Patents Examined by Daniel Rojas
  • Patent number: 8970270
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a square wave generator circuit, an integrated circuit, a DC/DC converter and an AC/DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: iWatt Integrated Circuits Technology (Tianjin) Limited
    Inventor: Xiaogang Zhao
  • Patent number: 8963598
    Abstract: A duty rate detection circuit includes a duty rate detection block suitable for outputting a duty rate detection signal by detecting a duty rate of a clock signal having a first logic duration and a second logic duration and an output control block suitable for comparing the number of the first logic duration and the number of the second logic duration for a detection period and controlling an output moment of the duty rate detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Sung-Ho Ahn
  • Patent number: 8963591
    Abstract: A clock signal initialization circuit capable of preventing the operating frequency of a semiconductor integrated circuit from exceeding the maximum permissible frequency determined based on the power consumption of that semiconductor integrated circuit even when the PLL circuit is in a transient state at the start-up is provided. A clock signal initialization circuit for a semiconductor integrated circuit that operates in synchronization with a clock signal generated by a PLL circuit, includes a controller that derives a clock signal having a frequency no greater than a maximum permissible frequency determined based on a power consumption of the semiconductor integrated circuit as a supply clock signal to the semiconductor integrated circuit at least until the PLL circuit becomes a locked state after power-on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hisashi Yamashida
  • Patent number: 8963607
    Abstract: DC offset correction is provided with low frequency support. A first input terminal for receiving an input signal is selectively coupled to a resistance and a capacitor that are series coupled between the first input terminal and a corresponding output terminal. In a calibration phase, the series resistance is coupled between the input terminal and the capacitor and an average voltage level of the input is stored on capacitor. In a signal processing phase, the charged capacitor is coupled in series between the input terminal and the output terminal while the resistance is bypassed. The output signal obtained contains the high and low frequency components of the input signal, while the DC offset in the input signal is removed from the output signal. A differential circuit and methods are disclosed. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sandeep Kesrimal Oswal, Eeshan Miglani, H. Mohammed Shuaeb Fazeel, Pradeep Nair, Anand Hariraj Udupa
  • Patent number: 8957720
    Abstract: A sampling clock generator circuit includes a reference clock generator, a sampling hold circuit, a sampling clock generator to delay an output clock signal from the reference clock generator by a predetermined delay amount to generate and supply a sampling clock signal to the sampling hold circuit, a phase determining element to compare phases of a drive clock signal for an image reading unit and the sampling clock signal to output a result of the phase comparison, the drive clock signal generated according to the output clock signal of the reference clock generator, and a controller to adjust the delay amount of the sampling clock generator on the basis of the result of the phase comparison so that a phase difference between the drive clock signal and the sampling clock signal becomes zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isamu Miyanishi, Tohru Kanno
  • Patent number: 8952735
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a reset control circuit suitable for outputting a reset signal when one of a first voltage and a second voltage has lower level than a reference level, and a reset execution circuit suitable for resetting a peripheral circuit based on the reset signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Ha Min Sung
  • Patent number: 8947135
    Abstract: An output circuit includes: a first PMOS transistor and a second PMOS transistor connected in series between a high potential side power supply and an output node; a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor connected in series between a low potential side power supply and the output node; a bias voltage generation circuit outputting a first bias voltage to a first bias node connected to a gate terminal of the second PMOS transistor and a second bias voltage to a second bias node connected to a gate terminal of the second NMOS transistor; first and second bias voltage stabilization circuits suppressing fluctuations in the first and second bias voltages; and a control circuit detecting a change in a signal that fluctuates the first bias voltage and the second bias voltage and controlling the first and second bias voltage stabilization circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Yuichi Itonaga
  • Patent number: 8947150
    Abstract: A multi-level shifter includes a first branch having first and second transistors coupled between a higher voltage terminal and a lower voltage terminal. The multi-level shifter comprises a second branch, in parallel with the first branch, having: a third transistor, coupled between said higher voltage reference terminal and an output node, a fourth switching transistor coupled between said output node and said lower voltage terminal. Said third and fourth transistors have respective control terminals controlled by drain terminals of said first and second transistors, respectively. The shifter includes a bidirectional battery coupled between said drain terminals of said first and second transistors to supply first and second voltages having the same magnitude and different polarities. Said fourth transistor is controlled according to the first voltage when said first transistor is turned on and said third transistor is controlled according to the second voltage when said second transistor is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Davide Ugo Ghisu, Sandro Rossi, Antonio Ricciardo
  • Patent number: 8941413
    Abstract: The light receiving circuit includes: a photoelectric conversion element for causing a current corresponding to an amount of incident light to flow to a node; a voltage detection circuit for outputting a detection signal when a voltage of the node becomes equal to or higher than a first voltage; a reset circuit for causing, when the detection signal of the voltage detection circuit is input, the current of the photoelectric conversion element to flow to a GND terminal so that the voltage of the node becomes a second voltage lower than the first voltage, and for holding this state when the detection signal is no longer input; and a voltage increase detection circuit for detecting a fluctuation in the voltage of the node and outputting a detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Fumiyasu Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8941415
    Abstract: Circuits and methods are provided for generating clock signals and correcting duty cycle distortion in clock signals. A circuit for generating a clock signal includes a multiplexer circuit and an edge-triggered flip-flop circuit. The multiplexer circuit selectively outputs one of a plurality of input clock signals. The edge-triggered flip-flop detects a transitioning edge of the input clock signal that is selectively output from the multiplexer circuit, and in response to the detection, samples a logic level of a received data signal, and generates a transition of an output clock signal at an output port of the edge-triggered flip-flop. The multiplexer circuit selectively outputs one of the plurality of input clock signals to a clock signal port of the edge-triggered flip-flop, based on a logic level of the output clock signal at the output port of the edge-triggered flip-flop, which is input to a select control port of the multiplexer circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John F. Bulzacchelli, Ankur Agrawal
  • Patent number: 8941432
    Abstract: A resonant clock network includes an inductor coupled to the clock network through a plurality of switches. When the clock network enters resonant mode, the turn-on of the switches to couple the inductor to the clock network is staggered. The clock network may be formed of multiple regions, each with its own inductor and switches. The turn-on of switches of each region may be staggered with respect to the turn-on off the switches of the other regions as well as to the turn-on of switches within a region. In addition to staggering the turn-on of the switches when entering the resonant mode, the switches may be turned off in a staggered manner when exiting the resonant mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Visvesh S. Sathe, Srikanth Arekapudi, Charles Ouyang, Kyle Viau
  • Patent number: 8937498
    Abstract: A common mode noise reduction circuit works with a transmission signal output circuit that has a first and a second output terminals and transmits differential signals from the first and second output terminals. The common mode noise reduction circuit includes: a first generating circuit to generate electric current to input to or receive electric current from the first output terminal; a second generating circuit to generate electric current to input to or output receive electric current from the second output terminal; and a control circuit to control the first and second generating circuits so that in synchronism with a drive control clock of the transmission signal output circuit, the first and second generating circuits generate current pulses to reduce common mode noise of the differential signals to be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriaki Takeda
  • Patent number: 8922261
    Abstract: A ramp generator circuit, e.g. foreign analog-to-digital converter. The ramp generator circuit has first and second current sources that are maintained in the on condition whether they are being used or not. A switched capacitor connects to the current source in order to create a multi-slope ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Forza Silicon Corporation
    Inventors: Dexue Zhang, Rami Yassine
  • Patent number: 8922253
    Abstract: A circuit may include an oscillator configured to generate an output signal based on an analog signal and a digital signal and a controller configured to generate an offset signal based on a comparison of a first analog control signal and a second analog control signal. The circuit may also include a divider configured to generate a feedback signal based on the output signal and the offset signal. The circuit may also include an analog control signal unit configured to generate the second analog control signal based on the feedback signal and a reference signal and a coupling unit configured to select either the first analog control signal or the second analog control signal as the analog signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventors: Claudio Rey, David Harnishfeger
  • Patent number: 8917127
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a plurality of one-shot pulse generation circuits connected in series between an input node and an output node. Each of the one-shot pulse generation circuits receives an input clock signal supplied from previously connected one-shot pulse generation circuit to output an output clock signal to subsequently connected one-shot pulse generation circuit. Both of a rising edge and a falling edge of the output clock signal are controlled based on one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the input clock signal. A time period from one of the rising edge and the falling edge of the output clock signal to the other of the rising edge and the falling edge of the output clock signal being variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8907702
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a phase detector circuit includes a plurality of cascaded RF stages that each has a first RF amplifier and a second RF amplifier. The first RF amplifiers are cascaded with first RF amplifiers of successive RF stages, and the second RF amplifiers are cascaded with second RF amplifiers of successive RF stages. The phase detector further includes a first mixer having a first input coupled to an output of a first RF amplifier of a first RF stage and a second input coupled to an output of a second RF amplifier of the first RF stage, and a second mixer having a first input coupled to an output of a second RF amplifier of a second RF stage and a second input coupled to an output of a first RF amplifier of the second RF stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Valentyn Solomko, Winfried Bakalski
  • Patent number: 8896355
    Abstract: A variable-frequency input clock signal and a reference clock signal are compared during a frequency-compare interval to generate a value that indicates a ratio of their frequencies. The frequency-ratio value is then applied to configure a wide-range frequency-locking oscillator for operation with a narrowed input frequency range. Because the narrowed input frequency range is targeted to the input clock frequency, the wide-range oscillator is able to rapidly lock to a frequency multiple of the input clock frequency. Because the frequency-compare interval is also brief, an extremely fast-locking, clock-multiplying operation may be effected over a relatively wide range of input clock frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Lu, Jared L. Zerbe
  • Patent number: 8896354
    Abstract: A driving device is disclosed, which relates to a technology for reducing consumption of a leakage current unnecessary for a driver circuit. The driving device includes: a pre-driver configured to output a drive control signal upon receiving a power-supply voltage in response to an input signal, and change a voltage level of the drive control signal in response to a control signal so as to selectively provide the changed voltage level; an output driver configured to receive the power-supply voltage in response to the drive control signal, and output the received power-supply voltage to an output terminal; and a bulk-voltage controller configured to selectively control bulk-voltage levels of the pre-driver and the output driver in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Yun Seok Hong
  • Patent number: 8896364
    Abstract: A gate control device for a semiconductor device includes at least one power supply module, at least one optical communication interface for receiving optical signals from two valve control units and converting them to electric signals for supply to a corresponding power supply module, where in normal operations mode one valve control unit is an active valve control unit and the other is a standby valve control unit, where the optical signal of an active unit energizes the gate control device and provides semiconductor device controlling data, a semiconductor device control module and a reliability control module that performs selection of active valve control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Häfner, Mikael Davidsson, Erika Siljeström
  • Patent number: 8878574
    Abstract: To provide a driving method of a semiconductor device for reducing power consumption. In a method for driving a semiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention, in a first period, a switch configured to control an electrical connection between a first wiring and a second wiring together with an n-channel transistor and a p-channel transistor is in an off state during a period in which the states of the n-channel transistor and the p-channel transistor gates of which are electrically connected to each other are switched between an on state and an off state. In a second period, the switch is set to be in an off state. The switch has a channel formation region in a semiconductor, band gap of which is higher than silicon and intrinsic carrier density of which is lower than silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama