By Pulse Modulation Technique (e.g., Pwm, Ppm, Etc.) Patents (Class 363/41)
  • Patent number: 9608461
    Abstract: A battery pack cooling and charging device includes a charging module for a battery pack, a cooling fan, a power source module and a cooling fan control module. The cooling fan control module is capable of controlling the cooling fan for cooling and is connected with the cooling fan. During the charging operation, a rotational speed of the cooling fan for cooling the battery pack and a charging module is changed by detecting parameters such as fan operation time, a battery pack internal resistance, a charging module temperature, and a battery pack voltage. The rotational speed of the cooling fan is reasonably adjusted, thus noise of the cooling fan is reduced and energy consumption is reduced according to different phases of the charging process by regarding one parameter or combinations of parameters as conditions for changing the rotational speed of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Chevron (HK) Limited
    Inventors: Ming Chen, Junya Duan, Xiaohong Lin
  • Patent number: 9606022
    Abstract: Diagnosing equipment coupled to a generator. A condition of the equipment is diagnosed based on information provided by signals from a generator operationally connected to the equipment or other signals associated with an engine. Different types of degradation are distinguished based on discerning characteristics within the information. Thus, a degraded equipment component can be identified in a manner that reduces service induced delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kumar, Somakumar Ramachandrapanicker, Paul Flynn, Arijit Banerjee, Rupam Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 9595862
    Abstract: A system comprises a first T-type inverter and a second T-type inverter connected to a dc power source and a first winding of a transformer, wherein the second T-type inverter is configured to operate with a first phase shift from the first T-type inverter, a third T-type inverter and a fourth T-type inverter connected to the dc power source and a second winding of the transformer, wherein the fourth T-type inverter is configured to operate with a second phase shift from the third T-type inverter and a fifth T-type inverter and a sixth T-type inverter connected to the dc power source and a third winding of the transformer, wherein the sixth T-type inverter is configured to operate with a third phase shift from the fifth T-type inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dianbo Fu, Yunfeng Liu
  • Patent number: 9577547
    Abstract: A power conversion device converts three-phase AC power into DC power by two-arm PWM modulation control and includes a main circuit that is constituted by a plurality of switching elements that are bridge-connected therein; a voltage-command generation unit that generates a voltage command value for the main circuit; a current detection unit that detects at least one of output currents of the main circuit; a power-factor calculation unit that calculates a power factor on the basis of the output current and the voltage command value; a carrier-signal generation unit that generates a carrier signal of a frequency corresponding to the power factor; and a PWM-signal generation unit 6 that compares the voltage command value and the carrier signal to generate a PWM signal that executes switching control on the switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Taira
  • Patent number: 9555711
    Abstract: A power converter includes a first set of transistors electrically connected in series, a second set of transistors electrically connected in series, and an AC link. The second set of transistors is electrically connected in parallel with the first set of transistors to form an H-bridge. The AC link is electrically connected between the first and second sets of transistors. A plurality of H-bridges are connected in parallel and a three-wire DC bus is electrically connected to the H-bridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Adam M. White, Mustansir Kheraluwala, Richard A. Himmelmann
  • Patent number: 9543868
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a first control unit performs current-feedback control, and a second control unit performs torque-feedback control. The torque-feedback control samples values of each output current at phases. The sampled values of each output current at the phases are referred to as phase-related sampled values of the corresponding output current. The apparatus causes the second control unit to sample values of each output current at the predetermined phases while the first control unit is performing the current-feedback control when switching the current-feedback control to the torque-feedback control. The second control unit uses the values of each output current sampled by the first control unit as the phase-related sampled values of the corresponding output current to start the torque-feedback control when the current-feedback control is switched to the torque-feedback control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidekazu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9525411
    Abstract: An embodiment of a power supply circuit to generate a supply voltage for a gate driver circuit can include an isolated power supply circuit to receive a first voltage in a first isolated system and provide power to a cyclic charging power supply circuit, the cyclic charging power supply circuit providing a supply voltage to the gate driver circuit in a second isolated system, the isolated power supply circuit providing the power to the cyclic charging power supply circuit while the gate driver circuit drives a transistor in an on state. The isolated power supply circuit can include a control circuit to regulate the power provided to maintain or increase the supply voltage while the gate driver circuit drives the transistor in an on state. The power supply circuit can also include the cyclic charging power supply circuit to receive a second voltage in the second isolated system and provide the supply voltage to the gate driver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth G. Richardson, Ryan Schnell
  • Patent number: 9515578
    Abstract: A control method to be implemented in a power converter, the power converter including an inverter module controlled by a control rule that makes it possible to determine a control voltage to be applied to an electrical load on the basis of a reference control voltage. The control method includes determining a correction value to be applied to the reference control voltage, the correction value being determined from a first filtered voltage obtained by filtering a voltage that is representative of the real measured voltage, and a second filtered voltage obtained by filtering a voltage that is representative of the reference control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER TOSHIBA INVERTER EUROPE SAS
    Inventors: Philippe Le Goualec, Francois Malrait, Patrice Ruault
  • Patent number: 9494138
    Abstract: A variable speed wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine comprises a generator, a power converter for converting at least a portion of electrical power generated by the generator, an energy management arrangement coupled to the power converter, the energy management arrangement comprises an energy storage unit, and a controller. The controller is adapted to detect a power imbalance event and to transfer at least a portion of excess electrical energy generated by the generator to the energy storage unit to be stored therein when the power imbalance event is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Amit Kumar Gupta, Gil Lampong Opina, Jr., Anshuman Tripathi, Yugarajan Karuppanan, Michael Casem Tumabcao
  • Patent number: 9478985
    Abstract: A method of providing electrical power using a split bus configuration includes receiving a first direct current at a positive bus of a split bus, where the first direct current originates from a first fuel cell segment. A second direct current is received at a negative bus of the split bus, where the second direct current originates from a second fuel cell segment. A third direct current is also received at the split bus such that a combined direct current is formed including the first direct current, the second direct current, and the third direct current. The third direct current originates from an alternative direct current (DC) source. The combined direct current is provided to an inverter such that an alternating current is generated for a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Watson Ballantine, Ramesh Srinivasan, Stuart Aaron, Peter Light, Josh Richman, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Chad Pearson
  • Patent number: 9413267
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for feeding an unbalanced, three-phase current into a three-phase AC voltage system, comprising the steps of: producing a positive phase-sequence system for the current to be fed in, producing a negative phase-sequence system for the current to be fed in, superimposing the positive phase-sequence system and the negative phase-sequence system to form the current to be fed in and feeding the current composed in this manner into the three-phase AC voltage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: WOBBEN PROPERTIES GMBH
    Inventor: Stephan Adloff
  • Patent number: 9397498
    Abstract: Some embodiments teach an electrical device configured to emulate a high frequency electrical noise signal on an electrical power line. The electrical power line is coupled to one or more electrical outlets and the electrical device configured to be coupled to one or more electrical appliances. The electrical device can include: (a) a monitoring module configured to detect usage of electrical power from the electrical power line by a first one of the one or more electrical appliances; (b) an emitter module configured to generate an emulated high frequency electrical noise signal, the emulated high frequency electrical noise signal emulates electrical noise from a switch mode power supply; (c) a first electrical coupling mechanism configured to couple to a first one of the one or more electrical outlets; and (d) a second coupling mechanism configured to couple to the first one of the one or more electrical appliances. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Belkin International, Inc.
    Inventors: Karthik Yogeeswaran, Charles Gillen-O'Neel, Jeffery Garb, Matthew S. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9385599
    Abstract: A converter circuit is described comprising a switch circuit configured to provide an output voltage, a control circuit comprising an analog control portion and a digital control portion and a noise generator configured to generate white noise, wherein the noise generator is configured to supply the generated white noise to the digital control portion of the control circuit and wherein the control circuit is configured to control the switch circuit based on the white noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventors: Andrea Congiu, Emanuele Bodano, Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 9379551
    Abstract: A line angle shift logic controller for use with a power generation system coupled to an electrical grid is disclosed. The line angle shift controller includes a line angle shift controller configured to receive a phase locked loop (PLL) error signal representative of a difference between a phase angle of the power generation system and a phase angle of the electrical grid, receive a threshold phase from the electrical grid, and generate a PLL shift signal based at least partially on the PLL error signal and the threshold phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Einar Vaughn Larsen
  • Patent number: 9350226
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power control driving device which includes a sine wave signal generating unit; a control signal converting unit configured to convert a sine wave from the sine wave signal generating unit into a multi-bit control signal; and a three-phase inverter circuit configured to output a voltage varied by the multi-bit control signal from the control signal converting unit. The control signal converting unit includes a multi-bit sigma-delta modulator configured to convert an analog sine wave into a digital signal. The three-phase inverter circuit includes a plurality of switch units, on-off states of the plurality of switch units being controlled according to the multi-bit control signal from the control signal converting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jaewon Nam, Minki Kim, Jimin Oh, Yil Suk Yang
  • Patent number: 9337748
    Abstract: In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an inverter circuit includes a direct current (DC)-to-DC power converter configured to receive an input energy from a device via a first input terminal and a second input terminal, where the DC-to-DC power converter is configured to convert a first portion of the input energy to a DC energy. The inverter circuit also includes an inverter stage coupled to an output of the DC-to-DC power converter, and is connected to the first input terminal of the DC-to-DC power converter and the second input terminal of the DC-to-DC power converter, where the inverter stage is configured to convert a second portion of the input energy to a first output energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Weifu Yu, Yi Tang
  • Patent number: 9335396
    Abstract: A sensor system includes a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor, a processor, measurement circuitry, stimulus circuitry and memory. The MEMS sensor is configured to provide an output responsive to physical displacement within the MEMS sensor to the measurement circuitry. The stimulus circuitry is configured to provide a stimulus signal to the MEMS sensor to cause a physical displacement within the MEMS sensor. The measurement circuitry is configured to process the output from the MEMS sensor and provide it to the processor. The processor is configured to generate stimulus signals and provide them to the stimulus circuitry for provision to the MEMS sensor. The processor is configured to monitor the output from the measurement circuitry corresponding to the physical displacement occurring in the MEMS sensor, calculate MEMS sensor characteristics based on the output, and update calibration values based on the output. Methods for monitoring and calibrating MEMS sensors are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Bruno Debeurre, Tehmoor M. Dar, Raimondo P. Sessego
  • Patent number: 9331564
    Abstract: For connecting a PV array via an inverter to an AC power grid, at first a DC link at the input side of the inverter is pre-charged from the AC power grid. A link voltage of the DC link is adjusted to a pre-set value with the inverter connected to the AC power grid, the pre-set value being lower than an open circuit voltage of the PV array, and then the PV array at its open circuit voltage is directly connected to the DC link, while the link voltage is continuously adjusted to the pre-set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventor: Reinhard Lehmann
  • Patent number: 9306394
    Abstract: A distributed load current sensing system being connected to a power input terminal that is connected to a main power trunk that has one or multiple load branches connected thereto is disclosed to include a power bus connected to the main power trunk, an active power filter connected to the power bus and a load current sensor device coupled with each load branch for sensing the load current of each load branch and providing the sensed signal to the active power filter so that the active power filter can generate a compensation signal accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SHUN-FU TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Yung-Sheng Huang, Shun-Hua Lee
  • Patent number: 9306474
    Abstract: A power conversion system mainly includes an input capacitor bank, a first conversion circuit, a second conversion circuit, and a control circuit. The input capacitor bank has a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The first capacitor and the second capacitor are connected to a neutral point and receive a DC input voltage. The first conversion circuit is connected in parallel to the input capacitor bank, and has a first branch, a second branch, and a first auxiliary branch. The second conversion circuit is connected in parallel to the input capacitor bank, and has a third branch, a fourth branch, and a second auxiliary branch. The control circuit produces a plurality of control signals to correspondingly control the first conversion circuit and the second conversion circuit so as to reduce leakage current caused by parasitic capacitance voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Hong-Yi Chen, Chen-Wei Ku, Wei-Lun Hsin
  • Patent number: 9294138
    Abstract: A bandpass filter includes a plurality of parallel paths, each receiving the input signal to the bandpass filter. Each path includes a first mixer, a low-pass filter, and a second mixer. The first mixer in each path is coupled to receive the input signal and mixes the input signal with a periodic mixer sequence having a period that is divided into a plurality of time slots. The mixer value is constant during each time slot. The low-pass filter in each path is operable to filter an output of the associated first mixer. The second mixer in each path is coupled to receive an output of the associated low-pass filter and mixes said filter output with a periodic mixer sequence having a period that is divided into a plurality of time slots, wherein again the mixer value is constant during each time slot. A summer sums the outputs of the second mixers of each of the paths to generate an output of the bandpass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Guolong Su, Arthur John Redfern
  • Patent number: 9287763
    Abstract: A duty cycle balance module (DCBM) for use with a switch mode power converter. One possible half-bridge converter embodiment includes a transformer driven to conduct current in first and second directions by first and second signals during and second half-cycles, respectively. A current limiting mechanism adjusts the duty cycles of the first and second signals when a sensed current exceeds a predetermined limit threshold. The DCBM receives signals representative of the duty cycles which would be used if there were no modification by the current limiting mechanism and signals Dact—1 and Dact—2 representative of the duty cycles that are actually used for the first and second signals, and outputs signals Dbl—1 and Dbl—2 which modify signals Dact—1 and Dact—2 as needed to dynamically balance the duty cycles of the first and second signals and thereby reduce flux imbalance in the transformer that might otherwise arise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global
    Inventors: Yingyang Ou, Renjian Xie, Huailiang Sheng
  • Patent number: 9276465
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes: a switching element that controlling supply of power supply voltage according to a control signal; a smoothing circuit smoothing the power supply voltage supplied via the switching element and supplying the smoothed power supply voltage as an output voltage to an output terminal; an error amplifier outputting an error signal according to a difference between the output voltage supplied to the output terminal and a reference voltage; a delta sigma modulation circuit generating a delta sigma modulation signal according to the error signal; and a power supply abnormality detection circuit outputting the delta sigma modulation signal as the control signal and detecting an abnormality in the power supply voltage based on the delta sigma modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Yuji Hidaka
  • Patent number: 9270201
    Abstract: An inverter device has an active ripple cancellation boost circuit being configured to a DC source from a plurality of solar cells and configured to filter an AC current ripple back to the DC source and boost the DC voltage to an intermediary 12-15 voltage range. The device has a wave shaper circuit comprising a phase shift zero voltage switching full bridge circuit and a rectifier energy recovery circuit, the phase shift zero voltage switching full bridge circuit configured to shape the DC source to a half wave rectified 120V to 240V waveform. The device has an analog mixed signal controller module configured to generate a PWM waveform and synchronize the rectified waveform to a grid voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Inventor: Suryanarayana Potharaju
  • Patent number: 9270168
    Abstract: A multi-level power converter system includes a multi-level power converter configured to synthesize at least three direct current (DC) voltages into an alternating current (AC) output voltage, and includes a plurality of transistors. A controller generates pulse-width modulation (PWM) signals used to control a state of the plurality of transistors of the multi-level converter by comparing first and second carrier signals to a reference signals, wherein a period of the first and second carrier signals is randomly varied from a nominal period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Michael White, Mustansir Kheraluwala, Steven A. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9263984
    Abstract: A high efficiency refrigerant compressor standby heating method reduces vibrations and noise in a bearing of the compressor. The compressor comprises a motor, an inverter, an inverter controller, and a bus voltage detector to detect a bus voltage of the inverter. The inverter controller includes a dormant refrigerant detector to detect a dormant state of refrigerant in the compressor, a high-frequency AC voltage generator to output a high-frequency AC voltage command, which is out of a range of an operating frequency when the compressor is running, to a coil of the motor on the basis of an output of the dormant refrigerant detector, an amplitude, and a phase. A pulse width modulation signal generator to cause the inverter to generate a high-frequency AC voltage by generating a signal on the basis of the output of the high-frequency AC voltage generator and the output of the bus voltage detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunori Hatakeyama, Kazunori Sakanobe, Shinya Matsushita, Tsutomu Makino
  • Patent number: 9246428
    Abstract: A vector control device includes a vector control unit computing an output voltage output from the electric power converter according to vector control based on torque command and flux command and generating a PWM signal for controlling the electric power converter based on the output voltage, a first flux-command generation unit generating a flux command for asynchronous PWM mode, and a second flux-command generation unit generating a flux command for synchronous PWM mode. When an output frequency of the electric power converter is lower than a predetermined value, a flux command generated by the first flux-command generation unit is input to the vector control unit, and when the output frequency of the electric power converter is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, a flux command generated by the second flux-command generation unit is input to the vector control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Yokozutsumi, Yuruki Okada, Hisanori Yamasaki, Sho Kato
  • Patent number: 9219417
    Abstract: A switching power supply device that can reduce power supply noise includes a switching power supply device main body that switches a semiconductor switching element at a power supply frequency fs, and supplies power to an electronic instrument such as an AM radio receiver. The switching power supply device detects an AM radio reception frequency fc and a power supply harmonic component that interferes with the AM radio reception frequency fc. Further, the switching power supply device determines, in a sideband of the AM radio reception frequency fc on a side that does not include the power supply harmonic component, a jitter width ?f for the power supply frequency fs, avoiding a bandwidth BW of the AM radio reception frequency fc, controlling the jitter of the power supply frequency fs in the jitter width ?f, and switching the semiconductor switching element at a frequency of [fs±?f/2].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Nishijima
  • Patent number: 9213380
    Abstract: Mapping computers and ports of power distribution units in a data center, the data center including a plurality of computers and a data center management server, each computer in the data center connected for power to one of a plurality of power distribution unit (‘PDU’) ports of a PDU, each PDU connected through the communications module and a data communications network to the data center management server, including generating, by a power modulating module of a computer, a power consumption signal in the PDU, the power consumption signal encoding a unique identification of the computer; demodulating, by the PDU, the power consumption signal, including retrieving from the signal the unique identification of the computer; and reporting, by the PDU to the data center management server, an association of the unique identification of the computer and a PDU port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Justin P. Bandholz, William J. Piazza, Philip L. Weinstein
  • Patent number: 9214883
    Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes an active compensatory augmented diode bridge rectifier system. According to one aspect, the system includes a generator unit configured to generate a current flow made up entirely of active current and a diode rectifier configured to receive the active current from the generator unit, to direct the active current to a connected power grid, and to receive a reactive current. The system further includes an active compensator configured to optimize the generator unit to produce the active current and to generate the reactive power used to facilitate the operation of the diode rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventors: Hongrae Kim, Jouko Niiranen, Jyoti Sastry
  • Patent number: 9201446
    Abstract: A microcontroller has a programmable timebase, wherein the timebase has a trigger input to start a timer or counter of the timebase and wherein the timebase can be configured to operate upon receiving a trigger signal in a first mode to generate a plurality of timer/counter event signals until a reset bit in a control register is set and in a second mode to generate a single timer/counter event signal and wherein the timebase can be configured to operate in a third mode to generate a predefined number of timer/counter event signals, wherein the predefined number is defined by a plurality of bits of a register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen Bowling, James Bartling
  • Patent number: 9170626
    Abstract: For one disclosed embodiment, a lower limit for a power consumption device may be identified. Performance of the power consumption device may be reduced in response to a determination that a temperature corresponding to the power consumption device exceeds a threshold. Performance reduction may be limited based on the lower limit. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Leslie E. Cline, Sitaram Yadavalli, Ishmael Santos, Jim Hermerding
  • Patent number: 9167718
    Abstract: A server system is disclosed. The server system comprises a motherboard and a server power system. The server power system comprises a power transmission interface, a power supply, a battery backup unit (BBU) and a signal transmission interface. The power supply converts an AC power into a DC power and then outputs the DC power to the motherboard via the power transmission interface. The BBU provides parallel or redundant power to the motherboard via the power transmission interface. The BBU and the power supply have the same size. The signal transmission interface is electrically connected to the motherboard, the power supply and the BBU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Quanta Computer Inc.
    Inventors: Maw-Zan Jau, Tzu-Hung Wang
  • Patent number: 9164133
    Abstract: A signal averaging circuit includes a plurality of switched weighted current sources to generate a total amount of charge. The total amount of charge is representative of a weighted sum of a plurality of input signal samples during an active period of a read enable signal. A timing control signal generator is coupled to receive an input signal and the read enable signal and sequentially switch the plurality of switched weighted current sources to adjust the total amount of charge in response to the input signal during the active period of the read enable signal. A storage circuit is coupled to the plurality of switched weighted current sources to convert the total amount of charge into a voltage representative of an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: William M. Polivka
  • Patent number: 9157945
    Abstract: A multi-mass resonator and a common-mode detection circuit are provided. The common-mode detection circuit, for example, may include a plurality of sensing electrodes, an interface circuit configured to interface with the plurality of sensing electrodes, and a common-mode capacitance extractor circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the interface circuit and configured to detect common-mode capacitance between the plurality of sensing electrodes and output a voltage representative the detected common-mode capacitance, and a differential-mode capacitance extractor circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the interface circuit and configured to detect differential-mode capacitance between the plurality of sensing electrodes and output a voltage representative the detected differential-mode capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Keith L. Kraver, Deyou Fang, Mark E. Schlarmann
  • Patent number: 9143043
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of controlling a switched-mode power includes generating a feedback signal proportional to an output of the switched-mode power supply, and operating the switched-mode power supply in a normal mode. If the feedback signal crosses a first threshold, the switched-mode power operates in a second operating mode. In the first operating mode the pulse modulated signal is adjusted to regulate a feedback signal to a first signal level, and in the second operating mode, a dead-time of the pulse modulated signal is adjusted to signal to regulate a feedback signal to a second signal level different from the first signal level. The method further includes driving a switch of the switched-mode power supply with the pulse modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Guoxing Zhang, Mingping Mao
  • Patent number: 9142956
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to a multilevel power converter the includes a DC power supply assembly having a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a zero terminal; a first semiconductor switch series circuit composed of first through sixth semiconductor switches connected in series between the positive terminal and the negative terminal. The converter can include a second semiconductor switch series circuit composed of a first bidirectional switch, seventh and eighth semiconductor switches, and a second bidirectional switch connected in series between the connection point of the first and second semiconductor switches and the connection point of the fifth and sixth semiconductor switches, a first capacitor connected in parallel with a series circuit of the third and fourth semiconductor switches and a second capacitor connected in parallel with the second semiconductor switch series circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Makoto Yatsu
  • Patent number: 9130475
    Abstract: A switched-mode power supply (SMPS), capable of catching radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI) and using its energy, includes a specific component, an antenna, a rectifier, and an energy storage capacitor or a rechargeable battery. The specific component generates radiated EMI. The antenna is disposed on or embedded in the specific component, and the frequency range of the antenna corresponds to the frequency band of the radiated EMI generated by the specific component. The rectifier is electrically connected with a terminal of the antenna. The energy storage capacitor or the rechargeable battery is electrically connected with the rectifier. The SMPS may simplify the design of circuits for suppressing radiated EMI to reduce cost, and to achieve the purpose of power saving by recycling and reuse of dissipated energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Top Victory Investment Ltd.
    Inventors: Li-Wei Lin, Chen-Chiang Lee
  • Patent number: 9124210
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes: a PWM rectifier; an inverter; a detection unit for detecting an AC voltage value of the PWM rectifier; a calculation unit for calculating a power supply voltage phase; a detection unit for detecting an AC current value of the PWM rectifier; a current loop control unit for generating an AC voltage command to control a power conversion operation of the PWM rectifier; a current loop saturation state determination unit for determining to be in a current loop saturation state when a magnitude of the AC voltage command is equal to or larger than a predetermined voltage prescribed value; an operation determination unit for determining whether the PWM rectifier is in a powering operation or in a regenerative operation and a power failure determination unit for determining a presence or absence of a power failure at the AC power supply side from the determination results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenta Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9123467
    Abstract: An apparatus for switch wear leveling includes a switching module that controls switching for two or more pairs of switches in a switching power converter. The switching module controls switches based on a duty cycle control technique and closes and opens each switch in a switching sequence. The pairs of switches connect to a positive and negative terminal of a DC voltage source. For a first switching sequence a first switch of a pair of switches has a higher switching power loss than a second switch of the pair of switches. The apparatus includes a switch rotation module that changes the switching sequence of the two or more pairs of switches from the first switching sequence to a second switching sequence. The second switch of a pair of switches has a higher switching power loss than the first switch of the pair of switches during the second switching sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Utah State University
    Inventors: Hunter Wu, Kylee Sealy, Aaron Gilchrist
  • Patent number: 9093944
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling an inverter, the method including, calculating the number of PWM pulses from a current frequency of the inverter, compensating the number of PWM pulses using a predetermined number of pulses when the number of PWM pulses is less than the predetermined number of pulses, and calculating a new frequency of the inverter using the compensated number of PWM pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: LSIS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hee Sun Kim
  • Patent number: 9088209
    Abstract: A parasitic power supply derives power from its proximity to an electrical power conductor. The power supply includes a transformer having a coil disposed on a core structured to be disposed parallel to the power conductor. The coil has a voltage induced by current flowing in the power conductor. A voltage regulating circuit cooperates with the transformer and includes a capacitor having a voltage, a charge switch structured to charge the capacitor from the coil voltage, a bootstrap circuit structured to enable the charge switch to charge the capacitor when the capacitor voltage is below a first predetermined value, a charge controller structured to enable the charge switch to charge the capacitor when the capacitor voltage is below a second predetermined value, and a voltage regulator powered by the capacitor voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: EATON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark A. Juds, Edward T. Gisske, Naresh K. Kodela, Xin Zhou, Jayasuriya R
  • Patent number: 9071149
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter generates PWM signals PWM1H, PWM1L on the basis of a reference signal CLK1 to drive switching elements connected in series. When generating a reset signal RST, the converter generates PWM signals PWM2H, PWM2L on the basis of the reset signal RST. When generating no reset signal, the converter generates the PWM signals PWM2H, PWM2L on the basis of a reference signal CLK2 in order to drive other switching elements connected in series. The converter generates the reset signal RST at an optional timing to the reference signal CLK1. The reference signal CLK2 is brought forward from the reference signal CLK1 by ?T1. The PWM signals PWM1H, PWM1L are different in timing from the PWM signals PWM2H, PWM2L. This makes it possible to avoid the switching elements diagonally arranged from being simultaneously turned on and off, and suppress a switching loss, and to increase an efficiency of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kinjou, Keiji Shigeoka, Yuji Hayashi, Kenji Tomita, Kimikazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9069293
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, a magnetic roller opposed to the developing roller so as to form a magnetic brush, a high voltage power supply including a transformer having secondary side outputs one of which is connected to the developing roller while the other output is connected to the magnetic roller, so as to apply AC voltages to the developing roller and the magnetic roller, a detection portion for detecting occurrence of discharge between the developing roller and the photoreceptor drum, a restriction portion for restricting movement of toner from the magnetic roller to the developing roller, and a moving portion configured to move the restriction portion in discharge start voltage detection mode so as to restrict toner movement to the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kensuke Fujihara
  • Patent number: 9065333
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes: an inductor provided between a power input node and a power output node; a plurality of switching elements which switch an input route of a power toward the inductor and a discharge route of the power from the inductor; a first pulse generation circuit which generates a first pulse based on a feed-back signal according to an output of the output node; a second pulse generation circuit which generates a second pulse having a second frequency being equal to or higher than a first frequency set as an upper limit of a human audible frequency band; a driver which drives the switching element based on one of the first pulse and the second pulse; and a control circuit which supplies the first pulse or the second pulse to the driver based on a load state of a load coupled to the output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Mitsuo Saeki
  • Patent number: 9065290
    Abstract: A system and method of use of a three-phase inverter driver includes three single-phase inverters that are connected to the three-phase AC input of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) so that each of the single-phase inverters provide one of the three phases of the AC signal used by the EVSE. The single-phase inverters are rectified and either have variance in their output frequencies or have their phases staggered so that the maximum voltage provided to the EVSE remains at a consistently high level. In some cases, the three phases each cross polarity simultaneously, resulting in a drop in the maximum three-phase voltage, so low-capacity capacitors are used in conjunction with the inverters to bridge these gaps in voltage. These systems and methods use readily available, inexpensive components that have regulatory safety-approval and therefore may allow implementation on a vehicle or with a load leveling energy storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Green Charge Networks LLC
    Inventor: Stephen R. Taddeo
  • Patent number: 9054614
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to control a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, which accurately detect driving current. To this end, the BLDC motor control apparatus includes a BLDC motor, a driver to generate driving current to drive the BLDC motor, a current measurer to measure the driving current, a pulse width modulator to change a driving voltage to drive the BLDC motor; and a controller to control the BLDC motor. The controller detects the amount of the driving current in synchronization with pulse width modulation of the pulse width modulator and determines current with a minimum change due to a variation of counter electromotive force, among currents flowing through a plurality of coils, as the driving current, thereby accurately detecting the driving current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang Hyun Roh
  • Patent number: 9048755
    Abstract: The present techniques include methods and systems for operating an inverter to maintain a lifespan of the inverter. In some embodiments, the switching frequency and/or the output current of the inverter may be changed such that stress may be reduced on the inverter bond wires of the inverter. More specifically, embodiments involve calculating the aging parameters for certain operating conditions of the inverter and determining whether the operating conditions result in aging the inverter to a point which reduces the inverter lifespan below a desired lifespan. If the operating conditions reduce the inverter lifespan below the desired lifespan, the switching frequency may be reduced to a lower or minimum switching frequency of the inverter and/or the output current of the inverter may be reduced to a maximum output current at the minimum switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lixiang Wei, Richard A. Lukaszewski, Russel J. Kerkman
  • Patent number: 9048754
    Abstract: The system for offsetting the input voltage unbalance in multilevel inverters or the like comprises a control unit operatively associated with a multilevel inverter for converting direct current into alternate current, the control unit being suitable for piloting the multilevel inverter for generating an output current depending on a reference current, and an equalization unit for equalizing the input voltages of the multilevel inverter having first generation means of a harmonic component of order equal to the reference current, out of phase with respect to the fundamental component of the reference current, detection means of the unbalance of the input voltages to the multilevel inverter, regulation means of the amplitude of the harmonic component depending on the detected unbalance, for offsetting the unbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: METASYSTEM ENERGY S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alessandro Revelant, Piero Stocco, Roberto Petrella, Nicola Buonocunto, Giorgio Maldini
  • Publication number: 20150138838
    Abstract: A circuit for use in a switched mode power supply comprising includes an integrated circuit, a transformer, a capacitor, a low voltage circuit and a current limiting resistor. The IC jitters the switching frequency of the switch based on a bias voltage of the integrated circuit. The IC also includes a current source configured to supply current for operation of the switching regulator when insufficient current is available from the bias input pin. The transformer includes primary, secondary and auxiliary windings. The primary winding receives a rectified line voltage and is coupled to the switch. The capacitor is coupled between the bias input pin and ground. The low voltage circuit is coupled to the auxiliary winding, and provides current to the bias input pin. The current limiting resistor limits current produced by the low voltage circuit to less than that required for operation of the IC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas G. Block, Matt E. Kraus