An induction cooktop that includes a first main switch and a second main switch configured to be operated by a control unit to selectively connect a first induction heater and a second induction heater, to a switching converter for selectively energizing the first induction heater and/or the second induction heater; wherein the control unit is configured (i) to sense an electric parameter regarding the first induction heater in a first resonant circuit, when the first induction heater is not fed from the switching converter and a first auxiliary switch closes the first resonant circuit in such a way that the at least resonant capacitor assembly is connected to the first induction heater by means of the first auxiliary switch and a damped oscillation occurs between them; (ii) to sense an electric parameter regarding the second induction heater in a second resonant circuit when the second induction heater is not fed from the switching converter and the second auxiliary switch closes the second resonant circuit in such a way that the at least resonant capacitor assembly is connected to the second induction heater by means of the second auxiliary switch and a damped oscillation occurs between them; and (iii) to detect the presence of a pan on the cooktop on the basis of the sensed electric parameter.

An induction cooktop that includes a first main switch and a second main switch configured to be operated by a control unit to selectively connect a first induction heater and a second induction heater, to a switching converter for selectively energizing the first induction heater and/or the second induction heater; wherein the control unit is configured (i) to sense an electric parameter regarding the first induction heater in a first resonant circuit, when the first induction heater is not fed from the switching converter and a first auxiliary switch closes the first resonant circuit in such a way that the at least resonant capacitor assembly is connected to the first induction heater by means of the first auxiliary switch and a damped oscillation occurs between them; (ii) to sense an electric parameter regarding the second induction heater in a second resonant circuit when the second induction heater is not fed from the switching converter and the second auxiliary switch closes the second resonant circuit in such a way that the at least resonant capacitor assembly is connected to the second induction heater by means of the second auxiliary switch and a damped oscillation occurs between them; and (iii) to detect the presence of a pan on the cooktop on the basis of the sensed electric parameter.

The disclosure features circuits and methods for protecting transistors of a wireless power receiver, which can be controlled by gate drivers powered by an auxiliary power source. The circuit can include a comparator configured to generate a signal indicating a comparison of a value of the auxiliary power source to a predetermined threshold, and a fault latch coupled to the comparator. The fault latch can be configured to trigger based on the generated signal and transmit a signal to respective inputs of the gate drivers to cause a latched-on state of respective gates of the transistors. Switches respectively coupled to the gate drivers can be configured to disconnect respective outputs of the gate drivers from the respective transistor gates. Gate hold-up circuits respectively coupled to the respective transistor gates can be configured to maintain the latched-on state of the respective transistor gates for a period of time.

The disclosure features circuits and methods for protecting transistors of a wireless power receiver, which can be controlled by gate drivers powered by an auxiliary power source. The circuit can include a comparator configured to generate a signal indicating a comparison of a value of the auxiliary power source to a predetermined threshold, and a fault latch coupled to the comparator. The fault latch can be configured to trigger based on the generated signal and transmit a signal to respective inputs of the gate drivers to cause a latched-on state of respective gates of the transistors. Switches respectively coupled to the gate drivers can be configured to disconnect respective outputs of the gate drivers from the respective transistor gates. Gate hold-up circuits respectively coupled to the respective transistor gates can be configured to maintain the latched-on state of the respective transistor gates for a period of time.

An example apparatus includes: a gate driver with a control output terminal, a power transistor with a gate terminal and a first current terminal, the gate terminal coupled to the control output terminal, and drain-derived supply circuitry with an output coupled to the first current terminal.

An apparatus and a method for controlling an inverter are disclosed. A method, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, receives an operation command for an inverter, outputs a first PWM control signal, to an inverter unit, such that the inverter unit outputs at least one among a plurality of valid vectors for the diagnosis of a short circuit of the output of the inverter, and blocks the output of the inverter if a short circuit current of the inverter is detected.

A precharge system and method are provided. The precharge system comprises a load circuit, a precharge circuit and a control circuit. The load circuit comprises an input terminal, an input switch and a bus capacitor. The precharge circuit comprises a precharge resistor and a precharge switch. The precharge method comprises: during the load circuit being in a precharge mode, controlling the input switch to be in an off state, and controlling the precharge switch to switch between the on and off state for multiple times; and during the load circuit being in a work mode, controlling the input switch to be in an on state. During the load circuit being in the precharge mode, when the precharge switch is in the on state, a consuming power of the precharge resistor is larger than a threshold power and is smaller than or equal to a limit power of the precharge resistor.

A precharge system and method are provided. The precharge system comprises a load circuit, a precharge circuit and a control circuit. The load circuit comprises an input terminal, an input switch and a bus capacitor. The precharge circuit comprises a precharge resistor and a precharge switch. The precharge method comprises: during the load circuit being in a precharge mode, controlling the input switch to be in an off state, and controlling the precharge switch to switch between the on and off state for multiple times; and during the load circuit being in a work mode, controlling the input switch to be in an on state. During the load circuit being in the precharge mode, when the precharge switch is in the on state, a consuming power of the precharge resistor is larger than a threshold power and is smaller than or equal to a limit power of the precharge resistor.

A power converter is capable to convert an electrical input power into a bipolar output power and to deliver the bipolar output power to at least two independent plasma processing chambers. The power converter includes: a power input port for connection to an electrical power delivering grid, at least two, preferably more than two, power output ports each for connection to one of the plasma process chambers, and a controller configured to control the power converter to deliver the bipolar output power to the power output ports, using one or more control parameters selected from a list comprising: power, voltage, current, excitation frequency, and threshold for protective measures, such that at least one of the control parameters at a first power output port is different from the corresponding control parameter at a different power output port.

The present disclosure provides a charging system and method and a power adapter. The system includes: a battery; a first rectification unit, configured to output a voltage with a first pulsating waveform; a switch unit, configured to modulate the voltage with the first pulsating waveform; a transformer, configured to output a voltage with a second pulsating waveform according to the modulated voltage; a second rectification unit, configured to rectify the voltage with the second pulsating waveform to output a voltage with a third pulsating waveform; and a control unit, configured to output the control signal to the switch unit to decrease a length of a valley of the voltage with the third pulsating waveform such that a peak value of a voltage of the battery is sampled.