With Voltage Multiplication Means (i.e., V Out > V In) Patents (Class 363/59)
  • Patent number: 11947371
    Abstract: A mixed-signal integrated circuit (IC), including: a voltage booster that includes one or more charge pump devices configured to receive an input voltage, an oscillator signal, and a control signal, wherein the one or more charge pump devices comprise a network of capacitors switchable to provide a charged pumped in response to the control signal, and wherein the one or more charge pump devices, using the pumped, generate a boosted voltage based on the input voltage and at least a portion of an amplitude of the oscillator signal, a voltage regulator coupled to the one or more charge pump devices and configured to receive the boosted voltage and generate a regulated boosted voltage based on the boosted voltage, and a control and monitoring engine configured to provide the control signal based on, at least in part, the input voltage, the oscillator signal, and the regulated boosted voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Analog Bits Inc.
    Inventor: Alan C. Rogers
  • Patent number: 11929674
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a voltage multiplier comprises an input node, an output node, and first and second control nodes for receiving first and second clock signals defining two commutation states. An ordered sequence of intermediate nodes is coupled between the input and output nodes and includes two ordered sub-sequences. Capacitors are coupled: between each odd intermediate node in the first sub-sequence and the first control node; between each even intermediate node in the first sub-sequence and the second control node; between each odd intermediate node in the second sub-sequence and a corresponding odd intermediate node in the first sub-sequence; and between each even intermediate node in the second sub-sequence and a corresponding even intermediate node in the first sub-sequence. The circuit comprises selectively conductive electronic components coupled to the intermediate nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Francesco Pulvirenti
  • Patent number: 11906996
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes: a pass transistor drive circuit including an digital input, and at least one output configured to be coupled to at least one pass transistor; a digital feedback circuit having a first analog input configured to be coupled to the at least one pass transistor, and a digital output coupled to the digital input of the pass transistor drive circuit; and an analog feedback circuit including a second analog input configured to be coupled to the at least one pass transistor, and an analog output coupled to an over voltage node of the pass transistor drive circuit, where the analog feedback circuit has a DC gain greater than zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Stefano Bonomi
  • Patent number: 11888391
    Abstract: A device includes a charge pump configured to provide a current to a bootstrap capacitor responsive to a charge pump switch being closed. The device also includes a current limiter coupled in series between the charge pump switch and the charge pump. The current limiter is configured to receive a control signal from a controller that indicates whether the device is to operate in a first mode or in a second mode; responsive to the control signal indicating the first mode, allow a first value of current to the charge pump switch; and, responsive to the control signal indicating the second mode, limit the current to the charge pump switch to a second value. The second value is less than the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Shyamsunder Balasubramanian, Kuangyu Chiang, Toshio Yamanaka, Luis Eduardo Ossa
  • Patent number: 11881772
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a power supply circuit configured to output different voltages to a plurality of output lines, a plurality of capacitors provided in correspondence with the plurality of output lines, one end of each of the plurality of capacitors being coupled to a corresponding output line of the plurality of output lines and an other end thereof being coupled to a ground potential, a plurality of diodes provided in correspondence with the plurality of output lines, anodes of the plurality of diodes being coupled to the corresponding output lines and cathodes thereof being commonly coupled, and a discharge resistor coupled to the cathodes of the plurality of diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Tatsuo Araki, Susumu Eguchi, Hironobu Kageyama, Takashi Satou
  • Patent number: 11873981
    Abstract: A power system capable of preventing from mistakenly triggering an electric shock protection function of a lamp tube and the method thereof is provided. The power system includes a live wire input end, a neutral wire input end and a capacitive component. The live wire input end is connected to a first node; the first node is used to connect to the live wire terminal of the electric shock protection circuit of a first light-emitting module. The neutral wire input end is connected to a second node; the second node is used to connect to the neutral wire terminal of the electric shock protection circuit of the first light-emitting module. One end of the capacitive component is connected to the first node and the other end thereof is connected to the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Xiamen PVTECH Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fuxing Lu, Rongtu Liu
  • Patent number: 11811304
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may include a power converter having a power conversion circuit and a protection circuit. The power conversion circuit is electrically coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal, to convert a first voltage from the first terminal to a second voltage outputted at the second terminal. The protection circuit is electrically coupled between an input terminal of the power converter and the first terminal. The protection circuit includes a first protection device and a clamping circuit. The first protection device withstands an input voltage of the power converter to continue an operation of the power conversion circuit when the input voltage exceeds a voltage threshold value. The clamping circuit is electrically coupled to a control terminal of the first protection device to clamp a control voltage of the first protection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Buddhika Abesingha, Gregory Szczeszynski
  • Patent number: 11784561
    Abstract: An apparatus for power conversion includes a switching network that controls interconnections between pump capacitors in a capacitor network that has a terminal coupled to a current source, and a charge-management subsystem. In operation, the switching network causes the capacitor network to execute charge-pump operating cycles during each of which the capacitor network adopts different configurations in response to different configurations of the switching network. At the start of a first charge-pump operating cycle, each pump capacitor assumes a corresponding initial state. The charge-management subsystem restores each pump capacitor to the initial state by the start of a second charge-pump operating cycle that follows the first charge-pump operating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, Gregory Szczeszynski, David Guiliano
  • Patent number: 11736035
    Abstract: A power converter includes a plurality of switches coupled between an input bus and an output bus, a full bridge coupled between the output bus and ground, and a plurality of capacitors coupled between the plurality of switches and the full bridge, wherein one capacitor of the plurality of capacitors is connected to a midpoint of one leg of the full bridge through a switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: NuVolta Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fuchun Zhan, Cheng Liu
  • Patent number: 11723712
    Abstract: A pulse generator discharge circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes one or more discharge stages, each discharge stage including a plurality of control input terminals. The circuit also includes first and second discharge terminals, and a plurality of serially connected switches electrically connected between the first and second discharge terminals, where a conductive state of each of the switches is controlled by a control signal. The circuit also includes a plurality of inductive elements configured to generate the control signals for the serially connected switches, where each inductive element is configured to generate a control signal for one of the serially connected switches in response to one or more input signals at one or more of the control input terminals, and where each of the serially connected switches is configured to receive a control signal from a respective one of the inductive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Pulse Biosciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian G. Athos, Darrin R. Uecker, Shu Xiao
  • Patent number: 11696800
    Abstract: A sub-microsecond pulsed electric field generator is disclosed. The field generator includes a controller, which generates a power supply control signal and generates a pulse generator control signal, and a power supply, which receives the power supply control signal and generates one or more power voltages based on the received power supply control signal. The field generator also includes a pulse generator which receives the power voltages and the pulse generator control signal, and generates one or more pulses based on the power voltages and based on the pulse generator control signal. In some embodiments, the controller receives feedback signals representing a value of a characteristic of or a result of the pulses and generates at least one of the power supply control signal and the pulse generator control signal based on the received feedback signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Pulse Biosciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Shu Xiao, Brian G. Athos, Mark P. Kreis, David J. Danitz, Darrin R. Uecker
  • Patent number: 11699960
    Abstract: A power converter includes a plurality of switches coupled between an input bus and an output bus, a full bridge coupled between the output bus and ground, and a plurality of capacitors coupled between the plurality of switches and the full bridge, wherein one capacitor of the plurality of capacitors is connected to a midpoint of one leg of the full bridge through a switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: NuVolta Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fuchun Zhan, Cheng Liu
  • Patent number: 11678519
    Abstract: A display device according to the present disclosure includes: a thin film transistor with a bottom gate structure and a thin film transistor with a top gate structure on a same substrate. A gate electrode of the thin film transistor with the top gate structure is provided in a same layer as a wire layer. A method of manufacturing a display device according to the present disclosure, the display device including a thin film transistor with a bottom gate structure and a thin film transistor with a top gate structure on a same substrate, includes: forming a gate electrode of the thin film transistor with the top gate structure in a same layer as a wire layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Tsuno
  • Patent number: 11606043
    Abstract: A power device may have at least two capacitors in series with each other and in parallel with a DC power source. The power device may have at least a first converter that has at least a controller configured to balance a voltage of the at least two capacitors. The power device may have at least a second converter connected to the at least two capacitors. The second converter may have at least three input conductors, each connected to a terminal of the at least two capacitors. The second converter may have at least two output conductors. The second converter may have at least a switching circuit between the at least three input conductors and at least two output conductors. The second converter may have at least a controller configured to operate the switching circuit. The second converter may passively preserve the voltage balance between the at least two capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Raanan Levi, Dor Shoshani, Amir Kipper
  • Patent number: 11599760
    Abstract: A bi-directional voltage converter of a smart card includes switching elements connected between an input node and an output node and a start-up transistors whose channel width over channel length is smaller than a channel width over channel length of the switching element. The bi-directional voltage converter stores a driving voltage applied to an output node in a storage capacitor during a booting operation and provides the voltage stored in the storage capacitor to an input node. The bi-directional voltage converter may boost another driving voltage at the input node step-wisely and may perform bi-directional voltage converting with reduced occupied area and high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eunsang Jang, Junho Kim, Jisoo Chang
  • Patent number: 11581806
    Abstract: A circuit comprising: a first switch having: first side (FS) connected to first capacitor's second side (1C2S); and second side (SS) connected to reference node (RN); a second switch having: FS connected to second voltage node (2VN); and SS connected to 1C2S; a third switch having: FS connected to the first capacitor's first side (1C1S); and SS connected to 2VN; a fourth switch having: FS connected to a third voltage node (3VN); and SS connected to 1C1S; a fifth switch having: FS connected to second capacitor's second side (2C2S); and SS connected to RN; a sixth switch having: FS connected to 3VN; and SS connected to 2C2S; a seventh switch having: FS connected to the second capacitor's first side (2C1S); and SS connected to 3VN; and an eighth switch having: FS connected to first voltage node; and SS connected to 2C1S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Lion Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Hans Meyvaert
  • Patent number: 11522445
    Abstract: Various embodiments of charge adjustment techniques for a switched capacitor power converter are described. In one example embodiment, briefly, charge adjustment techniques may include a technique to operate a charge pump so as to reduce electrical transient effects that may occur during charge pump transition operation between a first steady state charge pump operation with respect to a first configuration gain mode and a second steady state charge pump operation with respect to a second configuration gain mode. In some instances, electrical transient effects may occur during charge pump transition operation, at least in part, from a selectable adjustment of charge pump configuration gain with respect to a configuration gain mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, David M. Giuliano, Gregory Szczeszynski, Jeff Summit, Oscar Blyde
  • Patent number: 11509219
    Abstract: A power supply comprising a first-stage capacitor configured to provide energy to a second stage power converter. An energy transfer element coupled to the first-stage capacitor. A reservoir capacitor coupled to the energy transfer element. The reservoir capacitor is configured to receive charge from the energy transfer element. A power switch configured to control a transfer of energy from an input of the power supply to the first-stage capacitor. A controller coupled to the power switch, the controller configured to generate a hold-up signal in response to the input of the power supply falling below a threshold voltage. A charge circuit comprising a first switch and a second switch configured to be controlled by the hold-up signal. The first switch couples the reservoir capacitor to an input of the energy transfer element. The second switch is configured to uncouple the reservoir capacitor from receiving charge from the energy transfer element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc
    Inventors: David Michael Hugh Matthews, Balu Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11496046
    Abstract: An apparatus for power conversion includes a switching network that controls interconnections between pump capacitors in a capacitor network that has a terminal coupled to a current source, and a charge-management subsystem. In operation, the switching network causes the capacitor network to execute charge-pump operating cycles during each of which the capacitor network adopts different configurations in response to different configurations of the switching network. At the start of a first charge-pump operating cycle, each pump capacitor assumes a corresponding initial state. The charge-management subsystem restores each pump capacitor to the initial state by the start of a second charge-pump operating cycle that follows the first charge-pump operating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, Gregory Szczeszynski, David Giuliano
  • Patent number: 11493968
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided which generates a reverse bandgap reference using capacitive bias, which is applied to a single n-well diode. The capacitive bias allows for determining the current density precisely by pure timing control. An apparatus is also described for sensing temperature in which a forward-bias diode voltage can be sampled with a capacitor, and large current ratios are possible (e.g., ratio N greater than 1000). Duty cycle of a digital output of the sensor is used to determine the temperature sensed by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Matthias Eberlein
  • Patent number: 11454185
    Abstract: An injection control device includes a boost controller performing boost control of a boosted voltage generated by a booster circuit until a boosted voltage, which is generated in a boost capacitor, rises to a full-charge threshold when the boosted voltage falls below a charge start threshold. When a power interruption controller interrupts electric current supplied to the fuel injection valve by the drive unit, a regeneration unit regenerates electric current generated in the fuel injection valve to the boost capacitor of the booster circuit. The boost controller stops the boost control of the booster circuit when at least the electric current is regenerated by the regeneration unit to the boost capacitor of the booster circuit after the interruption control by the power interruption controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shirakawa, Masashi Inaba
  • Patent number: 11421617
    Abstract: An injection control device includes a boost controller performing boost control of a boosted voltage until a boosted voltage, which is generated in a boost capacitor, rises to a full-charge threshold when the boosted voltage falls below a charge start threshold. A drive unit supplies electric current to a fuel injection valve from a start timing t1 of an injection instruction period. A power interruption controller interrupts electric current supplied to the fuel injection valve by the drive unit. A regeneration unit regenerates electric current generated in the fuel injection valve which is caused by interruption control by the power interruption controller to the boost capacitor of the booster circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shirakawa, Masashi Inaba
  • Patent number: 11387789
    Abstract: Charge pump tracker circuitry is disclosed having a first switch network configured to couple a first flying capacitor between a voltage input terminal and a ground terminal during a first charging phase and couple the first flying capacitor between the voltage input terminal and a pump output terminal during a first discharging phase. A second switch network is configured to couple a second flying capacitor between the voltage input terminal and the ground terminal during a second charging phase and couple the second flying capacitor between the voltage input terminal and the pump output terminal during a second discharging phase. A switch controller is configured to monitor first and second voltages across the first and second flying capacitors, respectively, during the first and second discharging phases and in response to control the first and second switch networks so that the first the second discharging phases alternate in an interleaved mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: QORVO US, INC.
    Inventors: Nadim Khlat, Michael R. Kay, Michael J. Murphy
  • Patent number: 11223278
    Abstract: Voltage supply circuitry includes a high-side pin and a low-side pin configured to couple to a storage element and an output pin. The voltage supply further includes a high-side switching element configured to electrically couple the positive supply pin and the low-side pin based on a high-side control signal and a low-side switching element configured to electrically couple the reference supply pin and the low-side pin based on a low-side control signal. The voltage supply further including driver circuitry configured to generate the high-side control signal and the low-side control signal for operating in a charge pump mode when the storage element is arranged in a charge pump configuration with the voltage supply circuitry and to generate the high-side control signal and the low-side control signal for operating in a boost converter mode when the storage element is arranged in a boost converter configuration with the voltage supply circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Michael Asam, Mihai-Alexandru Ionescu, Ardit Tabaku
  • Patent number: 11223275
    Abstract: A switching mode power supply (SMPS) circuit is disclosed herein which includes: a first input rectification circuit, a first capacitor, a feedback control and driving circuit, and at least one boost circuit. The first input rectification circuit rectifies an input voltage and charges the first capacitor, forming a first loop. The second input rectification circuit rectifies the input voltage and charges the second capacitor, forming a second loop. The first inductor, second capacitor and first switching component form a third loop in which rectified voltage on the second capacitor charges the first inductor. The first inductor, second capacitor, first capacitor and first output rectification circuit form a fourth loop in which induced voltage on the first inductor and voltage on the second capacitor are superimposed to charge the first capacitor through the first output rectification circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI TUITUO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Renhong Li, Zhuo Shen
  • Patent number: 11146170
    Abstract: A power converter comprising one or more switch blocks. Each switch block has: a plurality of switch-pairs each having two switches connected in series to each other; a plurality of primary nodes each interconnecting the switches in a respective switch-pair; and a plurality of secondary nodes, each switch-pair being connected in series to an adjacent switch-pair through a said secondary node to form a serial chain of switch-pairs, the secondary nodes including a secondary node at one end of said serial chain and a secondary node at another end of said serial chain. Each adjacent pair of said primary nodes is connectable to a flying capacitor. Each pair of said secondary nodes is connectable to one or more of the following: one or more bypass capacitors, and one or more other said switch blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Song Xiong, Siew Chong Tan, Shu Yuen Ron Hui
  • Patent number: 11128220
    Abstract: A SMPS circuit for three-phase AC input includes: a first input rectification circuit, a first capacitor, a feedback control and driving circuit, and multiple boost converter circuits. The first input rectification circuit rectifies input voltage and charges the first capacitor, forming a first loop. In each boost converter circuit, a second input rectification circuit rectifies input voltage and charges a second capacitor, forming a second loop; a first inductor, the second capacitor and a first switching component form a third loop in which rectified voltage on the second capacitor charges the first inductor. The first inductor, second capacitor, first capacitor and first output rectification circuit form a fourth loop in which induced voltage on first inductor and voltage on second capacitor are superimposed to charge first capacitor through the first output rectification circuit. The SMPS circuit provides high efficiency, high reliability, low EMI noise and good inrush inhibition capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SHANGHAI TUITUO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Renhong Li, Zhuo Shen
  • Patent number: 11038701
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of securing an integrated circuit during its fabrication on a wafer, said method including the following steps: delimitation of said wafer of the integrated circuit (1) into a first zone called a standard zone (5a) and a second zone called a security zone (5b), and creation of a random connection tracks network (7b) in said security zone (5b) configured to interconnect a set of conducting nodes (9b) thus forming a physical unclonable function modelled by random electrical continuity that can be queried through said set of conducting nodes using a challenge-response authentication protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Michael May, Stefan Landis, Florian Pebay-Peyroula
  • Patent number: 11018600
    Abstract: A multilevel converter allowing the reduction of volume and accessibility to the control and transformation of electric power, including at least two basic cells and having: a) a first power switch that interconnects a positive bus between the two basic cells connected in cascade each other; b) a second power switch that interconnects a negative bus between two basic cells connected in cascade each other and c) a capacitor with a third power switch, connected in series and interconnected between the positive and negative bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignees: Universidad Andres Bello, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria
    Inventors: Margarita Norambuena Valdivia, José Rodriguez Pérez, Samir Kouro Renaer
  • Patent number: 11005277
    Abstract: The invention relates to an energy storage device including at least one block having n energy storage units, where n?2; a charge and discharge management circuit electrically linked to the n storage units and making it possible to alternately connect all of the energy storage units of one and the same block to one another; and the block having a defined block voltage between the low potential of the first energy storage unit and the high potential of the nth energy storage unit. The charge and discharge management circuit includes: first means for triggering the toggling from a parallel mode to a series mode and second means for triggering the toggling from the series mode to the parallel mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Sami Oukassi, Nicolas Dunoyer, Ghislain Despesse
  • Patent number: 10992224
    Abstract: A power converter that supplies a constant output voltage includes a regulator that connects to a charge pump. The charge pump is operable in plural charge-pump modes. A controller preemptively suppress evidence of occurrence of a transition between said charge-pump modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, Gregory Szczeszynski
  • Patent number: 10965204
    Abstract: In a power converter having a regulator and charge pump, both of which operate in plural modes, a controller receives information indicative of the power converter's operation and, based at least in part on said information, causes transitions between regulator modes and transitions between charge-pump modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, Gregory Szczeszynski, David M. Giuliano
  • Patent number: 10958165
    Abstract: A high-conversion-efficiency reconfigurable series-parallel switched-capacitor voltage converter includes N?1 control units and is capable of realizing a voltage conversion ratio in a range from 1:1 to N:1 between a second conversion terminal and a first conversion terminal. When the voltage conversion ratio between the first conversion terminal and the second conversion terminal of the reconfigurable series-parallel switched-capacitor voltage converter is Nx:1, the N?1 control units are divided into k+1 control modules. k control switch tubes are configured to respectively correspond to the preceding k control modules. Each one of the preceding k control modules comprises m control units, and the last control module comprises t control units; m=Nx?1; k and t satisfy N?1=m×k+t; k and m are both 0 or are both positive integers; and t is as small as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SOUTHCHIP SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY(SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Ma, Jianjian Bian
  • Patent number: 10903742
    Abstract: This application provides a switched-capacitor converter circuit, a charging control system, and a control method. In the switched-capacitor converter circuit, input terminals of N levels of switched-capacitor converter units are sequentially connected in series, and output terminals of the N levels of switched-capacitor converter units are connected in parallel, to obtain a first power supply branch to supply power to a load. In addition, a first capacitor acts as a second power supply branch to supply power to the load, and the first power supply branch and the second power supply branch transmit power in parallel. In comparison with a serial power transmission manner, there are fewer devices on a power transmission path when a parallel power transmission manner is used. Therefore, this can reduce power losses on the transmission path, and improve transmission efficiency of the switched converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qinghui Hou, Cheng Yang
  • Patent number: 10903739
    Abstract: A buck converter uses flying capacitors and cross coupling. The flying capacitors reduce the voltage stress across the inductors and the devices, and may provide high efficiency at very low duty cycle ratios. In addition to the high efficiency performance, the converters may provide a significant reduction in area, since smaller inductors can be used compared to typical buck converters. An example of realization shows up to 90% efficiency at 0.5V output and 10 A load from a 3.6V input with small flying capacitors, compared to what is typically used in a switched capacitor converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Chaoyang Semiconductor Jiangyin Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Arnaud Toni
  • Patent number: 10897195
    Abstract: Present invention is an apparatus and method for power conversion charge pumps that uses cross-coupling capacitors. High efficiency power converter charge pump for both divide by 3 (?), divide by 3/2 (?) are explicitly discussed. The power conversion charge pumps utilizing cross coupled capacitors may provide up to 40% reduction in a number of switches required for a charge pump implementation, thus reducing design area cost while also resulting in high-efficiency performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Chaoyang Semiconductor Jiangyin Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mykhaylo Teplechuk, Davide Cartasegna, Arnaud Toni, Bertrand Diotte
  • Patent number: 10847461
    Abstract: A power switch may be coupled to a power input, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a power output. A first switch may be coupled to the first capacitor. A second switch may be coupled to the second capacitor. A current sensor may be configured to measure a first current of the first capacitor and a second current of the second capacitor. A controller may be configured to determine whether the first capacitor and the second capacitor shorts or opens based on the first current and the second current, respectively. The controller may generate one or more alerts based on opening/shorting of a capacitor, and may open a switch based on shorting of a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies
    Inventor: William Robert Pelletier
  • Patent number: 10834269
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes identifying critical data on a primary storage of a mobile device, where the primary storage is powered by a primary battery component. The critical data is backed up from the primary storage to a secondary storage. A charge level of the primary battery component is detected. It is determined that the charge level of the primary battery component is less than a minimum threshold. The mobile device is switched from a primary mode to a secondary mode, based on the charge level being less than the minimum threshold. A secondary battery component powers the secondary storage in the secondary mode, and the critical data is accessible on the secondary storage in the secondary mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuk L. Chan, Al Chakra, Jian Jun Wang
  • Patent number: 10799657
    Abstract: A respiratory treatment apparatus provides respiratory treatment with improved power management control to permit more efficient power consumption and power supply units, such as battery powered operation. In one embodiment, power management prioritizes the flow generator (104) over other accessories such as the heating elements (111, 135) of a humidifier (112) and/or a delivery tube. The flow generator may control operations of the heating elements as a function of a detected respiratory cycle. For example, the timing of operation of the heating elements may be interleaved with the portion of an inspiratory phase of the respiratory cycle to permit the flow generator to operate during a peak power operation without a power drain or with a lower power drain from these components. Operations of distinct sets of components of the system (e.g., different heating elements) may also be interleaved to prevent simultaneous peak power operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Ronald James Huby, Andrew Roderick Bath, John David Oates
  • Patent number: 10797500
    Abstract: A charger circuit for providing a charging current and voltage to a battery includes a power delivery unit and a capacitive power conversion circuit. The power delivery unit converts an input power to a DC voltage and current. The capacitive power conversion circuit includes a conversion switch circuit including plural conversion switches and being coupled with one or plural conversion capacitors, a regulation switch, and a conversion control circuit. In a current scaled-up charging mode, the DC current is regulated, and the conversion control circuit controls the connection of the plural conversion capacitors such that the charging current is scaled-up of the DC current substantially by a predetermined current scale-up factor. In a constant voltage linear charging mode, the conversion control circuit linearly controls the regulation switch to regulate the level of the charging voltage to a predetermined constant voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsung-Wei Huang, Shun-Yu Huang
  • Patent number: 10790741
    Abstract: In a power converter that includes a switched-capacitor circuit connected to a switched-inductor circuit, reconfiguration logic causes the switched-capacitor circuit to transition between first and second switched-capacitor configurations with different voltage-transformation ratios. A compensator compensates for a change in the power converter's forward-transfer function that would otherwise result from the transition between the two switched-capacitor configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory Szczeszynski
  • Patent number: 10778108
    Abstract: A frequency doubling resonant converter can include a dual half bridge resonant converter configured to receive an input DC voltage and convert it to an frequency doubled AC voltage having a frequency twice the switching frequency of the dual half bridge resonant converter. The converter can further include a step down transformer configured to reduce the frequency doubled AC voltage to a stepped down AC voltage. The converter can further include a rectifier configured to convert the stepped down AC voltage into a DC output voltage for delivery to a load. The converter may optionally include an interphase transformer coupled between the step down transformer and the rectifier and configured to increase an output current of the converter. The frequency doubling resonant converter may be configured, for example, to double an output current received from the step down transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: InHwan Oh
  • Patent number: 10727738
    Abstract: A Method and apparatus for control of switch mode power supplies utilizing magnetic and capacitive conversion means are disclosed. The switch mode power supply is efficient and generates very small inductor current ripple and output voltage ripple. The switch mode power supply has a wider bandwidth and the filter components including magnetic storage element and the output capacitor can be made much smaller. The capacitor voltages in the switched capacitor array are regulated by changing the amount of time the inductor current passes through them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Inventor: Sridhar V. Kotikalapoodi
  • Patent number: 10715037
    Abstract: Switched capacitor (SC) converters with excellent voltage regulation, high conversion efficiency, and good suitability fora wide range of applications are provided. An SC converter can include at least two SC sub-circuits, and at least one of these SC sub-circuits can be of variable gain. One SC sub-circuit can convert the input voltage of the SC converter to an output voltage close to the desired output voltage value for the SC converter, and another SC sub-circuit having variable gain can convert the input voltage to an output voltage with a high resolution of small discrete voltage steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Song Xiong, Siew Chong Tan, Shu Yuen (Ron) Hui
  • Patent number: 10686367
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for efficient shutdown of adiabatic charge pumps. A power converter includes a charge pump, a controller, an output load and an inductor. According to one aspect, the power converter includes a switch which is connected across the inductor, where the controller is configured to sense a status of the charge pump and to correspondingly drive the switch element. According to another aspect, the charge pump includes an active discharge circuit and a current-sense circuit, where the current-sense circuit is configured to activate the active discharge circuit. According to yet another aspect, the power converter includes a cascade multiplier having a plurality of high side and low side switches, where a pair of high side and low side switches are enabled simultaneously, such that the pair of high side and low side switches act as an active discharge switch for the charge pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: Aichen Low
  • Patent number: 10574230
    Abstract: A power switch circuit includes a first switch circuit, a second switch unit and a capacitor. The capacitor has a first terminal coupled to a node between the first and second switch units. In addition, the capacitor has a second terminal coupled to the first and second switch units, a charge pump and a charging circuit. When the power switch circuit is coupled to a load, the charging circuit pre-charges the capacitor. Once the load is enabled, the first and second switch units are turned on by only a small voltage increase at the second terminal of the capacitor by the charge pump to allow power to be supplied to a load through the first and second switch units from a power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsung-Yu Wu, Chih-Yuan Chen, Yu-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 10545193
    Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to charge pump overload detection circuits which may be employed in imaging devices including one or more SPAD arrays, such as proximity sensors and time of flight sensors. One embodiment is directed to a charge pump overload detection circuit that includes a charge pump, a charge pump supply regulation device, a charge pump voltage regulation feedback loop and a charge pump overload detection comparator. The charge pump supplies an output voltage to a load, and the charge pump supply regulation device supplies a regulated voltage to an input of the charge pump. The charge pump voltage regulation feedback loop includes a feedback voltage generator that generates a feedback voltage based on the charge pump output voltage, and an amplifier that generates and provides a charge pump regulation control signal to the charge pump supply regulation device based on a difference between the feedback voltage and a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
    Inventor: John Kevin Moore
  • Patent number: 10547305
    Abstract: A switch control circuit includes a positive voltage bias node, a voltage-regulated positive supply rail coupled to the positive voltage bias node, a charge pump coupled to a charge pump supply node, and a current source positive supply rail coupled to the charge pump supply node and configured to supply the charge pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo John Wilz, Jonathan Christian Crandall, David Steven Ripley, James Phillip Young
  • Patent number: 10447153
    Abstract: A VBOOST generator includes, for example, a voltage regulator for generating a first power rail VX between the supply voltage VCC and ground. A clock generator is arranged to generate a clock signal oscillating between the supply voltage VCC and the voltage VCC?VX. A charge pump is arranged to couple the voltage VCC?VX to a first terminal of an on-substrate flyback capacitor during a first half-cycle of the first clock signal and is arranged to couple the voltage VCC to the first terminal of the flyback capacitor during a second half-cycle of the first clock signal. A pin is coupled to the substrate couples the voltage VCC+VX developed on a second terminal of the flyback capacitor during the second half-cycle of the first clock signal to an external bucket capacitor. A second charge pump is optionally included to increase the charging capacity of the VBOOST generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Nandakishore Raimar, Sayantan Gupta
  • Patent number: RE49854
    Abstract: A leakage manager system for adequately minimizing static leakage of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The leakage manager system includes a generator configured to generate a control signal to be applied to a sleep transistor. A monitor is configured to determine whether to adjust the control signal to adequately minimize the static leakage. In some embodiments, the monitor includes an emulated sleep transistor. A regulator is configured to adjust the control signal depending on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Inventors: Randy J. Caplan, Steven J. Schwake