Robert Gordon Erickson

US Patent:

6900998, May 31, 2005

Filed:

May 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/452570

Inventors:

Robert W. Erickson - Boulder CO, US
Osama A. Al-Naseem - Safat, KW
Lee Jay Fingersh - Westminster CO, US

Assignee:

Midwest Research Institute - Kansas City MO

International Classification:

H02M005/22
H02P009/48

US Classification:

363159, 290 44

Abstract:

A system and method for efficiently capturing electrical energy from a variable-speed generator are disclosed. The system includes a matrix converter using full-bridge, multilevel switch cells, in which semiconductor devices are clamped to a known constant DC voltage of a capacitor. The multilevel matrix converter is capable of generating multilevel voltage wave waveform of arbitrary magnitude and frequencies. The matrix converter can be controlled by using space vector modulation.

US Patent:

7148669, Dec 12, 2006

Filed:

Feb 2, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/770018

Inventors:

Dragan Maksimovic - Boulder CO, US
Jingquan Chen - Sunnyvale CA, US
Aleksandar Prodic - Toronto, CA
Robert W. Erickson - Boulder CO, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G05F 1/56

US Classification:

323283, 323222

Abstract:

The present invention provides a method for producing a controlled output voltage for a switching power converter under current control using pulse width modulation, the switching power converter including a predictive digital current-mode controller and a digital pulse width modulator. The current control results in an unstable output voltage, and the pulse width modulation method is selected to eliminate the instability of the output voltage.

US Patent:

20120215216, Aug 23, 2012

Filed:

Dec 21, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/334041

Inventors:

Daniel Friedrichs - Aurora CO, US
Robert Erickson - Boulder CO, US
James Gilbert - Boulder CO, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate - Denver CO

International Classification:

A61B 18/00

US Classification:

606 38

Abstract:

An electrosurgical generator may reduce unintended tissue damage by improving regulation of output power. The electrosurgical generator may control the power during a cycle, and react to a change in power if arcing occurs. Voltage sources, especially, demonstrate the tendency to have large, uncontrolled power excursions during normal electrosurgical use. The magnitude of the power excursions may be dependent on various factors. An exemplary electrosurgical generator control scheme reduces or minimizes the thermal spread by accurately supplying the specified power within a few cycles. Additionally, fast and accurate regulation provided by the constant voltage mode reduces or minimizes unintentional tissue charring. Thus, reduced thermal spread and charring should result in better surgical outcomes by reducing scarring and decreasing healing times. An electrosurgical generator controller may be configured to control both a DC-DC buck converter and a DC-AC boost inverter based in part on electrical parameters of the electrosurgical generator.

US Patent:

46775390, Jun 30, 1987

Filed:

May 7, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/860405

Inventors:

Robert W. Erickson - Boulder CO
Iftikar A. Khan - Lalazar Colony, PK

Assignee:

University Patents, Inc. - Westport CT

International Classification:

H02M 7538

US Classification:

363132

Abstract:

A dc to three phase ac switched mode converter is described wherein a six switch bridge is provided to interconnect the dc source to a three-phase load. A plurality of dc sources are described, each of which employs an inductor/capacitor combination for energy storage, which stored energy is subsequently applied to the output load. The stored energy is delivered by connecting the capacitor across two legs of the three-phase load, while assuring that the third leg is invariably short-circuited back upon itself. As a result, three of the six switches in the bridge are closed at any instant to prevent any current interruption in the load.

US Patent:

48292320, May 9, 1989

Filed:

Sep 2, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/239812

Inventors:

Robert W. Erickson - Boulder CO

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

G05F 146

US Classification:

323290

Abstract:

A nonlinear resonant switch for power conversion devices and a converter using the switch are described. The switch optimizes converter efficiency by switching only when current is zero and by limiting the peak current to a value near that provided by conventional PWM converters. A nonlinear reactor having a winding in series with the switch and a tank circuit is biased to saturation at low currents but is driven into an unsaturated condition by high currents so that a resultant high series inductance mitigates further current increase. Several converter topologies incorporating this improvement are shown.

US Patent:

58673792, Feb 2, 1999

Filed:

Jan 12, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/371822

Inventors:

Dragan Maksimovic - Boulder CO
Robert W. Erickson - Boulder CO
Yungtaek Jang - Boulder CO

Assignee:

University of Colorado - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G05F 146
H02P 1300

US Classification:

363 89

Abstract:

This patent disclosure describes new non-linear carrier-pulse-width modulators for control of high power-factor boost rectifiers. In the new modulators, the switch duty ratio is determined by comparing a signal derived from the main switch current with a periodic, nonlinear carrier signal. nu. sub. c (t,. nu. sub. m). The shape of the carrier is selected so that the resulting input current follows the input voltage, as required for unity-power-factor rectification. A slowly-varying modulating input. nu. sub. m can be used to adjust the power level and to regulate the output dc voltage. The controller based on the new non-linear-carrier modulator has a number of advantageous properties: sensing of the input line voltage is eliminated; for current shaping, only sensing of the power switch current is needed; current shaping does not require an error amplifier with feedback loop compensation; the multiplier in the voltage feedback loop is eliminated; and the converter operates in the continuous conduction mode. The controller is potentially well-suited for integrated-circuit implementation. It can be expected that a dedicated IC based on the feed-forward modulators disclosed here would be simpler and would require less i/o pins than ICs currently available for power-factor correction, while offering comparable or improved performance.

US Patent:

53831098, Jan 17, 1995

Filed:

Dec 10, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/165404

Inventors:

Dragan Maksimovic - Boulder CO
Robert W. Erickson - Boulder CO

Assignee:

University of Colorado - Boulder CO

International Classification:

G05F 110
H02M 704

US Classification:

323222

Abstract:

A power supply for providing a single level dc output voltage, with input power factor correction, from a wide range of ac input voltages commonly available worldwide. The power supply rectifier circuit can be configured as a full wave bridge for high line voltage inputs and as a voltage doubler for low voltage inputs. Output voltage regulation and power factor correction are accomplished by a high frequency boost circuit having two inductors connected in parallel for the low input voltage configuration and in series for the high input voltage configuration. The high frequency switching semiconductor components are connected in a series circuit which limits their voltage requirement to one-half the output voltage.

US Patent:

20210159007, May 27, 2021

Filed:

Nov 22, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/692370

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
- Boulder CO, US
Robert ERICKSON - Boulder CO, US
Dragan MAKSIMOVIC - Boulder CO, US
Vivek SANKARANARAYANAN - Boulder CO, US
Yucheng GAO - Boulder CO, US
Aritra GHOSH - Boulder CO, US

Assignee:

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Plano TX
University of Colorado Boulder - Boulder CO

International Classification:

H01F 27/22
H01F 27/26
H01F 27/18
H05K 7/20

Abstract:

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of a planar inductor assembly. In one embodiment, a cooling package for an inductor assembly includes a cold plate and a heat-spreading bracket mechanically coupled to the cold plate at a first end of the heat-spreading bracket. The cold plate has a slotted recess for mounting a first inductor core along a first end thereof. The heat-spreading bracket is configured to apply a clamping force to a second inductor core at a second end opposite to the first end of the heat-spreading bracket.