Having Transistorized Inverter Patents (Class 363/16)
  • Patent number: 9436198
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting a first power to a second power. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a power conversion circuit for receiving the first power; and a controller, coupled to the power conversion circuit, for dynamically selecting between a non-interleaved mode and an interleaved mode for operating the power conversion circuit to convert the first power to the second power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Fornage
  • Patent number: 9438124
    Abstract: A power supply circuit includes a plurality of output terminals that output voltages (voltages may have the same or different voltage values among the output terminals), and a transformer that has a plurality of output windings. First and second output windings of the plurality of output windings are coupled to each other. The first and second output windings have the same number of turns. First terminals, which have a first polarity, of the first and second output windings are connected to each other via a capacitor. Further, second terminals, which have a second polarity opposite to the first polarity, of the first and second output windings are electrically connected to each other. The second terminals of the first and second output windings may be directly connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: YueQing Wang, Honglei Wang
  • Patent number: 9431391
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having high breakdown withstand voltage includes a first element which is a normally-on type transistor made of nitride compound semiconductor, a second element which is connected to the first element in series and is a transistor having withstand voltage between a source and a drain lower than withstand voltage of the first element, a first diode which is connected between a gate of the first element or a gate of the second element and a drain of the first element so that a cathode of the first diode is connected at the drain's side and has predetermined avalanche withstand voltage, and a first resistance connected to the gate to which the first diode is connected. The avalanche withstand voltage of the first diode is lower than breakdown voltage of the first element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignees: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsunori Ueno
  • Patent number: 9423433
    Abstract: An RF electronics module includes a grounding plate, a non-conductive substrate, a number of conductive vias, RF PA circuitry, and RF power detection circuitry. The non-conductive substrate is over the grounding plate. The conductive vias extend parallel to one another from a surface of the non-conductive substrate opposite the grounding plate through the non-conductive substrate to the grounding plate. The RF PA circuitry is coupled to the grounding plate through a first one of the conductive vias. The RF power detection circuitry is coupled to a second one of the conductive vias and configured to measure a signal induced in the second one of the conductive vias due to electromagnetic coupling with the first one of conductive vias. The first one of the conductive vias is adjacent to the second one of the conductive vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Andrew Teeter, Ming Ji, Praveen Varma Nadimpalli
  • Patent number: 9425694
    Abstract: A current resonance type DC-DC converter includes a transformer that has a primary winding and a secondary winding, a switching circuit that has a pair of first switching elements and that is connected to the primary winding, an AC/DC transfer circuit that has four rectifying devices, which are connected in full bridge and include a pair of second switching elements, that is connected to the secondary winding, that converts an AC voltage, which is induced at the secondary winding, into a DC voltage and that outputs the DC voltage, and a control circuit that controls ON and OFF operations of the pairs of the first and second switching elements. The control circuit controls the ON and OFF operations so as to synchronize the pair of the first switching elements with the pair of the second switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Ken Matsuura, Hiroshige Yanagi
  • Patent number: 9419511
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of controlling a capacitor discharge for a switching power supply, can include: (i) generating a first voltage signal from a voltage at an X capacitor that is coupled between input terminals of the switching power supply; (ii) activating a detection signal in response to the first voltage signal being inactive for a duration of a predetermined time interval, where the detection signal being activated indicates a cut-off of the input terminals; and (iii) at least partially discharging the X capacitor after the cut-off and in response to activation of the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Qiukai Huang, Yunlong Han, Xiaoru Xu
  • Patent number: 9417679
    Abstract: Various computing devices and methods of managing the power consumption thereby are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of managing power consumption of a computing device that has a battery is provided. The method includes cycling the computing device between a connected standby active state and a connected standby idle state. The duration of the connected standby idle state is set based at least in part on a charge level of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Sadowski, Alexander J. Branover, Maurice B. Steinman
  • Patent number: 9401648
    Abstract: A power converter having a current limit module and a method for controlling the power converter. The power converter converts an input voltage to an output voltage based at least on driving a main switch to switch on and off and regulates the output voltage through regulating a duty cycle of the main switch. The current limit module is configured to compensate a first current limit threshold indicative of a maximum allowable value of a peak value of a switching current of the main switch with a threshold compensation signal indicative of the duty cycle to provide a second current limit threshold. The second current limit threshold is used to limit the maximum value of the peak value, so that a maximum allowable output power of the power converter is substantially uninfluenced by the variation in the duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yike Li
  • Patent number: 9391535
    Abstract: Provided is a received power conversion device for a resonant wireless charging system, including a wireless power receiver for receiving wireless power from a wireless power transmission device, a rectifier for rectifying power in an Alternating Current (AC) form received in the wireless power receiver into a Direct Current (DC), a free-wheeling switching unit for switching according to a switching control signal to form a path for free-wheeling the power in the AC form, a feedback circuit fed back with an output signal of a corresponding power conversion device to detect a level of the output signal, and a controller for controlling switching of the free-wheeling switching unit according to the output level detected by the feedback circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Ku Yeo, Gyu-Hyeong Cho, Se-Ho Park, Se-Ki Kim, Young-Min Lee, Jun-Han Choi
  • Patent number: 9391527
    Abstract: There is provided a power supply apparatus capable of precisely control a primary side switching frequency at a secondary side by receiving fed-back information regarding a power state at the secondary side without a separate expensive circuit or a complicated circuit. The power supply apparatus includes: a power supplying unit having a primary side and a secondary side having different ground electrical characteristics, switching power input to the primary side, and transferring the switched power to the second side electrically insulated from the primary side to supply the power; a controlling unit provided on the secondary side and receiving fed-back information regarding a power state of the power supplying unit to control a maximum value and a minimum value of a switching frequency of the primary side; and a transferring unit transferring a control signal from the controlling unit to the primary side of the power supplying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae Hoon Han, Seo Hyung Kim, Joon Youp Sung, Jung Eui Park, Jung Sun Kwon, Jae Shin Lee
  • Patent number: 9391524
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide an AC/DC power converter that converts an AC input voltage into a DC output voltage. This AC/DC power converter includes an input rectifier stage which rectifies an AC input voltage into a first rectified voltage. The AC/DC power converter also includes a switching resonant stage which is directly coupled to the output of the input rectifier stage. The switching resonant stage converts the rectified voltage into a first high frequency AC voltage of a first amplitude. This AC/DC power converter additionally includes a transformer which is coupled to the output of the switching resonant stage and is configured to down-convert the first high frequency AC voltage into a second high frequency AC voltage of a second amplitude. Furthermore, the AC/DC power converter includes an output rectifier stage which is coupled to the output of the transformer, wherein the output rectifier stage rectifies the second high frequency AC voltage into a DC output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: InHwan Oh, Nicholas A. Sims
  • Patent number: 9374002
    Abstract: The present invention related to a switch control circuit, a coupled inductor boost converter including the same, and a driving method thereof. The coupled inductor boost converter includes a first inductor connected between an input voltage and a first node, a second inductor connected between the first node and a second node, and a power switch connected between the first node and a ground, and a switch control circuit. The switch control circuit receives a voltage of the second node and turn on the power switch by using the voltage of the second node at a time when a voltage of the first node becomes a zero voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor LTD
    Inventors: Jae-Yong Lee, Young Sik Lee, Young-Bae Park, Young-Je Lee, Eunsung Jang
  • Patent number: 9374012
    Abstract: There is provided a power supply including a direct current (DC) to DC converter supplying main power to a load, and a sub converter connected to the DC to DC converter and reducing output loss, wherein the sub converter is operable based on a hold-up time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Kook Kim, Chong Eun Kim, Sung Ho Kim, Dong Kyun Ryu
  • Patent number: 9369053
    Abstract: In a power supply device, a primary winding of a transformer is connected in series to a main switching element, and is connected in parallel to a series circuit of a resonance capacitor and a sub switching element. A secondary winding of the transformer is connected in series to a series circuit of a rectifying element and a resonance inductor. The capacitance of the resonance capacitor and the inductance of the resonance inductor are each set such that, when the sub switching element is in an on state, the waveform of the voltage that is generated between the first main terminal and the second main terminal of the main switching element takes a protruding curve shape, the voltage being generated due to a resonance phenomenon of at least the resonance capacitor and the resonance inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ogasawara, Takafumi Fujino, Hiromichi Goto, Teruhito Takeda, Satohiko Hosomi, Kei Mitsuyasu, Katsuyuki Doi, Hideaki Abe
  • Patent number: 9369051
    Abstract: An interleaved forward voltage converter having a first inverter stage has a first transformer having a first secondary winding coupled to a filter inductor. A second converter stage has a second transformer having a second secondary winding coupled to the filter inductor. A diode is coupled between the first and second secondary windings to automatically connect the first and second secondary windings in series when a duty cycle of the converter exceeds 50%. An interleaved forward voltage converter can connect the two primary windings in either parallel or a series configuration. The two secondary windings can be connected in either parallel or a series configuration. Having the two primary windings in parallel and the two secondary windings in series allows the converter to operate with a lower input voltage. Having the two primary windings in series and the two secondary windings in a parallel configuration allows the converter to operate with a higher input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Isaac Cohen
  • Patent number: 9363856
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a driver device (10) for driving a load (18), in particular an LED (18) unit having one or more LEDs, comprising input terminals (14, 16) for connecting the driver device (10) to a voltage supply (12) and for receiving an input voltage (V10) from the voltage supply (12), an output terminal for connecting the driver device (10) to the load (18), an converter unit (24) for converting a drive voltage to an output (V20) voltage for powering the load (18), a switching unit (20, 22) connected to the input terminals (14, 16) for providing different voltage levels as the drive voltage to the converter unit (24), and a control unit (28) for controlling the switching unit (20, 22) on the basis of an electrical converter signal (V12; V13; I12; I13) measured at a member (30, 36) of the converter unit (24) and a reference signal (Vth) having an alternating component to provide an out put signal (V20) having an alternating signal component on the basis of the alternating component of the re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Andrew Ulrich Rutgers, Reinhold Elferich
  • Patent number: 9362826
    Abstract: An apparatus for electric power conversion includes a converter having a regulating circuit and switching network. The regulating circuit has magnetic storage elements, and switches connected to the magnetic storage elements and controllable to switch between switching configurations. The regulating circuit maintains an average DC current through a magnetic storage element. The switching network includes charge storage elements connected to switches that are controllable to switch between plural switch configurations. In one configuration, the switches forms an arrangement of charge storage elements in which at least one charge storage element is charged using the magnetic storage element through the network input or output port. In another, the switches form an arrangement of charge storage elements in which an element discharges using the magnetic storage element through one of the input port and output port of the switching network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Arctic Sand Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Giuliano
  • Patent number: 9356526
    Abstract: A DC-DC power conversion apparatus and a DC-DC power conversion method are provided. The DC-DC power conversion apparatus includes a switching circuit, a main transformer circuit, a main rectifier circuit, an auxiliary transformer circuit and an auxiliary rectifier circuit. The switching circuit provides an input power to a primary winding of the main transformer circuit or a primary winding of the auxiliary transformer circuit by time-division. An AC input terminal of the main rectifier circuit is coupled to a secondary winding of the main transformer circuit. An AC input terminal of the auxiliary rectifier circuit is coupled to a secondary winding of the auxiliary transformer circuit. A power output terminal of the auxiliary rectifier circuit is coupled to a reference voltage terminal of the main rectifier circuit for lifting a voltage of the power output terminal of the main rectifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chi-Seng Lee, Nan-Hsiung Tseng, Chin-Hone Lin, Wei-Han Lai, Hidekazu Miwa, Jih-Sheng Lai
  • Patent number: 9356504
    Abstract: A switched-mode power supply is disclosed, which includes a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding. A switch is coupled in series with the primary winding and configured to repeatedly interrupt a current through the primary winding. An inductor is located differently with reference to magnetic fields that the primary and secondary windings are configured to induce. A connection exists between the inductor and a circuit that contains one of the primary and secondary windings. The connection is configured to connect from the inductor to the circuit a first voltage that has a waveform representative of and a polarity opposite to a second voltage induced in the switched-mode power supply by leakage flux of the transformer at a switching moment of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: SALCOMP OYJ
    Inventors: Ilkka Suorsa, Jarmo Minkkinen
  • Patent number: 9348383
    Abstract: Described is a soft-start scheme for a voltage regulator. The apparatus comprises: a first voltage regulator to provide regulated voltage to an output node coupled to a load, the first voltage regulator operable to be in open loop via a bypass unit, the first voltage regulator including a comparator; and a second voltage regulator, coupled to the first voltage regulator, operable to be in closed loop, via the bypass unit, to provide a reference voltage for the comparator of the first voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Raghu Nandan Chepuri, Fenardi Thenus, Peng Zou, Henry W. Koertzen
  • Patent number: 9351360
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a drive circuit for an illumination device and an illumination device. The drive circuit includes a first drive module, wherein the first drive module is configured to convert an alternating current signal from a power supply to a constant current drive signal supplied to a light-emitting unit of the illumination device, and wherein the drive circuit further includes a second drive module, and wherein the second drive module is in series connection with the first drive module and the light-emitting unit and is configured to hold a voltage which is applied across the second drive module by the constant current drive signal, and the second drive module further includes a first switch means which is driven by the held voltage to turn on such that a current signal output from the second drive module is a direct current signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: OSRAM GMBH
    Inventor: Quan Zhang
  • Patent number: 9350260
    Abstract: A method comprises providing a resonant converter comprising a switching network comprising a plurality of switches, a resonant tank coupled between the switching network and a transformer, wherein the resonant tank comprises a series resonant inductor coupled to a switching network and the transformer and a series resonant capacitor coupled to the switching network and the transformer and a driver having an adjustable bias voltage and in response to a startup process of the resonant converter, configuring the switching network to operate a switching frequency higher than a resonant frequency of the resonant tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: FUTUREWEI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Heping Dai, Daoshen Chen, Xujun Liu, Liming Ye
  • Patent number: 9343970
    Abstract: A converter and method for reducing voltage of node thereof are disclosed herein. The converter includes a first transmitting circuit and a second transmitting circuit. The first transmitting circuit is configured to receive a first AC voltage. The second transmitting circuit is electrically coupled to the first transmitting circuit and the second transmitting circuit is configured to transmit a second AC voltage according to the first AC voltage. One of the first transmitting circuit and the second transmitting circuit includes at least one divider unit and the other one of the first transmitting circuit and the second transmitting circuit includes at least two divider units. Each of the divider units includes an inductor network and a capacitor network coupled in series. The inductor network and the capacitor network of the adjacent divider units are coupled in series alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao Yan, Wei-Qiang Zhang, Li-Zhi Xu, Xin-Lei Li
  • Patent number: 9343988
    Abstract: Circuits, systems, and methods of current mode regulation include a primary side for receiving an input signal and a secondary for outputting an output signal. A regulator spans the primary and secondary sides in a configuration by which the input signal may be rectified and thereafter provided to the output node as an output signal. A current monitor is provided at the output node for comparing the output signal to a reference. A communication link is included for providing feedback to the primary side of the regulator for use in regulating the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: TRIUNE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Ross E. Teggatz, David D. Briggs, Amer H. Atrash, Wayne T. Chen
  • Patent number: 9341358
    Abstract: In accordance with systems and methods of the present disclosure, an apparatus may include a power converter and a controller. The controller may be configured to monitor a voltage at an input of the power converter, cause the power controller to transfer energy from the input to a load at a target current, decrease the target current responsive to determining that the voltage is less than or equal to an undervoltage threshold, and increase the target current responsive to determining that the voltage is greater than or equal to a maximum threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Eric J. King, Daniel J. Baker, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 9318968
    Abstract: The present invention provides a series of DC-DC converter circuit designs, and DC-DC converters based on such circuit design, that provide high input-to-output voltage conversion. The converters include a resonant tank and a means for interrupting the tank current to produce a near zero-loss “hold” state wherein zero current and/or zero voltage switching is provided, while providing control over the amount of power transfer. A resonant DC-DC converter for high voltage step-up ratio in accordance with the circuit design includes: (a) a low voltage DC-AC converter, (b) a resonant tank, (c) a high voltage AC-DC converter, (d) a (i) common ground on an input and an output without use of a transformer and/or (ii) a single high voltage controllable switch within the resonant tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO GOVERNING COUNCIL
    Inventor: Peter Waldemar Lehn
  • Patent number: 9305699
    Abstract: A transformer driver circuit couples to a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a transformer tap that is connected to a first voltage source. The primary winding electrically connects at its ends to respective unipolar controllable current sinks that form part of an integrated circuit. The transformer driver circuit operates by each current sink selectively sinking current from the end of the primary winding to which it is connected so as to cause current to flow in the secondary winding in a push-pull fashion. The transformer driver circuit further includes a load electrically connected to the secondary winding and protection circuitry operative to protect the integrated circuit from input levels greater than it can withstand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Broadcom Europe Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz, Seyed Danesh, Steven Maughan
  • Patent number: 9306470
    Abstract: An inverter control module electrically connected to an inverter module is disclosed to include an error detection unit for receiving a control signal and a feedback signal from an external source and processing these signals and then outputting a corresponding error signal, a signal amplifier module electrically coupled to the error detection unit for receiving the error signal and amplifying the error signal or raising the frequency of the error signal and then outputting the processed signal, and a driver module electrically coupled to the signal amplifier module for receiving the amplified or frequency-raised error signal and generating a corresponding driving signal and then outputting the driving signal to a power module of the inverter module for driving the power module to work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SHUN-FU TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Shun-Hua Lee, Yung-Sheng Huang
  • Patent number: 9293983
    Abstract: A switching power-supply apparatus includes: a control circuit that controls on-and-off switching of a switching element; a first rectifying-and-smoothing circuit that smoothes a voltage generated in a secondary winding; and a second rectifying-and-smoothing circuit that smoothes a voltage generated in a tertiary winding as a power supply voltage, a starting circuit that supplies as a starting current: a first constant current to the control circuit when the power supply voltage is equal to or lower than a first threshold voltage, which is lower than a starting voltage of the control circuit; a second constant current, which is greater than the first constant current, to the control circuit when the power supply voltage is larger than the first threshold voltage and is equal to or lower than the starting voltage; and the first constant current to the control circuit while the control circuit is started up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshihiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 9293998
    Abstract: A two-transistor flyback converter includes a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, a first transistor connected between an input voltage source and a first terminal of the primary side, a second transistor connected between ground and a second terminal of the primary side, and a diode directly connected between the first terminal of the primary side and ground. The first and second transistors are operable to switch on and off simultaneously and with no current return from the primary side to the input voltage source when the input voltage source is less than a reflected voltage from the secondary side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Mladen Ivankovic, Fred Sawyer
  • Patent number: 9280163
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to radio frequency (RF) power converters and methods of operating the same. In one embodiment, an RF power converter includes an RF switching converter, a low-drop out (LDO) regulation circuit, and an RF filter. The RF filter is coupled to receive a pulsed output voltage from the RF switching converter and a supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit. The RF filter is operable to alternate between a first RF filter topology and a second RF filter topology. In the first RF filter topology, the RF filter is configured to convert the pulsed output voltage from a switching circuit into the supply voltage. The RF filter in the second RF filter topology is configured to filter the supply voltage from the LDO regulation circuit to reduce a ripple variation in a supply voltage level of the supply voltage. As such, the RF filter provides greater versatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Kay, Nadim Khlat
  • Patent number: 9257908
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide for an adaptive and accurate zero cross circuit that can operate without directly sensing an inductor current. Certain embodiments allow adjustment of a zero crossing condition while eliminating the need for a blanking time. In certain embodiments this is accomplished by detecting the effects of turning off a switch on a switching node voltage of a buck converter. Some embodiments use a counter to lengthen or shorten the delay time between an inductor crossing a zero value and the effect of the switching event. In one embodiment, the effect of the switching event includes a change in the direction of the switching node voltage from which the direction of a current flowing in the buck converter inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Dale Thompson, Hongguang Dong, Cory Arnold
  • Patent number: 9252675
    Abstract: The PD device comprises a primary-side controller configured to control an input current of a DC/DC converter disposed between an input and an output, and a secondary-side controller connected with AC coupling to the output, and configured to feed back electric power information of the output to the primary-side controller. The primary-side controller varies an output voltage value and an available output current capacity of the DC/DC converter by controlling the input current on the basis of the electric power information fed back from the secondary-side controller. The primary-side controller can change an overpower detecting set value in accordance with the target equipments connected to the output, thereby executing the power change of the DC/DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Nate, Akihiro Ono
  • Patent number: 9236808
    Abstract: A parallel resonant converter circuit with current-equalization function includes a power input terminal, a power output terminal, an output capacitor, first and second resonant converters and a third transformer. The first resonant converter is electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the output capacitor/power output terminal. The first resonant converter includes a first transformer. The second resonant converter is electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the output capacitor. The first resonant converter and the second resonant converter are coupled in parallel. The second resonant converter includes a second transformer. The third transformer includes a first coil winding set and a second coil winding set. The first coil winding set is electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the first transformer in series. The second coil winding set is electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the second transformer in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ASIAN POWER DEVICES INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Liang Hung, Ya-Lun Ouyang, Yeu-Torng Yau
  • Patent number: 9231482
    Abstract: The present invention provides compensation of rapid fluctuations in voltage in a DC-to-DC converter. For this, the primary side of the DC-to-DC converter is monitored by means of capacitive voltage dividers. A voltage fluctuation occurring in the process can be identified early and thereupon the DC-to-DC converter can be controlled correspondingly to counteract this.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Trunk, Rene Schenk
  • Patent number: 9225391
    Abstract: Disclosed are a wireless power transmitting apparatus and a method thereof. The wireless power transmitting apparatus wirelessly transmits power to a wireless power receiving apparatus. The wireless power transmitting apparatus detects a wireless power transmission state between the wireless power transmitting apparatus and the wireless power receiving apparatus, and generates a control signal to control transmit power based on the detected wireless power transmission state. The wireless power transmitting apparatus generates the transmit power by using first DC power based on the control signal, and transmits the transmit power to a transmission resonance coil through a transmission induction coil unit based on an electromagnetic induction scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Su Ho Bae
  • Patent number: 9215117
    Abstract: An amplitude shift keying (ASK) demodulator and a communication apparatus including the same are provided. The ASK demodulator includes an envelope detector, a clock generator, a plurality of elementary demodulators, and a post signal processor. The envelope detector is configured to detect an envelope of an ASK modulated signal and to generate an envelope signal. The clock generator is configured to generate a main clock signal and first through n-th clock signals, where n is a positive integer of at least 2. The plurality of elementary demodulators are each configured to sample the envelope signal using a first sampling clock signal and a second sampling clock signal, and to output first through n-th elementary demodulated signals based on a difference between the sampled envelope signals using the first sampling clock signal and the second sampling clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Sang Hyo Lee, Su Hwan Kim, Ji Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 9209103
    Abstract: A circuit for heating a battery includes the battery including parasitic damping and current storage components, a switch unit, a switching control component coupled to the switch unit, a charge storage component, and a current limiting circuit. The damping component, current storage component, switch unit, and charge storage component are connected. The switching control component is configured to turn on and off the switch unit so as to control a first current flowing from the battery to the first charge storage component and a second current flowing from the first charge storage component to the battery. The current limiting circuit is configured to limit the second current flowing from the charge storage component to the battery. The circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging and charging the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: BYD Company Limited
    Inventors: Wenhui Xu, Yaochuan Han, Wei Feng, Qinyao Yang, Wenjin Xia, Shibin Ma
  • Patent number: 9209674
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transferring electric power to an electrical load (105); the method comprising steps of: converting a direct electric current into an electric tension wave, applying the electric tension wave in inlet to at least a couple of electric capacitors (125, 130); supplying the electrical load (105) with the electric tension in outlet from the capacitors (125, 130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: EGGTRONIC S.R.L.
    Inventor: Igor Spinella
  • Patent number: 9190911
    Abstract: A resonant tank comprises a series resonant inductor coupled to a switching network and a transformer, a series resonant capacitor coupled to the switching network and the transformer, a first parallel inductor implemented as a magnetizing inductance of the transformer, a second parallel inductor implement as a separate inductor, wherein a first inductance of the first parallel inductor is greater than a second inductance of the second parallel inductor and a switch connected in series with the second parallel inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Heping Dai, Hengchun Mao, Dianbo Fu
  • Patent number: 9178439
    Abstract: A switching power supply comprises one or more power supply stages configured to receive power from an input power source and to generate an output voltage for powering a load by alternately opening and closing a set of switches. An output current sensor is configured to monitor a level of an output current of the switching power supply. The opening and closing of the set of switches is controlled so as to maintain the output voltage at a desired level when the level of the output current is below the threshold and so as to limit the output current when the level of the output current exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Champion Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Hwang, Alland Chee
  • Patent number: 9178425
    Abstract: A power supply device has a first delay circuit which delays a first clock signal and outputs a second clock signal, a pulse signal generating circuit which generates a first pulse signal, a first transistor which connects an output node to a power supply potential node according to the first pulse signal, a second transistor which connects the output node to a reference potential node according to the first pulse signal, an integration circuit which integrates and outputs a signal of the output node, and a comparator which compares an output signal of the integration circuit and the reference signal, wherein the pulse signal generating circuit generates the first pulse signal in synchronization with the first clock signal, the second clock signal and the output signal of the comparator, and the frequency of the first pulse signal is constant irrespective of voltage of the output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nakao
  • Patent number: 9178440
    Abstract: A method for improving a power converter's efficiency comprises providing a resonant converter, wherein the resonant converter comprises an input coupled to a power source, a plurality of power switches coupled to the input, a resonant tank coupled to the plurality of power switches and a controller coupled to the power switches and generating a plurality of gate drive signals for the power switches, wherein the gate drive signals are arranged such that a switching frequency of the resonant converter is in a frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daoshen Chen, Heping Dai
  • Patent number: 9178435
    Abstract: A switching power supply is provided including a transformer that transforms an AC voltage converted by a bridge circuit, and outputs the transformed voltage from a center tap between secondary coils, and two second switches that respectively cause both ends of the secondary coils to be brought in contact with and be separated from a fixed electrical potential. By the second switches being switched on/off, the switching power supply outputs the rectified DC voltage from the center tap. The switching power supply further includes two diodes connected to the both ends of the secondary coils, and cause the currents to flow from the both ends, a capacitor that stores the currents caused to flow, and a third switch that is connected between the capacitor and the center tap, in which, by the third switch being turned on, the capacitor is discharged to the smoothing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tsuguo Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9172305
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter includes first and second switches connected to each other at a node and biased by PWM pulses. A timing module determines a first time difference between a first edge of a first signal at the node and a first edge of a second signal at a control terminal of the first switch, and a second time difference between a second edge of the first signal and a second edge of the second signal. The first and second edges of the second signal correspond to first and second edges of one of the PWM pulses, respectively. A delay module delays the first and second edges of the second signal based on the first and second time differences, respectively. The delay module delays an edge of one of the PWM pulses based on an amount of change in a voltage output by a charge pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Serhii M. Zhak, Brett A. Miwa
  • Patent number: 9166489
    Abstract: The present invention relates to multi-phase parallel-interleaved converter circuits with each phase having two or more transformers and two or more rectifiers electrically coupled to the two or more transformers, and layouts of the transformers and the rectifiers of the multi-phase parallel-interleaved converter circuits. In the layouts, the multiple transformers and the multiple rectifiers of the multi-phase converters are interleavingly arranged to be symmetrical to common output polarized capacitor(s) so as to ensure the rectifier outputs of each phase relative to the common output polarized capacitors is symmetrical, thereby reducing the output ripples of the current of the output capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao Yan, Yiqing Ye, Zhizhen Lian, Jianping Ying
  • Patent number: 9157793
    Abstract: A light source and a method for its use in an optical sensor are provided, the light source including a resistively heated element. The light source includes a power circuit configured to provide a pulse width modulated voltage to the resistively heated element, the pulse width modulated voltage including: a duty cycle with a first voltage; and a pulse period including a period with a second voltage, wherein: the duty cycle, the first voltage, and the pulse period are selected so that the resistively heated element is heated to a first temperature; and the first temperature is selected to emit black body radiation in a continuum spectral range. Also provided is an optical sensor for determining a chemical composition including a light source as above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Pelletier, William Soltmann, David L. Perkins, Christopher M. Jones
  • Patent number: 9160250
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide an error amplifier that can compare a feedback voltage of an output voltage with a reference voltage to produce a resulting error signal in cooperation with a phase compensating circuit. In some aspects of the invention, an AC detecting circuit makes a decision as to whether a detected input voltage signal is that of a 100 Vac system or that of a 200 Vac system to change the gain of the error amplifier according to the result of the decision. When the voltage signal Vis is lower than the threshold voltage established beforehand, for making the transient response speed of the phase compensating circuit faster, the AC detecting circuit increases the gain of the error amplifier. When the voltage signal is higher than the threshold voltage established beforehand, for making a power factor higher, the AC detecting circuit decreases the gain of the error amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jian Chen
  • Patent number: 9154040
    Abstract: A down converter for converting an input DC voltage (Vin) into a lower output DC voltage (Vout). The down converter has on the primary side (2) an LC series resonance circuit (4) that can be connected via a first switch (S1) to the input voltage (Vin) and via a second switch (S2) to ground. On the secondary side (3), an output switch (S3) and an output capacitor (C) are each connected in parallel to the DC voltage output (Vout) and connected to each other through an inductor (L). The output switch (S3) is connected via a diode (Dr) to the input voltage (Vin) so as to divert voltage overshoots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Weger, Mykhaylo Raykhman
  • Patent number: 9154039
    Abstract: A power converter includes a transformer with a primary and a secondary winding. Feedback and control is maintained on the primary-side while a separate load detection circuit detects dynamic load conditions on the secondary-side. The load detection circuit detects dynamic load conditions at the time when a load is connected to the output of the switching power converter and, in turn, generates an alert signal. A coupling circuit coupled to the load detection circuit at the secondary winding side of the transformer and to the controller at the primary winding side of the transformer transmits the alert signal to the controller. The controller regulates the output voltage based on the feedback signal generated at the primary side of the transformer while detecting and responding to the dynamic load condition based on the alert signal generated at the secondary side of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Li, Jiang Chen, Junjie Zheng, Jianming Yao, Xiaolin Gao