Master-slave Patents (Class 363/72)
  • Patent number: 8482948
    Abstract: A two-phase critical interleave PFC boost converter, includes a master-side control circuit configured to critically control a first switching element based on a master signal; and a slave-side control circuit configured to critically control a second switching element based on a slave-signal with a phase difference of 180° from the master signal. In the PFC boost converter, an off period generator of the master-side control circuit feeds an M_ON signal which is the same in waveform as the master signal to an on phase controller of the slave-side control circuit, and the slave-side control circuit determines the rising timing of the slave signal from the rising time of the master signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jian Chen
  • Patent number: 8467202
    Abstract: A flyback power system includes a rectifier and filter circuit, a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller, a feedback circuit, a master converter circuit, a slave converter circuit, and a slave converter control circuit. The master converter circuit continuously converts power signals from the rectifier and filter circuit into first direct current (DC) power signals to drive load according to PWM signals of the PWM controller when the flyback power system powered on. The slave converter circuit converts the power signals from the rectifier and filter circuit into second DC power signals according to the PWM signals, and superposes the second DC power signals to the first DC power signals to drive the load when the load is heavy. The slave converter control circuit detects whether the load is heavy, and controls the PWM signals whether to input into the slave converter circuit according to a state of the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Ampower Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-Hsiung Lee, Chien-Chieh Tai, Hung-Yi Chen
  • Publication number: 20130141952
    Abstract: Inverters connected in parallel each include a power converter that carries out a direct current to alternating current conversion and supplies voltage to a motor, and a control unit, where one of the inverters is a master inverter and the control unit computes a voltage command value for the power converter in the one inverter, while the other inverter is a slave inverter and the power converter in the slave inverter is driven by the voltage command value, a transmission means transmits the voltage command value, and the control unit of the master inverter includes a delay device that delays the voltage command value by a transmission time needed when transmitting a computed voltage command value to the slave inverter, and provides the voltage command value delayed by the delay device to the power converter of the master inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 8374011
    Abstract: A power converter includes at least two power conversion sections operating in parallel. The power converter receives a variable input power and generates an AC output voltage. When the power source is generating enough power to supply a DC voltage to the power converter greater than or equal to the peak magnitude of the desired AC voltage output, each power conversion section operates in parallel, converting the DC voltage to the desired AC voltage output. When the power generated by the variable power source results in a DC voltage having a magnitude less than the peak magnitude of the desired AC voltage output, the power conversion sections operate in series. One power conversion section operates as a boost converter to boost the DC voltage level to a suitable level for the second power conversion section, which generates the desired AC output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Magnetek, Inc.
    Inventor: William F. Wirth
  • Patent number: 8233299
    Abstract: A drive control circuit generates switching drive signals for a single phase of a multiphase voltage regulator. A driver circuitry generates the switching drive signals for the voltage regulator responsive to a clock signal. A clock circuitry generates the clock signal responsive to a monitored external clock signal. A phase number detector determines a number of active phases in the multiphase voltage regulator in real time responsive to an indicator on a phase number input monitored by the phase detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc
    Inventors: Faisal Ahmad, Weihong Qiu, Nattorn Pongratananukul
  • Publication number: 20120182773
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for sharing input/output ports among inverters. A sharing method by a master inverter according to the present disclosure is such that data to be outputted to an output port of a slave inverter is transmitted to the slave inverter where data inputted to input port of the slave inverter is received. Furthermore, a sharing method by the slave inverter is such that data transmitted along with a request frame is outputted to an output port in case of receiving the request frame requesting use of the output port from the master inverter, where data used by the master inverter among data received from input port is transmitted to the master inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: LSIS CO., LTD
    Inventor: Jong Wook JEON
  • Publication number: 20120140534
    Abstract: There is provided a power conversion system, and a photovoltaic inverter includes a communication unit that broadcast-transmits a setting request signal of a predetermined communication address. The photovoltaic inverter includes a display unit that displays the predetermined communication address indicated by the setting request signal, and an address setting unit that generates a setting completion signal indicating that the predetermined communication address has been set as the communication address of the photovoltaic inverter if an input accepting unit accepts an input such that the predetermined communication address is set. An address management unit of the photovoltaic inverter generates a setting request signal indicating a communication address other than the predetermined communication address if the setting completion signal for the predetermined communication address is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Inukai, Noboru Andou, Isao Shikata, Naoki Nishio
  • Patent number: 8169177
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a control unit having overcurrent generation judgment unit, inverter selection unit, and inverter drive control unit. The overcurrent generation judgment unit judges whether an overcurrent is generated in an inverter for generation or an inverter for travel. When an overcurrent is generated in one of the inverters, the inverter selection unit selects the other inverter to be driven. The inverter drive control unit stops the driving of the one inverter and drives the other inverter to drive a travel motor or a generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20120098336
    Abstract: A method includes controlling multiple networked input-parallel/output-parallel inverters of a fuel cell system as a single inverter assembly by a master controller. A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell segments, a plurality of DC/DC converters and at least one DC/AC inverter, where an output of each of the plurality of the fuel cell segments is connected to a pair of DC/DC converters, and each of the pair DC/DC converters is connected to an opposite polarity bus being provided to the inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Ranganathan Gurunathan, Aisur Gopalakrishnan VishaI Anand, Ame Ballantine, Saravanakumar Narayanasamy, Kodali Venkata Narasimha Rao
  • Patent number: 8159145
    Abstract: A synchronous operating system for operating a plurality of discharge tube lighting apparatuses at the same frequency and same phase includes (1) an oscillator of a triangular wave signal whose inclination for charging a capacitor C2 and inclination for discharging the same are the same, (2) a signal generation part to generate, in a period shorter than a half period of the triangular wave signal, a first drive signal having a pulse width corresponding to a load current, and (3) a signal generation part of a second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and a phase difference of about 180 degrees with respect to the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 8120935
    Abstract: A method for providing electric power to a power system includes receiving, at a slave node of a power converter having a plurality of slave nodes, a first synchronization signal via a first communication channel, the first synchronization signal purporting to represent a master timing characteristic of a master control node of the converter; receiving, at the slave node of the converter, a second synchronization signal via a second communication channel, the second synchronization signal purporting to represent a master timing characteristic of the master control node of the converter; synchronizing an internal timing characteristic of the slave control node with the master timing characteristic of the master control node using the first synchronization signal; determining that the first synchronization signal is invalid; and synchronizing an internal timing characteristic of the slave control node with the master timing characteristic of the master control node using the second synchronization signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick S. Flannery, David G. Oteman, Matthew W. Tilstra, Gary Steven Parnes
  • Patent number: 8054655
    Abstract: An inventive isolated converter which exempts the auxiliary isolation devices with accurate voltage regulation is disclosed. The converter includes the primary side circuit with a primary controller controlling the on and off of the primary switch and a secondary side circuit with a secondary controller controlling the on and off of the secondary synchronous rectifier. The isolated converter uses the secondary controller to turn on the secondary synchronous rectifier after the secondary current decreases to zero to generate a negative tail current and turns off the secondary synchronous rectifier at a reference tail current peak value to generate a reflected negative current at the primary side circuit for turning on the primary switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Monolithie Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Moyer, Kaiwei Yao, Yuxin Li, Junming Zhang, Huanyu Lu
  • Publication number: 20110267854
    Abstract: A method for providing electric power to a power system includes receiving, at a slave node of a power converter having a plurality of slave nodes, a first synchronization signal via a first communication channel, the first synchronization signal purporting to represent a master timing characteristic of a master control node of the converter; receiving, at the slave node of the converter, a second synchronization signal via a second communication channel, the second synchronization signal purporting to represent a master timing characteristic of the master control node of the converter; synchronizing an internal timing characteristic of the slave control node with the master timing characteristic of the master control node using the first synchronization signal; determining that the first synchronization signal is invalid; and synchronizing an internal timing characteristic of the slave control node with the master timing characteristic of the master control node using the second synchronization signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick S. Flannery, David G. Oteman, Matthew W. Tilstra, Gary Steven Parnes
  • Patent number: 8050067
    Abstract: A control system for controlling conversion of an input power into an output power in a converter module is provided. The control system includes an input power terminal, an output power terminal, and an active switching device. The control system further includes a master controller and a communication link interconnecting the master controller and the converter module. Also, the system has a timing generator generating a timing signal with a cycle time equal to or less than the shortest time constant of the converter module and immediate power circuit elements relating to the converter module. The timing generator is integrated in or interconnected with the master controller. Furthermore, the control system has a signal generator integrated in or interconnected with the master controller generating switching control signals, each switching control signal containing a control message defining a switching state for the active switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Robert Vernon Fulcher, Rodney Jones, Philip Perry Waite
  • Patent number: 8014179
    Abstract: In typical commercial/aerospace applications, synchronous generators provide power to both the high voltage and the low voltage loads. This disclosure describes a method of regulating the output voltage for all of the loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Weiwei Qi, Mahesh J. Shah
  • Patent number: 8014180
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. The voltage regulator also includes a filter coupled to the slaves, the filter including one or more inductor banks each of which having a predetermined number of inductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Aaron M. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7967508
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for collecting fallen leaves or other objects. According to various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a mesh, central collection section for lying flat on the ground such that objects may be accumulated onto an upper side of an interior portion of the central collection section. The apparatus also includes an enclosure system connected to the central collection section such that an operator can enclose a peripheral portion of the central collection section around the interior portion. In that way, the objects accumulated onto the central collection section can be easily transported and subsequently emptied. The apparatus may also comprise a plurality of stiffeners connected to a lower side of the peripheral portion of the central collection section. The stiffeners may extend inward from an outer edge of the central collection apparatus and may be made of plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Inventor: Steven D. Costello
  • Patent number: 7944721
    Abstract: A switching control circuit for multi-channels and multi-phases power converter according to the present invention comprises a master control circuit and a slave control circuit. The master control circuit generates a multiplier signal in response to an input voltage and an output voltage of the power converter, and generates a first switching signal to switch a first inductor of the power converter in accordance with the multiplier signal and the first-current signal generated by a first current-sense device. The slave control circuit generates a second switching signal to switch a second inductor of the power converter in accordance with the multiplier signal, the first switching signal and a second-current signal generated by a second current-sense device. Once the power converter is at light-load, the multiplier signal is disabled to turn off the second switching signal to turn off the slave control circuit for power saving of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventor: Ta-Yung Yang
  • Patent number: 7889525
    Abstract: A multi-phase voltage regulator comprises a plurality of current supplying stages, each current supplying stage configured to supply a local output current equaling at least a portion of a load current output from the multi-phase voltage regulator; and a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit coupled to a respective one of the plurality of current supplying stages, wherein each control circuit calculates a control signal based, at least in part, on a sampled current representative of the respective local output current and a sampled current representative of a master output current. The control signal from each control circuit causes the respective current supplying stage to be disabled gradually over a first time interval if the sum of the local output current and the master output current is detected as being below a respective first predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Zaki Moussaoui
  • Patent number: 7884588
    Abstract: Control device for a switching converter structure comprising at least a first and a second interleaved converter, wherein the control device is configured to designate one converter as master and at least the other converter as slave, to set a time delay of the operating cycle of the slave converter and to synchronize the master and the at the least one slave converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Claudio Adragna, Aldo Novelli, Antonio Borrello, Laszlo Huber, Brian T. Irving, Milan M. Jovanovic
  • Patent number: 7859871
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the voltage and power of several HF inverters (2), connected in parallel at the output, of an electrically isolated inverter assembly as well as for distributing the load to these HF inverters (2) each consisting of at least one DC-DC converter (3), one intermediate circuit (4) and one DC-AC converter (5), with a command variable (Ui?) being formed for each HF inverter (2) so as to preset a nominal value for control of an intermediate-circuit voltage (UZKi) at the intermediate circuit (4) of the HF inverter (2). The load of each HF inverter (2) is determined by a control unit (13) by measuring the current or power required, an internal resistance of the HF inverter (2) is simulated via which internal resistance a virtual voltage drop (UVR) is caused which depends on the load determined and is used for controlling the voltage (UZKi) of the intermediate circuit (4) so as to produce a purposive change in the output voltage of each HF inverter (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Angerer, Hannes Heigl, Harald Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 7830688
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit. During each switching period of the switching circuit, the current for the slave is checked; namely, after the beginning of a low-side conduction period, and before the beginning of a high-side conduction period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron M. Schultz, Andy Burstein, Biljana Beronja
  • Patent number: 7773396
    Abstract: Method for synchronizing inverter units (INU11, INU12) that are connected in parallel and supply a motor, and a parallel connection arrangement, in which motor is either one winding, which is supplied by inverter units connected in parallel, or a plurality of parallel windings, in which each winding is supplied by its own inverter unit, in which parallel connection one inverter unit functions as a master and the others as slaves, in which method a telecommunications bus is arranged between the units, and in which each inverter unit has its own modulation cycle counter, which are synchronized with each other on the basis of telecommunications messages, preferably serial telecommunications messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Vacon Oyj
    Inventors: Jaakko Ollila, Pasi Kukkonen, Kimmo Rajakangas, Stefan Strandberg
  • Patent number: 7733676
    Abstract: A non-contact power supply system is provided in which current phases of induction lines are matched. According to the output current of a power supply unit (21) and the power consumption of induction lines (19), a lead time corresponding to a phase difference between the output currents of the induction lines is determined. A signal for driving transistors (52) is advanced ahead of a drive synchronization signal (?) according to the lead time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nunoya, Kazutoshi Takeda
  • Publication number: 20100097828
    Abstract: A two-phase critical interleave PFC boost converter, includes a master-side control circuit configured to critically control a first switching element based on a master signal; and a slave-side control circuit configured to critically control a second switching element based on a slave-signal with a phase difference of 180° from the master signal. In the PFC boost converter, an off period generator of the master-side control circuit feeds an M_ON signal which is the same in waveform as the master signal to an on phase controller of the slave-side control circuit, and the slave-side control circuit determines the rising timing of the slave signal from the rising time of the master signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jian Chen
  • Patent number: 7688607
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. The voltage regulator also includes a filter coupled to the slaves, the filter including one or more inductor banks each of which having a predetermined number of inductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Aaron M. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7630689
    Abstract: An electronic device that can receive an AM radio broadcast signal and has a switching power supply circuit, wherein a switching frequency of the switching power supply circuit is detected and a reception frequency of the AM radio broadcast signal is detected, and when a frequency as an integral multiple of the switching frequency falls within a reception frequency range of the AM radio broadcast signal, a load is added to the switching power supply circuit, whereby the switching frequency is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Naoyuki Kokuzawa
  • Publication number: 20090290393
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inverter system (1) with several inverters (2), each of which having at least one control unit (6), with at least one line (7) each being provided between the inverters (2) for data exchange, as well as to an inverter (2), and to a method of operating several inverters (2) in such an inverter system (1). To achieve a high transmission safety, and a high data-transmission rate, it is provided that each inverter (2) has a communication device (8) which is connected to a control unit (6) of the inverter (2) and to the data lines (7) of two neighboring inverters (2), and which has a switching device (13), the switching device (13) being configured to switch the data lines (7) between a ring system and between a bus system logically based on this ring system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Christian Angerer, Hannes Heigl, Harald Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 7616463
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a master controller and one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate terminal, and an internal controller which sends a same control signal to each slave. Each internal controller includes a phase-locked loop which offsets the control signal so that each slave is phase-offset relative to the other slaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Andy Burstein
  • Patent number: 7593243
    Abstract: A power conversion system having a DC power distribution bus includes multiple power converters connected to the DC power distribution bus with modulation frequencies synchronized so that providing phase shifts between the different modulations has the effect of compensating voltage and current ripples, e.g., reducing voltage fluctuations, across the DC bus. Power conversion may be controlled using space vector modulation implemented, for example, by any of a variety of pulse width modulation schemes. Phase shifts in which nulls of the modulation cycles of different converters do not overlap (in the time domain) may be particularly effective for DC bus voltage ripple compensation. The novel method for DC bus voltage ripple compensation may be implemented by programming a digital signal processor to control the power converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Evgeni Ganev, William H. Warr, Edward L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7535124
    Abstract: The voltage stabilizer for stabilizing a voltage of a circuit includes a first resistor, a second resistor, a voltage controller, and a current supply unit. The voltage controller keeps a voltage of the first resistor constant. The current supply unit supplies a first current to between the first resistor and the second resistor when a second current in the circuit becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Takahiro Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7522436
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit. During each switching period of the switching circuit, the current for the slave is checked; namely, after the beginning of a low-side conduction period, and before the beginning of a high-side conduction period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron M. Schultz, Andy Burstein, Biljana Beronja
  • Patent number: 7518894
    Abstract: A distributed power system delivers DC power to a plurality of loads. The distributed power system includes a plurality of power converter modules having an associated DC to DC power conversion operation. Each of the modules includes a power regulation section for receiving a distributed input power from a distributed power line to generate a DC output by controlling the operation of the switching pulse generator. A processing section within the module interfaces with a data communications line for interfacing with the commands. The processing section is capable of operating in both a slave mode to receive commands from said data communication bus and a master mode for generating the commands. In at least one of the modules operating in the master mode, the processing section generates the commands for transmission over the data communications line to an address of one of the other modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Ross M. Fosler, Donald E. Alfano
  • Patent number: 7502240
    Abstract: A distributed power system for delivering DC power to a plurality of loads. A plurality of switching DC/DC converter modules are provided, each disposed proximate one of the loads, and each having associated therewith a switching pulse generator for generating switching pulses. A distributed power line distributes input power to each of the modules and a data communication line distributes command data between the modules, each of the modules uniquely addressable over the data communication line. A timing communication line is also provided for distributing timing information to each of the switching pulse generators. A master controller generates commands and communicates them to the data modules over the data communication line, the master controller operable to generate timing information over the timing communication line to each of the modules for controlling the associated switching pulse generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Kafai Leung, Ka Y. Leung, Donald E. Alfano
  • Patent number: 7477533
    Abstract: A circuit assembly and package incorporates a front cover with power contacting blades extending from a front surface thereof for electrical engagement in a receptacle having a standard peripheral dimension. A housing is attached to the front cover and extends perpendicularly therefrom. The housing contains an electrical circuit connected to the power contacting blades which is contained on a plurality of circuit boards mounted substantially perpendicular to the front cover. The housing and front cover create a footprint less than the peripheral dimension of the receptacle. A connecting cable extends from the housing and is connected to the electrical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Wave Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Gilliland
  • Patent number: 7471528
    Abstract: A multiplicity of synchronized inverters for driving a multiplicity of loads such as CCFLs that require high ac voltages are arranged in close proximity of the respective loads and controlled in phase. A frequency determination capacitor and a frequency determination resistor are connected to one of the inverters to generate a triangular wave signal and a clock signal. The triangular wave signal and clock signal thus generated are supplied to other inverters to synchronize all the loads so that they can be controlled in phase. The resistance of the frequency determination resistor is set to a substantially small magnitude at the time of startup to increase the frequency of the triangular wave signal, thereby enabling quick startup of the loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20080158922
    Abstract: A multi-phase power system including a plurality of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controllers is provided, including a first PWM controller and at least one second PWM controller. The first PWM controller is configured to generate at least one first output signal based on a first clock signal, and to insert at least one synchronizing pulse into the first clock signal, the synchronizing pulse having a predetermined characteristic differing from pulses of the first clock signal, and to provide the first clock signal including the synchronizing pulse to the second PWM controller. The second PWM controller is configured to generate at least one second output signal based on the first clock signal, and to synchronize the generation of the first and second output signals using the synchronizing pulse within the first clock signal, thereby maintaining a predetermined phase relationship between the first and second output signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: William Todd Harrison, Xuening Li
  • Patent number: 7394232
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply assembly that has a plurality of power supply modules cyclically coupled to each other. Each power supply module has a synchronization control module for generating a synchronization control signal for a next neighboring module and for receiving a synchronization control signal from a previous neighboring module to ensure interleaved operation of all modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Koninkljke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Machiel Antonius Martinus Hendrix, Roelf Van Der Wal, Jacobus Josephus Leijssen, Josephus Adrianus Maria Van Erp
  • Patent number: 7277303
    Abstract: There is provided a power source apparatus that includes a master circuit and a slave circuit provided in parallel and outputs an electric current that adds an electric current output from the master circuit and an electric current output from the slave circuit as a power-supply current. The master circuit includes: a main circuit side output section operable to output an electric current depending on a given voltage; a main circuit side reference power source operable to generate a reference voltage corresponding to a power-supply voltage that the power source apparatus is to output; and a main circuit side control section operable to supply the voltage corresponding to the reference voltage to the main circuit side output section in order to control the current output from the main circuit side output section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Tanaka, Kunihiro Matsuura, Satoshi Kodera
  • Patent number: 7233509
    Abstract: A multiplicity of synchronized inverters for driving a multiplicity of loads such as CCFLs that require high ac voltages are arranged in close proximity of the respective loads and controlled in phase. A frequency determination capacitor and a frequency determination resistor are connected to one of the inverters to generate a triangular wave signal and a clock signal. The triangular wave signal and clock signal thus generated are supplied to other inverters to synchronize all the loads so that they can be controlled in phase. The resistance of the frequency determination resistor is set to a substantially small magnitude at the time of startup to increase the frequency of the triangular wave signal, thereby enabling quick startup of the loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 7196488
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus capable of drivingly controlling a plurality of inverter units with a single motor driving command from a motor control unit, and thereby control a large-capacity motor or the like. The motor control unit sends out a single motor driving command (torque command) S. An intermediary unit obtains motor driving commands S×A1 to S×A4 for the inverter units by multiplying the motor driving command S by each of coefficients A1 to A4 set in advance. The inverter units are fed with the motor driving commands S×A1 to S×A4 individually and drive a single motor. Since the motor is driven by the total current supplied by the inverter units, the motor can generate a large torque. The motor control unit only needs to generate a single motor driving command S, and hence only needs to operate a single processing part. Hence, the motor control unit can generate and send out motor driving commands for other motors to drive them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Shunsuke Matsubara, Shinichi Horikoshi, Hiroyasu Sato
  • Patent number: 7123493
    Abstract: There is provided a power source apparatus that includes a master circuit and a slave circuit provided in parallel and outputs an electric current that adds an electric current output from the master circuit and an electric current output from the slave circuit as a power-supply current. The master circuit includes: a main circuit side output section operable to output an electric current depending on a given voltage; a main circuit side reference power source operable to generate a reference voltage corresponding to a power-supply voltage that the power source apparatus is to output; and a main circuit side control section operable to supply the voltage corresponding to the reference voltage to the main circuit side output section in order to control the current output from the main circuit side output section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Tanaka, Kunihiro Matsuura, Satoshi Kodera
  • Patent number: 7110273
    Abstract: An inverter controlling method is provided for a power system that includes a DC power source and a plurality of inverters connected in parallel to the power source. The method includes the steps of: measuring output power of the power source at a plurality of periodic points; calculating a moving average at each periodic point based on the measured output power; calculating a regression curve by utilizing moving averages at a current periodic point and past periodic points; estimating output power at a next periodic point based on the regression curve; and determining, based on the estimated output power, how many inverters to be actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Daihen Corporation
    Inventors: Seiya Abe, Koichi Kishida
  • Patent number: 7038923
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of establishing a master unit in a multi-unit parallel system. Each module with a respective number is connected through a bus, and has a different host-identifying pulse width Ts and a host-releasing pulse width Tw. According to the respective numbers, each module sends its host-identifying pulse to the bus and receives the feedback pulse, and then establishes a master unit among all of modules after comparing the feedback pulse width Tr and the host-releasing pulse width Tw. This method effectively realizes a decentralized controlling strategy for phase synchronization in a parallel inverter system and ensures that only one master unit exists in the parallel system. The connection of the multi-string parallel signal bus is simple, and can be connected in circle to provide the redundancy. Compared with the prior art, it is much simple in structure and flexible in configuration and adjustment, and has more reliability and real-time capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Emerson Network Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dangsheng Zhou
  • Patent number: 7005835
    Abstract: A plurality of single-phase synchronizing converter automatically synchronize on a peer-to-peer basis. Each synchronizing converter is configured as a DC-to-DC converter. The synchronizing converters operate in parallel as a multi-phase converter. A common bus between the synchronizing converters includes a sync line and a common phase control line. Proper phasing automatically occurs when power is applied, and the phasing changes automatically as converters are added or removed. When the system powers up, the converters arbitrate for phase position. The phasing positions are random, but the phasing is relatively symmetrical regardless of the number of phases. In one embodiment, a hot-swappable converter module can be plugged into any location of a parallel multiphase bus to produce a common output voltage. When an additional module is plugged in, the converters readjust their phases to maintain phase symmetry. In one embodiment, each module shares a substantially equal portion of the output load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Microsemi Corp.
    Inventors: Steven W. Brooks, Paul Pickle
  • Patent number: 6982886
    Abstract: A multiplicity of synchronized inverters for driving a multiplicity of loads such as CCFLs that require high ac voltages are arranged in close proximity of the respective loads and controlled in phase. A frequency determination capacitor and a frequency determination resistor are connected to one of the inverters to generate a triangular wave signal and a clock signal. The triangular wave signal and clock signal thus generated are supplied to other inverters to synchronize all the loads so that they can be controlled in phase. The resistance of the frequency determination resistor is set to a substantially small magnitude at the time of startup to increase the frequency of the triangular wave signal, thereby enabling quick startup of the loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Rohm Co., LTD
    Inventor: Kenichi Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 6978934
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing power consumption in a data collection device. The method includes providing a power detector in an interface component of the data collection device and sensing the power delivered to the scan engine component of the device using the power detector. The power delivered to at least a portion of the interface component is selectively reduced according to the sensed power delivered to the scan engine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Chen Feng
  • Patent number: 6977829
    Abstract: A master-slave current distribution circuit for parallel power supplies is disclosed. The master-slave current distribution circuit for parallel power supplies comprising at least a first power supply and a second power supply includes a voltage amplifier, a power converting unit, a current detecting unit, an equivalent diode, an adjustable amplifier, an adding unit, and an energy gap voltage modulating unit, wherein an energy gap voltage formed between the output of the current detecting unit and the non-inverting input of the adjustable amplifier is modulated by the energy gap voltage modulating unit so that an unstability formed from the first power supply and the second power supply under a light load is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Delta Electronics. Inc.
    Inventor: Chih-Hsiung Huang
  • Patent number: 6930895
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a computer power supply in which, by improving the circuit itself, internal heat loss can be reduced, thereby greatly improving efficiency. A partial resonance circuit 8 is constituted by a primary side winding N1 of a high frequency transformer 3, a resonance condenser 7, and two switching elements Q1, Q2, a secondary side output circuit 4 for driving a load is connected to a secondary side of the high frequency transformer 3 via a winding, and a reverse converter 11 for driving and halting the first switching element and second switching element by causing the respective phases thereof to differ on the basis of a driving signal is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Nipron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomiji Yamada, Akira Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 6862200
    Abstract: A technique involves providing a set of soft start power signals to operating circuitry mounted on a circuit board. In particular, the technique involves enabling (i) a first converter to provide a first soft start power signal to the operating circuitry and (ii) a second converter to provide a second soft start power signal to the operation circuitry. Additionally, the technique involves providing a first control signal that indicates whether the first converter properly provides the first soft start power signal, and providing a second control signal that indicates whether the second converter properly provides the second soft start power signal. Furthermore, the technique involves disabling the first converter if the second control signal indicates that the second converter improperly provides the second soft start power signal, and disabling the second converter if the first control signal indicates that the first converter improperly provides the first soft start power signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: David Sullivan, Robert MacArthur