Input Level Responsive Patents (Class 323/299)
  • Patent number: 8947066
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a control apparatus communicable with a power measuring apparatus includes a communication unit, a threshold storage, and a controller. The communication unit acquires a usable power value from the power measuring apparatus. The threshold storage stores a threshold value. The controller changes a working state thereof in accordance with a comparison result of the usable power value and the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiki Terashima, Tsubasa Yumura, Kotaro Ise
  • Publication number: 20150028838
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus and a method of controlling power thereto are disclosed. The electronic apparatus including: a signal receiver configured to receive an input signal; a power supply configured to supply power to elements of the electronic apparatus; a controller configured to controls power supplied to the power supply; and a driving circuit configured to output an ON signal to the power supply in order to supply power to the elements of the electronic apparatus in response to the signal receiver receiving a preset frequency signal while the controller is turned off. Thus, the electronic apparatus is automatically turned on and off by an input signal of a predetermined frequency without a user's manipulation of an additional power switch, and thus, a user's convenience may be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ho-woong KANG
  • Patent number: 8937827
    Abstract: The plant comprises: a DC-voltage electric power source (3), whose operating conditions vary as a function of at least one uncontrollable quantity, for each value of the uncontrollable quantity the source presenting a characteristic curve of the supplied power as a function of a controlled quantity, wherein each characteristic curve presents a maximum for an optimal value of said controlled quantity; a power conditioning circuit (5); a regulation loop (9) to adjust the controlled quantity maximizing the power supplied by the source when said uncontrollable quantity varies. The regulation loop is de-signed in such a way as to determine whether, for the actual value of said uncontrollable quantity, the actual value of the controlled quantity (V.in) is greater or lower than the optimal value and to generate a regulation signal (V.in-REF) to modify the actual value of the controlled quantity towards the optimal value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Power-One Italy S.p.A.
    Inventors: Sauro Macerini, David Martini, Silvio Scaletti
  • Patent number: 8937471
    Abstract: A discharging circuit includes a filter unit connected between the input lines of a commercial AC power supply, a switch whose operations are controlled by the filter unit; and a discharging unit which discharges voltage of the capacitance element when the switch unit is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junya Kobayashi, Minoru Hayasaki
  • Patent number: 8928304
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solar cell system including: a solar cell; a load controller connected to the solar cell, the load controller being capable of controlling a load applied to the solar cell; an output measuring unit for measuring a power generation output of the solar cell; and an output predicting unit for predicting a value to be reached by the output on a basis of transient response of the output measured by the output measuring unit, wherein the solar cell system has a function of controlling the load controller so as to maximize the value to be reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Jusuke Shimura
  • Patent number: 8929110
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and techniques for pulse width modulation (PWM) are described. A described system includes a circuit that contains an inductor and a transistor that controls current through the inductor based on a PWM signal to produce an output; and a controller to provide the PWM signal, which includes PWM cycles that include on-durations and off-durations. The controller can receive a first signal indicating an input voltage that is applied to the inductor, receive a second signal indicating a current through the inductor, use an on-duration parameter value to control the on-duration, determine a maximum off-duration of the off-durations corresponding to the PWM cycles occurring within a first voltage cycle, the first voltage cycle being defined between two consecutive zero-crossing events as indicated by the first signal, and adjust the on-duration parameter value for a second, subsequent voltage cycle based on the maximum off-duration to regulate the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Karl Jean-Paul Courtel
  • Publication number: 20150002052
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an input impedance control circuit. In one embodiment, the automatic input impedance control circuit includes a circuit controller that comprises a module for calculating an impedance and a control logic module, wherein the control logic module provides a current enable signal and a current control output signal, a driver in communication with the circuit controller for receiving the current enable signal and the current control output signal, an input voltage sensing circuit in communication with the module for calculating the impedance and the control logic module and an input current sensing circuit in communication with the module for calculating the impedance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: KEVIN A. HEBBORN
  • Publication number: 20150002408
    Abstract: A transmission line interface circuit includes a voltage regulator to control a voltage swing of the transmission line interface circuit for signal transmission. The transmission line interface circuit includes complementary driver elements, including a p-type driver element to pull up the transmission line in response to a logic high, and an n-type driver element to pull down the transmission line in response to a logic low. The voltage regulator is coupled between one of the driver elements and a respective voltage reference to reduce a voltage swing of the transmission line interface circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER P. MOZAK, RITESH B. TRIVEDI, JAMES A. MCCALL, AARON MARTIN
  • Patent number: 8922189
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating an output voltage from an input voltage is provided. The apparatus comprises a switch that receives the input voltage, an inductor that is coupled to the switch, a capacitor coupled to the inductor with the output voltage being output from a node between the inductor and the capacitor, a measuring circuit that receives and measures the input voltage, and a controller that is coupled to the switch and to the measuring circuit. Additionally, the controller receives the measured input voltage and calculates an on-time for the switch based on the measured input voltage and actuates the switch for the on-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert A. Neidorff, Bing Lu
  • Patent number: 8922048
    Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) sub-generator junction box (1) for a PV system (100) comprises a plurality of electric terminals (11) for optionally connecting one respective PV string (2) of one or more serially connected PV modules (3). Said PV sub-generator junction box (1) further comprises a sub-generator line terminal (12) for connecting a PV sub-generator line (4) of a remote central PV inverter (5) or connecting a PV sub-generator line (4) of an inserted PV generator junction box (6). The PV sub-generator junction box (1) also comprises an electronic control unit (10) that is connected to a central control unit (7) of the PV inverter (5) in order to exchange data (DAT0). According to the invention, the PV sub-generator junction box (1) comprises a power line modem (8) for feeding and retrieving the data (DAT) via the PV sub-generator line (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Bodo Giesler
  • Publication number: 20140375294
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a power supply module and a soft start method. The power supply module includes an input detection circuit configured to output a first notification signal to a trigger drive circuit when it is determined that the power supply module receives a power supply signal; the trigger drive circuit configured to, upon receipt of the first notification signal sent from the input detection circuit, wait for a predetermined duration without sending a drive signal to a current limiting circuit, and to send the driver signal to the current limiting circuit when the predetermined duration elapses; and the current limiting circuit configured to limit a current on a Direct Current (DC) bus of the power supply module when the drive signal is not received by the current limiting circuit, and not to limit the current on the DC bus upon receipt of the drive signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: Emerson Network Power, Energy Systems, North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Baoliang LV, Guoyong WANG, Shiqiang YU
  • Patent number: 8916764
    Abstract: An output ripple voltage average amplitude of a switch mode DC-DC converter is dynamically maintained. The converter has a switch and an output filter. By varying a switching period (TPERIOD) of the switch, VRIPPLE is maintained at a substantially constant value over a first range of converter input voltages and a second range of switch duty cycles. Where the output filter includes an inductor having inductance (L) and a capacitor having capacitance (C) the average amplitude of VRIPPLE is dynamically maintained by varying TPERIOD with respect to switch duty cycle (D) and input voltage (VIN) so as to approximately satisfy the following relationship: TPERIOD=(VRIPPLE*8*L*C)0.5/(VIN*(D?D2)).5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Xandex, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven P. Weir
  • Patent number: 8912783
    Abstract: A power-supply controller circuit includes: a power-supply switch unit configured to output an ON-signal when manually operated; a switching unit configured to switch ON and OFF an output voltage to a controller unit in response to the ON-signal of the power-supply switch unit; a latching unit configured to latch an ON-state of the switching unit, when the power-supply switch unit outputs an ON-signal under a condition where the switching unit is in an OFF-state; and the controller unit configured to control an unlatching signal to unlatch the ON-state latched by the latching unit when the latching unit is in the ON-state and detects the ON-signal sent from the power-supply switch unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Shinyama
  • Publication number: 20140361760
    Abstract: A voltage regulation circuit is provided. The voltage regulation circuit regulates a level of a supply voltage provided by an automotive battery. The voltage regulation circuit includes a selector and an error amplifier. The selector receives a plurality of predetermined voltages and selects one of the plurality of predetermined voltages according to a control signal to serve as a first reference voltage. The error amplifier generates an error signal according to the first reference voltage and a feedback signal. The feedback signal is related to the supply voltage. The voltage regulation circuit regulates the level of the supply voltage according to the error signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Chien-Wei KUAN, Jyh-Pyng LAY, Chih-Ching YU, Yuh-Long YEH
  • Publication number: 20140354258
    Abstract: A method includes using a charge pump to receive a first supply voltage and generate a voltage in response thereto. The method includes using the voltage generated by the charge pump to bias a supply voltage circuit to generate a second supply voltage. The second supply voltage is greater than the first supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventor: Axel Thomsen
  • Patent number: 8896156
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to techniques for automatically controlling a dual mode component of a device to operate according to a first mode or a second mode. According to these techniques, a device or circuit may include a first power supply input terminal and a dual mode component that includes a second power supply input terminal. The device or circuit further includes an automatic power supply selection module configured to compare a voltage level at the first power supply input terminal to a predetermined threshold, and based on the comparison, supply one of a first mode voltage level or a second mode voltage level to the second power supply input terminal. The first mode voltage level may cause the dual mode component to operate in a first mode, while the second mode voltage level may cause the dual mode component to operate in a second mode different than the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Vijaya Reddy, Abhik Giri
  • Publication number: 20140339894
    Abstract: An embodiment of a pre-emphasis circuit, an embodiment of a method for pre-emphasizing complementary single-ended signals, an embodiment of a transmitter, and an embodiment of a communication system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: ManoharRaju K.S.V., Hiten ADVANI
  • Patent number: 8890505
    Abstract: A method for generating a value for available operating reserve for electric utility. Electric power consumption by at least one device is determined during at least one period of time to produce power consumption data, stored in a repository. Prior to a control event for power reduction and under an assumption that it is not to occur, power consumption behavior expected of the device(s) is determined for a time period during which the control event is expected to occur based on stored power consumption data. Additionally, prior to the control event, projected energy savings resulting from the control event, and associated with a power supply value (PSV) are determined based on devices' power consumption behavior. Amount of available operating reserve is determined based on projected energy savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Causam Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Forbes, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140333279
    Abstract: The invention relates to a choke circuit and a bus power supply incorporating same. Such a coil choke circuit includes an inductor connected between a first input terminal and a first output terminal, a boost circuit connected between a second input terminal and a second output terminal for increasing the voltage level that is output by the second output terminal. A switching element is connected in parallel to the boost circuit for bypassing the boost circuit. Additionally, a comparator is connected between the first input terminal and the first output terminal for detecting a potential difference across the inductor; wherein in case the comparator detects a potential difference higher than a threshold, the switching element is controlled to be in an OFF state; and in case the comparator detects a potential difference lower than or equal to the threshold, the switching element is controlled to be in an ON state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Andreas Hagemeyer, Ingolf Bonkhoff
  • Publication number: 20140334241
    Abstract: Circuits, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed for oscillators. In one such example oscillator circuit, a plurality of delay stages are coupled in series. A variable delay circuit stage is coupled to the plurality of delay stages and is configured to delay a signal through the variable delay circuit stage by a variable delay. The variable delay increases responsive to a rising magnitude of a supply voltage provided to the variable delay circuit stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Ming H. Li, Dong Pan
  • Publication number: 20140333228
    Abstract: A circuit to be utilized for an LED driver bleeder activation. The circuit comprises a circuit block for timing a duration of any removed portion of a rectified line signal. The input of the circuit to be coupled to receive the phase controlled rectified line signal through a voltage divider. Comparing the divided rectified line signal with a threshold voltage and output a comparison result. A timer coupled to the comparator and responsive to the comparison result to time the duration of the removed portion of the rectified line signal and activate the bleeder activation circuitry to turn on the switching element of the bleeder to sink a controlled current from the input line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Pura Angeles, Marvin C. Espino
  • Patent number: 8880912
    Abstract: A power supply device provided with a main power supply unit that supplies generated predetermined power to an electric load, a current detecting unit, a current indicating unit, an electric storage unit, an auxiliary power supply unit, and a control unit that determines an upper limit current value to be output to the current indicating unit on the basis of at least a condition of the electric load, and controls the upper limit current value such that power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the electric load is converged in a predetermined convergence time when the power supply from the auxiliary power supply unit to the electric load is stopped or reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mikio Nakajima, Tetsuya Yano, Tomohide Kondo
  • Patent number: 8878502
    Abstract: A mode controller shifts, along with increase in an electric power in first and second of chopper circuits and, operation modes of the first and the second of the chopper circuits from a first mode to a third mode via a second mode. An operation controller causes, in the first mode, the first of chopper circuit to perform an chopping operation, and the second of chopper circuit to suspend the chopping operation, in the second mode, causes the first and the second of chopper circuits to alternatively perform the chopping operations, and in the third mode causes both of the first and the second of chopper circuits to perform the chopping operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Sakae, Kazuhiro Ohshita, Toshio Yabuki, Junya Mitsui
  • Patent number: 8872499
    Abstract: There is provided a power supply apparatus supplying driving power. The power supply apparatus includes: a first power converter bypassing input power when a voltage level of the input power having a predetermined voltage level is within a reference voltage level range, and converting the input power to DC power having a preset voltage level when the voltage level of the input power is outside of the reference voltage level range; and a second power converter converting the power inputted from the first power converter to driving power having a preset voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignees: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd., Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Duk You Kim, Gun Woo Moon, Chong Eun Kim, Don Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 8872500
    Abstract: An example control circuit for use in a power converter includes an input voltage sensor, a current sensor, and a drive signal generator. The input voltage sensor generates a first signal representative of an input voltage (Vin) of the power converter. The current sensor generates a second signal representative of a switch current through a power switch of the power converter. The drive signal generator generates a drive signal to control switching of the power switch in response to the first and second signals. The drive signal generator sets a switching frequency of the drive signal based on a product K×Vin×t to control a maximum output power of the power converter, where K is a fixed number and t is a time it takes the second signal to change between two values of the switch current when the power switch is in an on state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex B. Djenguerian, Erdem Bircan
  • Patent number: 8872498
    Abstract: A step-up converter converts a battery voltage to an intermediate voltage. The intermediate voltage is greater than or equal to the battery voltage. A step-down converter receives the intermediate voltage supplied by the step-up converter and controls an output voltage which is less than or equal to the intermediate voltage. The step-up converter controls the intermediate voltage in an open loop depending on the battery voltage, at least if the battery voltage is lower than a first predetermined value, and at least if at the same time the load on the output of the step-up converter exceeds a minimum load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Goetzenberger, Sven Sylla
  • Publication number: 20140312871
    Abstract: A voltage signal and a wetting current are received from a switching device. A first pulse train is created from the voltage signal and the first pulse train has a first duty cycle that is proportional to the voltage at the switching device. The first pulse train is transmitted across an isolation barrier. The first pulse train that is received across the isolation barrier is digitized and at least one operating condition of the switching device is determined based upon the digitized pulse train. A second pulse train having a second duty cycle is received and the wetting current from the switching device is controlled based upon the second duty cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: GE Intelligent Platforms, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Alley
  • Publication number: 20140306669
    Abstract: A method for improving a power converter's efficiency comprises detecting an input voltage of a power converter, determining an operation mode of the power converter based upon the input voltage of the power converter and generating a plurality of gate drive signals based upon a damped gain control, wherein the damped gain control is configured such that an output voltage of the power converter is in a range from a tightly regulated output voltage to an unregulated output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Heping Dai, Daoshen Chen, Bing Cai
  • Publication number: 20140306682
    Abstract: Provided is a control circuit capable of efficiently supplying electric power from an alternating-current generator to a load, and a power generation device having this control circuit. A control circuit 1 for controlling electric power to be supplied from a power generator 5 to a battery 6 is provided with: a rate-of-change obtaining unit 11 configured to obtain a rate of change of a sensor cycle for a sensor signal synchronous with an operation of the power generator 5; an estimation unit 12 configured to estimate a next sensor cycle using the rate of change of the sensor cycle obtained by the rate-of-change obtaining unit; and an output-supply control unit 13 configured to perform PWM control of switching elements provided for a drive circuit 30 using the next sensor cycle estimated by the estimation unit 12.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Yuta Inoguchi, Takeaki Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20140306681
    Abstract: A voltage control unit is configured to: control, in accordance with an output voltage signal and an output current signal, output power of a rectifying unit to a voltage lower than a voltage by which an amount of generated power of a magneto AC generator becomes maximum; control a transformation ratio in accordance with the output voltage signal and the output current signal so as to improve power generation efficiency of the magneto AC generator one of when an rpm variation signal indicates an decelerating state and when the rpm variation signal indicates that a variation in rpm indicates a value smaller than a predetermined constant; and control the transformation ratio so as to decrease the output power of the rectifying unit when the rpm variation signal indicates an accelerating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro SAWADA, Naoki ITOI
  • Patent number: 8861229
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a regulator circuit that generates a voltage in response to an input current being supplied to an input terminal and functional circuitry, powered by the voltage generated by the regulator circuit. The functional circuitry, e.g., an oscillator, generates a signal using the generated voltage, the signal indicative that the current is being supplied to the apparatus. The signal can be provided over an isolation link to provide a control signal for controlling a high voltage driver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Alfano, Timothy J. Dupuis, Zhiwei Dong, Brett E. Etter
  • Patent number: 8861236
    Abstract: A switching power supply is provided that includes: input terminals for the uptake of an input power, output terminals for providing an output power, a circuit disposed between the input and output terminals for transforming the input power and having at least one controllable switch, a control unit for controlling the at least one controllable switch by means of at least one pulse-width modulation signal having variable frequency and variable duty cycle, and having measuring instruments connected to control unit, designed for at least measuring the input current intensity, the input voltage, the output current intensity, and the output voltage, wherein control unit is designed for the purpose of monitoring the efficiency of switching power supply by means of measurement values of the connected measuring instruments, and of optimizing the efficiency by controlling the at least one controllable switch by means of a first digital control loop. Also provided is a method for operating a switching power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventor: Guido Remmert
  • Patent number: 8860370
    Abstract: Systems and methods of dynamic current limit are disclosed herein. A current is sensed a wireless charging circuit, for example. When the current sense reaches a reference current level while a communication is active, the current limit is enabled for the next packet. The current limit signal may be cleared for the next packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen Christopher Terry, Ralph Douglass Smith, Anthony Gene Antonacci
  • Publication number: 20140300337
    Abstract: A voltage regulator includes a programming interface via which programming instructions may be applied to a processor of the voltage regulator. The voltage regulator operates the processor according to the programming instructions to select one of multiple active internally-generated analog voltage levels to determine an output voltage level of the voltage regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Luciano Processing L.L.C.
    Inventor: David G. Wright
  • Patent number: 8856557
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for providing power balancing for power supplies. A power module measures an amount of input power for each of a plurality of switching power supplies. A conversion module converts the measured amount of input power of each power supply to a digital power measurement signal. An averaging module determines an average amount of input power per power supply based on a summation of the digital power measurement signal of each power supply. A comparison module compares the digital power measurement signal of a power supply to the determined average amount of input power per power supply. An input power adjustment module adjusts the input power of the power supply to cause the amount of input power of the power supply to be substantially equal to the determined average amount of input power per power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert DiMarco, Randhir S. Malik
  • Patent number: 8854027
    Abstract: A control circuit controls a power output module and drives a load device. The control circuit includes a conversion unit, a feed-forward unit, a feedback unit and a control unit. The conversion unit generates a driving signal according to an output signal of the power output module for driving the load device. The feed-forward unit generates a duty cycle reference signal according to the output signal. The feedback unit generates a feedback signal according to the driving signal. The control unit outputs a control signal to control the conversion unit according to the duty cycle reference signal and feedback signal, thereby limiting the output power of the power output module within the maximum power region. A tracking method of the maximum power is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: National Cheng Kung University
    Inventors: Ray-Lee Lin, Ming-Ching Chou
  • Publication number: 20140292301
    Abstract: Compensation circuitry includes a resistor and transistor coupled in series with a reference current source to generate a variable reference voltage that is provided, via a voltage regulator, to bias elements of a core circuit in order to establish an operating current in the core circuit. In one embodiment, the resistor and transistor of the compensation circuitry are of similar construction to the bias elements of the core circuit, such that fluctuations in the ratio of the reference current and the operating current of the core circuit are minimized over process, supply voltage and temperature variations. The voltage regulator may be a low dropout regulator. In various embodiments, the core circuit may comprise a resistor biased voltage controlled oscillator, a differential current mode logic (CML) input to single CMOS output circuit, or like circuitry that may be sensitive to phase noise or requires low power operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Chang-Hyeon Lee, Lindel David Kabalican, Mark Jonathan Chambers
  • Patent number: 8849473
    Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes computing energy usage associated with a domain that includes a plurality of endpoints; identifying particular endpoints of the plurality of endpoints that are capable of switching from a first power source to a battery power source; and communicating a broadcast message to the particular endpoints to switch to their corresponding battery power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Benoit Claise, John D. Parello, Charles B. Schoening, Emmanuel Tychon, Tirthankar Ghose
  • Publication number: 20140285261
    Abstract: An envelope-tracking (ET) power supply may include a boost control pin. The boost control pin receives a boost enable signal that activates or enables a supplemental power supply in the ET power supply. The supplemental power supply facilitates the generation of a power supply signal for a selected processing stage, e.g., a power amplifier. The supplemental power supply helps the processing stage meet the demands on it caused by the signal that the processing stage needs to handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Sriraman Dakshinamurthy, Robert Gustav Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20140266127
    Abstract: A voltage divider circuit is provided that automatically and dynamically adjusts its voltage divider chains as a supply voltage changes. The voltage divider circuit includes a plurality of voltage divider branches having different divider factors to divide the supply voltage and obtain a divided supply voltage. Additionally, a control circuit is coupled to the plurality of voltage divider branches and adapted to automatically monitor the supply voltage and dynamically select a voltage divider branch from among the plurality of voltage divider branches to maintain a selected divided supply voltage within a pre-determined voltage range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Bo Sun
  • Publication number: 20140266126
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods may include a switch coupled at its gate terminal to an input signal voltage, the input signal voltage for controlling a gate voltage of a gate terminal of a driver device coupled at its non-gate terminals between a rail voltage and an output node. The systems and methods may also include a diode having a first terminal and a second terminal, the diode coupled to a non-gate terminal of the switch such that when the switch is enabled, the first terminal is electrically coupled to the gate terminal of the driver device and the second terminal is electrically coupled to the output node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: CIRRUS LOGIC, INC.
    Inventors: Dan Shen, Johann Gaboriau, Lingli Zhang, Christian Larsen
  • Publication number: 20140266125
    Abstract: A voltage converter includes a converter circuit and a control circuit coupled to the converter circuit and configured to selectively operate the converter circuit in a boost mode or a floating buck mode in response to a level of an input voltage supplied to the voltage converter circuit. The converter circuit may further include an inductor, a first control switch coupled to the control circuit, and a second control switch coupled to the control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to control a state of the first control switch in the boost mode in response to a level of current in the inductor, and the control circuit may be configured to control a state of the second control switch in the floating buck mode in response to the level of current in the inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Praneet Jayant Athalye
  • Publication number: 20140265556
    Abstract: Power systems, electronic impedance controlled switches and controls, and methods of supplying power to a load include features to maximize safe operating area (SOA) of an electronic impedance switch without exceeding its SOA. The power system may be a vehicle electrical power system including a DC power supply battery and a boost converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventor: Cooper Technologies Company
  • Patent number: 8836312
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply apparatus includes a conversion unit to convert input power into output power having a predetermined voltage by performing a switching operation, a light emitting unit to emit light if the voltage of the output power exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage, a light receiving unit to receive the light emitted from the light emitting unit and output a signal indicative of the voltage of the output power, a switching controller to control the switching operation of the conversion unit according to the voltage of the output power indicated by the signal output from the light receiving unit, and a disconnection unit to disconnect power applied to the light receiving unit if a voltage of the power applied to the light receiving unit exceeds a predetermined trigger voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-kwon Na
  • Publication number: 20140253085
    Abstract: A digital programmable control system, which is composed of a micro control module receives a detection result by using a detection module to detect a voltage and a current on a battery module and a bus module, and a judgment program in the micro control module determines whether the detection result meets a switching condition, and generates a control signal to control a bidirectional conversion module to perform a switching procedure in order to achieve the purpose of high accuracy regulation voltage and current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments Bureau, M.N.D
    Inventor: Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments Bureau, M.N.D
  • Patent number: 8830699
    Abstract: An input voltage detection unit detects whether an AC input voltage is the voltage of a 100V system or of a 200V system. In response, a frequency decreasing gain setting unit switches between frequency decreasing gain characteristics relative to load factors. The frequency decreasing gain characteristics are established so that the initiation of a decrease in a feed back signal in the 100V system is earlier than that in the 200V system. By switching the frequency decreasing gain characteristics based on an AC input signal, the characteristics, in which a decrease in a feed back signal in the 200V system is earlier than that in the 100V system, are cancelled to allow load factors, at each of which a power supply operation frequency reaches the audible region, to be approximately the same to enable a vibration isolating measure to be independent of the AC input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kokou Boku
  • Patent number: 8829881
    Abstract: A reference current generation circuit is provided, in which a current generated according to a bandgap voltage is not directly used as a reference current, but the current generated according to the bandgap voltage is used to adjust an output reference current. In this way, the reference voltage is generated without using an external resistor, so as to effectively decrease the production cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: ASMedia Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Yu-Chuan Lin
  • Patent number: 8829880
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a communication system with monitored input state of an input device. The input device has an input connection, a ground connection and an input circuit connected between the input connection and the ground connection. The input circuit is designed to detect an input signal. A sensor device is also provided, which is connected to the input connection and optionally the ground connection. The communication system also has a current-increasing device connected to the input connection and the ground connection, which is designed to furnish an increased current for the input circuit for an adjustable time period as a function of the voltage lying on the input connection. A power supply is also provided to supply power to the sensor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Viktor Oster
  • Publication number: 20140247033
    Abstract: A driver circuit, in accordance with one example, includes a controllable current source operably coupled to the load and configured to sink or source a first current in accordance with a control signal. A controllable switch is responsive to an input signal, operably coupled to the current source, and configured to take over, or not, the first current in accordance with an input signal. The first current is directed as a load current through the load when the controllable switch is driven into a blocking state. The first current is directed through the controllable switch when the controllable switch is driven into a conducting state thus bypassing the load. An input signal includes a first series of pulses defining the desired load current waveform in accordance with a desired modulation scheme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventors: Fabrizio Cortigiani, Franco Mignoli
  • Publication number: 20140239934
    Abstract: A switching converter with slope compensation circuit, the slope compensation circuit has a first voltage source, a first operation circuit, a first switch, a first capacitor, a second switch and a first controlled current source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bo ZHANG