Transistor Patents (Class 363/127)
  • Patent number: 9667150
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for controlling a surge voltage. An embodiment configures a snubber coil and a snubber rectifier on a secondary side circuit in series to control a high spike surge voltage across a rectifier on the secondary side. When the rectifier is turned-off, the snubber rectifier is turned-on for a predetermined time to control the surge voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhe Li
  • Patent number: 9665114
    Abstract: A regulator applied to regulate a first reference voltage on an output terminal, the regulator includes: a sensing circuit, arranged to sense a variation of the first reference voltage on the output terminal to generate a sensing signal; and a gain stage, arranged to provide an adjusting current to the output terminal in response to the sensing signal for reducing the variation of the first reference voltage, and the gain stage is coupled in parallel to a loading circuit powered by the first reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Yan-Bin Luo, Chih-Chien Hung
  • Patent number: 9660544
    Abstract: A power converter includes a self-driven circuit for appropriately turning ON and OFF a synchronous rectifier during the operating cycle of the power converter. Without the use of a smart controller coupled to the synchronous rectifier, the self-driven circuit turns ON the synchronous rectifier during the positive cycle of the power converter when the main switch is turned OFF, and the self-driven circuit turns OFF the synchronous rectifier during the negative cycle of the power converter when the main switch is turned ON. Unlike conventional self-driven circuits that include an auxiliary secondary winding for driving a synchronous rectifier, the self-driving circuitry of the present application does not include an auxiliary secondary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Telefus, Peter Ramos Yeo, Bahman Sharifipour
  • Patent number: 9660514
    Abstract: A power feeding device of a non-contact charging device includes a power factor improvement circuit which converts an AC power supply to DC, and improves a power factor, a smoothing capacitor connected to an output end of the power factor improvement circuit, an inverter circuit which includes a plurality of switching elements, and generates an AC signal using a voltage of the smoothing capacitor as a power supply, a power feeding section which feeds power based on the AC signal to a power receiving device, and a control circuit which modulates a duty factor of each of the switching elements of the inverter circuit in synchronization with the AC power supply, wherein the control circuit controls the plurality of switching elements so that an increment of the modulated duty factor is not equal to a decrement of the modulated duty factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Sadakata, Atsushi Fujita, Takashi Kashimoto, Daisuke Bessyo
  • Patent number: 9647526
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a startup self-test for bidirectional power converters. Voltage levels across bidirectional switches in a bidirectional power converter can be compared at various points in a circuit to determine whether a given switch is operating correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: IDEAL POWER, INC.
    Inventor: William C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 9632523
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a circuit for peak voltage detection. The circuit includes a diode-based peak detector and a compensation circuit. The diode-based peak detector has a first diode, and is configured to receive a signal for peak voltage detection and generate a first voltage of a stable level indicative of a peak voltage of the signal based on the first diode. The compensation circuit has a second diode. The compensation circuit is configured to receive the first voltage and generate a second voltage of a stable level that is independent of the first diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruiqiang Liu, Hongzheng Han, Tuo Wu
  • Patent number: 9627983
    Abstract: A control circuit and the control method for controlling the current voltage converter of a power conversion system in the start-up phase are disclosed. A first voltage is applied to the non-inverting input terminal of the comparator and a reference voltage is applied to the inverting input terminal of the comparator. When the first voltage exceeds the reference voltage, the comparison result from the comparator triggers the frequency of the clock signal generated by the oscillator to reduce preventing the primary current flowing through the primary winding of the transformer exceeding a pre-set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor (Cayman), Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Ming Chen, Jung-Pei Cheng, Pei-Lun Huang
  • Patent number: 9621149
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for operating a highly linearized resistance for a switch through use of a bootstrapped features. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method and system that implements a method for operating a circuit configured to provide a highly linearized resistance including receiving a signal via a bootstrapped switch, coupling the received signal to a gate if the received signal is high, receiving a signal via a switch control input coupled to a high impedance element. Moreover, the method includes coupling the high impedance element to the gate and turning off the switch via a gate turn off when the gate turn off pulls the gate low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Benedict C. K. Choy, James T. Walker, Ming-Yuan Yeh
  • Patent number: 9621059
    Abstract: A controller for a switched mode power converter is disclosed, the switched mode power converter comprising a transformer defining a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit, the primary side circuit comprising a primary switch, the secondary side circuit comprising a synchronous rectification switch, the controller comprising: a baseline off-set circuit configured to provide a baseline timing off-set between opening the synchronous rectification switch and closing the primary switch; a peak current detector configured to detect a peak negative current in the secondary side circuit; and a feedback circuit configured to add an off-set adaptation to the baseline timing off-set to provide an adapted timing off-set, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to adjust the off-set adaptation to minimize the negative peak current. A switched mode power converter and electronic equipment using such a controller is also disclose, as is a method for controlling a switch mode power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Hans Halberstadt
  • Patent number: 9601996
    Abstract: In a switching power supply apparatus, a switching element is turned on/off to intermittently conduct current input via an inductor. Current input during a period in which the switching element is turned off is supplied to an electrolytic capacitor via a conduction path. A rectifier diode is provided in the conduction path to face toward the electrolytic capacitor. An inductor is provided in the conduction path to be connected in series with the rectifier diode. A high speed diode has a reverse recovery time shorter than the reverse recovery time of the rectifier diode, and is connected in parallel with the inductor to face toward the electrolytic capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Hosotani
  • Patent number: 9595874
    Abstract: System and method for regulating a power conversion system. A system controller for regulating a power conversion system includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. Additionally, the system controller is configured to receive an input signal at the first controller terminal, and generate a drive signal at the second controller terminal based at least in part on the input signal to turn on or off a transistor in order to affect a current associated with a secondary winding of the power conversion system. Moreover, the system controller is further configured to determine whether the input signal is larger than a first threshold at a first time, in response to the input signal being determined to be larger than the first threshold at the first time, determine whether the input signal is smaller than a second threshold at a second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yaming Cao, Zhenglan Xia, Yuan Lin, Qiang Luo, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 9590519
    Abstract: Embodiments of an adapter are disclosed that include a rectifier with an input and an output coupled to a step-down transformer with a primary coil and a secondary coil, wherein the primary coil is coupled to the output of the rectifier. A step-up converter is coupled to the secondary coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Luh, Eric G. Smith
  • Patent number: 9584044
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the disclosed inverter topologies, an inverter may include a full bridge LLC resonant converter, a first boost converter, and a second boost converter. In such embodiments, the first and second boost converters operate in an interleaved manner. In other disclosed embodiments, the inverter may include a half-bridge inverter circuit, a resonant circuit, a capacitor divider circuit, and a transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Yan Zhou, Haiyu Zhang
  • Patent number: 9577454
    Abstract: A method for operating a plurality of energy storage devices includes controlling operation of the plurality of energy storage devices connected in series by independently varying a current and/or bypassing and/or reversing a polarity of at least one of the plurality of energy storage devices without a corresponding change in current, bypass, or reversal of polarity of one or more of the other energy storage devices connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: PRIMUS POWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Seymour, Jonathan Hall, Ryan Larsen
  • Patent number: 9570991
    Abstract: During a dead time, a resonance current generated by a load current that flows in a resonance inductor and a resonance current generated by an excitation current of a transformer flow in a resonance circuit constituted by the resonance inductor and capacitors that exist in parallel to respective switching elements. A controller performs a turning off operation on the switching elements at a timing that the resonance current generated by the load current and the resonance current generated by the excitation current are cancelled each other during the dead time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Akutagawa, Hideki Tamura
  • Patent number: 9571084
    Abstract: Low-voltage outputs are provided by full-bridge rectification using controlled switches with fault detection monitoring of circuit conditions and disabling switches upon detection of a fault to decouple the converter from the system. Common-source dual MOSFET devices include elements arranged in alternating patterns on the die. Common-source dual synchronous rectifiers include control circuitry powered from the voltage across the complementary switch. A DC-to-DC transformer converts power using a fixed voltage transformation ratio. A clamp phase may be used to reduce power losses, control the output resistance, effectively regulate the voltage transformation ratio, provide narrow band output regulation, and control the rate of change of output voltage. A new point of load converter includes input driver circuitry removed from and output circuitry located at the point of load, with a transformer located near the output circuit and an AC bus between the driver circuit and the primary winding of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: VLT, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrizio Vinciarelli
  • Patent number: 9564818
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter includes: a transformer; a main MOS transistor connected in series between a primary side inductance of the transformer and a ground potential; a synchronous rectification MOS transistor connected in series between a secondary side inductance of the transformer and the ground potential; a refluxing MOS transistor connected between a secondary side output of the transformer and the ground potential; and a controller. If an operation is stopped, the controller stops the main MOS transistor and stops the synchronous rectification MOS transistor and the refluxing MOS transistor after a lapse of a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD
    Inventor: Yuichi Shinozaki
  • Patent number: 9564822
    Abstract: A DC power supply device including a DC/DC converter having FETs each driven by a drive transformer. A voltage from a single drive power supply disposed in common for the FETs is divided into positive and negative biases to be applied to the FETs, and an operational state of the FETs is detected based on voltage signals. A sequence circuit turns on an input from a three-phase AC power supply by driving a relay circuit at a time point when it is confirmed that the FETs have normally started stable ON/OFF operation, and drives a power factor improvement circuit, which converts AC voltage from the three-phase AC power supply into a DC voltage by simultaneously performing full-wave rectification and power factor improvement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9559599
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a system portion configured to operate with a received voltage, and a power supply including a pulse width modulation (PWM) generator to generate a PWM signal, a converter to transfer voltage from a primary side to a secondary side in accordance with an output voltage of the PWM generator, and an output portion to supply voltage at the secondary side as standby voltage to the system portion, the PWM generator receives feedback on the standby voltage at the secondary side of the converter, the PWM signal is turned on/off in accordance with levels of the standby voltage at the secondary side, and voltage being supplied to components, except, when the PWM signal is turned off, voltage at the secondary side is only supplied to a component that monitors the feedback of the standby voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin-hyung Lee, Gil-yong Chang
  • Patent number: 9559608
    Abstract: A rectifier circuit includes a MOSFET (M1), and a first Zener diode (D1) or a first Zener-emulator (E1) that emulates the D1. The circuit conducts current in a forward direction from an input to an output, and substantially blocks current in a reverse direction. The M1 is characterized by an on-resistance. A cathode of the D1 or a cathode-contact of the E1 is connected to the input, and the anode of the D1 or an anode-contact of the E1 are connected to the source. The E1 includes a first small-Zener-diode (D11), a first resistor (R11) and a first transistor (M11) interconnected such that the E1 emulates the D1, and is characterized by a Zener-voltage. The Zener-voltage and the on-resistance are selected such that a stored-charge in the body-diode is less than a forward-charge-threshold when current flows in the forward direction, whereby the reverse recover time of the body-diode is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jack L. Glenn
  • Patent number: 9559593
    Abstract: A synchronous rectification converter includes: a first switching element coupled between a inductor and an input terminal; a second switching element coupled between the inductor and the input terminal; a capacitive element coupled between the other end of the inductor and the other end of the input terminal; a control circuit detects voltages of the inductor and the capacitive element; a current inversion detection circuit detects inversion of a direction in which a current supplied from the second switching element to the inductor flows and outputs an inversion signal; a delay circuit delays the inversion signal and outputs a delay inversion signal; a synchronous rectification reset circuit that changes the control signal; a load detector detects reduction of an output current supplied from a connection node of the inductor and the capacitive element; and a delay control circuit generates a delay control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yu Yonezawa, Yoshiyasu Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9552921
    Abstract: An automatic tuning assist circuit is coupled in series with a transmission antenna. A first switch and a second switch are arranged in series between a first terminal and a second terminal of the automatic tuning assist circuit. Furthermore, a third switch and a fourth switch are arranged in series between the first terminal and the second terminal. A first auxiliary capacitor is arranged between a connection node that connects the first switch and the second switch and a connection node that connects the third switch and the fourth switch. A first control unit switches on and off the first switch through the fourth switch with the same frequency as that of the driving voltage, and with a given phase difference with respect to the driving voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Adventest Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Endo, Yasuo Furukawa
  • Patent number: 9543844
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power supply includes synchronously rectifying a current in a secondary side of the switched-mode power supply by detecting a voltage drop of a secondary winding of a transformer and activating a semiconductor switch coupled to the secondary winding when the voltage drop is detected. The method also includes determining a digital signal transmitting the digital signal to a controller coupled to a primary winding of the transformer by switching the semiconductor switch in accordance with the digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Xiao Wu Gong, Kok Kee Lim
  • Patent number: 9541941
    Abstract: An energy harvesting interface receives an electrical signal from an inductive transducer and supplies a supply signal. The interface includes an input branch with a first switch and a second switch connected together in series between a first input terminal and an output terminal. The interface further includes a third switch and a fourth switch connected together in series between a second input terminal and the output terminal. A first electrical-signal-detecting device, coupled across the second switch, detects a first threshold value of an electric storage current in the inductor of the transducer. A second electrical-signal-detecting device, coupled across the fourth switch, detects whether the electric supply current that flows through the fourth switch reaches a second threshold value lower than the first threshold value. The second threshold is derived from the electric storage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Stefano Ramorini, Alessandro Gasparini, Alberto Cattani, Federica Papotti
  • Patent number: 9537385
    Abstract: Disclosed are an induction current sampling device and method for a bridgeless PFC circuit. The device includes a first sampling unit, a second sampling circuit and a third sampling circuit, wherein the first sampling unit, connected in serial with a first switch transistor of the bridgeless PFC circuit, is configured to sample a current flowing through the first switch transistor to acquire a first sampling signal V1; the the second sampling unit, connected in serial with a second switch transistor of the bridgeless PFC circuit, is configured to sample a current flowing through the second switch transistor to acquire a second sampling signal V2; and the third sampling unit, with one terminal connected with a ground of the bridgeless PFC circuit and the other terminal connected with a negative output of a PFC capacitor of the bridgeless PFC circuit, is configured to sample a current flowing through a boost diode of the bridgeless PFC circuit to acquire a third sampling signal V3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xifeng Pu, Dacheng Zheng, Binchuan Dai, Dan Li, Zhenghai Wan, Junkai Li
  • Patent number: 9531275
    Abstract: A switching power converter provides regulated output power to a load. The switching power converter comprises a transformer including a primary winding coupled to an input voltage, a secondary winding coupled to an output of the switching power converter, an auxiliary winding on a primary side of the transformer, and a switch coupled to the primary winding of the transformer. Output voltage across the secondary winding is reflected as a feedback voltage across the auxiliary winding. The switching power converter detects output current based on a reset time of the transformer. Based on the detected output power, the switching power converter controls switching of the switch to provide regulated output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Fuqiang Shi, David Nguyen, Hien Huu Bui, Yong Li, Jianming Yao
  • Patent number: 9531298
    Abstract: When in an operation mode in which an alternating current voltage Vout is output using a positive voltage V1 of a direct current power source 1 input via a switching element Q1, a negative voltage V2 of the direct current power source 1 input via a switching element Q2, and a zero voltage Vz input via a bidirectional switch element BS1 or an alternating current voltage Vs input via a bidirectional switch element BS2, in the period in which the polarity of the output voltage Vout and the polarity of an output current Iout are the same, a control signal of an element to be caused to perform an on/off operation is generated by being pulse-width modulated using a carrier signal S with a first frequency, and in the period in which the polarity of the output voltage Vout and the polarity of the output current Iout are different, a control signal of an element to be caused to perform an on/off operation is generated by being pulse-width modulated using a carrier signal with a second frequency lower than the first fr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qichen Wang, Satoru Fujita
  • Patent number: 9516708
    Abstract: An LLC resonant transformer (19) for a lamp (5) comprises a primary circuit (19) and a secondary side (30) galvanically isolated therefrom. During operation of the LLC resonant transformer (19), a first switch (21) and a second switch (22) of a half-bridge to which an LLC resonant circuit (25-27) of the primary circuit (19) is connected are actuated in a clocked fashion. A load (5) to which an output (35) on the secondary side (30) supplies energy is detected on the basis of a measured variable (iavg) acquired in the primary circuit (20). The half-bridge (21, 22) is variably controlled on the basis of the measured variable (iavg) that is acquired in the primary circuit (20) and indicates the load (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Christoph Vonach, Eduardo Pereira
  • Patent number: 9515550
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of detecting an inductor current zero-crossing in a switching power supply, can include: (i) determining a present output voltage of the switching power supply; (ii) generating a zero-crossing detection threshold voltage according to the output voltage; and (iii) generating a zero-crossing detection signal according to the zero-crossing detection threshold voltage, where the zero-crossing detection signal is used to turn off a synchronous rectifier switch in the switching power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Lei Chen
  • Patent number: 9509229
    Abstract: A power conversion circuit connected to a three phase alternating current line is controlled in a PWM system. To control an arm corresponding to each phase, first to third carrier wave signals are generated. The first to third carrier wave signals include two signals having phases, respectively, offset by 180 degrees from each other. This allows a zero phase component to less frequently reach a peak value and be accordingly reduced as time averaged. This can reduce a zero phase harmonic component generated from a power supply apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tingan Lee, Masahiro Kinoshita, Nobuyuki Nagai, Kazunori Sanada
  • Patent number: 9490720
    Abstract: An electric power supply unit includes a primary stage having an electric converter arranged to increase a frequency of AC power provided to an input of the power supply unit; a transformer stage connected to receive AC power from the primary stage and to reduce a voltage level of the AC power; and a secondary stage connected to receive the AC power at the reduced voltage level and the increased frequency and having a rectifier and power factor correction circuit arranged to convert the AC power to DC power and to provide power factor correction for power entering the power supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Sangsun Kim, Jimmy Clidaras, Cornelius B. O'Sullivan, Anand Ramesh
  • Patent number: 9490694
    Abstract: A power converter (e.g., AC-DC converter) includes an input inductor coupled between a first AC voltage source input node and a central node, a first switch coupled between the central node and a first rail node, a second switch coupled between the central node and a second rail node, and a resonant output circuit. The first switch has a body diode that passes current from the first rail node to the central node. The second switch has a body diode that passes current from the central node to the second rail node. A first input device controls current flow between the first rail node and the second AC voltage source input node, and a second input device controls current flow between the second rail node and the second AC voltage source input. The output circuit includes at least one capacitor and at least one inductor which form a resonant network, hence are denominated as resonant capacitor(s) and resonant inductor(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: DELTA-Q TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventor: Md Muntasir Ul Alam
  • Patent number: 9490717
    Abstract: A switching power supply device includes: a main transformer; a main switch that is connected between a high potential terminal of an input direct current voltage source and a primary-side main winding; a synchronous rectifier circuit includes: a rectifying switch that is connected to a secondary-side main winding in series and that is turned ON in synchronization with a turning ON state of the main switch and a commutation switch that is connected to the rectifying switch series circuit in parallel and that is turned ON in synchronization with a turning OFF state of the main switch; and an auxiliary switch circuit that turns the commutation switch OFF. When the main switch stops a switching operation while a voltage exists at a first output terminal on a high potential side, the auxiliary switch circuit turns the commutation switch OFF to prevent continuation of self-excited oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: YueQing Wang, Honglei Wang
  • Patent number: 9473040
    Abstract: A method of controlling a rectifier includes receiving a gain factor, receiving a ramp interval, and generating a rectifier switch control voltage. The rectifier switch control voltage is an over-modulated rectifier switch control voltage generated by a pulse width modulator using the gain factor. The amount of over-modulation in the rectifier switch control voltage is decreased during the ramp interval for reducing transient voltage overshoot events at the start of active rectification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Adam M. White
  • Patent number: 9473033
    Abstract: A two-terminal device that is configured to respond to a voltage modulation of an input signal received through the two terminals by triggering an action. The two-terminal device is further configured to verify a result of the triggered action by modulating a current driven through the two termi+6nals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Kai-Wen Chin, John Kesterson, Fuqiang Shi, Henry Wong, Pengju Kong
  • Patent number: 9455643
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a power converter has an input side connected to receive AC input power at an input node and an output side connected to produce a regulated output power at an output node. The power converter has a transformer having at least one primary winding on the input side and at least one secondary winding on the output side. The power converter has at least one multi-functional inductor that supports both main regulation and supplemental regulation in a time-multiplexed manner such that, during main regulation, input energy is transferred from the input node to the output node via the multi-functional inductor, and, during supplemental regulation, the stored energy is transferred from the at least one energy storage element to the output node via the multi-functional inductor. Depending on the embodiment, the multi-functional inductor(s) may be one or two secondary transformer windings or a separate buck inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: CogniPower, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. Lawson, William H. Morong
  • Patent number: 9455640
    Abstract: A switching power-supply device includes: a transformer including a primary coil and a secondary coil; a rectifying-and-smoothing circuit; a series circuit including a first switching element and a second switching element; a series resonant circuit including a capacitor connected to the second switching element and the primary coil; a controller performing switching control to alternately turn on and off the first switching element and the second switching element with a dead time; and a resonant-current detection unit that detects a resonant current, wherein in a case where the first switching element is in an ON state at a timing when the absolute value level of the resonant current becomes equal to or less than a threshold value, the controller switches the first switching element to an OFF state and makes a subsequent ON period of the first switching element shorter than a last ON period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Osamu Ohtake
  • Patent number: 9450494
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a synchronous rectification circuit having an actively controlled switching element through which resonant current flows during operation. The actively controlled switching element is disposed in a package which adds stray inductance to a main current path of the synchronous rectification circuit. The electronic device also includes a fixed inductor magnetically coupled to the stray inductance or an additional inductance in series with the stray inductance so that the fixed inductor is not in the main current path of the synchronous rectification circuit and change in current through the inductance to which the fixed inductor is magnetically coupled induces a reference voltage at the fixed inductor which is in phase with a zero crossing point of the resonant current at different switching frequencies of the actively controlled switching element. A corresponding method of controlling the electronic device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignees: Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Technische Universität Graz
    Inventors: Kennith Kin Leong, Klaus Krischan
  • Patent number: 9450520
    Abstract: A motor driver may include a controller, a space vector modulator, a converter and a detector. The space vector modulator may generate driving signals under control of the controller according to a space vector pulse width modulation (“SVPWM”) scheme. The converter may derive AC signals from the driving signals received from the space vector modulator and may output the AC signals to the USM motor. The detector may generate feedback signals representing current and voltage supplied to the USM motor. The controller may revise estimates of space vectors, based on measurements from the detector, to control the space vector modulator to adjust frequencies, amplitudes, or phase angles of the plurality of AC signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Xiaoming Chi, Bin Huo
  • Patent number: 9450513
    Abstract: A control circuit controls the inverter circuit in one of the non-master-slave inverters connected in parallel in a power system. The control circuit includes: a target parameter controller for generating a compensation value for adjusting a target parameter to the target value; a cooperative correction value generator for generating a correction value for cooperating with another of the inverters; a PWM signal generator for generating a PWM signal based on a correction compensation value obtained by adding the correction value to the compensation value; a weighting unit for weighting the correction compensation value; and a communication unit for communicating with other inverters. The communication unit transmits the weighted correction compensation value to the other inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: DAIHEN Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Ohori, Nobuyuki Hattori
  • Patent number: 9431909
    Abstract: Consistent with an example embodiment, a synchronous rectifier controller for a switched mode power supply comprises a transformer with a secondary side winding and a synchronous rectifier transistor with a gate, a source and a drain; the source and drain provide a conduction channel coupled to the secondary side winding. The controller comprises an input terminal for receiving an input signal related to a voltage at the drain, an output terminal configured to provide an output signal for setting a logic state of the gate, and circuitry having a first threshold and a second threshold. The circuitry is configured to generate the output signal and determine a time period in accordance in accordance with a comparison between the input signal and the first threshold; and in accordance with a comparison between the input signal and the second threshold, set the first threshold in accordance with the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Arjan Strijker
  • Patent number: 9431889
    Abstract: An active rectifier and a wireless power receiver including the active rectifier are provided. According to an aspect, an active rectifier may include: a first loop configured to provide voltage when the phase of an input signal is positive; and a second loop configured to provide voltage when the phase of the input signal is negative, wherein the first loop and the second loop include a delay locked loop configured to compensate for reverse current leakage due to a delay of a switch included therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., IUCF-HYU (Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University)
    Inventors: Dong Zo Kim, Young Tack Hong, Jin Sung Choi, Young Jin Moon, Sang Wook Kwon, Yun Kwon Park, Chang Sik Yoo, Eun Seok Park, Ki Young Kim, Young Ho Ryu, Nam Yun Kim, Yong Seong Roh
  • Patent number: 9431912
    Abstract: A control device controls a rectifier of a switching converter that is supplied with an input voltage and provides an output current. The rectifier is configured to rectify the output current of the converter and has at least one transistor. The control device, when the at least one transistor is turned off, provides a slow discharge path to ground in a normal operation condition and provides a fast discharge path to ground for discharging the control terminal of the at least one transistor in response to detecting a zero cross event of the current flowing through said at least one transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alberto Iorio, Jeanpierre Vicquery
  • Patent number: 9425642
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A method of operating a wireless receiver may comprise receiving wireless power with a receive antenna and conveying power from the receive antenna to a chargeable element. The method may further include electrically isolating the receive antenna from the chargeable element upon detecting that the chargeable element is fully-charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Stanley Slavko Toncich, Ernest T. Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9420656
    Abstract: A light emitting diode dimmer circuit uses a typically commercially available TRIAC dimmer to modulate an illumination-purpose light emitting diode circuit, and to make up the shortfall of the AC voltage phase, caused by the conductivity phase angle of the TRIAC dimmer, for the energy storage applying the energy storage and rectifier circuit, so that the light output of the light emitting diode can achieve the stable and flicker-free effect in the dimming requirement of the light emitting diode either the micro bright or full bright requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Tong Xin Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Chieh Lu, Chun-Liang Lu
  • Patent number: 9413227
    Abstract: A converter circuit with power factor correction comprises an alternative current (AC) voltage source, a bidirectional AC switch circuit, a first un-bidirectional channel circuit, a second un-bidirectional channel circuit, a first energy storing circuit, a second energy storing circuit and an output circuit. When the bidirectional AC switch circuit is on-state, at least one of the first energy storing circuit and the second energy storing circuit is charged by an AC input current and then energy is stored with magnetic flux form. When the bidirectional AC switch circuit is off-state, at least one of the first energy storing circuit and the second energy storing circuit releases the energy to the output circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignees: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED, LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chin-chuan Huang, Wei-Ru Chen
  • Patent number: 9397581
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes first, second, third, and fourth switching elements. In a first period, the second and third switching elements are switched ON, and first and fourth switching elements are alternately switched ON/OFF. In a second period, the first and fourth switching elements are switched ON, and the second and third switching elements are alternately switched ON/OFF. In a third period, the first and second switching elements are switched ON, and the third and fourth switching elements are switched OFF. The power conversion apparatus provides a release path for inductive energy accumulated in a reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seitaro Banno, Satoru Fujita
  • Patent number: 9389662
    Abstract: A powered device is electronically connected to a power sourcing equipment, and includes a powered circuit, a receiving unit and at least one rectifier circuit. Each rectifier circuit includes a rectifier unit, an auxiliary power unit, a polarity determining unit, a control unit and a selecting unit. The rectifier unit provides a current flow between the receiving unit and the powered circuit. The auxiliary power unit provides an auxiliary power signal. The polarity determining unit detects the polarity of voltage signal, to generate a determining signal. The control unit outputs a control signal according to the auxiliary power signal and the determining signal. The selecting unit connects the positive input of the powered circuit to a receiving end whose output voltage is positive according to the control signal, to lower power of rectification. A rectifier circuit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yi-Guo Chiu
  • Patent number: 9391530
    Abstract: A synchronous rectification circuit for a power supply includes a power switch for coupling to a secondary winding of a transformer of the power supply and an output capacitor of the power supply. The power switch includes a four-terminal MOSFET having a source, a drain, a gate, and a body. A body diode is formed by a junction between the body and the drain or by a junction between the body and the source. The body diode is coupled in parallel to the source and drain of the power transistor. A control circuit is configured to provide a control signal for controlling an on/off state of the power switch in response to a voltage condition of two terminals of the power switch. When the body diode makes a transition from reverse bias to forward bias, the control circuit causes the MOSFET to turn on, and when the forward bias voltage drops below a reference voltage, the control circuit causes the MOSFET to turn off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Inventors: ShaoHua Fang, BaoZhen Chen, Qiang Zong, YaJiang Zhu
  • Patent number: 9379640
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a scalable single stage differential power converter. The inverter can be implemented in signal, split and multi-phases. A multiphase converter can be achieved with only three modules. Integrated magnetics used in preferred embodiments of the invention mitigate the DC component of the steady-state dynamics and can be extended to AC ripple mitigation. Control architectures in preferred embodiments can mitigate higher order harmonics in steady state dynamics. Embodiments of the invention also provide scalability for voltage and current source topologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventor: Sudip K. Mazumder