With Transistor Control Means In The Line Circuit Patents (Class 363/89)
  • Publication number: 20140119079
    Abstract: There are provided an interleaved power factor correction circuit and a power supply device including the same, the power factor correction circuit including: a main switching unit including a first main switch and a second main switch; an auxiliary switching unit including a first auxiliary switch and a second auxiliary switch; an inductor unit positioned between an input power terminal to which the input power is applied and the main switching unit and storing or discharging power according to the switching operations of the main switching unit; and an auxiliary inductor adjusting an amount of current flowing in the auxiliary switching unit when the auxiliary switching unit performs switching operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: In Wha JEONG, Bum Seok SUH, Kwang Soo KIM, Hyo Jin LEE
  • Publication number: 20140119078
    Abstract: A power conversion circuit includes a voltage boost circuit including a boost inductor configured to generate an output voltage in response to an input voltage, and a boost controller configured to control operation of the voltage boost circuit. The boost controller is configured to control operation of the voltage boost circuit in response to a level of current in the boost inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Walters, Qingcong Hu
  • Patent number: 8708438
    Abstract: A printer includes an energy storage device and a charger for charging the energy storage device and for providing a first DC voltage. The printer includes a first DC-to-DC voltage converter for converting the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage. The printer includes first printer electronics powered by the second DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Yu Zhao, Tong Nam Samuel Low
  • Patent number: 8710762
    Abstract: Provided is a DC-DC converter with improved power conversion efficiency. A transistor which is incorporated in the DC-DC converter and functions as a switching element for controlling output power includes, in its channel formation region, a semiconductor material having a wide band gap and significantly small off current compared with silicon. The transistor further comprises a back gate electrode, in addition to a general gate electrode, and a back gate control circuit for controlling a potential applied to the back gate electrode in accordance with the output power from the DC-DC converter. The control of the potential applied to the back gate electrode by the back gate control circuit enables the threshold voltage to decrease the on-state resistance when the output power is high and to increase the off-state current when the output power is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kei Takahashi, Jun Koyama, Masato Ishii
  • Patent number: 8704498
    Abstract: A voltage source converter (10) for use in three-phase high voltage DC power transmission and reactive power compensation. The voltage source converter (10) comprises three converter limbs (12,14,16) connected in a bridge circuit arrangement wherein each of first and second converter limbs (12,14) includes a multilevel converter (18) and a third converter limb (16) includes a capacitor (20) on each side of a series AC phase connection (22). The multilevel converters (18) are controllable to synthesize waveforms at series AC phase connections (24,26) of the first and second converter limbs (12,14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: David Trainer, Ruchira Withanage, Robert S. Whitehouse
  • Publication number: 20140104908
    Abstract: A method for activating a rectifier having active switching elements in the event of a load dump, the active switching elements being activated during the voltage clamping in such a way that the clamp voltage in at least one switching branch complies with a signal form predefined as a function of time within at least one half-period of the current to be rectified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Paul Mehringer, Uwe Schiller, Holger Heinisch, Markus Baur, Jochen Kurfiss, Gerhard Walter
  • Publication number: 20140098583
    Abstract: A power source apparatus includes: a first series circuit that has a first rectifier element, a first switching element, and a third rectifier element; a second series circuit that has a second rectifier element, a second switching element, and a fourth rectifier element; a reactor connected between a connecting point of the first rectifier element and the first switching element and a connecting point of the second rectifier element and the second switching element; and a current detection unit having a first resistor element. The first and second switching elements are controllable based on a first zero current detection signal in accordance with a first current detected in the current detection unit, and a desired direct current voltage is fed to a load circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei NISHIBORI, Nadthawut CHALERMBOON
  • Patent number: 8693226
    Abstract: An inverter comprising: a circuit including arms connected in parallel, each of the arms including a first switch and a second switch connected in series; and a gate drive circuit configured to control, by pulse-width modulation using synchronous rectification, each of the first switch and the second switch to switch to an on-state or an off-state, wherein each of the first switch and the second switch includes: a channel region that is conductive in both a forward direction and a reverse direction in the on-state, and that is not conductive in the forward direction in the off-state; and a diode region that is combined as one with the channel region, and that is conductive only in the reverse direction, the diode region being unipolar, and the gate drive circuit synchronizes a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the first switch to switch to the on-state with a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the second switch to switch to the off-state, and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Kitabatake, Shun Kazama
  • Patent number: 8687385
    Abstract: An AC to DC converter system is disclosed in which a conversion circuit for converting an AC input signal to a DC output signal is operably coupled with an enabling circuit designed for sensing and output parameter indicative of the presence or absence of a load at the DC output. The system is designed so that the conversion circuit operates in an inactive standby state when there is no load, and in an active state for supplying DC power when a load is present. The enabling circuit is configured to operate using low power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Triune IP LLC
    Inventors: Ross Teggatz, Brett Smith, Amer Atrash, Wayne Chen
  • Publication number: 20140085949
    Abstract: A switching power supply that conducts switching of an input voltage by a switching element to obtain a specified output voltage includes: an ON width controlling component that controls an ON width of the switching element; a zero current detecting component that detects zero current through the switching element to turn ON the switching element; a frequency reducing component that delays a turn ON timing of the switching element upon detection of a light load condition by a load condition detecting component to reduce a switching frequency of the switching element; and an AC period detecting component that detects a period of the input voltage to hold the load condition detected by the load condition detecting component over every period detected by the AC period detecting component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takato SUGAWARA
  • Patent number: 8681519
    Abstract: A method of generating an output voltage from a variable input voltage with a power factor correction (PFC) system is disclosed. The PFC system includes a first power rail and a second power rail connected in parallel between an input for receiving the input voltage and an output for outputting the output voltage. The method includes operating one or both of the first power rail and the second power rail to generate the output based, at least in part, on whether the input voltage exceeds a threshold voltage. Power supplies and PFC systems suitable for performing the method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventor: Vijay G. Phadke
  • Publication number: 20140078798
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a converter includes a power factor controller that varies the switching frequency of a switching transistor in accordance with a signal representative of power at the input of the converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Joel Turchi
  • Publication number: 20140071725
    Abstract: A power supply controller includes a switching signal generator, a zero crossing detection (ZCD) circuit, first and second logic gates, and an interval generator. The switching signal generator generates a switching signal and the ZCD circuit generates a ZCD signal that pulses each zero-crossing of an ac input voltage. The first logic gate generates a first output when the ZCD signal pulses while the output of the power supply is below a threshold reference. The second logic gate generates a second output when the ZCD signal pulses while the output of the power supply is above the threshold reference. The interval generator is enabled in response to the first output and disabled in response to the second output. The interval generator allows the switching signal to pass through the interval generator to the switch when enabled and does not allow the switching signal to pass when disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond K. Orr
  • Publication number: 20140071724
    Abstract: A bridge-less step-up switching power supply device includes (i) a first and a second reactor having: a first and a second main winding connected to a first and a second input terminal, respectively; and a first and a second auxiliary winding magnetically coupled to the first main winding and connected to the first and second main windings, the first and second auxiliary windings having a first and a second leakage inductance, respectively; (ii) a first and a second diode connected between the first and second auxiliary windings and a first output terminal, respectively; (iii) a first capacitor connected between the first output terminal and a second output terminal; (iv) a second capacitor connected between a connection point of a third switch and a fourth switch, and the first output terminal; and (v) a controller for controlling turning on/off of first to fourth switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akiteru CHIBA
  • Patent number: 8670255
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a power converter including an inductor coupled in series with a power switch and a resistor coupled to a winding of the inductor. Input and output power converter voltages including an input brownout condition or an output overvoltage condition are estimated, and the output voltage may be regulated, by sensing a current in the resistor. An input current waveform can thereby be controlled to replicate substantially the input voltage waveform. The controller adjusts an on time and terminates an off time of the power switch by sensing respectively a current and a change of current in the resistor. The controller may sense a current flowing in the resistor to select a line voltage range of the input voltage to the power converter. The controller may estimate an input current to the power converter employing the current flowing in the resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Xiaowu Gong, Meng Kiat Jeoh, Dong Li
  • Publication number: 20140063880
    Abstract: A rectifier circuit includes a first alternating current (AC) voltage input terminal, a second AC voltage input terminal, a signal generating circuit, a first energy generating circuit, a second energy generating circuit, a third energy generating circuit, a first output terminal, and a second output terminal The first and second AC voltage input terminals receive an AC voltage. The signal generating circuit generates control signals. The first energy storing circuit is charged by the AC voltage. In a positive period of the AC voltage, the first energy storing circuit discharges to the second energy storing circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHUANG-WEI TSENG, KAI-FU CHEN, CHE-HSUN CHEN
  • Publication number: 20140063879
    Abstract: A rectifier circuit includes a three-phase alternating current (AC) voltage, a first rectifier unit, a second rectifier unit, a third rectifier unit, a first voltage output terminal, a second voltage output terminal, a first energy storing circuit and a second energy storing circuit. The three-phase AC voltage generates a first AC voltage, a second AC voltage, and a third AC voltage, and outputs them to the first rectifier circuit, a second rectifier circuit, and a third rectifier circuit correspondingly. The first energy storing circuit and the second storing circuit are connected in series and are coupled between the first voltage output terminal and the second voltage output terminal, to drive a load. In a positive period of each AC voltage, the second energy storing circuit is charged by each rectifier unit. In a negative period of each AC voltage, the first energy storing circuit is charged by each rectifier unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: KAI-FU CHEN, CHUANG-WEI TSENG, CHE-HSUN CHEN
  • Patent number: 8659924
    Abstract: In a power conversion apparatus that converts AC power to DC power, an inverter circuit including one or more single-phase inverters connected in series with each other is connected in series at the subsequent stage of a rectification of an AC input. At the subsequent stage of the inverter circuit, a smoothing capacitor connected via a rectification diode, and a short-circuiting switch for bypassing the smoothing capacitor are provided. The short-circuiting switch is subjected to ON/OFF control by PWM control such that a voltage of the DC voltage supply of the inverter circuit follows a target voltage. The inverter circuit is subjected to output control such that a DC voltage of the smoothing capacitor follows a target voltage and an input power factor is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Yamada, Akihiko Iwata
  • Patent number: 8659271
    Abstract: A fixed-on-time controller utilizing an adaptive saw signal for discontinuous mode PFC power conversion, the fixed-on-time controller comprising: an error amplifier, having a negative input end coupled to a feedback signal, a positive input end coupled to a reference voltage, and an output end for providing a threshold signal; an adaptive current source generator, used to generate an adaptive current source according to the threshold signal; a capacitor, charged by the adaptive current source, being used for carrying a saw signal; a switch, used to discharge the capacitor under the control of a reset signal; and a comparator, having a negative input end coupled to the threshold signal, a positive input end coupled to the saw signal, and an output end for providing a turn-off signal; and a fixed-on-time driver circuit, used to provide a driving signal and the reset signal according to the turn-off signal and a sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Grenergy Opto Inc.
    Inventor: Yu-Ping Chu
  • Patent number: 8654552
    Abstract: There is provided an interleaved type power factor correction circuit having a transformer forming a separated winding structure, which is formed by integrating two inductors separately wound around the transformer. The interleaved type power factor correction circuit including a rectifying unit rectifying a commercial alternating current power, a transformer having a first inductor winding and a second inductor winding, a bobbin part, and a core part, a switching unit switching a power transmitted to the first and second inductor windings, a controlling unit controlling a switching operation of the switching unit in order to allow a phase difference between a current and a voltage of the switched power to satisfy a predetermined phase difference, and a stabilizing unit stabilizing the switched power from the switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun Seop Shin, Sung Uk Lee
  • Patent number: 8654553
    Abstract: A method is directed to providing adaptive digital control for the PFC front-end of a switching mode power supply. The method uses an evaluation model to adjust control loop parameters of a control algorithm used by a controller on the primary side of the power supply. The method performs a series of step adjustments of the control loop parameter values to determine optimized values. In some implementations, the method determines and compares the line current THD corresponding to different control loop parameter values. The method provides simplified digital control loop design, optimizes PFC front-end performance, improves system efficiency by decreasing harmonic ripples, and reduces labor cost and time to market due to shorter research and development phase. System performance optimization is fully adaptive adjusted for changes in operating conditions due to, for example, environmental and temperature variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Zhen Z. Ye, Jamie Dunn
  • Patent number: 8653783
    Abstract: A circuit switching element is provided that switches a step-up/step-down bidirectional chopper circuit, arranged between a DC bus and a power storage element, to a first chopper circuit or to a second chopper circuit, whose step-up and step-down characteristics are in a complementary relation. The first and second chopper circuits are used together at a time of charge and discharge. Accordingly, an AC motor drive device having mounted therein a power storage system is obtained, in which the power storage system can perform charge and discharge to and from the power storage element, regardless of a bus voltage and can increase energy use efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Ohashi, Kazuya Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140043878
    Abstract: A power supply circuit includes a rectifier, a charging circuit, and a storage capacitor. An AC signal is rectified by the rectifier thereby generating a rectified signal VR between a VR node and a GND node. The capacitor is coupled between an output voltage VO node and the GND node. If VR is greater than a first predetermined voltage VP then the VO node is decoupled from the VR node. If VR is below VP then the charging circuit supplies a substantially constant charging current from the VR node, through the charging circuit, to the VO node, and to the capacitor, provided that VO on the capacitor is below a second predetermined voltage VO(MAX) and provided that VR is adequately high with respect to VO. Due to the charging current, the voltage VO on the storage capacitor is restored to the desired second predetermined voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: IXYS Corporation
    Inventor: Leonid A. Neyman
  • Publication number: 20140042921
    Abstract: There is disclosed an AC/DC converter circuit. The circuit comprises: an input terminal for receiving an AC supply voltage; a driver circuit adapted to supply a DC drive current or voltage to an output of the circuit based on a signal provided to a control terminal of the driver circuit; and an AC coupling network connected between the input terminal and the control terminal of the driver circuit. The AC coupling network is adapted to derive a signal from an AC supply voltage received by the input terminal and to supply the derived signal to the control terminal of the driver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Leendert Albertus Dick VAN DEN BROEKE
  • Publication number: 20140043879
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a switch controller, a power supply including the same, and a method for driving the same. An AC input of the power supply is connected to a rectification circuit. The power supply includes a power switch to which an input current passed through the rectification circuit flows during an on-period and a switch controller, the switch controller detects a half-on time point that is the intermediate time point of the on-period, detects a sense voltage that is determined by a current flowing to the power switch during the on-period at the half-on time point, generates a modulation wave by controlling a reference wave according to the detected voltage, and controls switching operation of the power switch according to the modulation wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: FAIRCHILD KOREA SEMICONDUCTOR LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul EUM, Seung-Uk YANG
  • Patent number: 8643319
    Abstract: A method of controlling a brushless motor that includes rectifying an alternating voltage to provide a rectified voltage, and exciting a winding of the motor with the rectified voltage. The winding is excited in advance of predetermined rotor positions by an advance period and is excited for a conduction period over each electrical half-cycle of the motor. The length the advance period and/or the conduction period is defined by a waveform that varies periodically with time. The method then includes adjusting the phase of the waveform relative to the alternating voltage in response to a change in one of motor speed and RMS value of the alternating voltage. Additionally, a control system that implements the method, and a motor system that incorporates the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: Tuncay Celik
  • Patent number: 8644041
    Abstract: A Power Factor Corrector (PFC), typically used as the first stage of switched mode power supplies, particularly suited for Universal Mains inputs, is disclosed, along with methods for controlling a switched mode power supply having power factor correction. In order to increase efficiency, particularly under low load conditions, without undue degradation of the Power Factor, the switching of the PFC circuit is confined to one or more operating windows within each half-cycle. In example embodiments, the operating window comprises a small time window centered around the peak of the mains voltage. The higher the power level, the wider the switching window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Frans Pansier
  • Patent number: 8633660
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a switching operation control device of a power switch, an LED light emitting device including the same, and a control method thereof. The control device detects a zero crossing time when a voltage at an input end of the power switch becomes a zero voltage, generates a reference signal that is synchronized with the voltage at the input end of the power switch by using the detected zero crossing time, and compensates the generated reference signal with a first voltage that is greater than the zero voltage during a blocking period corresponding to the zero crossing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Gye-Hyun Cho, Min-Ho Jung, Sung-Yun Park, Dong-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8634217
    Abstract: An AC to DC converter for converting an AC input voltage to a regulated DC output voltage using a Z-type converter and rectified switches. The Z-type converter includes first and second inductors, a capacitor, two rectified switches and a load device coupled in a cross-coupled configuration. The Z-type converter may be configured according to a Z-source or a quasi-Z-source rectifier network. The AC input voltage is applied to an input and the DC output voltage is developed across the load device. Each rectified switch may be configured as a series-coupled diode and electronic switch or as a dual gate GaN device with a shorted gate. A control network monitors the DC output voltage and develops a control signal for controlling the first and second rectified switches to regulate the DC output voltage. The control network may control the rectified switches based on duty cycle control or current mode control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Michael M. Walters
  • Patent number: 8634218
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) comprises a rectifier/regulator circuit coupled to receive an ac source voltage and output a regulated dc voltage. The rectifier/regulator circuit includes first and second switching elements that provide charging current when enabled. The first and second switching elements do not provide charging current when disabled. A sensor circuit is coupled to sense the regulated dc voltage and generate a feedback control signal coupled to the rectifier/regulator circuit that enables the first and second switching elements when the regulated dc voltage is above a target voltage, and disables the first and second switching elements when the regulated dc voltage is below the target voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: David Kung
  • Publication number: 20140016381
    Abstract: The present invention provides a current detection circuit, a controlling circuit using the current detection circuit and a power conversion circuit using the controlling circuit, the current detection circuit comprises a sample keeping circuit, a rising edge detection circuit, a falling edge detection circuit, a sequential controlling circuit, a synchronous detection circuit and a lowpass filter. The inventive current detection circuit for the power conversion circuit obtains signals of the output current by detecting loop current of the master switch and processing the loop current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: SUNSUN LIGHTING CHINA CO., LTD
    Inventor: Jianning SUN
  • Patent number: 8630105
    Abstract: In a switching power supply apparatus, an alternating-current input power supply is input to the input terminals of a power factor correction converter and a DC-DC converter is connected to output terminals. A load is connected to the output of the DC-DC converter. A digital signal processing circuit takes the product of an output voltage error and a detection value of the input voltage as a current reference amplitude value and controls the on period of a switching element in accordance with the difference between the current reference amplitude value and the current flowing through an inductor. The target value of the output voltage or the output voltage error is corrected using a value that is proportional to the current reference amplitude value such that the output voltage rises as the load goes from a light to a heavy load state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Uno
  • Patent number: 8630101
    Abstract: A power converter for delivering power to a load at a regulated voltage 11 includes a regulating stage receiving an unregulated supply 10 and having a main transformer 18. Switches 16a and 16b are arranged in a half-bridge connect the transformer primary 17 to the unregulated supply 10 to drive the load via a rectifying stage connected to the transformer secondary 19. The on-time of the switch is controlled by a controller 14 to effect the regulation over a range of values of the unregulated supply. An auxiliary transformer 103 has a secondary winding 104 connected in series with the main transformer primary 17 and a primary winding that is selectively driven via a switch 106. A comparator 107 detects a low voltage event within the regulating stage, such as a drop in the intermediate voltage at 10. The primary winding 105 of the auxiliary transformer 103 is driven during the low voltage event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Texas InstrumentsIncorporated
    Inventors: George Young, Colin Gillmor
  • Publication number: 20140009080
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an inductor current detection circuit in a switching mode power supply, and a light-emitting diode (LED) driver thereof. In one embodiment, an inductor current detection circuit configured in a switching mode power supply under discontinuous conduction mode, can include: (i) a voltage detection circuit configured to generate a sampling voltage based on a drain-source voltage of a power switch in the switching mode power supply; (ii) a voltage holding circuit configured to receive the sampling voltage, and to generate a holding voltage through a sampling and holding operation; and (iii) a comparison circuit configured to compare the sampling voltage against the holding voltage, and to generate a zero-crossing signal when the sampling voltage is less than the holding voltage, where the zero-crossing signal is configured to represent an inductor current ending time of the switching mode power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Xiaoru Xu
  • Patent number: 8624516
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus for LED is provided. The power supply apparatus for LED includes a detector, a voltage dropper, and a control switch. The detector detects whether an LED is connected to the power supply apparatus. The voltage dropper drops a voltage applied to the LED. The control switch is connected to the voltage dropper in parallel, and changes a path of a power applied to the LED according to the detected result of the detector. Accordingly, the power supply apparatus for LED compensates for a low impedance of an LED to an impedance equal to or higher than a predetermined impedance at a time when connection of the LED is detected, thereby inhibiting an overcurrent from flowing in the LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ui Jong Kim, Min Ho Kim
  • Publication number: 20140003106
    Abstract: A boost converter capable of reducing a common-mode current that flows to the outside of a casing. In the converter, a boost circuit includes first and second inductors and at least one switching element electrically connected therebetween. A controller turns on and off the at least one switching element to boost an input voltage of the boost circuit. A first floating capacitor is formed between a first electrical path, which is at the same potential as a junction between the at least one switching element and the first inductor, and a mounting member coupled to a reference potential member with an insulator therebetween. A second floating capacitor is formed between a second electrical path, which is at the same potential as a junction between the at least one switching element and the second inductor, and the mounting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Kazuhiro SHIRAKAWA, Hiroshi TAKI, Jun ISHII
  • Patent number: 8614874
    Abstract: A transistor active bridge circuit (100) including first and second field-effect transistors (102, 104) of a first channel type, and third and fourth field-effect transistors (106, 108) of a second channel type that is different from the first channel type. The transistor active bridge circuit also includes a plurality of gate drive circuits for the field-effect transistors. A set of voltage dividers (110/112, 114/116, 118/120, 122/124) and/or voltage clamping devices (126, 128, 130, 132) permit the circuit (100) to efficiently operate over a wider range of input voltages, without potential damage to the gate drive circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Troy Woodrow Sells
  • Patent number: 8614902
    Abstract: A power factor correction stage comprising: an input terminal configured to receive an input signal; an output terminal configured to provide an output signal; a first converter stage and one or more further converter stages, wherein each of the converter stages is connected to the input terminal and the output terminal, and each converter stage comprises a switch; and a controller configured to operate the switches of the converter stages. The controller is configured to operate the switch of the one or more further converter stages at a period of time after operation of the switch of the first converter stage for a current switching cycle, wherein the period of time corresponds to a proportion of the switching frequency for an earlier switching cycle that does not correspond to substantially the period of the earlier switching cycle divided by the number of converter stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Frans Pansier, Thomas Antonius Duerbaum, Markus Schmid, Klaus Mühlbauer, Johann Baptist Daniel Kuebrich
  • Publication number: 20130336032
    Abstract: A method of controlling a single-phase voltage source AC/DC converting circuit has internal equivalent impedance as seen from an AC terminal, for converting power from a DC voltage source connected to a DC terminal to single-phase AC power or for converting single-phase AC power from a single-phase AC source connected to the AC terminal to DC power in accordance with a pulse width of a gate signal generated based on a PWM command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Origin Electric Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Masaaki OHSHIMA, Shuichi USHIKI, Jinbin ZHAO
  • Patent number: 8610409
    Abstract: An example controller for use in a power supply includes a zero crossing detection (ZCD) circuit, a threshold detection circuit, and a punctuated switching control circuit. The ZCD circuit generates a ZCD signal that pulses each zero-crossing of an ac input voltage. The threshold detection circuit receives and compares an output of the power supply with a threshold reference. The punctuated switching control circuit generates a switching signal to control a switch to regulate the output of the power supply. The switching signal is generated to have intervals of switching and intervals of no switching, where each interval of switching begins responsive to the output of the power supply dropping below the threshold reference and each interval of no switching begins responsive to the output rising above the threshold reference. Each interval has a beginning that is synchronized with a pulse of the ZCD signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond K. Orr
  • Patent number: 8611109
    Abstract: A flyback converter includes input terminals and output terminals. A transformer with a first winding and a second winding are inductively coupled. A first switching element is connected in series with the first winding and a first series circuit with the first switching element, the first winding being coupled between the input terminals. A rectifier arrangement is connected in series with the second winding and a second series circuit with the rectifier arrangement, the second winding being coupled between the output terminals. The rectifier arrangement includes a second switching element. A control circuit is configured in one drive cycle to switch on the first switching element for a first time period. After the first time period the second switching element is switched on for a second time period. A third time period is determined between an end of the second time period and the time at which the transformer assumes a predetermined transformer state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Werner Roessler, Michael Hausmann
  • Patent number: 8599579
    Abstract: Consistent with an example embodiment, there is a control method which reduces the steps: instead of a constant on-time for the switch, the duration of the on-time is increased each time an additional valley to be skipped. The predetermined increase may be either a fixed fractional increase or a further additional increment; it may be determined by a small regulation loop that multiplies the on-time from the main loop with a factor equal to the ratio between measured period time and the sum of primary and secondary stroke times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Johann Baptist Daniel Kuebrich, Thomas Antonius Duerbaum, Hans Halberstadt
  • Publication number: 20130314960
    Abstract: An exemplary direct current (DC) voltage generating apparatus for generating stable DC voltages includes a voltage conversion circuit, a voltage control circuit, and a voltage regulating circuit. The voltage conversion circuit receives an alternating current (AC) voltage, and converts the AC voltage to a first DC voltage. The voltage control circuit receives the first DC voltage, and converts the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage and a control signal. The voltage regulating circuit receives the control signal, and regulates the second DC voltage to a stable second DC voltage at the voltage control circuit according to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (WUHAN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: ZHI-YONG GAO, TING-TING WU, YU-LIN LIU
  • Publication number: 20130314961
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a switch controller, a power supply including the same, and a driving method thereof. An AC input of the power supply is connected to a rectification circuit. The power supply includes a power switch to which the AC input passed through the rectification circuit flows during a turn-on period of the power switch and a switch controller detecting a half-on time point that is an intermediate time point of the turn-on period, calculating the AC current using a result of sampling a sense voltage that depends on a current flowing to the power switch during the turn-on period at the half-on time point and the turn-on period, and controlling the input current to have a reference sine wave. The reference sine wave has a sine wave that is full-wave rectified from the AC input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: FAIRCHILD KOREA SEMICONDUCTOR LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul EOM, Seung-Uk YANG
  • Patent number: 8593842
    Abstract: A dimming power supply includes a power source, a transformer, a full bridge rectifier and a control switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Innovate, LLC
    Inventors: Laurence P. Sadwick, Mohammad M. Mojarradi
  • Patent number: 8593070
    Abstract: A three phase rectifier rectifies received three phase a.c. power to generate a ripple d.e. voltage. A power distribution bus conveys distribution power comprising the ripple d.c. voltage or an a.c. voltage derived therefrom to a location of an LED based lamp that is distal from the three phase rectifier. Additional circuitry disposed with the LED based lamp drives the LED based lamp using the distribution power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jian Wang, Hong Zhao
  • Publication number: 20130308359
    Abstract: In some aspects of the invention, a zero current detecting circuit of a switching power supply device detects a gradient of the current flowing in an inductor in the OFF state of the switching element and detects the timing at which the current through the inductor becomes zero corresponding to the detected gradient of the inductor current. Specifically, the zero current detecting circuit receives a signal for controlling ON/OFF driving of the switching element and a voltage signal proportional to the current flowing through the inductor in an OFF state of the switching element. The voltage signal can be compared sequentially with first and second comparison reference voltages to control charging and discharging of a capacitor. Further, the zero current detecting circuit can detect a timing at which the charging and discharging voltage of the capacitor as the timing of zero current flowing through the inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jian CHEN
  • Publication number: 20130308360
    Abstract: Provided is a power factor correction circuit capable of reducing ringing sound of a transformer produced when an overshoot protection is effected. An output voltage control circuit performs constant voltage-control such that capacitor charge voltage of an output capacitor corresponds to a first voltage value, and when the capacitor charge voltage of the output capacitor reaches a second voltage value higher than the first voltage value, an overvoltage detecting unit detects the second voltage value. Further, a current limiting unit detects a value of a switching current through a switching element, and determines a limiting value of the level of the switching current. Then, the switching current is limited to the limiting value, and when an overvoltage detecting unit detects the second voltage value, a limiting value changing unit causes the current limiting unit to change the limiting value to decrease the value of the switching current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: SHINDENGEN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Koiwai, Shigeru Hisada
  • Patent number: 8582336
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power supply circuit includes an input terminal, a rectifier circuit, a power factor improvement circuit, a DC/DC converter, and a control module. The DC/DC converter converts the level of a DC voltage output from the power factor improvement circuit. The control module determines on the basis of the output voltage of the rectifier circuit whether an input power supply supplied to the input terminal is AC or DC. The control module generates a DC power supply by use of the power factor improvement circuit and DC/DC converter when the input power supply is AC and generates a DC power supply by controlling the operation of the power factor improvement circuit and DC/DC converter according to the voltage of input DC power supply when the input power supply is DC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masayasu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130294125
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide an error amplifier that can compare a feedback voltage of an output voltage with a reference voltage to produce a resulting error signal in cooperation with a phase compensating circuit. In some aspects of the invention, an AC detecting circuit makes a decision as to whether a detected input voltage signal is that of a 100 Vac system or that of a 200 Vac system to change the gain of the error amplifier according to the result of the decision. When the voltage signal Vis is lower than the threshold voltage established beforehand, for making the transient response speed of the phase compensating circuit faster, the AC detecting circuit increases the gain of the error amplifier. When the voltage signal is higher than the threshold voltage established beforehand, for making a power factor higher, the AC detecting circuit decreases the gain of the error amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jian CHEN