Semiconductor Type Patents (Class 363/53)
  • Patent number: 8363437
    Abstract: Owing to the property of bidirectional conduction under the saturation mode, synchronous rectifiers in conventional power converters usually suffer from a reverse current under light loads or a shoot-through current under heavy loads. The reverse current may degrade the converter efficiency and the shoot-through current may damage synchronous rectifiers. The present invention discloses a unidirectional metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (UMOS), which comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOS), a current detection circuit and a fast turn-off circuit. The current detection circuit detects the direction of the current flowing through the MOS. When a forward current is detected, the fast turn-off circuit is disabled and the channel of the MOS can be formed. When a reverse current is detected, the fast turn-off circuit is enabled and the channel of the MOS cannot be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: GlacialTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Liang Wang, Ching-Sheng Yu, Po-Tai Wong
  • Patent number: 8339818
    Abstract: A method and a device to compensate for an asymmetrical DC bias current in a multi-phase transformer. The transformer is connected between an AC power system and an AC/DC or DC/AC high voltage converter. For each phase of the AC side of the transformer a current quantity is determined. The current quantity reflects the time dependent behavior of the magnetizing current in the phase. Time intervals in the current quantity are determined during which the current quantity reaches a positive or a negative maximum, respectively. A DC magnetizing quantity is determined from a difference between the amplitude of the positive maximum and the amplitude of the negative maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventor: Lars-Erik Juhlin
  • Publication number: 20120294053
    Abstract: A method for protecting a converter device comprises the steps of: detecting an alternating current signal; when the alternating current signal is abnormal, generating an activating signal according to the abnormal alternating current signal; generating a control signal according to the activating signal; and controlling at least one synchronous rectifying power switch of the converter device according to the control signal. Furthermore, a converter device which implements the method is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao Yan, Yi-Qing YE, Chong-Feng ZHENG, Jian-Ping YING
  • Patent number: 8310371
    Abstract: A power supply protection device for an electric appliance includes a switching circuit for establishing an electrical connection to receive an external voltage from the external power supply and output the external voltage to the electric appliance, a detecting circuit for disabling the switch circuit to break the electrical connection when determining the external voltage is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and an alert circuit for generating an alert signal when the electrical connection is broken and outputting the alert signal to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lung Dai, Yong-Song Shi, Qiao-Lin Deng, Yong Xiong
  • Patent number: 8305783
    Abstract: An inrush current protection circuit for a polyphase alternating current power system may include a plurality of current limiting resistors, each of which is electrically coupled in series between a respective one of a plurality of phases of the polyphase alternating current power source and a respective input of a polyphase transformer rectifier unit. The circuit may also include a plurality of power switches, each of which is electrically coupled in parallel with a respective one of the current limiting resistors, such that when each of the power switches is closed, essentially no electrical current flows through the respective current limiting resistor. The circuit may also include a power switch controller configured to control each of the power switches to be open such that an inrush current passes through the respective current limiting resistor rather than the power switch, and to be closed after a time delay has passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Rizzo
  • Publication number: 20120268973
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power regulating apparatus, which is connected between an AC power and a load, for supplying the regulated AC power to the load. The power regulating apparatus includes a first regulating means provided to regulate the input AC power source when the AC power is at a normal power level, and a second regulating means provided to transmit an electric power to the load from a power storage means when the AC power is at a power level lower than the normal power level. Thus, the power regulating apparatus is capable of providing the load with an expected high quality electric power in all cases of AC power variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: TSAO-CHING TSAI, Shih-Wei Sun
  • Patent number: 8289736
    Abstract: An electric power transmission system includes at each end of a high voltage direct current transmission line including three conductors, a converter station for conversion of an alternating voltage into a direct voltage for transmitting direct current between the stations in all three conductors. Each station has a voltage source converter and an extra phase leg connected between the two pole conductors of the direct voltage side of the converter. A third of the conductors is connected to a midpoint between current valves of the extra phase leg. An arrangement is adapted to control the current valves of the extra phase leg to switch for connecting the third conductor either to the first pole conductor or the second pole conductor for utilizing the third conductor for conducting current between the stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Gunnar Asplund
  • Publication number: 20120228949
    Abstract: A DC electrical power system has a power generator converter system, a positive supply rail extending from the converter system, a negative supply rail extending from the converter system, and a midpoint earthing arrangement operatively connecting to the supply rails. The earthing arrangement is connected to earth by a solid earth connection. The network further has a first protective device on one of the supply rails which in case of a fault is operable to interrupt current flowing on that rail, and a second protective device on the earthing arrangement which in case of a fault is operable to interrupt current flowing to earth through the solid earth connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Patrick J. NORMAN, Stuart J. GALLOWAY, Graeme M. BURT
  • Patent number: 8242755
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a switch control device and a converter including the same. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the switch control device includes a PWM controller for forcing a power switch to turn on when the power switch is turned off during a predetermined period, a current sensor for determining whether a current flows through the power switch, and a conditional counter for determining that an input voltage is input to a power transmission element by using a sense result of the current sensor and a number of times that the PWM controller turns on the power switch by force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Bae Park, Hang-Seok Choi, Ki-Tae Kim
  • Publication number: 20120201059
    Abstract: A method, voltage source converter and computer program product for limiting the current in a DC power transmission system are disclosed. The voltage source converter has an AC side and a DC side and a fault current path between these sides. It furthermore includes a control unit and at least one switching unit of a first type provided in the fault current path and that includes a primary switching element together with an anti-parallel secondary controllable rectifying element. Based on a fault being detected in the DC power system when the primary switching elements of the converter are blocked, the control unit changes the control of the controllable rectifying element from acting as a non-controllable rectifying to acting as a controllable rectifying element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventors: Bertil Berggren, Staffan Norrga, Tomas U. Jonsson
  • Publication number: 20120201058
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for an improved high power density power adapter. On one potential embodiment, an improved power adapter includes an AC input; a rectifier coupled to the AC input; a power factor correction circuit coupled to the rectifier; and a burst switch circuit coupled to the power factor correction circuit. The burst switch circuit provides power to a DC output via a set of FET drivers, a set of FETs, and a transformer and may provides power exclusively in a burst mode using a feedback input from the DC output. The transformer may be composed of windings coupled to the set of FETs, and additional windings embedded in the PCB and coupled to the first winding. Certain windings may comprise a conductive ribbon that loops around a transformer core. Additional embodiments may include monitoring circuits and multiple outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventor: Lee Harrison
  • Patent number: 8237415
    Abstract: An output voltage monitoring circuit monitors an output voltage of a capacitor charging circuit. A first sample-and-hold circuit samples and holds a voltage of a connection point of a primary coil of a transformer and a switching transistor. A first monitoring comparator compares output of the first sample-and-hold circuit with a predetermined first reference voltage. When the output of the first sample-and-hold circuit exceeds the first reference voltage, a signal processor executes predetermined signal processing. The first sample-and-hold circuit starts a sampling period after a predetermined first time has elapsed after the switching transistor is turned OFF. When a voltage drop across a detection resistor reaches a third reference voltage, the first sample-and-hold circuit ends the sampling period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Iwasaki, Isao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8208275
    Abstract: A high-power modulation system includes drive circuitry that receives input signals from the signal source via a series of transformers. The drive circuitry amplifies the input signals and provides the resulting amplified signals to the high-power switch. The switch includes a series of stacked switching elements, each with a control terminal, first and second current-handling terminals, and feedback path extending between the first current-handling terminal and the control terminal. The feedback paths work in concert to turn the switches on and off together to prevent excessive voltage from developing across one or a subset of the switching elements. The feedback path includes a resistor that dampens the bandwidth of the feedback path to reduce turn-off and turn-on ringing and oscillation. The damping resistor may be coupled in series with a diode that holds charge against the control terminal of the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Polarity, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence W. Goins, Daniel Goluszek
  • Publication number: 20120139435
    Abstract: A method for controlling a voltage transformer for operating a switchable load having at least one inductance and a switch, which is activated by a digital control device. When the switch is closed, a magnetizing current flows through the inductance. When the switch is open, a demagnetizing current flows through the inductance. The method comprises the steps of measuring the demagnetizing time of the inductance and, when a maximum value of the demagnetizing time of the inductance is exceeded, storing such an ocurrence as a fault. The load is disconnected by the control device when a predetermined maximum frequency of faults is exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: OSRAM AG
    Inventor: Arwed Storm
  • Patent number: 8184457
    Abstract: A switch mode power supply (15) employs a rectifier (20), a converter (50) and converter driver (60). The rectifier (20) generates a rectified supply voltage (VRS) based on an in-line voltage (VLN), and the converter driver (60) generates one or more driving voltages (VDR) to facilitate a conversion by the converter (50) of the rectified supply voltage (VRS) to a DC bus voltage (VDC) based on the driving voltage(s) (VDR). The converter (50) may include a transient voltage suppression device (52) to suppress the rectified supply voltage (VRS) in response to an abnormal line condition of the switch mode power supply (15), and the converter driver (60) may include a free-oscillating suppression device (61) to suppress the one or more driving voltages (VDR) in response to a free-oscillating condition of the converter driver (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Yimin Chen, Yuhong Fang, Romel Panlilio, Arun Ganesh
  • Publication number: 20120120689
    Abstract: A fault tolerant DC power system includes a permanent magnet generator (PMG), a first contactor in electrical communication with the PMG, an active rectifier in electrical communication with the first contactor, a second contactor in electrical communication with the first contactor, and a motor drive in electrical communication with the second contactor. The first contactor is configured to sever electrical communication between the PMG and the active rectifier and the second contactor is configured to establish electrical communication between the PMG and the motor drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Steven J. Moss
  • Publication number: 20120106212
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a power converter capable of suppressing voltage dropping of the smoothing capacitor and suppressing a rush current at the time of power recovery, [Means for Resolution] When it is determined that a bus voltage Vdc detected by a DC voltage detecting unit 24 is equal to or less than a predetermined reference voltage, a control device 20 allows a DC load control unit 23 to stop an operation of a DC load 30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuji MOMOSE, Katsuyuki AMANO
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20120033465
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal shutdown unit, a switch controller including the same, and a method controlling a thermal shutdown protection operation. The present invention determines the operation state of an SMPS to vary a reference temperature for controlling a thermal shutdown protection operation according to an operation state of the SMPS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Min-Woo LEE, Kyung-Oun JANG, Dae-Woong CHO
  • Publication number: 20120020124
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises: a voltage monitoring unit for monitoring input direct-current voltages of first and second converters whose output ends are connected in parallel to each other; and a judgment control unit for judging that an output diode of the first converter is short-circuited, when an input direct-current voltage monitored by the voltage monitoring unit with respect to the first converter rises up to a post-step-up voltage stepped up by the second converter during a step-up operation of the second converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiko Minamii, Takahiko Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20110235375
    Abstract: A device has a converter which is connected to a direct voltage circuit through a short-circuit protection unit. The short-circuit protection unit is arranged at least partially in the direct voltage circuit and is provided in the direct voltage circuit to suppress short-circuit current flowing through the converter. The device contains one or more controllable power semiconductors, wherein a protection element is arranged in parallel to at least one of the controllable power semiconductors. The device prevents the negative effects of a short circuit occurring in the direct voltage network in a particularly reliable manner. For this purpose, the protection element is an energy store.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Mike Dommaschk, Jörg Dorn, Ingo Euler, Franz Karlecik-Maier, Jörg Lang, Quoc-Buu Tu, Carsten Wittstock, Klaus Würflinger
  • Patent number: 8000116
    Abstract: An output protection circuit used for a power converter having an operational amplifier, a diode, a number of voltage-dividing resistors, and a switch tube. In this circuit, the voltage-dividing resistors are connected in series to form a voltage-dividing network, of which one node is connected to a reference level end Vref of a PWM control module of the converter, while the other node is grounded. A voltage dividing point M is coupled to an inverting input end of the operational amplifier AR1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Mornsun Guangzhou Science & Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Ruiping Zhu
  • Publication number: 20110157930
    Abstract: The power input stabilizing circuit provides a first resistor at the input terminals to suppress impulse current. Then, the power passes through a power input limiting circuit including a non-polarity capacitor, a rectifier circuit formed by diodes, and a polarity capacitor so as to provide a current within a specific range to a load. A constant current circuit including a third resistor, a diode, a fourth resistor, and a transistor is then employed to stabilize the load current. The performance and durability of the electrical or electronic appliance using the power input stabilizing circuit are therefore enhanced significantly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Hui-Ming WU, Chung-Yang WU
  • Patent number: 7969694
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a switch-mode power converter including an inductor and an external rectifying diode. A series arrangement of a resistor and a switch are coupled in parallel with the external rectifying diode. The resistor and the switch enable continuous conduction mode, even at substantially no output current. A comparator senses a current level in the resistor. When the current level crosses a threshold level, the power converter is shut down. The current level is sensed with a second resistor coupled to a current source to produce a current sensing arrangement dependent on a ratio of resistances. Advantageously, the current level is sensed with clamp circuits coupled to the comparator, each clamp circuit including a series circuit arrangement of a field-effect transistor with a gate coupled to a voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Olivier Trescases, Derek Bernardon
  • Publication number: 20110141776
    Abstract: A power supply employs an error detecting circuit to output an error signal when detecting an overvoltage or overcurrent occurred in one of output powers and employs a latch trigger circuit to cause the power supply to enter a latch mode when receiving the error signal. The power supply will keep the latch mode when entering the latch mode until the AC power VAC is removed. In addition, the power supply employs the error detecting circuit to provide the accurate safety threshold value by the constant current source with temperature compensation function and stable constant current output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Li-Wei Lin, Kuo-Liang Huang, Chun-Tso Yi
  • Publication number: 20110122664
    Abstract: A soft-stop overvoltage protection circuit, into which a soft-stop overvoltage detection voltage proportional to a direct current output voltage is input, reduces the output of a multiplier in accordance with the soft-stop overvoltage detection voltage when the soft-stop overvoltage detection voltage exceeds a first threshold value. An overvoltage protection circuit, a second threshold value higher than the first threshold value being set, compulsorily turns off a switching element by outputting an overvoltage detection signal when the soft-stop overvoltage detection voltage exceeds the second threshold value. The soft-stop overvoltage protection circuit compulsorily increases the output of a voltage error amplifier circuit on the output voltage decreasing. When the output of the voltage error amplifier circuit increases suddenly, and the output voltage rises excessively, the soft-stop overvoltage protection circuit decreases the output of the multiplier, thus curbing the rise of the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC SYSTEMS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Yabuzaki, Jian Chen
  • Publication number: 20110110129
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for a power-supply unit for generating at least one DC voltage from an AC voltage of a power grid includes a switching element that switches a load current of the power-supply unit, a current-limiting element connected in series to the switching element that limits a current surge when the switching element is turned on, a bistable first relay connected in parallel to the switching element and the current-limiting element that retains the load current, and a control circuit that switches the power-supply unit from a first operating state, in which no load current flows from the power grid to the power-supply unit, to a second operating state in which a load current for generating a DC voltage flows from the power grid to the power-supply unit, wherein the control circuit turns on the switching element for a first time period during switching of the power-supply unit from the first to the second operating state, to turn the bistable relay on during the first time period, and to turn the s
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: FUJITSU TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GMBH
    Inventor: Peter Busch
  • Patent number: 7929323
    Abstract: Power conversion systems and diagnostic techniques are presented for detecting suspected converter faults when a pre-charge circuit is engaged during system startup, in which known or estimated system characteristics are used to derive expected converter voltage values or rate of change values and the levels are measured during startup to ascertain whether the pre-charge circuit or other converter components are faulted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert H. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7864552
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (“UPS”) has a phase-controlled rectifier coupled to a source of AC power and having an output providing a DC bus, the output of the phase-controlled rectifier coupled to an inverter. A first controller generates a firing angle for the rectifier and a fuzzy logic controller generates a firing angle for the rectifier. In an aspect, the rectifier is controlled by the firing angle generated by the first controller during normal operating conditions of the UPS and the rectifier is controlled by the firing angle generated by the fuzzy logic controller during abnormal operating conditions of the UPS. The abnormal operating conditions can include loss of a direct DC bus voltage measurement and or a period of time after the UPS experiences a large load change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Heber, Xian Chen, Paul Taylor
  • Patent number: 7859868
    Abstract: A synchronous rectification control circuit is connected with a secondary-side rectification circuit and includes a driving circuit, a dead-time acquisition circuit, and a zero-voltage detection circuit. The driving circuit includes a differentiating circuit, a first comparator, and a capacitor, wherein the differentiating circuit generates a signal to the first comparator and the capacitor functions to charge and discharge to form a cycle. The dead-time acquisition circuit includes a second comparator and a third comparator, wherein the second comparator has a positive input connected to an output of the first comparator of the driving circuit, the second comparator has an output connected to a positive input of the third comparator, and the third comparator has a negative input connected to the output of the first comparator to acquire a dead-time signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Hipro Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Ho Huang
  • Publication number: 20100308733
    Abstract: A single-stage integrated circuit drives LED sources in a constant power mode to eliminate the need for LED current sensing, while reshaping the waveform of the inductor current near line zero crossing to achieve high power factor. The integrated circuit achieves substantially constant input power my maintaining a constant voltage at a power factor corrector controller through an input voltage feedforward system. Accordingly, the disclosed circuit provides a high power factor, high efficiency, simple, and cost-effective solution with substantially consistent input power for both isolated and non-isolated offline LED applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jianwen Shao
  • Patent number: 7778056
    Abstract: A welding power supply includes an input rectifier that receives sinusoidal or alternating line voltage and provides a rectified voltage. A pre-regulator provides a dc bus and a convertor, such as a boost convertor, provides a welding output. The pre-regulator is an SVT (slow voltage transition) and an SCT (slow current transition) switched convertor. It may include a snubber circuit having a diode that is SVT switched. Also, the boost convertor may be SVT and SCT switched. The pre-regulator preferably includes a power factor correction circuit. The power source includes, in one embodiment, an inverter having a snubber circuit having a first switch in anti-parallel with a first diode, and a second switch in anti-parallel with a second diode. The first switch and first diode are connected in series with the second switch and the second diode, and the first and second switches are connected in opposing directions, to form a switched snubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
  • Patent number: 7768808
    Abstract: A controller for controlling a controlled switching device functioning as a synchronous rectifier of alternating current, the controller comprising a control circuit for sensing the direction of current through the controlled switching device, the controlled switching device comprising a MOSFET having a conduction channel and a parasitic body diode and having two main current carrying terminals and a control terminal, the control circuit generating a control signal provided to the control terminal to turn on the controlled switching device approximately when current begins to flow in a first direction through the controlled switching device and turn off the controlled switching device approximately when current begins to flow in a second opposite direction through the controlled switching device, further wherein the control circuit for sensing the direction of current through the controlled switching device main current carrying terminals comprises a sensing circuit coupled across the controlled switching dev
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Marco Soldano
  • Patent number: 7760524
    Abstract: A driver circuit included in a power supply having a rectifier coupled to a single phase AC input voltage is disclosed. An example driver circuit includes a drive signal generator to generate a drive signal to be coupled to a variable impedance element. A voltage sensor is coupled to the drive signal generator and is to be coupled to sense a voltage across a high voltage capacitance. The driver circuit is to be coupled to control the variable impedance element in response to the voltage sensor. A low voltage capacitance is allowed to receive current from the input if the sensed voltage is less than a second threshold value. The low voltage capacitance is prevented from receiving current from the input if the sensed voltage is greater than a first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: David Michael Hugh Matthews
  • Publication number: 20100142235
    Abstract: Provided is a power conversion device capable of detecting a short circuit failure and protecting from the same securely. The power conversion device includes: a three-phase bridge type power conversion circuit including a semiconductor switch including a first main terminal, a second main terminal, and a control terminal; a control circuit for controlling an operation of the semiconductor switch; and a voltage detection circuit for monitoring a voltage between DC terminals of the power conversion circuit, in which the control circuit has a protection function of turning off the semiconductor switch if the voltage between the DC terminals of the power conversion circuit, which is detected by the voltage detection circuit, is lower than a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time or longer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takamasa ASAI
  • Patent number: 7733616
    Abstract: Each of three-phase arm of an inverter has first and second switching elements connected in series together at a connection point to the corresponding phase coil of the three-phase motor. Control device turns on the first switching element of the i-th (i is a natural number smaller than four) for a predetermined time period, and determines that the second switching element of the i-th arm has a short fault, when an overcurrent exceeding a predetermined threshold is detected within the predetermined time period. The predetermined time period is shorter than a time period from a time point of turning on the first switching element of the i-th arm to a time point of attaining the predetermined threshold by a current flowing through a path extending from a power supply line through the second switching element of the remaining arm other than the i-th arm to a ground line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Yamada
  • Patent number: 7728560
    Abstract: DC power for low power loads is provided for vehicles such as snowmobiles where the electrical system includes primarily AC power. DC voltage is provided for gauges and similar loads even though the peak value of the AC is below a desired level. Rectification and regulation of some energy from the alternator is used for supplying the DC power at a desired DC voltage that is above an alternator zero to peak value. A capacitor and a diode are connected in parallel from the alternator with rectifying circuit portions for supplying power to the DC load. A DC voltage monitor senses the DC voltage supplied to the DC load and prevents the DC voltage from rising above the desired voltage by controlling the first rectification, the second rectification, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Floyd M. Minks
  • Publication number: 20100085785
    Abstract: A device for converting an electric current has a phase module, which in turn has an alternating current connection and at least one direct current connection connected to an intermediate direct current circuit. The device further has an energy accumulator. A phase modulation path is formed between each direct current connection and each alternating current connection. Each phase modulation path has a series connection of submodules, which each have a power semiconductor. A semiconductor protective device is provided in parallel connection to power semiconductors of each submodule. A control unit actuates the semiconductor protective device, and energy accumulator(s) are equipped for supplying energy to the control unit. The device safely prevents damage from a short circuit on the direct-current side, even when the supply grid is connected, because a direct current connection of each phase module is connected to the intermediate direct current circuit via a direct-current switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Mike Dommaschk, Jörg Dorn, Ingo Euler, Jörg Lang, Quoc-Buu Tu, Klaus Würflinger
  • Publication number: 20100080022
    Abstract: Power conversion systems and diagnostic techniques are presented for detecting suspected converter faults when a pre-charge circuit is engaged during system startup, in which known or estimated system characteristics are used to derive expected converter voltage values or rate of change values and the levels are measured during startup to ascertain whether the pre-charge circuit or other converter components are faulted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Robert H. Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20100054003
    Abstract: An output protection circuit used for a power converter having an operational amplifier, a diode, a number of voltage-dividing resistors, and a switch tube. In this circuit, the voltage-dividing resistors are connected in series to form a voltage-dividing network, of which one node is connected to a reference level end Vref of a PWM control module of the converter, while the other node is grounded. A voltage dividing point M is coupled to an inverting input end of the operational amplifier AR1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventor: Ruiping Zhu
  • Patent number: 7660136
    Abstract: An apparatus for synchronous rectifying of a soft switching power converter is provided. An integrated synchronous rectifier includes a power transistor coupled between a transformer and the output of the soft switching power converter, and a controller receiving a pulse signal to switch on/off the power transistor. A switching control circuit generates the pulse signal in response to a current signal, and generates drive signals to switch the transformer in response to a switching signal. An isolation device is coupled to transfer the pulse signal between the switching control circuit and the integrated synchronous rectifier. The switching signal is used for regulating the power converter and the current signal is correlated to the switching current of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: System General Corporation
    Inventor: Ta-Yung Yang
  • Patent number: 7586764
    Abstract: A rectifier filter control device for a power supply that includes: A saturable inductor (swing choke), capacitors; and rectifiers connected to a rectifier filter circuit. The rectifier filter circuit further includes two electronic switches, which are respectively connected to two terminals of each of the two rectifiers. Should a reverse current flow back into the rectifier filter circuit, then the two electronic switches assume off states at different time sequences, thereby preventing the reverse current flow from burning out the two electronic switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Super Micro Computer Inc.
    Inventor: Hwa-Chu Chiu
  • Patent number: 7583521
    Abstract: A clamp circuit for use in a DC/DC voltage converter having a first converter output including a first node and a second node, and a second converter output including a third node a fourth node. The clamp circuit includes a positive voltage output node coupled to the first node, a negative voltage output node coupled to the fourth node, a neutral voltage output node, a first diode coupled between the positive voltage output node and the third node, a second diode coupled between the negative voltage output node and the second node, a first inductor coupled between the second diode and the neutral voltage output node, and a second inductor coupled between the first diode and the neutral voltage output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: Henning Roar Nielsen, Jesper Winston Petersen
  • Publication number: 20090201705
    Abstract: The present invention reliably reduces output power during an overload, due to overload protection in which an on-time of a switching element 1 is reduced or the peak value of a switching current is lowered by reducing the minimum value of the on-period of the switching element 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Murata, Naohiko Morota, Yoshihiro Mori
  • Patent number: 7534979
    Abstract: An objective is to provide a pressure-contact type rectifier in which solder that increases the environmental load is not used, and neither burning nor breakage of a rectifying device occurs, even if temperature of the rectifying device increases due to current flowing or force towards outside the rectifying device is applied to a lead end, etc. By providing an electrically conductive friction reducer on at least one electrode face of the rectifying device, the temperature increase can be prevented, and the friction at the contact face can be reduced. Moreover, by providing a flexible portion on the lead end outside a cap, and fixing the flexible portion to the cap, the contact area between the lead and the rectifying device can be kept constant. As a result, a pressure-contact type rectifier in which neither burning nor breakage of the rectifying device occurs can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ito, Shigeki Maekawa, Hiroya Ikuta, Shigeharu Nagai, Toshiaki Kashihara, Shinji Iwamoto, Takahiro Sonoda
  • Patent number: 7529107
    Abstract: A circuit (20) for powering a load (50) includes a rectifier circuit (200), a voltage clamping circuit (300), and a DC-to-DC converter (400) such as a buck-boost converter. Voltage clamping circuit (300) is coupled between the rectifier circuit (200) and the DC-to-DC converter (400), and functions to prevent the input voltage (VIN) of the DC-to-DC converter (400) from exceeding a predetermined acceptable level, so as to protect the DC-to-DC converter (400) from damage due to transients in a voltage (VAC) provided by an AC line source (40). Preferably, voltage clamping circuit (300) is realized by an arrangement that includes a voltage divider circuit (320), a voltage sensing circuit (340), and an energy-limiting circuit (360), and is well-suited for use in power supplies and in electronic ballasts for powering gas discharge lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania, Inc.
    Inventor: Bhadresh Mehta
  • Patent number: 7522432
    Abstract: A switching regulator that performs voltage regulation using synchronous rectification in step-up and step-down modes includes input and output terminals, an inductor, first through fourth transistors, an overcurrent detection unit, and a control unit. The input terminal receives an input voltage. The inductor generates an output voltage. The output terminal provides the output voltage. The first and second transistors perform switching in the step-down mode. The third and fourth transistors perform switching in the step-up mode. The overcurrent detection unit detects an overcurrent condition. The control unit controls operation of the transistors, causes the first and third transistors to be off and the second and fourth transistors to be on when the overcurrent condition is detected in a first state, and causes the first and fourth transistors to be on and the second and third transistors to be off when the overcurrent condition is detected in a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinya Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7505291
    Abstract: An AC/DC converter includes a rectifier circuit, at least one restraining unit, and a power interruption detection circuit. The rectifier circuit is used for converting an AC (alternating current) to a DC (direct current) power source. The restraining unit is connected to an output terminal of the AC power supply. The restraining unit includes a resistor and a switch connected in parallel. The power interruption detection circuit detects whether an input power cycle is regular. When the input power cycle is interruptive, a signal is generated to change a state of the switch in the restraining unit to make the resistor of the interfere in the circuit to restrain an inrush current in any operational circumstance, such as warm startup or quick startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Acbel Polytech Inc.
    Inventors: Jin-Biau Wang, Jacob Teng, Hung-Tao Lee, Kuen-Lung Tsai, Han-Wei Chen, Shih-Hao Tsai, Ming-Yung Peng
  • Publication number: 20080298102
    Abstract: A welding power supply includes an input rectifier that receives sinusoidal or alternating line voltage and provides a rectified voltage. A pre-regulator provides a dc bus and a convertor, such as a boost convertor, provides a welding output. The pre-regulator is an SVT (slow voltage transition) and an SCT (slow current transition) switched convertor. It may include a snubber circuit having a diode that is SVT switched. Also, the boost convertor may be SVT and SCT switched. The pre-regulator preferably includes a power factor correction circuit. The power source includes, in one embodiment, an inverter having a snubber circuit having a first switch in anti-parallel with a first diode, and a second switch in anti-parallel with a second diode. The first switch and first diode are connected in series with the second switch and the second diode, and the first and second switches are connected in opposing directions, to form a switched snubber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: Illinois ToolWorks Inc.
    Inventor: Steven J. Geissler
  • Patent number: 7460366
    Abstract: A heat dissipating apparatus with stationary power supply includes power supplies having a primary power system and a stationary power system, at least one heat dissipating fan and a fan driving unit electrically connected to the stationary power system. The stationary power of the fan driving unit is used for the operation, and the stationary power system has a function of detecting the temperature during its normal output and determining whether or not to supply stationary power for the operation of the heat dissipating fan according to the temperature inside a computer casing, such that the computer casing can achieve the effect of lowering its internal temperature normally and automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Tsung-Chun Chen