A micro-electro-mechanical device, wherein a platform is formed in a top substrate and is configured to turn through a rotation angle. The platform has a slit and faces a cavity. A plurality of integrated photodetectors is formed in a bottom substrate so as to detect the light through the slit and generate signals correlated to the light through the slit. The area of the slit varies with the rotation angle of the platform and causes diffraction, more or less marked as a function of the angle. The difference between the signals of two photodetectors arranged at different positions with respect to the slit yields the angle.

The present disclosure relates to power management apparatuses and systems utilizing synchronous common coupling. A power management apparatus may comprise a plurality of ports, and a plurality of electrically isolated stacks connected through a synchronous common coupling. Each electrically isolated stack may include a plurality of cascaded stages and connected to a source or load through one of the plurality of ports. The synchronous common coupling connects may only power between each of the plurality of electrically isolated stacks and is configured to maintain electrical isolation for each of the plurality of stages in the plurality of electrically isolated stacks.

A solid state light source driver circuit that operates in either a buck convertor or a boost convertor configuration is provided. The driver circuit includes a controller, a boost switch circuit and a buck switch circuit, each coupled to the controller, and a feedback circuit, coupled to the light source. The feedback circuit provides feedback to the controller, representing a DC output of the driver circuit. The controller controls the boost switch circuit and the buck switch circuit in response to the feedback signal, to regulate current to the light source. The controller places the driver circuit in its boost converter configuration when the DC output is less than a rectified AC voltage coupled to the driver circuit at an input node. The controller places the driver circuit in its buck converter configuration when the DC output is greater than the rectified AC voltage at the input node.

A voltage feed-forward circuit, a multiplier using the voltage feed-forward circuit, and a power factor correction circuit using the multiplier. The voltage feed-forward circuit is used to maintain and output a peak voltage (Vff) of an input voltage (Vin), and includes first switch element (S1), a logic control unit (U1), a second switch element (S2), a first capacitor (C1), a third switch element (S3) and a second capacitor (C2). The first control signal (Φ1) and the second control signal (Φ2) begin to be provided at the same time, and the first control signal (Φ1) stops being provided when a voltage of the second end of the first capacitor (C1) is greater than the peak voltage (Vff) of the input voltage (Vin).

Methods, apparatuses, computer program products, and computer readable media are disclosed herein. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a first capacitor, a first inductor in resonance with the first capacitor, a first electronic switch and a second electronic switch. The first electronic switch may be configured to cause, when the first electronic switch is closed, the first capacitor to store a first energy, and to cause a second energy to be stored in magnetic fields of the inductor. The second energy may be transferred to a load during a resonant portion of an energy transfer cycle. The apparatus may further include a second electronic switch configured to cause the stored first energy in the first capacitor to be transferred at least in part to the magnetic fields of the inductor, and then transferred to the load during a buck portion of the energy transfer cycle.

Methods, apparatuses, computer program products, and computer readable media are disclosed herein. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a first capacitor, a first inductor in resonance with the first capacitor, a first electronic switch and a second electronic switch. The first electronic switch may be configured to cause, when the first electronic switch is closed, the first capacitor to store a first energy, and to cause a second energy to be stored in magnetic fields of the inductor. The second energy may be transferred to a load during a resonant portion of an energy transfer cycle. The apparatus may further include a second electronic switch configured to cause the stored first energy in the first capacitor to be transferred at least in part to the magnetic fields of the inductor, and then transferred to the load during a buck portion of the energy transfer cycle.

A switched power converter (102) is arranged for supplying lighting means (108) as a load, having at least one (M40, M41) switch controlled by a control unit (106), wherein the control unit (106) comprises: a feedback controller, such as an ASIC or microcontroller, generating a switch control signal based on a feedback signal (Imeas), such as e.g. the load current (ILED), and
a separate sweep block, supplied with a signal representing a characteristic of the load (LED), such as e.g. the load voltage (VLED), and modulating the switch control signal (tout-ctrl) by a cyclic sweep, wherein the modulated switch control signal (tout-sweep) is provided directly or indirectly to the at least one switch (M40, M41).

In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, a 5-switch power conversion circuit that improves the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of a DC-DC converter with a double chopper topology is provided. The power conversion circuit adds minimal complexity through an additional switch, while preserving the benefits of a 3-level boost converter topology. The disclosed power conversion circuit uses four switches that are arranged in a 3-level boost converter arrangement, and a fifth switch that is connected in parallel with two of the other switches. The fifth switch helps to reduce the conduction power losses through the DC-DC converter by providing a one-switch ON-state conduction path instead of a two-switch path during part of the DC-DC power conversion cycle.

In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, a 5-switch power conversion circuit that improves the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of a DC-DC converter with a double chopper topology is provided. The power conversion circuit adds minimal complexity through an additional switch, while preserving the benefits of a 3-level boost converter topology. The disclosed power conversion circuit uses four switches that are arranged in a 3-level boost converter arrangement, and a fifth switch that is connected in parallel with two of the other switches. The fifth switch helps to reduce the conduction power losses through the DC-DC converter by providing a one-switch ON-state conduction path instead of a two-switch path during part of the DC-DC power conversion cycle.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for low power excitation of wireless power transmitters configured to transmit high power. The exemplary systems and methods include disabling a power factor correction circuit of the transmitter, and adjusting one or more variable impedance components of the impedance network to obtain a minimum attainable impedance. The variable impedance components can be configured to operate between the minimum attainable impedance and a maximum attainable impedance. The systems and methods can include adjusting a phase shift angle associated with one or more transistors of the inverter and driving the transmitter such that the transmitter resonator coil generates a magnetic flux density less than or equal to a field safety threshold.