Single-ended, Separately-driven Type Patents (Class 363/20)
  • Patent number: 10644589
    Abstract: A distributed power system wherein a plurality of power converters are connected in parallel and share the power conversion load according to a prescribed function, but each power converter autonomously determines its share of power conversion. Each power converter operates according to its own power conversion formula/function, such that overall the parallel-connected converters share the power conversion load in a predetermined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Adest, Guy Sella, Lior Handelsman, Yoav Galin, Amir Fishelov, Meir Gazit, Tzachi Glovinski, Yaron Binder
  • Patent number: 10638566
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a light-emitting diode (LED) driver comprising a controller and a main circuit. The controller is configured to receive a dimming signal for dimming an LED load and use a current hysteresis control to generate a control signal, wherein a hysteresis width of the current hysteresis control varies with the dimming signal. The main circuit comprises a front-end stage configured to receive an AC input voltage and output a DC bus voltage, and a back-end stage configured to receive the bus voltage and responsive to the control signal, output a desired drive current through output terminals to the LED load so as to produce a target illumination intensity. The present disclosure widens the dimming depth of analog dimming in the LED dimming technology, achieves deep dimming and satisfies good dimming linearity in the entire dimming range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Longyu Chen, Hongbin Wei, Haomin Xu
  • Patent number: 10630080
    Abstract: A charger comprises a housing, a first multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB), a second multi-layer PCB, and a third multi-layer PCB. The first PCB comprises at least a portion of a primary side circuit. The second PCB comprises at least a portion of a secondary side circuit. The third PCB is perpendicular to the first PCB and the second PCB. An isolation coupling element is disposed on the third PCB. The isolation coupling element comprises a multi-layer PCB. The first PCB comprises a high voltage (HV) semiconductor package. A surface of a die paddle of the HV semiconductor package is exposed from a molding encapsulation of the HV semiconductor package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR (CAYMAN) LTD.
    Inventors: Pei-Lun Huang, Yu-Ming Chen, Tien-Chi Lin, Jung-Pei Cheng, Yueh-Ping Yu, Zhi-Qiang Niu, Xiaotian Zhang, Long-Ching Wang
  • Patent number: 10620647
    Abstract: A regulating device includes a common mode choke, a switch device and a first control unit. The common mode choke includes an input side and an output side, wherein the input side is coupled to a power-supply device. The switch device includes a first input node, a second input node, a first output node, a second output node, and a third output node. The first output node is coupled to a first battery set, and the second output node is coupled to a second battery set, and the third output node is an empty node. The first control unit compares the first terminal voltage to the second terminal voltage for controlling the first input node to selectively connect to the first output node or the second output node and controlling the second input node to selectively connect to the second output node or the third output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventor: Wei-Ting Yen
  • Patent number: 10574300
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter for transmitting power by wireless to a terminal includes a power conversion unit and a power transmission control unit. The power conversion unit forms a wireless power signal for wireless power transfer using power supplied from a power supply unit. The power transmission control unit regulates a characteristic of the supplied power, based on orientation information of the terminal. A terminal includes a power receiving unit and a control unit. The power receiving unit receives a wireless power signal formed by a wireless power transmitter. The control unit detects whether or not an orientation of the terminal is changed while the wireless power signal is received, and transmits a control message for power regulation to the wireless power transmitter when the change in the orientation of the terminal is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kihyun Jung, Jinmoo Park, Inchang Chu, Jeongkyo Seo, Jaesung Lee
  • Patent number: 10566909
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter and a method for operating the same are disclosed. The DC-DC converter includes an inverter, a transformer, a rectifier, a clamping assembly, and a control unit. The inverter has four interconnected primary semiconductor switches which form an inverter full bridge for converting an input DC voltage into an AC voltage. The transformer has a primary winding which is arranged in the bridge branch of the inverter full bridge. The rectifier is connected to the secondary winding of the transformer and is designed to rectify a secondary voltage of the transformer. The clamping assembly has an additional semiconductor switch and a clamping capacitor which is connected to the additional semiconductor switch in series. The rectified secondary voltage of the transformer is applied to the clamping assembly. The control unit is designed to control the primary semiconductor switches and the additional semiconductor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Michael Denzner, Christopher Fromme
  • Patent number: 10536092
    Abstract: Systems and methods for power conversion are described. Symmetric topologies and modulation schemes are described that may reduce common-mode noise. For example, a system may include a transformer including a first secondary winding and a second secondary winding; a rectifier, including a set of switches, that connects taps of the first secondary winding and the second secondary winding to a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the rectifier is symmetric with respect to the first secondary winding and the second secondary winding; a battery connected between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a processing apparatus that is configured to control the set of switches to rectify a multilevel voltage signal on the transformer, including: selecting a modulation scheme from among two or more modulation schemes based on a measured voltage level of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ashish K. Sahoo, Brandon Pierquet
  • Patent number: 10514398
    Abstract: According to various aspects and embodiments, a power device is provided. The power device includes an input configured to receive input power, an output configured to provide output power to a load, a power conversion circuit coupled to the input and configured with a first output line and a second output line, the first output line coupled to the output and configured to provide output current at the output, a capacitor coupled to a junction of the first output line and the output, and coupled to the second output line, and a controller coupled to the power conversion circuit. The controller is configured to receive a first current measurement for the first output line receive a first voltage measurement across the capacitor, and determine a load current based on the first current measurement and the first voltage measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Stefano De Cesaris
  • Patent number: 10504892
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of a circuit is provided. The circuit is configured to be operated under a power supply. The semiconductor device of the circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first source region in a first bulk region; a first drain region defined by a well and a doped region, wherein the first source region and the doped region are separate by a distance, which is a factor which determines a breakdown voltage of the first transistor, the breakdown voltage being associated with the power supply; and a first gate. The second transistor includes a second source region in a second bulk region, the second source region electrically connected with the first source region and the first gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Jia-Rui Lee, Kuo-Ming Wu, Yi-Chun Lin, Alexander Kalnitsky
  • Patent number: 10470268
    Abstract: The LED driving circuit includes: a detecting circuit that detects whether an input current of the driving circuit is low or high frequency; a first stage converter that converts the input of the driving circuit to provide a DC power suitable for the LED; a first feedback loop that is activated by a low frequency current, to convert a current from a LED load to a feedback voltage and feed it back to the first stage converter, wherein in the first feedback loop, the feedback voltage changes as a function of the current of the LED load; and a second feedback loop that is activated by high frequency current, to convert the current from the LED load to the feedback voltage and feed it back to the first stage converter, wherein in the second feedback loop, the feedback voltage changes as a function of the current of the LED load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: LEDVANCE GMBH
    Inventors: Xusheng Yang, Kaichun Huang
  • Patent number: 10470295
    Abstract: A printed circuit board has: a first wiring pattern laid in a first layer such that, when a predetermined component is mounted in a predetermined mounting region, a first current path in an open ring shape leading from a first end to a second end is formed; a second wiring pattern laid in a second layer different from the first layer such that a second current path in an open ring shape leading from a third end to a fourth end is formed; a first conductive member formed between the second and third ends; and a second conductive member formed between the first and fourth ends. The first and second wiring patterns are so laid that, as seen in their respective plan views, the directions of the currents flowing across the first and second current paths, respectively, are opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Hashiguchi, Shoichi Harada
  • Patent number: 10461626
    Abstract: An active clamp circuit includes an active clamp switch having a drain node and a source node, an active clamp capacitor coupled in a series combination with the active clamp switch, a delay circuit, and an active clamp controller circuit coupled to the active clamp switch and to the delay circuit. The active clamp controller circuit is configured to i) receive an active clamp switch voltage based on a voltage developed across the drain node and the source node of the active clamp switch, ii) enable the active clamp switch based on a voltage amplitude of the active clamp switch voltage, and iii) disable the active clamp switch based on a delay signal generated by the delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Silanna Asia Pte Ltd
    Inventor: Aleksandar Radic
  • Patent number: 10411606
    Abstract: The power supply apparatus includes a control unit to control an operation of a first switching element based on a feedback voltage and a voltage of an auxiliary winding of a transformer detected by a voltage detection unit. In a state where the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit is equal to or more than a first threshold voltage, the control unit shifts to a first state where the first switching element is controlled so that the output voltage is to be a first output voltage based on the feedback voltage. In a state where the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit is less than a second threshold voltage smaller than the first threshold voltage, the control unit shifts to a second state where the first switching element is controlled so that the output voltage is to be a second output voltage smaller than the first output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsunori Oshima
  • Patent number: 10396654
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a start-up circuit for a power system, the start-up circuit comprising an input configured to be coupled to a power source and to receive input DC power from the renewable energy based power source, an output, a current regulator portion coupled to the input and configured to provide a regulated output current derived from the input DC power to the output, and a voltage regulator portion coupled to the current regulator portion and the output and configured to generate a regulated output voltage at the output derived from the input DC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SOLAR INVERTERS USA, INC.
    Inventors: Ali Moallem, Zbigniew Wolanski
  • Patent number: 10381845
    Abstract: A power storage apparatus includes a plurality of power storage devices, a switch provided on a current-carrying path to the plurality of power storage devices, a voltage detecting unit that detects respective voltages of the power storage devices, and a control unit. The control unit switches a duty ratio of the switch so as to prevent or delay the voltages of the power storage devices from reaching an upper limit voltage during the charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nakamoto, Daisuke Konishi
  • Patent number: 10312793
    Abstract: A method for operating an electrical converter including: determining an optimized pulse pattern from a fundamental voltage reference for the electrical converter, wherein the optimized pulse pattern is determined from a first lookup table and includes discrete voltage amplitude values changing at predefined switching instants; determining a harmonic content reference from the fundamental voltage reference based on a second lookup table, wherein the harmonic content reference is a harmonic current reference determined from the frequency spectrum of a current of the electrical converter or the harmonic content reference is a filtered voltage reference determined by applying a first order frequency filter to a voltage, which current or voltage is generated, when the optimized pulse pattern is applied to the electrical converter; determining a harmonic content error from the harmonic content reference by subtracting an estimated output voltage and/or estimated output current of the electrical converter from the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Eduardo Rohr, Peter Al-Hokayem, Tobias Geyer
  • Patent number: 10253744
    Abstract: A controller used to control a flyback switching mode power supply. The flyback switching mode power supply is constructed to charge a capacitor, and includes a rectifying device, a series arrangement of a switch and a primary winding of a transformer for receiving an input voltage, and a secondary winding of the transformer for charging the capacitor via the rectifying device to an output voltage. The controller is configured to sense the output voltage and to turn on the switch when the change of the output voltage over time becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold. By using the controller to sense and use the output voltage across the capacitor to turn on the switch, a controlled flyback switching mode power supply that makes use of voltage control is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Robert Garrard, Anoop K. Aggarwal, Ralph C. Ferrara
  • Patent number: 10243453
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a circuit, a method, and a system to mitigate common mode noise in a power converter. The converter may include a transformer that isolates input and output terminals with primary and secondary windings. The transformer may further include an auxiliary winding coupled in anti-parallel with a secondary winding. The auxiliary winding may inject a common mode current through a compensation capacitor and a Y-capacitor to cancel a common mode current induced at the secondary side to the primary side. The converter may include a coupler circuit that provides a varying impedance at different frequencies to facilitate the current injection and allocate voltages between the compensation capacitor and the Y-capacitor. A voltage clamping circuit may be employed to protect a coupler capacitor from overvoltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joao L. Andres, Bogdan T. Bucheru
  • Patent number: 10236779
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller, or alternately a semiconductor device having a power supply controller, may have a first circuit configured to form a sense signal that is representative of a signal from an auxiliary winding of a transformer. A feedback circuit may be configured to allow the sense signal to increase in response to a turn-off of the power switch, to subsequently detect a second increase of the sense signal prior to subsequently turning on the power switch, and to form a feedback signal as a value of the sense signal responsively to the second increase of the sense signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zhibo Tao, Chih-Hsien Hsieh, Yue-Hong Tang
  • Patent number: 10230297
    Abstract: A high-voltage startup circuit in an integrated circuit with a high-voltage pin and an operating voltage pin is disclosed, capable of having both low standby power consumption and high-speed transient response. An ultra-high voltage transistor and a main NMOS transistor are connected in series via a joint node between the high-voltage pin and the operating voltage pin. A pull-up circuit controlled by a stop signal is connected between the joint node and a first gate of the main NMOS transistor. A pull-down circuit controlled by the stop signal is connected to the first gate of the main NMOS transistor. When the stop signal is de-asserted the pull-up circuit couples the joint node to the first gate. When the stop signal is asserted the pull-up circuit performs an open circuit and the pull-down circuit pulls down the first gate voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: LEADTREND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kuo-Chin Chiu
  • Patent number: 10177666
    Abstract: A method for regulating an output of a power converter includes receiving a signal from an auxiliary winding of an energy transfer element of the power converter. The energy transfer element includes an input winding coupled to an input of the power converter, an output winding coupled to the output of the power converter, and the auxiliary winding. The signal represents a line input voltage of the power converter during at least a portion of an on time of a power switch coupled to the input winding. The signal represents an output voltage of the power converter during at least a portion of an off time of the power switch. The power switch is switched in response to the signal to regulate the output of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex B. Djenguerian, Balu Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10178720
    Abstract: An LED driver is configured to minimize power consumption during standby operating modes. The LED driver includes power factor correction (PFC) and isolated DC-DC conversion stages, driven by respective first and second regulators. An auxiliary sensor detects environmental conditions for a controller which generates standby or normal operating mode signals based thereon. A low standby isolated power supply circuit receives operating mode signals and is configured: responsive to normal operating mode signals to enable the voltage regulators; responsive to standby mode signals to disable the voltage regulators, and in both modes to supply power to the controller and auxiliary sensor. Accordingly, the controller and auxiliary sensor are continuously enabled whereas the PFC and DC-DC stages of the LED driver are disabled during standby modes. Additional circuitry may selectively disconnect voltage sensing resistance networks from the LED driver for further reductions in power consumption during standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies
    Inventor: Wei Xiong
  • Patent number: 10098194
    Abstract: A driver circuit includes a combined current and voltage control circuit for driving a light emitting diode (LED) load. The driver circuit includes an isolation transformer having primary, secondary, and auxiliary windings. A primary side circuit is coupled to the primary winding and includes a power factor controller and a switch. The power factor controller controls an output current to the LED load by controlling an operational state of the switch. A secondary side circuit is coupled to the secondary winding. The secondary side circuit includes a proportional and integration (PI) control portion which outputs a control signal. A combined voltage and current control circuit is coupled to the auxiliary winding and includes an optocoupler coupled to the power factor controller and to the PI control section. The combined voltage and current control circuit transmits a control signal from the PI control section to the power factor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei Xiong
  • Patent number: 10097076
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a control circuit can include: a voltage feedback circuit configured to obtain a voltage feedback signal that represents an output voltage of the power stage circuit; a set signal generator configured to output a set signal when a secondary current crosses zero or a voltage sampling signal reaches a valley value; a reset signal generator configured to output a reset signal in a constant on time mode when the voltage feedback signal is greater than a first voltage threshold value, and to output the reset signal in a peak current mode when the voltage feedback signal is less than the first voltage threshold value; and a logic circuit configured to activate a switching control signal according to the set signal, and to deactivate the switching control signal according to the reset signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Huiqiang Chen, Jianxin Wang
  • Patent number: 10084370
    Abstract: A power switch transistor for a switching power converter is maintained on during a re-startup period by a zener breakdown voltage following a fault condition for the switching power converter. A source voltage from the power switch transistor is used to charge a VCC capacitor that stores a power supply voltage for a controller for the switching power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Guang Feng, Pengju Kong, Kai-Wen Chin, Mingsheng Peng
  • Patent number: 10008943
    Abstract: Each phase of a multi-phase voltage converter includes a power stage, passive circuit, and synchronous rectification (SR) switch. Each passive circuit couples its associated power stage to an output node of the voltage converter, and is switchably coupled to ground by the SR switch. The current through the SR switch has a half-cycle sinusoidal shape with a resonant frequency determined by the reactance of the passive circuit. A control circuit generates signals to control switches within the power stage and the SR switches. The control circuit measures current through the SR switch of each phase, and adjusts the duty cycles of the control signals for the phases so that the SR switches are switched off when zero or almost zero current is flowing through them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Amir Babazadeh
  • Patent number: 10003254
    Abstract: A digital AC/DC power converter comprises an active PFC module, a single switch module having a single switch, a power output module having a transformer, a digital control module having a microcontroller, and a rectifying and filtering module having a full-bridge rectifier, an EMI filter, and a capacitor that is less than 1 ?F. The single switch is electrically connected to the active PFC module, and a primary winding of the transformer is electrically connected to the active PFC module. The microcontroller provides a PWM signal to control the switching state of the single switch, so that the active PFC module transforms AC frequency from less than 300 Hz into over 30,000 Hz and outputs a rectified AC voltage waveform. The EMI filter blocks high electromagnetic frequencies and the capacitor smooths a variation in the rectified voltage waveform and output the smoothed rectified voltage waveform to the active PFC module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Digital Power Company Limited
    Inventors: Calvin Shie-Ning Wang, Zhen Qiu Huang
  • Patent number: 9991804
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus is provided, that supplies a bus voltage VBUS to a detachable device. A DC/DC converter generates a DC voltage VOUT used as the bus voltage VBUS. A USB controller receives the DC voltage VOUT as a power supply voltage, and detects whether or not the device is connected. The DC/DC converter generates the DC voltage VOUT such that (i) when the device is detected, the DC voltage VOUT has a specified voltage level, and such that (ii) when the device is not detected, the DC voltage VOUT has a voltage level that is lower than the specified voltage level and that is higher than a minimum operating voltage level required to operate the USB controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Motoki
  • Patent number: 9980330
    Abstract: In a power converter, a circuit determines an average value of an inaccessible current from an average value of an accessible current and a value of the operating duty cycle of the converter. A method of measuring an average value of an inaccessible current from a measured value of a current in a power converter by a duty cycle of a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal representing a duty cycle of the power converter. Coupling a voltage representing the measured value to an input of a low pass filter during a time period (D) and coupling the input of the low pass filter to a reference voltage during a time period (1?D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Isaac Cohen
  • Patent number: 9973093
    Abstract: In some examples, a controller device for a resonant mode power converter circuit comprises a feed-forward pin configured to receive an input voltage signal of the resonant mode power converter circuit, a feedback pin configured to receive an output voltage signal of the resonant mode power converter circuit, processing circuitry configured to determine a switching frequency based on the input voltage signal and the output voltage signal, a first control pin configured to deliver a first control signal to the first switch at the switching frequency, and a second control pin configured to deliver a second control signal the second switch at the switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Cheow Guan Lim, Nitin Agarwal, Jian-Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 9966837
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply is provided comprising a pulse-width-modulator (PWM), a power section, and a drive section for the power switch. The drive section consists of a new method of driving the power switch where it is desired that the switch terminals be isolated from the PWM ground. The new driver design, which incorporates a small isolation transformer along with unique modifications to the traditional DC restore circuit, is directed to solving problems when PWM type switching power supplies encounter fault conditions such as a short circuit across their output as well as protecting the switch and the load when an ordinary shutdown or disable command is received. One problem that arises with switch drivers that utilize isolation transformers during an overload event or even an ordinary shutdown event is that the driver does not turn off and hold off the power switch when it is commanded to do so.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: VPT, INC.
    Inventor: Kevin L. Seaton
  • Patent number: 9960689
    Abstract: A resonant control device and a resonant control method thereof controls a resonant converter connected with a load. An output voltage is applied across the load. Firstly, a setting voltage is used to perform voltage compensation on the output voltage to generate a control value. Then, pulse modulation signals are generated according to the control value and a switch value, so as to drive the resonant converter to regulate the output voltage. Each pulse modulation signal has the maximum frequency and the minimum frequency. The switch value is equal to the minimum frequency divided by the maximum frequency and less than 0.5. Finally, the process determines whether the control value is less than the switch value. If the answer is yes, PWM signals as the pulse modulation signals are generated, and their frequency is less than the maximum frequency to increase a lower-limit range of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: MEAN WELL (GUANGZHOU) ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shao-Jie Lu
  • Patent number: 9960669
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for starting up an isolated power converter. In an example, an integrated circuit for controlling an isolated power converter can include a control circuit configured to control a duty cycle of a primary switch according to an startup schedule during an initial interval of a start-up period of the isolated power supply, and to switch to a closed-loop control mode of the primary switch during a second interval of the start-up period after a voltage level of the DC output power signal is above a start-up threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Subodh Prakash Madiwale
  • Patent number: 9960685
    Abstract: Methods for supplying a synchronous rectifier (SR) driver circuit and supply voltage generation circuits for a SR driver circuit are described. In one embodiment, a method for supplying a SR driver circuit involves receiving a converted voltage from a secondary winding of a transformer and generating a supply voltage for the SR driver circuit based on the converted voltage, where the supply voltage is higher than an output voltage of the transformer that is generated using the secondary winding. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Hans Halberstadt
  • Patent number: 9921538
    Abstract: A bias power-supply device of an image forming apparatus includes a transformer that includes a first winding and a second winding, and outputs an alternating-current output signal from the second winding when the first winding is supplied with current; a switch circuit that includes a switching element, and supplies the first winding of the transformer with the current by switching the switching element in accordance with a received modulation output signal; and a modulation circuit that receives a frequency setting signal of setting a frequency of the alternating-current output signal and a modulation signal, and generates the modulation output signal having a modulated pulse width. A frequency of the modulation signal and a frequency of the alternating-current output signal are set to cause an interference frequency between the modulation signal and a harmonic of the alternating-current output signal is higher than a predetermined frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koya Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9917517
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes resonant tanks, switches, control logic and one or more non-resonant capacitors. The control logic that generates two or more sets of control signal inputs applied to the inputs of the switches so that for each set of control signals one or more sub-circuit loops are formed, and wherein the one or more sub-circuit loops for a first set of control signals is different from the one or more sub-circuit loops for a second set of control signals, and each of the sub-circuit loops includes one or more of the resonant tanks, and at least one of the sub-circuit loops includes a non-resonant capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Shuai Jiang, Mobashar Yazdani, Xin Li
  • Patent number: 9912242
    Abstract: A method for regulating an output of a power converter includes receiving a signal at a single terminal of an integrated circuit controller. The signal at the single terminal represents a line input voltage of the power converter during at least a portion of an on time of a power switch. The signal at the single terminal represents an output voltage of the power converter during at least a portion of an off time of the power switch. The power switch is switched in response to the signal to regulate the output of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex B. Djenguerian, Balu Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 9894722
    Abstract: Driver with open output protection Starting current for a load driver (200; 300) for driving a load (L) is provided via the load. In a load driver (200; 300) for driving a load (L), an operating current or an operating voltage at a reference point is derived from a power voltage bus (105; 305) by coupling said reference point to said power voltage bus via the load. A load driver (200; 300) for driving a load (L) comprises an output capacitor (125; 325) and two output terminals (128, 129; 328, 329) coupled to the output capacitor. A coupling diode (202; 325) is coupled in forward connection from one output terminal to a terminal of the output buffer capacitor. A startup terminal (111) of a converter circuit (110) is coupled to said one output terminal (129; 329) to receive a startup current (Is) via the driven load if the load is present to conduct this current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Zhi Quan Chen, Kang Li
  • Patent number: 9893637
    Abstract: There are large amounts of switched-mode power supplies used for supplying energy for electrical devices. This brings the need to improve the efficiency of the power conversion. The present switched mode converter of electrical power has a secondary winding in a secondary circuit, which at a first phase both accumulates and releases energy to load, or only accumulates energy. At a second phase the secondary winding is connected to input voltage and/or releases the accumulated energy in the secondary circuit in order to increase power release of the primary winding to the load. The solution increases both the output energy and efficiency of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: FINELC OY
    Inventor: Jukka Vilhunen
  • Patent number: 9887615
    Abstract: A bidirectional insulated DC-DC converter includes a transformer, a secondary circuit, and a control circuit. When electric power is transferred from the secondary side to the primary side of the transformer, the control circuit measures a first voltage on a high voltage side of the transformer and a second voltage on a low voltage side of the transformer in each cycle time. When the voltage ratio is a reference value or larger, the control circuit calculates a first period during which the control circuit turns ON the first switching element and a second period during which the control circuit turns ON the second switching element after the first period of the cycle time so that a period ratio is larger than a reference value and controls the first switching element and the second switching element based on the first period and the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventor: Nobuo Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 9837205
    Abstract: An electromagnetic connector is disclosed that is configured to form a first magnetic circuit portion comprising a first core member and a first coil disposed of the first core member. The electromagnetic connector is configured to mate with a second electromagnetic connector, where the second electromagnetic connector is configured to form a second magnetic circuit portion comprising a second core member and a second coil disposed of the second core member. The first core member and the second core member are configured to couple the first coil to the second coil with a magnetic circuit formed from the first magnetic circuit portion and the second magnetic circuit portion when the electromagnetic connector is mated with the second electromagnetic connector. The magnetic circuit is configured to induce a signal in the first coil when the second coil is energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Bedrock Automation Platforms Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Rooyakkers, James G. Calvin
  • Patent number: 9831786
    Abstract: A switching power-supply device includes an input power detecting part that finds a DC input power from a detected DC input voltage and a detected DC input current, and an operation mode setting part that sets a burst mode operation or a continuous mode operation based on the DC power detected by the input power detecting part. The operation mode setting part also may set a ratio of a switching active period Tact, in which the main switching element is caused to perform switching operations, to a switching stop period Tstop, in which the switching operations are stopped, in the case of the burst mode operation in accordance with the detected input power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Okayama, Ichiro Nomura
  • Patent number: 9825538
    Abstract: A voltage sampling control circuit can include: a bleeder circuit that generates a sampling signal by sampling a voltage across a winding of a transformer of an isolated switching power supply; a blanking time signal control circuit that activates a first blanking time signal when the sampling signal is higher than a first reference voltage, and activates a second blanking time signal when the sampling signal rises to a level of a second reference voltage, where active portions of the first and second blanking time signals overlap, and the sampling signal is not detected during activation of either of the first and second blanking time signals; a converter configured to convert the sampling signal to a detection signal after both of the first and second blanking time signals have been deactivated; and a sample and hold circuit configured to receive the detection signal, and to generate a feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Shaobin Zhang, Zhiliang Hu, Yongjiang Bai
  • Patent number: 9793818
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a unit current transformer device and a magnetic induction power supplying device, and particularly to a magnetic induction power supply unit capable of linearly adjusting output power according to the number of unit current transformer devices configured to have a specific resonance frequency. To this end, the unit current transformer device includes a current transformer inducing secondary current from primary current flowing through a line in a magnetic induction manner and having a resonant frequency double or greater than that of the primary current, and a converting unit converting an output of the current transformer to DC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: FERRARISPOWER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ja-Il Koo
  • Patent number: 9787191
    Abstract: An example relates to a method for operating a converter comprising (i) determining whether a valley for switching the converter in a quasi-resonant mode is available within a predetermined time range; (ii) selecting the valley if it is available within the predetermined time range; and (iii) changing the mode for operating the converter if the valley is not available within the predetermined time range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Jens Barrenscheen, Martin Krueger, Marcus Schaemann, Ali Fawaz
  • Patent number: 9780667
    Abstract: A display apparatus, a power supply and a power supply method are disclosed. A power supply for a display apparatus includes a switching driver configured to perform a switching operation and output an operation voltage; a first charger/discharger configured to set timing of the switching operation; and a controller configured to control the switching driver to disable the switching operation until a voltage previously charged in the first charger/discharger is discharged up to a first voltage, when the display apparatus is in a power saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-yong Joo, Jin-hyung Lee
  • Patent number: 9722499
    Abstract: Energy transfer element circuitry for use in a power converter includes a cancellation shield winding wound around an energy transfer element core. A first trimming capacitor is coupled to a first end of the cancellation shield winding to adjust a shield response of the cancellation shield winding. A second end of the cancellation shield winding is unconnected. A primary winding is wound around the energy transfer element core. A balance shield winding is wound around the energy transfer element core. A second trimming capacitor is coupled to a second end of the balance shield winding to adjust a shield response of the cancellation shield winding. A first end of the balance shield winding is unconnected. A secondary winding is wound around the energy transfer element core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Martin
  • Patent number: 9673694
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electromagnetic induction type power supply device, which generates electric power through an electromagnetic induction method using a transformer from current flowing through a transmission line, can adjust an output thereof by detecting and feeding back the output, enables a transformer and a power converting unit to be added or removed as necessary. The electromagnetic induction type power supply device includes a transformer module including a plurality of transformers for outputting electric power by inducing, in an electromagnetic induction method, secondary current from primary current flowing through a transmission line; a power source module including a plurality of power converting units for converting the electric power output from the plurality of transformers to direct current power and outputting the converted power; and a power summing unit for summing the direct current power output from the plurality of transformers and providing the summed power to a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: FERRARISPOWER CO., LTD
    Inventor: Ja-Il Koo
  • Patent number: 9640617
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a power module that has a housing with an interior chamber and a plurality of switch modules interconnected to facilitate switching power to a load. Each of the plurality of switch modules comprises at least one transistor and at least one diode mounted within the interior chamber and both the at least one transistor and the at least one diode are majority carrier devices, are formed of a wide bandgap material system, or both. The switching modules may be arranged in virtually any fashion depending on the application. For example, the switching modules may be arranged in a six-pack, full H-bridge, half H-bridge, single switch or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Mrinal K. Das, Robert J. Callanan, Henry Lin, John Williams Palmour
  • Patent number: 9632118
    Abstract: A current sensing apparatus includes: a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of a power converter; a current sensing unit configured to sense an input current of the power converter; and a central processing unit (CPU) configured to control an operation of the power converter in response to the sensed temperature of the power converter and the sensed input current of the power converter. The CPU includes a compensation unit configured to store, upon receiving an indication of the sensed temperature of the power converter from the temperature sensor, an operation voltage of at least one diode included in the current sensing unit in a map, and to compensate for an error of a sensing current based on the stored operation voltage when the current sensing unit senses the input current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jin Myeong Yang, Youn Sik Lee, Je Hwan Lee, Seong Min Lee, Sang Cheol Shin, Han Geun Jang