Leach International Corporation

Diehl Stiftung & Co.

Otmar Kruppa

Farshid Tofigh

Imtiaz Ahmad Khan

Iraj Ghahramani

David Lawton

Kent Policky

Thomas Krummer

Jesse Thomas Chen

A system and method for emulating an ideal diode for use in a power control device is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a circuit for emulating an ideal diode, the circuit including at least one field effect transistor including a source, a drain, a gate, and a body diode, an input; an output coupled to the drain, a control circuit including a current sensor coupled between the input and the source, and a control circuit output coupled to the gate, wherein the control circuit is configured to activate the at least one field effect transistor based on whether the current flowing into the source is greater than a predetermined threshold, and wherein the body diode comprises an anode coupled to the source and a cathode coupled to the drain.

System and method for emulating an ideal diode in a power control device

Solid state power controllers are described that include a switch controlled by a microcontroller and communication contacts. In one aspect of the invention, the microcontroller is galvanically isolated from the communication contacts using magnetoresistive isolation. In another aspect of the invention a number of solid state power controllers are connected to an external microcontroller to form a power distribution array. In addition, messages exchanged between the external microcontroller and the solid state power controllers can be used to configure the solid state power controllers and provide a user interface.

Voltage sensing circuitry for solid state power controllers

Solid state power controllers in various configurations are provided. One such solid state power controller includes a power connector, a load connector and at least one communication connector, a solid state switch electrically connectable between the power connector and the load connector, where the switch includes an input, a microcontroller coupled to the input of the solid state switch, and current sensing circuitry coupled to the microcontroller and configured to sense a current flowing through the solid state switch, the current sensing circuitry including an amplifier having an offset error, where the current sensing circuitry is configured to generate a signal indicative of the current flowing through the solid state switch, and bias the generated signal to a predetermined level to substantially eliminate the offset error in the amplifier.

Solid state power controllers including current sensing circuitry is configured to bias a general signal to a predetermined level in order to substantially eliminate the offset error in an amplifier and an A/D converter

A system and method for protecting a coil structure in a controlled switch. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a circuit including at least one load switch connectable between a power source and a load and at least one auxiliary switch, each switch actuable between a default position and a switched position, a coil structure configured to actuate the at least one load switch and at least one auxiliary switch in response to a control input, the coil structure switchable between an actuating configuration for actuating the at least one load switch and the at least one auxiliary switch from the default position, and a holding configuration for holding the at least one load switch and the at least one auxiliary switch in the switched position, and a resettable current limiting device configured to limit the current flow in the actuating configuration of the coil structure if the current flow exceeds a threshold for a predetermined period of time, wherein the at least one auxiliary switch is configured to switch the coil structure from the actuating configuration to the holding configuration.

System and method for protecting a coil structure in a controlled switch

The present invention relates to a power control system with a fusible link. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a power control system, having a device possessing an output, a fusible link connected to the output of the device, a heating element controller, and at least one heating element connected to the heating element controller, where the heating element controller is configured to control the flow of current through the heating element, where the heating element controller is configured to monitor activity of the device, and where the heating element is configured to generate sufficient heat to fuse the fusible link within a predetermined time period when current flows through the heating element.

Power controller with fusible link

Power distribution system using solid state power controllers

A lighting arrangement for a space or compartment (2) which can be closed off, with a fire-proofing ceiling (3), in particular for receiving freight in passenger aircraft, comprising lighting units (6) arranged in the fire-proofing ceiling (3), which for the purposes of static load relief of the fire-proofing ceiling (3) and at the same time for a better lighting effect for the space or compartment (2), has the following features: a plurality of through openings (19) are arranged in distributed fashion in the fire-proofing ceiling (3), fire-resistant light coupling-out elements (16) are arranged in the through openings (19) in such a way that their light cones (9) intersect in the space or compartment (2) and the light coupling-out elements (16) are connected by way of optical waveguides (14) to at least one common light source (15).

Growing community of inventors

Deiningen, Germany

Otmar Kruppa