahooti
  • Publication number: 20130162228
    Abstract: A novel method to operate and control single inductor multiple output switching power converter is presented. The method includes the means for generating one or more synthetic ripple signals and operating the converter at constant switching frequency allowing high frequency operation, maintaining stability in all conditions with minimum cross regulation between the outputs independently on the levels of load present at the outputs. The method further includes means for setting the maximum frequency of multiplexing the energy stored in the inductor between the various outputs reaching the desired compromise between the value of the output capacitors, the switching frequency of the output power devices and the acceptable output voltage ripple. Two different topologies are proposed that can be used for single inductor multiple output buck power converters and for boost power converter allowing the extension to buck-boost configurations as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Paolo Menegoli, Fabio Alessio Marino
  • Patent number: 8471537
    Abstract: A high-voltage regulator includes a charge pump for generating a high voltage, a voltage regulator for generating a regulated voltage, and an oscillator having an oscillation frequency. The voltage regulator includes an operational amplifier having the high voltage as power supply, a first input, a second input coupled to a voltage reference, and an output. The voltage regulator further includes a first transistor having gate coupled to the output of the operational amplifier, a first terminal coupled to the high voltage and a second terminal coupled to a first voltage divider. The first voltage divider generates a first divided voltage that is coupled to the first input of the operational amplifier. The voltage regulator also includes a second voltage divider for providing a second divided voltage, wherein the second divided voltage controls the oscillator frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventor: Young Dong Joo
  • Publication number: 20130154588
    Abstract: A system includes a single-inductor-multiple-out (SIMO) converter that includes a plurality of output channels, each channel comprising a load, and integrating circuitry in communication with the output channels. The integrated circuitry may be configured to output a signal indicative of a time-accumulated average amount of current drawn through the loads over a sample period. The signal may be used to compare the average current drawn through the output channel with a desired current draw, and to determine whether to change one or more timing parameters used to control the current flow through the SIMO converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Gilliom
  • Publication number: 20130154587
    Abstract: A system includes a single-inductor-multiple-out (SIMO) converter that includes storage circuitry in communication with a plurality of output channels, and a controller that is configured to output one or more signals to alternatingly conduct current through the output channels over a plurality of switching cycles. The controller may determine fixed ratios of channel conduction periods between the plurality of output channels and set channel conduction periods for each switching cycle based on the fixed ratios. In addition or alternatively, the controller may determine an arrangement of orders in which to conduct current over the switching cycles. The arrangement may include an order for a current switching cycle that is a reverse order of an order for a previously switching cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Gilliom