Including Plural Final Control Devices Patents (Class 323/268)
  • Patent number: 9318241
    Abstract: A high speed data cable carries high-speed and auxiliary signals, and includes a raw cable. The raw cable includes coaxial lines which are covered by an outer conductive shield. High-speed signals are carried on the inner conductors of a pair of coaxial lines. Lower speed signals are carried on the galvanically or capacitively coupled shields of a pair of coaxial lines, and/or the outer conductive shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Inventors: John Martin Horan, Gerald Donal Murphy, David William McGowan, John Anthony Keane
  • Patent number: 9294002
    Abstract: A power supply circuit has: an input terminal; an output terminal; and a digital power supply circuit and an analog power supply circuit connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal. Further desirably, the analog power supply circuit is a circuit that the minimum resistance value of an output equivalent resistance between an input terminal and an output terminal of the analog power supply circuit is an output equivalent resistance equal to or lower than the minimum ON resistance among those of switch circuits configuring the switch array unit of the digital power supply circuit and having a plurality of ON resistances, or a circuit that the minimum resistance value is an output equivalent resistance equal to or lower than the minimum resistance value among those of switch circuits configuring the switch array unit of the digital power supply circuit and having series-connected resistances having resistance values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Okuma
  • Patent number: 9292031
    Abstract: A household energy management system for managing multiple appliances is provided. In an embodiment the system comprises a controller for managing power consumption of multiple appliances within a household; a utility meter for measuring an amount of energy usage to a household, the utility meter communicating to the controller a demand limit; and a user interface through which a user can enter a parameter of energy usage. The controller establishes a demand limit. A communication network connects the controller to the utility meter and/or to a demand server. The controller controls or operates the multiple appliances based cm communications from at least one of the utility meter, the user interface, and a demand server, such that the energy usage does not exceed the established demand limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Beyerle, Jay Andrew Broniak, Joseph Mark Brian, David C Bingham
  • Patent number: 9256238
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for fast, efficient, low noise power supply have been disclosed. In one implementation a switching power supply and a linear regulator provide efficiency and rapid response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Inventor: Sridhar Kotikalapoodi
  • Patent number: 9235228
    Abstract: An electronic circuit for converting power from a floating source of DC power to a dual direct current (DC) output is disclosed. The electronic circuit may include a positive input terminal and a negative input terminal connectible to the floating source of DC power. The dual DC output may connectible to the input of an inverter. A positive output terminal connected to the positive input terminal of the inverter and a negative output terminal and a ground terminal which may be connected to the input of the inverter. A series connection of a first power switch and a second power switch connected across the positive input terminal and the negative input terminal. A negative return path may include a first diode and a second diode connected between the negative input terminal and the negative output terminal. A resonant circuit may connect between the series connection and the negative return path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Gazit, Vadim Lubomirsky
  • Patent number: 9190915
    Abstract: A DC/DC conversion circuit is configured with a first power converter and a second power converter that are connected through an insulation transformer, and performs power transition bidirectionally between two DC-voltage sources. In the case of charging the DC-voltage source in the side where the second power converter is placed, a control is made using a first rectifier-control mode in which the first power converter is placed under an output variable control according to an inverter operation and the second power converter is operated according to a rectifier operation. Then, when a charging current becomes an upper limit value or more, a control is made by switching the mode to a first inverter-control mode in which the first power converter is placed under an output fixed control according to the inverter operation and the second power converter is placed under an output variable control according to the inverter operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Sadayuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 9184744
    Abstract: A gate signal is generated by summation of multiple signal profiles. The gate signal is applied to a switching device to switch the switching device between an off state and an on state. While the gate signal is applied to the switching device, at least an n-th order derivative of a load signal of the switching device is detected, with n being an integer which is equal to or larger than 2. Depending on the detected n-th order derivative, one or more of the signal profiles are adapted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Kreuter, Mathias Blank, Tobias Glueck, Andreas Kugi
  • Patent number: 9170590
    Abstract: An adaptive low dropout (LDO) regulator includes a load-based bias controller that generates a bias control signal based on the output load current, and has a differential amplifier with a bias adjustment that receives the bias control signal and responds by adjusting a bias of a transistor within the adaptive LOD regulator. Optionally, the bias control signal is generated according to a hysteresis rule. Optionally, the adaptive LOD regulator includes an adaptive load-based compensation network having a zero, the zero having a location based, at least in part, one more of an adjustable resistance or capacitance value controlled by the load-based bias controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Burt L. Price, Dhaval R. Shah, Yeshwant Nagaraj Kolla
  • Patent number: 9166028
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit arrangement, including a transistor component with a gate terminal, a control terminal, and a load path between a source and a drain terminal, and a drive circuit connected to the control terminal and configured to determine a load condition of the transistor component, to provide a drive potential to the control terminal, and to adjust the drive potential dependent on the load condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Martin Feldtkeller, Gerald Deboy
  • Patent number: 9161122
    Abstract: A differential interpolation pulse width modulation (iPWM) digital to analog converter is provided, including an iPWM module for generating differential pulses from an input digital audio data stream, a power driver for providing energy to a terminal load and a filter for removing unwanted harmonic signals to reconstruct an analog signal, wherein the iPWM module further includes a PWM pulse generator to convert the digital input numerical code to a series of time domain pulses; an interpolation unit to increase the time domain resolution of the pulses; a self-calibration unit to maintain the pulse-width accuracy of the interpolation unit; a differential pulse width generator to convert the series of time domain pulses into voltage and time domain differential form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: TRITAN TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Ching-Hung Tseng, Shen-Yu Peng
  • Patent number: 9136731
    Abstract: A control system or module and a method are disclosed to maximize the current flow from a solar panel into the battery connected during the solar panel's operation by first tracking an output of the solar panel in determining a maximum power point of the output at a specific instance, identifying a range about the maximum power point, and adjusting a current level of the output by (i) increasing the current level of the output when a voltage level of the output indicates that the voltage level is above a maximum charge voltage of a battery, and (ii) decreasing the current level of the output when the voltage level of the output indicates that the voltage level is below a minimum charge voltage of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: NavSemi Energy Private Ltd.
    Inventor: Babu Jain
  • Patent number: 9086716
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an apparatus for obtaining information enabling the determination of a characteristic like the maximum power point of a power source, characterized in that the apparatus for obtaining information enabling the determination of the characteristic of the power source comprises means for monitoring the voltage on an inductor linked to the power source in order to obtain information enabling the determination of the characteristic of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gustavo Buiatti
  • Patent number: 9072139
    Abstract: A current driver for a string of LEDs includes a first series connection of a first transistor and a first resistance and a second series connection of a second transistor and a second resistance. The first and second series connections are coupled in parallel between the string of LEDs and a voltage reference. An operational amplifier selectively drives the first and second transistors in response to a clock signal. A switch device driven by the clock signal alternately applies a reference voltage and a respective one of the voltages across the first and second resistances to inverting and non-inverting inputs of the operational amplifier in response to the clock signal. A storage circuit is coupled to the output of the operational amplifier to store the drive signals for the first and second transistors for application to the first and second transistors in the absence of output from the operational amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Martini, Salvatore Pantano
  • Patent number: 9059631
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for recognizing an electric over-stress of a hybrid supply modulator including a linear regulator and an Switching Mode Power Supplier (SMPS), and protecting a network from the electric over-stress are provided. The hybrid supply modulator includes at least one sensing unit and at least one actuator unit. The at least one sensing unit senses at least one of a current and a voltage at one or more points defined in advance within a supply modulator network. The at least one actuator unit performs a protection action corresponding to at least one electric over-stress situation represented by the sensing result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bok-Ju Park, Hee-Sang Noh, Hyung-Sun Lim
  • Patent number: 9048729
    Abstract: A step-up/down DC-DC converter and switching control circuit are described. According to one implementation, a switching control circuit generates on/off signals of a first switching device supplying a current to a voltage conversion inductor of a step-up/down DC-DC converter and a second switching device receiving a current from the inductor. The switching control circuit includes an error amplifier circuit, an inverter amplifier circuit, a waveform generator circuit, a first voltage comparator circuit, a second voltage comparator circuit, and a voltage generator circuit. An inverting reference voltage supplied to the inverting amplifier circuit is set to an electric potential so as not to fall below a highest electric potential of triangle waves supplied to the first and second voltage comparator circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keizo Kumagai, Takashi Hiroshima
  • Patent number: 9046904
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to control a pulse frequency modulation in a single-inductor dual-output power circuit. The apparatus fixes a pulse width of one of a maximum on-time pulse signal (which is used to define a maximum on-time during which a current flowing through the inductor is generated) and a minimum off-time pulse signal (which is used to define a minimum off-time during which either the boost voltage converter or the buck-boost voltage converter produces a positive voltage or a negative voltage). The apparatus adjusts a pulse width of the other pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Dongbu Hitek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jongcheol Kim, Seung nam Park
  • Patent number: 9041364
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to radio frequency (RF) power converters and methods of operating the same. In one embodiment, an RF power converter includes an RF switching converter, a low-drop out (LDO) regulation circuit, and an RF filter. The RF filter is coupled to receive a pulsed output voltage from the RF switching converter and a supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit. The RF filter is operable to alternate between a first RF filter topology and a second RF filter topology. In the first RF filter topology, the RF filter is configured to convert the pulsed output voltage from a switching circuit into the supply voltage. The RF filter in the second RF filter topology is configured to filter the supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit to reduce a ripple variation in a supply voltage level of the supply voltage. As such, the RF filter provides greater versatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Nadim Khlat
  • Patent number: 9041365
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to radio frequency (RF) power converters and methods of operating the same. In one embodiment, an RF power converter includes an RF switching converter, a low-drop out (LDO) regulation circuit, and an RF filter. The RF filter is coupled to receive a pulsed output voltage from the RF switching converter and a supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit. The RF filter is operable to alternate between a first RF filter topology and a second RF filter topology. In the first RF filter topology, the RF filter is configured to convert the pulsed output voltage from a switching circuit into the supply voltage. The RF filter in the second RF filter topology is configured to filter the supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit to reduce a ripple variation in a supply voltage level of the supply voltage. As such, the RF filter provides greater versatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Kay, Nadim Khlat
  • Patent number: 9030176
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of output transistors each controlling the magnitude of an output voltage relative to the magnitude of a load current according to a control value indicated by an impedance control signal applied to a control terminal, a voltage monitor circuit outputting an output voltage monitor value indicating a voltage value of the output voltage, and a control circuit controlling the magnitude of the control value according to the magnitude of an error value between a reference voltage indicating a target value of the output voltage and the output voltage monitor value, and controls based on the control value whether any of such transistors be brought to a conducting state. The control circuit increases a change step of the control value relative to the error value during a predetermined period according to prenotification signals for notifying a change of the load current in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Onouchi, Kazuo Otsuga, Yasuto Igarashi, Sadayuki Morita, Koichiro Ishibashi, Kazumasa Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 9018924
    Abstract: Aspects are directed to low dropout regulation. In accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a charge pump that generates an output using a reference voltage, a low dropout (LDO) regulator circuit, current-limit and a voltage-limit circuit. The LDO circuit includes an amplifier powered by the charge pump and that provides an LDO voltage output. The voltage-limit circuit includes a transistor coupled between a voltage supply line and the LDO regulator circuit and a gate driven by the charge pump. The voltage-limit circuit limits voltage coupled between the voltage supply line and the LDO regulator circuit based upon the output of the charge pump, such as by coupling the voltage at the voltage supply line via source/drain connection of the transistor under low-voltage conditions, and providing a limited voltage to the LDO regulator circuit under high voltage conditions on the voltage supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Madan Mohan Reddy Vemula
  • Publication number: 20150108953
    Abstract: Provided is a voltage regulator including a leakage current sink circuit capable of suppressing an influence of a leakage current of an output transistor at high temperature, and reducing power consumption of the voltage regulator at normal temperature. The voltage regulator includes: a reference voltage circuit configured to output a reference voltage; an output transistor configured to output an output voltage; a voltage divider circuit configured to divide the output voltage to output a feedback voltage; an error amplifier circuit configured to amplify a difference between the reference voltage and the feedback voltage, and output the amplified difference to control a gate of the output transistor; and a leakage current sink circuit connected to an output terminal and configured to be prevented from operating at normal temperature, and suppress an influence of a leakage current from the output transistor only at high temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Yuji KOBAYASHI, Teruo SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9008251
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an adaptive phase-shifted synchronization clock generation circuit and a method for generating phase-shifted synchronization clock. The adaptive phase-shifted synchronization clock generation circuit includes: a current source generating a current which flows through a node to generate a node voltage on the node; a reverse-proportional voltage generator coupled to the node for generating a voltage which is reverse-proportional to the node voltage; a ramp generator receiving a synchronization input signal and generating a ramp signal; a comparator comparing the reverse-proportional voltage to the ramp signal; and a pulse generator for generating a clock signal according to an output from the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Isaac Chen, An-Tung Chen
  • Patent number: 9001098
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a control unit comprising a detecting and converting unit that is operable to generate a detected current based on a difference between a set voltage and a voltage representative of a current flow through an energy storage member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung-Ho Seo, Hee-Seok Han
  • Patent number: 9000741
    Abstract: A multi-phase DC-DC converter and a controlling method thereof are provided. The multi-phase DC-DC converter includes a plurality of output units, a sensing unit, and a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller. Each of the output units is coupled to one corresponding output inductance of a plurality of output inductances, and each of the output units and the corresponding output inductance have a phase node therebetween. The sensing unit is coupled to the phase nodes to acquire output currents of all phases and provide a plurality of difference voltages that respectively represent current differences of the phases, wherein a value of each of the difference voltages is not zero. The PWM controller adjusts a duty cycle of a PWM signal of the corresponding output unit according to each difference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: uPI Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Hua-Chiang Huang
  • Publication number: 20150077071
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for low voltage conversion and energy storage uses a charge pump array including a first set of capacitors in parallel with a second set of capacitors and switches for selectively coupling the first and second set of capacitors to a variable input DC voltage. A data processor programmably controls one or more of the switches to couple the first and second set of capacitors to the variable input DC voltage for a variable first time period during which the input DC voltage charges the first and second set of capacitors to a DC voltage level. An energy storage device is switchably coupled to an output of the charge pump array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Jerry W. FLEMING
  • Publication number: 20150069136
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of radio frequency, and provides a band-gap reference self-starting circuit and a passive radio frequency identification tag. The self-starting circuit comprises: a first switch device unit, configured to generate a first leakage current in an off state; a second switch device unit, configured to generate a second leakage current lower than the first leakage current in the off state, and generate a control voltage according to the first leakage current and the second leakage current; a control unit, configured to generate a starting control signal according to the control voltage; and a band-gap reference generating unit, configured to generate a reference voltage according to the starting control signal, and control the second switch device unit to enter dormancy using the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Patrick Bian Wu, Xingyi Wang, Fuqiang Han, Shehu Qi, Yuanming Luo
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20150054476
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a detection node and a feedback node adapted to communicate with a reference circuit. A clamping, transistor comprises current conducting terminals and a gate coupled to the detection node. An amplifier transistor comprises current conducting terminals in series with the current conducting terminals of the clamping transistor and a gate coupled to the detection node. The amplifier transistor is configured to cause a second voltage to be provided to the feedback node in response to the clamping transistor receiving a first voltage from the detection node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yih-Shan YANG
  • Patent number: 8952666
    Abstract: An energy adjustor coupled between a fuel cell group and a secondary battery group is disclosed. A load is coupled to the secondary battery group in parallel. The energy adjustor includes a boost regulation module, a drop regulation module, a detecting module and a control module. The boost regulation module boosts an output voltage of the fuel cell group to generate a first adjustment voltage according to a first control signal. The drop regulation module drops the first adjustment voltage to generate a second adjustment voltage to the load according to a second control signal. The detecting module detects at least one of the fuel cell group, the boost regulation module, the drop regulation module and the load to generate a detection result. The control module generates the first and the second control signals according to the detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignees: Chung-Hsin Electric & Machinery Mfg. Corp., Wuhan Haixinneng Electric Limited Company
    Inventors: Shuhai Quan, Liang Huang, Ruiming Zhang, Rui Quan, Jin Quan, Ying Xiong, Qihong Chen, Changjun Xie, Cheng Zeng, Bo Chen
  • Publication number: 20150028828
    Abstract: A voltage conversion circuit is disclosed. The voltage conversion circuit includes an inductor, a first switch transistor, a second switch transistor, a first resistor, a second resistor and a P type transistor. When an input voltage is larger than an output voltage and a switch signal is transited to low voltage level, a control signal is a clamping voltage and the P type transistor enters into a saturation region, so that a drain voltage of the first switch transistor is a sum of the clamping voltage and a source-gate voltage of the P type transistor. When an output voltage is larger than an input voltage and a switch signal is changed to low voltage level, the control signal is the switch signal and the P type transistor enters into a linear region, so that a drain voltage of the first switch transistor is sum of the output voltage and voltage-drop of the P type transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chih-Ning CHEN
  • Patent number: 8933685
    Abstract: A protection system and method for protecting a direct current to direct current voltage converter (DC-DC converter) from a potentially damaging excessive output current due to exposure to a relatively strong magnetic field is disclosed. The system includes a detector circuit configured to monitor a signal characteristic of the DC-DC converter, and a linear regulator having an output coupled to the load output of the DC-DC converter. The system further includes a control system configured to disable a load output of the DC-DC converter and enable the output of the linear regulator when the detector detects that the signal characteristic has moved outside a predetermined threshold range. Moreover, the control system is further configured to disable the output of the linear regulator after a predetermined time period, and enable the load output of the DC-DC converter after the predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Ahsanul Adeeb, John Endredy, Christopher Truong Ngo, Ashraf Rozek
  • Patent number: 8912770
    Abstract: A power conversion circuit of two feedback loops is disclosed that includes a feedback control circuit for ramping up or down a commanded voltage to a load (e.g., LEDs). The second feedback loop feeds into the first feedback loop, and the second feedback loop operates at a slower bandwidth than the first feedback loop. When ramping up or down the commanded voltage, a voltage overshoot results because of delay in the system. The overshoot can be compensated for by a final adjustment to the commanded voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Cai, Jeff Kotowski, Kien Vi
  • Publication number: 20140340058
    Abstract: Power-supply ripple rejection (PSRR) at high frequencies is improved for an LDO voltage regulator with an NMOS pass transistor (MN1). A ripple voltage (Vripple) present on the input voltage causes a ripple current (Iripple) through parasitic gate-drain capacitance of the pass transistor. A small ripple current (Ifraction) proportional to the ripple current (Iripple) is generated and amplified to generate a cancellation current (Icancel). The cancellation current is drawn from the gate of NMOS pass transistor (MN1) to cancel the ripple current so that no net ripple current flows through the finite output impedance of an error amplifier (2), to thereby achieve the PSRR improvement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jianbao Wang
  • Patent number: 8890495
    Abstract: A power supply that provides a supply voltage to an integrated circuit (IC) includes high and low power regulators and a power management circuit. The high power regulator regulates the supply voltage at a first voltage level and the low power regulator is set to an inactive mode when the IC is in a RUN mode. When the IC transitions from the RUN mode to a STOP mode, the high power regulator stops regulating and the supply voltage is maintained at a second voltage level, while the lower power regulator is set to an active mode for regulating the supply voltage at a third voltage level. A fallback signal is generated when the supply voltage drops below a first threshold value after which the low power regulator is set in the inactive mode and the high power regulator is configured to regulate the supply voltage at a fourth voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Samaksh Sinha, Garima Sharda, Nishant Singh Thakur
  • Publication number: 20140327418
    Abstract: A current mirror (e.g., an N or P channel MOSFET current mirror) is present in a load current delivery path. The current delivery path typically includes a network connection, e.g., for power over Ethernet applications. The current mirror provides a reference output, and the load current flows through a primary transistor in the current mirror from a load current input to a load current output of the primary transistor. A mirror transistor generates a sense current on the reference output that is a fractional amount of the load current. A power controller monitors the reference output and controls the current mirror to allow or prevent the load current flowing through the network connection. For example, the power controller may disable the primary transistor and the delivery of load current, when the load is demanding too much load current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Jian Yu
  • Patent number: 8866334
    Abstract: The placement of fully available prime movers having a DC output at a location inside or adjacent to an inverter-based intermittently available renewable energy site is disclosed. The fully available prime movers add reliability to an unreliable energy asset that is reaching its maximum penetration within the grid due to its unpredictability and the requirement for additional spinning reserves in other parts of the grid. The present invention can provide a portion or all of the power to an intermittently available renewable power generating facility so that the power output to the power grid is dispatchable power. In particular, a method and means are disclosed to utilize high-efficiency engines operated on various fuels some of which may be non-fossil fuels to maintain a constant power output from an otherwise intermittent power generating facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: ICR Turbine Engine Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Wegner Donnelly, David William Dewis
  • Patent number: 8866512
    Abstract: A control circuit of a power converter according to the present invention comprises a switching circuit, a sample-and-hold circuit and a current source. The switching circuit generates a switching signal in response to a feedback signal. The sample-and-hold circuit samples the feedback signal. The current source is coupled to a feedback terminal for generating a programming voltage. A programmable signal is generated in accordance with the programming voltage and the feedback signal, and the programmable signal is coupled to set a parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventors: Ta-yung Yang, Yen-Ting Chen, Tien-Chi Lin, Kai-Fang Wei
  • Patent number: 8867947
    Abstract: A power supply control device includes a switching regulator, a linear regulator, a switching unit, a consumed current detection unit, a current determination unit, and a power determination unit. The consumed current detection unit detects a consumed current of the regulator serving as a power supply to the load. The current determination unit determines whether or not the consumed current is greater than or equal to a predetermined current. The power determination unit determines whether or not a consumed power of the regulator is greater than or equal to a predetermined power. The switching unit connects the linear regulator to the load when the consumed current is lower than the predetermined current and the consumed power is lower than the predetermined power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Mariko Yamazawa
  • Publication number: 20140266089
    Abstract: A controlled start-up circuit mechanism in a linear voltage regulator can handle a higher supply voltage at start-up and limits the voltage seen at the devices to be lower than the maximum allowed operation voltage. The circuit may regulate voltage for operating a device coupled to a host when the host supply exceeds that necessary for device operation. The controlled start-up mechanism handles a sudden ramp up or spike of supply voltage relative to the device's operational voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Deepak Pancholi, Bhavin Odedara, Rohit Reddy
  • Patent number: 8836298
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a multi-phase switching regulator and a control method thereof. The multi-phase switching regulator includes plural power stage circuits, wherein at least one power stage circuit is enabled or disabled according to a phase adding/shedding signal; at least one zero current detection circuit, which is coupled to one of the power stage circuit, for generating a trigger signal according to an inductor current in a corresponding one of the power stage circuits, a zero current reference signal, and an average reference signal; and a phase control circuit controlling the phase adding/shedding operation according to the trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Tung-Sheng Chen, Hung-Shou Nien, Yu-Wei Chang, Chung-Sheng Cheng
  • Publication number: 20140253058
    Abstract: A controller for use with a power converter including a switch configured to conduct to provide a regulated output characteristic at an output of the power converter, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the controller includes a linear control circuit, coupled to the output, configured to provide a first control signal for the switch as a function of the output characteristic. The controller also includes a nonlinear control circuit, coupled to the output, configured to provide a second control signal for the switch as a function of the output characteristic. The controller is configured to select one of the first and second control signals for the switch in response to a change in an operating condition of the power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: ENPIRION, INC.
    Inventors: Pedro Alou Cervera, Jose Antonio Cobos Marquez, Ashraf W. Lotfi, Andres Soto del Pecho
  • Publication number: 20140253057
    Abstract: A right-half plane (RHP) zero (RHZ) compensation scheme to improve the stability of the operational amplifier. A resistance RZ is implemented by a transistor. This transistor tracks process variations of the transistor drive by the op-amp to achieve better stability without requiring a bandwidth reduction. As a current source is not available to bias this transistor, a local bias circuit is used to provide this.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Shankar Guhados, Feng Pan
  • Patent number: 8830405
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter 10 has a high-side transistor QH as a switching element and a low-side transistor QL as a synchronous rectifier element. A first primary electrode D and secondary primary electrode S of the high-side transistor QH are connected to an input voltage VIN and an external terminal T1, respectively. A detection transistor QD is provided in a row with the high-side transistor QH, and the ON voltage of the high-side transistor QH when ON is output as detection voltage VQD from the detection transistor QD. The output detection voltage VQD is added to a feedback voltage VFB1 by an adder CB, and inputted to a comparator CMP1. The ON period of a one-shot pulse PS1 outputted from the comparator CMP1 is regulated so as to be in direct proportion to the sum of the detection voltage VQD and the feedback voltage VFB1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 8829867
    Abstract: This invention relates to a device (13) for the distribution of firing pulses, a circuit arrangement (10) for sequence control of power regulators (20) with this device (13) for the distribution of firing pulses and a process for the sequence control of power regulators (20) for operation with this circuit arrangement (10). A circuit arrangement of the above type and components for such a circuit arrangement and a process for operation of the circuit arrangement is provided, enabling better usage of the components, in particular of the device (12) for the generation of firing pulses. This is made possible through the invented device (13) for the distribution of firing pulses or an invented circuit arrangement (10) with this device (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: AEG Power Solutions B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Wallmeier, Wolfgang Paul
  • Patent number: 8823342
    Abstract: A multi-output dual polarity inductive boost converter includes an inductor, a first output node, a second output node, and a switching network, the switching network configured to provide the following modes of circuit operation: a first mode where the positive electrode of the inductor is connected to an input voltage and the negative electrode of the inductor is connected to ground; 2) a second mode the negative electrode of the inductor is connected to ground and the positive electrode of the inductor is connected in sequence to one or more of the fourth and fifth output nodes; and 3) a third mode where the positive electrode of the inductor is connected to the input voltage and the negative electrode of the inductor is connected in sequence to one or more of the first, second and third output nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard Williams
  • 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: 8751053
    Abstract: A method and system to provide a distributed local energy production system with high-voltage DC bus is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises a management unit to be interconnected via a network bus to a set of link modules, each link module coupled to a separate local energy production unit, each link module to include a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) step-up converter and a parameter monitoring unit to produce parameter data for the respective local energy production unit, and the local energy production units to be coupled to a high voltage power line to deliver produced electrical energy to a consumer of the energy; and the management unit to receive measured parameters from the link modules, and to send control signals to link modules to provide individual operational control of the local energy production units, the management unit to be coupled to one or more separate computers to provide the computers with access to the parameter data and control of the local energy production units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Tigo Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Hadar, Stuart D. Davis
  • Patent number: 8742737
    Abstract: A controlling circuit is provided for controlling an output voltage of a main circuit of a switched-mode power supply. The controlling circuit includes components that generate a switching status selecting signal reflecting a voltage change of the main circuit, and output a reference voltage according to a voltage output status selected according to the switching status selecting signal. Other components output a pulse width modulation controlling signal according to the reference voltage and a current signal reflecting a current change of the main circuit, and output a pulse frequency modulation controlling signal with a frequency according to a frequency output status selected according to the switching status selecting signal. Yet other components output a switching controlling signal according to the controlling signals, and control a switch of the main circuit to switch-on or switch off according to the switching controlling signal to stabilize the output voltage of the main circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: BYD Company Limited
    Inventors: Xiaohua Yang, Wenhui Ye
  • Patent number: 8736241
    Abstract: A controller for use with a power converter including a switch configured to conduct to provide a regulated output characteristic at an output of the power converter, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the controller includes a linear control circuit, coupled to the output, configured to provide a first control signal for the switch as a function of the output characteristic. The controller also includes a nonlinear control circuit, coupled to the output, configured to provide a second control signal for the switch as a function of the output characteristic. The controller is configured to select one of the first and second control signals for the switch in response to a change in an operating condition of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Enpirion, Inc.
    Inventors: Pedro Alou Cervera, Jose Antonio Cobos Marquez, Ashraf W. Lotfi, Andres Soto del Pecho
  • Patent number: 8686801
    Abstract: In an embodiment of a converter, a first oscillator provides switching signals for switching between charging and discharging of a capacitor, and a second oscillator is configured to add an offset voltage or a feedback-current-dependent voltage to a sawtooth waveform generated by the second oscillator switched in synchronism with the first oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Inventors: Ralf Beier, Gerhard Osterloh, Michael Gattung