Bridge Type Patents (Class 363/132)
  • Patent number: 10199819
    Abstract: A resonant converter includes a first switch on the primary side and a second switch coupled to the first switch, a synchronization rectification switch on a secondary side configured to conduct during a conduction period in response to a switching operation of the first switch, and a switch control circuit configured to determine an operating region of the resonant converter to be below resonance based on a result of a comparison between the conduction period and an on period of the first switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Won-Tae Lee, Ji-Hoon Jang, Hyeong Seok Baek, Hang-Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 10199924
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method are provided involving a converter circuit. The converter circuit includes an inductor including a first terminal configured to be coupled to a power source, and a second terminal. Also included is a pair of serially-coupled transistors coupled to the second terminal of the inductor. The pair of serially-coupled transistors have a transistor intermediate node therebetween. Further included is a pair of serially-coupled diodes coupled to the second terminal of the inductor. The pair of serially-coupled diodes have a diode intermediate node therebetween. A first capacitor is coupled in parallel with the serially-coupled transistors and the serially-coupled diodes. Further, the converter circuit includes a sub-circuit having a second capacitor serially-coupled with an auxiliary transistor. The sub-circuit is coupled between the transistor intermediate node and the diode intermediate node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dianbo Fu, Fei Ye, Lei Shi
  • Patent number: 10193463
    Abstract: The invention concerns an isolated DC/DC converter comprising an isolated circuit having: a first arm having a first switch, in series with a second switch; a magnetic component having two primary circuits and a secondary circuit that are separated by at least one electrical isolation barrier, said magnetic component being configured so as, during the conversion of an input voltage of the isolated DC/DC converter into an output voltage, to operate as a transformer from the primary circuits to the secondary circuit and as an impedance that stores energy in the primary circuits, and in which: the first arm comprises a first capacitance in series with the two switches and situated between the two switches, one of said primary circuits, called the second primary circuit, is connected between a first end terminal of the first arm and the connection point, called the second connection point, between the second switch of the first arm and the first capacitance, the first end terminal of the first arm correspondin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES DE CONTROLE MOTEUR
    Inventor: Luis De Sousa
  • Patent number: 10193389
    Abstract: A power supply with a multi-bridge topology configured to provide multiple different bridge topologies during operation. The power supply includes a plurality of half-bridge circuits connected to a controller. The controller can selectively configure the power supply between a plurality of different bridge topologies during operation by controlling the half-bridge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: PHILIPS IP VENTURES B.V.
    Inventors: Benjamin C. Moes, Matthew J. Norconk, Joshua B. Taylor, Colin J. Moore
  • Patent number: 10193465
    Abstract: A DC/DC conversion apparatus includes a DC voltage source that outputs a DC power supply voltage, an oscillation circuit electrically connected to the DC voltage source, switch elements, a switch controller that connects or disconnects electrical connection between the DC voltage source and the oscillation circuit by switching turn-on and turn-off of the switch elements, and switches a direction of a voltage applied to the oscillation circuit between a first direction and a second direction, and a transformation circuit that outputs a current generated in the oscillation circuit and converts the current into a DC current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiale Dai, Yu Cao, Kezhi Wang
  • Patent number: 10193458
    Abstract: Power converters, e.g., AC/DC and DC/DC, typically have unique circuitry for a proper graceful start-up and to develop correct operating voltage biases. Typically this unique circuitry is incorporated in a primary-side controller. This primary-side controller could also be the primary means of control of the power converter once started. However, a secondary-side controller is typically needed for more exact output voltage regulation, duplicating circuitry already present in the primary-side controller. Complication is typically added by linear communication between the two controllers across an isolation barrier. A simplified primary-side start-up controller is envisioned providing minimal circuitry to power up a converter until a secondary-side controller activates and takes control by sending discrete PWM commands across the isolation barrier instead of a linear signal. The start-up controller can provide voltage and current protection if the secondary-side controller fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Thomas Quigley
  • Patent number: 10186980
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: a plurality of first power semiconductor modules in each of which a series circuit of a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device is built in, each of the plurality of first power semiconductor modules being connected in parallel with a series circuit of a first capacitor and a second capacitor connected in series with a DC power source; and a plurality of second power semiconductor module in each of which a bidirectional semiconductor device is built in, the bidirectional semiconductor device being connected between a connection point between the first capacitor and the second capacitor and one of connection points between the first semiconductor devices and the second semiconductor devices. Each of the first power semiconductor modules and the second power semiconductor modules are arranged on a mounting surface of a cooling body in a staggered arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Kadota, Yasuaki Furusho
  • Patent number: 10186984
    Abstract: An inverter control device is disclosed. The device is configured: for determining a fundamental-wave magnitude of a phase-voltage corresponding to a modified voltage; for performing a proportional-integral (PI) operation of an error between the fundamental-wave magnitude of the phase-voltage and a magnitude of a reference voltage, and for outputting a compensation voltage; configured for adding the compensation voltage to the reference voltage to obtain an output; and for over-modulating the output and for outputting the over-modulated output as the modified voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung-Cheol Choi, Hak-Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 10186971
    Abstract: A full bridge circuit is disclosed. The full bridge circuit includes first and second half bridge circuits each having a midpoint node, and a transmitter tank circuit connected across the midpoint nodes and configured to transmit power based on the transmitter tank current to a load. The full bridge circuit also includes a ZVS tank circuit connected across the midpoint nodes. The ZVS tank circuit generates first and second ZVS tank currents. The first ZVS tank current and the transmitter tank current cooperatively cause the voltage at the first midpoint node to be substantially equal to the voltage of a power or ground node, and the second ZVS tank current and the transmitter tank current cooperatively cause the voltage at the second midpoint node to be substantially equal to the voltage of the power or ground node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Navitas Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Lingxiao Xue, Ju Zhang
  • Patent number: 10186983
    Abstract: There is described a rectifying circuit and method of control thereof. The circuit comprises four ideal diode elements connected in a bridge configuration; four driver units, each one of the driver units connected to a corresponding one of the ideal diode elements and configured to drive the corresponding one of the ideal diode elements; and a controller connected to the driver units and configured for: acquiring a current measurement flowing across the load and a phase measurement of the source; determining, from the current measurement and the phase measurement, corresponding conducting settings for the four ideal diode elements; and outputting at least one control signal to cause the driver units to drive the ideal diode elements in accordance with the conducting settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: TELCODIUM INC.
    Inventor: Eric Morin
  • Patent number: 10180446
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and to a method for determining a voltage. The voltage to be determined is a direct voltage at the input of a flyback converter. The flyback converter comprises at least a flyback-converter transformer and a switching element on the primary side of the flyback-converter transformer. In order to determine the voltage at the input of the flyback converter, a voltage on the secondary side of the flyback-converter transformer is sensed and evaluated in correlation with the switching state of the switching element on the primary side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Aldinger, Joerg Koniakowsky, Tobias Richter
  • Patent number: 10177679
    Abstract: An inverter circuit, coupled to a two-level DC voltage supply and being able to form a five-level output voltage is described, together with a method for operating the inverter circuit. The inverter circuit comprises a series connection of six unidirectional power semiconductor switches, each coupled to an antiparallel diode, between the positive and negative nodes of the supplying DC voltage. The inverter circuit further comprises a series connection of two internal capacitors between the cathodes of the first and the fifth switches of the series connection, the connection point of the capacitors being coupled to the internal node of the inverter circuit. In use, the unidirectional power semiconductor switches are controlled in order to set the voltage of the output of the inverter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Vacon Oy
    Inventors: Juhamatti Korhonen, William Giewont
  • Patent number: 10177681
    Abstract: A power converter circuit includes a chopper circuit configured to receive an input voltage and generate a chopper voltage with an alternating voltage level based on the input voltage, an autotransformer including at least one tap, the autotransformer being coupled to the chopper circuit and configured to generate a tap voltage at the at least one tap, and a selector circuit configured to receive a plurality of voltage levels. At least one of these the voltage levels is based on the at least one tap voltage. The selector circuit is further configured to generate a selector output voltage based on the plurality of voltage levels such that the selector circuit selects two of the plurality of voltage levels and switches at a switching frequency between the two voltage levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Dominik Neumayr, Dominik Bortis, Mattia Guacci, Johann Kolar, Michael Leibl, Gerald Deboy
  • Patent number: 10172201
    Abstract: An electronic converter allows a power transfer from an AC voltage source, connected between an input terminal and a common terminal, to a load connected between an output terminal and a reference terminal, the AC voltage including positive alternations interspersed with negative alternations at a first frequency. The converter includes an input inductance connected to the input terminal; an output inductance connected to the output terminal; a storage capacitor between the inductances; a chopper circuit that: in a first state, charges the input inductance via the AC voltage source and discharges the storage capacitance in the output inductance by supplying the load; in a second state, discharges the input inductance in the storage capacitance and discharges the output inductance by supplying the load; and a device for controlling the chopper circuit to activate, during each alternations, consecutive operating cycles at a second frequency higher than the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Pierre Perichon, Othman Ladhari, Léo Sterna
  • Patent number: 10170978
    Abstract: In a signal transmission circuit including a drive circuit and a control apparatus which are insulated from each other and between which a signal indicative of predetermined information is transmitted via a magnetic coupler, the drive circuit includes a temperature information transmission unit transmitting a first signal indicative of temperature information based on the number of pulses consecutively output with a predetermined period and each having a first waveform with a duty cycle of less than 100% with respect to the period and an abnormality information transmission unit transmitting a second signal indicative of abnormality information based on a pulse having a longer wavelength than the first waveform. The temperature information transmission unit transmits the first signal to the control apparatus and the abnormality information transmission unit transmits the second signal to the control apparatus, via the magnetic coupler common to two information transmission units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Hayashi, Tomotaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10166877
    Abstract: A charge control system for an electric vehicle and an electric vehicle are provided. The charge control system includes: a charge-discharge socket (20); a three-level bidirectional DC-AC module (30); a charge-discharge control module (50); a filtering module (70); and a control module (60) connected with a third terminal of the charge-discharge control module (50) and configured to control the charge-discharge control module (50) to turn on, to sample an output voltage of an external grid by using a connection midpoint of filtering capacitors in the filtering module (70) as a reference point, and to control the three-level bidirectional DC-AC module (30) according to the output voltage of the external grid so as to control the external grid to charge the power battery (10), when the external grid is in an angle connection mode and the electric vehicle is a charge-discharge mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Liping Zeng, Guangming Yang
  • Patent number: 10171004
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a full-bridge circuit connected to a primary winding of a transformer and a full-bridge circuit connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. The full-bridge circuit includes a first series circuit including a first set of switching elements, a second series circuit including a second set of switching elements, a first charge-discharge capacitor connected to a node between a first pair of the first switching elements and a node between a second pair of first switching elements, and a second charge-discharge capacitor connected to a node between the a first pair of the second switching elements and a node between a second pair of the second switching elements. The full-bridge circuit can operate in one of a full-bridge operation mode and a half-bridge operation mode. The disclosed DC-DC converter can constantly operate with high efficiency even when the variation range of a load is wide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Itoh, Hayato Higa
  • Patent number: 10164551
    Abstract: A boost control apparatus is provided with: a controlling device configured (i) to perform first duty control by a first control parameter if output current that flows through a reactor is not near zero, and (ii) to perform second duty control by a second control parameter if the output current is near zero, during one-side element control for driving only one of a first switching element and a second switching element, each of which is connected to a reactor in series. A rate calculating device is provided that is configured to calculate a change rate of the output current to a change amount of a duty value in the first duty control and the second duty control. A control determining device is also provided that is configured to control the controlling device to perform the second duty control regardless of the output current, if the change rate is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshifumi Yamakawa, Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 10153697
    Abstract: A multi-phase power supply circuit includes multiple phases to convert an input voltage into a respective output voltage to power a load. A first phase of the multi-phase power supply includes a core power supply circuit including, for example, high side switch circuitry and low side switch circuitry. During normal operation, the core power supply circuit converts an input voltage into a respective output voltage to power a load. To provide failure mode protection with respect to the core power supply circuit and prevent a failure mode in which the first phase would otherwise produce a dangerous over-voltage condition, the first power supply phase includes an input voltage switch circuit disposed between an input voltage source and the core power supply circuit. The input voltage switch circuit provides a way of preventing the input voltage from being conveyed to the core power supply circuit during a failure mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Mudassar Khatib, Danny Clavette
  • Patent number: 10153711
    Abstract: In an electric power conversion device which performs power conversion between multiphase AC and DC, a first converter cell of a first arm for each phase of a power converter includes: a capacitor; a Leg A having upper and lower arms having switching elements; and a Leg B having upper and lower arms one of which has a switching element and the other of which has only a diode, and a second converter cell of a second arm includes: a capacitor; and a Leg Aa having upper and lower arms having switching elements. A control device has a steady mode and a protection mode. When short-circuit between DC terminals of the power converter is detected, the control device switches from the steady mode to the protection mode, turns off all the switching elements of the first converter cell of the first arm, and controls the second converter cell of the second arm so as to perform reactive power compensation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takushi Jimichi, Kimiyuki Koyanagi, Takeshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10148194
    Abstract: A pulse-controlled inverter with a circuit providing a DC voltage between high-side and low-side inputs. In one example, the circuit includes a first high-side stray capacitance and inductance and a first low-side stray capacitance and inductance. A busbar arrangement is configured to connect the high-side input to a high-side connection and the low-side input to a low-side connection. The busbar arrangement includes a second high-side stray capacitance and inductance and a second low-side stray capacitance and inductance. An inverter module is coupled to the high-side connection and the low-side connection and configured to convert the DC voltage into an AC voltage. The inverter module has a third high-side stray capacitance and inductance and a third low-side stray capacitance and inductance. The sum of the first, second, and third high-side stray capacitance and inductance is substantially equal to the sum of the first, second, and third low-side stray capacitance and inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Dennis Burger
  • Patent number: 10148196
    Abstract: An inverter includes a first bridge leg, first to fourth MOSFET switches; a second bridge leg, connected in parallel with the first bridge leg, and fifth to eighth MOSFET switches; a third bridge leg, electrically coupled between a first node and a second node, and ninth to twelfth MOSFET switches; a first diode, connected in parallel with the anti-series connected first and second MOSFET switches; a second diode, connected in parallel with the anti-series connected third and fourth MOSFET switches; a third diode, connected in parallel with the anti-series connected fifth and sixth MOSFET switches; a fourth diode, connected in parallel with the anti-series connected seventh and eighth MOSFET switches; a fifth diode, connected in parallel with the anti-series connected ninth and tenth MOSFET switches; a sixth diode, connected in parallel with the anti-series connected eleventh and twelfth MOSFET switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Bingwen Weng, Jianming Chen, Xuancai Zhu, Jinfa Zhang
  • Patent number: 10141857
    Abstract: An energy supply device for providing electric energy, wherein the energy supply device has at least one input interface for receiving electric energy and an output interface for outputting electric energy, and wherein at least one supercapacitor is connected between the input interface and the output interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: JENOPTIK Power Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Wandschura, Michael Hobler
  • Patent number: 10141871
    Abstract: A control method which is deployed in a control installation of an electric motor, the control installation including a first converter controlled for the application of the first voltage pulse edges to an electric motor of a first pulse width modulation, obtained by comparing a first carrier signal, applied at a first chopping frequency, with a first modulating signal, a second converter controlled of a second pulse width modulation, obtained by comparing a second carrier signal, applied at a second chopping frequency, with a second modulating signal. The control method involves the determination of a notional optimum phase-shift angle on the basis of the first chopping frequency and the second chopping frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER TOSHIBA INVERTER EUROPE SAS
    Inventors: Mehdi Messaoudi, Hocine Boulharts
  • Patent number: 10135269
    Abstract: A circuit for connecting a voltage source to a load is provided. The circuit may include a Vbatt node configured to be connected to a voltage source and a diode electrically connected with the Vbatt node. A battery isolation switch module is electrically connected with the diode, the diode being arranged in series between the battery isolation switch module and the Vbatt node. A capacitor bank is electrically connected with the battery isolation switch module and to ground. The capacitor bank is configured to be further connected with a microprocessor power supply. A high side driver may be configured to receive power from the voltage source. The diode is configured to isolate the capacitor bank and the power supply. The diode is arranged to prevent current from flowing back through the diode from the battery isolation switch module and the capacitor bank to the Vbatt node or HSD output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Inventors: S M N Hasan, Timothy P Philippart, Sam Barakat
  • Patent number: 10135434
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic circuit for controlling a half H bridge, the half split H bridge including first and second MOSFET transistors of different respective types, with sources connected respectively to a supply line and to an electric mass, and with respective drains connected to a load. Moreover, the control circuit includes first and second bipolar transistors of different respective types, with collectors connected to the supply line and to the electric mass, respectively, and with respective bases connected to a control module for controlling the MOSFET transistors, as well as first and second arms mounted parallel relative to one another between the gates of the MOSFET transistors, connected to the emitter of the first bipolar transistor and of the second bipolar transistor, respectively, the first arm including a first diode and a first resistor, and the second arm including a second diode and a second resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Julien Mouret, Christian Pradelles
  • Patent number: 10128775
    Abstract: A motor drive apparatus driving a motor as a three-phase motor converting direct current into three-phase alternating current, includes: inverter modules and equivalent in number to phases of the motor; and a control unit generating PWM signals used to drive the inverter modules with PWM. The inverter modules each include a plurality of switching element pairs connected in parallel, each of the switching element pairs including two switching elements connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Shimomugi, Yosuke Shinomoto, Koichi Arisawa, Kazunori Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 10122290
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a switching network that (1) receives energy from an input source that magnetically excites an output winding, (2) stores some of that energy in a series capacitance while delivering power to a resistive load during a first excitation cycle portion, and (3) then injects some of the stored energy back to the input source by injecting current into a tap of the output winding while delivering power to the resistive load and during a second excitation cycle portion. In an illustrative example, the first excitation cycle portion may include a first positive or negative quarter cycle of the excitation waveform. The second excitation cycle portion may include a second positive or negative quarter cycle of the excitation waveform. The energy injected back to the input source during the second excitation cycle portion may advantageously provide, for example, an assisting torque to a prime mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Inventor: James F. Murray
  • Patent number: 10115700
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to compensate for a difference in threshold voltage between a plurality of switching devices incorporated in a power module. The present invention solves the subject described above by mounting a switching device having a high threshold voltage in comparison with a different switching device at a location at which the temperature of the power module during operation is higher than that at another location at which the different switching device is mounted. Eventually, a power conversion apparatus of a high performance and a vehicle drive apparatus of a high performance can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuusei Fujita, Satoru Akiyama, Hiroshi Kageyama, Toru Masuda, Ayumu Hatanaka, Akio Shima
  • Patent number: 10116237
    Abstract: An inverter device comprises a first stage circuit, a second stage circuit and a control module. The first stage circuit comprises a first switch module and a charge-discharge module. The second stage circuit comprises a second switch module and a filter module. The control module outputs a first control signal for controlling the first switch module to turn on/off and a second control signal for controlling the second switch module to turn on/off. The control module obtains an input current from the first stage circuit, and adjusts the input current according to a predetermined current value. In addition, the control module obtains an output power from the AC output terminal, and adjusts the duty cycle of the first control signal according to the output power and a predetermined output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Inventor: Huang-Jen Chiu
  • Patent number: 10116197
    Abstract: A front stage circuit of a transformer includes a switch series unit, capacitors, and a ground electrical path. The switch series unit, connected in parallel to a power supply, includes odd-numbered/even-numbered switches configured to be alternately turned ON. Assuming that mutual connection points of the switches and points at both ends of the switch series unit are m nodes in total, and one of the points at the both ends is a ground node, the capacitors are provided on at least one of a first electrical path that combines odd nodes and leads them to a first output port, and a second electrical path that combines even nodes and leads them to a second output port, and the capacitors are present to correspond to (m?1) nodes excluding the ground node. The ground electrical path connects the ground node directly to the first output port without an interposed capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Hideaki Nakahata, Satoshi Hatsukawa, Kenichi Hirotsu, Takashi Ohira, Kyohei Yamada, Daiya Egashira
  • Patent number: 10116221
    Abstract: A series compensating electric power transmission system has an insulated type DC-DC converter that operates in the first through fourth quadrants, first and second DC voltage sources, and first and second power converters. In the converter, a first I/O positive terminal is connected to a first voltage source positive terminal. A first I/O negative terminal is connected to a first voltage source negative terminal. One of second I/O positive and negative terminals is connected to the first voltage source positive terminal. The other of the second I/O positive and negative terminals is connected to a second voltage source positive terminal. The first power converter converts power between the first I/O positive and negative terminals and first AC I/O terminals. The second power converter converts power between the second I/O positive and negative terminals and second AC I/O terminals. The second power converter is configured with a plurality of bidirectional switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Iwaya, Toshimasa Miyazaki, Kazu Shoji
  • Patent number: 10105173
    Abstract: A radio frequency generator, includes an input voltage unit, a smart power unit, a voltage acquisition unit, a power amplifier unit, an output unit, a load unit, a current acquisition unit, a processor unit, a signal transmission and drive unit and an input control unit. The present application combined advantages of the high-frequency electric knife and the radio frequency ablation device, can be used for both cutting and coagulating the target tissue, and the ablation or treatment to the target tissue. This radio frequency generator has high versatility, can be used as standard component to produce and manufacture. Different medical radio frequency manufacturers can produce and manufacture their own products to meet clinical needs of different clients and different departments for example, by changing a small quantity of peripheral circuits or software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Mianyang Lide Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Fu Ma, Xiang Jing, Gang Dong, Xilin Du, Xuequan Huang, Zhechuan Mei, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 10107841
    Abstract: In described examples, an apparatus includes: an input terminal for receiving an alternating current voltage signal; a clamping circuit coupled to the input terminal outputting a clamped voltage signal that is constrained in magnitude; a first comparator coupled to the clamped voltage signal outputting a first compare signal when the clamped voltage signal is a positive voltage that exceeds a positive threshold; and a second comparator coupled to the clamped voltage signal outputting a second compare signal when the clamped voltage signal is a negative voltage that exceeds a negative threshold. The apparatus includes a timer circuit coupled to the first and second compare signal outputting a time duration signal corresponding to a time between the first and second compare signals; and a logic circuit coupled to the time duration output signal determining a peak voltage of the alternative current voltage signal responsive to the time duration output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Viktor Tasevski, Kemal S. Demirci
  • Patent number: 10103581
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission system according to the present disclosure includes: a pair of antennas, between which power is transmissible wirelessly by resonant magnetic coupling at a frequency f0, one of which is a series resonant circuit, and the other of which is a parallel resonant circuit; and a control section, which controls a transmission frequency according to the magnitude of the power being transmitted between the antennas. If the power transmitted between the antennas is greater than a reference value P1, the control section sets the transmission frequency to be a value that falls within a first level range that is higher than the frequency f0. But if the power is smaller than the reference value P1, then the control section sets the transmission frequency to be a value that falls within a second level range that is lower than the first level range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kanno, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10097109
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first switch and a first capacitor connected in series between a first voltage bus and a second voltage bus, a second capacitor and a second switch connected in series between the first voltage bus and the second voltage bus and a diode coupled between a common node of the first switch and the first capacitor, and a common node of the second capacitor and the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Liming Ye, Heping Dai
  • Patent number: 10097106
    Abstract: A power converter includes first and second switching circuits 12 and 16, a primary winding T1 having both ends connected to the first switching circuit 12, a secondary winding T2 having both ends connected to the second switching circuit 16 and magnetically coupled with the secondary winding T2, and a reactor L having a first end connected to a center tap m of the primary winding T1. The first switching circuit 12 includes a full bridge having half bridges U and V connected in parallel, and diodes D1 and D2 each having one end connected to a common point. The diodes D1 and D2 each have the other end connected to one of two parallel connecting points of the full bridge. Input alternating-current voltage Vin is applied between a second end of the reactor L and the connecting point of the diodes D1 and D2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO
    Inventors: Kenichi Takagi, Shuntaro Inoue
  • Patent number: 10090769
    Abstract: An electronic device, which includes an H-bridge circuit and a miniaturized transformer that is coupled to operate at VHF frequency, and a driver circuit for an n-type power transistor of the H-bridge circuit are disclosed. The driver circuit includes a first p-type transistor and an n-type transistor coupled between an upper rail and a lower rail, with an output taken between the drains of the first p-type transistor and the n-type transistor being coupled to a gate of the n-type power transistor. The driver circuit also includes a sample-and-hold capacitor coupled to capture a drain voltage for the first n-type power transistor on a first edge of a control signal for the first n-type power transistor and a comparator coupled to compare the captured drain voltage to a lower rail on a given edge of a clock signal and to provide a comparator value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Shailendra Kumar Baranwal, Maurizio Granato, Giovanni Frattini
  • Patent number: 10090668
    Abstract: A bi-directional transmitter/receiver according to an embodiment includes a pin connected with a main control circuit, a transistor connected with a first electrode to the pin, a Schmitt trigger which determines an output according to a voltage of the pin, and a temperature sensor which is connected to the pin and which senses temperature and outputs temperature information to the pin. A driving circuit for controlling switching operation of one or more switches includes a bi-directional transmitter/receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jinkyu Choi, Wonhi Oh, Kinam Song, Hyunsoo Bae, Samuell Shin
  • Patent number: 10088517
    Abstract: A motor drive system output filter includes fault detection. A variable frequency drive (VFD) drives a three phase AC induction motor. A filter circuit is connected between the VFD and the AC induction motor. The filter circuit comprises a filter for each phase. Each filter comprises an inductor and a damping resistor connected in series with a blocking capacitor across the inductor. A plurality of detection circuits are provided, one for each phase. Each detection circuit is connected to the capacitor of the associated phase for detecting capacitor voltage to indicate a resistor fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Yaskawa America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mahesh M. Swamy, Mark Baumgardner, Steven Hartig, Daniel Nitzsche
  • Patent number: 10084322
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tuning circuit, a tuning method and a resonance-type contactless power supply. The resonance-type contactless power supply has the characteristic that an inductor current has a maximum value when it operates at a resonance frequency. Sampling values of the inductor current in two successive cycles are compared with each other. A frequency of an inverter circuit is adjusted in a manner the same as that in a previous cycle in a case that the inductor current increases, and is adjusted in a manner opposite to that in the previous cycle in a case that the inductor current decreases. Thus, the resonance-type contactless power supply can be properly tuned without the need for zero-crossing detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: SILERGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY (HANGZHOU) LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaobo Xue
  • Patent number: 10084446
    Abstract: A circuit provides a high-voltage low-drop diode-like conductive path between a DC voltage supply terminal and a bootstrap terminal in charging a supply capacitor for driving a power switch with the capacitor set between the bootstrap terminal and an output terminal alternatively switchable between a low voltage and a high voltage DC voltage. In an embodiment, the circuit includes first and second transistors such as LDMOS depletion transistors with the first transistor set in a cascode arrangement between the bootstrap terminal and the DC voltage supply terminal and the second transistor coupled with a sense comparator for comparing the voltage at the bootstrap terminal with the voltage at said DC voltage supply terminal. The first and second transistors have common control terminals coupled with the DC voltage supply terminal and common coupling terminals to the bootstrap terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giovanni Caggegi, Francesco Pulvirenti, Giuseppe Cantone, Vincenzo Palumbo
  • Patent number: 10079094
    Abstract: A capacitor (1) wherein the first voltage layer (11) and the second voltage layer (21) form an overlap region (4) in which the first voltage layer (11) and the second voltage layer (21) are arranged parallel to one another, separated by a gap (5), on a base side (6) of the capacitor (1), directly above one another, and wherein the at least one first pole terminal (12) extends in lateral continuation of the first voltage layer (11) and, in parallel with this, the at least one second pole terminal (22) extends in lateral continuation of the second voltage layer (21) over and beyond the overlap region (4), and in this way form at least one contact lug pair (7) protruding from the base side (6) of the capacitor (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Erik Weissenborn, Martin Kessler
  • Patent number: 10079541
    Abstract: A switching power conversion circuit includes a pre-regulator circuit that is operated in buck, boost, or bypass mode and that includes a first switching circuit that receives an input DC voltage and outputs a first DC voltage; a resonant circuit including a second switching circuit that receives the first DC voltage and outputs an output DC voltage; a resonant control circuit that regulates the output DC voltage by transmitting a link min set control signal and a link max set control signal and by controlling a switching frequency of the second switching circuit; and a pre-regulator control circuit that receives the link min set control signal and the link max set control signal and that controls the first switching circuit based on the link min set control signal and the link max set control signal to regulate the first DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ion Taban
  • Patent number: 10080313
    Abstract: A power module or the like is provided in which lower inductance and miniaturization are achieved. The power module includes: main body units (11 to 13), cooling units (21 to 24) which cool the main body units (11 to 13), busbars (51, 52) connected to power terminals (1i, 1j) of the main body units (11 to 13), a casing (W) in which at least contact parts with the busbars (51, 52) are insulative, and a metal member (30) which supports the casing (W). The metal member (30) tightly contacts the casing (W), thereby forming a box with one side opened. At least the main body units (11 to 13) and the busbars (51, 52) are arranged inside the box. An insulating sealant is provided to fill the inside of the box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shintani, Eiichi Ide, Koji Sasaki, Hisashi Tanie
  • Patent number: 10075092
    Abstract: In a power converter a DC positive terminal of a DC power supply is connected to a switching element, the DC negative terminal of the DC power supply is connected to a switching element. A capacitor and a capacitor connected in series are connected in parallel with the DC power supply, and a DC neutral point divided by the capacitor and the capacitor is connected to a switching element and a switching element. The switching element is connected to the positive terminal of a chopper cell group circuit, and the switching element is connected to the negative terminal of a chopper cell group circuit. The negative terminal of the chopper cell group circuit is connected to the positive terminal of the chopper cell group circuit, and the connection node therebetween serves as an output AC terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Ryuta Hasegawa, Yosuke Nakazawa, Daichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10075094
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a battery system which has a hybrid battery which comprises a first energy storage source having a plurality of first energy storage cells and comprises a second energy storage source which is connected in series with the first energy storage source and has a plurality of second energy storage cells which are different from the first energy storage cells. Furthermore, the battery system has an inverter which is connected at the input end to the battery and is designed to convert a DC voltage which is supplied to the input end into an, in particular polyphase, AC voltage which is produced at the output end. The battery system also has a control unit which is designed to operate the inverter in a first functional mode or in a second functional mode or in a third functional mode by controlling a plurality of semiconductor switches of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Waleed Sahhary, Christoph Woll, Volker Doege
  • Patent number: 10070489
    Abstract: An example method for preventing overcurrent in light-emitting diode (LED) chains comprises deactivating a current regulation control loop connected to a plurality of LED chains; regulating, via a voltage regulation control loop, a forward voltage of the plurality of LED chains; upon determining that a forward voltage of the plurality of LED chains is equal to a target operating voltage for a subset of the plurality of LED chains, bypassing at least one of the plurality of LED chains such that only the subset of the plurality of LED chains is connected to the current regulation control loop; and upon determining that an output current of the subset of the plurality of LED chains is equal to a target operating current for the subset of the plurality of LED chains: deactivating the voltage regulation control loop; and activating the current regulation control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Maurizio Galvano, Adolfo De Cicco, Roberto Penzo, Enrico Tonazzo
  • Patent number: 10063161
    Abstract: Unique systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of an active neutral point clamped converter (ANPC converter). One exemplary embodiment is a power conversion system comprising a grid-side converter, a DC link, a multi-phase ANPC converter coupled to an electric machine, and an electronic control system. The electronic control system is structured to selectably operate in a first mode and a second mode in response to a device failure state of the ANPC converter, the first mode operating the grid-side converter to provide a first DC link voltage and operating the ANPC converter using a first modulation index, and the second mode operating the grid-side converter to provide a second DC link voltage greater than the first DC link voltage and operating the ANPC converter using a second modulation index lower than the first modulation index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Jun Li, Kee Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 10050512
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes a semiconductor module including a semiconductor device and a control circuit unit controlling the semiconductor module. The semiconductor module has main and subsidiary semiconductor devices connected in parallel. The control circuit unit performs control such that the subsidiary semiconductor device is turned on after the main semiconductor device is turned on, and the main semiconductor device is turned off after the subsidiary semiconductor device is turned off. The control circuit unit performs control such that, one of the turn-on and turn-off switching timings has a switching speed faster than that of the other of the switching timings. The semiconductor module is configured such that, at a high-speed switching timing, an induction current directed to turn off the subsidiary semiconductor device is generated in a control terminal of the subsidiary semiconductor device depending on temporal change of a main current flowing to the main semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Mochiki, Mitsunori Kimura, Hiroshi Shimizu, Yasuyuki Ohkouchi, Yuu Yamahira, Tetsuya Matsuoka, Kazuma Fukushima