With Automatic Control Of The Magnitude Of Output Voltage Or Current Patents (Class 363/19)
  • Patent number: 9705412
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a switching power converter having a regulated output voltage or output current. The power converter uses a control unit having a signal conditioning circuit to produce a control voltage signal, which is used to drive a power stage of the converter. The signal conditioning circuit includes a comparator that compares a measured electrical quantity to a reference value representative of a desired regulated output quantity, and produces a digital detection signal based on the comparison. A control actuator uses the digital detection signal to produce a correction signal, which is received by an averaging circuit. The averaging circuit then produces the control voltage signal based on an average of the correction signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Claudio Adragna
  • Patent number: 9667155
    Abstract: A switching power supply includes: a transformer having a primary coil and a secondary coil; a switching element that is connected in series to the primary coil of the transformer so as to turn a direct-current input voltage applied to the primary coil of the transformer ON and OFF; a rectifying and smoothing circuit that rectifies a voltage induced in the secondary coil of the transformer to generate a direct-current output voltage; and a control circuit that turns the switching element ON and OFF in accordance with the direct-current output voltage, wherein the control circuit includes an input correction circuit that detects a switching period of the switching element and limits a peak value of a current flowing through the switching element in accordance with the detected switching period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naotaka Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9651927
    Abstract: A power supply control system includes a remaining level detector 22 of a power-storing device 20; and an estimate computing unit 42 which estimates a prospective power generation of power-generating equipment 10 and a prospective load power consumption of connected loads, and thus, based thereupon and remaining level, a dischargeable time until remaining level reaches the minimum level, and computes an average power generation output of a power-generating equipment 10 and an average load power consumption connected loads 101-105, and thus power generation reaching time until the average power generation output reaches the average load power consumption; and a controller 43 which controls, if the dischargeable time is shorter than the power generation reaching time, to reduce power consumption of the connected loads 101-105.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryo Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9627985
    Abstract: A secondary control circuit includes a voltage regulator circuit coupled to an output of the power converter to provide a regulated power supply. One or more switched loads are coupled between a first terminal and an output ground terminal. The first terminal is coupled to the output of the power converter. Each switched load is coupled to draw a respective current from a load current to clamp the output of a power converter. One or more comparator circuits are coupled to a second terminal. The second terminal is coupled to receive an output sense signal. Each comparator circuit is coupled to receive a reference signal that is a scaled representation of a first reference signal. Each switched load is switched in response to a respective comparator circuit to draw a respective current from the load current of the power converter to clamp the output of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: David Michael Hugh Matthews, Balu Balakrishnan, Alex B. Djenguerian
  • Patent number: 9621061
    Abstract: The power supply apparatus for obtaining a direct current from an alternating voltage source includes a first DC/DC converter for outputting a first direct current and a second DC/DC converter for a second direct current lower than the first direct current from the first DC/DC converter, and the output voltage of the first DC/DC converter is changed to a lower direct current and the second DC/DC converter is driven in a continuously-conducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Hayasaki, Keisuke Samejima
  • Patent number: 9601982
    Abstract: A method of and device for reducing power loss in a voltage conversion circuit. The voltage conversion circuit comprises a main power circuit and a switchable auxiliary circuit, which comprises a first and a second winding circuits. A switch controls the use of the first winding circuit, the second winding circuit, or both to reduce power lose during the voltage conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Zhang, Wei Li, Anthony Brinlee
  • Patent number: 9599640
    Abstract: Various arrangements for determining a voltage of a voltage source using pre-charging are presented. Such arrangements may include a measurement module which includes an analog to digital converter, a driver, and an interface. The interface may be electrically coupled with the analog to digital converter and the driver. The driver may be configured to output current to charge a capacitor. After a first predefined period of time, the driver may stop outputting current to pre-charge the capacitor. After the driver has stopped pre-charging the capacitor and a second predefined period of time has elapsed, the analog to digital converter may be configured to measure a voltage of the capacitor. Such arrangements may include a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is electrically coupled with the interface of the measurement module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jeremy Mickelsen
  • Patent number: 9590511
    Abstract: A power source apparatus comprises: a transformer that insulates a primary system and a secondary system and uses primary/secondary windings to transform an input voltage into an output voltage; a switching control device that is disposed in the primary system to drive the primary winding, and an output monitor device that is disposed in the secondary system to monitor the output voltage. The transformer includes a first auxiliary winding disposed in the primary system and a second auxiliary winding disposed in the secondary system. The output monitor device drives the second auxiliary winding to generate an induced voltage in the first auxiliary winding when the output voltage becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold voltage. The switching control device temporarily stops driving of the first winding upon detecting a light load state and resumes the driving of the first winding upon detecting the induced voltage in the first auxiliary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Nate
  • Patent number: 9564824
    Abstract: Converters (1) for supplying pulsed power to light sources (8) comprise switching parts (2) and controlling parts (3) for adapting switching parameters of the switching parts (2) for improving a performance. The switching part (2) may comprise first/second switches (41, 42) that are in first/second modes during a first time interval of a cycle and vice versa during a second time intervals of a cycle. A group of cycles results in a pulse of the pulsed power. A switching parameter such as the first time interval of a first cycle may be shortened to reduce overshoot. A switching parameter such as the second time interval of the first cycle may be shortened or lengthened. A switching parameter such as the second time interval of a last cycle may be lengthened or shortened to reduce overshoot. A third switch (93) for switching the light source (8) is activated and de-activated delayedly to improve transient behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Carsten Deppe, Reinhold Elferich
  • Patent number: 9525359
    Abstract: A switching power supply apparatus includes a voltage holding unit which holds voltage generated in an auxiliary winding of a transformer, and a voltage detecting unit which detects voltage applied to the first switching unit. When the first switching unit operates such that voltage generated in a secondary winding of the transformer may be low, voltage is supplied from the voltage holding unit to the first switching unit in accordance with the voltage detected by the voltage detecting unit to thus turn on the first switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Nemoto
  • Patent number: 9501077
    Abstract: A main rectifying/smoothing circuit is connected to one end of a secondary winding of a transformer and a plurality of rectifying/smoothing circuits are connected to a plurality of central taps of the secondary winding. The rectifying/smoothing circuits are each equipped with a switch. In a preliminary driving period, a DSP, which controls the switches, reads forward drop voltages of first to third diode loads and sets feedback gains corresponding to the forward drop voltages. The DSP controls the switches based on the set feedback gains and begins rated driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Asai, Hironori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9496241
    Abstract: A hybrid integrated circuit in a wafer level package for an implantable medical device includes one or more passive component windings formed, at least in part, along one or more routing layers of the package. The windings may be primary and secondary windings of a transformer, wherein all or part of a magnetic core thereof is embedded in a component layer of the wafer level package. If the core includes a part bonded to a surface of the package, that part of the core may be E-shaped with legs extending into the routing layers, and, in some cases, through the routing layers. Routing layers may be formed on both sides of the component layer to accommodate the transformer windings, in some instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohsen Askarinya, Mark R Boone, Andreas A Fenner, Lejun Wang, Kenneth Heames
  • Patent number: 9484822
    Abstract: A control circuit for use in a power converter includes a drive signal generator coupled to generate a drive signal to control switching of a switch to regulate an output of the power converter. An event detection circuit is coupled to the drive signal generator to indicate if a switching period of one switching cycle of the drive signal exceeds a threshold switching period. An event counter circuit is coupled to the event detection circuit to render dormant the drive signal generator if the event detection circuit indicates a period of a switching cycle of the drive signal exceeds the threshold switching period for a threshold consecutive number of switching cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex B. Djenguerian, Leif Lund
  • Patent number: 9444345
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method and device for controlling the switching operation in a switch mode power supply module. The switch mode power supply module is intended to supply power to an item of equipment. The method comprises the steps of measuring, in the switch mode power supply module, the load current and comparing the measured load current with a predefined load current threshold value, and, cyclically interrupting the switching operation if the measured load current inside the device is less than the predefined load current threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Philippe Marchand, Gerard Morizot, Philippe Guillot
  • Patent number: 9442503
    Abstract: Techniques for providing negative current information to a control loop for a buck converter in reverse boost mode. In an aspect, negative as well as positive current through an inductor is sensed and provided to adjust a ramp voltage in the control loop for the buck converter. The techniques may prevent current through the inductor during reverse boost mode from becoming increasingly negative without bound; the techniques thereby reduce settling times when the target output voltage is reduced from a first level to a second level. In an aspect, the negative current sensing may be provided by sensing negative current through a charging, or PMOS, switch of the buck converter. The sensed negative current may be subtracted from a current used to generate the ramp voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph D Rutkowski, Lennart Karl-Axel Mathe
  • Patent number: 9413249
    Abstract: A switching power converter provides regulated voltage to a load. The switching power converter comprises a transformer including a primary winding coupled to an input voltage and a secondary winding coupled to an output of the switching power converter. The switching power converter further comprises a power switch coupled to the primary winding and a rectifier coupled to the secondary winding. Current is generated in the primary winding responsive to the power switch being turned on and not generated responsive to the power switch being turned off. A detection circuit measures a voltage across the rectifier. If the detection circuit detects a decrease in the voltage across the rectifier outside of a blanking period, the detection circuit generates a current pulse in the secondary winding of the transformer. A fast power-on-reset device generates a startup signal to activate the detection circuit at an end of the blanking period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Pengju Kong, Henry Wong, Wesley Ma, Judy Sha
  • Patent number: 9402287
    Abstract: When a detection voltage VCS that corresponds to a voltage drop across a detection resistor RCS exceeds a first threshold value VADIM, a current limit comparator asserts a reset pulse. A zero current detection circuit asserts a set pulse configured as an instruction to turn on a switching transistor. A logic circuit generates a control pulse based on the reset pulse and the set pulse. When a transition occurs in a dimming pulse from an on level to an off level in a period in which the control pulse is set to the on level, the dimming pulse adjusting unit delays this transition to a next off period of the control pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9367109
    Abstract: On embodiment of a device with a noise adaptive power supply includes a noise adaptation unit configured to receive a noise adaptation signal. The noise adaptation unit can provide processing, such as digital filter processing to reduce the effect of power supply noise. In one embodiment, a feedback signal is used to adjust the output voltage of the power supply. The noise adaptation signal can be similar to the feedback signal. The noise adaptation unit can provide the processing in response to the noise adaptation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Linda Stacey Irish, Francesco Carobolante
  • Patent number: 9349533
    Abstract: A PWM module is provided to output a driving pulse to a switching device in synchronization with a synchronizing pulse having a frequency twice the frequency of the high-frequency current of a primary-side induction line. The PWM module performs output voltage feedback control such that the output voltage of an output capacitor is set at a reference voltage. The module outputs, to the switching device, the driving pulse having a half width of the pulse width of a driving pulse that can be outputted, at the start of power supply to the primary-side induction line. Moreover, the module forcibly performs the output voltage feedback control if an output voltage of the output capacitor does not increase to the reference voltage within a reference time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaaki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9331259
    Abstract: An intrinsic piezoelectric transformer circuit a piezoelectric transformer circuit is provided that has a primary side component including first and second electrodes, a secondary side component including first and second electrodes, and at least one tertiary component including first and second electrodes. A power bridge is provided which includes one or more switches, each switch has a gate terminal that is directly connected to the second electrode of the tertiary component of the piezoelectric transformer. The first electrode of the tertiary component of the piezoelectric transformer is connected to a reference for the one or more switches of the power bridge. The first electrode of the primary component of the piezoelectric transformer is electrically connected to a power bridge output and the second electrode of the primary component of the piezoelectric transformer is connected to a ground terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: QorTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gareth J. Knowles, William M. Bradley, John Murray, Ross Bird, Jon Zook
  • Patent number: 9293981
    Abstract: A control circuit for a switch mode power supply (SMPS) includes a power switch for coupling to a primary winding of the power supply and a startup resistor coupled to an external input voltage and to a control terminal of the power switch. The control circuit also includes a controller. During startup, the controller is configured to cause the power switch to amplify a startup current from an external input voltage through the startup resistor and provide a startup power to the controller. During normal operation, the controller is configured to provide a power switch control signal to turn on and off the power switch for controlling a current flow in the primary winding and regulating an output of the power supply. The controller is configured to provide a current signal for driving an NPN power switch and to provide a voltage signal for driving an NMOS power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Shanghai SIM-BCD Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Meiling Zhang, Xiaoru Gao, Chao Chen, Yajiang Zhu
  • Patent number: 9263956
    Abstract: A switch-mode power supply control apparatus includes a PWM controller for outputting a driving signal and a short-circuit protection module coupled to a detection terminal. The detection terminal receives a zero-crossing detection voltage. If the time that the detection voltage input to the detection terminal is lower than a first reference voltage exceeds a predetermined time period, the short-circuit protection module determines that a short-circuit abnormal situation occurs, the short-circuit protection module outputs a short-circuit signal to the PWM controller, and the driving signal output by the PWM controller becomes a turn-off signal. If the short-circuit protection module does not detect the short-circuit abnormal situation, the PWM controller operates normally. A flyback switch-mode power supply includes the switch-mode power supply control apparatus. The flyback switch-mode power supply has a low power consumption when a short-circuit protection is taking place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: HANGZHOU SILAN MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xianming Tang, Yunlong Yao, Jianxing Wu
  • Patent number: 9252743
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a clock generator to generate differential clock signals. The apparatus also includes a distributed polyphase filter to obtain phase-corrected multi-phase clock signals based on the differential clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Hongjiang Song
  • Patent number: 9232625
    Abstract: An inverter device includes a switching device which performs on-off switching of an input voltage, a step-up transformer which applies an excitation current to its winding during a switching-device-on period and outputs an output voltage during a switching-device-off period, an input-voltage detector which detects the input voltage and output an input-voltage detection signal, an output voltage detector which detects the output voltage and output an output-voltage detection signal, an output-produced-period detector which detects a period when the output voltage is produced based on the output-voltage detection signal, a comparator which detects a period when the output-voltage detection signal exceeds the input-voltage detection signal and output information indicating the output-high period, and a shifting unit which shifts the information indicating the output-high period to a next period when absence of the output produced period is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisahiro Kamata
  • Patent number: 9225257
    Abstract: A power supply circuit (1) including: rectifying and smoothing circuit (31); transistor (switching element) (37) connected to an output terminal of the rectifying and smoothing circuit (31); transformer (TF1) including primary coil (L36) connected to the transistor (37) and secondary coil (L47) magnetically coupled with the primary coil (L36); current detector circuit (41) detecting current flowing through the transistor (37), and outputting voltage corresponding to the current; voltage output circuit (44) outputting, while the transistor (37) is in a turned-on state, voltage dependent on voltage induced by the secondary coil (L47); and on-off control circuit (57) turning off the transistor (37) when absolute value (Vbe) of a difference between the voltage from the current detector circuit (41) and the voltage from the voltage output circuit (44) is no smaller than threshold voltage (Von), and turning on the transistor (37) when the absolute value (Vbe) is smaller than the threshold voltage (Von).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Itoh, Masanobu Murakami, Kazushige Sugita
  • Patent number: 9190914
    Abstract: In a switching power supply apparatus, a main switching control circuit performs switching control of a low-side switch device and a high-side switch device based on a feedback signal corresponding to a main output voltage output from a secondary winding of a transformer, and applies and stops applying a voltage to a primary winding of the transformer. A digital signal processor, in accordance with the load status of the main load, changes set target values, performs switching control of switch devices of the sub-rectifying and smoothing circuits, and drives sub-loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Asai, Hironori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9160234
    Abstract: In a switching power supply apparatus, a low-side switching device is connected in series with a primary winding. A high-side switching device and the primary winding define a closed loop. A voltage induced in a high-side drive winding is applied to the high-side switching device to turn on the high-side switching device. A transistor, which is turned on/off in accordance with the voltage across a capacitor charged by the voltage induced in the high-side drive winding, is connected to the gate terminal of the high-side switching device. When the capacitor is charged and the transistor is turned on, the high-side switching device is turned off. The capacitor is discharged by the voltage induced in the high-side drive winding, during the ON period of the low-side switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9130463
    Abstract: A drive circuit for a switching element includes a constant-current control unit and a restriction unit. The constant-current control unit performs a constant-current control for charging an open/close control terminal of a switching element to be driven which is a voltage-controlled switching element with electric charge for turning on the switching element. The restriction unit restricts, to a reference voltage, a voltage between the open/close control terminal and a first end of a pair of ends of a current flow path of the switching element for a predetermined period following a start of the constant-current control within a charging process period during which the open/close control terminal is charged with the electric charge such that the switching element is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeyasu Komatsu, Yoshiyuki Hamanaka, Tsuneo Maebara, Ryotaro Miura
  • Patent number: 9083246
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply (SMPS) includes a transformer with a primary winding, a secondary winding, an auxiliary winding, and a power switch coupled to the primary winding. During one switching cycle, the auxiliary winding provides a feedback signal which includes a first voltage pulse that is induced after the power switch is turned on and a second voltage pulse that is induced after the power switch is turned off. A control circuit includes a circuit for generating a sampling signal for sampling the second voltage pulse in a switching cycle at a time that is determined based on the first voltage pulse in the same switching cycle. A sample-and-hold circuit is configured for sampling and storing the second voltage pulse in response to the sampling signal. A switching signal generating circuit is configured to generate a switching signal for controlling the power switch based on an output of the sample-and-hold circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: BCD Semiconductor Manufacturing CO., LTd.
    Inventors: Qiang Zong, Huizhen Zhu, Pingan Zhao, Yajiang Zhu
  • Patent number: 9071152
    Abstract: The present invention provides a switched-mode power converter with regulation demand pulses sent across a galvanic isolation barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: CogniPower, LLC
    Inventors: William H. Morong, Thomas E. Lawson
  • Patent number: 9054514
    Abstract: A low let-through voltage surge suppression or protection circuit for protecting hardware or equipment from electrical surges. During operation when no surge condition is present, the circuit allows propagation of signals from a source to a load along a signal path. When a surge is present, the circuit senses and diverts the surge away from the signal path, utilizing common mode and/or differential mode surge protection. An electronic filter is connected in parallel with surge suppression circuit elements for reducing the let through voltage that would otherwise propagate and require a higher power surge suppression circuit element to mitigate. Cascading multiple electronic filters in parallel with surge suppression circuit elements further reduces voltage let through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Transtector Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9030844
    Abstract: A multilevel DC-DC converter includes a voltage source that provides a voltage Vout1 to at least one charge converter circuit and an output filter capacitor having an associated output voltage Vout2. The at least one charge converter circuit includes a transformer having at least one primary winding and at least two secondary windings, a primary and secondary circuit each having at least two switching elements, and a control unit which receives a control signal, such as but not limited to an envelope tracking signal, which represents a desired output voltage. The control unit is arranged to provide output control signals to the respective switching elements of the primary and secondary circuits to activate and deactivate the respective switching elements to obtain a desired output voltage Vout2. The multilevel DC-DC converter can be arranged to operate as a boost converter or as a buck-boost converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Bernhard Strzalkowski
  • Patent number: 8988902
    Abstract: A controller integrated circuit (IC) for controlling a power converter uses one or more IC pins having plurality of functions such as configuration of a parameter supported by the controller IC and shutdown protection. Several different functions may be supported by a single IC pin, thereby reducing the number of pins required in the controller IC and also reducing the cost of manufacturing the controller IC. The controller IC may also share a comparison circuit among different pins and the different functions provided by those pins. Use of a shared comparison circuit further reduces the cost of manufacturing the controller IC without sacrificing the performance of the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaolin Gao, Yong Li, Qiu Sha, Fuqiang Shi, John William Kesterson, Jiang Chen
  • Publication number: 20150070941
    Abstract: An electrostatic induction conversion device includes: an input-side electrostatic actuator that includes a first fixed electrode and a first movable electrode facing the first fixed electrode; and an output-side electrostatic actuator that includes a second movable electrode linked to the first movable electrode via a link mechanism member, which increases or decreases a displacement quantity representing an extent of displacement occurring at the first movable electrode, and a second fixed electrode facing the second movable electrode, wherein: a permanently charged layer is deposited on an electrode surface either on a movable electrode side or on a fixed electrode side, at the input-side electrostatic actuator and the output-side electrostatic actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: National University Corporation Shizuoka Universit y
    Inventors: Masato Suzuki, Hiroki Hayashi, Gen Hashiguchi, Tatsuhiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8947018
    Abstract: A dimmable LED driver adapted to be operated with a dimmer that is configured to generate a predetermined conductive angle, wherein the dimmable LED driver comprises: a rectifier configured to convert an alternating current output by the dimmer to a direct current, a buck PFC block configured to adjust an output voltage of the direct current so as to obtain a stable output voltage, a second buck DC/DC block configured to realize output of a constant current after the stable output voltage is realized, a dimming block configured to, after realizing output of the constant current, accomplish a dimming function jointly with the second buck DC/DC block, and an MCU configured to control the buck PFC block, the second buck DC/DC block and the dimming block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: OSRAM GmbH
    Inventors: Luca Bordin, Shaoping Chen, Yuli Chen, Shijun Nie, Wei Tan
  • Patent number: 8907685
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit arrangement for determining a temporal change of an output voltage of a half-bridge circuit during a dead time. In one embodiment, the circuit arrangement includes a first input for applying the output voltage. A capacitive network includes a first and a second circuit node capacitively coupled to the input, and having a terminal for a reference potential. A recharging circuit during the switched-on phase of one of a first and second switching elements, adjusts electrical potentials of the first and second nodes, the electrical potentials each being different from the reference potential. A comparator arrangement, during the dead time, determines a time difference between such times at which the electrical potentials at the first and second node each assume a given potential value, the time difference being a measure for the change with time of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Martin Feldtkeller
  • Patent number: 8874395
    Abstract: Various arrangements for determining a voltage of a voltage source using pre-charging are presented. Such arrangements may include a measurement module which includes an analog to digital converter, a driver, and an interface. The interface may be electrically coupled with the analog to digital converter and the driver. The driver may be configured to output current to charge a capacitor. After a first predefined period of time, the driver may stop outputting current to pre-charge the capacitor. After the driver has stopped pre-charging the capacitor and a second predefined period of time has elapsed, the analog to digital converter may be configured to measure a voltage of the capacitor. Such arrangements may include a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is electrically coupled with the interface of the measurement module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Echostar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jeremy Mickelsen
  • Patent number: 8842447
    Abstract: A DC power supply (1) having a series regulator (2) for generating a fixed output DC voltage (VCC) at a variable input AC voltage (VAC) with low power loss. For this purpose, the DC power supply (1, 101, 201, 301) has a transformer (3, 103) having at least two auxiliary windings (W1, W2) having different numbers of windings that can each be connected via a switching device (4, 104, 204, 304) to the series regulator (2). Switching is effected such that the power loss is kept as low as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Josef Fisch, Mykhaylo Raykhman
  • Patent number: 8836165
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dual-source converter for a hybrid power supply. The converter includes a first power circuit, a second power circuit, an auxiliary circuit, an output circuit and a closed loop circuit. The first power circuit is electrically connected to the second power circuit in series for receiving two varied voltage sources. The auxiliary circuit is configured to achieve soft switching of all switches. The closed loop circuit is configured to control the duty cycles of the first power circuit, the second power circuit and the auxiliary circuit so as to improve the efficiency of the dual-source converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments, Bureau, Ministry of National Defense
    Inventors: Jung-Tzung Wei, Chung-You Lin, Bo-Han Chen, Kuo-Kuang Jen, Yu-Min Liao
  • Patent number: 8830702
    Abstract: Described are improvements in power factor control and systems embodying said improved power factor control. Improvements lie in a method of zero voltage switching in which a capacitor is placed in parallel with a switching device, and the switching device is operated responsive to a change in the polarity of the current through the capacitor. Switching therefore occurs at zero or close to zero voltage across the switching device in both on and off modes resulting in very low switching losses and electromagnetic interference. Systems employing the method include a power factor controller, LED light source, boost converter and a power source comprising one or more photovoltaic cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Inventor: Alistair Allan Macfarlane
  • Patent number: 8791399
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to accurately detect a state of an object to be heated in a cooking vessel and effectively avoid cooking failure. An induction heating section (13) inductively heats a cooking vessel (11). A vibration detecting section (14) detects a vibration of the cooking vessel (11) via a top plate (12). A vibration waveform extracting section (15) extracts a vibration waveform of a frequency component having a frequency equal to a predetermined multiplication product of an induction heating frequency, from a waveform of the vibration detected by the vibration detecting section (14). A determining section (16) determines a state of an object to be heated, based on the vibration waveform extracted by the vibration waveform extracting section (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Sachio Nagamitsu, Makiko Noda
  • Patent number: 8786213
    Abstract: LED dimming control circuit and method compensate LED current or LED average current by LED characteristics to improve dimming efficiency and performance. LED characteristic related look-up tables are stored to provide compensation values, and input LED current setting information is compensated by the compensation values to generate corrected LED current setting information for determining LED brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Shei-Chie Yang, Shui-Mu Lin, Jun-Sheng Cheng, Ming-Yu Lin, Chun-I Lin
  • Publication number: 20140177284
    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: 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, and is larger than the starting voltage of the control circuit, as a starting current; and 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, as the starting current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshihiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 8749994
    Abstract: Consistent with example embodiments disclosed, there are switched-mode power supplies (SMPS) in which a signaling capacitor transmits information across a transformer of the power supply. Such embodiments can avoid drawing power from the output capacitor in order to provide communication signals and so do not cause a drop in the output voltage when signaling to the primary side. Further, the switched mode power supply can send signals from the secondary side of the transformer to the primary side via the transformer itself and so may not require the incorporation of an opto-coupler. Such embodiments may reduce production costs, the printed circuit board (PCB) footprint and reduce the no-load power consumption of the SMPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Jeroen Kleinpenning
  • Patent number: 8729558
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nitride semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a first and a second gate electrode. The semiconductor layer includes a nitride semiconductor. The source electrode provided on a major surface of the layer forms ohmic contact with the layer. The drain electrode provided on the major surface forms ohmic contact with the layer and is separated from the source electrode. The first gate electrode is provided on the major surface between the source and drain electrodes. The second gate electrode is provided on the major surface between the source and first gate electrodes. When a potential difference between the source and first gate electrodes is 0 volts, a portion of the layer under the first gate electrode is conductive. The first gate electrode is configured to switch a constant current according to a voltage applied to the second gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiko Kuraguchi
  • Patent number: 8687384
    Abstract: A switching power supply device that includes a feedback terminal to which a feedback signal according to a load state is input, and a comparator which compares a terminal voltage of the feedback terminal with a reference voltage and determines whether the load state is a normal load state or a light load state. The switching power supply device also includes pull-up resistors which are connected to the feedback terminal, a switch element which switches resistance values of the pull-up resistors according to the change of the load state, and a switch element which switches the resistance values of the pull-up resistors according to whether the input voltage is high or low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jian Chen, Masayuki Yamadaya
  • Patent number: 8629631
    Abstract: Improving start-up time of a light emitting diode (led) driver at lower input voltage is accomplished with a quick start circuit comprising a constant current source that replaces the traditional trickle charge start-up path for charging of a Vcc capacitor supplying operating voltage to an SMPS controller. Also the constant current source will only be operational during SMPS start-up, then will turn off after the SMPS is capable of producing its own regulated power supply to the Vcc terminal of the SMPS controller, thereby minimizing E2/R power losses in the SMPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Scott Edward Rhodes, William Thomas Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8625314
    Abstract: A switching power supply apparatus includes a low-side switching control unit and a high-side switching control unit. The low-side switching control unit includes a low-side turn-off circuit that turns off a low-side switching element behind a delay time when reversal of the polarity of a winding voltage of a transformer is detected during a period in which a drive voltage signal is supplied to the low-side switching element. The high-side switching control unit includes a high-side turn-on delay circuit that delays a time from the time when the polarity of the winding voltage of the transformer is reversed to a time when a high-side switching element is turned on. The delay time of the low-side turn-off delay circuit is set so as to be shorter than the delay time of the high-side turn-on delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Hosotani, Naoki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8611110
    Abstract: A switching control IC conducts on-off control on a first switching element. A second switching control circuit is provided between a high-side driving winding of a transformer T and a second switching element. The second switching control circuit discharges a capacitor in a negative direction with a constant current during an on period of the first switching element, and then after the second switching element is turned on, charges the capacitor in a positive direction with a constant current. A transistor controls the on period of the second switching element in accordance with the ratio of a charging current to a discharge current such that the ratio of the on period of the second switching element to the on period of the first switching element is substantially always constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Hosotani
  • Patent number: 8611108
    Abstract: An example control element for use in a power supply includes a high-voltage transistor and a control circuit to control switching of the high-voltage transistor. The high-voltage transistor includes a drain region, source region, tap region, drift region, and tap drift region, all of a first conductivity type. The transistor also includes a body region of a second conductivity type. An insulated gate is included in the transistor such that when the insulated gate is biased a channel is formed across the body region to form a conduction path between the source region and the drift region. A voltage at the tap region with respect to the source region is substantially constant and less than a voltage at the drain region with respect to the source region in response to the voltage at the drain region exceeding a pinch off voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald R. Disney