For Inverter Patents (Class 363/95)
  • Patent number: 6605881
    Abstract: An AC interconnection apparatus has an input terminal for a commercial power system, a connection terminal to a solar cell, an output terminal connected to a load, an inverter for converting the output voltage of the solar cell into an AC voltage, and a current detector arranged on the load side of an AC connection point for connecting the AC output from the inverter and the commercial power. When a power value calculated on the basis of a current detection value by the current detector and the voltage of the commercial power system is less than the output power of the inverter, the output of the inverter is suppressed, thereby suppressing reverse power flow to the commercial power system. When the current value detected by the current detector exceeds a predetermined value, power supply to the load is stopped using a breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Takehara, Hiroshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 6590793
    Abstract: An electric power conversion unit 2 for driving a pump 3 run by electric power generated by a solar panel 1, a storage battery 5 connected to the solar panel 1 via the switch 6, and a controller 7 for controlling the electric power conversion unit 2 and the switch 6 are provided. The controller 7 closes the switch 6 during any period when the amount of insolation is large and performs the maximum power point tracking control of the solar panel 1, and otherwise, controls the electric power conversion unit 2 to drive at one of plural fixed frequencies in dependence upon an output voltage from the solar panel 1 by closing the switch 6. Accordingly, it is possible to utilize output from an unstable electric power supply efficiently, such as a solar cell, thereby providing a reliable electric motor driving apparatus having a simple configuration and a control method therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Nagao, Kimitoshi Fukae, Nobuyoshi Takehara
  • Patent number: 6580624
    Abstract: An AC power is rectified in a rectification circuit, and a pulsating voltage is output via a noise filter. The pulsating voltage is input to a switching circuit, and an AC voltage having a pulse width corresponding to a control signal is output. The AC voltage is transformed and rectified. The pulsating voltage is smoothed in a smoothing condenser, and a DC voltage is output. A voltage change detecting circuit detects a change of the DC voltage in a period longer than a period of ripple included in the DC voltage, and a detection signal is output. The detection signal is input to a control circuit, and a negative feed-back control is executed so that the DC voltage becomes constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Tokin Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Arai
  • Patent number: 6567769
    Abstract: This unattendant data center environment protection, control and management system is able to provide means for monitoring temperature and humidity, managing power supply, and controlling access condition for a protected zone, and further, able to achieve the aim of remote control and management effect in any situation and from any distance by means of phone communication, interconnection to local network, or the internet web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: DigiPower Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Her-Lin Chang
  • Publication number: 20030086282
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter. The converter has three inductors, two capacitors, a first switch and a second switch, a first rectifier and a second rectifier, and a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding. The first switch and the second switch are turned on alternately according to a controlling signal, and a current may flow through the primary winding of the transformer, thereby transferring energy to the second winding. The first rectifier and the second rectifier operate according to the energy transferred from the primary winding to obtain a solid current through the third inductor, and a solid DC output voltage is output to the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Jianhong Zeng, Jianping Ying, Qingvou Zhang
  • Patent number: 6549867
    Abstract: A power supply feed-forward compensation technique using power consumption hints. One embodiment includes a power estimator to generate a power consumption hint that indicates a power consumption level of a component. A transfer function compensation circuit generates a power supply adjustment signal as a function of the power consumption hint and a power transfer function to the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald D. Smith
  • Patent number: 6538908
    Abstract: A power supply controller having a multi-function terminal. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a drain terminal, a source terminal, a control terminal and a multi-function terminal. The multi-function terminal may be configured in a plurality of ways providing any one or some of a plurality of functions including on/off control, external current limit adjustments, under-voltage detection, over-voltage detection and maximum duty cycle adjustment. The operation of the multi-function terminal varies depending on whether a positive or negative current flows through the multi-function terminal. A short-circuit to ground from the multi-function terminal enables the power supply controller. A short-circuit to a supply voltage from the multi-function terminal disables the power supply controller. The current limit of an internal power switch of the power supply controller may be adjusted by externally setting a negative current from the multi-function terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, Alex B. Djenguerian, Leif O. Lund
  • Patent number: 6532161
    Abstract: There is provided by this invention an apparatus and method for generating voltage pulses to first and second magnetron devices in a plasma chamber. An isolation transformer is connected to a pulsed DC power supply having a flux sensor, such as a Hall effect sensor, in close proximity to its air gap to monitor the transformer flux. A control circuit is connected to the flux sensor to control the duty cycle of the transformer by controlling the flux of the transformer such that the maximum and minimum peak transformer fluxes are equal in magnitude and opposite in sign to prevent saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri Kovalevskii, Michael Kishinevsky, David J. Christie
  • Publication number: 20030043609
    Abstract: The voltage applied to a power converter is detected by a voltage detector, a function generator produces a voltage proportional to this detected voltage, and a high-pass filter detects an AC component superimposed on the voltage. An adder adds a bias voltage to this AC component, and an adder adds the output from the adder and the output from the function generator. The output from the adder is compared with a triangular wave produced from a rectangular wave generator, and a switching element is controlled to make switching operation according to the compared result. When a DC current is decreased by the AC component, a resistance current Ib is increased so that the AC components superimposed on the current and resistance current can be cancelled out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Seiji Ishida, Toshiaki Okuyama, Tetsuo Kojima, Kiyoshi Nakata, Akira Horie
  • Publication number: 20030026117
    Abstract: In order to control a converter (1) which is used to convert a primary input voltage (UE) into a secondary output voltage (Ua), a voltage value (Uv) derived from a secondarily detected real voltage (U1st) is compared with a reference value (UR), and a control signal (Sa) is produced as a criterion which triggers the disconnection of said converter (1) if said reference value is exceeded. The voltage value (Uv) or the reference value (UR) is manipulated during a monitoring phase in such a way that said parameter is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Johanning
  • Patent number: 6515881
    Abstract: A lamp load control system that includes a lamp controller comprising an inverter generating an AC signal from a DC signal, a load coupled to the inverter, and a feedback circuit coupled to the load generating a feedback signal indicative of power supplied to the load. In one exemplary embodiment, the system also includes a command signal generator generating a command signal indicative of a preferred power output of the inverter; wherein the command signal is combined with the feedback signal to cause the controller to temporarily reduce power delivered to the load. In another exemplary embodiment, the system includes a command signal generator generating a command signal indicative of a preferred power output of said inverter; wherein the controller receives the feedback signal and the command signal and temporarily reduces power delivered to the load based on the value of the feedback signal or the command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: O
    Inventors: John Chou, Ching-Chuan Kuo
  • Patent number: 6493246
    Abstract: In a solar power generation apparatus, when power necessary for a control circuit and the like is supplied from the load side of an inverter, a period from when the input voltage becomes lower than a threshold voltage at which the inverter should be stopped to when the inverter is stopped after the elapse of a predetermined time includes a period when power consumed by the inverter become larger than power output from the inverter, i.e., power is wasted. To solve this problem, input power is integrated for a predetermined time to calculate integrated electric energy. The calculated integrated electric energy W1 is compared with a threshold value Y1. If W1<Y1, a gate block signal is output to stop the operation of the inverter. As the threshold value Y1, a value corresponding to the product of the non-load power of the inverter and the predetermined time T1 is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Suzui, Nobuyoshi Takehara
  • Publication number: 20020181260
    Abstract: A lamp load control system that includes a lamp controller comprising an inverter generating an AC signal from a DC signal, a load coupled to the inverter, and a feedback circuit coupled to the load generating a feedback signal indicative of power supplied to the load. In one exemplary embodiment, the system also includes a command signal generator generating a command signal indicative of a preferred power output of the inverter; wherein the command signal is combined with the feedback signal to cause the controller to temporarily reduce power delivered to the load. In another exemplary embodiment, the system includes a command signal generator generating a command signal indicative of a preferred power output of said inverter; wherein the controller receives the feedback signal and the command signal and temporarily reduces power delivered to the load based on the value of the feedback signal or the command signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: John Chou, Ching-Chuan Kuo
  • Patent number: 6486644
    Abstract: A power supply includes a control circuit that inhibits excessive input current draw during a low-line condition by decreasing a power supply output voltage in response to a measured change in either power supply input voltage or power supply input current. The power supply may be, for example, a cable television distribution network power supply that receives power from the coaxial cable that carries the television or other media signals or, in the case an optical fiber network, an auxiliary power cable associated with the fiber cable that carries the media signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Arris International, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur T. Nemirow
  • Patent number: 6462972
    Abstract: An intermittent pulse generator 1 is provided between terminals Ti1 and Ti2. In the intermittent pulse generator 1, pulses are generated from an AC power source which is supplied and the generated pulses are supplied to a controller 3. The controller 3 controls a switching circuit 2 in accordance with the pulses from the intermittent pulse generator 1 and a signal from a supplying mode detecting circuit 9. A rectifying circuit constructed by a diode bridge 5 and a capacitor 6 is provided for the secondary side of a transformer 4. An output of the rectifying circuit is supplied to an energy saving mode detecting circuit 7 and a supplying mode detecting circuit 9. The energy saving mode detecting circuit 7 is connected to an output terminal To through a switching circuit 8. When the energy saving mode is detected in the energy saving mode detecting circuit 7, a signal is supplied to the intermittent pulse generator 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tamiji Nagai, Tamon Ikeda, Kazuo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6462971
    Abstract: A power supply controller having a multi-function terminal. In one embodiment, a power supply controller for switched mode power supply includes a drain terminal, a source terminal, a control terminal and a multi-function terminal. The multi-function terminal may be configured in a plurality of ways providing any one or some of a plurality of functions including on/off control, external current limit adjustments, under-voltage detection, over-voltage detection and maximum duty cycle adjustment. The operation of the multi-function terminal varies depending on whether a positive or negative current flows through the multi-function terminal. A short-circuit to ground from the multi-function terminal enables the power supply controller. A short-circuit to a supply voltage from the multi-function terminal disables the power supply controller. The current limit of an internal power switch of the power supply controller may be adjusted by externally setting a negative current from the multi-function terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Balu Balakrishnan, Alex B. Djenguerian, Leif O. Lund
  • Publication number: 20020136038
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply includes a multipurpose data port that facilitates a plurality of communication methods including USB, serial and other communication methods, between the uninterruptible power supply and a host computer system. The multipurpose data port is configured to prevent interference if a user mistakenly connects a phone line or other similar but inappropriate line to the uninterruptible power supply. The multipurpose data port reduces the machine footprint needed to support multiple communication ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: James S. Spitaels, Joseph Dechene
  • Patent number: 6452820
    Abstract: A primary winding T1 and a switching circuit 1 are serially inserted between input terminals Ti1 and Ti2 to which an alternating current is supplied. A diode 2, a resistor 3, and a capacitor 4 are serially inserted in parallel with the primary winding T1. A detecting circuit 5 is connected to both ends of the capacitor 4 and to an emitter and a collector of a phototransistor 7b. A control circuit 6 controls the switching circuit 1. A diode bridge 8 and a capacitor 9 are provided for a secondary winding T2. Output terminals To1 and To2 are connected to both ends of the capacitor 9. A voltage detecting circuit 10 is provided in parallel with the capacitor 9. The voltage detecting circuit 10 detects voltages which are outputted from the output terminals To1 and To2 and supplies the detected voltages to a control circuit 11. The control circuit 11 controls a light emitting diode 7a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tamiji Nagai, Tamon Ikeda, Kazuo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6448489
    Abstract: A solar generation system includes a standard solar cell string and a substandard solar cell string. A DC voltage output from the substandard solar cell string is boosted by a booster unit to the level of the DC voltage output from the standard solar cell string, and the DC voltage from the standard solar cell string and the boosted DC voltage are applied to a DC/AC inverter, whereby an AC power is obtained, which is supplied to a utility power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumiya Kimura, Hirofumi Nakata, Tsukasa Takebayashi, Hirokazu Kodama, Kiyoshi Nishida
  • Patent number: 6449177
    Abstract: A power supply having a mixed regulator is able to provide the suitable power source according to the changing load by a switching mode voltage circuit and a series pass controlling circuit. The series pass controlling circuit has high sensitivity in detecting the changing the load, thus the power supply offers the suitable power source according to the changing of the load. The switching mode voltage circuit controls the transformer to output voltage by a PWM IC, so that the transistors for driving the transformer need not be powerful transistors which generate excessive heat. Thus a heat sink is not necessary and the power supply can accordingly be of a compact size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Inventor: Lee-Fei Chen
  • Publication number: 20020114176
    Abstract: A low-noise, high-power-factor power supply includes a transformer having a primary winding connected to a pair of a.c. input terminals via a rectifier circuit, and a secondary winding connected to a pair of d.c. output terminals via a rectifying and smoothing circuit. Connected between the pair of outputs of the rectifier circuit via at least part of the transformer primary, a switch is turned on and off to keep the d.c. output voltage constant. A smoothing capacitor is connected between the pair of outputs of the rectifier circuit via at least part of the transformer primary and a serial connection of a reverse blocking diode and an inductor. For noise reduction a bypass capacitor is connected between the pair of outputs of the rectifier circuit and in parallel with the serial circuit of the inductor and the reverse blocking diode and at least part of the transformer primary and the smoothing capacitor. The bypass capacitor is less in capacitance than the smoothing capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Morita, Myung-Jun Lee, Jun Young Ahn, Ho-Jun Shin
  • Publication number: 20020101749
    Abstract: A system and method of harmonic regulation includes a harmonic regulator configured to cancel or inject harmonics into a power conversion system. A resettable integrator is provided to determine at least one harmonic coefficient of the at least one error signal harmonic. The resettable integrator determines the at least one harmonic coefficient over a single signal period and is then reset. The harmonic regulator further includes at least one adder to determine a difference of the harmonic coefficient and the reference harmonic coefficient and a regulator is provided to determine an at least one axis harmonic reference signal. The harmonic regulator outputs a three-phase final electrical reference signal that is input into a DC/AC inverter of a power conversion system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Inventor: James A. Ulrich
  • Patent number: 6424546
    Abstract: Universal switched power converter having a transformer that comprises a first winding (11-3) divided into two parts and having an intermediate tap (11-3-1), and a second winding (11-9) connected in cascade with rectifier means (12) and filter means (13), so that a first current flows through the part of said first winding (11-3) comprised between the end of the primary winding (11-3) connected to a first input terminal (11-1) and the intermediate tap (11-3-1) and through a second switching element (11-6) connected to the intermediate tap (11-3-1) and to a second input terminal (11-2), when the input voltage applied across the input terminals (11-1, 11-2) is close to a first predetermined voltage value and the second switching element (11-6) is in a conducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Mercedes Rivas Saiz, Antonio Julian Huertas Blazquez, Jose Andres Navas Sabater, Jaime de la Peña Llerandi
  • Publication number: 20020093839
    Abstract: A voltage converter including a circuit for controlling a switch for providing current to a primary winding of a transformer with inverted phase points, a secondary winding of which is associated with a capacitor for providing a regulated D.C. output voltage and an auxiliary winding of which provides a supply voltage of the control circuit. The average value of the voltage across the auxiliary winding close to the end of its demagnetization periods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventor: Alain Bailly
  • Publication number: 20020067628
    Abstract: An AC interconnection apparatus has an input terminal for a commercial power system, a connection terminal to a solar cell, an output terminal connected to a load, an inverter for converting the output voltage of the solar cell into an AC voltage, and a current detector arranged on the load side of an AC connection point for connecting the AC output from the inverter and the commercial power. When a power value calculated on the basis of a current detection value by the current detector and the voltage of the commercial power system is less than the output power of the inverter, the output of the inverter is suppressed, thereby suppressing reverse power flow to the commercial power system. When the current value detected by the current detector exceeds a predetermined value, power supply to the load is stopped using a breaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Takehara, Hiroshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 6381157
    Abstract: For independent load sharing of current harmonics between parallel inverter units (1a, 1b, 1c) in an AC power system without intra-unit control signal communication, where each inverter unit is connected to a common load (8) through a separate impedance (7a, 7b , 7c), amplitude and phase of a selected current harmonic is determined for each unit by processing of a current value M measured in a power output line (51a, 51b, 51c) from the unit before the separate impedance and is compared with amplitude and phase of a feed-back voltage or current (V) from the power output line to produce an error signal, which is used for determination of a control signal component for the selected harmonic for incorporation into a control signal input to control means for controlling the content of said harmonic in the voltage and/or current supplied by the inverter unit (1a, 1b, 1c) to the common load (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Axel Akerman A/S
    Inventor: Uffe Borup Jensen
  • Patent number: 6381158
    Abstract: A signal is injected into a neutral point regulator of an inverter drive. The response to that injected signal is monitored as an indication of the capacitance of the inverter drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Cyrus David Harbourt, Paul Michael Szczesny
  • Publication number: 20020041505
    Abstract: In a solar power generation apparatus, when power necessary for a control circuit and the like is supplied from the load side of an inverter, a period from when the input voltage becomes lower than a threshold voltage at which the inverter should be stopped to when the inverter is stopped after the elapse of a predetermined time includes a period when power consumed by the inverter become larger than power output from the inverter, i.e., power is wasted. To solve this problem, input power is integrated for a predetermined time to calculate integrated electric energy. The calculated integrated electric energy W1 is compared with a threshold value Y1. If W1<Y1, a gate block signal is output to stop the operation of the inverter. As the threshold value Y1, a value corresponding to the product of the non-load power of the inverter and the predetermined time T1 is set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Masaki Suzui, Nobuyoshi Takehara
  • Patent number: 6369643
    Abstract: The apparatus for controlling a power supply, which supplies power to loads, includes a low frequency clock generator generating a low frequency clock, a high frequency clock generator generating a high frequency clock, and a controller. The controller controls operation of the power supply. While operating at the low frequency clock in a first mode, if the controller receives an input signal, the controller determines if the input signal includes a predetermined portion. The controller then switches to operation at the high frequency clock in a second mode if the input signal is determined to include the predetermined portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Ju Lee, Dae Beum Pyeon
  • Patent number: 6366484
    Abstract: A power conversion arrangement includes a transformer disposed between an input circuit and an output circuit. The transformer has primary and secondary windings coupled to the input and output circuits, respectively. Current passing through the input circuit is sensed and detected by a detecting circuit which generates a signal proportional in magnitude to the output current sourcing out of the output circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Broadband Telcom Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiao Ping Jin
  • Publication number: 20020036911
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power system capable of reducing strain in an output voltage thereof as compared with the prior art. A DC voltage control circuit of a current control system obtains an input current command value on the basis of a multiplied value between a differential voltage between a DC voltage command and a DC-side voltage of a power converter and an output of a reference voltage forming circuit. A current control circuit outputs, as a current control command, a value obtained by subtracting a value of a load current flowing to a load and a value of a current flowing from an AC side into the power converter from the input current command value. An AC current flowing through an AC switch is used as the input current command value during a period of time for which an abnormal voltage detection circuit detects momentary abnormality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Okui
  • Patent number: 6351400
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for supplementing electrical power production during peak demand power consumption is presented. A solar power conditioner converts DC electrical power provided by solar panels (or otherwise) to AC power and uses this to supplement main AC electrical power generated by a power utility (or otherwise) when needed. Both the DC power and the main AC power are digitalized by analog to digital (A/D) converters and continuously monitored by a central processor (CPU). The CPU aims to match the generated AC power of the inverter to that of the main AC power and, after tripping a breaker, supplements the main AC power with that of the converted power provided by the solar panels. In such a supplementary role, the solar power conditioner can be inserted into a utility's distributed power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Eviropower Corporation
    Inventor: John L. Lumsden
  • Publication number: 20020012257
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a switching unit having a pair of switching devices or transistors, a resonant circuit comprising a capacitor, an inductor, and a primary coil of a converter transformer which serves as an inductor, a smoothing and rectifying circuit connected to a load in the secondary, an error amplifier for the output voltage, and a variable oscillator for varying the switching frequency according to the error voltage. The output of the variable oscillator circuit is supplied to the switching devices to provide a stabilized output voltage from the smoothing and rectifying circuit. The switching frequency during light loading is set at a frequency more than the resonant frequency which is mainly defined by the inductance and the interwinding capacitance of the secondary coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Masanobu Takahama, Kiyokazu Nagahara
  • Publication number: 20020012258
    Abstract: A remote control receiving device mounted on an apparatus has a switch circuit and an LED. The switch circuit is connected between a power supplied circuit of the apparatus and a power source. The LED functioning as a light receiving element receives an optical signal from a transmitting device. When the apparatus turns into a standby state based on an optical signal from a transmitting device, the switch circuit is brought into OFF by a microcomputer in the remote control receiving device. This intercept supply of power to the remote control light receiving circuit as well as the apparatus. When the LED receives an optical signal from the transmitting device, the LED outputs a electric control signal under an unbias state to turn on the switch circuit. Thereby, power is supplied to the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Nagai, Shigeki Imai
  • Patent number: 6343027
    Abstract: An inverter includes a fourth order impedance network coupled between the output and the input of an amplifier, causing the inverter to oscillate and produce a high voltage at an output of the impedance network. The impedance of one portion of the impedance network is preferably at least ten times the impedance of a second portion of the impedance network at the frequency of oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Durel Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Kerwin
  • Publication number: 20020008979
    Abstract: A primary winding T1 and a switching circuit 1 are serially inserted between input terminals Ti1 and Ti2 to which an alternating current is supplied. A diode 2, a resistor 3, and a capacitor 4 are serially inserted in parallel with the primary winding T1. A detecting circuit 5 is connected to both ends of the capacitor 4 and to an emitter and a collector of a phototransistor 7b. A control circuit 6 controls the switching circuit 1. A diode bridge 8 and a capacitor 9 are provided for a secondary winding T2. Output terminals To1 and To2 are connected to both ends of the capacitor 9. A voltage detecting circuit 10 is provided in parallel with the capacitor 9. The voltage detecting circuit 10 detects voltages which are outputted from the output terminals To1 and To2 and supplies the detected voltages to a control circuit 11. The control circuit 11 controls a light emitting diode 7a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: Tamiji Nagai, Tamon Ikeda, Kazuo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6339538
    Abstract: An inverter includes a first switch to disconnect an output of the inverter from any device connected thereto; a second switch to disconnect and connect an input of the inverter from direct current fed to the inverter; a discharge device to discharge any residual charge on a large capacitor; a voltage sensor to measure input DC voltage to the inverter; a current sensor to measure input DC current to the inverter; and a data recorder to provide a current voltage trace to provide a current-voltage curve tracer to provide current-voltage curve data that may then be used to calibrate a maximum power point tracker or alternatively sense array shading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Inventor: Clayton Kling Philips Handleman
  • Patent number: 6335870
    Abstract: An inverter apparatus which is capable of easily structuring a controlling program for controlling the inverter apparatus to cope with various specifications. The inverter apparatus is comprised of a control section including a CPU 1 serving as a computing means for controlling a converter unit 31 and an inverter unit 33, a memory 2, a memory 3 serving as a first storage unit for storing an inverter-controlling basic program, a parameter storage unit 4 for storing parameters, and an AP S/W storage unit 5 serving as a second storage unit for storing a plurality of inverter-controlling application programs, and a display device 6 for such as a parameter unit and having a display portion and an input portion. An inverter-controlling application program is transferred from outside the inverter apparatus to the AP S/W storage unit 5 through a telecommunication means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisao Sakurai
  • Patent number: 6304468
    Abstract: A power converter system includes: a circuit breaker having one terminal connected to a power system and another terminal connected to a load; a transformer for interconnection; a power converter; and a controller for controlling the power converter, wherein, during a return to grid connected operation, the power converter is controlled such that the phase of an output voltage of the power converter matches the phase of the system voltage, and the circuit breaker is closed, so as to prevent an overcurrent during a changeover from the self commutated operation to the grid connected operation of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Engineering & Services Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Ichinose, Motoo Futami, Shigeta Ueda, Kazuo Suzuki, Akira Maekawa, Yasuhiro Kiyofuji
  • Patent number: 6301136
    Abstract: A floating frame controller determines a current Park vector, selects a reference frame for the current Park vector, and adjusts the reference frame until a quadrature component of a current Park vector in the adjusted reference frame is equal to a predetermined value, whereby a synchronous reference is established. The synchronous frame is used to control a power converter. The floating frame controller can drive a synchronous machine without the use of rotor position sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Huggett, Gabor Kalman
  • Patent number: 6301135
    Abstract: A primary-side power modulator for an isolated switching-mode power supply operating under secondary-side control comprising a pulse width determining circuit for real-time primary-side adjustment of a PWM control signal received from a secondary-side PWM controller. While accepting pulse width commands from an isolated secondary-side PWM controller, the pulse width determining circuit has the ability to reduce the width of the switching pulse in response to primary-side information. The power modulator may further comprise a start-up circuit for ensuring that the primary-side supply voltage is above a minimum under-voltage lock out threshold, a soft start circuit for controlling the power switch at power-up, a pulse receiver for receiving the PWM control signal generated by the secondary-side PWM controller, and a drive circuit for driving an external solid-state power switch with the adjusted PWM control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert A. Mammano, Harvey L. Golladay
  • Patent number: 6297976
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power supply having a plurality of converters which is capable of easily setting a load share of each converter and simplifying the construction of the circuit, thereby reducing the cost. A DC source circuit having such a power supply includes a plurality of converters (each having a transformer, switches for interrupting a DC input and supplying the same to a first side of the transformer and a rectifier circuit for rectifying a voltage outputted from a second side of the transformer), an output circuit which cascade-connects each output voltage of the plurality of converters and thereby obtains a composite output voltage Vout, and a common control circuit for feedback-controlling the plurality of switches as a function of the composite output voltage, e.g., according to the difference between the composite output voltage and the reference voltage. A load of each converter is shared according to each set output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Katsuo Isono
  • Patent number: 6297977
    Abstract: A power generation system includes multiple generators that are operated in parallel. An inverter of one of the generators is always operated in voltage mode. Inverters of the other generators are switched between voltage and current modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Honeywell Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Colin E. Huggett, David C. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20010022737
    Abstract: An AC power is rectified in a rectification circuit, and a pulsating voltage is output via a noise filter. The pulsating voltage is input to a switching circuit, and an AC voltage having a pulse width corresponding to a control signal is output. The AC voltage is transformed and rectified. The pulsating voltage is smoothed in a smoothing condenser, and a DC voltage is output. A voltage change detecting circuit detects a change of the DC voltage in a period longer than a period of ripple included in the DC voltage, and a detection signal is output. The detection signal is input to a control circuit, and a negative feed-back control is executed so that the DC voltage becomes constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Publication date: September 20, 2001
    Inventor: Satoshi Arai
  • Patent number: 6282110
    Abstract: A switched power supply, which can effectively detect and monitor the power supply to electrical appliances and terminate the power supply if any abnormal overpower phenomenon occurs, is disclosed. The switched power supply includes a detecting and processing unit connected between an output end of the switched power supply and a wave width modulator of the power supply for detecting an output power of the switched power supply. The detecting and processing unit includes an overpower detecting circuit for determining whether the output power of the switched power supply exceeds a set value, and a timing circuit for determining whether the duration of overpower phenomenon exceeds a set time period and switching off the wave width modulator if the set time is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Asian Power Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-Hsiung Chen
  • Patent number: 6282104
    Abstract: A control system is provided for positioning between a power source, such as a distributed generator, and a utility or utility grid to control the injection of dc current and even harmonics into the utility or utility grid. In one embodiment, the control system is particularly suited for grid-tied operation and includes a power converter for acting as an ac current source by converting power received from the power source to ac current for transmittal to the utility. The control system further includes a voltage transformer between the power converter and the utility connection to block dc current and isolate the power source from the utility. A feedback control loop is included in the control system to measure, with a pair of current transformers, dc current and even harmonics in the current flowing into (power converter side) and out (utility side) of the voltage transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Power Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory A. Kern
  • Patent number: 6275392
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically selecting and employing different DC link pre-charge levels dependent upon different sources providing power to a power conditioning system wherein the different sources are characterized by different source inductances, the apparatus including a source control that selects a first pre-charge level when a utility supply provides power to the system and selects a relatively lower pre-charge level when a generator supply provides power to the system thereby reducing the possibility of inverter disablement due to DC link voltage dips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Rockwell Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John T. Streicher, Jeff Rivard
  • Patent number: 6262904
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for controlling a static converter (1) associated with a polyphased electrical source (2) which consists in generating synchronizing times t(i) defined by a periodic clock T; measuring at least a value representing the state of the electrical source; computing from the measured values at least a control value {dot over (c)}(t) and its derivative c(t), and the value cp (t(i)+T) which each control value would have at the following synchronizing time t(i)+T, for the static converter configuration at time t(i); comparing each control value cp (t(i)+T) to a set value; determining said static converter configuration enabling to minimize the difference between each control value and the set value corresponding to the following synchronizing time t(i)+T; computing the derivative at time t(i)+T of a privileged control value, corresponding to the configuration Cc(t(i)+T) at time t(i)+T; determining the switching time t(i)+tcom between these times t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.)
    Inventors: Thierry Meynard, Xavier Roboam, Carlos de Almeida Martins
  • Publication number: 20010005321
    Abstract: A power converter system includes: a circuit breaker having one terminal connected to a power system and another terminal connected to a load; a transformer for interconnection; a power converter; and a controller for controlling the power converter, wherein, during a return to grid connected operation, the power converter is controlled such that the phase of an output voltage of the power converter matches the phase of the system voltage, and the circuit breaker is closed, so as to prevent an overcurrent during a changeover from the self commutated operation to the grid connected operation of the power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventors: Masaya Ichinose, Motoo Futami, Shigeta Ueda, Kazuo Suzuki, Akira Maekawa, Yasuhiro kiyofuji
  • Publication number: 20010005320
    Abstract: A linear compressor driving device for linear compressor driving a piston in a cylinder by means of a linear motor to generate a compressed gas, has
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Applicant: Matsushita elecric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Misuo Ueda, Kaneharu Yoshioka, Hideki Nakata, Hiroshi Hasegawa