Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Other

Qiong Michelle Li

Demetri J Giannopoulos

Nai-Chi Lee

Ihor T Wacyk

A communication system comprises a set of specialized backend serversand groups of terminals () connected through the Internet. Users of the communication system can make video calls and share text messages, images and video clips through the terminals (). The terminals in this system are organized into private terminal groupsof varying sizes. Each group has only one controller terminaland one or more display terminals. Both types of terminals provide an easy-to-use graphic user interface for the user to access the communication services provided by the system. Communication and information sharing between any display terminals must be pre-authorized by their controllers. This communication system, while ensuring security and privacy, addresses the needs of caregiver groups that include caregiver professionals, family members and care receivers, to facilitate private conference calls, information sharing and caring activity coordination.

System and method for group communication and information sharing

A method and apparatus is provided to generate a pulse-width modulated (PWM) with enhanced features in accordance with a pre-determined protocol using a standard microprocessor. The method and apparatus is able to handle both variable on/off-timing control and multiple-event interrupts. The PWM functions of the present invention are implemented by software in the microprocessor that handles not only on/off events controlled by external pins, but is programmable on/off timing as well.

Hardware/software implementation of a PWM with enhanced features using a standard microprocessor

A high resolution pulse width modulation (PWM) or voltage controlled output (DCO) generator is disclosed. The resolution is increased over that of the circuit clock by delaying the generated signal through a series of delays, all of which are controlled by a delay locked loop. The delays are a small fraction of the clock period, thus providing resolution greater than that of the circuit clock.

High resolution PWM generator or digitally controlled oscillator

A system, method and apparatus for contact-less charging of battery operated devices, including a host charger with a power converter and resonant tank circuit and a portable device where the battery is located, with a battery charging control IC, wherein the method obviates the need for a voltage controller in each of both the host and the portable stages. The charging of the battery in the portable device is controlled by a charging controller therein, which is in continual electric communication with the host, whose output power the control IC dynamically monitors and controls. In one embodiment, component count is minimized but battery charging is not optimized when the battery voltage is very low. In the other embodiment, charging efficiency is maximized regardless of the output voltage of the battery.

System, method and apparatus for contact-less battery charging with dynamic control

A power supply comprising a flyback converter and a controller is disclosed. The flyback converter drives a load when electrically coupled to an alternating current power source. The controller controls a soft switching during each switching time period of the flyback converter. Upon an initial switching time period, the controller determines each acceptable switching frequency for the subsequent switching time periods and selects one of the acceptable switching frequencies for soft switching the flyback converter over one or more switching time periods during a constant load.

Control method and apparatus for a flyback converter

A digital controller comprises two control paths each having an A/D converter. One of the two converters has a substantially higher sampling speed and lower resolution than the other. Thus, one is suitable to deal with the fast responses while the other is suitable to deal with the slow responses, and can replace high-speed high-resolution A/D converter which is high in both cost and power consumption.

Digital controller with two control paths

An adaptive compensation circuit for controlling a universal lamp driver coupled to a lamp is disclosed. The adaptive compensation circuit utilizes an identification of a lamp type of the lamp to thereby generate a signal indicative of a time constant of the lamp. The adaptive compensation circuit subsequently determines a zero position and a pair of pole positions corresponding to the time constant, and generates a control voltage in response to a determination of the zero position and the pair of pole positions. The control voltage facilitates an operation of the universal lamp driver to stably provide a lamp current to the lamp.

Adaptive control for half-bridge universal lamp drivers

A power converter apparatus employing a capacitively coupled feedback network for facilitating bi-directional communication between a primary and secondary side of the converter while maintaining direct current isolation.

Capacitively coupled power converter

A switch mode power supply (SMPS) and method are provided. In particular, the present invention provides an SMPS in which data is encoded by manipulating voltage pulses on a primary side. The manipulated voltage pulses are then transferred over a transformer to a secondary side. Secondary side pulses generated in response to the primary side pulses are sensed and decoded by a detector. The present invention allows data to be transferred from the primary side to the secondary side without affecting output voltages.

Switch mode power supply and method for transferring data across a power transformer

A method for reducing harmonic distortions and switching losses in a power factor correction circuit of a quasi-resonant voltage converter, wherein using data derived from the sensing a voltage impressed on the switching device in the power converter, a multitude of event times can be calculated that will align the timings of the drive circuitry of the power converter to those of the natural resonance transitions of reactive elements of the converter. An over-sampling of the voltage impressed on the switching device voltage allows accurate sensing of a &ldquo;zero-current&rdquo; cross-over condition in an inductance of the converter.

Method for reducing mains harmonics and switching losses in discontinuous-mode, switching power converters

A ballast system in which mixed-mode gate signals are used to control the ballast circuit so as to produce a more straight ballast lines such than only a single solution exists between ballast lines and lamp lines over the whole operating range, whereby a stable of lamp performance is achieved. In a preferred embodiment, symmetric and asymmetric modes are arranged alternatively in every other switching cycle to produce mixed-mode PWM gate signals.

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Cortlandt Manor, NY, United States of America

Qiong Michelle Li