POWER electronics

Mar 1, 2010 12:00 PM
SAM DAVIS, Editor in Chief

DC POWER SUPPLY WITH INPUT VOLTAGE POLARITY INDICATION

United States Patent 7,482,712

Ford, et al. January 27, 2009

A multi-mode electromagnetic radiation emitting device comprising at least one source of electromagnetic radiation which emits radiation according to predefined or programmable user selectable instruction sets is disclosed. Reversal of the polarity of the device's power supply allows for enhanced features to be accessed including multiple instruction sets per switch setting, reprogramming mode, infra-red (covert) mode, night mode and water activation mode. A switch mechanism for providing selectable switched circuit connections is also disclosed as well as a power supply for supplying dc power to an electronic circuit comprising at least one microcontroller or microprocessor.

Inventors: Ford; Timothy (Beaconsfield, CA), Gascon; Stephane (Mascouche, CA)

Assignee: The Flewelling Ford Family Trust (Beaconsfield, CA)

Appl. No.: 11/227,388

Filed: September 15, 2005

HIGH-VOLTAGE MODULATOR SYSTEM

Issued February 9, 2010

United States Patent 7,660,137

A high-power modulation system includes drive circuitry that receives input signals from the signal source via a series of transformers. The drive circuitry amplifies the input signals and provides the resulting amplified signals to the high-power switch. The switch includes a series of stacked switching elements, each with a control terminal, first and second current-handling terminals, and feedback path extending between the first current-handling terminal and the control terminal. The feedback paths work in concert to turn the switches on and off together to prevent excessive voltage from developing across one or a subset of the switching elements. The feedback path includes a resistor that dampens the bandwidth of the feedback path to reduce turn-off and turn-on ringing and oscillation. The damping resistor may be coupled in series with a diode that holds charge against the control terminal of the switching element.

Inventors: Goins; Lawrence W. (El Dorado Hills, CA),

Goluszek; Daniel (El Dorado Hills, CA)

Assignee: Polarity, Inc. (Rancho Cordova, CA)

Appl. No.: 11/494,059

Filed: July 26, 2006

SYSTEM FOR OPERATING DC MOTORS AND POWER CONVERTERS

Issued February 9, 2010

United States Patent 7,659,678

A system is disclosed for driving a dc motor under conditions of a controlled average current. An inductive element may be arranged for connection in series with the dc motor. A switch is preferably coupled to the inductive element for connecting and disconnecting a terminal of the inductive element from the voltage source. A diode may be arranged for connection in parallel with a combination of the inductive element and the dc motor arranged in series, with the appropriate polarity so that current circulating through the inductive element circulates through the diode when the switch disconnects the terminal from the voltage source. A capacitor is arranged for connection in parallel with the motor, for limiting a resulting voltage over the motor or for storing charge depending on the embodiment of the invention. A device for measuring a current through the motor is provided, and a device for controlling operation of the switch dependent upon the measured current in the motor is also provided.

Inventors: Maiocchi; Sergio A. (Wattlegrove, NSW, AU)

Appl. No.: 10/565,345

Filed: July 22, 2004

LOW-LEAKAGE EMC FILTER

Issued February 9, 2010

United States Patent 7,659,797

EMC filter, connectable between a supply network and an electric operated appliance to reduce conduction noise between said supply network and said appliance, comprising one voltage regulator having an output terminal whose potential is kept close to the earth potential, in order to reduce the voltage drop, at mains frequency, across a “Y” capacitor or an active shunt module. In this way the leakage current to earth is sensibly reduced.

Inventors: Tucker; Andrew C. (Solothurn, CH)

Assignee: Schaffner EMV AG (Luterbach, CH)

Appl. No.: 12/349,332

Filed: January 6, 2009

HIGH-TEMPERATURE, STABLE-SIC INTERCONNECTS AND PACKAGES HAVING LOW THERMAL RESISTANCE

Issued February 9, 2010

United States Patent 7,659,614

A method of forming packages containing SiC or other semiconductor devices bonded to other components or conductive surfaces utilizing transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding to create high temperature melting point bonds using in situ formed ternary or quaternary mixtures of conductive metals and the devices created using TLP bonds of ternary or quaternary materials. The compositions meet the conflicting requirements of an interconnect or joint that can be exposed to high temperature, and is thermally and electrically conductive, void and creep resistant, corrosion resistant, and reliable upon temperature and power cycling.

Inventors: Mehrotra; Vivek (Newbury Park, CA)

Appl. No.: 12/116,916

Filed: May 7, 2008

SOLFIRE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR AND POINTER STRUCTURE

Issued February 9, 2010

United States Patent 7,658,071

Solar generators have Fresnel lenses and spaced heat absorbers or photovoltaic cells for receiving focused solar rays. Heat is removed from their backs by boiling liquid in conical receivers. Pins or fins extend rearward into the receivers from the heat absorbers or photovoltaic cells. Liquid supply to the receivers is controlled by valves and floats or sensors. Tubes remove steam or vapor from the receivers for driving generators or for cooling photovoltaic cells. Hinged tubes which form the foldable support conduct the steam to generators and condense the vapor. Liquid is returned to a holding tank, is pumped to a distribution tank and is conducted by some of the structural tubes back to the valved receivers.

Inventors: McDermott; Patrick P. (Vienna, VA)

Appl. No.: 11/637,962

Filed: December 12, 2006

POWER MODULE

Issued February 2, 2010

United States Patent 7,656,672

A power module has several circuit units that are electrically connected in parallel and are provided with terminal contacts which are electrically and mechanically interconnected via at least one current-conducting saddle. In order to create a power module which is easy to produce and in which the current-conducting saddle requires little space, the saddle is embodied in several parts while encompassing a terminal element that can be connected in a fixed manner to a terminal contact of a circuit unit independently of a connecting element of the saddle.

Inventors: Schilling; Oliver (Warstein, DE), Spanke; Reinhold (Bestwig, DE)

Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG (Neubiberg, DE)

Appl. No.: 11/381,881

Filed: May 5, 2006

SWITCHING REGULATOR WITH VARIABLE SLOPE COMPENSATION

Issued February 2, 2010

United States Patent 7,656,142

Controlled compensation for a switching regulator is attained by detecting switching duty cycle of the switching regulator, developing a compensation signal having a time duration that is related to the detected switching duty cycle percentage, and generating a duty cycle control signal for the regulator that is dependent in part on the developed compensation signal. The compensation signal has a slope profile and is initiated during each switching cycle at a set point in the cycle that is related to the switching duty cycle percentage.

Inventors: Liao; Chiawei (San Jose, CA)

Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation (Milpitas, CA)

Appl. No.: 11/180,556

Filed: July 14, 2005

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