6741 results about "Pulse width modulated" patented technology

An apparatus for controlling the speed of an AC motor comprising a switch adapted to be coupled in parallel with power terminals for the AC motor; a capacitor coupled in series with the parallel combination of the switch and the motor; the capacitor adapted to provide an AC supply voltage from an AC source to the parallel circuit comprising the motor and the switch; and a control circuit for controlling the conduction time of the switch in order to vary the speed of the motor. The switch is preferably pulse-width modulated at a frequency twice the line frequency of the AC supply voltage, and the switch is turned on when the voltage across the AC motor is zero volts. The apparatus is operable to provide for continuously variable control of the motor speed while minimizing acoustic noise in the motor.

A method of controlling a motorized window treatment provides for continued operation of the motorized window treatment during an overload or low-line condition. The motorized window treatment is driven by an electronic drive unit having a motor, a motor drive circuit, and a controller. The controller controls the motor drive circuit to drive the motor with a pulse-width modulated signal generated from a bus voltage. The controller is operable to monitor the magnitude of the bus voltage. If the bus voltage drops below a first voltage threshold, the controller stops the motor or reduces the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal to allow the bus voltage to increase to an acceptable magnitude. When the bus voltage rises above a second voltage threshold, the controller begins driving the motor normally once again. During an overload or low-line condition, the controller is prevented from resetting, while driving the motor with minimal interruption to the movement of the motorized window treatment.

A motor controller includes a power source unit providing a direct current output, a drive unit including a drive coil, first and second transistor units, a voltage drop component, and a processor. The transistor units are coupled to the power source unit and the drive unit, and enable electricity to flow through the drive coil in a first direction when the first and the second transistor units are in conducting and non-conducting states respectively, and in an opposite second direction when the first and the second transistor units are in non-conducting and conducting states respectively. The voltage drop component has a first end coupled to the drive unit and a grounded second end. The processor is coupled to a junction of the drive unit and the voltage drop component, and provides first and second pulse-width-modulated signals to the first and second transistor units, respectively.

Linear lighting systems and methods. In one example, two or more lighting elements having an essentially linear or curvilinear shape are coupled together to form a lighting system. Each lighting element includes a group of LEDs arranged so as to illuminate the essentially linear or curvilinear shape of the lighting element. Each element may include LEDs to generate the same color light, and / or LEDs to generate light of different colors. Additionally, each element may include one or more controllers to control the LEDs so as to create a variety of temporal and / or color-oriented lighting effects. The controller(s) may employ one or more of a variety of control techniques to control the LEDs, such as those involving analog control signals or pulse-width modulated (PWM) control signals. The lighting elements of the system may each be configured as a “stand alone” unit working within the system, producing respective lighting effects that may or may not be coordinated with each other. Alternatively, two or more elements of the system may be configured as addressable lighting elements to facilitate coordination of the elements as a networked lighting system. Any of the foregoing linear lighting systems may be used in a variety of interior or exterior, as well as direct or indirect, lighting applications. In one example, such lighting systems are particularly well-suited as replacements or substitutes for neon lighting installations.

An implantable medical device, such as a bi-directional infuser device for hydraulically controlling an artificial sphincter (e.g., adjustable gastric band) benefits from being remotely powered by transcutaneous energy transfer (TET), obviating the need for batteries. In order for active components in the medical device to operate, a sinusoidal power signal received by a secondary coil is rectified and filtered. An amount of power transferred is modulated. In one version, a voltage comparison is made of a resulting power supply voltage as referenced to a threshold to control pulse width modulation (PWM) of the received sinusoidal power signal, achieving voltage regulation. Versions incorporate detuning or uncoupling of the secondary coil to achieve PWM control without causing excessive heating of the medical device.

The invention discloses a two-bed duplex tube medical diagnosis X-ray high frequency high voltage generator, which comprises a power supply and a central control unit, and also comprises a high frequency inverter circuit, a pulse-width modulation drive circuit and a high voltage commutation circuit. The generator converts the industrial power supply into two way high frequency high voltage, and then obtains positive end DC high voltage and negative end DC high voltage after the rectification and the filter to supply an X-ray pipet for working. Because the frequency is high and the high voltage ripple after the rectification and the filter is minimum, causing the X-ray pipet of a radiographic table and the X-ray pipet of an electric perspective table to work in turn under the condition of arranging only one set of high voltage supply. The equipment investment is saved, and the work of using the X-ray diagnosis for the medical staff is convenient. Being served as the high voltage supply, the invention is also suitable for the safety detection fields such as the industrial fault detection, the civil aviation, the station, the custom, etc., and supplies the stable high quality high voltage for the equipment.

The invention discloses a medical diagnosis X-ray high frequency high pressure generator, comprising a power supply, a central control unit, a high frequency inverter circuit, a pulse width modulation driving circuit and a high pressure transform and high pressure output circuit. The generator transforms the industrial power to two ways of high frequency and high pressure, a positive direct current high pressure and a negative direct current high pressure are obtained through rectifying and wave-filtering to provide an X-ray ball tube to work. As the frequency is high, the ripple of the rectified and wave-filtered high electric pressure is tiny, and the X-ray quality projected by the X-ray ball tube is high, and the clearance of photos of the perspective and photograph is also high. The X-ray ball tube of a photograph bed or the X-ray ball tube of an electric perspective bed can work if allocated with the high pressure power. The invention is convenient for the medical staff to use the X-ray to do the work of diagnosing diseases. As the high pressure power supply, the invention is also suitable in the safety inspection fields such as industrial flaw detection, civil aviation, station and customs etc, and provides a stable and high qualified high pressure power supply for the equipments.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus of using light-emitting elements for illumination as well as communication of data, wherein potential flicker due to sub-fusion frequency data correlations can be reduced compared to prior art techniques, while reducing redundancy in the data transmission. The intensity of the illumination from the light-emitting elements is controlled by a dimming signal such as a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal or a pulse code modulation (PCM) signal, for example. An amplitude-modulated data signal is then superimposed on the dimming signal for communication of data. The dimming signal thus acts as a carrier signal for the data signal. A sensing means is then used to receive the data signal by detecting all or part of the illumination from the light-emitting elements. The data signal can subsequently be extracted from the detected illumination.

Systems and methods can provide, in one aspect, a method for modulating the pulse width of control signals generated on a plurality of separate channels. In one practice, the methods described herein are suitable for execution on a microprocessor or micro controller platform that includes a timer interrupt mechanism which will generate an interrupt in response to a timer counting down a selected time interval or time period. In one practice, the timer is set to count down a period of time that is representative of a portion, or sub period, of the PWM cycle. Upon expiration of that time period, the timer executes an interrupt that causes the micro controller to enter an interrupt service routine (ISR) that can further modulate the PWM cycle of one or more signals.

A solar cell regulator in a nanosatellite includes a pulse width modulated DC-DC boost converter and a peak power tracking controller for converting solar cell power to bus power for charging of system batteries and powering loads while the controller controls the pulse width modulation operation of the converter for sensing solar cell currents and voltages along a power characteristic curve of the solar cell for peak power tracking, for determining any power data point, including a peak power point, an open circuit voltage point, and a short circuit current point along the power characteristic curve of the solar cell, and for communicating the power data to a satellite processor for monitoring the performance of the solar cell during operational use of the satellite.

A current source generates, with high efficiency, a current that is substantially constant over a wide range of output voltages. This current is injected into the first end of a series-connected string (hereinafter referred to as string) of LEDs, with the second end of the string connected through a resistor to ground. The voltage developed across this resistor, which is a measure of current flow in the series string, is fed back to the current source, wherein feedback maintains nearly constant current output over a wide range of output voltages. A switch, such as a field effect transistor (FET) is placed in parallel with each LED in the string. A level shift gate driver couples a pulse width modulated control signal to the gate of each FET. When the FET across a particular LED is on, substantially all the current flows through the FET rather than the LED, and little or no light is emitted. Because the one resistance of the FET is very low, the power dissipated in the FET (current squared times resistance) is also very low. With the FET turned on, the forward voltage drop of the LED it is controlling drops to near zero, since little current is flowing through the LED. However, because the current source is designed to provide constant current over a wide range of output voltages, the current flow through the other LEDs in the series string changes little. When the FET is turned off, substantially all of the current flows through the associated LED, turning it on. By modulating the duty cycle of each FET, the brightness of each associated LED may be varied smoothly over its full range.

A solar cell array control device has a plurality of solar cell modules, a bidirectional DC converter, at least a voltage sensor and a control unit. The bidirectional DC converter corresponds to and is electrically connected to the solar cell modules to connect these solar cell modules in series to form a solar cell array. The voltage sensor is electrically connected to the solar cell modules, and can generate an abnormal voltage when detecting that one of the solar cell modules is abnormal. The control unit is electrically connected to the voltage sensor and the bidirectional DC converter, and outputs a pulse width modulation signal by detecting the abnormal voltage to control the bidirectional DC converter for compensating the conversion current and thus enhancing the output power of this solar cell module.

A family of soft-switched, full-bridge pulse-width-modulated (FB PWM) converters provides zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) conditions for the turn-on of the bridge switches over a wide range of input voltage and output load. The FB PWM converters of this family achieve ZVS with the minimum duty cycle loss and circulating current, which optimizes the conversion efficiency. The ZVS of the primary switches is achieved by employing two magnetic components whose volt-second products change in the opposite directions with a change in phase shift between the two bridge legs. One magnetic component always operates as a transformer, where the other magnetic component can either be a coupled inductor, or uncoupled (single-winding) inductor. The transformer is used to provide isolated output(s), whereas the inductor is used to store the energy for ZVS.

[Problems] To realize a reliable and stable transfer of digital data that does not require a reference clock and a handshake operation. [Means for Solving the Problem] The present invention provides a digital data transfer method for alternately and periodically transferring first information and second information respectively in a first period and in a second period, wherein: an amount of information of the first information per unit time in the first period is greater than an amount of information of the second information per unit time in the second period; and the second information in the first period is transferred as pulse-width-modulated serial data.

A visible light communications transmitter combines a modulated carrier signal with a pulse from a pulse generator. The carrier signal is modulated according to data read from a buffer during the pulse.

An exemplary inverter circuit (2) includes a first switch circuit (22) including a first transistor (221) and a second transistor (222); a second switch circuit (23) including a third transistor (231) and a fourth transistor (232); and a pulse width modulation circuit (21) including a first output terminal (211) and a second output terminal (212). A gate electrode of the first transistor is connected to the first output port. A gate electrode of the second transistor is connected to the second output port. A gate electrode of the third transistor is connected to the first output port. A gate electrode of the fourth transistor is connected to the second output port. A drain electrode of the third transistor is connected to a drain electrode of the first transistor, and a drain electrode of the fourth transistor is connected to a drain electrode of the second transistor.

The throttle of an engine in an engine driven generator system operating under an intermittently heavy load, as in supplying current to a welder, is controlled such that successive control signals sent to a throttle actuator for adjusting the engine throttle position are inhibited until at least a predetermined time has elapsed since the last preceding adjustment to the throttle. This procedure ensures that, as to each incremental adjustment to the throttle, the engine has sufficient time to respond, thereby preventing over-speeding or stalling the engine. The throttle actuator may be a stepper motor which is stepped by throttle position change signals from a processor which monitors engine speed and generator load to determine whether the throttle should be adjusted and, if so, in which direct. Alternatively, the throttle actuator may be a solenoid pulling against a spring in accordance with the average current through the solenoid coil. In this embodiment, the processor causes pulse width modulated signals to be applied across the solenoid coil with throttle position changes being reflected in changes to the width of the pulses, such changes in the pulse width being delayed for at least the predetermined time since the last preceding adjustment to the throttle.

The throttle of an engine in an engine driven generator system operating subject to a wide and rapidly variable load, as in supplying current to a welder, is operated such that control signals are sent to a throttle actuator for adjusting the engine throttle position in response to load changes. The throttle actuator may be a solenoid pulling against a spring in accordance with the average current through the solenoid coil. In this embodiment, the processor causes pulse width modulated signals to be applied across the solenoid coil with throttle position changes being reflected in changes to the width of the pulses, such changes in the pulse width being delayed for at least the predetermined time since the last preceding adjustment to the throttle. Alternatively, the throttle actuator may be a stepper motor which is stepped by throttle position change signals from a processor which monitors engine speed and generator load to determine whether the throttle should be adjusted and, if so, in which direction and to what extent for optimum response.

A novel and advantageous power supply is disclosed for lighting systems employing semiconductor light sources where the semiconductor light sources are connected in series. The power supply includes a constant current source to supply current to the semiconductor light sources and a bypass switch is provided around each semiconductor light source, or each sub-string of series connected semiconductor light sources. By opening or closing respective bypass switches, individual semiconductor light sources or sub-strings of semiconductor light sources can be illuminated or extinguished as desired. If the bypass switches are electrically controllable, such as semiconductor switches or relays, failures of one or more semiconductor light sources can be determined by the power supply and failed light sources can be bypassed and / or redundant semiconductor elements illuminated to replace failed light sources. Further, if the bypass switches are semiconductor switches, the power supply can employ pulse width modulation techniques to dim one or more semiconductor light sources as desired.

A photovoltaic module-mounted AC inverter circuit uses one or more integrated circuits, several power transistors configured as switches, several solid-dielectric capacitors for filtering and energy storage, several inductors for power conversion and ancillary components to support the above elements in operation. The integrated circuit includes all monitoring, control and communications circuitry needed to operate the inverter. The integrated circuit controls the activity of pulse-width modulated power handling transistors in both an input boost converter and a single-phase or multi-phase output buck converter. The integrated circuit also monitors all power processing voltages and currents of the inverter and can take appropriate action to limit power dissipation in the inverter, maximize the available power from the associated PV module and shut down the inverter output if the grid conditions so warrant. The integrated circuit implements power line communications by monitoring the AC wiring for signals and generating communications signals via the same pulse-width modulation system used to generate the AC power. Communications is used to report inverter and PV module status information, local identification code and to allow for remote control of inverter operation.

A sequential burst mode regulation system to deliver power to a plurality of loads. In the exemplary embodiments, the system of the present invention generates a plurality of phased pulse width modulated signals from a single pulse width modulated signal, where each of the phased signals regulates power to a respective load. Exemplary circuitry includes a PWM signal generator, and a phase delay array that receives a PWM signal and generates a plurality of phased PWM signals which are used to regulate power to respective loads. A frequency selector circuit can be provided that sets the frequency of the PWM signal using a fixed or variable frequency reference signal.

An arrangement is disclosed for controlling fan motors in fan-powered terminal units which permit the air flow of the terminal units to be factory preset and reset using a voltmeter. The fan motor is responsive to the pulse width of pulses of a pulse width modulated signal to provide an air flow which is proportional to the pulse width. By adjusting the pulse width, the air flow may be set as desired. A pulse width modulated signal having pulses with a set amplitude and frequency is generated. The dc voltage of the pulse width modulated signal is measured using a voltmeter. As the pulses have a set amplitude and frequency, the pulse width of the pulses may be adjusted by controlling the dc voltage of the pulse width modulated signal. The fan motor is programmed to deliver the set air flow over a range of static pressures.

[Problems] To realize a reliable and stable transfer of digital data that does not require a reference clock and a handshake operation.[Means for Solving the Problem] The present invention provides a digital data transfer method for alternately and periodically transferring first information and second information respectively in a first period and in a second period, wherein: an amount of information of the first information per unit time in the first period is greater than an amount of information of the second information per unit time in the second period; and the second information in the first period is transferred as pulse-width-modulated serial data.

Power distribution apparatus, for controlling supply of a current from an electrical power source to at least one load, includes a current sensor, which is coupled to provide an indication of a magnitude of the current flowing to the at least one load. A current limiter is adapted, responsive to the indication, to apply a pulse width modulation to the current drawn from the source so as to maintain the magnitude of the current flowing to the at least one load within a predetermined limit.

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head, a disk and a spindle motor for rotating the disk. An internal supply voltage is generated from a back EMF (BEMF) voltage across the windings of the spindle motor. The internal supply voltage is applied to a voice coil motor for use in parking the head during a spin-down mode. The internal supply voltage is compared to a threshold in order to activate a demand limit control signal. A periodic signal periodically disconnects the internal supply voltage from the VCM while the demand limit control signal is active.

A motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a control circuit configured to control the movement of an end effector. If the end effector moves outside a predetermined acceptable range, the control circuit may create a dynamic brake to resist the undesired movement of the end effector. The control circuit may apply pulse width modulated (PWM) current to resist the undesired movement of the end effector outside a predetermined acceptable range.

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a spindle motor for rotating a disk, wherein the current applied to the spindle motor is controlled by adjusting a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal. A current sensor generates a current sense signal representing a current flowing from a supply voltage. The current sense signal is integrated to generate an integration signal. The integration signal is compared to a threshold, and the result of the comparison is used to adjust the duty cycle of the PWM signal. In this manner the disk drive draws essentially constant average input current from the supply voltage which decreases the spin up time of the disk.

Systems and methods for detecting the impedance of an output load coupled to a digital amplifier and compensating for changes in the response of the amplifier. One embodiment of the invention is implemented in a Class D pulse width modulated (PWM) amplifier. In this embodiment, a digital PCM test signal is generated. This test signal is processed by the amplifier to produce a corresponding analog audio output signal that is used to drive a speaker. A sense resistor placed in series with the speaker is used to generate a test voltage that is compared to a reference voltage. When the test voltage reaches the reference voltage, the current through the sense resistor (hence the speaker) is at a known level, so the value of the digital test signal is noted. The impedance of the speaker is then determined from the test signal value and the speaker current.

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk and a voice coil motor (VCM) having a voice coil for actuating a head over the disk. A VCM driver comprises an H-bridge driver having a plurality of driver switches for driving current through the voice coil to ground. A first pulse width modulated (PWM) signal controls a first voltage level driving the voice coil relative to a duty cycle of the first PWM signal, and a second PWM signal controls a second voltage level driving the voice coil relative to a duty cycle of the second PWM signal, wherein the first voltage level is greater than the second voltage level.