Impedance Insertion Patents (Class 361/58)
  • Patent number: 11774487
    Abstract: In described examples, an SoC includes at least two voltage domains interconnected with a communication bus. Detection logic in a first voltage domain determines when a voltage error occurs in a second voltage domain and isolates communication via the communication bus when a voltage error or a timing error is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jose Luis Flores, Ramakrishnan Venkatasubramanian, Samuel Paul Visalli
  • Patent number: 11574750
    Abstract: An over-current protection device comprises first and second electrode layers and a PTC material layer laminated therebetween. The PTC material layer comprises a polymer matrix, a conductive ceramic filler, a carbon-containing conductive filler, and an inner filler. The polymer matrix comprises a fluoropolymer having a melting point higher than 150° C. The inner filler is selected from one of aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, zirconium oxide, boron nitride, graphene, aluminum oxide, or any mixtures thereof, and comprises 2-10% by volume of the PTC material layer. The over-current protection device is able to mitigate negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior after trip of device, and achieves high hold current and high endurable power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: POLYTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Hsiu Che Yen, Yung Hsien Chang, Zhen Yu Dong, Yao Te Chang, Fu Hua Chu
  • Patent number: 11411393
    Abstract: An ultra-low clamping voltage Surge Protection Module (SPM) is disclosed which utilizes a depletion mode MOSFET (D MOSFET). The SPM may be part of a circuit or a device and includes a primary protection stage and a secondary protection stage, with the D MOSFET being connected between the two stages. The SPM may include a single D MOSFET, dual D MOSFETs, or multiple D MOSFETs and the primary and secondary protection stages may be implemented with a number of different components. The SPM using D MOSFET(s) exhibits improved surge protection over circuits using inductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventors: Chuan Fang Chin, Teddy To
  • Patent number: 11372462
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a connector port configured to be selectably connected with and disconnected from a peripheral device. A detector is configured to provide an output indicating the connection of the peripheral device with the connector port with a time delay between connection of the peripheral device with the connector port and outputting the signal. A data switch is operatively coupled with the detector and a communication pin of the connector port and to selectably enable and disable data communication between the communication pin and a computer board in response to the output of the detector. A power switch is operatively coupled with the detector, the power supply pin, and a DC power supply and is configured to selectably connect and disconnect the power supply and the power supply pin in response to the output of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG
    Inventors: John J. Trainor, Russell John Taylor
  • Patent number: 11343887
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application disclose an adaptive bleeder control method and circuit, the method including: acquiring a peak characterizing voltage of a grid, wherein the peak characterizing voltage is a voltage value that characterizes a peak state among the grid characterizing voltages that are detected within a preset time and being scaled in proportion to the magnitude of the grid voltage; generating a switch control signal according to the peak characterizing voltage; performing switch control according to the switch control signal to generate a bleeder signal; and performing bleeder control on a light source device according to the bleeder signal to connect or disconnect a loop with a SCR in the light source device. In the present application, the dimming function of the light source device while preventing the bleeder current path from being constantly closed and reducing system efficiency may be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SUNMOON MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhaohua Li
  • Patent number: 11196415
    Abstract: A system for providing bi-directional power flow and power conditioning for high-voltage applications. The system including a normally-off four-quadrant power electronic switch having two gates and two normally-on junction field-effect transistor. The normally-off four-quadrant power electronic switch and the two normally-on junction field-effect transistors are coupled to one another in a bi-cascode configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Pietro Cairoli, Utkarsh Raheja, Thiago-Batista Soeiro, Lukas Hofstetter, Matthias Bator
  • Patent number: 11190011
    Abstract: A surge current suppression circuit includes a switch, a bypass resistor, a detection resistor, and a comparator. The switch is coupled to a first end of an energy storage capacitor in series, wherein a second end of the energy storage capacitor is coupled to a load and receives an input power source. The bypass resistor is coupled to the switch in parallel. The detection resistor is coupled to the switch in series to generate a detection voltage according to a capacitor current flowing through the energy storage capacitor. The comparator compares the detection voltage with a reference voltage to generate a control signal. When the detection voltage is greater than the reference voltage, the control signal controls the switch to be turned off. When the detection voltage is less than the reference voltage, the control signal controls the main switch to be turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chien-An Lai, Chang-Yuan Hsu
  • Patent number: 11165417
    Abstract: A circuit to protect a digital input and output (I/O) terminal from an overvoltage applied externally to the digital I/O terminal. The circuit is arranged similar to a bootstrap switch such that a pass-device protects an output driver from an overvoltage applied to the digital I/O terminal and the output driver controls the operation of the pass-device, such as an N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor. The circuit may include a capacitor and a diode coupled to the gate of the NMOS transistor. A digital zero from the output driver charges the capacitor. A digital one from the output driver causes the charged capacitor, coupled between source and the gate of the NMOS transistor, provides sufficient gate-source voltage to pass the digital one from the driver to the digital I/O terminal. The circuit further includes refresh circuitry configured to maintains the gate source voltage on the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Cristian Garbossa, Luca Lentola, Devis Fiorin
  • Patent number: 11031200
    Abstract: A relay assembly that includes a relay, a bypass switch and a controller. The relay includes an electromechanical switch with an open state and a closed state. The bypass switch is operatively coupled in parallel with the electromechanical switch of the relay, and also has an open state and a closed state. The controller is operatively coupled to the relay and the bypass switch, and is configured to switch the bypass switch from the open state to the closed state, then switch the relay between the open state and closed state, and then switch the bypass switch back to the open state. In some cases, the bypass switch includes a TRIAC. The controller may be configured to maintain the bypass switch in the closed state for less than 100 milliseconds before switching back to the open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Ademco Inc.
    Inventors: Ever Hernandez, Tracy Lentz, Jean Rouillard
  • Patent number: 11023641
    Abstract: A method performed by a computing system includes receiving a circuit design, the circuit design comprising a plurality of non-contiguous doped wells within a substrate and a plurality of resistor elements positioned above the plurality of non-contiguous doped wells such that each of the resistor elements is positioned above a different one of the plurality of non-contiguous doped wells and simulating performance of the circuit design with a first voltage applied to a first one of the plurality of resistor elements and a second voltage simultaneously applied to a second one of the plurality of resistor elements, the second voltage being different than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Lung Tung, Min-Chang Liang, Fang Chen
  • Patent number: 11018503
    Abstract: A protection circuit intended to be connected between an electrical energy source and an overvoltage-sensitive device. A current limiting circuit and a current monitoring circuit are connected in series, a reference voltage generator circuit delivering a reference voltage, and a balancing circuit is intended to control the current monitoring circuit so that the voltage at a point of connection between the current limiting circuit and the current monitoring circuit is substantially equal to the reference voltage. An electrical measurement or power supply device including at least one such overvoltage protection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventors: Bo Li, Miao-Xin Wang
  • Patent number: 10976351
    Abstract: One example discloses a current monitoring device, including: a sense impedance configured to receive a current to be monitored; an impedance divider, coupled to the sense impedance, and configured to convert the current to be monitored to a differential voltage to be monitored; a reference circuit configured to generate a differential reference voltage; a comparator coupled to the impedance divider and the reference circuit and configured to output a signal if the differential voltage to be monitored is different than the differential reference voltage; and wherein the reference circuit includes a comparator trimming circuit configured to vary the differential reference voltage to compensate for offset biases in the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Xu Zhang, Siamak Delshadpour, Ahmad Yazdi
  • Patent number: 10936033
    Abstract: A hot plugging module power supply device, method and system are provided. When a hot plugging module is connected to a system in a hot plugging manner, a control unit transmits a first control signal to a signal processing unit. The signal processing unit forms a switch-on signal and transmits the switch-on signal to a switch unit, to gradually switch on the switch unit, to provide power to the hot plugging module. During the hot plugging module is supplied with power, when an overcurrent fault occurs in the hot plugging module, the control unit transmits a second control signal to the signal processing unit, and the signal processing unit forms a switch-off signal and transmits the switch-off signal to the switch unit, to immediately switch off the switch unit, to stop supplying power to the hot plugging module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: ZHENGZHOU YUNHAI INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: MingChao Liao
  • Patent number: 10910828
    Abstract: A current limiting circuit configured to: before release of a touch between a second contact provided at a position where a terminal on a power receiving side in which a current flows at supply of DC power in an electrode that supplies the DC power touches before touching a first contact provided for the electrode at supply of the DC power and the terminal, decrease the current flowing into the terminal through the second contact; and avoid flowing a current in a case where the terminal is touching the first contact, and decrease the current flowing into the terminal through the second contact only in a case where the terminal is touching the second contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Morita
  • Patent number: 10886835
    Abstract: An electrical circuit and a method for regulating current and providing a circuit breaker to the electrical circuit. The circuit includes a bidirectional cell including a set of forward switches for power flow during a forward mode of operation and a set of reverse switches for providing reverse power flow during a reverse mode of operation, a control inductor for controlling current flow during the reverse mode of operation, and a voltage clamping switch configured to provide the control inductor in the circuit during the reverse mode of operation and remove the control inductor from the circuit during the forward mode of operation. The circuit is operated in at least the reverse mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventor: Boris S. Jacobson
  • Patent number: 10678739
    Abstract: An electronic system, a host device and a control method are provided. The electronic system includes a host device, a cable and a slave device. The slave device receives supply power for operation. The cable is coupled between the host device and the slave device. The host device includes a data transmission interface circuit, a management circuit and a central processing unit. The data transmission interface circuit includes a reset circuit. The reset circuit is utilized for detecting whether the slave device has powered on and accordingly generating a simulated hot plug signal. The management circuit is utilized for determining a hot plug state between the host device and the slave device according to the simulated hot plug signal and accordingly generating a control signal. The central processing unit is utilized for establishing a link between the host device and the slave device according to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Syu-Siang Lee, Yin-Hsin Chang, Wen-Bin Lin
  • Patent number: 10637460
    Abstract: Circuits for protecting devices, such as gallium nitride (GaN) devices, and operating methods thereof are described. The circuits monitor a magnitude of the current in a device and reduce the magnitude of the current and/or shut down the device responsive to the magnitude of the current exceeding a threshold. These circuits safeguard devices from damaging operating conditions to prolong the operating life of the protected devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Cristiano Bazzani, Damian McCann
  • Patent number: 10615713
    Abstract: An improved AC to DC conversion system consists of an electronic switch employed to disconnect the input of a prior art series voltage regulator circuit from a rectified AC mains power supply over a fraction of the period of the AC mains to reduce the power dissipated within the series regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Inventors: Mark Telefus, Bradley Larson
  • Patent number: 10547035
    Abstract: An energy and power supply device includes an energy storage unit configured to store electrical energy, an output coupled to the energy storage unit and configured to provide an output electrical current to a load, and a current limiting system configured to selectively limit the output electrical current according to a current protection profile. The current protection profile includes a plurality of threshold currents and a plurality of corresponding threshold periods of time that facilitate providing the output electrical current according to a maximum variable current versus time function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: GOAL ZERO LLC
    Inventors: Keyvan Vasefi, Michael Roner, Walker Ford, Sterling Robison, David M. Smith
  • Patent number: 10511163
    Abstract: A surge suppression device includes a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switch electrically connected to a current path. Additionally, the surge suppression device includes a transient voltage suppression (TVS) device electrically connected in series to the MEMS switch. The surge suppression device is configured to protect electronic components from voltage surges or current surges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Avinash Srikrishnan Kashyap, Christian M. Giovanniello, Christopher Fred Keimel
  • Patent number: 10476260
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a circuit providing protection against ground faults and over-voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Marcel Baumeler, Peter Christen
  • Patent number: 10468917
    Abstract: A battery charger for charging a battery is disclosed. In one embodiment, the battery charger comprises an input for receiving a first voltage and for coupling to a positive terminal of the battery; a first transistor having a first gate, a first drain and a first source, wherein the first gate is for coupling to a charging signal for the battery and the first drain is coupled to the battery negative terminal and, the first transistor to cause energy to be transferred from the input into the battery when turned on; and a group of transistors coupled to the first transistor and the input to control when the first transistor is turned on, wherein the group of transistors comprises a second transistor having a second gate coupled to the input and coupled to a third transistor to turn off the third transistor after a delay occurs after the voltage on the input reaches a predetermined level, and further herein the third transistor causes the first transistor to turn on when the third transistor is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenneth Gudan, Jonathan J. Hull, Matthew S. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 10424910
    Abstract: A protective device is provided comprising a microswitch which is serially connected to a fuse or a circuit breaker, a current measuring unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. At least one current value range is stored on the storage unit. The current measuring unit is designed to measure current intensities in the protective device and to generate current values which represent the measured current intensities. The control unit is designed to process the current values, to open the microswitch if a current value lies in the current value range, and to reclose the microswitch after being opened. Also provided is a protective system for electrical circuits with multiple protective devices of the aforementioned type and to a method for controlling the protective system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: ENERGIJSKI KONDUKTORJI D.O.O.
    Inventor: Uros Platise
  • Patent number: 10411612
    Abstract: A power generation system in an embodiment includes a power generator, a rectifying and smoothing circuit, a converter, a voltage measurement unit, and a switch. The power generator outputs AC power. The rectifying and smoothing circuit converts the AC power to DC power and smooths the DC power. The voltage measurement unit measures an average voltage of the AC power or a voltage of the smoothed DC power. The converter transforms the smoothed DC power. The switch is disposed between the rectifying and smoothing circuit and the converter, and becomes an ON state when the measured voltage becomes a reference voltage or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Atsuro Oonishi, Hiroshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10361555
    Abstract: A device for reducing residual current in an electrical circuit, in particular an electrical low-voltage line, has a residual current sensor and a current measuring unit, wherein an output of the residual current sensor is connected to an input of the current measuring unit. The device has a voltage reducing unit, the voltage reducing unit is connected to an output of the current measuring unit, and the voltage reducing unit is designed to reduce the electrical voltage—subsequently applied to the device—depending on the height of the measured residual current in order to limit the measured residual current to a predeterminable value, in particular 30 mA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventor: Michael Koch
  • Patent number: 10205313
    Abstract: Two-transistor devices protect electrical circuits from sustained overcurrent conditions. Some cases provide normally-on depletion mode transistors biased into enhancement mode for lower impedance during normal current conditions, and then the transistors are biased into blocking depletion mode during sustained overcurrent conditions to block the current to the circuit. Optionally, the devices have only two terminals and require no auxiliary power to operate. Other cases provide protective circuitry for the transistors' gates, timing circuitry designed to ignore brief nuisance spikes, and/or timing circuitry to delay resetting the device until the current has returned to an acceptable level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Symptote Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Mark D. Creech
  • Patent number: 10200028
    Abstract: An electric assembly includes a reverse conducting switching device and a rectifying device. The reverse conducting switching device includes transistor cells for desaturation configured to be, under reverse bias, turned on in a desaturation mode and to be turned off in a saturation mode. The rectifying device is electrically connected anti-parallel to the switching device. In a range of a diode forward current from half of a maximum rating diode current of the switching device to the maximum rating diode current, a diode I/V characteristic of the rectifying device shows a voltage drop across the rectifying device higher than a saturation I/V characteristic of the switching device with the transistor cells for desaturation turned off and lower than a desaturation I/V characteristic of the switching device with the transistor cells for desaturation turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Johannes Georg Laven, Roman Baburske, Thomas Basler
  • Patent number: 10184452
    Abstract: A wind power generation system according to the present invention includes: a DC bus; a plurality of feeders connected to the DC bus for transmitting DC powers to the DC bus; a plurality of wind power generators; a plurality of AC/DC converters connected one by one to each of the wind power generators for converting AC powers generated by the connected wind power generators, into DC powers, and outputting the DC powers to the feeders; and a DC breaker and a diode, which serve as a current limiting unit installed on each of the feeders for preventing a DC current from flowing from the DC bus into the feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuyori Tahata, Kunio Kikuchi, Makoto Miyashita, Kenji Kamei, Sho Tokoyoda
  • Patent number: 10164428
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to a voltage-source multi-level converter including a phase unit. The phase unit includes first and second bridge arms, each includes modules and reactor connected in series. In the first bridge arm, a first terminal of first reactor is connected to alternating-current terminal of the phrase unit, a second terminal thereof is connected to a first terminal of the first modules, and second terminal of the first modules is connected to first DC terminal of the phrase unit. In the second bridge arm, a first terminal of the second reactor is connected to the alternating-current terminal, a second terminal thereof is connected to a first terminal of the second modules, and a second terminal of the second modules is connected to second DC terminal of the phrase unit. Then, a parallel fault shunt circuit is connected between the second terminals of the first and second reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: NR ELECTRIC CO., LTD, NR ENGINEERING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Guorong Shen, Jie Tian, Dongming Cao, Haiying Li, Yunlong Dong, Nannan Wang, Haibin Liu, Yu Lu
  • Patent number: 10151779
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring resistor (1), in particular a low-resistance current-measuring resistor, comprising two terminal parts (2, 3) that consist of a conductor material for introducing and discharging a current, and a resistor element (4) that consists of a resistor material, wherein the resistor element (4) is arranged between the two terminal parts (2, 3) in the direction of the current and current flows through the resistor element (4). According to one variant of the invention, the measuring resistor (1) has several pairs of voltage-measuring contacts (7) for measuring the voltage falling across the resistor element (4) in order to be able to compensate metrologically for inhomogeneities in the current density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Isabellenhuette Heusler GmbH & Co., LG
    Inventor: Ullrich Hetzler
  • Patent number: 10145888
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The device includes a first connector configured to couple with a second connector and including a plurality of contacts separated from each other, and a processor configured to detect an incomplete connection between the first connector and the second connector when an electric current does not flow through at least one of the contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jungchul An, Dohee Kang, Hyun-Woo Sim
  • Patent number: 10141836
    Abstract: A control circuit includes a set of alternating-current (AC) power receiver terminals, a rectification unit, a transistor, a switch, a detection unit, a comparison unit and a logic control circuit. The AC power receiver terminals receive and send external AC power to the rectification unit. The rectification unit outputs an operation voltage accordingly. The transistor is coupled between the rectification unit and the switch. The detection unit is coupled to the rectification unit to generate a first detection voltage and a second detection voltage according to the operation voltage. When the first detection signal is equal to the second detection signal, the comparison unit sends a comparison signal. The logic control circuit turns on the transistor and the switch if the comparison signal still has not been received after a predetermined time interval has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: WELTREND SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Ming-Ying Kuo, Yi-Lun Shen, Ren-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 10096407
    Abstract: A surface mountable over-current protection device comprises a PTC material layer, first and second conductive layers, left and right electrodes, left and right conductive members, and left and right insulating members. The PTC material layer comprises a left notch at a left end and a right notch at a right end. The first conductive layer comprises a primary portion disposed on an upper surface of the PTC material layer and a secondary portion extending over the left notch, and the second conductive layer comprises a primary portion disposed on a lower surface of the PTC material layer and a secondary portion extending over the underside of the right notch. The left conductive member connects to the left electrode and the first conductive layer and isolates from the second conductive layer. The right conductive member connects to the right electrode and the second conductive layer and isolates from the first conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: POLYTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Chun Teng Tseng, Wen Feng Lee, Yung Hsien Chang, Yao Te Chang
  • Patent number: 10090387
    Abstract: An electronic device having at least a first HEMT transistor and bias circuit able to at least reverse bias the first HEMT transistor by applying an electric voltage VSD of a positive value between a source of the first HEMT transistor and a drain of the first HEMT transistor. The first HEMT transistor is able to be ON when a value of an electric voltage VGD between a gate of the first HEMT transistor and the drain of the first HEMT transistor is higher than a value of a threshold voltage Vth of the first HEMT transistor. The electronic device has, during a forward biasing, a behavior similar to that of a forward biased or reverse biased Zener diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignees: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux energies alternatives, ALCATEL LUCENT
    Inventor: Rene Escoffier
  • Patent number: 10028403
    Abstract: A board assembly includes a first board. The first board includes a first board connector that is configured to connect to a first baseboard connector receptacle included on a baseboard and a first board component coupled to the first board connector through the first board. The board assembly also includes a second board that is movably coupled to the first board by at least one floating coupling that allows the second board to move relative to the first board. The second board includes a second board connector that is configured to connect to a second baseboard connector receptacle included on the baseboard and a second board component coupled to the second board connector through the second board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Corey Dean Hartman, Salvador D. Jimenez, III
  • Patent number: 9853451
    Abstract: A direct current (DC) power system includes a plurality of energy sources supplying power to a plurality of loads via a DC bus having at least one positive rail. The DC bus includes two DC bus subsections and a DC bus separator coupled between the two DC bus subsections. The DC bus separator includes a controllable switch with at least one of its terminals coupled with a terminal of an inductor to provide a current path between the two DC bus subsections during normal operation via the inductor. The controllable switch is switched off to break the current path when a fault on the positive rail is detected. Furthermore, the DC bus separator includes a diode connected in parallel to the inductor and arranged to provide a circulating current path to dissipate an inductor current in the inductor when the controllable switch is switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Christof Martin Sihler
  • Patent number: 9835690
    Abstract: An AC inrush current testing device is disclosure. The AC inrush current testing device includes a grid voltage peak point calculator, a grid voltage period and timing detector, a switch, an autotransformer, and a main relay. The grid voltage period and timing detector is connected to an AC power source and the grid voltage peak point calculator. A movable contact of the switch is connected to the AC power source. A first winding of the autotransformer is connected to the AC power source, a second winding of the autotransformer, and a first stationary contact of the switch. A third winding of the autotransformer is connected to a second stationary contact of the switch and the second winding. The main relay is electrically connected to the grid voltage peak point calculator, the second winding, and the third winding. A method for testing AC inrush current is further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: CHICONY POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Nan Huang, Ming-Tsan Lin, Ching-Guo Chen, Shiu-Hui Lee, Chih-Ming Yu, Hsin-Chang Yu, Chang-Li Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9824838
    Abstract: A commutating circuit breaker that works by progressively inserting increasing resistance into a circuit. This is done via physical motion of a shuttle that is linked into the circuit by at least one set of sliding electrical contacts on the shuttle (“shuttle electrodes”) that connect the power through the moving shuttle to a sequence of different resistive paths with increasing resistance; the motion of the shuttle can be either linear or rotary. A feature of the commutating circuit breaker is that at no point are the shuttle electrodes separated from the matching stationary stator electrodes so as to generate a powerful arc, which minimizes damage to the electrodes. Instead, the current is commutated from one resistive path to the next with small enough changes in resistance at each step that arcing can be suppressed. The variable resistance can either be within the moving shuttle, or the shuttle can comprise a commutating shuttle that moves the current over a series of stationary resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Alevo International, S.A.
    Inventor: Roger W. Faulkner
  • Patent number: 9806519
    Abstract: An input redundant circuit according to the present disclosure may include: a core power supply unit; a first input port connected to a first input voltage; a second input port connected to a second input voltage; a relay unit connected to the first input port and the second input port to supply one of the first input voltage and the second input voltage to the core power supply unit; and a surge current limiting unit coupled to the relay unit, configured to limit a surge current generated when the relay unit is switched between the first input voltage and the second input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: ASTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Chung Yan Cheng
  • Patent number: 9755419
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for selective protection of an electrical load from disturbances on an input power line. A power protection circuit includes a selectively variable inrush current limiting circuit and a switch for disconnecting the input power line from the load. A control circuit determines that the electrical load is in a first operational state, such as a standby mode or normal operation, or a second operational state, such as full operation at rated current. The power protection circuit provides variable inrush current limiting to the electrical load in response to a first category of disturbances when the electrical load is in the first operational state. The power protection circuit inhibits disconnecting the electrical load in response to a second category of disturbances when the electrical load is in the second operational state. Species of selectively variable current limiting circuits are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: INNOVOLT, INC.
    Inventors: Vincent P. Luciani, Eugene Bright
  • Patent number: 9749739
    Abstract: A method of protecting a speaker from thermal damage includes determining a first load current through a first resistor that is coupled to the speaker. The method also includes converting the first load current to a digital value using a second load current through a second resistor as a reference input. The second resistor is part of a circuit that reduces an effect of a temperature coefficient of resistance of the first resistor. The method also includes comparing the digital value of the first load current to a threshold value. The method further includes, responsive to the first load current being larger than the threshold value, generating an instruction to take an action to protect the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhilong Tang, Jingxue Lu
  • Patent number: 9680298
    Abstract: An input redundant circuit according to the present disclosure may include: a core power supply unit; a first input port connected to a first input voltage; a second input port connected to a second input voltage; a relay unit connected to the first input port and the second input port to supply one of the first input voltage and the second input voltage to the core power supply unit; and a surge current limiting unit coupled to the relay unit, configured to limit a surge current generated when the relay unit is switched between the first input voltage and the second input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: ASTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Chung Yan Cheng
  • Patent number: 9649997
    Abstract: An apparatus for the location-dependent configuration of a device is coupled to the apparatus. The apparatus has first and second power supply terminals, a locating terminal for locating the apparatus on the basis of a voltage applied to the locating terminal, and a configuration device for configuring the device on the basis of the voltage that is applied to the locating terminal. The first power supply terminal and the locating terminal are formed by the same terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Fink
  • Patent number: 9444248
    Abstract: A control circuit for indirectly limiting a load current which flows through a controllable semiconductor component. The control circuit controls the controllable semiconductor component based upon a measured and/or a calculated load-current-dependent power loss of the semiconductor component. The control circuit can also control the controllable semiconductor component based upon a measured and/or a calculated load-current-dependent component temperature of the controllable semiconductor component. A charging circuit includes a controllable semiconductor component for limiting a load current and has a control circuit in accordance with the invention. A motor vehicle includes an on-board electrical power supply system having a charging circuit in accordance with the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Erhart
  • Patent number: 9403497
    Abstract: In one form, the invention relates to a transmission device for transmitting an electric current to a component of a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, including a rotor which is to be arranged on the steering wheel such that it is rotatable along with the steering wheel; a stator which is to be arranged on a component of the vehicle that is stationary as compared to a rotary movement of the steering wheel; at least one conductor element by which the rotor is electrically connected with the stator; and a temperature determination device for determining the temperature of the conductor element or in the region of the conductor element. In another form, the invention also relates to a method for transmitting an electric current to a component of a steering wheel of a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: TAKATA-PETRI AG
    Inventors: Thomas Sauerwein, Uwe Speck, Jürgen Bender, Markus Stollberg, Michael Bischoff
  • Patent number: 9377835
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure pertain to a system and method for providing dynamic charge current based on maximum expansion card power. Dynamic monitoring of overall power usage by an expansion card is performed. Based on the dynamic monitoring, power consumption of a charging circuit of the card is dynamically adjusted for maintaining the overall power consumption of the expansion card at or below a pre-determined power limit (e.g., at or below an expansion slot power limit). Further, based on the dynamic monitoring, an amount of charging current provided by a current limiting device of the charging circuit to an energy storage device of the charging circuit is dynamically adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Rex C. Wade, Justin R. McCollum
  • Patent number: 9343899
    Abstract: An intrinsically safe redundant regulator circuit includes a plurality of voltage limiting regulators between a regulated rail and a ground rail. Each of the plurality of voltage limiting regulators includes: (i) a shunt regulator component configured to clamp a voltage across the regulated rail and the ground rail to a safety clamp voltage value; and (ii) one or more components, where a property of each of the one or more components is selected to configure the safety clamp voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Matthew J. Kemp, Davin S. Nicholas, Stephen G. Seberger
  • Patent number: 9226391
    Abstract: Various aspects provide for incorporating a VSDM into a substrate to create an ESD-protected substrate. In some cases, a VSDM is incorporated in a manner that results in the ESD-protected substrate meeting one or more specifications (e.g., thickness, planarity, and the like) for various subsequent processes or applications. Various aspects provide for designing a substrate (e.g., a PCB) incorporating a VSDM, and adjusting one or more aspects of the substrate to design a balanced, ESD-protected substrate. Certain embodiments include molding a substrate having a VSDM layer into a first shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: LITTELFUSE, INC.
    Inventors: Shurui Shang, Robert Fleming
  • Patent number: 9214816
    Abstract: An integrated power distribution system utilizes a subsea power distribution hub that receives high voltage electricity through an umbilical from a host surface facility. The subsea power distribution hub steps down the high voltage electricity and distributes the appropriate electrical power supply to multiple components of a subsea production system (e.g., in-well pumps, subsea booster pumps, subsea processing units, subsea valves, and subsea sensors) via jumpers. The integrated subsea power distribution system can be utilize to supply electrical power to all of the required process components of the subsea production system from the in-well completion to the surface host facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: FRAMO ENGINEERING AS
    Inventors: Peter Batho, Jan Elde, Audun Magne Askeland, Jean-Luc Monnac, Dinesh R. Patel
  • Patent number: 9197127
    Abstract: A power supply controller includes a switch circuit to be provided between the power source and the power supply path, the switch circuit switches the power supply from the power source to the load between on and off, and a power-supply-path protection circuit. The power-supply-path protection circuit controls switching operation of the switch circuit according to a power-supply command signal that commands to start or terminate the power supply to the load, to calculate a temperature of the power-supply path, and if the calculated temperature reaches a predetermined upper limit, to inhibit the switch circuit from the power supply, thereby protecting the power-supply path. In a case where the power supply by the switch circuit is inhibited, if the temperature of the power supply path decreases to a predetermined threshold temperature, the power-supply-path protection circuit removes inhibition of the power supply by the switch circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Higuchi, Seiji Takahashi