For Bridge-type Inverter Patents (Class 363/98)
  • Publication number: 20120057383
    Abstract: A standalone and grid-tie power inverter includes a DC-to-AC converter, an output circuit electrically connected to the DC-to-AC converter, and a control unit electrically connected to the DC-to-AC converter and the output circuit. The DC-to-AC converter converts a DC power source into an AC power output. The output circuit includes a grid-tie switch for connecting the AC power output to a grid or isolating the AC power output from the grid. The control unit instructs the DC-to-AC converter to provide the AC power output based on a command signal and a feedback signal from the DC-to-AC converter. The control unit controls the grid-tie switch to switch the standalone and grid-tie power inverter between a standalone mode and a grid-tie mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Chung-Sham Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments, Bureau, Ministry of National Defense
    Inventors: Jung-Tzung Wei, Chung-You Lin, Chih-Ying Lin, Kuo-Kuang Jen, Yu-Min Liao
  • Patent number: 8130524
    Abstract: A bi-directional DC to DC power converter includes two DC sources, two inductors respectively connected to the two DC sources, a first switch and a second switch respectively connected to the two inductors, two capacitors respectively connected to the two switches, and a third switch connected between the two inductors. The first, second and third switches are respectively connected reversely with a diode in parallel. When the third switch is alternately turned on and off and the first and second switches are always turned off, the power converter operates as a boost power converter and electric energy flows from the two DC sources to the two capacitors. When the third switch is always turned off and the first and second switches are synchronously turned on or off, the power converter operates as a buck power converter and electric energy flows from the two capacitors to the two DC sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ablerex Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-Hu Lee, Wen Hsu, Chin-Chang Wu, Hung-Liang Chou, Ya-Tsung Feng
  • Patent number: 8120265
    Abstract: A lamp driver circuit for operating a gas discharge lamp (La) is proposed, which comprises a switched mode power supply circuit (SMPS) and a first and a second output terminal (OT1, 0T2) for supplying a lamp current to the gas discharge lamp (La). The lamp driver circuit further comprises an output capacitor (CO) connected between the SMPS circuit and a ground terminal (GT) and comprises a resistive shunt (Rsh) connected between the ground terminal (GT) and the second output terminal (0T2) for determining the lamp current. An output current sensing circuit for determining a SMPS output current is comprised in the lamp driver circuit instead of a further resistive shunt, which would require a differential voltage measurement. The output current sensing circuit comprises a sensing resistor (RS) connected in series with a sensing capacitor (CS), the series connection being connected in parallel to the output capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Dolf Henricus Jozef Van Casteren, Edwin Theodorus Maria De Koning
  • Patent number: 8120306
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for operation of a voltage source inverter. A method of operating a voltage source inverter having an output with multiple voltage phases having a DC voltage level, the method comprising sensing a low output frequency condition; determining a DC voltage offset responsive to the low output frequency condition; and applying the DC voltage offset when operating the voltage source inverter resulting in a change to the DC voltage level of the multiple voltage phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sibaprasad Chakrabarti, Rajkumar Copparapu
  • Patent number: 8116105
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for distributing power to a load by controlling an uninterruptible power supply that has an inverter and a filter, where the filter has an inductor and a capacitor. The systems and methods apply a pulse width modulation control signal to the inverter, sample inverter inductor current and compare the inductor current to a reference current. A duty cycle of the pulse width modulation control signal is adjusted to drive the inductor current at a second sampling time to a value substantially equal to a reference current at a first sampling time. The systems and methods can filter harmonic distortion from output signals and control uninterruptible power supply output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: Damir Klikic, Pyboyina Msvvsv Prasad, Rajesh Ghosh, Mahima Agrawal
  • Publication number: 20120033469
    Abstract: An electric power conversion system has an adaptable transformer turns ratio for improved efficiency. The transformer has multiple taps on its primary. Switching circuitry is configured to connect an energy source to the taps in at least two modes such that the transformer operates with a first primary-to-secondary turns ratio in the first mode and with a second primary-to-secondary turns ratio in the second mode. The first turns ratio is greater than the second turns ratio. Control circuitry is configured to operate the switching circuitry in the first mode when a voltage level of the energy source is above a first threshold and to operate the switching circuitry in the second mode when the voltage level is below a second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: David Paul Mohr, Mohamed Amin Bemat, Reynaldo P. Domingo
  • Patent number: 8111531
    Abstract: An interleaved soft switching bridge power converter comprises switching poles operated in an interleaved manner so as to substantially reduce turn-on switching losses and diode reverse-recovery losses in the switching pole elements. Switching poles are arranged into bridge circuits that are operated so as to provide a desired voltage, current and/or power waveform to a load. By reducing switching turn on and diode reverse recovery losses, soft switching power converters of the invention may operate efficiently at higher switching frequencies. Soft switching power converters of the invention are well suited to high power and high voltage applications such as plasma processing, active rectifiers, distributed generation, motor drive inverters and class D power amplifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Milan Ilic
  • Patent number: 8107263
    Abstract: A series resonant converter circuit that reduces power loss is provided that includes an inverter circuit having at least a pair of first and second switching elements that is connected between DC input terminals, a transformer connected to this inverter circuit, a resonant inductance means that are connected in series to a primary winding wire or a secondary winding wire of the transformer, a primary-side resonant capacitor that is connected in series to the resonant inductance means through the first or second switching element, first and second secondary-side resonant capacitors that are connected to each other in series between the DC input terminals, first and second unidirectional elements that are connected to each other in series between the DC output terminals, and a resonant inductance means that cooperates with resonant capacitance from the primary-side resonant capacitor and the first and second secondary-side resonant capacitors to resonate in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Origin Electric Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shingo Ueno, Shinichi Omaki, Atsushi Saito, Kiyomi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8102142
    Abstract: A double ended inverter system for an AC electric traction motor of a vehicle is disclosed. The inverter system serves as an interface between two different energy sources having different operating characteristics. The inverter system includes a first energy source having first operating characteristics associated therewith, and a first inverter subsystem coupled to the first energy source and configured to drive the AC electric traction motor. The inverter system also includes a second energy source having second operating characteristics associated therewith, wherein the first operating characteristics and the second operating characteristics are different, and a second inverter subsystem coupled to the second energy source and configured to drive the AC electric traction motor. In addition, the inverter system has a controller coupled to the first inverter subsystem and to the second inverter subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S. Smith, Brian A. Welchko, George John, Sibaprasad Chakrabarti, Milun Perisic, James M. Nagashima
  • Patent number: 8102677
    Abstract: A resonant switching power supply device includes: a first switching element and a second switching element which are configured to convert and adjust power. A capacitance of a first/second gate-drain capacitor existing between a gate and a drain of the first/second switching element and a resistance of a first/second gate resistor of the first/second switching element are set such that, in a period during which a resonance current flows by switching the second/first switching element, a gate-source voltage of the first/second switching element is lower than an ON threshold voltage of the first/second switching element due to the resonance current divided into the first/second gate-drain capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryouta Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8094474
    Abstract: A drive controller is provided, for controlling driving of a power conversion circuit. The power control circuit includes a switching element for increasing/decreasing an absolute value of current passing through a coil by repeating electrical ON/OFF operation, so that voltage of power storage means is converted to a desired value required by power supply means, the switching element being provided for each positive/negative polarity of output current outputted from a circuit other than the power storage means, to the power storage means. Meanwhile, the drive controller includes energy loading means and OFF-state setting means. The energy loading means loads energy on the coil through a switching element not corresponding to existing polarity of the output current, after the absolute value has been zeroed by the turn OFF of the switching element corresponding to the existing polarity, but preceding an ON operation of the switching element corresponding to the existing polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tomonori Kimura
  • Publication number: 20110317455
    Abstract: Three-phase windings 11-13 and 21-23 of a first common-mode transformer 1 and a second common-mode transformer 2 are connected in series through connecting lines 8r-8t, respectively. The windings 11-13 are connected to an unillustrated AC power supply by connecting lines 91r-91t. The windings 21-23 are connected to a three-phase motor by connecting lines 93r-93t and through a converter and an inverter which are unillustrated. A winding 14 for common-mode voltage detection detects high-frequency leakage currents flowing through the connecting lines 91r-91t as a common-mode voltage V1, and an output voltage V2 obtained by voltage amplification by a voltage amplifier 3 is applied to a winding 24 for common-mode voltage application in such a manner that the output voltage V2 works in generally the same direction as the common-mode voltage V1, thereby canceling out the high-frequency leakage currents through the windings 21-23.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Azuma, Takuya Sakai
  • Patent number: 8084974
    Abstract: There is provided an inverter device capable of simplifying the circuit structure, lowering the cast, and downsizing of the device. The inverter device detects a switching change of an inverter by a pulse and is equipped with a pulse signal detector capable of detecting a motor residual voltage or a phase and a detector for detecting a residual voltage or a phase. The inverter device includes a voltage detector, a circuit for detecting a pulse signal based on a comparison between a phase voltage detection value per one phase output from the voltage detector and a first reference voltage value, a circuit for detecting a line residual voltage based on phase voltage detection values of two phases output from the voltage detector, and a circuit for detecting a line phase based on a comparison between the line residual voltage and a second reference voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Shinichi Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8081494
    Abstract: In a grid-tie inverter, the DC input is phase and pulse-width modulated to define multiple phase shifted voltage pulses with the width of each pulse being modulated according to the grid AC amplitude for the corresponding portion of the AC phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Peter J. Hopper
  • Patent number: 8077491
    Abstract: A PWM operation unit includes a modulation-mode selecting unit selecting a two-phase modulation mode signal and a carrier-wave-synchronous-mode select command, a modulation-wave generating unit generating a modulation wave in response to the two-phase modulation mode signal, a carrier-wave generating unit generating a carrier wave in response to the carrier-wave-synchronous-mode select command, and a comparing unit comparing the modulation wave with the carrier wave. In a two-phase modulation mode, the PWM operation unit controls the carrier-wave generating unit such that a carrier wave frequency is set to an integral multiple of a modulation wave frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hisanori Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 8059434
    Abstract: A power conversion device is provided for converting a DC voltage to an alternating current corresponding to an AC voltage according to the AC voltage, which includes a power conversion unit and an output unit. The power conversion unit converts the DC voltage to a high-frequency current having two envelops corresponding to the waveform of the AC voltage. The output unit includes an inductive circuit, a full-wave rectifying circuit, an inverter circuit and a filter circuit. The inductive circuit provides two induced currents according to the high-frequency current, wherein one induced current and the high-frequency current are in phase, and the other induced current and the high-frequency current are in antiphase. The full-wave rectifying circuit full-wave rectifies the two induced currents. The inverter circuit alternatively transfers the two full-wave rectified induced currents, and thus output an output current. The filter circuit filters the output current to provide the alternating current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yung-Fu Huang, Yoshihiro Konishi
  • Patent number: 8054652
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide voltage converters and methods for using such. As one example, a voltage converter is disclosed that includes a transformer with a first winding and a second winding. A voltage is applied to the first winding for a period that is followed by an OFF time. The voltage converter further includes an OFF time controller that is operable to adjust the OFF time based at least in part on a load current traversing the second winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Rais K. Miftakhutdinov, Lin Sheng, John R. Wiggenhorn, Jin Liang, Steven Tumasz, Hong Huang
  • Patent number: 8054031
    Abstract: A converter device includes a converter circuit that includes a reactor connected to a primary side power supply, and a step-up feeding device that has a step-up switching element connected to the reactor and that boosts electric power of the primary side power supply by on/off switching the step-up switching element and outputting a stepped-up electric power as a secondary voltage; a converter control device that PWM-controls on/off switching of the step-up switching element so that the secondary voltage becomes equal to a secondary target voltage; and a temperature detecting device that detects a temperature of the reactor, wherein the converter control device limits PWM-controlled on/off switching of the step-up switching element for step-up operation when the temperature of the reactor increases to a first predetermined value or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin A W Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuyuki Uechi
  • Patent number: 8054651
    Abstract: An inductive power transfer system for coupling a power source to a load across an air gap is provided, including a primary unit and a secondary unit separable from the primary unit and arranged to receive power inductively from the primary unit when placed proximate thereto. The system includes a multi stage comparator for monitoring operating conditions within the secondary unit and feedback loop for transmitting a feedback signal to the primary unit when predetermined operating conditions are detected within the secondary unit. The primary unit is arranged to operate in a low power mode where power is applied to the primary winding for a minimal period during each switching cycle when no feedback signal is received and a high power mode where power is applied to the primary winding for the majority of each switching cycle when a feedback signal is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: MBDA UK Limited
    Inventor: Keith Graham Pollard
  • Patent number: 8050064
    Abstract: A surge voltage target setting unit obtains a main circuit power supply voltage of a semiconductor power conversion device based on an inter-terminal voltage of a semiconductor switching element detected by a voltage detection unit, and sets a control target of a surge voltage in accordance with the obtained main circuit power supply voltage. An active gate control unit, when the semiconductor switching element is turned off, sets a quantity of voltage modification so as to modify a gate voltage in a direction raising the gate voltage, that is, in a direction lowering a turn-off speed, based on feedback of the inter-terminal voltage, when the inter-terminal voltage exceeds the control target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kuno, Satoshi Hirose, Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Hiroya Tsuji, Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Kazuki Fukatsu
  • Publication number: 20110255316
    Abstract: An isolating circuit for a DC/AC converter includes an input, an output, an energy storage element and a switch element. The DC/AC converter includes an energy storage isolated from mains during a freewheeling phase. The output of the isolating circuit is configured to be connected to the DC/AC converter, and the energy storage element is connected to the input and serves for storing energy received from the input. The switching element is connected between the energy storage element and the output of the isolating circuit and is operative to connect the energy storage element to the output during the freewheeling phase, and to isolate the energy storage element from the output outside the freewheeling phase of the DC/AC converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Bruno Burger, Heribert Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8040695
    Abstract: At least some aspects of the invention are directed to methods and apparatus for controlling an uninterruptible power supply and subsystems of a UPS. A first aspect of the invention is directed to a method of controlling a DC-DC converter having a predetermined maximum peak load current value. The DC-DC converter has first and second outputs to couple to a load with a capacitor coupled across the first and second outputs. The method includes in a first mode of operation, charging the capacitor to a predetermined output voltage value, and in a second mode of operation, providing output current having the maximum peak load current value to a load coupled to the output of the DC-DC converter, wherein a first portion of the output current is provided by the DC-DC converter and a second portion of the output current is provided by discharging the capacitor to a voltage value that is less than the predetermined output voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventor: David E. Reilly
  • Patent number: 8030601
    Abstract: A heating device for an inductive cooking device is provided and includes a first resonant circuit, with at least one first and one second inductor, for the transmission of heat energy to a heating element for heating thereof and a first circuit for energising the first resonant circuit and introduction of the heat energy to the inductors. Differing cooking containers may be effectively heated, whereby the heating device has a switching device by which the heating energy is selectively supplied to only one of the inductors or simultaneously to both inductors in a parallel circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Sergio Llorente Gil
  • Patent number: 8031497
    Abstract: A three-leg power converter apparatus including first, second and third input/output ports, a three-leg bridge converter, a filter circuit, a decoupling circuit and a controller is presented. The three-leg bridge converter has three single-leg circuits, two DC terminals connecting to two terminals of the first input/output port, and three mid-terminals with each of them being formed by a middle point of one of the three single-leg circuits. The controller connects to the three-leg bridge converter for controlling an input or output current passing through each DC terminal and mid-terminal. The filter circuit connects between two of the mid-terminals and the second input/output port. The decoupling circuit has two terminals connecting to the second input/output port and another terminal connecting to a terminal of the third input/output port, with the third input/output port having another terminal connecting to the other mid-terminal that dose not connect with the filter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ablerex Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hung-Liang Chou, Yu-Hua Sun, Chin-Chang Wu, Ya-Tsung Feng
  • Patent number: 8027179
    Abstract: An inverter circuit having a primary circuit with a first choke for periodically connecting a primary winding to a DC voltage present at an input of the inverter circuit, a secondary circuit with a secondary winding, the secondary winding arranged in series with a first capacitor and connected via a full bridge consisting of four switching elements to a AC voltage present at an output of the inverter circuit via a second choke, and a transformer, wherein the primary circuit and the secondary circuit are electrically isolated by the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jalal Hallak
  • Patent number: 8027181
    Abstract: A surge voltage generated by the switching operation of an IGBT element and voltage variation generated in an equivalent series resistance of a capacitor are superimposed on an input voltage of an inverter. The equivalent series resistance has a temperature dependence that a resistance value increases with a decrease in a capacitor temperature. The IGBT element has a temperature dependence that an element withstand voltage decreases with a decrease in an inverter temperature. When capacitor temperature is lower than a predetermined threshold value, a control device reduces an upper limit value of the input voltage by an amount corresponding to the voltage variation from its upper limit value at a high temperature, and controls a target voltage of a boost converter such that an output voltage does not exceed the upper limit value. Consequently, the allowable range of the surge voltage can be ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Hamatani
  • Patent number: 8026691
    Abstract: A double ended inverter system for an AC traction motor of a vehicle includes a fuel cell configured to provide a DC voltage, an impedance source inverter subsystem coupled to the fuel cell, a DC voltage source, and an inverter subsystem coupled to the DC voltage source. The impedance source inverter subsystem, which includes an ultracapacitor, is configured to drive the AC traction motor. The inverter subsystem is configured to drive the AC electric traction motor. The ultracapacitor is implemented in a crossed LC network coupled to the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: James M. Nagashima, Brian A. Welchko, Sibaprasad Chakrabarti, Milun Perisic, Gregory S. Smith, George John
  • Patent number: 8026684
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic control system for controlling a voltage across a load, in particular across a fan motor of a motor vehicle, as a function of a control signal, comprising: a setting transistor, a transistor, which activates the control channel of the setting transistor, as well as two resistors, which form a voltage divider via which the voltage across the load is fed to the emitter of the transistor, wherein the control system is designed, in the absence of the control signal, to block the control channels of all the transistors of the control system for limiting the current through all the resistors of the control system, such that, in the absence of the control signal, the control system has a quiescent current consumption in the off-state current range of the transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sitronic Ges. fuer Elektrotechnische Ausruestung mbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Klaus Zametzky
  • Patent number: 8027183
    Abstract: A 3-phase inverter module is provided, which includes first and second U-phase switching elements connected in series to each other to constitute a U-phase inverter, first and second V-phase switching elements connected in series to each other to constitute a V-phase inverter, first and second W-phase switching elements connected in series to each other to constitute a W-phase inverter, a U-phase high voltage integrated circuit for generating a control signal for controlling the U-phase inverter according to a U-phase input signal, which has a fault-out terminal for the U-phase, a V-phase high voltage integrated circuit for generating a control signal for controlling the V-phase inverter according to a V-phase input signal, which has a fault-out terminal for the V-phase, and a W-phase high voltage integrated circuit for generating a control signal for controlling the W-phase inverter according to a W-phase input signal, which has a fault-out terminal for the W-phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Byoung-Chul Cho, Bum-Seok Suh, Dong-Keun Jang
  • Patent number: 8027180
    Abstract: A power generating apparatus including an AC generator that supplies electric power to a load including a voltage accumulating means, an inverter that applies AC control voltage to armature winding of the generator from the voltage accumulating means, and a controller that controls a phase of control voltage applied to the armature winding by the inverter to keep load voltage at a target value, wherein the phase of the control voltage is controlled so as to advance when the load voltage is higher than the target value, hold the present phase when the load voltage is equal to the target value, advance when the load voltage is lower than the target value and a phase of phase voltage of the generator is delayed behind a phase of a phase current of the same phase, and delay when the load voltage is lower than the target value and the phase of the phase voltage of the generator is advanced ahead of a phase of a phase current of the same phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8014177
    Abstract: A switching power supply exhibits high conversion efficiency and facilitates reducing the size thereof. The switching power supply includes a half-bridge circuit including a first series circuit formed of switching devices Q1 and Q2 and connected between the output terminals of a DC power supply; and a second series circuit connecting primary inductance Lr1 of transformer T1, primary inductance Lr2 of transformer T2 and capacitor Cr in series. The second series circuit is connected between the output terminals of the half-bridge circuit, and is made to conduct a series resonance operation. The switching devices Q1 and Q2 is controlled at the ON-duties of 0.5 for reducing the breakdown voltages of rectifying diodes D1 and D2 on the secondary side of transformers T1 and T2 and for improving the conversion efficiency of the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Device Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8009443
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter (1) having a plurality n of two-pole inverters (2a, 2b) connected in parallel or in series, n transformers (Ta, Tb) and n two-pole rectifiers (3a, 3b) connected in parallel or in series is described. One inverter (2a, 2b) each and one rectifier (3a, 3b) each are connected to a transformer (Ta, Tb). The inverters (2a, 2b, 2a?, 2b?) are in turn connected to a control which is provided for frequency-synchronous actuation of the inverters (2a, 2b, 2a?, 2b?) with a 180°/n phase shift. According to the invention, leakage inductances (LS1, LS2) of the transformers (Ta, Tb, Ta?, Tb?), together with capacitors (C1, C2) of the inverters (2a, 2b , 2a?, 2b?) and/or capacitors (C3, C4) of the rectifiers (3a, 3b, 3a?, 3b?), form in each case a resonating circuit whose resonant frequency is substantially twice as great as a clock frequency of the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: BRUSA Elektronik AG
    Inventor: Axel Krause
  • Patent number: 7999527
    Abstract: A switching controller for a boost power converter includes a switching-control circuit and a programmable feedback circuit. The programmable feedback circuit is coupled to an output of the boost power converter via a voltage divider. The programmable feedback circuit includes a current source coupled to a switch. On a light-load condition, a power-saving signal turns on the switch. The switch will conduct a programming current supplied by the current source toward the voltage divider. Furthermore, the voltage divider is externally adjustable for programming a determined level of an output voltage of the boost power converter on the light-load condition. Additionally the present invention increases system design flexibility to meet practical power-saving requirements without adding circuitries and increasing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Chien-Tsun Hsu, Cheng-Sung Chen, Ting-Ta Chiang
  • Patent number: 7990745
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for controlling an H-bridge DC-AC inverter, comprising an H-bridge DC-DC converting circuit capable of converting unstable DC power into stable DC power and a full-bridge DC-AC inverting circuit capable of inverting DC power output from the H-bridge DC-DC converting circuit into AC power. The H-bridge DC-DC converting circuit comprises: a first active switching element and a second active switching element; an inductor capable of storing energy; a first passive switching element and a second passive switching element; and a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The full-bridge DC-AC inverting circuit comprises: a third active switching element, a fourth active switching element, a fifth active switching element and a sixth active switching element; an output inductor; and an output capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yung-Fu Huang, Yoshihiro Konishi, Min-Ju Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7986535
    Abstract: A method of providing power to a load is provided. A first series resonant converter is provided. A second SRC is operably coupled to the first SRC in a cascade connected arrangement. First and second zero voltage switching (ZVS)-assistance networks are operably coupled between the first SRC and the second SRC, such that the first and second ZVS-assistance networks are providing first and second ZVS-assistant currents flowing from each ZVS-assistance network to the cascade connected arrangement of SRCs. Power from a power source is received at the cascade connected arrangement of first and second SRCs, power from a power source. The cascade connected arrangement of first and second SRCs supplies an output voltage to the load in response to receiving power from the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Boris S. Jacobson, Evgeny N. Holmansky
  • Patent number: 7983059
    Abstract: A transformer-based power conversion system includes a primary coil is provided in a current path that includes a single energy switch. An oscillator is coupled to a control input of the energy switch. The design conserves switch-based losses as compared to prior designs because a single switch is provided in a current path occupied by the primary coil. The design also provides improved conversion efficiency because parasitic capacitances associated with the energy switch cooperate with charge transfers generated by the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Baoxing Chen
  • Patent number: 7974106
    Abstract: Systems, methods and devices for power generation systems are described. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to the architecture of power conditioning systems for use with fuel cells and methods used therein. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems usable to reduce ripple currents in fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Ranganathan Gurunathan, Ramesh Srinivasan, Pavana Kumar
  • Patent number: 7973491
    Abstract: A multi-lamp backlight apparatus is disclosed. The multi-lamp backlight apparatus includes 2N lamps, N balancing transformers, and a high-voltage power source. N is a positive integer and k is an integer index ranging from 1 to N. The kth balancing transformer among the N balancing transformers includes a first primary winding, a second primary winding, and a secondary winding. The first primary winding connects in series with the (2k?1)th lamp of the 2N lamps. The second primary winding connects in series with the first primary winding and the (2k)th lamp. The secondary winding corresponds to the first primary winding and the second primary winding. The high-voltage power source is connected between the first primary windings and the second primary windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Darfon Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ming-Feng Liu, Chao-Jung Lin
  • Patent number: 7974113
    Abstract: Reverse conducting type semiconductor switches are arranged in a bride from, an energy storage capacitor is connected with its DC terminal to obtain a magnetic energy regeneration switch, and then an induction coil is connected to its AC terminal. An AC pulse current of variable frequency is obtained by applying a gate signal to the semiconductor switch to thereby turn it ON/OFF; since a voltage is generated automatically by regenerating magnetic energy, a DC power supply is connected to the opposite ends of the capacitor through a smoothing coil, thus injecting power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ryuichi Shimada, Tadayuki Kitahara, Kazuhiko Fukutani
  • Patent number: 7973492
    Abstract: A power supply of a plasma display device includes a power source unit configured to convert a direct current source into an alternating current source, a transformer including a primary side winding electrically coupled to the power source unit and a secondary side winding having a first winding and a second winding, a sustain power supply electrically coupled to the first winding of the secondary side of the transformer, the sustain power supply configured to output a first voltage to a first voltage output terminal, and an address power supply electrically coupled to the second winding of the secondary side and serially connected to the sustain power supply, the address power supply configured to output a second voltage to a second voltage output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwanil Oh
  • Patent number: 7969757
    Abstract: Solar panels of certain technologies may experience a degradation of their efficiency as a result of exposure to sunlight, either prior to installation or during normal operation. A direct current to pulse amplitude modulated (“PAM”) current converter, denominated a “PAMCC”, is connected to the solar panel and to a source of alternating current. The PAMCC receives direct current from the solar panel and provides pulse amplitude modulated current at its output terminals at such times that the solar panel is capable to provide current, denominated “normal operation”. The PAMCC may be reconfigured to form a buck converter and a rectifier wherein the rectifier converts power received at the output (during normal operation) terminals to provide rectified, direct current to the buck converter. The buck converter provides direct current in the forward biased direction to the solar panel, thereby reconditioning the solar panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Array Converter, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent Kernahan
  • Patent number: 7957167
    Abstract: A high-reliability IGBT drive device in which the high- and low-voltage side IGBTs are complementarily ON/OFF controlled before and after dead time. A reset pulse that turns OFF the high-voltage side IGBT is generated during the dead time as described in the following example. The reset pulse is generated immediately before an ON instruction for the low-voltage side IGBT, so that a period that begins immediately before the ON instruction for the low-voltage side IGBT and overlaps with the ON instruction, continuously during the dead time, continuously during dead time immediately before the low-voltage side IGBT turns ON, or in such a manner as to invalidate the ON instruction for the low-voltage side IGBT when an ON state of the high-voltage side IGBT is observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Yamaguchi, Naoki Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20110128763
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus is provided with three sets of half-bridge inverters (4a-4c) connected between output terminals of a solar battery (1), each of the half-bridge inverters (4a-4c) including two series-connected switching devices, single-phase inverters (5a-5c) connected to individual AC output lines of the bridge inverters (4a-4c), and two series-connected capacitors (6a, 6b) for dividing a voltage of the solar battery (1), wherein output terminals of the single-phase inverters (5a-5c) are connected to individual phases of a three-phase power system (2). Each of the half-bridge inverters (4a-4c) is operated to output one pulse per half cycle, each of the single-phase inverters (5a-5c) is controlled by PWM control operation to make up for a voltage insufficiency from the system voltage, and sums of outputs of the half-bridge inverters (4a-4c) and the single-phase inverters (5a-5c) are output to the power system (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Akihiko Iwata, Hiroshi Ito, Hirofumi Akagi, Hideaki Fujita, Takushi Jimichi
  • Patent number: 7952900
    Abstract: An H-bridge buck-boost converter includes a first half-bridge portion having at least one first transistor, an inductor portion connected to the first half-bridge portion at a first connection, a second half-bride portion connected to the inductor portion at a second connection, the second half-bridge portion having at least one second transistor, and a control portion configured to provide a first switching signal to a gate of the first transistor of the first half-bridge portion as a function of a voltage at the first connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Tomiyoshi, Rei Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7948775
    Abstract: A half-bridge resonant converter including a half-bridge switching circuit, a resonant circuit and a rectifier circuit is provided. The half-bridge switching circuit is controlled by two control signals for alternatively coupling two terminals of a DC power source to an input of a resonant circuit. The control signals have the same frequency and duty cycle, and one of the control signals is delayed a period by the other one, in which the frequency of the control signals is constant and the duty cycle of the control signals is variable according to a load. The rectifier circuit generates an output voltage across the load from an output of the resonant circuit. Therefore, the resonant converter of the present invention has the advantage of constant frequency operating and at least one of the two switches operated in ZVS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Inventor: Wei-Chun Lu
  • Patent number: 7948774
    Abstract: A resonant DC/DC converter for supplying an output power comprises a switching device (18) for supplying a switched voltage (UWR) to a resonant circuit (20) having a transformer (T). The switched voltage (UWR) is derived from an intermediate circuit voltage (Uz) having a fixed pulse width and frequency so that the zero crossings of the resonant current (Ires) generated in the resonant current are defined. The switching configuration of an inverter circuit (18) is selected by a control device (31) to either increase, decrease or maintain at a substantially constant level the resonant current according to the polarity of the switched voltage, so as to control the output power as required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Scheel, Peter Luerkens, Christoph Loef
  • Patent number: 7948194
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring current for a motor drive including at least high-side and low-side switching transistors includes a driver circuit for driving a gate of the low-side switching transistor. First circuitry measures a drain to source voltage across the low-side switching transistor and generates a voltage output responsive thereto. Second circuitry has a first state of operation that samples the voltage output of the first circuitry when the low-side switching transistor is turned on and has a second state of operation to sample the voltage output of the first circuitry when the low-side switching transistor is turned off. The second circuitry further generates a monitored output current responsive to the sampled voltage output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Ralph Garcia
  • Patent number: 7944085
    Abstract: A multiple output switching power source apparatus includes first and second switching elements Q1 and Q2, a first series resonant circuit connected in parallel with Q1 or Q2 and having a first current resonant capacitor and a primary winding of a transformer that are connected in series, a first rectifying-smoothing circuit to rectify and smooth a voltage generated by a secondary winding of the transformer, a second series resonant circuit connected in parallel with the secondary winding and having a second current resonant capacitor and a second resonant reactor that are connected in series, a second rectifying-smoothing circuit to rectify and smooth a voltage of the second series resonant circuit, and a control circuit to determine an ON period of Q1 according to a voltage obtained from one of the first and second rectifying-smoothing circuits, determine an ON period of Q2 according to a voltage obtained from the other of the first and second rectifying-smoothing circuits, and alternately turn on/off Q1 an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoichi Kyono
  • Patent number: 7940539
    Abstract: Single-phase full bridge boost converter systems and methods are provided. One system includes a direct-quatrature (D-Q) control system configured to generate a control voltage (vcon) including direct-phase and quadrature-phase voltage components. The system also includes a comparator configured to compare vcon to a carrier waveform voltage, generate switching commands based on the comparison, and transmit the switching commands to a current switch. Another system includes a boost converter including multiple switches coupled to a load and an AC voltage source. The switches are configured to provide charging current to the load in response to receiving switching commands. A D-Q control system configured to receive and delay an ia value, and issue switching commands based on the ia and delayed ia value is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gholamreza Esmaili, Lateef A. Kajouke
  • Patent number: 7920390
    Abstract: An inverter has a semiconductor switch circuit provided in the primary circuit of a transformer. The switch circuit is controlled by a PWM circuit. The switch circuit is operated on the basis of an intermittent-operation signal having an ON state and OFF state to: set an error signal to a substantially zero level during OFF periods; gradually increase the error signal upon transition from an OFF state to an ON state; and gradually decrease the error signal upon transition from an ON state to an OFF state. Each ON phase of the intermittent operation is slowly started and slowly ended through charging and discharging of a capacitor provided in a feedback circuit. This enables concomitant application of constant-current control and intermittent-operation control to the inverter, which in turn provides a broad range of power that can be supplied to a load, significantly reduces hamming of the transformer, and prevents over-current from occurring in the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Fukumoto