Having Output Current Feedback Patents (Class 363/21.09)
  • Publication number: 20140029314
    Abstract: A transformer-coupled gate-drive power regulator system is provided that includes a feedback stage that generates a PWM signal having a duty-cycle that is based on a magnitude of an output voltage in an output stage. A switch driver stage configured to provide each of a first control signal and a second control signal based on the PWM signal. A switching stage comprising a first transformer input stage, a second transformer input stage, and a control switch. The first transformer input stage activates the control switch via the first control signal while the second transformer input stage is deactivated, and the second transformer input stage activates the control switch via the second control signal while the first transformer input stage is deactivated. The control switch can be configured to provide current through an output inductor in the output stage to generate the output voltage in response to being activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: COLIN GILLMOR, GEORGE YOUNG
  • Patent number: 8634213
    Abstract: A method of operation for flyback power converter includes operating a controller of the flyback power converter in a regulation mode when a control signal is below a first threshold. The control signal is provided as an input to a terminal of the flyback power converter. When the control signal is below a second threshold and above the first threshold, the controller is operated in a limiting mode. The controller is operated in an external command mode when the control signal is below a third threshold and above the second threshold. Lastly, when the control signal is above the third threshold, the controller is operated in a protection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Yury Gaknoki, Tiziano Pastore, Mingming Mao, David Michael Hugh Matthews
  • Patent number: 8634210
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a series circuit including a primary transformer coil and a main switch element connected between a power input terminal and a ground terminal. A secondary transformer coil is connected to a rectifying/smoothing circuit including rectification-side and commutation-side synchronous rectifiers, a smoothing capacitor, and a choke coil. The output voltage from the rectifying/smoothing circuit is supplied to a load connected to a power output terminal. An input voltage detection circuit detects the voltage between the power input terminal and the ground terminal, and supplies a detection signal to a VIN terminal of a switching control circuit. The switching control circuit performs PWM control to maintain a constant output voltage output to the load, reduces the switching frequency when the input voltage input to the VIN terminal is low, and increases the switching frequency in accordance with an increase in the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Nagai, Yasuhiro Yoto
  • Publication number: 20140009084
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load (e.g, an LED light source) comprises an isolated forward converter comprising a transformer, a controller, and a current sense circuit operable to receive a sense voltage representative of a primary current conducting through to a primary winding of the transformer. The primary winding is coupled in series with a semiconductor switch, while a secondary winding is adapted to be operatively coupled to the load. The forward converter comprises a sense resistor coupled in series with the primary winding for producing the sense voltage that is representative of the primary current. The current sense circuit receives the sense voltage and averages the sense voltage when the semiconductor switch is conductive, so as to generate a load current control signal that is representative of a real component of a load current conducted through the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventor: Dragan Veskovic
  • Publication number: 20140009085
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling the intensity of a light source (e.g., a light-emitting diode light source) reduces visible flickering in the light source when a target intensity of the light source is dynamically changing. The load control device includes a load regulation circuit operable to conduct a load current through the electrical load and to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load. The load control device also includes a controller for adjusting the average magnitude of the load current to a target current. The controller pulse-width modulates the magnitude of the load current between a first current less than the target current and a second current greater than the target current. When the target current is dynamically changing, the controller is operable to adjust to the average magnitude of the load current towards the sum of the target current and a supplemental signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventor: Dragan Veskovic
  • Patent number: 8599589
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing power are described. In one embodiment of a method, a DC input voltage from an AC mains to DC converter, inputted to a DC to DC converter, is adjusted lower while maintaining substantially constant DC output voltage from the DC to DC converter in order to improve power efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Lum
  • Patent number: 8593835
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an oscillator that is capable of realizing duty balancing. The oscillator determines a switching frequency of a converter converting an input voltage according to a switching operation of switches to generate an output voltage. The oscillator determines a first half cycle of a duty signal determining the switching frequency by using a reference current according to a feedback signal corresponding to the output voltage. The oscillator senses a first half cycle period by using an output of the frequency setting unit, and determines the same period as the first half cycle as a second half cycle of the duty signal after the first half cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul Eom, Sung-Yun Park
  • Patent number: 8587967
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to a power apparatus. The power apparatus includes a power converter configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage for providing power at an output thereof to which a load is connectable. The converter can include an isolation barrier configured to electrically isolate the output and the load from an input source that provides the input voltage. The system also includes a control loop that includes indirect sense circuitry configured to indirectly derive an indication of at least one of output current and output power of the converter. The control loop is configured to control output current or output power based on the indirectly derived indication of output current or output power, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Isaac Cohen
  • Patent number: 8582322
    Abstract: A power supply unit includes a switching power converter responsive to a control signal to switch a power switch thereof to provide an output voltage and an output current for a load. To reduce light-load or no-load power consumption of the power supply unit, the power supply unit repeats a process of stopping switching the power switch and recovering switching the power switch for a period of time once the output voltage decreases to be lower than a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Kuo-Chi Liu, Fu-Sheng Tsai, Chung-Cheng Chang, Kuang-Feng Li, Yen-Te Lee
  • Publication number: 20130294116
    Abstract: An automatic adjusting device is provided, which is used for adjusting an output power of a power supply and comprises an automatic adjusting circuit. The automatic adjusting circuit includes a comparing unit and a programmable signal generating unit. The comparing unit compares a limiting level and a protection level and produces a comparison signal. The protection level limits the output power provided by the power supply. The programmable signal generating unit generates the protection level and adjusts the protection level according to the comparison signal for adjusting the output power. The programmable signal generating unit will adjust the protection level according to the limiting level. Thereby, the output power can be adjusted automatically without manual adjustment. Consequently, the cost can be reduced and the adjusting accuracy can enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: JUI-HSIANG PAN, MING-ZHI TZENG
  • Patent number: 8542500
    Abstract: A resonant power converting circuit is provided, which includes a resonant converting unit, a control unit, a current detecting unit and a frequency modulation unit. The control unit outputs switching signals to the resonant converting unit to adjust an output thereof. The current detecting unit is configured to detect an output current of the resonant converting unit. The frequency modulation unit may adjust a lowest switching frequency of the control unit according to the detected output current so as to increase a gain of the resonant converting unit and an output stability of the resonant converting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignees: Lite-On Electronics (Guangzhou) Limited, Lite-On Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yeh Guan, Chih-Tai Chen
  • Patent number: 8541997
    Abstract: Provided is a current sensing signal comparing device and current sensing signal comparing method. The current sensing signal comparing device includes a current sensing circuit for detecting a current signal of a switching circuit and thereby generating a current sensing signal, a control unit for outputting a control signal, and a compensating circuit for compensating the current sensing signal according to the control signal. The compensated current sensing signal is compared with a constant current reference signal in order to issue a constant current control signal. The device can also be provided to configure the compensating circuit to compensate the constant current reference signal, such that the current sensing signal is compared with the compensated constant current reference signal in order to issue a constant current control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Jiang, Qikun Wu, Xiaoni Xin, Bin Wang, Hongyang Wu
  • Publication number: 20130242620
    Abstract: In a power supply apparatus driving circuit, at startup, an input voltage of a switching power supply is used as a driving power supply, and loss generated in a starting circuit is reduced. The starting circuit and the driving circuit are configured as a single driver. A control IC generates a switching control signal to control a first switching element and a second switching element. A driving circuit in a high breakdown voltage driver IC generates gate drive voltage signals for the first switching element and the second switching element based on the switching control signal inputted from the control IC. A starting circuit supplies the partial voltage of a voltage inputted to a starting power supply terminal, to each of the driving circuit in the high breakdown voltage driver IC and the control IC that is externally provided, and shuts off a switching element after startup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya HOSOTANI
  • Patent number: 8514592
    Abstract: A system and method for operating power supplies. A method comprises altering a current sense (CS) signal, turning off a switch of the converter in response to a determining that the CS signal is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and leaving on the switch of the converter in response to a determining that the CS signal is less than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Xiaowu Gong, Kok Kee Lim, Yong Siang Teo, Yi He, Winson Siew Teng Wong
  • Patent number: 8508157
    Abstract: A power supply device for driving a light emitting diode (LED) capable of controlling the switching of multiple output powers, in synchronization with the frequency of one of the multiple output powers and simplifying a power conversion stage in supplying power for driving an LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae Shik Kim, Heung Gyoon Choi, Yun Ki Kang, Tae Hyung Kang, Sang Gab Park
  • Patent number: 8498135
    Abstract: Embodiments of circuits and methods for a switching mode power supply are described in detail herein. In one embodiment, a switching mode power supply includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding to supply power to a load, a feedback circuit that generates a feedback signal that varies in relation to the load on the secondary winding, a switching circuit coupled to the primary winding to control current flow through the primary winding, and a control circuit coupled to the switching circuit to control the on/off status of switching circuit in response to the feedback signal and the current flow through the primary winding. The control circuit comprises a spectrum shaping circuit configured to generate a spectrum shaping signal in response to the feedback signal. The spectrum shaping signal can then be used to regulate the switching frequency and the spectrum shaping range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: En Li, Junming Zhang, Yuancheng Ren
  • Patent number: 8451626
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for both power and control signal transmission through a single coupled inductor. A current driver generates a cyclical current signal on a primary winding of a coupled inductor, to induce a voltage signal at the secondary winding corresponding to the cyclical current signal. A rectifier module is coupled with the secondary winding and configured to rectify the signal induced at the secondary winding. A control timing signal module is coupled with the primary winding and configured to induce voltage pulses on the secondary winding, the induced voltage pulses having an insubstantial impact on the output of the rectifier module. A switching module coupled with the secondary winding is configured to receive the voltage pulses and control a switching signal for a power switch coupled with the output of the rectifier and provide power to a load coupled with the output of the rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Microsemi Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Coleman
  • Patent number: 8441816
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a controller for a Switched Mode Power Supply having opto-coupler-based feedback from secondary to primary side, is disclosed, in which the optocoupler current varies inversely with the output voltage over a voltage control range. The converter is thereby enabled to consume less power than do conventional converters, when in lower-power standby mode. Also disclosed are low-voltage startup and over-voltage protection arrangements combined with such a controller. Corresponding methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Hans Halberstadt
  • Patent number: 8422259
    Abstract: A switch-mode power supply (SMPS) is provided. When the switch power of the SMPS turns on, the inductor current of the SMPS may flow through an inductor current sensing circuit which then provides a sensing voltage. An apparatus for compensating the inductor current peak receives a reference voltage and the sensing voltage as inputs and outputs a compensation voltage. The compensation voltage is combined with the reference voltage and/or the sensing voltage and is provided to a first comparator. The result keep 7t as 7s is provided to the logic control circuit coupled to the gate of the power switch after being driven by a driver circuit. The actual inductor current peak is kept identical with the reference current, which effectively controls the inductor current peak, thereby protecting the SMPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yunlong Yao
  • Patent number: 8395366
    Abstract: A low-cost PFC converter capable of detecting an inductor current including a DC component and performing appropriate correction of a power factor with low loss includes a diode bridge that rectifies an AC voltage input from an AC input power supply Vac, a series circuit including an inductor and a switching element, a rectifying and smoothing circuit that is connected in parallel to the switching element and that includes a diode and a smoothing capacitor, and a digital signal processing circuit that performs on/off control on the switching element so that an input current input from the AC input power supply Vac has a similar waveform with respect to an AC voltage. A current flowing through the inductor during an off period of the switching element is detected using a current detecting resistor, and a decreased voltage of the current detecting resistor is sampled at the middle of the off period of the switching element, thereby detecting an average value of the input current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Uno
  • Publication number: 20130051085
    Abstract: A power supply includes a first circuit, a second circuit, a feedback circuit and a controller. The first circuit has a first switch, and the second circuit has a second switch. The first circuit transforms an input voltage to a middle voltage, and the second circuit transforms the middle voltage to an output voltage. The feedback circuit electrically connects to the controller and the output voltage respectively. The controller includes a first sub-control unit and a second sub-control unit. The first sub-control unit electrically connects to the first switch and the second sub-control unit electrically connects to the second switch. The controller generates a compensation voltage signal for the first sub-control unit and the second sub-control unit to control the first switch and the second switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Kuang Feng Li, Kuo Chi Liu, I-Fan Chen, Yen-Te Lee
  • Publication number: 20120314458
    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: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya HOSOTANI
  • Patent number: 8331111
    Abstract: A switching power supply device 100 includes: zener diodes ZD31 and ZD32 that become conducting when the voltage values of direct current voltages VO1 and VO2 are equal to or more than their zener voltage values, respectively; an overcurrent protection circuit 131 that makes a switching portion 12 stop generating the direct current voltages if an overcurrent that is equal to or more than a previously set current threshold value flows in the secondary winding 23 of a transformer 2; and a diode D3 one end of which is connected to the output end of a regulator 32 and the other end of which is connected between voltage divider resistances R41 and R42, the forward direction of the diode D3 being from the voltage divider resistances R41 and R42 to the regulator 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Udagawa
  • Publication number: 20120300505
    Abstract: A power adapter comprises a main power circuit, a feedback circuit, an ID detection circuit and a switch controller. The feedback circuit is coupled to the main power circuit for detecting the DC output voltage and issuing a feedback signal. The ID detection circuit is coupled to the feedback circuit for detecting an ID signal from the DC-powered electronic device and issuing a control signal to the feedback circuit to disable or delay the feedback signal for a specific time period, and comparing a dropping slew rate of the DC output voltage with a preset value to issue a hiccup mode control signal. The switch controller is configured for controlling the operations of the main power circuit in response to the feedback signal and controlling the power adapter to operate in a normal operation mode or a hiccup mode in response to the hiccup mode control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Hung-Wen Chueh, Teng-Ping Lin
  • Publication number: 20120281437
    Abstract: A digital IC controller for switch mode power supplies, the IC controller having multiple inputs and multiple outputs as well as a digital interface. The IC controller can be configured using a configuration device in such a way that controller units and filter units preconfigured by the configuration device as well as other functions are selected and parameterized and are transferred to the IC controller using the digital interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: ERBE ELEKTROMEDIZIN GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Fritz, Heiko Schall
  • Patent number: 8300432
    Abstract: An isolated power converter comprising a transformer arranged in such a way that the mirrored primary voltage on the secondary side has a positive potential relative to ground, said converter comprising a derivating net arranged to cause the second transistor to conduct in dependence of the voltage across the secondary winding, the source of the second transistor being connected to the negative end of the secondary winding, the drain of a third transistor further being connected to the positive end of the secondary winding, a second capacitor and a second resistor being connected between the gate and the source of the third transistor, a third resistor connected between the second resistor and the drain of the second transistor, a third capacitor connected between the sources of the second and third transistors to provide a first output voltage on one terminal of the third capacitor and a second output voltage on the other terminal of the third capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventor: Mikael Appelberg
  • Publication number: 20120262956
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for use with power supplies. A controller regulates power supply output by way of feedback signaling. Current pulses generated by an electrical load are detected in the feedback signaling and are processed to derive a sequence of digital bits. The digital, bits are subjected to validity testing and decoded as digital data. Operations of the power supply are adjusted and requests for information are answered in accordance with the digital data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventor: Maxwell Scott DeHaven
  • Patent number: 8278857
    Abstract: A motor control device is electrically connected with a motor. The motor control device includes a controller and a driving circuit. The controller has a default value of time and generates a first driving signal and a second driving signal. The driving circuit includes a first switching element and a second switching element, the first switching element and the second switching element receive the first driving signal and the second driving signal respectively, and the first switching element and the second switching element are switched on or switched off alternately according to the first driving signal and the second driving signal respectively, so as to drive the motor to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Liang Lin, Ming-Yen Lin, Chia-Wen Kuo, Kuan-Ting Lee
  • Patent number: 8222880
    Abstract: A DC-DC conversion device is provided. The DC-DC conversion device includes a control signal generator, a conversion module and a comparison module. The control signal generator generates a control signal according to a delay signal. The conversion module is coupled to the control signal generator to convert an input voltage to an output voltage according to the control signal. The comparison module is coupled to the control signal generator and conversion module to compare the output voltage with a reference voltage and output the delay signal according to the comparison result, an enable signal and a clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Princeton Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Nien-An Kao, Tsung-Yuan Chiang
  • Publication number: 20120170325
    Abstract: The present invention is a new design topology for solar/wind inverters using a new hybrid DC/DC converter design. This hybrid converter topology eliminates a difficult design compromise between lowering the minimum input voltage to harvest more solar/wind energy and achieving high power conversion efficiency when the input voltage is high in a conventional solar/wind inverter design. This invention uses both a forward converter and a flyback converter to deliver superior performance over a design that only uses one of the two converter topologies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Norman Luwei Jin, Yimeng Jin
  • Patent number: 8199536
    Abstract: A device generates a signal representative of a current flowing through a load inductor of a converter, the converter having a first transformer including a primary winding driven with a pulse width modulated (PWM) voltage signal. The device may include a sense inductor magnetically coupled to the load inductor, and an integrator configured to integrate a voltage drop on the sense inductor and to generate a first signal representative of the current flowing through the load inductor with an offset. The device may further include a second transformer to be magnetically coupled to the primary winding of the first transformer and generating a second signal representative of a current flowing through the primary winding, and a peak detector configured to sample and hold a peak value of the second signal at every cycle of the PWM voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giovanni Mangraviti, Mario Di Guardo
  • Publication number: 20120140527
    Abstract: A power source capable of supplying power to operate electronics of a system is disclosed. In one example, the power source takes advantage of an electrical potential difference between primary and secondary grounds. The power source can reduce system cost and power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chee K. Fong, Suet F. Tin, Perry S. Stultz
  • Publication number: 20120120687
    Abstract: An inverter control device drives one of the two switching circuits with a fixed conduction width and changes the control method of the other switching circuit between pulse-width modulation, phase control method, and drive signal width control method by phase control method according to an output state, to implement highly accurate control at low output while suppressing heat generation of a switching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Norikazu Ohsaki, Yoshiaki Tanaka, Yoshiyuki Tabata
  • Publication number: 20120120686
    Abstract: In a converter using a transformer, a switch controller controlling a main switch and an auxiliary switch increase a turn-on time of the auxiliary switch when a voltage of a signal corresponding to a current flowing to a primary coil of the transformer is greater than a reference voltage for a predetermined period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Jin-Tae KIM, Shanmei LI, Jongmu LEE
  • Publication number: 20120099345
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter for supplying a gradually increasing voltage via a soft start circuit from a first powered domain to a second unpowered domain. The powered domain may be connected to a primary winding of a first transformer, and the unpowered domain may be connected to the secondary winding of the first transformer. The unpowered domain may respond to an applied voltage from the soft start circuit by supplying a feedback signal to the powered domain via a feedback circuit. The feedback signal indicating the power supplied from the secondary winding of the first transformer to the unpowered domain is satisfactory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Tianting ZHAO, Yunmei LI, Baoxing CHEN
  • Publication number: 20120099346
    Abstract: A converter for converting AC to DC or DC to DC comprises a first transformer (10) having a secondary winding connected to a DC-load side of the converter, semiconductor switches connected to a primary winding of the transformer, a drive circuit configured to control the semiconductor switches to switch so as to deliver a voltage to the primary winding with a frequency exceeding 1 MHz and electronic components. The drive circuit comprises a second transformer (12) for voltage level shifting of said semiconductor switches with respect to a logic drive circuit unit of said drive circuit. The transformers are arranged inside or at the surface of a first printed circuit board (30), and the electronic components of the converter including said semiconductor switches are arranged inside or at the surface of a second printed circuit board (31). The two circuit boards are separated by a shielding ferrite layer (32) sandwiched therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SEPS Technologies AB
    Inventor: Kent Bertilsson
  • Publication number: 20120092901
    Abstract: A method for managing the power in an electromagnetic transponder in the field of a terminal, including the steps of: evaluating the power consumption of the transponder circuits; and if this power consumption is below a threshold, evaluating the current coupling factor between the transponder and the terminal and, according to the current coupling: causing an increase of the transponder power consumption or causing a detuning of an oscillating circuit of the transponder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Luc Wuidart
  • Publication number: 20120074949
    Abstract: A bi-directional DC/DC converter includes at least one module having a module input for providing a bi-directional module input current, and a module output with an output inductor for providing a bi-directional module output current. A transformer has a primary winding wound around a transformer core and connected to the module input, and a secondary winding wound around the core and connected to the module output. A primary set of switches is connected in an H-bridge configuration between the module input and the primary winding. And, a secondary set of switches is connected in an H-bridge configuration between the module output and the secondary winding. A current sensing component senses the module output current. A hysteretic control drives the primary set of switches to control flux. The hysteretic control drives the secondary set of switches to control the module output current as a function of the sensed module output current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: Kevin Kepley, Jonathan W. Kimball
  • Publication number: 20120075889
    Abstract: A switching power supply device includes: a fundamental wave component extraction circuit for extracting a fundamental wave component of a voltage induced across a first winding; an oscillator for generating a clock signal having an oscillation frequency that changes according to a change in the fundamental wave component; and a control circuit for (i) generating a control signal for controlling a switching element to be in an ON state or OFF state, the switching signal having a duty that changes according to a change in the oscillation frequency of the clock signal or a change in a voltage of a smoothing capacitor and (ii) supplying the control signal to a gate of the switching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventor: Masato SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20120072741
    Abstract: A computer system includes at least one device, a connector which is connected to a power supply apparatus which supplies power having a predetermined level to operate the computer system, a power unit which converts and provides the power supplied from the power supply apparatus to the at least one device, and a controller which analyzes a signal waveform of power supplied from the power supply apparatus and identifies information of the power supply apparatus carried by the signal waveform. Accordingly, an abnormal operation of the computer system can be prevented by transmitting power information such as a power capacity of the power supply apparatus to the computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Seung-jae LEE
  • Publication number: 20120033458
    Abstract: A system and method for operating power supplies. A method comprises altering a current sense (CS) signal, turning off a switch of the converter in response to a determining that the CS signal is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and leaving on the switch of the converter in response to a determining that the CS signal is less than the first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Xiaowu Gong, Kok Kee Lim, Yong Siang Teo, Yi He, Winson Siew Teng Wong
  • Publication number: 20120027448
    Abstract: A high-voltage generation apparatus raises, when switching from a state where a voltage having a predetermined polarity is output to a state where a voltage having a polarity opposite to the predetermined polarity is output, the voltage having the predetermined polarity in change amounts corresponding to the voltage having the predetermined polarity and a target voltage having the opposite polarity in a transient-state period elapsed until the voltage reaches the target voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Mukaibara
  • Publication number: 20120014141
    Abstract: A reset voltage circuit for a forward power converter includes a reset capacitor and a memory capacitor. The reset capacitor is to be coupled to recycle energy from a primary winding of a transformer to an input bulk capacitor during a resetting of the transformer. The memory capacitor is to be coupled to store a first voltage equal to an input voltage of the power converter when the input voltage is at a steady-state value. The memory capacitor is further to set a voltage across the primary winding during the resetting of the transformer to a magnitude greater than or equal to the first voltage when the input voltage of the forward power converter drops below the steady-state value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Ionut A. Nania, Arthur B. Odell
  • Publication number: 20120008343
    Abstract: A high-voltage device provides a constant current drained from a high voltage source to charge a filter capacitor, where a voltage level of the higher voltage source is higher than 90 volts. When the operation voltage of the filter capacitor exceeds a first predetermined value, the charging of the filter capacitor by the constant current is stopped. A feedback loop is then used to maintain the operating voltage at substantially a second predetermined value lower than the first one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Ren-Yi Chen, Wen-Chung Yeh, Tsung-Hsiu Wu, Jian-Heng Guo
  • Patent number: 8089791
    Abstract: A compensation circuit and a compensation method for providing compensation of a power converter are proposed. A current sense circuit is coupled to receive a switching current for generating a current signal. A signal generation circuit is developed to generate a first compensation signal and a second compensation signal for adjusting the current signal. The first compensation signal is coupled to adjust the current signal for the output power limit of the power converter. The second compensation signal is coupled to adjust the current signal for the slope compensation. The slope of the first compensation signal is decreased when the power transistor is turned on. The slope of the second compensation signal is increased in response to the turn on of the power transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventor: Ta-yung Yang
  • Publication number: 20110309682
    Abstract: The present invention includes: a first series circuit which is connected between one end and the other end of a DC power supply, and in which a reactor, a first diode, and a first capacitor are connected in series; a first switching element connected between the one end of the DC power supply and a connection point between the reactor and the first diode; a second series circuit which is connected to the first diode in parallel, and in which a second switching element and a second capacitor are connected in series; and a control circuit configured to control the on and off of the second switching element in order that turn on of the first switching element becomes to zero-voltage switching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akiteru CHIBA
  • Patent number: 8077487
    Abstract: In a first aspect, in a Primary Side Regulation (PSR) power supply, some primary current pulses are used to forward bias an output diode such that an auxiliary winding voltage can be properly sampled after each pulse. The samples are used to regulate the power supply output voltage (VOUT). Other primary current pulses, however, are of a smaller peak amplitude. These pulses are not used for VOUT regulation, but rather are used to determine whether the VOUT has dropped. In a second aspect, a transient current detector circuit within the PSR controller integrated circuit detects whether an optocoupler current has dropped in a predetermined way. If the TRS current detector detects that the optocoupler current has dropped, then the power supply stops operating in a sleep mode and is made to operate in another higher power operating mode in which the power supply switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Huynh
  • Publication number: 20110299304
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter may include a power stage circuit, a pulse generator circuit, a flux density monitor, and power control logic. The power stage circuit includes an input, an output, and a transformer with a core. The power stage circuit may be configured to operate in a power transfer mode during which power is transferred from the input to the output and a reset mode during which flux density in the core of the transformer is reduced. The pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate pulses that regulate the output of the power stage circuit. The flux density monitor circuit may be configured to generate flux density information indicative of the flux density of the core of the transformer during both the power transfer mode and the reset mode. The power stage control logic may be configured to regulate the output of the power stage circuit based on the pulses and to prevent the core of the transformer from saturating based on the flux density information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Hall Coley, Charles Edward Hawkes, Kurk David Mathews
  • Patent number: 8068354
    Abstract: A current-level controlling device for a power supply includes a reception end for receiving a current sense signal, a reference voltage generator for generating a reference voltage, an adaptive reference voltage generator, coupled to the reference voltage generator and the reception end, for adjusting the reference voltage according to variation of peak values of the current sense signal, so as to generate an adaptive reference voltage, a comparator, coupled to the reception end and the adaptive reference voltage generator, for comparing the current sense signal and the adaptive reference voltage, to generate a comparison result, and a control unit, coupled to the comparator, for controlling a switch transistor of the power supply according to the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Grenergy Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Yen-Hui Wang, Chi-Hao Wu, Chia-Chieh Hung, Chin-Yen Lin
  • Publication number: 20110285320
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, there is disclosed a power supply that comprises a rectifier for receiving an alternating current, a boost circuit coupled to the rectifier and receiving the rectified alternating current, and a processor coupled to the boost circuit. The processor is operable to control the operation of the boost circuit. The processor is operable to control the boost circuit to provide a constant, regulated current to a load by controlling the voltage at the output of the boost circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: James KUSTRA