Integrated Circuit Patents (Class 363/147)
  • Patent number: 11809262
    Abstract: A power adjustment circuit, an adjustable power supply system and an adjustable power supply method are provided. The adjustable power supply system includes a power module, a device power supply, and a control circuit. The device power supply provides a supplied power to a device to be tested according to an operating voltage. The control circuit outputs an adjustment signal to the power module according to a power consumption status of the device to be tested. The power module generates the operating voltage according to the adjustment signal, and allows a first power dissipation generated by the device power supply to be less than a predetermined power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: YOUNGTEK ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ching-Yung Tseng, Yong-Da Weng, Ping-Lung Wang
  • Patent number: 11463007
    Abstract: A power supply circuit for converting a first voltage to a second voltage where the first voltage is greater than the second voltage, and a power train having the same, are provided. The power supply circuit may have multiple stages and each stage of the power supply circuit may include a first circuit block configured to provide a start-up power to a second circuit block; a second circuit block configured to generate a Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM) signal that controls a pulse duration of a transistor; a third circuit block configured to activate or deactivate the transistor based on the PWM signal; a fourth circuit block configured to reset a magnetic flux in a transformer to a zero state when the transistor is deactivated; and a fifth circuit block configured to maintain an output of a stage below a predetermined value by adjusting a voltage across the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Brij N. Singh
  • Patent number: 11289406
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a signal isolator having enhanced creepage characteristics. In embodiments, a signal isolator IC package comprises a leadframe including a die paddle having a first surface to support a die and an exposed second surface. A die is supported by a die paddle wherein a width of the second surface of the die paddle is less than a width of the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Briano, Shixi Louis Liu, William P. Taylor
  • Patent number: 11100852
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device of separated type in which a panel and a main board are spaced apart from each other. The display device includes a display body including a panel, a housing spaced apart from the display body to transmit or receive a signal to or from the display body, and a cable configured to connect the display body and the housing, wherein the display body further includes a converter configured to converter power supplied from the housing via the cable into driving power for the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seunghak Ryu, Sungyeon Cho
  • Patent number: 11094618
    Abstract: The invention relates to a modular element (2) comprising a stratification of first and second electroconductive plates (PH2, PB2) which are separated by an intermediate dielectric layer (CD2) and at least one electronic power switching chip (CP1, CP2) which is implanted between the first and second plates, the chip having a upper face comprising a first power electrode and a switching control electrode and a lower face comprising a second power electrode, and the first and second power electrodes being in electrical continuity respectively with the first and second plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: INSTITUT VEDECOM
    Inventor: Friedbald Kiel
  • Patent number: 11094455
    Abstract: A device includes a first inductor and a second inductor reversely coupled with the first inductor, wherein the first and second inductors have overlapping windings. The device also includes a housing for the first and second inductor, wherein the housing is filled with a magnetic molding compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Dongbin Hou, Sombuddha Chakraborty, Kenji Kawano, Jeffrey Morroni, Yuki Sato
  • Patent number: 10756160
    Abstract: A magnetic component includes a semiconductor substrate, a first winding that is located in the semiconductor substrate and that includes at least two turns, and intra-winding insulation located between two adjacent turns of the at least two turns and including doped regions in the semiconductor substrate that define either an NPN-junction or a PNP junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kapila Warnakulasuriya
  • Patent number: 10431737
    Abstract: Co-fired integrated circuit devices and methods for fabricating and integrating such on a workpiece are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes forming a first passive device and a second passive device over a carrier substrate. The first passive device and the second passive device each include at least one material layer that includes a co-fired ceramic material. The carrier substrate is removed after performing a co-firing process to cause chemical changes in the co-fired ceramic material. The first passive device may include a conductive loop disposed between a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer, the second magnetic layer, or both includes a co-fired ceramic magnetic material. The second passive device may include a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer separated by a dielectric layer. The first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, or both includes a co-fired ceramic conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., APPLE
    Inventors: Alexander Kalnitsky, Shawn Searles, David Cappabianca
  • Patent number: 10418893
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to electrical converters. The teachings thereof may be embodied in a circuit assembly for an electrical converter. For example, a circuit assembly for an electrical converter may include a set of switching units, each switching unit comprising a semiconductor switch and a gate driver circuit for controlling the semiconductor switch. The respective semiconductor switch and gate driver circuit of each switching unit are arranged on a common carrier circuit board and are electrically connected to one another by a printed conductor on the carrier circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Manuel Blum, Walter Kiffe, Thomas Komma, Monika Poebl, Michael Finkenzeller
  • Patent number: 10390394
    Abstract: An LED luminaire comprises a power converter, a power switching driver, LED array(s) powered by the power switching driver, and a voltage detection circuit. The voltage detection circuit comprises a first voltage detection circuit, a second voltage detection circuit, a voltage regulator circuit, an optocoupler circuit, and a pair of low-voltage input ports receiving an external voltage. The voltage detection circuit is configured to extract a flyback signal from an output voltage and the external voltage and to couple the flyback signal to the power switching driver. The external voltage comprises a voltage sent from a Zigbee luminaire controller, which comprises a Zigbee module and a meter and control unit. The Zigbee luminaire controller is configured to receive commands from the Zigbee module, to control the LED luminaire, and to measure in response to the commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: ALEDDRA INC.
    Inventor: Chungho Hsia
  • Patent number: 10381947
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes: a power module that converts an input of alternating current power into direct current (DC) power and outputs the DC power; and a gate driver unit that includes a first substrate having mounted thereon a gate driver circuit component that isolates a control signal input from a control apparatus, that converts the isolated control signal into a gate signal for driving the power module, and that outputs the gate signal, a second substrate that includes a wiring conductor fixed to a gate control terminal of the power module, and a connection member that includes a connector that connects the first substrate and the second substrate to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10340076
    Abstract: An integrated copper bar for a secondary power circuit of a power electronic converter, including a transformer primary winding copper bar, a transformer secondary winding copper bar, an inductor winding copper bar, a copper bar for connecting a detection resistor, a copper bar for connecting a drive circuit and a copper bar for connecting an output terminal; wherein, said transformer primary winding copper bar, said transformer secondary winding copper bar, said inductor winding copper bar, said copper bar for connecting a detection resistor, said copper bar for connecting a drive circuit and said copper bar for connecting an output ground terminal are fixed together via injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: United Automotive Electronic Systems Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhe Gao, Dengmeng Fu
  • Patent number: 10218257
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electric converters. The teachings thereof may be embodied in an electric converter to transfer an electric power of more than 3 kilowatts comprising a half-bridge with at least two parallel circuits. Each of the parallel circuits includes a plurality of semiconductor switches. Each of the parallel circuits includes at least two base circuits arranged next to one another on a common printed circuit board. Each of the respective base circuits includes one of the plurality of semiconductor switches and a gate driver circuit for the semiconductor switch. Each gate driver circuit is electrically connected to a gate of the semiconductor switch by a control line. In each of the parallel circuits, a shortest control line and a longest control line differ from one another with respect to length by no more than the factor of 1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Manuel Blum, Walter Kiffe, Thomas Komma, Monika Poebl
  • Patent number: 10075063
    Abstract: A startup circuit is provided for establishing the Vcc voltage level of a switching power converter. The startup circuit uses a switch controller and path switching transistor to provide a two-stage Vcc capacitor charging that reduces startup time while avoiding short circuit damage through the alternate usage of a high impedance charging path and a low-impedance charging path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Mingsheng Peng, Andrey Malinin, Pengju Kong, Qiu Sha, Guang Feng
  • Patent number: 10067025
    Abstract: A modular apparatus for attaching sensors and electronics is disclosed. The modular apparatus includes a square recess including a plurality of cavities and a reference cavity such that a pressure sensor can be connected to the modular apparatus. The modular apparatus also includes at least one voltage input hole and at least one voltage output hole operably connected to each of the plurality of cavities such that voltage can be applied to the pressure sensor and received from the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Robert S. Okojie
  • Patent number: 10063149
    Abstract: A module stack includes a lower module, a middle module above the lower module, and an upper module above the middle module. The lower module has power stage control circuitry configured to convert a PWM input signal into phase driver control signals, and power stages to be controlled by the phase driver control signals, respectively. The middle module has phase inductors each having a respective winding and a respective magnetic core. The respective winding has one end joined to a respective one of the power stages in the lower module and another end joined to a common node in the middle module. The upper module has a current sense resistor that has one end joined to the common node in the middle module and another end joined to an output node in the upper module. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sunil M. Akre, Suresh B. Kariyadan, Vincent W. Trimeloni
  • Patent number: 9768688
    Abstract: A multi-phase DC-to-DC converter is configured to achieve fast transient response and to optimize efficiency over the load range. Phase shedding changes the active number of phases according to output currents. Each phase of the converter has an inductor configured to optimize the efficiency for a range of load currents in which that phase is used. A converter may have 3 phases, the first used only in sleep mode and has a large inductance with low AC losses, the second used in sync mode at low currents and having a lower inductance with low AC losses, the third phase is used in sync mode at high currents and has small inductance with low DC losses. The number of phases is ?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Andrew Repton, Hidenori Kobayashi, Mark Childs, Jindrich Svorc
  • Patent number: 9729049
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a supply voltage generating circuit and a switching power supply having the circuit. The supply voltage generating circuit provides a supply voltage for a power terminal of a control circuit in the switching power supply. The supply voltage generating circuit includes a switching circuit, a unidirectional conduction circuit and an energy storage circuit. In a time period during which a main power transistor is turned off, the switching circuit is turned off and a rectifying device provides a current to the energy storage circuit through the unidirectional conduction circuit, in a case that the supply voltage is smaller than a predetermined voltage reference; and the switching circuit is turned on and the current output from the rectifying device flows to the switching circuit, in a case that the supply voltage is larger than or equal to the predetermined voltage reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SILERGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY (HANGZHOU) LTD.
    Inventor: Jian Deng
  • Patent number: 9647531
    Abstract: A soft-start switching power converter includes a voltage converting circuit and a soft-start circuit. The voltage converting circuit includes a transformer, and a first switch which includes a first terminal connected to the transformer, a second terminal providing a trigger signal, and a control terminal receiving a control signal, and which is controlled to switch between conduction and nonconduction, such that the transformer generates a feedback voltage. The soft-start circuit receives the trigger signal, generates the control signal according to the trigger signal, and determines whether or not to clamp the control signal at a preset voltage level based on the trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Tong-Cheng Jao, Yi-Wei Lee, Isaac Y. Chen
  • Patent number: 9479072
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flyback converter circuit comprising a transformer, a charging capacitor, a diode, a semiconductor switch and a controller, which form a flyback converter, wherein the controller is designed to control the semiconductor switch after the start of the flyback converter. The transformer has a primary winding and a secondary winding each having a winding beginning and a winding end. Furthermore, a start transistor is provided, which is coupled by its gate terminal to the winding beginning of the secondary winding of the transformer and is connected by its drain terminal to the winding end of the primary winding of the transformer, wherein an oscillator is formed at least by means of the transformer and the start transistor. Moreover, the charging capacitor supplies the controller with energy. The diode is provided between the winding beginning of the secondary winding of the transformer and the charging capacitor, wherein the anode of the diode is connected to the charging capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Harald Dillersberger
  • Patent number: 9444359
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power conversion apparatus with further reduced inductance of conductors coupling condensers. The power conversion apparatus includes a smoothing circuit having first and second electrolytic condensers connected to each other in series and third and fourth electrolytic condensers connected to each other in series. The distance between a positive terminal of the first electrolytic condenser and a negative terminal of the third electrolytic condenser is shorter than the distance between the positive terminal of the first electrolytic condenser and a positive terminal of the fourth electrolytic condenser. The distance between the positive terminal of the fourth electrolytic condenser and a negative terminal of the second electrolytic condenser is shorter than the distance between the positive terminal of the fourth electrolytic condenser and the positive terminal of the first electrolytic condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keisuke Mori
  • Patent number: 9396871
    Abstract: A transmitter circuit feeds to a transmitter coil, every time transmission data changes in logical value, a current signal in pulse form having a positive or negative polarity that is alternately inverted in response to each change in logical value; and a receiver circuit inputs induction voltage signals each being double pulses having both positive and negative polarities, which have been induced in a receiver coil by the current signal fed to the transmitter coil, to demodulate the transmission data. The receiver circuit includes: an amplifier that amplifies the induction voltage signals of double pulses induced in the receiver coil; and a signal generating unit that, when detecting first single pulses in the induction voltage signals of double pulses amplified by the amplifier, sets up an insensitive period for second single pulses therein, to generate an output signal corresponding to the transmission data, based solely on the first single pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Morokuma, Jun Tomisawa, Kazuyasu Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 9331592
    Abstract: Driver circuits comprise power converters detecting automatically a topology used by the driver circuits. A controller controls a plurality of different types of power converters in accordance to a corresponding plurality of different operation modes. The controller comprises a measurement pin coupled to a first topology resistor of a first power converter of a type from the plurality of different types. The different types of power converters comprise topology resistors of corresponding different resistor values. The controller senses a voltage at the measurement pin wherein the voltage at the measurement pin is indicative of a voltage drop at the first topology resistor. Furthermore, the controller determines a type of the first power converter based on the sensed voltage, and selects an operation mode for controlling the first power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Knoedgen
  • Patent number: 9293996
    Abstract: An integrated circuit controller includes a switching control circuit coupled to output a drive signal to control switching of a switch to regulate an output power of a power converter to be coupled to a distribution network. An oscillator is coupled to output a clock signal coupled to be received by the switching control circuit. The switching control circuit is coupled to output the drive signal in response to the clock signal. A cable drop compensator is coupled to output a compensated reference voltage signal coupled to be received by the switching control circuit in response to a switching signal from the switching control circuit. The switching signal is representative of the drive signal. The cable drop compensator is coupled to adjust the compensated reference voltage signal proportionately to a load current to compensate for a distribution voltage across the distribution network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex B. Djenguerian, Erdem Bircan
  • Patent number: 9275946
    Abstract: An integrated circuit package for use in a switch mode power converter includes a portion of a lead frame disposed within an encapsulation. The lead frame includes a first conductor having an inner conductive loop disposed within the encapsulation, and a second conductor galvanically isolated from the first conductor having an outer conductive loop disposed within the encapsulation and magnetically coupled to the first conductive loop to provide a communication link between the first and second conductors. First and second control circuits are coupled to the first and second conductors, respectively. The first control circuit is coupled to control a switching circuit in response to one or more control signals communicated between first and second dice that include the first and second control circuits, respectively, through the communication link to regulate a transfer of energy from an input to an output of the switch mode power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, David Michael Hugh Matthews
  • Patent number: 9246380
    Abstract: A control circuit module for a power factor corrector is provided to convert the operation mode of the inductor current from the boundary conduction mode (BCM) to the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) when a transistor element is operated under the valley inductor current, thus reducing the switching frequency and increasing system efficiency, also to maintain the operation mode of the inductor current in the BCM when the transistor element is operated under the peak inductor current, thus maintaining system efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: ASIAN POWER DEVICES INC.
    Inventors: Chih-Lung Yang, Tsung-Liang Hung
  • Patent number: 9143049
    Abstract: Wiring between semiconductor modules and a direct current power supply circuit, which construct a three-level power conversion apparatus, is made to be low inductance, so reduction in size and cost can be attained easily. In cases where a connection is made between direct current power supplies (electrolytic capacitors) and IGBT modules of a three-level inverter, a wiring conductor for a bi-directional switch part is divided into three conductors or two conductors on a same surface, and these conductors are sandwiched by a P conductor and an N conductor, which are arranged at outer sides thereof, respectively, through insulating materials, so a three-layer wiring structure of a sealed structure is formed. As a result, wiring inductance can be made small even with a small number of laminated layers, so that the reduction in size and cost of the apparatus as a whole is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kimiyuki Koyanagi, Masahiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 9107258
    Abstract: Methods and circuits for controlling LEDs are disclosed. In one embodiment, the light emitting diode (LED) integrated circuit controller includes a voltage regulator circuit configured to operate with an alternating current (AC) power source, where the voltage regulator circuit includes a depletion device configured to receive a varying AC voltage and to generate a unregulated voltage, and a band gap voltage reference circuit configured to received the unregulated voltage and to generate a substantially constant direct current (DC) voltage. The LED integrated circuit controller further includes a current setting circuit configured to receive the substantially constant DC voltage and to provide a substantially constant direct current to drive a series of light emitting diodes, and a second depletion device configured to protect the LED integrated circuit controller from external high voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: MIKPOWER, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Chao, John Huang
  • Patent number: 9096169
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a plurality of converter portions, each of which includes a switching circuit portion and a control circuit portion, the switching circuit portion being configured to obtain an output voltage by stepping up or stepping down an input voltage with a switching converter circuit including a switch element, a wound element, and a rectifier element, and the control circuit portion being configured to control the output voltage by controlling the switch element of the switching circuit portion. The plurality of converter portions are arranged on a single circuit board such that the switching circuit portion of each of the converter portions is not adjacent to the control circuit portion of each of a rest of the converter portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Ohmura, Takayoshi Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8988905
    Abstract: A PWM controller detecting temperature and AC line via a single pin and a power converter using the PWM controller, the PWM controller comprising: an output pin for providing a PWM signal; and a dual-function pin for receiving a temperature signal when the PWM signal is at a high level, and for receiving an AC line signal when the PWM signal is at a low level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Grenergy Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Huang-Chi Lin, Chun-Liang Lin
  • Patent number: 8976561
    Abstract: An integrated circuit package for use in a switch mode power converter comprises an encapsulation and a lead frame. A portion of the lead frame is disposed within the encapsulation. The lead frame includes a first conductor having a first conductive loop disposed substantially within the encapsulation. The lead frame also includes a second conductor galvanically isolated from the first conductor. The second conductor includes a second conductive loop disposed substantially within the encapsulation proximate to and magnetically coupled to the first conductive loop to provide a communication link between the first and second conductors. A first control die including a first control circuit is coupled to the first conductor. A second control die including a second control circuit is coupled to the second conductor. One or more control signals are communicated between the first and second control dice through the communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, David Michael Hugh Matthews
  • Patent number: 8964437
    Abstract: An energy dissipating device configured to connect to a power supply and to dissipate excess energy from a direct current (DC) rail in response to a change in power supply settings or operating characteristics. The energy dissipating device is connected to the DC rail, which conducts current generated by an AC/DC converter to at least one DC/DC converter. When power demand to the DC/DC converter is reduced, the DC/DC converter generates a supplemental current surge on the DC rail. A rail current monitor monitors the current level on the DC rail and generates the DC rail power signal indicative of the supplemental current surge level generated by the at least one DC/DC converter. The supplemental surge current is used to control dissipative elements connected across the DC rail to modulate a current sink path across the DC rail to dissipate the excess energy from the DC rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peyman Safa, Michael J. Benes, Marko Vulovic
  • Patent number: 8963533
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a resistive voltage divider comprising a plurality n of resistive elements in a configuration wherein the angles m=n?1 between each pair of elements are between 180° and 10°, characterized in that the group of elements is supported by a dielectric the shape of which is such that it allows the creepage distance of the divider to be equal to or longer than the sum of creepage distances of the individual resistances. This arrangement allows a correct insulation of the device because it maintains the outer insulation since in the event of short-circuit the current will flow through the resistances and not through the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Arteche Lantegi Elkartea, S.A.
    Inventors: Inaki Garabieta Artiagoitia, Alfonso Montero Bouza
  • Patent number: 8953342
    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. The system controller is configured to receive at least an input signal at the first controller terminal, and generate a gate drive signal at the second controller terminal based on at least information associated with 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. The system controller is further configured to, if the input signal is larger than a first threshold, generate the gate drive signal at a first logic level to turn off the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 8953353
    Abstract: A power converter including a cooler having a cooling flow path in which a refrigerant flows, a base plate to which switching elements are attached, a control circuit board on which power-generating elements are attached, and securing pins that secure the base plate onto the lower cooler wall of the cooler and support the control circuit board so as to be spaced apart from the base plate. Upper end parts of the securing pins pass through the base plate and the cooler lower wall, reaching inside the cooling flow path. First pass-through parts of the securing pins for the lower cooler wall are fitted by pressure into the lower cooler wall . Support column parts of the securing pins extend in a direction opposite the lower cooler wall, and the control circuit board is secured to lower flanges thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Sasayama
  • Patent number: 8912639
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for configuring a transformer embedded in a multi-layer integrated circuit package are provided. In this regard, a windings ratio of a transformer embedded in a multi-layer IC package bonded to an IC may be configured, via logic, circuitry, and/or code in the IC, based on signal levels at one or more terminals of the transformer. The transformer may comprise a plurality of inductive loops fabricated in transmission line media. The integrated circuit may be flip-chip bonded to the multi-layer package. The IC may comprise a signal strength indicator enabled to measure signal levels input to or output by the transformer. The windings ratio may be configured via one or more switches in the IC and/or in the multi-layer package. The IC and/or the multi-layer package may comprise ferromagnetic material which may improve magnetic coupling of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8897046
    Abstract: A DC voltage conversion module includes a substrate, an input terminal, an output terminal, a ground terminal, a DC voltage conversion control element mounted on the substrate, a coil mounted on the substrate and connected to the DC voltage conversion control element and the output terminal, an input-side capacitor mounted on the substrate and connected to the input terminal and the ground terminal, and an output-side capacitor mounted on the substrate and connected to the output terminal and the ground terminal. The input terminal, the output terminal and the ground terminal project in a predetermined projecting direction parallel to each other. The ground terminal is arranged between the input terminal and the output terminal in a direction perpendicular to the projecting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gen Muto, Seitaro Mizuhara
  • Patent number: 8897044
    Abstract: An electronic device including a power switch, a switch unit, a power supply unit and a control unit is provided. Two power ends of the power switch are connected in parallel with two connecting terminals of the switch unit. The power supply unit generates a system voltage by a power come from the power switch or the switch unit. When the two power ends of the power switch are conducted for a predetermined time, the power is provided to the power supply unit and the electronic device starts up. Furthermore, the control unit controls the switch unit to conduct the two connecting terminals, so that the power is still provided to the power supply unit through the switch unit after the two power ends are disconnected. When the electronic device is shut down, the control unit controls the switch unit to disconnect the two connecting terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Pegatron Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Ming Chen, Wei-Lu Wang
  • Patent number: 8885376
    Abstract: A switching regulator IC contains both switching regulator circuitry and an inductor and a capacitor connected in parallel to form a resonant circuit having an associated notch filter frequency response arranged such that, when connected to receive the regulated output voltage, the resonant circuit attenuates the ripple component. This is accomplished by matching the resonant notch to the ripple's fundamental frequency, either manually or automatically. In addition, the resonant circuit's inductor and capacitor can act in concert with decoupling capacitors coupled to the load to form a low pass filter which attenuates harmonics of the ripple's fundamental frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick J. Meehan, Thomas Conway, Aldrick Limjoco, Donal G. O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8873251
    Abstract: An output adjustment circuit includes a rectifier and filter circuit, a voltage drop circuit, a voltage output circuit, a PWM regulator, and a feedback circuit. The rectifier and filter circuit receives an AC voltage and converts it into a square wave signal. The voltage drop circuit includes a primary coil and a secondary coil. The primary coil is connected to the rectifier and filter circuit. The primary coil receives the square wave signal. The voltage output circuit is connected to the secondary coil. The PWM regulator is connected to the primary coil. The PWM regulator generates a pulse signal to turn on and turn off the primary coil periodically. The feedback circuit controls a duty cycle of the pulse signal to adjust a during time of the primary coil being on in a cycle. The primary coil transmits energy to the secondary coil according the during time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (WuHan) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun-Fei Zhang, Yu-Lin Liu
  • Patent number: 8867251
    Abstract: A power supply device for a solid state drive (SSD) inserted into a slot of a computer includes a number of voltage input contacts, a diode, a first voltage regulating module and a second voltage regulating module connected in series. The slot includes a number of voltage output contacts and a number of signal transmitting contacts. The voltage input contacts are connected to the voltage output contacts and selectively connected to the signal transmitting contacts. The voltage input contacts obtains an initial voltage from the slot from the voltage output contacts or the signal transmitting contacts. The first voltage regulating module boosts the initial voltage. The second voltage regulating module regulates the boosted voltage to a preset voltage. The diode prevents a voltage outputting from the voltage input contacts to the signal transmitting contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ya-Jun Pan, Ying-Bin Fu, Ting Ge
  • Patent number: 8854004
    Abstract: An energy storage system and a controlling method thereof are provided. Accordingly, an operation mode of the energy storage system is stably changed. The energy storage system includes: a battery; an inverter for receiving a first power from an external source and generating a second power; and a converter coupled between the battery and both the external source and the inverter. The converter is configured to enter an off mode between a charge mode for charging the battery and a discharge mode for discharging the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-Im Lee
  • Patent number: 8842436
    Abstract: An object is to provide an inverter module that can ensure satisfactory anti-vibration strength, moisture resistance, and isolation for each of the upper and lower boards of the inverter module and that can reduce the weight and cost, and to provide an integrated-inverter electric compressor. In an inverter module (21) in which a power system board (23) and a control board (31) are integrated via a resin case (22), the inverter module (21) is configured such that the power system board (23), on which a semiconductor switching device (24) is mounted, is provided at the lower part of the resin case (22) and the control board (31), on which a control-and-communication circuit is mounted, is provided thereabove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hattori, Masahiko Asai, Kazuki Niwa, Takayuki Takashige, Koji Nakano, Takashi Nakagami, Shunsuke Yakushiji
  • Patent number: 8810178
    Abstract: The invention relates to a variable speed drive (1) connected upstream to an electric power grid (R) and downstream to an electric motor (M), the variable speed drive comprising notably a main casing comprising a base (14) and a main closure cover (15) closing on the base (14), a rectifier module (10), an inverter module (11), these modules being inserted inside the casing, and one or more bus capacitors (13). The main closure cover (15) comprises one or more openings (151) each traversed by a bus capacitor (13) and the variable speed drive comprises a secondary closure cover (17) fitting onto the main closure cover (15) and covering the said one or more bus capacitors (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventor: Frederic Leon
  • Patent number: 8804385
    Abstract: A switching converter IC without a built-in power switching device includes a first terminal serving as a power supply positive connection, a second terminal serving as a power supply return connection, a third terminal serving as the switch-driving connection for controlling the switching duty of an external bipolar or MOSFET power switching device and also serving as a conduit for detection of current drawn by the power switching device to thereby provide overcurrent protection. Feedback information is derived from voltage between the first and the second terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Mosway Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Chiu-Sing Celement Tse, On-Bon Peter Chan, Chik-Yam Lee, Chi-Keung Tang, Chi-Ken Kenny Lee
  • Patent number: 8755198
    Abstract: A control and driving device of a high voltage power supply (HVPS) of an electronic apparatus, such as an image forming apparatus, including an input to receive a signal supplied to the HVPS, a control and driving circuit to control and drive the signal received at the input, and an output to output the controlled and driven signal to a transformer of the HVPS, wherein the input, control and driving circuit, and output are integrated into one physical module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-jo Jo, Jong-hwa Cho
  • Patent number: 8736113
    Abstract: A method and system for limiting energy to a sensor and/or an environment in which the sensor is located. A high current sensor driver is powered through a resistance-capacitance (RC) circuit. In a failure mode, the RC circuit constrains output of a sensor driver to the sensor in order to limit average current applied to the sensor. In one embodiment, the capacitor is chosen so that it can provide adequate current to the sensor driver for a short period of time. The value of the resistor may be chosen to ensure that under short circuit conditions direct current (DC) is limited to a safe value. The combined values of the resistor and capacitor may be adjusted such that the capacitor can charge to a prescribed level during the interval between active pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Parker Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Howard Austerlitz, Ron Bueter, John O'Brien
  • Patent number: 8730703
    Abstract: Efficient reduction in power consumption is achieved by combinational implementation of a power cutoff circuit technique using power supply switch control and a DVFS technique for low power consumption. A power supply switch section fed with power supply voltage, a circuit block in which a power cutoff is performed by the power supply switch section, and a level shifter are formed in a DEEP-NWELL region formed over a semiconductor substrate. Another power supply switch section fed with another power supply voltage, a circuit block in which a power cutoff is performed by the power supply switch section, and a level shifter are formed in another DEEP-NWELL region formed over the semiconductor substrate. In this arrangement, there arises no possibility of short-circuiting between different power supplies via each DEEP-NWELL region formed over the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Fukuoka, Yasuto Igarashi, Ryo Mori, Yoshihiko Yasu, Toshio Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8665596
    Abstract: Power switching circuitry has a heat absorbing structure, and a heat conductive substrate having power switching components on a first surface and a second surface adjacent to the heat absorbing structure. Electrically conductive members, comprising first and second members, are on the first surface and extend along a first axis orthogonal to the heat conductive substrate. The second portion is more remote from the heat conductive substrate, and has a smaller cross-sectional area than, the first portion to define a shoulder region orthogonal to the first axis. A circuit board is located on the shoulder regions, with the second portions extending through the circuit board. An urging mechanism urges the circuit board against the shoulder regions, whereby the electrically conductive members provide a current path between the heat conductive substrate and the circuit board, and urge the heat conductive substrate into thermal contact with the heat absorbing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: PG Drives Technology Limited
    Inventor: Richard Peter Brereton
  • Patent number: 8649199
    Abstract: A Low Forward Voltage Rectifier (LFVR) includes a bipolar transistor, a parallel diode, and a base current injection circuit disposed in an easy-to-employ two-terminal package. In one example, the transistor is a Reverse Bipolar Junction Transistor (RBJT), the diode is a distributed diode, and the base current injection circuit is a current transformer. Under forward bias conditions (when the voltage from the first package terminal to the second package terminal is positive), the LFVR conducts current at a rated current level with a low forward voltage drop (for example, approximately 0.1 volts). In reverse bias conditions, the LFVR blocks current flow. Using the LFVR in place of a conventional silicon diode rectifier in the secondary of a flyback converter reduces average power dissipation and increases power supply efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventor: Kyoung Wook Seok