Including An A.c.-d.c.-a.c. Converter Patents (Class 363/34)
  • Patent number: 8120306
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for operation of a voltage source inverter. A method of operating a voltage source inverter having an output with multiple voltage phases having a DC voltage level, the method comprising sensing a low output frequency condition; determining a DC voltage offset responsive to the low output frequency condition; and applying the DC voltage offset when operating the voltage source inverter resulting in a change to the DC voltage level of the multiple voltage phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sibaprasad Chakrabarti, Rajkumar Copparapu
  • Patent number: 8115444
    Abstract: A motor drive circuit has a converter for coupling to an AC voltage source and an inverter coupled to the converter for providing a drive current for a motor. A common mode circulation loop is coupled to the converter and to the inverter, and circulates common mode current from both the converter and the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Sukumar De, Kamalesh Hatua, Milan M R Rajne
  • Patent number: 8102682
    Abstract: A circuit 1 for controlling the supply of electrical power to an induction coil 2, in particular to an induction coil 2 for heating a shrink attachment for tools, comprises a rectifier 3, having an input 3a, 3b, 3c for feeding an input power, and a rectifier output. The circuit 1 furthermore comprises an inverter 5 for putting out an AC-voltage, having an input and an inverter output 5a, 5b for connecting the induction coil 2, an intermediary circuit 4 for connecting the rectifier 3 with the inverter 5, and a regulation unit for regulating the power supplied to the induction coil 2. A measurement apparatus 6 for measuring a voltage A2 as an input variable for the regulation unit is connected to the output side of the inverter 5. A respective method for regulating the power supplied to the induction coil 2 comprises a regulation step, in which the current A2 supplied to the induction coil 2 is used as an input variable for the regulation of the power supplied to the induction coil 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Franz Haimer Maschinebau KG
    Inventors: Franz Haimer, Ji{hacek over (r)}i Fo{hacek over (r)}t
  • Patent number: 8102066
    Abstract: In an inverter generator, having a generator unit driven by an internal combustion engine whose throttle valve is moved by an actuator and generates alternating current, and an inverter that converts converted direct current to alternating current with switching elements to supply to an electrical load, voltage and current supplied to the electrical load is detected, a power factor is calculated from the detected voltage and the current, a power of the load is estimated from the detected current and the calculated power factor. Then a desired speed of the engine is determined based on the estimated power of the load, and the actuator is controlled such that an engine speed becomes equal to the desired engine speed, thereby improving the response of engine speed control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Hashimoto, Kazufumi Muronoi
  • Publication number: 20120001435
    Abstract: The present invention relates to electricity generating equipment, particularly off-shore generators for generating electricity from tidal streams, marine currents or wave motion. In a generator (101) according to one embodiment, each three-phase set (113) of three coils (109) is connected to a separate rectifier (121), the output of which is subsequently inverted to produce a substantially constant-voltage, constant-frequency AC output, for onward transmission and/or direct connection with the outputs of other similar generators (101), or the grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Colin Richard Pearce, Justin Nicholas Farrelly
  • Patent number: 8084952
    Abstract: The invention discloses a method and system to detect zero current conditions in a buck inductor by monitoring the voltage across the buck inductor. Once zero current and voltage conditions are present, an inverter circuit changes the operational state, i.e. conducting or non-conducting, of the switching transistors driving the lamps to reduce power loss associated with changing the operational state of switching transistors when under a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc
    Inventors: Yu Shiwei, Gao Qin, Guo Sui
  • Publication number: 20110310640
    Abstract: This invention relates to a kind of LLC resonant converter for full input voltage range and its control method, and belongs to LLC resonant power conversion field. The technical solution: the current type main tank current sampler test the main tank current signal of the LLC resonant conversion circuit, and its output signal passes a rectifier then to be sent into the main tank energy quantifier connected to it. In the bus voltage range from 5% Vmax to Vmax, the main tank energy quantifier can count the remained LLC resonant main tank energy corresponding to measuring the bus transient voltage, and output a stable energy wave Vo, and if the remained LLC resonant energy falls down to a given energy value, the energy comparator output control signal and the controller controls the electronic switch device turning off, and the corresponding electronic switch gains a ZVS in the next half working period of LLC resonant converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventor: Shunzhu Tao
  • Patent number: 8081019
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a compensation signal for a power converter where the second harmonic ripple on the voltage bus is substantially removed from the compensation signal. The apparatus comprises a frequency-locked clock generator, a bus voltage data generator, a stack, and a compensation signal generator. The frequency-locked clock is coupled to the power converter voltage bus that contains harmonics of the AC line frequency. The clock generator frequency locks to the second harmonic of the AC line frequency and creates a system clock which is used for the synchronous operations throughout the apparatus. The bus-voltage data generator inputs a power converter scaled-bus voltage, generates bus-voltage data at a sampling rate which is determined by the coupled system clock. The output of the bus-voltage generator is input into a stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventor: Aaron Jungreis
  • Publication number: 20110305049
    Abstract: A phase-controlled power supply is disclosed. The power supply includes a power conditioner with an input configured to connect to an external source of electrical power, the power conditioner being configured to provide conditioned power on its output. The power supply also includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and a switching module coupled between the output of the power conditioner and to the primary winding of the transformer. The switching module has two modes of operation and a control signal input configured to accept a first control signal. The switching module includes a switching element configured to connect the power conditioner output to the primary winding of the transformer. The switching module operates in the first mode when the first control signal is in a first state, switching the first switching element at a first frequency and first duty cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: CareFusion 303, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Raptis, Jeff Gray, Dugan Joyce, Albert Dibelka, Alex Mueggenborg
  • Patent number: 8076896
    Abstract: An inverter controller comprising an AC motor as a load. A rectifying circuit converts AC power from an AC power source into DC power. A smoothing capacitor smoothens a DC voltage from the rectifying circuit. An inverter circuit converts DC power supplied via the smoothing capacitor into a desired frequency. A current detection circuit detects a output current of the inverter circuit. A voltage detection circuit detects a terminal voltage (Vpn) of the smoothing capacitor. A voltage command calculation circuit calculates a voltage command to the AC motor. A speed command calculation circuit calculates a speed command to be used when it is determined that the AC power source is in a power failure state or when the terminal voltage (Vpn) reaches a certain value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Nonaka, Masaki Nakai
  • Publication number: 20110299307
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply apparatus includes a cooler cooling a converter/chopper circuit and a cooler cooling a PWM inverter. The converter/chopper circuit and the cooler make up one integrated unit. Accordingly, a smaller apparatus can be achieved, compared with a conventional apparatus in which a cooler is provided for each of a converter and a chopper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUS. SYS. CORP.
    Inventors: Eduardo Kazuhide Sato, Masahiro Kinoshita, Yushin Yamamoto, Tatsuaki Amboh
  • Patent number: 8072305
    Abstract: Primary and secondary coils are provided in the first through section and a coil group is also provided in the second through section. Hence, the surface area over which the coil group extends within a plane which is perpendicular to the through sections is greater than in the case where all of the coils are provided in a single through section. The surface area which is not covered by the magnetic body cores of the platelike members increases. In cases where the surface area of the members is large, the heat radiation characteristic is enhanced. Hence, the cooling efficiency of the transformer improves. In cases where there is a plurality of coil groups which are magnetically coupled to one another in particular, because it is difficult to move the heat produced in the plurality of coil groups through heat conduction, heat transfer, or heat radiation, a heat radiation structure of this kind is effective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Wataru Nakahori
  • Publication number: 20110278938
    Abstract: A DC/AC converter incorporates at least one Magistor module having a first sp control switch, a second sz control switch and a third sm control switch. An AC source is connected to an input of the at least one Magistor module. A switch controller connected to the first sp control switch, second sz control switch and third sm control switch to and provides pulse width modulation (PWM) activation of the switches for controlled voltage at an output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: MAGISTOR TECHNOLOGIES, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Patrick J. McCleer
  • Patent number: 8049444
    Abstract: A soft-start circuit includes a power source, a switch, a capacitor and a regeneration brake circuit. The regeneration brake circuit absorbs a return current. The regeneration brake circuit includes a resistor, a diode and a transistor. The resistor is connected between two poles of the power source via the transistor. The diode is connected between the resistor and the positive pole of the power source via the switch. The capacitor is connected between the negative pole of the diode and the transistor. The switch is connected between the negative pole of the diode and resistor. When the switch turns off, the power charges the capacitor via the resistor and the diode of the regeneration brake circuit. When the switch turns on, the return current turns the transistor on, and the resistor absorbs the return current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Foxnum Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun-Jong Chang
  • Patent number: 8045345
    Abstract: A detected DC voltage value estimation mechanism samples detected DC voltage values at specific intervals of a period T, stores detected DC voltage values Vn to Vn?m detected at a present time tn up to a sampling time tn?m which is m sampling cycles (m?1) before the present time tn, and calculates a DC voltage estimation value Vn+1 at a next time tn+1 using the detected DC voltage values Vn to Vn?m, expressing a curve connecting the voltage values Vn to Vn?m by a specific function. An output voltage control into which the DC voltage estimation value Vn+1 is input corrects an output voltage command value and outputs the corrected output voltage command value to a power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Kono
  • Patent number: 8026673
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for simulating resistive loads, and facilitating series, parallel, and/or series-parallel connections of multiple loads to draw operating power. Current-to-voltage characteristics of loads are altered in a predetermined manner so as to facilitate a predictable and/or desirable behavior of multiple loads drawing power from a power source. Exemplary loads include LED-based light sources and LED-based lighting units. Altered current-to-voltage characteristics may cause a load to appear as a substantially linear or resistive element to the power source, at least over some operating range. In connections of multiple such loads, the voltage across each load is relatively more predictable. In one example, a series connection of multiple loads with altered current-to-voltage characteristics may be operated from a line voltage without requiring a transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Ihor A. Lys
  • Patent number: 8026679
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes: first and second rotary electric machines; a matrix converter connecting the first and second rotary electric machines to each other to provide AC to AC power conversion between both the rotary electric machines; a battery connected to an electrical path branched off between the matrix converter and the second rotary electric motor; an inverter interposed among the battery, the matrix converter and the second rotary electric machine to convert AC power to DC power and vice versa; and a controller. The controller activates the first rotary electric machine with power fed from the battery and restrains the change in torque output of the second rotary electric machine at the activation of the first rotary electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhide Seo, Ryuichiro Amano, Kei Yonemori
  • Patent number: 8022802
    Abstract: Sensor for measuring electrical parameters in a high voltage environment comprising a high voltage side (4) for connection to high voltage conductors, a low voltage side (6) for connection to low voltage power supply and measurement signal control circuitry, a measurement signal circuit (16), and a power supply circuit (14), and at least one isolating transformer (18, 20) for transmission of electrical power supply and/or measurement signals between the low voltage side and the high voltage side. The isolating transformer comprises at least a first and a second transformer core (28), a transformer coil (33) on a circuit board around a branch (27) of the transformer core on the high voltage side and a transformer coil (32) on a circuit board around a branch (29) of the transformer core on the low voltage side, the isolating transformer further comprising an intermediate coil (36) encircling at least one branch of each said at least two transformer cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Liaisons Electroniques-Mecaniques LEM SA
    Inventors: Marc Schaerrer, Wolfram Teppan
  • Patent number: 8014110
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a variable speed drive to receive an input AC power at a fixed AC input voltage and frequency and provide an output AC power at a variable voltage and variable frequency. The variable speed drive includes a converter stage to convert the input AC voltage to a boosted DC voltage, a DC link connected to the converter stage to filter and store the boosted DC voltage from the converter stage; and an inverter stage to convert the boosted DC voltage into AC power with variable voltage and the variable frequency. An integral bypass contactor is connected in parallel with the VSD between the AC power source and the AC output power. The integral bypass contactor is arranged to bypass the VSD when the VSD output frequency and voltage are approximately equal with the AC input voltage and frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Harold R. Schnetzka, Ivan Jadric
  • Patent number: 8013555
    Abstract: A drive system for operation of a tap changer for voltage regulation of a transformer on load. An electric motor is connectible to a movable part of the tap changer for moving the movable part for carrying out a tap change operation. An electric converter connects an electric power supply to the electric motor. A control arrangement is adapted to control the electric converter for controlling the operation of the motor and by that of the tap changer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Christer Thornell-Pers
  • Patent number: 8010823
    Abstract: An architecture for a power supply with an integrated UPS control system to which generic batteries may be connected. Such an architecture greatly reduces the overall cost, complexity, size and inefficiency of providing uninterruptible power to a device such as a computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc.
    Inventor: Daryl G. Sartain
  • Patent number: 8008886
    Abstract: A power converter is provided with a rectifying circuit, an inverter circuit, and a common mode filter including a common mode choke coil and a capacitor. The switching frequency of a PWM rectifying circuit is set at three times the switching frequency of a PWM inverter. Alternatively, the resonance frequency of the common mode filter is set at twice the carrier frequency of the rectifying circuit or the PWM inverter circuit or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Reiji Kawashima, Yoshitsugu Koyama
  • Patent number: 8008895
    Abstract: A static exciter system (20) for the field winding (17) of a generator (16) which is connected to a grid system via a busbar (19) includes a first device (12, 18, 21) for production of a DC voltage, which is connected to the field winding (17) and together with the field winding (17) form an exciter circuit, as well as a second device (23; 29, C1, . . . , C3) for emission of electrical energy, which second device (23; 29, C1, . . . , C3) briefly feeds additional energy into the exciter circuit when required. An exciter system such as this results in the capability to briefly increase the excitation in a simple, functionally reliable and space-saving manner, by inserting a forward-biased diode (22) into the exciter circuit, and by the capability to connect the second device (23) to the diode (22), in the reverse-bias direction, in order to feed the energy into the exciter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Reinhard Joho
  • Patent number: 7990097
    Abstract: Power conversion systems and methods are presented for damping common mode resonance, in which inverter or rectifier switching control signals are selectively modified according to a damping resistance current value computed using a predetermined virtual damping resistance value in parallel with an output or input capacitor and a measured output or input voltage value to mitigate or reduce common mode resonance in the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhongyuan Cheng, Navid Zargari, Yuan Xiao, Manish Pande
  • Publication number: 20110176340
    Abstract: A voltage control rate of an inverter has a DC component and an AC component. This AC component has a frequency which is six times a fundamental frequency of an AC voltage outputted by the inverter. Even when there are not only a fifth-order harmonic component but also a seventh-order harmonic component of a load current, a ratio between the magnitude of the AC component and the DC component can be appropriately set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventor: Kenichi Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 7983060
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the idle current requirement of a base frequency clocked supply side converter (1) on idle and with low motor loads, provided with controllable semiconductors (T1,T2,T3,T4, T5,T6), wherein the base frequency clocking of the semiconductor switches (T1,T2,T3,T4,T5,T6) occurs depending on the desired direction of flow of power. A converter (1) for carrying out said method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Norbert Benesch
  • Patent number: 7977819
    Abstract: Provided is a power converter having an inverter (13) wherein capacitors (12) are connected in parallel on a direct current side, and a power supply circuit configured to supply the inverter with a direct current from a power supply (1) and a power storage element (14). A controller using such power converter is also provided for electric rolling stocks. The power supply circuit is provided with a power supply switch (S1) arranged between the power supply and the inverter, a DC-to-DC converter (15A) arranged between the power storage element and the inverter, and a bypass switch (S2) arranged between the power storage element and the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Publication number: 20110149617
    Abstract: Provided is an AC/AC conversion power supply device including: n(n?2) rectification circuits (D1 to Dn) connected in series with respect to an AC input; n high-frequency switching circuits (SC1 to SCn) respectively connected to outputs of the rectification circuits (D1 to Dn); and n transformers (TR1 to TRn) each having a primary winding connected to the outputs of high-frequency switching circuits (SC1 to SCn). The transformers (TR1 to TRn) have secondary windings connected in parallel to one another through the rectification circuits (D1 to Dn) and an output switching circuit (SW) for converting the outputs into AC current. The high-frequency switching circuits (SC1 to SCn) include delay circuits (C14, R14; C24, R24) which can delay a waveform of the high-frequency switching signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: NITTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Guo-Hua Wang
  • Publication number: 20110141774
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improved VSDs are provided. One embodiment relates to an apparatus for common mode and differential mode filtering for motor or compressor bearing protection when operating with VSDs, including conducted EMI/RFI input power mains mitigation. Another embodiment relates to a method to extend the synchronous operation of an Active Converter to the AC mains voltage during complete line dropout. Another embodiment relates to an Active Converter-based Variable Speed Drive system with Improved Full Speed Efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
    Inventors: Ajit W. KANE, Ivan JADRIC, Shreesha ADIGA-MANOOR, Michael TODD, Konstantin BORISOV
  • Publication number: 20110141772
    Abstract: A resonance power generator is provided. The resonance power generator includes an alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) rectifier to rectify an input signal of an alternating voltage and an AC generator to generate an AC signal based on the rectified signal that is output from the AC/DC rectifier. The resonance power generator may also include, for example, a control unit to control a frequency of the AC signal, a filter unit to remove a spurious signal or a harmonic element included in the AC signal, a voltage/current amplifier to amplify the AC signal, and a source resonator to transmit a power to a target resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nam Yun Kim, Young Tack Hong, Sang Wook Kwon, Eun Seok Park, Young Ho Ryu
  • Patent number: 7957164
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power device including a converter part (2) for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage; an inverter part (3) for converting the DC voltage outputted from the converter part (2) to the AC voltage; and a transformer (4) having an inductance forming a series resonance circuit together with an electrostatic capacity of a load (20) to boost the AC voltage outputted from the inverter part (3). In the power device, an inductance (7) is connected to the output part of the inverter part (3) in parallel with the transformer (4). Thus, in a discharge part 6 provided in the load (20), since when a discharge is not generated, a recovery current is not supplied to a circulating current diode in the inverter part (3), or the quantity of the recovery current is reduced, the heat generation of the circulating current diode can be suppressed without increasing the number of elements of the circulating current diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kidokoro, Masato Matsubara, Akihiko Iwata, Hiroyasu Iwabuki, Akihiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7957135
    Abstract: A semiconductor module has switching semiconductor elements connected in parallel to each other and at least a free wheeling semiconductor element reversely connected in parallel to the switching semiconductor elements. The free wheeling semiconductor element is placed between the switching semiconductor elements. At both end parts of the semiconductor elements, each of the switching semiconductor elements is placed. A longitudinal side of each of the switching semiconductor elements and the free wheeling semiconductor element is placed in parallel to a short side of the semiconductor module. An electric-power conversion device has a plurality of arms. Each arm is composed of the semiconductor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Ohkouchi, Kuniaki Mamitsu
  • Patent number: 7952309
    Abstract: A rotating electrical machine control device includes an inverter; a resolver; a unit; a three-phase/two-phase modulation switching unit; and a motor control unit that switches to a two-phase modulation in a specific region where an electric noise given to the resolver by a rotating electrical machine is large, even in a region where the modulation ratio is smaller than the three-phase/two-phase modulation switching boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin A W Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Nishimura, Masuho Sakakibara, Yoshinari Nakagawa, Yoshinori Oono
  • Patent number: 7953993
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for a zero voltage processor sleep state. A voltage regulator may be coupled to a processor to provide an operating voltage to the processor. During a transition to a zero voltage power management state for the processor, the operational voltage applied to the processor by the voltage regulator may be reduced to approximately zero while an external voltage is continuously applied to a portion of the processor to save state variables of the processor during the zero voltage management power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jose Allarey, Sanjeev Jahagirdar
  • Patent number: 7948778
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes first and second parallel-connected uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), each including an AC/DC converter circuit and a DC/AC converter circuit having an input coupled to an output of the AC/DC converter circuit by a DC link, inputs of the AC/DC converter circuits of the first and second UPSs connected in common to an AC source and outputs of the DC/AC converter circuits of the first and second UPSs connected in common to a load. The first and second UPSs are configured to support a test mode wherein the first UPS is test loaded by transferring power from the output of the DC/AC converter circuit of the first UPS to the output of the DC/AC converter circuit of the second UPS. The first UPS may be configured to provide power to the load concurrent with test loading by the second UPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Hans-Erik Pfitzer, Rune Lennart Jonsson, John G. Tracy, Miguel E. Chavez, Frederick Tassitino, Jr., Jason S. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7944717
    Abstract: A converter section converts a three-phase ac input voltage into a dc voltage, and an inverter section converts the dc voltage converted by the converter section into a prescribed three-phase ac output voltage. The converter section converts the three-phase ac input voltage into the dc voltage on the basis of trapezoidal waveform voltage instruction signals from a trapezoidal waveform voltage instruction signal generating part and a carrier signal from a carrier signal generating part. The inverter section converts the dc voltage converted by the converter section 1 into a prescribed three-phase ac output voltage on the basis of an inverter section instruction signal corrected by an instruction signal correcting part. The trapezoidal waveform voltage instruction signal generating part generates sloped regions of the trapezoidal waveform voltage instruction signals by using a prescribed table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20110090719
    Abstract: System and method for providing isolated power to a component that is also subject a set of RF signals that includes at least a first RF signal having a first RF frequency is provided. There is included providing a DC voltage signal and modulating the DC voltage signal into an isolated power signal using an isolation transformer. The isolated power signal has an intermediate frequency that is higher than 60 Hz and lower than the first RF frequency. There is included supplying the DC voltage signal to the primary winding and obtaining the isolated power signal from the secondary winding; and delivering the isolated power to the component using the isolated power signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventor: Neil Benjamin
  • Patent number: 7929322
    Abstract: A voltage sag generator device for use in an electrical generator machine such as a wind turbine, connected to an electrical network including one to three parallel transformers connected on one side to the wind turbine via a coupling switch and circuit breakers, and earthed on the other side via circuit breakers and a control switch. The device includes mechanisms for causing short-circuits when the coupling switch and the control switch are actuated in such a way that a voltage sag having the required duration and type is generated, and mechanisms for protecting the transformers during voltage sag generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Gamesa Innovation & Technology, S.L.
    Inventors: Jose Ignacio Llorente Gonzalez, Miguel Linares Fano
  • Patent number: 7924134
    Abstract: A vehicular power converter includes switches and first and second inductive components. The first and second inductive components have substantially adjacent portions and are coupled to the plurality of switches such that when current flows from the plurality of switches and through the first and second inductive components, flux generated by the current flowing through the adjacent portions of the first and second inductive components and located between the adjacent portions is oriented in substantially opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Keming Chen
  • Patent number: 7906933
    Abstract: An induction motor drive includes a plurality of inverters, a changeover switch which changes over outputs of the plurality of inverters to be supplied to one induction motor and a changeover controller which controls the changeover switch on the basis of a failure detection signal of one inverter to change over from the one inverter to another inverter to start the other inverter so that the induction motor is driven. The changeover controller includes a frequency/phase detector which always detects a frequency and a phase of a terminal voltage of the induction motor and a starting frequency/phase setting device which controls a frequency and a phase at starting of the other inverter in accordance with detected values of the frequency/phase detector when the failure signal is inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Tan, Hirohisa Satomi, Shigetoshi Okamatsu, Koichi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7902767
    Abstract: An AC inverter circuit supplies power to multiple lamps in an LCD backlight. Conventional AC power is used as direct input into a full wave rectifier that converts the input from AC to a DC reference voltage. A transformer driver, including a chopper, converts the DC reference voltage to a higher voltage AC which drives a step up transformer to produce a voltage sufficient to drive as many as six fluorescent lamps. The components/circuitry associated with the transformer's primary windings is optically isolated from the rest of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Westinghouse Digital, LLC
    Inventors: Hing S. Tong, Shikuang Tan
  • Publication number: 20110038185
    Abstract: A variable frequency drive comprises a diode rectifier receiving multiphase AC power from a source and converting the AC power to DC power. An inverter receives DC power and converts the DC power to AC power to drive a load. A link circuit is connected between the diode rectifier and the inverter and comprises a DC bus to provide a relatively fixed DC voltage for the inverter. A bus capacitor is across the bus. A soft charge circuit limits inrush current to the bus capacitor. The soft charge circuit comprises an inductor connected between the source and the link circuit and a switch circuit in the link circuit for selectively providing a semiconverter configuration or a full bridge converter configuration to provide two stage charging of the bus capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Mahesh M. Swamy, Tsuneo Joe Kume
  • Patent number: 7881078
    Abstract: A device for transmitting electric power between alternating voltage networks includes converters interconnected by direct current lines and provided each with several six-pulse conversion bridges. The six-pulse conversion bridges of one same converter are capable of being connected to an alternating voltage network associated with the converters via inductances differently phase-shifted. A control unit is provided to energize the valves of the six-pulse conversion bridges. The device is more economical and the converters are interconnected by a plurality of direct current circuits, each direct current circuit being galvanically separated from at least an alternating voltage network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens AG
    Inventors: Marcos Pereira, Kadry Sadek
  • Patent number: 7876072
    Abstract: Industrial truck with a charger, an asynchronous machine and a three-phase AC control unit which converts a DC voltage of a battery for the asynchronous machine, the charger having a switching power supply which is connected to the three-phase AC control unit via a transformer, the switching power supply, the three-phase AC control unit and the transformer forming a resonant converter, which converts a mains voltage into a charging voltage for the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Jungheinrich Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christoph Weber, Frank Manken
  • Patent number: 7876064
    Abstract: An inverter for driving a motor includes one or more power stages for producing one or more power signals for energizing the motor, each power stage including first and second III-nitride based bi-directional switching devices connected in series between a DC voltage bus and ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Mario Battello, Stephen Oliver
  • Publication number: 20100328883
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power cell chamber for a drive system includes moveable and fixed portions. The moveable portion includes a rectifier stage to rectify an input signal received from a secondary winding of a transformer to provide a rectified signal and an inverter stage having a plurality of switching devices to receive a DC signal and output an AC signal. This moveable portion can be slidably adapted within a cabinet of the drive system. In turn, the fixed portion includes a DC link having at least one capacitor to receive the rectified signal and provide the DC signal to the inverter stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Enrique Ledezma, Thomas Keister, Mehdi Abolhassani, Ryan Edwards, Alex Skorcz, Randall Pipho, Srinivas Satumahanti
  • Publication number: 20100308584
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for power generation, and in particular a method and apparatus for the control of electrical power generation for use primarily with wind turbines. A method of electrical power generation is described including the steps of: receiving power in the form of alternating current; rectifying said alternating current power to direct current power; control said direct current power to produce controlled direct current power; and inverting said near constant direct current power to produce alternating current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: NEWCASTLE INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Colin Edward Coates, Alison Ruth MacReady, David Howe Wood
  • Patent number: 7830112
    Abstract: A method for operating a traction converter circuit for coupling to an electric DC voltage network is stated, where the traction converter circuit comprises a network converter, which network converter on the DC voltage side is connected with a DC voltage circuit, wherein the DC voltage circuit can be switched to the electric DC voltage network, a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein the network converter on the alternating voltage side is connected with the primary winding of the transformer, a converter unit, which converter unit on the alternating voltage side is connected with the secondary winding of the transformer and where the network converter is controlled by means of a predeterminable network converter control signal (SN) for the setting of the network converter alternating voltage (UG).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Peter Daehler, Beat Guggisberg
  • Publication number: 20100244721
    Abstract: A lighting ballast is programmable as to input and output parameters. Both operational characteristics and sensed data are used to control the ballast parameters. The ballast is configured to recapture as electrical energy heat produced by the lamp. The ballast is constructed in modular fashion with a power factor correction circuit module and a ballast control circuit module that snap together to achieve a large number of input voltage and lamp type variations with a small number of separate units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: HID Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Moshe Shloush, Gregory Davis
  • Patent number: 7804697
    Abstract: A history-independent and noise-immune modulated transformer-coupled gate control signaling method and apparatus provides robust design characteristics in switching power circuits having a transformer-coupled gate drive. A modulated control signal at a rate substantially higher than the switching circuit gate control rate is provided from the controller circuit to a demodulator via transformer coupling. Codes specified by relative timing of transitions in multiple periods of the modulated control are assigned to gate-on and gate-off timing events that control the switching transistor gate(s) and unassigned patterns are decoded as gate-off events, reducing the possibility that a switching transistor will be erroneously activated due to noise. The modulated signal is constructed so that signal history is not required for decoding, eliminating any requirement of a reference clock. Blanking may be employed to conserve power between codes and to avoid mis-triggering due to noise events during power switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Melanson