With Voltage Or Current Conversion (e.g., D.c. To A.c., 60 To 1000) Patents (Class 324/120)
  • Patent number: 11879915
    Abstract: Method and system for evaluating an input voltage of a power supply or a switched-mode power supply, wherein the input voltage has a constant polarity, where a digitized input voltage is supplied as the input signal to a filter which is filtered such that an output signal from the filter lags the input signal of the filter at the input of the filter, where the input signal and the output signal of the filter are compared, where comparison results are evaluated during an evaluation period until, following a first change in state of a comparison result, a further change in state of the comparison result is identified, and where a respective evaluation period is then terminated and subsequently, a period duration and/or a frequency of an AC voltage component of the input voltage are determined using the present count value of a counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Gerald Hörist
  • Patent number: 11860239
    Abstract: A diagnostic system for diagnosing faults in a power inverter including a power loss estimating module configured to calculate a power loss of one or more components of the power inverter. A junction temperature estimating module is configured to output an estimated junction temperature of the one or more components of the power inverter. A plurality of temperature sensors is configured to sense a plurality of temperatures of a plurality of inverter legs, respectively. A health indicator generating module is configured to generate a plurality of health indicators in response to the estimated junction temperature and the plurality of sensed temperatures of the plurality of inverter legs. A fault identification module is configured to selectively identify one of an inverter fault, a temperature sensor fault, and no fault in response to the plurality of health indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jiyu Zhang, Nomar S. Gonzalez Santini
  • Patent number: 11379025
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a plurality of loads, at least one processor, a plurality of regulators configured to adjust a voltage of power received from a power source and output the adjusted power, and a switching circuit configured to connect at least one of the plurality of regulators to at least one of the plurality of loads. The at least one processor is configured to identify a load to which power is to be supplied among the plurality of loads, select at least one regulator among the plurality of regulators connectable to the identified load, and control the switching circuit to connect the at least one selected regulator to the identified load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chongmin Lee, Sungku Yeo, Jaeseok Park, Hyoseok Han, Jaesun Shin, Jeongman Lee
  • Patent number: 11280815
    Abstract: Voltage indication device (2), attachable to a medium-voltage separable plug having a rear insert comprising a coupling electrode. The voltage indication device comprises a body (241) and a voltage detector (251) having a ground contact (361), a voltage contact (261) for electrical connection to the coupling electrode; and an indicator for visually indicating presence of the medium voltage in the separable plug. The body comprises an elastically expandable support portion (406) for resiliently supporting the voltage detector (251).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Gunther A. J. Stollwerck, Harald Westkamp, Mark Gravermann, Jens Weichold
  • Patent number: 11187170
    Abstract: A rotation-speed-calculation-apparatus includes: a detector configured to detect a rotation-angle of an engine; and a CPU and a memory coupled to the CPU. The CPU is configured to perform: calculating an engine-speed each time the detector detects a predetermined-angle based on a time-period required for the engine to rotate the predetermined-angle; and determining whether the engine-speed calculated is in a low-rotation range equal to or lower than a threshold-value or in a high-rotation range over the threshold-value. The CPU is configured to perform: the calculating including: calculating the engine-speed based on a time-period required for the engine to rotate a first-predetermined-angle when it is determined that the engine-speed is in the low-rotation range; and calculating the engine-speed based on a time-period required for the engine to rotate a second-predetermined-angle smaller than the first-predetermined-angle when it is determined that the engine-speed is in the high-rotation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Furuhashi, Mitsuo Muraoka, Nobuaki Takeo, Akifumi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10873326
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for measuring input voltage in an alternating current (AC) system is provided. The method includes measuring a half-cycle time of an AC signal by: detecting, using a zero crossing detector (ZCD), a first edge of the AC signal; in response to detecting the first edge, using a timer to determine a start time; detecting, using the microcontroller, a subsequent edge of the square wave output of ZCD signal; and, in response to detecting the subsequent edge, using the timer to determine a stop time and a length of time that lapsed from the start and stop times. The method further includes determining an overall value that corresponds to at least one length of time, determining, based on the overall value, an input voltage range that corresponds to the overall value, and using the input voltage to cause the AC system to take an action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Swapnil Sabde, Gayatri Vinod Pandit, Vinay M. Patil, Saivaraprasad Murahari, Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 10846535
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to: •in respect of virtual reality content comprising video imagery configured to provide a virtual reality space for viewing in virtual reality, wherein a virtual reality view presented to a user provides for viewing of the virtual reality content, the virtual reality view comprising a spatial portion of the video imagery that forms the virtual reality space and being smaller in spatial extent than the spatial extent of the video imagery of the virtual reality space and •based on one or more of; •i) a viewing direction in the virtual reality space of at least one virtual reality view provided to the user; and •ii) a selected object in the video imagery, •providing for one or more of generation or display of causal summary content comprising selected content from the virtual reality content at least prior to a time point in the virtual reality content currently viewed by the user, the causal summary content at least focussed on an object or event appearing in the at least one virtual r
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Jussi Leppänen, Arto Lehtiniemi, Antti Eronen, Francesco Cricrì
  • Patent number: 10746617
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measurement transducer feed device for process automation technology that is configured for the energy supply of a measurement transducer and for forwarding measurement signals of the measurement transducer to a control unit, wherein the measurement transducer feed device has at least two connecting contacts that are configured for coupling the measurement transducer feed device to the control unit, with a current loop being formed between the two connecting contacts, and with the current loop comprising a power tap that is configured to supply the measurement transducer with electrical energy. The measurement transducer feed device is characterized in that the current loop comprises a current regulation module that is connected or connectable in series to the power tap and to the measurement transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SICK ENGINEERING GMBH
    Inventor: David Walde
  • Patent number: 10578681
    Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and sensing methods are provided. A magnetic sensor includes at least one magnetic field sensor element configured to generate an analog input sensor signal in response to a magnetic field, an inverting amplifier configured to generate an analog output sensor signal having a gained value with respect to the analog input sensor signal, a programmable current divider disposed in a negative feedback path of the inverting amplifier such that the gained value is dependent on an effective feedback resistor value of the programmable current divider, and a digital controller configured to receive at least one measurement parameter, generate a codeword based on the at least one measurement parameter, and transmit the codeword to the programmable current divider for compensating the gained value. The effective feedback resistor value is adjusted based on the codeword received by the programmable current divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Leneesh Raghavan, Mario Motz
  • Patent number: 10474200
    Abstract: An optical module that effectively shields EMI noises is disclosed. The optical module of the invention includes a metal housing and a feedthrough. The housing encloses a semiconductor optical device therein and has a rear wall at which the feedthrough is provided. The feedthrough includes an internal portion and an external portion. The internal portion has an upper rear face and a lower rear face. The external portion, which protrudes from the upper rear face and the lower rear face, has a top face having transmission lines and continuous to the upper rear face, a back face continuous to the lower rear face, a rear face, and a pair of side faces, the rear face and the side faces. At least one of the upper rear face, the lower rear face each provided in the internal portion, and the rear face of the external portion has a shield structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hara
  • Patent number: 10459036
    Abstract: A battery checker is provided with: voltage application unit configured to apply an AC voltage to a battery to be measured; ripple voltage measurement unit configured to measure a ripple voltage contained in a terminal voltage of the battery; and electric power storage level detection unit configured to detect an electric power storage level of the battery by comparing the measured ripple voltage with a set reference. The voltage application unit includes a transformer that transforms voltage for an alternating current of an AC power supply such as a commercial AC power supply, and an output circuit that applies, to the battery, an alternating current with transformed voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Noda, Masatoshi Mizutani, Natsuhiko Mori
  • Patent number: 10353011
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting voltage of a battery pack. The system comprises a level transfer circuit array, a multipath data selector, a decoder, a trimming calibration circuit, and an output buffer. The decoder is configured to parse a battery pack cell gating signal; the level transfer circuit array is configured to convert a gated battery pack cell voltage into a common grounded voltage; the multipath data selector is configured to transmit the common grounded voltage, which is converted by the level transfer circuit array, of a battery pack cell to the trimming calibration circuit; the trimming calibration circuit is configured to correct the received common grounded voltage of the battery pack cell; and the output buffer is configured to buffer the common grounded voltage, which is trimmed and calibrated by the trimming calibration circuit, of the battery pack cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: CHINA RESOURCES POWTECH (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong You, Bingyin Luo, Guocheng Li, Jianmin Li, Linhai Xu, Lei Zhang, Huiyuang Ren, Yujie Wang, Jin Li
  • Patent number: 10325554
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for determining a pixel capacitance. The pixel capacitance is correlated to a pixel age to determine a current correction factor used for compensating the pixel drive current to account for luminance degradation of the pixel that results from the pixel aging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ignis Innovation Inc.
    Inventors: Arokia Nathan, Gholamreza Chaji
  • Patent number: 10261137
    Abstract: A sensor including a sensing device and a processor. The sensing device can be configured to sense one or more environmental conditions, such as one or more magnetic fields, and generate a sensor signal based on the sensed environmental condition(s). The processor can be configured to determine a gain mode and/or a zero-point mode of the sensor. Based on the determined gain and/or zero-point modes and the sensor signal, the processor can generate an output signal. The processor can include a voltage generator configured to generate a ratiometric voltage and/or a regulated voltage based on a supply voltage of the sensor. The processor can receive an external voltage. The gain mode and/or the zero-point mode can be independently determined based on the ratiometric, regulated, or external voltages. The ratiometric or regulated voltage can be output as a second output to form a differential output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Mario Motz, Leneesh Raghavan
  • Patent number: 10250215
    Abstract: There has been a problem of generating anti-resonance between a three-terminal capacitor and a capacitor when the three-terminal capacitor and the capacitor are mounted. In order to solve the problem, this electronic circuit includes: a capacitor and a three-terminal capacitor, which are connected to a power supply terminal of a circuit component, and a power supply, and which are connected in parallel to each other between the power supply and ground; and a resistor that is connected in series between the ground and a ground terminal of the three-terminal capacitor and/or the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Kashiwakura
  • Patent number: 10224363
    Abstract: An imaging sensor for accepting terahertz signals, including a die made of a dielectric material, one or more antennas for receiving terahertz signals, positioned on top of the die or in an upper layer of the die, each antenna having a CMOS detector electrically coupled to the antenna and positioned in the die below the antenna, a metal shield layer in the die below the antennas and above the CMOS detectors, shielding the CMOS detector from interference signals, a shielding layer under the die comprising a back metal coating and/or a layer of silver epoxy glue for attaching the bottom of the die to a lead frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: NETEERA TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Haim Goldberger, Péter Földesy, Omer Eshet
  • Patent number: 9831824
    Abstract: A device having a switch with a voltage applied across the switch. A current sensing circuit is connected to one terminal of the switch. The current sensing circuit receives power independently of the voltage applied across the switch. The power supply shares the other terminal of the switch with the current sensing circuit. The switch is adapted for opening and closing. When the switch closes, the current sensing circuit senses current through the switch and upon opening the switch the high voltage of the switch is blocked from the current sensing circuit. The sense current is caused to flow from the current sensing circuit to the other terminal when the switch is closed. The flow of the sense current produces a voltage which is compared differentially to another voltage referenced by the other terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: SolareEdge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Meir Gazit
  • Patent number: 9759784
    Abstract: A method for establishing a functional diagnosis for a buck static DC-DC voltage converter in an electric or hybrid vehicle including a power supply circuit including at least a first and a second electrical voltage source supplying respectively a primary and a secondary circuit with direct current, the first source having a voltage value greater than the second source, the primary and secondary circuits being connected by the voltage converter which itself is commanded by control and safety elements, includes the following sequential steps: deactivating any power consumer on the primary circuit or waiting for any power consumer on the primary circuit to be inactive, commanding from the converter an output voltage greater than the voltage of the second electrical voltage source, determining if there is a power transfer from the primary to the secondary circuit, and: if not, establishing a faulty functionality diagnosis for the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Jerome Lachaize, Damien Verdier
  • Patent number: 9599643
    Abstract: A technique includes using a comparator to indicate whether a magnitude of a monitored signal is within predetermined boundaries and controlling a threshold of the comparator based on a history of the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: András Vince Horvath
  • Patent number: 9530352
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for determining a pixel capacitance. The pixel capacitance is correlated to a pixel age to determine a current correction factor used for compensating the pixel drive current to account for luminance degradation of the pixel that results from the pixel aging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ignis Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Arokia Nathan, Gholamreza Chaji
  • Patent number: 9141905
    Abstract: A card-type information recording medium having an embedded antenna for NFC communication is provided. The card-type information recording medium includes: a PCB that has a loop antenna pattern and a routing pattern formed on the top surface and the bottom surface thereof through the use of an etching process; an NFC communication unit and a USIM card unit that are horizontally mounted on the top of the PCB; and a molding material that is formed on the top of the PCB to cover the NFC communication unit and the USIM card unit. Accordingly, it is possible to perform functions of NFC and RFID read/tag by only mounting a USIM device thereon without adding any module or any constituent having an antenna function to a mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: MTEKVISION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-Hyun Baek, Byoung-Ok Lee, Jung-Hyun Cho, Eun-Su Kim
  • Patent number: 9103890
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuit, battery monitoring system, diagnostic program and diagnosis method are provided enabling appropriate self-diagnosis of a measurement unit. An output value (A?B) output through respective power supply lines V (Vn, Vn?1), a cell selector switch, and a level shift circuit from an AD converter and an output value (B) of a directly input reference voltage B output from the AD converter are summed together. Diagnosis is made that no abnormality such as a defect has occurred when the summed value is substantially the same as a reference voltage A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoaki Sugimura
  • Publication number: 20150137722
    Abstract: In a thyristor control device which converts a first AC voltage to a DC voltage and converts the DC voltage to a second AC voltage to be supplied to a synchronous motor, a DC voltage detector is configured to detect the DC voltage, and is provided with an AC voltage detector configured to detect the second AC voltage and an arithmetic circuit configured to determine the DC voltage on the basis of the second AC voltage detected by the AC voltage detector. As a result, there is no need to separately provide a DV voltage detector, which makes it possible to make the device compact in size and cheap in price.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ogino, Akinobu Ando, Yasuhiko Hosokawa
  • Publication number: 20150108965
    Abstract: A shunt resistance type current sensor includes a bus bar that has an approximately flat plate shape, a circuit board that is installed to the bus bar, a pair of connecting terminal portions that electrically connects the circuit board to the bus bar, and a voltage detection unit that is mounted on the circuit board and detects a voltage value applied to the circuit board through the pair of connecting terminal portions so as to calculate a level of an electric current flowing through the bus bar. Each of the pair of connecting terminal portions extends from edge of the bus bar, and is erected toward the circuit board to penetrate the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Takashi Sato
  • Patent number: 9007068
    Abstract: A method is provided for current-based detection of an electrical fault in an electrical network of a motor vehicle, the network having at least: one battery, one pulse-controlled inverter, one d.c. voltage converter, and an intermediate circuit associated with the pulse-controlled inverter. The method includes: detecting magnitudes of each a battery current, a d.c. voltage converter current, and an intermediate circuit current; comparing current magnitudes according to provided equations; and checking based on the comparison of whether a specifiable deviation has been exceeded. An alternative method for voltage-based detection of an electrical fault in an electrical network of a motor vehicle includes: detecting magnitudes of each a battery voltage, a d.c. voltage converter voltage, and an intermediate circuit voltage; comparing voltage magnitudes according to provided equations; and checking based on the comparison of whether a specifiable deviation has been exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Beqir Pushkolli, Ulrich Klein
  • Publication number: 20150091550
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed for an integrated circuit (IC) device coupled to a battery-operated power supply unit, such as an IC in a mobile computing device or wireless phone, to accurately determine energy usage drawn from the power supply unit under rapidly dynamic circumstances. A current sense signal of a power line from the power supply unit is digitized. The digitized current sense is added to an accumulator at a rate that is approximately proportional to a voltage of the power line from the power supply unit. The accumulator is then outputted and scaled to units relevant to energy measurements. The energy measurement is used to estimate remaining battery life. Triggering the digitization of the current sense signal may be by use of a pulse generation circuit, or by use of an overflow indicator of an accumulator for a digitized voltage sense signal. Other examples are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: EFRAIM ROTEM, NIR ROSENZWEIG, JEFFREY A. CARLSON, PHILIP R. LEHWALDER, NADAV SHULMAN, DORON RAJWAN
  • Publication number: 20150008901
    Abstract: Various arrangements for determining a voltage of a voltage source using pre-charging are presented. Such arrangements may include a measurement module which includes an analog to digital converter, a driver, and an interface. The interface may be electrically coupled with the analog to digital converter and the driver. The driver may be configured to output current to charge a capacitor. After a first predefined period of time, the driver may stop outputting current to pre-charge the capacitor. After the driver has stopped pre-charging the capacitor and a second predefined period of time has elapsed, the analog to digital converter may be configured to measure a voltage of the capacitor. Such arrangements may include a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is electrically coupled with the interface of the measurement module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Jeremy Mickelsen
  • Patent number: 8912785
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to radio frequency (RF) power detection. In one embodiment, a power detection circuit includes a multiplier circuit configured to multiply a first voltage signal by a second voltage signal. The multiplier circuit receives the first voltage signal at gates of a first transistor pair and receives the second voltage signal at gates of second and third transistor pairs. In some embodiments, a drain of a first transistor in the first transistor pair is coupled to sources of the second transistor pair, and drain of a second transistor in the first transistor pair is coupled to sources of the third transistor pair. In some embodiments, the power detection circuit includes a comparison circuit that compares the first pair of currents and a second pair of currents associated with a threshold voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Andras Vince Horvath
  • Publication number: 20140333287
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes electronic components, a voltage regulator for generating a control voltage, and a power consumption measurement module. The power consumption measurement module is connected to the voltage regulator and includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting the control voltage to multiple digital control voltage samples, an averaging module for averaging the digital control voltage samples, and a current profiling module for receiving the averaged control voltage data and determining an average current from averaged control voltage data. The average current represents power consumption of the integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Sunny Gupta, Kumar Abhishek, Manish Kumar, Himanshu Singhal
  • Publication number: 20140333288
    Abstract: A power level identification circuit includes a power interface, a voltage conversion unit, a waveform detection unit, a signal pre-processing unit and a processing unit. The power interface receives electrical power and first signals indicating a level of the power. The voltage conversion unit receives the power from the power interface and converts the power. The waveform detection unit filters the power and obtains the first signals indicating power level. The signal pre-processing unit shapes the waveform of the first signals indicating power level and thereby generates second signals indicating power level. The processing unit identifies a level of the second signals indicating power level and switches to one of modes of the power level identification circuit corresponding to the identified level of the second signals indicating power level. A power level flag circuit and a power level supply system are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: MING-YU LIAO
  • Publication number: 20140333289
    Abstract: A current detection device for a multi-sensor array is provided. The current detection device includes a current input unit, a current conversion unit, a digital conversion unit, and a voltage applying unit. The current input unit amplifies a plurality of current signals input from a multi-sensor array according to a predetermined current minor ratio, and fixes each of node voltages to which the plurality of current signals are input. The current conversion unit converts each of the amplified current signals into an amplified voltage signal using a plurality of feedback resistors and an operational amplifier which are connected in parallel. The digital conversion unit converts each of the amplified voltage signals converted by the current conversion unit into a digital value. The voltage applying unit generates voltages for driving each of the multi-sensor array, the current input unit, the current conversion unit, and the digital conversion unit, and applies the generated voltages thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: FOUNDATION OF SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION
    Inventors: Jae-Kyung Wee, Young-San Shin
  • Publication number: 20140306690
    Abstract: A voltage to current converter is provided for use with a current measuring device, said current measuring device being operable to provide an output voltage which is an analogue of a current to be measured. The converter is arranged to provide an output current which is an analogue of the current to be measured. The converter comprises an electronic controller, a switching amplifier and means for measuring the output current as an analogue voltage and providing a measure of said analogue voltage to the electronic controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: POWER ELECTRONIC MEASUREMENTS LTD
    Inventors: Christopher R. Hewson, Joanne M. Aberdeen, William F. Ray
  • Publication number: 20140300346
    Abstract: A distributed current shunt circuit evenly divides one large shunt into a number of parallel connected, smaller shunts, each having the same resistance value. With proper electronics such as an instrumentation amplifier for each shunt, an operational amplifier, and precision resistors, the device measures the total current by adding or averaging voltage readings of these small shunts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventor: John Zhang
  • Patent number: 8847577
    Abstract: A method and system for measuring the current flowing through an electric meter. The electric meter includes a reactive sensor positioned in series with a bus bar contained in the meter. The reactive sensor includes an inductor and the voltage across the inductance is measured. A control unit contained in the electric meter calculates the current based on the detected voltage and the value of the inductor. The value of the inductor is determined by passing a reference current through the inductor at a known frequency, such as 50 Hz or 60 Hz, and the voltage drop across the inductor is measured. Once the value of the inductor is determined, the value is stored in the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Sensus Spectrum LLC
    Inventor: David Hamo
  • Patent number: 8773111
    Abstract: A current flowing through a switching element (5) of a power supply is detected by an AC current transformer (8), and a capacitor (201) is charged by a voltage corresponding to the current. A reduction factor of the terminal voltage of the capacitor in an off period of the switching element (5) is calculated based on an amplification factor of the terminal voltage of the capacitor, an absolute value of an instantaneous value of an input power supply voltage, and an instantaneous value of a direct current output voltage, and the capacitor is discharged so that the terminal voltage of the capacitor decreases by the reduction factor in an off period of the switching element (5). A current flowing through an inductor (4) is estimated from the terminal voltage of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8723506
    Abstract: A capacitor charging circuit is provided in a utility meter. The utility meter includes a measurement circuit configured to provide consumption data, a memory configured to store the consumption data from the measurement circuit, and a communications device configured to transmit the consumption data to a remote location. The utility meter also includes a power supply configured to supply an unregulated DC voltage and a regulated voltage within the utility meter. The regulated DC voltage is output from a voltage regulator and is provided to the measurement circuit. The unregulated DC voltage is supplied to the communications device. The capacitor charging circuit is configured to charge a capacitor with the unregulated DC voltage when the regulated DC voltage is provided to the charging circuit from the voltage regulator. The capacitor charging circuit may be a supercapacitor charging circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr, Inc.
    Inventor: Anibal Diego Ramirez
  • Publication number: 20140097691
    Abstract: The power sensing device includes a power input interface in electrical communication with a current sensing circuit and a voltage sensing circuit. The current sensing circuit is connected to a load. The voltage sensing circuit is connected in parallel with the load. A metering integrated circuit and a micro-controller unit (MCU) are included. The metering integrated circuit receives a first analog signal indicating a load current value from the current sensing circuit, and a second analog signal indicating a load voltage value from the voltage sensing circuit. The metering integrated circuit converts first and second analog input signals to first and second digital signals, respectively, and generates the first and second digital signals as digital communication pulses to the MCU. A decoder circuit includes a communications port to send and receive data associated with a sensed current parameter and a sensed voltage parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen Mark JACKSON, Sidharth DALMIA, Mohammad S. AHMED, Raymond Howard KOHLER, David Bruce SARRAF
  • Patent number: 8664936
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic motor vehicle control system having at least one valve actuating circuit which controls a load current by means of pulse width modulation. The actuating circuit has at least one electronic current measuring circuit which has at least one measurement path with at least one analog/digital converter. The analog/digital converts an analog measurement signal of the load current into a digital measurement signal of the load current and is actuated or designed in such a way as to carry out a plurality of current measurements per PWM period. The at least one measurement path of the current measurement circuit has a signal conservation circuit which provides the analog measurement signal of the load current substantially unchanged, and independent of the actual load current, for at least a defined hold time (toff->on, ton->off).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Peter Oehler, Frank Michel, Micha Heinz, Axel Schmitz
  • Publication number: 20140055125
    Abstract: Power monitoring devices, a converter therefor that may be installed in the field, and a kit comprising such a power monitoring device and a converter are disclosed herein. The power monitoring devices may include a housing enclosing circuitry having one or more processors to monitor parameters of a power system and having a plurality of conduits passing therethrough and an electrically conducting plate mounted in the housing in contact with each of the conduits to electrically ground the conduits. The power monitoring device may also include a class two input terminal block for powering the circuitry and a plurality of wires connected thereto that extend out of the housing through such that the device, before installation in the field, can be pre-configured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: KELE, INC.
    Inventors: Dave Irby, Clayton Plymill
  • Publication number: 20140028287
    Abstract: A current transformer is described which comprises a housing having one or more apertures, each for receiving a primary cable or busbar, one or more magnetic cores enclosed within the housing and being positioned proximate to respective ones of the apertures so that a magnetic field is produced in a magnetic core when a primary current flows through a primary cable or busbar received through the respective aperture, and one or more secondary windings enclosed within the housing, each secondary winding being wrapped around at least a portion of a respective magnetic core so that a secondary current is induced in a secondary winding when a magnetic field is produced in the respective magnetic core. Shunt circuitry is enclosed within the housing and is connected across the secondary windings to generate a respective voltage signal for each secondary winding. A connector socket is integrally mounted to the housing for outputting the voltage signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Matthew Brookes
  • Publication number: 20130342187
    Abstract: A resistive voltage divider includes a first resistor and a second resistor electrically connected in series. Each of the resistors is made of an electrically resistive film material and applied in the form of a trace onto an insulating substrate. The divider's voltage ratio has a value between one hundred and one million, where two ends of the trace of the second resistor overlap at least in part with a first and a second) contacting terminal, respectively, and two ends of the trace of the first resistor overlap at least in part with the first and third contacting terminal, respectively. In order to decrease the parasitic capacitance between the first contacting terminal and the third contacting terminal, the second contacting terminal is placed with at least a screening part between the first and the third contacting terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Adrian HOZOI, Rolf DISSELNKÖTTER
  • Publication number: 20130320960
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for measuring a current flowing into an electrical device are described. In the apparatus, a current sensing circuit has at least one monolithic device, which in turn has a positive operating voltage and a negative operating voltage. The current sensing circuit is coupled to a power supply for the electrical device and the at least one monolithic device is arranged to enable a signal representative of the input current from the power supply to the electrical device to be output. The apparatus also has a power converter for converting a first voltage output by the power supply to a second voltage for supply as the positive operating voltage and a voltage clamp arranged to clamp the difference between the positive and negative operating voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: David Soriano Fosas, Juan Luis López Rodriguez, Vicente Granados Asensio
  • Publication number: 20130308240
    Abstract: An electronic load for testing stability of a power voltage of a power source under test (PSUT) includes a voltage supply device, a field effect transistor (FET), an amplification circuit, and a current sampling resistor. The amplification circuit includes a first input, a second input, and an output. The voltage supply device is connected to the first input. The second input is connected to a source electrode of the FET. The output is connected to a gate electrode of the FET. A drain electrode of the FET is connected to the PSUT. One end of the current sampling resistor is grounded, and the other end of the current sampling resistor is connected to the source electrode of the FET and the second input. The voltage supply device outputs a control voltage. The amplification circuit amplifies the control voltage and drives the FET using the amplified control voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., FU TAI HUA INDUSTRY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: QI-LONG YU, TSUNG-JEN CHUANG, JUN ZHANG, JUN-WEI ZHANG
  • Patent number: 8587291
    Abstract: A diagnosis device and method of a voltage transformer can include a current transformer disposed at one side of an output port for generating a current variation according to an on/off operation of a power switch element; a first current detector configured to detect a forward direction current from the current transformer; a second current detector configured to detect a reverse direction current from the current transformer; a first voltage transformer configured to transform the forward direction current detected from the first current detector to a forward direction voltage; a second voltage transformer configured to transform the reverse direction current detected from the second current detector to a reverse direction voltage; and a diagnosis portion for comparing the forward direction voltage with the reverse direction voltage to determine whether or not an offset is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Sung Kyu Kim, Jaewon Lee, Tae Hwan Chung, Ki Jong Lee, Jong Kyung Lim
  • Patent number: 8575917
    Abstract: Load detection circuitry is provided that may be used to monitor an output line. The load detection circuitry may include one or more current sensing resistors. A monitor circuit can measure voltages across the current sensing resistors to determine whether current is flowing through a load connected to the output line. In configurations with multiple different current sensing resistors, the monitor circuit can determine the amount of current that is flowing through the load based on the measured voltages. A switch may be interposed between the current sensing resistor and the output line. A current-limited voltage regulator may supply a voltage to the output line. The monitor circuit may periodically open the switch and monitor resulting voltage changes on the output line to determine whether an electronic device or other load is attached. Opening of the switch may be inhibited whenever current is sensed through a current sensing resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Sims, Jeffrey J. Terlizzi
  • Publication number: 20130278242
    Abstract: There is provided a current sense circuit (134). An exemplary current sense circuit (134) comprises a voltage-to-current converter circuit (218) that is adapted to receive a voltage that is proportional to a load current drawn from a battery (110) by a load (202) and to produce a current proportional to the load current, and a current-to-voltage converter circuit (228) that is adapted to receive the current proportional to the load current and to produce a voltage proportional to the load current based on a regulated voltage source (230).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America
    Inventor: Harold Arthur Smith
  • Patent number: 8519697
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting a mode change in an electronic device are provided. The apparatus includes a rotary switch including a common port and a plurality of contact points corresponding to a plurality of modes, a comparator for comparing a voltage of the common port with a reference voltage to output a resultant signal, a measurement unit for measuring the voltage of the common port according to the resultant signal of the comparator, and a Micro Control Unit (MCU) for evaluating a changed mode based on the measured voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Su Kim, Man-Ho Han, Tae-Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 8502524
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement of measuring inverter current, where the inverter is connected to and supplied by a DC intermediate circuit having two or more parallel capacitor branches connected between the positive and negative rail of the DC intermediate circuit, and the capacitance of the capacitor branches being known. The method comprises the steps of measuring the current of one of the parallel capacitor branches, and determining from the measured current the magnitude of the inverter current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Oy
    Inventors: Ora Veli-Matti Leppänen, Matti Laitinen, Jussi Suortti
  • Patent number: 8489346
    Abstract: A method and apparatus measures electrical power usage and quality, while mitigating the effects of noise on measured signals or parameters. Specifically, a digital electrical power and energy meter employs a method in which a processor averages a parameter, such as voltage or current, over a plurality of cycles of a time-varying signal, such as an AC electrical signal. The method employed by the meter samples a parameter over the plurality of cycles and computes the average of the samples corresponding to the same phase angle of the signal to produce an average signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Electro Industries/Gauge Tech
    Inventor: Tibor Banhegyesi
  • Publication number: 20130082688
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to radio frequency (RF) power detection. In one embodiment, a power detection circuit includes a multiplier circuit configured to multiply a first voltage signal by a second voltage signal. The multiplier circuit receives the first voltage signal at gates of a first transistor pair and receives the second voltage signal at gates of second and third transistor pairs. In some embodiments, a drain of a first transistor in the first transistor pair is coupled to sources of the second transistor pair, and drain of a second transistor in the first transistor pair is coupled to sources of the third transistor pair. In some embodiments, the power detection circuit includes a comparison circuit that compares the first pair of currents and a second pair of currents associated with a threshold voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventor: Andras Vince Horvath