Bridge Type Patents (Class 363/17)
  • Patent number: 10637298
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system with a class DE inverter for power transfer to a load. The wireless power transfer system includes a half-bridge circuit, a zero voltage switching (ZVS) tank, a shunt capacitor array, an evaluation circuit, and a controller. The half-bridge circuit has two transistors connected in series with each of the two transistors driven by a gate driving signal with a duty cycle. The ZVS tank and the shunt capacitor array are electrically connected with the half-bridge circuit. The ZVS tank includes two capacitors and an inductor. The shunt capacitor array has a capacitance that is tunable. The evaluation circuit calculates a power conversion efficiency of the system. The controller receives the power conversion efficiency from the evaluation circuit and generates control signals to adjust the duty cycle of the gate driving signal and to adjust the capacitance of the shunt capacitor array in order to maximize the power conversion efficiency of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: HONG KONG APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ziang Chen, Jun Chen, Hang Sang Lee
  • Patent number: 10630161
    Abstract: The power supply apparatus includes a current detection unit configured to detect a current that flows through a first switching element of a transformer, and a control unit controls a turn-on time of the first switching element based on a feedback voltage from a secondary side of the transformer, controls a turn-on time of a second switching element based on a detection result of the current detection unit, and performs switching between a continuous control and an intermittent control based on the feedback voltage, the continuous control being a control to perform an operation of continuing a first period, the intermittent control being a control to perform an operation of alternately repeating the first period and a second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Hiroki Asano
  • Patent number: 10630205
    Abstract: A resonant inverter includes: an input capacitor; an inverter; a snubber circuit; a transformer having a primary winding connected to an AC end of the inverter; a resonant coil, a resonant capacitor, and a current sensor on the secondary winding side of the transformer; and a control unit, wherein, on the basis of current detected by the current sensor, the control unit controls switching elements so as to perform zero voltage switching at the time of turning-on, at a frequency at which a load including the resonant coil and the resonant capacitor becomes capacitive, and performs power regeneration of energy stored in a snubber capacitor to a DC voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Murakami, Ryosuke Kobayashi, Akira Nakagawa, Kimihiko Tanaya, Yusuke Naruse, Yuichi Muramoto
  • Patent number: 10630113
    Abstract: A power supply device used in an induction type power supply system is provided that includes a power supply coil, an auxiliary coil, a power supply driving module, a auxiliary driving module, a harmonic frequency measuring module, a voltage measuring module and a processing module. The power supply driving module drives the power supply coil. The auxiliary driving module drives the auxiliary coil. The harmonic frequency measuring module measures a resonance frequency of the power-supply coil according to a capacitive and inductive parameter related to the power-supply coil. The voltage measuring module tracks and locks a maximum of an oscillation voltage of the auxiliary coil. When the processing module determines that the resonance frequency is stable and the oscillation voltage decreases more than a predetermined ratio of the oscillation voltage, the processing module keeps the power supply driving module under a non-working status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Fu Da Tong Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ming-Chiu Tsai, Chi-Che Chan
  • Patent number: 10615698
    Abstract: A power converter includes a primary-side switching circuit, a resonant circuit, a transformer, a secondary-side rectifying circuit, and a processing circuit. The primary-side switching circuit includes switches and configured to switch the switches to be on or off based on a switching frequency to convert a dc input voltage to an AC signal. The resonant circuit is coupled to the primary-side switching circuit and configured to receive the AC signal to provide a resonant current. The primary winding of the transformer is coupled to the resonant circuit. The secondary-side rectifying circuit is coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer and configured to rectify the secondary ac signal output by the secondary winding and output an output voltage. The processing circuit receives a cut-off current detecting signal via a current detecting circuit if the corresponding switch is turned off, and adjusts the switching frequency accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Yu-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 10615645
    Abstract: A power supply device used in an induction type power supply system is provided that includes a power supply coil, a auxiliary coil, a power supply driving module, a detection driving module, a signal detection module and a processing module. The power supply driving module drives the power supply coil to transmit a power signal. When the power supply driving module is under a non-working status, the detection driving module drives the auxiliary coil to transmit a detection signal and drives the auxiliary coil to transmit a data request signal. After transmitting the data request signal, the signal detection module detects a reflection signal corresponding to the data request signal on the auxiliary coil. The processing module keeps the power supply driving module under the non-working status when the reflection signal having a data characteristic is determined to be detected by the signal detection module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Fu Da Tong Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ming-Chiu Tsai, Chi-Che Chan
  • Patent number: 10608542
    Abstract: A full-bridge inverter is configured with a parallel connection of a first leg and a second leg, and controlled in a dual-leg resonant mode in which a positive-side switching element of the first leg and a negative-side switching element of the second leg are turned on/off at the same time and a negative-side switching element of the first leg and a positive-side switching element of the second leg are turned on/off at the same time, and controlled in a single-leg resonant mode in which the positive-side switching element of the first leg and the negative-side switching element of the second leg, and the negative-side switching element of the first leg and the positive-side switching element of the second leg are turned on/off shiftedly in time by a phase shift amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Takahara, Hiroto Mizutani, Hajime Toyoda, Hiroyasu Iwabuki
  • Patent number: 10608521
    Abstract: A passive circuit includes a first inductance unit, a second inductance unit, a third inductance unit, and a fourth inductance unit which are coupled to each other, and a capacitance unit. A first end of the first inductance unit is coupled to a first end of the second inductance unit, and a second end of the first inductance unit is coupled to a first end of the third inductance unit. A second end of the second inductance unit is coupled to a first end of the fourth inductance unit. A second end of the third inductance unit and a second end of the fourth inductance unit are respectively coupled to the capacitance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Yang-Lin Chen
  • Patent number: 10601324
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter circuit includes a switched tank converter configured to output a switching waveform. The DC-DC converter circuit further includes a transformer coupled to the switched tank converter to receive the switching waveform output by the switched tank converter across a primary winding of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corp.
    Inventors: Sudhir Shrikantha Kudva, Ahmed Abou-Alfotouh, Nikola Nedovic, John Poulton
  • Patent number: 10601328
    Abstract: A first DC-DC conversion circuit and a second DC-DC conversion circuit, which are connected in parallel to one casing, are caused to operate independently of each other, whereby even in the event that a semiconductor switching element which configures either the first or second DC-DC conversion circuit fails, only a DC-DC conversion circuit which carries out a normal operation is caused to operate, thereby carrying out the continuation of power supply of a power conversion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Yamano
  • Patent number: 10594225
    Abstract: An interleaved LLC half-bridge series resonant converter having an integrated transformer includes a power supply, a magnetic core, a first converter, a second converter and an output load circuit. The magnetic core has first and second outer columns and a center column. The first converter includes a first switch circuit, a first resonant tank, a first transformer, and a first rectifier circuit. The first transformer is coupled to the first resonant tank and includes a first primary winding wound on the first outer column and a first secondary winding wound on the second outer column. The second converter includes a second switch circuit, a second resonant tank, a second transformer and a second rectifier circuit. The second transformer is coupled to the second resonant tank and includes a second primary winding wound on the first outer column and a second secondary winding wound on the second outer column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventor: Jing-Yuan Lin
  • Patent number: 10587201
    Abstract: Provided is a method for controlling smooth switching of an operation direction of a bidirectional resonant CLLC circuit, which applies to the bidirectional resonant CLLC circuit. The method includes the following steps: Step 1: detecting a current circuit state and controlling the bidirectional resonant CLLC circuit to operate in a forward operation state by means of a primary bridge and a secondary bridge, by a controller; Step 2: performing Step 3 when an externally transmitted reference signal received by the controller or an internal preset reference signal in the controller is an operation direction switching signal; Step 3: performing frequency conversion control, by the controller; Step 4: performing preparation of phase shift control and generating a driving signal of the secondary bridge, by the controller; Step 5: performing the phase shift control, by the controller; and Step 6: switching a circuit operation state to an inverse operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Zhejiang University
    Inventors: Min Chen, Bodong Li, Ning Chen, Xiaoqing Wang, Lei Jing, Xinnan Sun, Dongbo Zhang
  • Patent number: 10581334
    Abstract: The application relates to a DC to DC converter and control method thereof. The DC to DC converter includes a first converter circuit, a second converter circuit, a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a first resonant tank having a first capacitive element and a first inductive element, and a second resonant tank having a second capacitive element and a second inductive element. The first capacitive element and the first inductive element are coupled between the first converter circuit and the primary winding of the transformer; the second capacitive element and the second inductive element are coupled between the second converter circuit and the secondary winding of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Sheng Zong, Xiaobo Yang, Guoxing Fan, Dawei Yao
  • Patent number: 10581341
    Abstract: A current converter circuit in a modular multilevel topology includes an AC voltage terminal with a first phase terminal and a further voltage terminal with a plus and a minus terminal. The current converter circuit includes two arms, wherein the first arm connects the first phase terminal and the first terminal and the second arm the second phase terminal and the minus terminal. Each arm includes at least two submodules connected in series, wherein one of the at least two submodules is implemented as analog cell including a passive device as well as an electric circuit. The passive device is connected in parallel to the electric circuit and connected in series with respect to the other one of the at least two submodules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Malipaard, Benjamin Ruccius, Martin März
  • Patent number: 10574128
    Abstract: A switch control circuit includes a first pin connected to a first voltage, and a second pin connected to another end of a first resistor including an end connected to the first pin and a first capacitor. In the switch control circuit, at least two of first dead time information, second dead time information, and a protection mode are set by using a multi-voltage of the second pin. The first dead time information is information about a dead time of a first switch and a second switch controlling power supply, the second dead time information is information about a dead time for synchronous rectification, and the protection mode includes an auto-restart mode and a latch mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hang-Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 10566809
    Abstract: System and method for discharging a capacitor. An example system includes a signal detector and a discharge control component. The signal detector is configured to receive an input signal and generate a detection signal based on at least information associated with the input signal, the input signal being associated with an alternate current signal received by a capacitor including a first capacitor terminal and a second capacitor terminal. The discharge control component configured to receive at least the detection signal and generate an output signal to discharge the capacitor if the detection signal satisfies one or more conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Miao Li, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 10560024
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a bidirectional DC/DC converter includes a DC/AC inverter having active switches (e.g., MOSFETs), and an AC/DC rectifier having a capacitor that performs DC-bias current blocking and active switches (e.g., MOSFETs) arranged in a bridge configuration. A microcontroller is coupled to the active switches of the DC/AC inverter and AC/DC rectifier and configured to provide control signals thereto according to a control algorithm that, when power is to flow in a forward direction, sends control signals to operate the active switches of the DC/AC inverter at a duty cycle and to disable the active switches of the AC/DC rectifier, and when power is to flow in a reverse direction, sends control signals to operate the active switches of the DC/AC inverter to disable the active switches of the DC/AC inverter and operates the active switches of the AC/DC rectifier at a duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Conductive Holding, LLC
    Inventors: Hua Bai, Alexander Balogh, Xuntuo Wang
  • Patent number: 10560031
    Abstract: In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a bi-directional DC to DC converter includes a DC to DC conversion circuit, and a controller operatively connected to the conversion circuit to control a current output of the conversion circuit, wherein the controller includes an observer based estimated current sensor module which is configured to simulate a physical current sensor and to input an estimated output current feedback inner state signal ??o into a voltage output command feedback loop of the controller. The current sensor module can include an estimated sensor feedback loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: John Duward Sagona
  • Patent number: 10554135
    Abstract: A power converter including: a dual output resonant converter including a first output, a second output, a common mode control input, and a differential mode control input, wherein a voltage/current at the first output and a voltage/current at the second output are controlled in response to a common mode control signal received at the common mode control input and a differential mode control signal received at the differential mode control input; and a dual output controller including a first error signal input, a second error signal input, a common mode control output, and a differential mode control output, wherein the dual output controller is configured to generate the common mode control signal and the differential mode control signal in response to a first error signal received at the first error signal input and a second error signal received at the second error signal input, wherein the first error signal is a function of the voltage/current at the first output and the second error signal is a functio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Hans Halberstadt
  • Patent number: 10544778
    Abstract: A method is provided of protecting a wind turbine with a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) against a sub-synchronous resonance (SSR) event acting on the wind turbine. A plurality of power-output values or current-output values is measured over a given period of time that corresponds to a measurement cycle. It is determined whether power-output values or current-output-values measured in the at-least-one measurement cycle are indicative of an SSR-event critical for further operation of the wind turbine. The wind turbine is shut down if the measured power-output values or current-output values are indeed indicative of an SSR-event critical for operation of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Yi Zhou, Gert Karmisholt Andersen, Manoj Gupta, Vajira Suminda Ganepola, Ciprian Biris, Miguel Angel Cova Acosta
  • Patent number: 10536030
    Abstract: A UPS circuit, comprising a rectification phase leg (PL1) for rectification, which is used for converting a received alternating current into a direct current; inversion phase legs (PL21, PL22, PL23) for inversion, which are used for inverting the direct current output by the rectification phase leg into an alternating current; a failure detection device (D) which is used for detecting whether an inversion phase leg has failed; a redundant inversion phase leg (PL2a), with an input end thereof being connected to an output end of the rectification phase leg; and a control device which is used for receiving a signal sent by the failure detection device and is also used for enabling the redundant inversion phase leg to replace the inversion phase leg which has failed when a failure occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Zhongyong Xu, David Zheng, Xizheng Liao
  • Patent number: 10516339
    Abstract: A power converter including a transformer (Tr) with a primary and a secondary, and a capacitor (Cr) and an inductor (Lr) serially connected with the primary of the transformer. The capacitor, the inductor and a magnetizing inductor (Lm) of the transformer form an LLC resonant circuit. The power converter further including a first current sensor (CT1) and a second current sensor (CT2). The first current sensor including the inductor and is configured to sense, via the inductor, a current passing through the primary of the transformer. The second current sensor including the primary and is configured to sense, via the primary, a current passing through the magnetizing inductor of the transformer. A current passing through the secondary is determined from a difference obtained based on the sensed current passing through the primary of the transformer and the sensed current passing through the magnetizing inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Geng Chen
  • Patent number: 10498252
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric vehicle, a vehicle-mounted charger and a method for controlling the same. The method includes: obtaining a first charging predetermined period Tx for controlling the H bridge in a first manner and a second charging predetermined period Ty for controlling the H bridge in a second manner when the vehicle-mounted charger starts to charge a power battery of the electric vehicle; and performing an alternate control on the H bridge in the first manner or the second manner according to the first charging predetermined period Tx and the second charging predetermined period Ty, so as to perform a temperature balanced control over the first switch tube, the second switch tube, the third switch tube and the fourth switch tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Xinghui Wang
  • Patent number: 10498249
    Abstract: A smart sine wave step-down converter is provided including: an input and rectifying unit; a high-frequency modulation unit including a first and a second switching tubes, the drain of the first switching tube being connected to an output terminal of the input and rectifying unit, the source of the first switching tube being connected to the drain of the second switching tube, the grids of the first and the second switching tubes being connected with two-path anti-phased PWM pulse signals; an inductance filtering unit including a inductor and a first capacitor, the front end of the inductor being connected to the source of the first switching tube; an inverting paraphase unit; a filter controlling unit including a third switching tube and an electrolytic capacitor having an anode connected to the output terminal of the input and rectifying unit and a cathode connected to the drain of the third switching tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: GUANGDONG BESTEK E-COMMERCE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tao Hou
  • Patent number: 10491138
    Abstract: A method of controlling an inverter includes generating a neutral-phase reference waveform, generating a neutral-phase midpoint compensation waveform using the neutral-phase reference waveform, and generating a neutral-phase compensated duty cycle waveform using the neutral-phase midpoint compensation waveform. Neutral-phase switch command signals are generated for switches of a neutral-phase of the inverter using the neutral-phase compensated duty cycle waveform. Inverters and computer program products are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ernest Thompson, Adam Michael White
  • Patent number: 10483872
    Abstract: A power supply system to provide auxiliary power output comprising a first energy storage device, a first inverter coupled to the first energy storage device, a first transformer, a first diode and a capacitor. The first inverter includes a first switch and second switch in series. The first transformer transforms high voltage from the first energy storage device to the low voltage output from auxiliary power output terminal, and includes the primary winding and auxiliary winding. The primary winding is connected to the first energy storage device and the junction of the first and second switch, and the homonymous terminal of the secondary winding is connected to the auxiliary power output through the first diode, with the synonymous terminal connected to the earth. One end of the first capacitor is connected to the first diode cathode and the other end is connected to the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Fei Li
  • Patent number: 10483858
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC power converter includes a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, and a primary circuit electrically coupled to the primary side of the transformer. The primary circuit includes a primary microcontroller configured to generate a first energizing signal that energizes a portion of the primary circuit. The DC-to-DC power converter also includes a secondary circuit electrically coupled to the secondary side of the transformer. The secondary circuit includes a secondary microcontroller communicatively coupled to the primary microcontroller, wherein the secondary microcontroller is configured to provide an instruction to the primary microcontroller that causes the primary microcontroller to relinquish control of the primary circuit to the secondary microcontroller, and wherein the secondary microcontroller is further configured to provide a second energizing signal to the portion of the primary circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Abhiman Ananthakrishna Hande, Jouni Timo Uusitalo
  • Patent number: 10479218
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for an electric vehicle. The system includes a battery control unit configured to be in a grid-connected mode or a stand-alone mode. The system includes a shared boost converter connected to a battery. The shared boost converter receives alternating current (AC) power, steps up voltage and converts the AC power to direct current (DC) power when the battery control unit is in the grid-connected mode. The shared boost converter receives DC power from the battery and steps up voltage when the battery control unit is in the stand-alone mode. The system also includes an inverter configured to receive the stepped up DC power when the battery control unit is in the stand-alone mode and convert the DC power to AC power. The system also includes a motor/generator connected to the inverter and configured to receive AC power for powering a drivetrain of the electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jae Seung Lee, Jongwon Shin, Ercan M. Dede
  • Patent number: 10483862
    Abstract: A topology for an isolated, bi-directional, DC-DC converter, that provides step-up and step-down functionality, with a reduced transformer turns ratio, allows a simplified transformer design with reduced cost and increased efficiency. This topology also has a very small level of re-circulating current, relative to other topologies regarding cost and performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: VANNER, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Cook, Alexander Isurin
  • Patent number: 10483864
    Abstract: A DC-to-AC inverter provides an AC voltage to the primary winding of an output isolation transformer having at least one secondary winding. An AC output voltage from the secondary winding is rectified to generate a DC voltage, which is applied to a load. The current flowing through the load is sensed and compared to a reference magnitude to produce a feedback signal. The feedback signal controls a voltage superposition circuit via an output stage of an optocoupler. The superposition circuit generates a superposition voltage that is applied to a current control circuit, which responds to the superposition voltage to vary a control current to a switching controller, which varies the frequency of the AC voltage to thereby vary the load current. A fault detection circuit senses a short in the output stage of the optocoupler to disable the operation of switching controller to prevent an overvoltage and an overcurrent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei Xiong
  • Patent number: 10468878
    Abstract: A circuit for combining direct current (DC) power including multiple direct current (DC) voltage inputs; multiple inductive elements. The inductive elements are adapted for operatively connecting respectively to the DC voltage inputs. Multiple switches connect respectively with the inductive elements. A controller is configured to switch the switches periodically at a frequency sufficiently high so that direct currents flowing through the inductive elements are substantially zero. A direct current voltage output is connected across one of the DC voltage inputs and a common reference to both the inputs and the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Gazit, Tzachi Glovinsky
  • Patent number: 10468992
    Abstract: An auxiliary power supply device includes: a resonance-type inverter circuit to convert DC power input from a DC power supply to AC power, a primary coil for input of AC power from the inverter circuit, a transformer for output of AC power from a secondary coil insulated from the primary coil, a converter circuit for conversion of AC power from the transformer to DC power, a filter condenser for smoothing of DC voltage from the converter circuit, and an inverter controller for output of a gate signal for causing operation of switching elements of the inverter circuit. The inverter controller, in a charging mode for charging the filter condenser, makes pulse width of the gate signal smaller than when in a running mode for running of electric rolling stock, and gradually increases the pulse width in accordance with an elapsed time under control in the charging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Tanaka, Takeshi Yamamoto, Naoki Kuraba
  • Patent number: 10468976
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing a fault in the control of a three-phase electric motor current-mode controlled by a control signal. The method makes it possible to calculate the actual dead time present in each of the three control signals at a given time on the basis of compensated temporal offsets for each phase of the motor, of a predetermined measurement error common to the three phases of the motor and of a value of a amplitude of the current flowing through the transistors of the three pairs of transistors at the given time so as to detect a fault in the control of the motor when the absolute value of the calculated difference is higher than a predetermined detection threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Michel Parette
  • Patent number: 10461650
    Abstract: In a control device applied to an insulated DC-DC converter including a transformer and drive switches connected to a input winding of the transformer, the control device operates the drive switches to control an output voltage output via the output winding to a target voltage. Furthermore, the control device includes a voltage acquiring unit acquiring the output voltage and a frequency setting unit setting a switching frequency for the drive switches based on the output voltage acquired by the voltage acquiring unit. The frequency setting unit sets, for the switching frequency, a value increasing with a value of the acquired output voltage, and sets the switching frequency such that an increase in the value of the output voltage increases a frequency increase rate corresponding to an amount of increase in the switching frequency per unit amount of increase in the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Tomita, Seiji Iyasu, Yuichi Handa
  • Patent number: 10454472
    Abstract: A drive circuit for a half bridge transistor circuit formed of enhancement mode GaN transistors. A shunt diode is connected to the bootstrap capacitor at a node between the bootstrap capacitor and ground, the shunt diode being decoupled from the midpoint node of the half bridge by a shunt resistor. The shunt diode advantageously provides a low voltage drop path to charge the bootstrap capacitor during the dead-time charging period when both the high side and low side transistors of the half bridge are off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Efficient Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Reusch, John Glaser, Michael A. de Rooij
  • Patent number: 10454388
    Abstract: A power inverter comprises a plurality of high power switching modules that form an alternating current (AC) output; a plurality of terminals in communication with the high power switching modules for outputting the AC output; a capacitor bank that provides a conditioned voltage to the high power switching modules for producing the AC output in response to receiving and storing electrical energy related to a direct current (DC) supply; and a case positioned over the high power switching modules. The capacitor bank is mounted to the case, and the capacitor bank is positioned over the high power switching modules so that the high power switching terminals are proximal the capacitor bank for reducing inductance. A gate driver module at a top region of the high power switching modules includes a plurality of planar transformers for reducing a distance between the capacitor bank and the gate driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ATSE, LLC
    Inventors: Franklin B. Jones, Andrew I. Nehring, Daniel T. Jones, Robert A. Hummel, Eric D. Donahue
  • Patent number: 10447175
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an inverter for supplying a power provided as a DC voltage at a DC input to an AC mains connectable to an AC output. In this case, the inverter includes a switching network with a plurality of semiconductor switches and a digital control unit for producing a digital switching pattern for digitally operated semiconductor switches of the switching network that are able to be used to produce a first output voltage (Uout,dig). The inverter additionally includes a linear control unit for producing signals for actuating at least one semiconductor switch of the switching network in a linear mode, wherein the linear control unit is set up to produce a voltage drop (Uout,lin) across and/or a current (Iout,lin) through the at least one linearly operated semiconductor switch to a target value that is dependent on an instantaneous difference between the first output voltage (Uout,dig) and a voltage (UAC) of the AC mains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Jens Friebe, Oliver Prior, Thomas Wappler
  • Patent number: 10439502
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system using a resonant rectifier circuit with capacitor sensing. A wireless power transfer system includes a power receiver resonant circuit and a synchronous rectifier. The power receiver resonant circuit includes an inductor and a capacitor connected in series with the inductor. The synchronous rectifier is configured to identify zero crossings of alternating current flowing through the inductor based on voltage across the capacitor, and control synchronous rectification of the alternating current based on timing of the zero crossings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mustapha El Markhi, Erhan Ozalevli, Tuli Dake, Dingkun Du, Gianpaolo Lisi, Jingwei Xu
  • Patent number: 10439414
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a string of serially-connected energy storage devices, a string of serially-connected windings on at least one core and having a first medial node coupled to a first medial node of the string of serially-connected energy storage devices, and first and second switches configured to connect first and second end nodes of the string of serially-connected storage devices to respective first and second end nodes of the string of serially-connected energy storage devices. A control circuit is configured to operate the first and second switches at the same duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventor: George William Oughton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10425013
    Abstract: A resonant converter highly improves light load efficiency. The resonant converter blocks control signals which are used to control power switches in an input power stage and an output stage in light load condition until an output voltage drops to a preset value. The input power stage and the output stage are coupled by way of a resonant net and a transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Qian Ouyang
  • Patent number: 10418801
    Abstract: In a three-level chopper apparatus, a protection switch circuit is controllable to change a current pathway through which an overvoltage is applied to a second capacitor or a first capacitor to a current pathway through which no overvoltage is applied to the second capacitor or the first capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoyoshi Kubouchi, Yasushi Abe
  • Patent number: 10411500
    Abstract: A high power EV fast charging station with solar energy system (EVFCS-SES) having a HV DC bus, several EVFCS-SES cells connecting in parallel, and a storage battery is operated as either a solar energy generation system, or a solar energy generation plus a direct storage battery charger, or as a high power EV fast charger with solar energy/storage battery/AC grid power, or a PWM rectifier battery charger to perform EV battery charging and solar energy generation for AC grid power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Inventors: Yu Qin, Shanshan Du
  • Patent number: 10411610
    Abstract: A resonant converter includes a resonant current truncating unit, a resonant current processing unit and a driving control unit. The resonant current truncating unit is connected in series in a current loop of a resonance circuit and is configured to periodically truncate to acquire a sampling interval and acquire a sampling signal characterizing a resonant current in the sampling interval. The resonant current processing unit is configured to perform an averaging process on the sampling signal to acquire a feedback signal. The driving control unit is configured to control a switching state of the main switch of the primary circuit based on the feedback signal, to make the resonant converter output a stable current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: INVENTRONICS (HANGZHOU), INC.
    Inventors: Shiwei Luo, Delai Jiang
  • Patent number: 10411608
    Abstract: A converter circuit includes an inverter and a controller. The inverter is configured to receive an input voltage and to convert the input voltage into a primary-side alternating-current (AC) voltage in a first inversion mode or a second inversion mode. Each of a first switch unit and a second switch unit in the inverter includes switches. When the converter circuit works in the first inversion mode, the controller controls switches of the first switch unit and the second switch unit to cooperatively switch on and switch off periodically according to an output voltage corresponding to the primary-side AC voltage. When the converter circuit works in the second inversion mode, the controller controls the first switch unit to operate independently, in which the switches of the first switch unit switch on and switch off periodically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-Qing Ye, Chao Yan, Li-Ping Sun
  • Patent number: 10401415
    Abstract: A motor drive apparatus includes a converter, a DC link capacitor, a plurality of inverters, a diagnosis command unit configured to give a command to one of the plurality of inverters to perform power conversion, an AC voltage detection unit configured to detect a peak value of AC voltage on an AC input side of the converter, a DC voltage detection unit configured to detect a value of DC voltage across the DC link capacitor, a calculation unit to calculate a difference between the value of DC voltage and the peak value of AC voltage, a storage unit configured to store the difference in association with the inverters, and a leakage current determination unit configured to determine that the inverter associated with the largest of the differences stored in the storage unit is the inverter that has caused the largest leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Tateda, Yasuyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10404235
    Abstract: Power transfer systems including a direct current source and a plurality of outputs operable in several modes. A ground mode may couple an output to circuit ground and a current mode may couple the output to the direct current source. The power transfer system may also include a controller configured to iteratively select a pair of outputs from the plurality of outputs. Once a pair is selected, the controller may set a first output of the pair of outputs to the current mode and the second to ground mode for a determined duration. After the duration has passed, the controller may set the first output to the ground mode and the second output to the current mode for the same duration. Thereafter the controller may select another pair of outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brian C. Menzel, Jeffrey M. Alves, Kevin M. Keeler, Zachary C. Rich
  • Patent number: 10381937
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a power converter, which includes a plurality of switching power supply devices connected in parallel, with a circuit configuration that enables reduction of cost and a size of the power converter. The present invention relates to a power converter including at least a first switching power supply device and a second switching power supply device connected in parallel. A part of high-voltage-compatible switching elements is commonly used between the first switching power supply device and the second switching power supply device, and a drive gate signal of one of the high-voltage-compatible switching elements of the first switching power supply device and the second switching power supply device and a phase difference of a drive gate signal of the commonly used switching power supply device are set to be equal when a load current is a first current value or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shintaro Tanaka, Tadahiko Chida, Takae Shimada
  • Patent number: 10367413
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques achieve soft-switching conditions by determining relative timing of switch states and events, and making recurring timing adjustments in successive cycles (i.e., cycle-by-cycle) to reduce timing errors that introduce switching losses. Timing adjustments provide a prediction of when an optimal soft-switching condition will exist during a subsequent cycle so that switch-actuation signals are provided, irrespective of inherent signaling and feedback delays, in advance of actually observing the condition, thereby subsequently changing a switching state within a desired threshold of the targeted soft-switching condition. Error in the prediction is observed and compensating corrections applied during the next cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Pre-Switch, Inc.
    Inventors: James Hamond, Jarrod Tuma
  • Patent number: 10361631
    Abstract: A circuit assembly for a power converter includes power stage blocks. A power stage block includes a power stage IC die, an output inductor that is connected to a switch node of the power stage IC die, and capacitors that form an output capacitor of the power stage block. The output capacitors of the power stage blocks are symmetrically arranged. The output inductors can be placed on the same side of the substrate as the power stage IC dies, or on a side of the substrate that is opposite to the side where the power stage IC dies are disposed. A power stage block may generate two output phases of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Jinghai Zhou, Chia-Hsin Chang
  • Patent number: 10361637
    Abstract: An electronic transformer including an input receiving an input voltage. The input voltage being at least one selected from the group consisting of a first input voltage and a second input voltage. The electronic transformer further including a rectifier receiving the input voltage and outputting a rectified voltage; an inverter receiving the rectified voltage and selectively outputting an inverted voltage; a controller receiving the rectified voltage and controlling the inverter to output the inverted voltage; and an output transformer receiving the inverted voltage and outputting an output voltage. Wherein the output voltage is substantially the same regardless of the input voltage being the first input voltage or the second input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael William Bandel, Alok Vishambhar Dayal Pandey, Glenn Donald Garbowicz