circuit Method, system, and apparatus for resonator circuits and modulating resonators By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Embodiments of resonator circuits and modulating resonators and are described generally herein. One or more acoustic wave resonators may be coupled in series or parallel to generate tunable filters. One or more acoustic wave resonances may be modulated by one or more capacitors or tunable capacitors. One or more acoustic wave modules may also be switchable in a filter. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. Full Article
circuit De-noise circuit and de-noise method for differential signals and chip for receiving differential signals By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A de-noise circuit and a de-noise method for differential signals and a chip for receiving differential signals are provided. The de-noise circuit includes a filter and a register. Both the filter and the register are disposed in the chip. The chip receives a differential signal through a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The filter is coupled between the first input terminal and the second input terminal of the chip. The filter filters out noises in the differential signal. The filter includes at least one filter unit. Each filter unit has at least one resistance value or at least one capacitance value. The register is coupled to the filter. The register receives and stores a control value. The register controls the resistance value or the capacitance value of at least one of the filter units based on the control value. Full Article
circuit Capacitive device and resonance circuit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT To provide a capacitive device capable of accurately securing a capacitance value, a variable capacitive device capable of sufficiently securing a capacity variability rate, and a resonance circuit that uses the capacitive devices. A capacitive device includes a capacitive device body constituted of a dielectric layer and at least a pair of capacitive device electrodes that sandwich the dielectric layer and cause a desired electric field in the dielectric layer; and stress adjustment portions to adjust a stress caused in the dielectric layer of the capacitive device body. Full Article
circuit Unbalanced-balanced conversion circuit element By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 08:00:00 EDT An unbalanced-balanced conversion circuit element includes an inductor connected in series between an unbalanced terminal and a first balanced terminal. The first balanced terminal side of the inductor is grounded via a capacitor. A capacitor is connected in series between the unbalanced terminal and a second balanced terminal. An inductor is connected between the first balanced terminal side of the inductor and the second balanced terminal side of the capacitor. In a laminate defining the unbalanced-balanced conversion circuit element, the capacitor is spaced far from a mounting surface of the laminate in comparison with other circuit elements. Full Article
circuit Parallel circuit of accumulator lines By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A circuit for connecting a first accumulator line to a second accumulator line from an accumulator is described. The accumulator is provided for charging and discharging electrical energy via the accumulator lines. Each accumulator line has a positive pole and a negative pole for charging and discharging electrical energy. The circuit has at least one first switch which is provided for disconnecting and connecting two similar poles of the two accumulator lines. Full Article
circuit Assembled battery charging method, charging control circuit, and power supply system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for charging an assembled battery including series circuits connected in parallel, each of the series circuits including series-connected lead storage batteries, using a single charger is provided. The method includes: a first step of obtaining a first index value, corresponding to a resistance value of a first series circuit with a correlative relationship, the first series circuit having a lowest resistance value; a second step of obtaining a second index value corresponding to a resistance value of a second series circuit with a correlative relationship, the second series circuit having a highest resistance value; a third step of performing normal charging, in which the assembled battery is charged with a first amount of charge corresponding to the first index value; and a fourth step of performing refresh charging, in which the assembled battery is charged with a second amount of charge corresponding to the second index value. Full Article
circuit Battery protecting circuit, battery protecting device, and battery pack By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A disclosed battery protecting circuit includes a battery protecting IC powered by a voltage of a secondary battery; another battery protecting IC powered by a voltage of another secondary battery connected to the secondary battery in series; and a constant voltage output unit which receives a maximum voltage obtained by adding voltages of the secondary battery and the other secondary battery in series and outputs a constant voltage upon receipt of a control signal from an output terminal of the battery protecting IC or the other battery protecting IC. Full Article
circuit Method and circuitry to calculate the state of charge of a battery/cell By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt the charging of a battery using data which is representative of an overpotential or relaxation time (full or partial) of the battery. In another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to calculate data which is representative of an overpotential or relaxation time (full or partial) of the battery. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to calculate data which is representative of a state of charge of the battery using an overpotential or relaxation time (full or partial) of the battery. Full Article
circuit Monitor and control circuitry for charging a battery/cell, and methods of operating same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Circuitry and techniques to measure, at the battery's terminals, characteristic(s) of the charging signal applied to the battery/cell during the recharging operation and, in response to feedback data which indicates the charging signal is out-of-specification, control or instruct the charging circuitry to adjust characteristic(s) of the recharging signal (e.g., the amplitude of the voltage of and/or current applied to or removed from the battery during the charging operation). For example, a rechargeable battery pack comprising a battery, and controllable switch(es), a current meter and voltmeter, all of which are fixed to the battery. Control circuitry generates control signal(s) to adjust a current and/or voltage of the charging signal using the feedback data from the current meter and/or voltmeter, respectively. Full Article
circuit Systems and methods for detecting ultracapacitor cell short circuits By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system for detecting a short-circuited ultracapacitor cell in a machine is disclosed. The system may have a memory that stores instructions and one or more processors capable of executing the instructions. The one or more processors may be configured to perform cell balancing among ultracapacitor cells arranged within two or more ultracapacitor modules, each ultracapacitor module including at least two ultracapacitor cells connected in series. The one or more processors may be further configured to measure a module voltage generated by each of the plurality of ultracapacitor modules after performing the cell balancing and before applying a load of the machine to the ultracapacitor modules, and determine whether an ultracapacitor cell among the plurality of ultracapacitor cells is short-circuited based on a comparison of the measured module voltages. Full Article
circuit System and method for protecting a power consuming circuit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system for protecting a power consuming circuit, the system comprising two terminals for receiving power and two terminals for providing received power. Between one of the receiving terminals and a providing terminal, a transistor is provided which is controlled by a Zener diode and to break the connection between one of the receiving terminals and a providing terminal, if a voltage over the providing terminals or the receiving terminals exceeds the breakdown voltage of the Zener diode. Full Article
circuit Enhanced electrical shocking device with improved long life and increased power circuitry By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Oct 1989 08:00:00 EDT An improved stun-gun or electrical shock device which includes improved circuit elements to eliminate the frequent product failure due to corrosion and pitting of an internal spark gap as found in prior art electrical shocking devices. The conventional internal spark gap found in prior art stun-guns is replaced with a pair of surge arrestors, thereby eliminating the problems caused by corrosion and pitting of the internal spark gap which has caused prior art stun-guns to have a limited life and fail. Full Article
circuit Driver circuit and semiconductor device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 01 Dec 2015 08:00:00 EST The silicon nitride layer 910 formed by plasma CVD using a gas containing a hydrogen compound such as silane (SiH4) and ammonia (NH3) is provided on and in direct contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354, and the silicon nitride layer 910 is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355 with the silicon oxide layer 909 serving as a barrier layer interposed therebetween. Therefore, a higher concentration of hydrogen is introduced into the oxide semiconductor layer 905 than into the oxide semiconductor layer 906. As a result, the resistance of the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354 is made lower than that of the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355. Full Article
circuit Pulse width modulation circuit and pulse width modulation signal generating method having two refresh rates By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST A PWM circuit that can have two refresh rates, including: a first PWM signal generator and a second PWM signal generator; wherein the first PWM signal generator and the second PWM signal generator respectively control refresh rates in two dimensions of an output data generated from a target apparatus. A PWM signal generation method that can have two refresh rates, including: generating a first PWM signal; generating a second PWM signal; and controlling refresh rates in different dimensions of an output data generated from a target apparatus respectively by using the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal. Full Article
circuit PWM signal generating circuit, printer, and PWM signal generating method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A PWM signal generating circuit, printer, and PWM signal generating method are described. The PWM signal generating circuit includes: a single counter configured to count values expressed in N bits; and at least one arithmetic device configured to generate a PWM signal, each of the at least one arithmetic device including a pulse width data storage unit for storing N-bit pulse width data representing a pulse width of the PWM signal to be generated, and an adder for calculating a carry value from a most significant bit obtained when adding the count value and the pulse width data. A signal having a level corresponding to the carry value is output at every change in the count value so that the PWM signal having the pulse width of the pulse width data is generated. Full Article
circuit Circuit breaker with parallel rated current paths By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST A circuit breaker is provided which can be filled with a quenching gas and which has two contact arrangements, which can be moved relative to one another and along a longitudinal axis of the circuit breaker. The contact arrangements form a arcing contact system and a rated current contact system connected electrically in parallel with it. One of the contact arrangements includes inner rated current contacts and outer rated current contacts of the rated current contact system, where the inner rated current contacts overhang the outer rated current contacts in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and the outer rated current contacts coaxially surround the inner rated current contacts. The circuit breaker has a high current carrying capability as well as a reliable switching-on and -off behavior, such as during and after the occurrence of a short-circuit current in the circuit breaker. Full Article
circuit Arc runner assembly and circuit interrupter By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST An arc runner assembly for use in a circuit interrupter provides a pair of arc runners that are situated at opposite sides of a stationary contact of the circuit interrupter. If used in a DC application, the arc runner assembly is configured to communicate a positive DC arc along one of the arc runners in a first direction away from the stationary contact and is further configured to communicate a negative DC arc along the other arc runner in another direction away from the stationary contact. The arc runner assembly additionally includes a support that is electrically engaged with a conductor of the circuit interrupter on a surface opposite that on which the stationary contact is disposed. The improved arc runner assembly advantageously facilitates extinction of electrical arc and extinguishes both positive and negative DC arcs in a DC application. Full Article
circuit Circuit interrupter employing a linear transducer to monitor contact erosion By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST A circuit interrupter includes, a first contact and a second contact, the second contact being moveable relative to the first contact, a drive assembly structured to move the second contact relative to the first contact, and an erosion monitoring device including a linear transducer coupled to a portion of the drive assembly. The liner transducer is structured to generate an output signal representative of an amount of linear displacement of the portion of the drive assembly, wherein the erosion monitoring device is structured to monitor a degree of erosion of at least one of the first contact and the second contact based on the output signal. Full Article
circuit Gas circuit breaker By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST A gas circuit breaker comprising: a sealed tank; two breaking sections disposed in the sealed tank; a bracket to support movable parts of the breaking sections while enabling switching operation of the movable parts; an insulation cylinder to support the bracket through an electric field relaxation shield; an insulated operating rod disposed in the insulation cylinder movably in the axial direction and an end thereof is connected to an actuator; and a link mechanism connected to other end of the insulated rod and transmits drive force from the actuator to the movable parts of the breaking sections, wherein the electric field relaxation shield is provided with out-side groove and in-side groove on the insulation cylinder respectively, and the out-side groove and in-side groove are formed openings at the link mechanism side respectively, and end of the in-side groove is extended to near the outer surrounding of the insulated operating rod. Full Article
circuit Vacuum circuit breaker By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST In a vacuum circuit breaker corresponding to three-phase, which is configured by linearly arranging three pressure tanks respectively corresponding to one-phase, in which insulation gas is encapsulated, and a vacuum valve is installed, each pressure tank has a nearly longitudinal shape or a nearly square shape, viewed from a plane surface, and the vacuum valve is arranged in each of the pressure tanks in a state where a drive direction of the movable conductor is aligned with an upper lower direction, and the movable conductor is positioned lower than the vacuum valve, and keeps a sufficient insulation distance with respect to the movable-side connection conductor, and is neared to a position in one of diagonal directions or longitudinal directions of the pressure tank having a nearly square shape or nearly ellipsoidal shape, and moreover, the operation mechanism is arranged and configured at a position, which is lower than the vacuum valve. Full Article
circuit Gas circuit breaker By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST A gas circuit breaker includes movable and fixed electrode parts arranged to face each other in an engaging/separating manner in a container filled with an insulating gas, an operating mechanism attached to a partition of the container and configured to output an operating force to the movable electrode part, an operating rod attached to the movable electrode part, a first link rotatably attached to the operating rod, a lever rotatably attached to the first link, a support bearing fixed to the partition of the container via an insulating spacer, a second link rotatably attached to the lever and also rotatably attached to the support bearing, a seal bearing connected through the partition of the container, a seal rod rotatably attached to the center of the lever and slidably supported to the seal bearing, and a third link rotatably attached to the seal rod and also attached to the operating mechanism. Full Article
circuit Arc chamber for a circuit breaker and circuit breaker having an arc chamber By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT An arc chamber for a circuit breaker has first and second mounting bodies. The mounting bodies are disposed at the ends of an electrically insulating insulation section of the arc chamber. The insulation section is formed of at least two shell-shaped partial sections. The partial sections are curved concavely relative to a longitudinal axis of the arc chamber. A gap is formed between the edges of the bodies of the partial sections. Full Article
circuit Gas circuit breaker By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A gas circuit breaker is provided, avoiding change in the position of a cover member and without weakening of the blow of gas to the arc in an arc discharge cavity even when a surface of the cover member in contact with the arc discharge cavity is damaged. The gas circuit breaker includes a contact ring, a holder attached to the contact ring, and extending to a path of arc-extinguishing gas that extinguishes an arc, and an electrically insulative cover member attached to the holder. Full Article
circuit Flexible shunt for vacuum circuit breaker By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A flexible shunt for a vacuum circuit breaker can have a reduced straight length and improved flexibility even with an increased thickness within a predetermined accommodation space of a main circuit part. The flexible shunt comprises a pair of conductive plates, each including a clamp connecting portion configured as a flat conductive member, the clamp connecting portion being connected the clamp, a terminal side connecting portion configured as a flat conductive member, the terminal side connecting portion being connected to the terminal side, and a flexible curved portion configured to connect the clamp connecting portion to the terminal side connecting portion, the flexible curved portion being formed to be projected outwardly. Full Article
circuit Gas-insulated circuit breaker with nominal contact shielding arrangement By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A gas-insulated type circuit breaker including a housing defining a gas volume for a dielectric insulation gas; a first arcing contact member and a second arcing contact member, wherein the first arcing contact member and the second arcing contact member are movable relative to each other along an axis; a first nominal contact member and a second nominal contact member, wherein the first nominal contact member and the second nominal contact member are movable relative to each other along the axis; and a first nominal contact shielding arrangement including an inner shield member and an outer shield member, wherein the inner shield member and the outer shield member are arranged coaxially about the axis. The first nominal contact member is arranged co-axially between the inner shield member and the outer shield member, and is movable relative to the inner shield member and to the outer shield member. Full Article
circuit Gas circuit breaker By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The disclosure relates to a gas circuit breaker switch (5) which can be integrated inside a switching device insulated in a dielectric gas, said switch (5) comprising an arc chute (1) inside which a fixed contact (3) and a moving contact (4) are arranged. The integration of the contacts (3, 4) inside at least one casing (19, 20) corresponding to the arc chute (1) allows reducing distances between phases, in addition to preventing any incident in one phase from affecting the remaining phases, and finally more compact electrical equipment is obtained. The switch (5) also comprises at least one generation means (6) for generating at least one gas, at least one blowout/intake means (7) for at least one extinguishing gas and at least one generation means (2) for generating a magnetic field, such that the electric arc generated between the contacts (3, 4) of the switch (5) can be extinguished by combining said means (6, 7, 2). Full Article
circuit Gas blast circuit breaker By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A circuit breaker includes a first contact and a second contact. An electric arc zone is disposed between the contacts. A feed channel opens into the electric arc zone, connecting the electric arc zone to a hot gas reservoir volume. The hot gas reservoir volume, in turn, is connected to a compression volume. An outflow opening is disposed in a wall of the compression volume. The outflow opening is permanently open, at least in a contacting state of the contacts. Full Article
circuit Arc runners suitable for DC molded case circuit breakers and related methods By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Circuit breakers include an arc chamber and an arc chute comprising a plurality of arc plates in the arc chamber. The circuit breakers also include a line conductor assembly with at least one arc runner attached to a line conductor in the arc chamber. The arc runner can extend below but adjacent to a bottom arc plate to thereby guide a respective arc into the arc chute. Full Article
circuit Air circuit breaker By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An arc guider configured to provide an arc movement path, one side thereof forming a fixation projection and a center thereof forming a groove in a longitudinal direction, a fixation element sequentially including a main contact, an arc contact being spaced apart from the main contact and an insertion groove accommodating the arc guider and a plurality of projection fixing units being formed on both sides of the insertion groove and being curved toward the accommodated arc guider through an outer force so that the fixation projection does not escape wherein triangle V shaped groove marks by the outer force are formed in the plurality of the projection fixing units. Full Article
circuit Method and circuit arrangement for controlling current in motors By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method and circuit arrangement for controlling the motor current in an electric motor, in particular a stepper motor, by a chopper method is provided. In the method/circuit arrangement, the motor is operated with a coil current that follows a target coil current substantially more accurately at least at the zero crossing of the coil current. The method/circuit arrangement provides a good symmetry of the sinusoidal wave shape of the coil current with respect to the zero crossing of the coil current. The method is achieved in particular by the active control of the coil current both in the direction of a predefined target coil current and opposite the direction of the predefined target coil current with respect to upper or lower desired current values and a lowering or increasing of the upper or lower desired current values. Full Article
circuit Linearization circuit and related techniques By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Circuits and techniques to linearize the operation of an RF power amplifier are described. A linearizer circuit may include a non-amplification signal path which includes a delay line and an amplification signal path which includes at least one amplifier stage. In some embodiments, the amplification signal path may include an odd number of amplification stages. The linearizer may be used to precondition an input signal of an RF power amplifier in a manner that improves the overall linearity of operation. Full Article
circuit Differential circuit compensated with self-heating effect of active device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A differential circuit with a function to compensate unevenness observed in the differential gain thereof is disclosed. The differential circuit provides a low-pass filter in one of the paired transistors not receiving the input signal in addition to another low-pass filter that provides an average of output signals as a reference level of the differential circuit. The cut-off frequency of the filter is preferably set to be equal to the transition frequency at which the self-heating effect explicitly influences the trans-conductance of the transistor. Full Article
circuit Input receiver circuit having single-to-differential amplifier, and semiconductor device including the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An input receiver circuit including a single-to-differential amplifier and a semiconductor device including the input receiver circuit are disclosed. The input receiver circuit includes a first stage amplifier unit and a second stage amplifier unit. The first stage amplifier unit amplifies a single input signal in a single-to-differential mode to generate a differential output signal, without using a reference voltage. The second stage amplifier unit amplifies the differential output signal in a differential-to-single mode to generate a single output signal. Full Article
circuit Transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuit and method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A TIA circuit and method are provided that merge the automatic gain control function with the bandwidth adjustment function to allow the TIA circuit to operate over a wide dynamic range at multiple data rates. The TIA circuit has an effective resistance that is adjustable for adjusting the gain and the bandwidth of the TIA circuit. The mechanism of the TIA circuit that is used to adjust the effective resistance, and hence the gain and bandwidth of the TIA circuit, is temperature independent, and as such, the performance of the TIA circuit is not affected by temperature variations. Full Article
circuit Circuitry for reducing power consumption By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Circuitry for reducing power consumption is described. The circuitry includes a power amplifier. The circuitry also includes a predistorter coupled to the power amplifier. The circuitry further includes a power supply coupled to the power amplifier. The circuitry additionally includes a controller coupled to the power amplifier, to the predistorter and to the power supply. The controller captures a transmit signal and a feedback signal concurrently and determines a minimum bias voltage from a set of voltages and a predistortion that enable the power amplifier to produce an amplified transmit signal in accordance with a requirement. Full Article
circuit Amplifier circuits By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Differential amplifier circuits for LDMOS-based amplifiers are disclosed. The differential amplifier circuits comprise a high resistivity substrate and separate DC and AC ground connections. Such amplifier circuits may not require thru-substrate vias for ground connection. Full Article
circuit Information handling system with power fault protection circuit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT An information handling system (IHS) employs a power fault protection circuit to protect the IHS from overvoltages which may occur on an information line from a power adapter to the IHS. The system includes a processor coupled to the protection circuit. The circuit is operative in a first mode to decouple an information line from the IHS in response to a disable command and operative in a second mode to decouple the information line from the IHS when a voltage in the information line exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage. Full Article
circuit Analog front-end circuit and electronic instrument By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EDT An analog front-end circuit includes an analog processing circuit, an A/D converter, a target register in which a lower limit target value of an input image signal is set, and a calculation circuit. The analog processing circuit includes an offset control circuit which performs offset control based on an offset control value set in an offset control register. The calculation circuit monitors the A/D-converted value in a lower limit value output period when the A/D-converted value corresponding to a lower limit value of an input range is output from the A/D converter, and sets the offset control value that causes the A/D-converted value to become closer to the lower limit target value set in the target register in the offset control register. Full Article
circuit Line voltage control circuit for a multi-string LED drive system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 08:00:00 EST A line voltage control circuit for use with a multi-string LED drive system which provides a common line voltage for multiple LED strings that are connected to respective current sink circuits at respective junctions. An error amplifier receives the minimum junction voltage and a reference ‘desired junction voltage’ at respective inputs, and a voltage regulator outputs the line voltage in response to a voltage applied to a feedback input. A comparator toggles an output when the maximum junction voltage (Vmax) exceeds a reference limit (Vlimit). A multiplexer receives the error amplifier output and a fixed voltage at respective inputs and provides one of the signals to the regulator's feedback input in response to the comparator output. When Vmax>Vlimit, the fixed voltage is provided to the feedback input and the line voltage is reduced, thereby protecting low voltage current sinks from potentially damaging high voltages. Full Article
circuit DC-DC converter, control circuit, and power supply control method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A DC-DC converter includes a first amplifier that amplifies a first difference between a first reference voltage and a feedback voltage corresponding to an output voltage, a second amplifier that amplifies a second difference between the first reference voltage and an integrated value of the feedback voltage, and a controller that controls a switching circuit to change the output voltage when the first difference reaches the second different. Full Article
circuit Voltage-to-current sensing circuit and related DC-DC converter By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present disclosure is directed to a voltage-to-current sensing circuit having a bias terminal configured to receive a reference voltage, an offset terminal configured to receive an offset current, and an operational amplifier configured to output a low voltage signal. The device includes a first amplifier having first and second high voltage inputs configured to receive a first voltage difference across a sense component on a high voltage line and to generate a first current, a second amplifier having first and second low voltage inputs configured to receive a second voltage difference between the bias terminal and the offset terminal and to generate a second current, a summing circuit configured to provide an intermediate voltage corresponding to a sum of the first and the second currents, and a low-voltage transistor coupled to an output of the amplifier and controlled by the intermediate voltage to generate the output current. Full Article
circuit High efficient control circuit for buck-boost converters and control method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A controller used in a buck-boost converter includes a clock generator, an error amplifying circuit, a comparing circuit, a proportional sampling circuit, a logic circuit, a pulse width increasing circuit, first and second driving circuits. Based on a clock signal generated by the clock generator, the proportional sampling circuit samples the difference between a current sensing signal and a compensation signal generated by the error amplifying circuit, and generates a proportional sampling signal. The pulse width increasing circuit generates a sum control signal based on the proportional sampling signal and a logic control signal generated by the logic circuit, wherein a modulation value adjusted by the proportional sampling signal is added to the pulse width of the logic control signal to generate the pulse width of the sum control signal. The first and second driving circuits generate driving signals based on the sum control signal and the logic control signal. Full Article
circuit Startup circuit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A startup circuit to ensure a bandgap reference circuit reliably starts up or recovers from a noise disturbance is provided. The startup circuit incorporates a pull down resistor to detect the bandgap reference circuit being in a disabled state. The startup circuit creates a positive feedback loop to force the bandgap reference circuit out of a disabled state. Consequently, whenever the power supply for the bandgap reference circuit sags or if bandgap output collapses, the output of the bandgap circuit reliably ramps back up to the expected level. Full Article
circuit Control circuit of a switched-mode power converter and method thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for controlling voltage crossing a power switch of a switched-mode power converter includes the steps of: controlling a switch frequency of the power switch of the switched-mode power converter to a first frequency as activating the switched-mode power converter; and then changing the switch frequency of the power switch to a second frequency after the switched-mode power converter is activated for a predetermined time; wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency. Full Article
circuit Power supply device control circuit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT In some aspects of the invention, overcurrent protection is carried out by suppressing fluctuations in current flowing through a switching element after overcurrent detection. A peak current reaching time detection circuit detects a peak current reaching time needed until current flowing through a switching element reaches a peak value. A difference voltage detection circuit, including a ½ time detection circuit which detects a time of ½ an ON time of the preceding cycle of the switching element, detects difference voltage between reference voltage used when detecting overcurrent flowing to a load and a signal which has detected current flowing through the switching element for the ½ time. A delay time adjustment circuit, based on at least one of the peak current reaching time and difference voltage, carries out adjustment and control of a delay time occurring until the time when the switching element is turned off after detecting the overcurrent. Full Article
circuit Low dropout light emitting diode (LED) ballast circuit and method therefor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A ballast circuit for a Light Emitting Diode (LED) has a regulator element coupled to the LED and to an input voltage source. A control circuit is coupled to the LED and to an input voltage source. A first switching device is coupled in series with the regulator element. A second switching device is coupled to the input voltage and the control circuit. Full Article
circuit Delay compensation circuit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A device (200) includes a circuit (202) and a driver stage (204) therefor. The circuit includes two sub-circuits (231 and 232). The driver stage includes switcher logic (206) that produces signals that control switching on and off of the sub-circuits. The switcher logic also produces other signals in advance of the signals that control the switching of the sub-circuits. The driver stage includes delay compensations circuits (221 and 222), coupled to the switcher logic and to the circuit, that produce timing signals for the switcher logic. The timing signals are closely aligned with moments that a changing voltage at a node between the sub-circuits passes through threshold voltages. The timing signals compensate for all delays of signals through the device such that a period that both sub-circuits are off is minimized, while ensuring that both sub-circuits are not on at a same time. Full Article
circuit Charge pump regulator circuit with a variable drive voltage ring oscillator By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A charge pump regulator circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator and a plurality of charge pumps. The voltage controlled oscillator has a plurality of inverter stages connected in series in a ring. A plurality of oscillating signals is generated from outputs of the inverter stages. Each oscillating signal has a frequency or amplitude or both that are variable dependent on a variable drive voltage. Each oscillating signal is phase shifted from a preceding oscillating signal. Each charge pump is connected to a corresponding one of the inverter stages to receive the oscillating signal produced by that inverter stage. Each charge pump outputs a voltage and current. The output of each charge pump is phase shifted from the outputs of other charge pumps. A combination of the currents thus produced is provided at about a voltage level to the load. Full Article
circuit Power converting circuit and control circuit thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A power converting circuit includes an upper gate switch, a transistor, a current source circuit, a comparator circuit, a delay circuit, and a pulse width modulation signal generating circuit. The transistor and the current source circuit provide a reference signal. The comparator circuit generates a comparing signal according to the reference signal and an output signal provided by the upper gate switch. The delay circuit generates a delay signal according to the comparing signal and a clock signal. The pulse width modulation signal generating circuit generates a control signal for the upper gate switch according to the delay signal and the clock signal for configuring the conduction status of the upper gate switch. The power converting circuit adjusts the conduction time of the upper gate switch according to the reference signal and the output signal. Full Article
circuit Pseudo constant on time control circuit and step-down regulator By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A step-down regulator comprising a pseudo constant on time control circuit is disclosed, comprising an on-time generator configured to receive a switching signal provided by the step-down regulator and a control signal provided by the pseudo constant on time control circuit, and generates an on-time signal; a feedback control circuit configured to receive a feedback signal representative of the output voltage of the step-down regulator and generate an output signal; and a logic control circuit coupled to the on-time generator and the feedback control circuit to receive the on-time signal and the output signal and generating the control signal, and a power stage configured to receive an input voltage and the control signal and generate the switching signal. Full Article