Other

Texas Instruments Corporation

R2 Semiconductor, Inc.

Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation

Renesas Electronics America Inc.

Asahi Kasei Microsystems Co., Ltd.

Intrinsix Corporation

Integrated Circuit Design, Inc.

Edward Coleman

David A Fisher

Jonathan Mark Audy

Eric Bernard Rodal

Daniel Zheng

Shawn Evans

Byongho Park

Walter A Budziak

Noboru Kagemoto

Chris Jurado

A power conveyor circuit for an energy harvesting system includes an input port configured to be electrically coupled to a sensor to receive an input signal from the sensor at an input power level and an output port configured to 5 be electrically coupled to a load. A switch mode power path circuit is coupled to the input port and the output port to receive the input signal from the sensor received at the input port and to provide an output signal to the output port at an output power level equal to the input power level times a transfer efficiency. A method of making the power conveyor circuit and an energy harvesting system including the power conveyor circuit are also disclosed.

Power conveyor devices for energy harvesting systems and methods thereof

The present embodiments are directed to circuitry and techniques for operating a switching regulator, including in connection with transitions out of energy conservation modes during which a minimal amount of current is drawn from a power source such as a battery. According to certain aspects, embodiments of an energy conservation mode include provisions for maintaining high performance voltage regulation even in the face of a sudden increase in load requirements. These and other embodiments can further include various techniques for signaling an appropriate transition for exiting out of energy conservation mode and into a continuous conduction mode.

Method and apparatus for minimizing voltage droop due to load step during energy conservation operation

Methods, systems and apparatuses for voltage regulation are disclosed. For an embodiment, a voltage regulator includes a power source block configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage to supply current to an output load, a storage capacitor, and an active filter configured to transfer energy between the output load and the storage capacitor. A conversion ratio of the active filter is controlled by a parameter related to the output voltage, and a conversion ratio of the power source block is at least partially controlled by a parameter related to the voltage on the storage capacitor.

Control of conversion ratios of a power source block and bidirectional active filter

Control of conversion ratios of a power source block and a bidirectional active filter

Apparatus and methods are provided for feedback circuitry in a power converter, the feedback circuitry including a first resistor coupled to a first node between a high switch and a low switch, a first capacitor in series with the first resistor, the first capacitor coupled to a second node, a first comparator having a positive terminal connected between the first resistor and the first capacitor and a negative terminal connected to a third node, the first comparator configured to compare a voltage at the positive terminal to a voltage at the negative terminal, wherein the feedback circuitry is configured to generate a ramp waveform at the positive terminal of the first comparator, an amplitude of the ramp waveform based on a time constant of the first resistor and the first capacitor.

Enhanced peak current mode DC-DC power converter

A switch mode power converter that precisely controls average switching current and operating frequency. The switching control operative in hysteretic average current mode control provides wide bandwidth operation without the need for slope correction. The switching converter ripple current is varied by a frequency comparator in response to a comparison of the switching frequency to a reference frequency. The ripple current is adjusted to obtain correlation between the operating switching frequency and the reference frequency. Peak current levels are precisely controlled and may be limited to prevent component stress levels from being exceeded. Current levels are continuously monitored with a current sense amplifier, or monitored with a high-gain low energy current sampler. Feedback loop independent line and load regulation is provided by continuous current monitoring, or by using variable slope charge and transfer voltage to pulse width converters when operating with a current sampler based system.

Frequency regulated hysteretic average current mode converter

A voltage to current converter that can provide multiple current sources at differing voltage levels using a single inductor, without the need to provide a current sense element, pass element, and wiring to provide feedback for load current regulation. A switching inductor current is regulated such that the average current supplied by the inductor is equal to a user determined set point or points for a set of multiplexed loads. The inductor current levels are sampled and stored, and the average current level for each load is determined based on the sampled current levels. The average current levels are compared to a current level set point or set point signals to determine an error signal for each load current. The error signal for each current is amplified and filtered to provide duty cycle control terms. The duty cycle control terms are converted to pulse width modulated control signals by a pulse width modulator. The pulse width modulated control signals control the duration of switch states to energize and discharge the inductor to provide regulated average current levels to the multiple load channels.

Method and apparatus for voltage to current conversion

Power converters employing extrapolative conductance mode (ECM) control utilize periodic current sampling and employ an extrapolation method to determine charge pulse duration. In preferred embodiments, the operating frequency of the converter is altered in response to current sample perturbations to dissipate sub-harmonic oscillations associated with duty cycles of 50% or greater without the use of slope correction. High current monitor signal-to-noise ratios may be achieved in conjunction with low power losses, and a first order output filter response may be obtained for duty cycles greater than 50%.

Power converter using extrapolative conductance mode control

A ripple current mode power converter comprised of a magnetic energy storage element, and a method of determining magnetic storage element charge duration based on periodic magnetic storage element current samples. In the preferred embodiment a controller processes a magnetic storage element ripple current, and average sampled current, to achieve high power factor forgoing the need to sense the AC signal current and voltage levels. The controller element periodically calculates the magnetic storage element charge duration to control the state of the switch element to maintain the AC input current proportional to the AC input voltage.

Method of power conversion and apparatus which achieves high power factor correction using ripple current mode control

A system for drawably hanging curtains from a venetian blind headbox mounted on a vertical surface. A tubular attachment is mountable on the headbox and has a tail section having an inner wall of substantially the same height as the height of the headbox, and a projecting lip at the lower edge of the inner wall for retaining the headbox in the attachment without requiring other mounting elements. The attachment has a hanger section having a longitudinal T-shaped slot for receiving a plurality of curtain sliders for movably hanging a first curtain therefrom. Each of a pair of removable end pieces has flanges which are matable within either end of the attachment to retain the curtain sliders in the attachment. Each of the end pieces has at least one saddle for supporting a first curtain rod for movably hanging a second curtain therefrom and a bayonet mount for receiving a second curtain rod for movably hanging a third curtain therefrom.

System for hanging curtains from a venetian blind headbox

A new and improved mini-blind slide-on attachment with a tail section having an open lower portion. The open lower portion receives a head box of the mini-blind therein. An inner support section is integral with a front wall of the tail section. The inner section serves to receive end caps of curtain rods therein for hanging a curtain therefrom. A hanger section is integral with a bottom portion of the inner support. The bottom portion has a receiving slot formed therethrough. The receiving slot serves to receive drape hangers therein. Two parallel raised ridges are integral with an outer surface of the hanger section. The two parallel raised ridges serve to receive snap-in hooks that hold curtains with rods in pockets.

Growing community of inventors

Salt Springs, FL, United States of America

Edward Coleman