Patents Examined by Long Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11405035
    Abstract: A common gate resistor bypass arrangement for a stacked arrangement of FET switches, the arrangement including a series combination of an nMOS transistor and a pMOS transistor connected across a common gate resistor. During at least a transition portion of the transition state of the stacked arrangement of FET switches, the nMOS transistor and the pMOS transistor are both in an ON state and bypass the common gate resistor. On the other hand, during at least a steady state portion of the ON steady state and the OFF steady state of the stacked arrangement of FET switches, one of the nMOS transistor and the pMOS transistor is in an OFF state and the other of the nMOS transistor and the pMOS transistor is in an ON state, thus not bypassing the common gate resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: PSEMI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alper Genc, Fleming Lam, Eric S. Shapiro, Ravindranath Shrivastava
  • Patent number: 11404953
    Abstract: A drive circuit drives a power semiconductor element including a control terminal, a first main electrode, and a second main electrode. The drive circuit includes a first switching-off circuit and a second switching-off circuit each for turning off the power semiconductor element. The second switching-off circuit is lower in impedance than the first switching-off circuit. In a case where the power semiconductor element is turned off, only the first switching-off circuit operates when the power semiconductor element is in an unusual state, and the first switching-off circuit and the second switching-off circuit complementarily operate when the power semiconductor element is in a normal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Horiguchi
  • Patent number: 11405001
    Abstract: An image rejection mixer includes a delay circuit for delaying one of first signals divided by a distribution circuit and a second signal provided to a second mixing circuit by the same delay amount d, or delaying the other one of the first signals divided by the distribution circuit and the second signal provided to a first mixing circuit by the same delay amount d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akihito Hirai, Mitsuhiro Shimozawa
  • Patent number: 11397199
    Abstract: An electronic device includes circuitry configured to output a first output signal shifting to a logic high level at a first time in response to a supply voltage reaching a first voltage level, output a second output signal shifting to a logic high level at a second time occurring after the first time in response to the supply voltage reaches a second level higher than the first level; and the circuitry includes an AND gate circuit configured to output a reset signal based on the first output signal and the second output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheolhwan Lim, Junhee Shin, Haejung Choi, Kwangho Kim, Hyunmyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 11398805
    Abstract: Provided is a power amplification module that includes: an amplification transistor that has a constant power supply voltage supplied to a collector thereof, a bias current supplied to a base thereof and that amplifies an input signal input to the base thereof and outputs an amplified signal from the collector thereof; a first current source that outputs a first current that corresponds to a level control voltage that is for controlling a signal level of the amplified signal; and a bias transistor that has the first current supplied to a collector thereof, a bias control voltage connected to a base thereof and that outputs the bias current from an emitter thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shota Ishihara, Yusuke Shimamune, Takashi Soga, Fuminori Morisawa, Seiko Ono, Tetsuaki Adachi
  • Patent number: 11387820
    Abstract: A system comprises time-tracking circuitry and phase parameter generation circuitry. The time-tracking circuitry is operable to generate a time-tracking value corresponding to time elapsed since a reference time. The phase parameter generation circuitry operable to: receive the time-tracking value; receive a control signal that conveys a frequency parameter corresponding to a desired frequency of an oscillating signal; and generate a plurality of phase parameters used for generation of an oscillating signal, wherein the generation of the plurality of phase parameters is based on the time-tracking value and the frequency parameter such that the oscillating signal maintains phase continuity across changes in the frequency parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Yonatan Cohen, Nissim Ofek, Itamar Sivan
  • Patent number: 11387817
    Abstract: A master latch circuit, including a first p-type transistor, a first n-type transistor, and a second n-type transistor connected in series; a first node connected to the first p-type transistor and the first n-type transistor, and a NAND circuit configured to receive a signal of the first node and a clock signal and output a result of a NAND operation to a second node, wherein a gate of the first p-type transistor is connected to the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byoung Gon Kang, Woo Kyu Kim, Tae Jun Yoo, Dal Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 11387784
    Abstract: A power amplification module includes: a first bipolar transistor in which a radio frequency signal is input to a base and an amplified signal is output from a collector; a second bipolar transistor that is thermally coupled with the first bipolar transistor and that imitates operation of the first bipolar transistor; a third bipolar transistor in which a first control voltage is supplied to a base and a first bias current is output from an emitter; a first resistor that generates a third control voltage corresponding to a collector current of the second bipolar transistor at a second terminal; and a fourth bipolar transistor in which a power supply voltage is supplied to a collector, the third control voltage is supplied to a base, and a second bias current is output from an emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Hase
  • Patent number: 11381240
    Abstract: Example MOSFET circuits include a first metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) having a gate, a source and a drain, and a second MOSFET coupled in series with the first MOSFET. The second MOSFET has a gate, a source and a drain. The MOSFET circuit also includes a controller configured to supply a same control signal to the gate of the first MOSFET and the gate of the second MOSFET to turn on or turn off the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET when a drain-source voltage of the first MOSFET and a drain-source voltage of the second MOSFET are substantially zero. Other MOSFET circuits and methods of operating MOSFET circuits are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Yong Tao Xie, Ernesto Zaparita Caguioa, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11374569
    Abstract: The physically unclonable function device (DIS) comprises a set of MOS transistors (TR1i, TR2j) mounted in diodes having a random distribution of respective threshold voltages, and comprising N first transistors and at least one second transistor. At least one output node of the function is capable of delivering a signal, the level of which depends on the comparison between a current obtained using a current circulating in the at least one second transistor and a current obtained using a reference current that is equal or substantially equal to the average of the currents circulating in the N first transistors. A first means (FM1i) is configured to impose on each first transistor a respective fixed gate voltage regardless of the value of the current circulating in the first transistor, and a second means (SM2j) is configured to impose a respective fixed gate voltage on each second transistor regardless of the value of the current circulating in the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Nicolas Borrel, Jimmy Fort, Mathieu Lisart
  • Patent number: 11368152
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a source signal output circuit and an inverter thereof. The inverter is configured to provide a multiplexer with a control signal having a full range for selecting a source signal and to output the control signal having the full range by using elements operating in a low voltage range. Therefore, the present disclosure has an advantage in that it can fabricate a driving circuit having a small area at a low process cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventors: Young Tae Kim, Young Bok Kim, Taiming Piao, Dong Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 11368144
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a power supply noise disturbance rejection circuit (NDRC) having a first circuit reference potential (CRP1), a second circuit reference potential (CRP2), and a galvanic link conductively connecting CRP1 and CRP2 and providing a non-zero resistance return path for at least one current mode signal (CMS). In an illustrative example, a power supply monitor circuit (PSMC) may be referenced to CRP1 and a control circuit to CRP2. The PMSC may, for example, generate a voltage mode signal (VMS) relative to CRP1 and representing an output parameter of a power supply circuit (PSC), and convert the VMS into a first CMS (CMS1). The control circuit may, for example, generate a control signal for the PSC from CMS1. Various embodiments may advantageously attenuate a noise margin of a CMS presented at the control circuit by a factor of at least 10 relative to an equivalent VMS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR INTERNATIONAL LP
    Inventors: Richard Schmitz, Tsing Hsu
  • Patent number: 11368155
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide an input output (IO) structure in which complimentary nodes of a level shifter are utilized to logically block the output of the IO structure from switching until both power supplies to the IO structure are powered up. An illustrative level shifter includes: a cross-coupled pair of PFETs configured to output complimentary voltage values at a first node and a second node; a control circuit configured to select which of the complementary voltage values are output to the first node and second node; a logic inverter having an input coupled to the first node and an output coupled to a third node; and a NAND gate having inputs coupled to the second node and third node and that generates a level shifted output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.
    Inventors: Dzung T. Tran, Shibly S. Ahmed
  • Patent number: 11368127
    Abstract: An active mixer for frequency conversion used in a wireless communication system improves conversion gain and noise figure by improving switching characteristics of a mixer using a LO signal without requiring additional power consumption of an active mixer block. Further disclosed is a method for improving conversion gain and noise figure of an active mixer. The active mixer includes a switching stage for receiving a LO signal and selectively performing a switching-on/off operation for frequency conversion, a body signal generator for generating a body signal to be applied to a body of an NMOS transistor of the switching stage based on the LO signal, and a voltage controller for controlling the body signal generator to selectively apply the body signal to the body of the NMOS transistor based on to the switching-on/off operation of the switching stage to control a threshold voltage of the transistor of the switching stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: THE INDUSTRY & ACADEMIC COOPERATION IN CHUNGNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Junghwan Han, Beomsoo Bae
  • Patent number: 11362647
    Abstract: To provide a hysteresis comparator having a small circuit area and low power consumption. The hysteresis comparator includes a comparator, a switch, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a logic circuit. A first terminal of the switch is electrically connected to one of a pair of conductive regions of the first capacitor, one of a pair of conductive regions of the second capacitor, and a first input terminal of the comparator. An output terminal of the comparator is electrically connected to an input terminal of the logic circuit. An output terminal of the logic circuit is electrically connected to the other of the pair of conductive regions of the second capacitor. The logic circuit has a function of generating an inverted signal of a signal input to the input terminal of the logic circuit and outputting the inverted signal to the output terminal of the logic circuit. A reference potential is input to the first input terminal of the comparator and the reference potential is held by the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Okamoto, Kei Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11362649
    Abstract: A control signal may be produced in response to an assertion of a switch signal by asserting the control signal, waiting an adaptive delay after the assertion of the switch signal, de-asserting the control signal in response to the expiration of the adaptive delay, and re-asserting the control signal in response to a current generated according to the control signal becoming zero. The adaptive delay may be adjusted according to a voltage generated using the current. A circuit may include an XOR gate producing the control signal from a switch signal and an output of a Set-Reset Flip-Flop (SRFF), a zero-detect circuit that resets the SRFF when a current generated using the control circuit becomes zero, and a delay circuit to set the SRFF an adaptive delay after assertion of the switch signal and to adjust the adaptive delay according to a voltage generated by the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignees: Analog Power Conversion LLC, Kyosan Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sam Seiichiro Ochi, Tetsuya Takata, Itsuo Yuzurihara, Tomohiro Yoneyama, Yu Hosoyamada
  • Patent number: 11362627
    Abstract: Systems and devices are provided for tracking pullup current generated by power amplifiers regardless of variations in PVT conditions. An apparatus may include one or more power amplifiers that powers components of the apparatus, a tracking circuit, and a pulse generation circuit. The tracking circuit may include an amplifier. Further, the tracking circuit may include pullup current tracking circuitry that is coupled to the amplifier and generates a first current that tracks pullup current generated by the one or more power amplifiers. Furthermore, the pulse generation circuit may include pullup current generator circuitry that generates a second current that mirrors the first current. In addition, the pulse generation circuit may also include pulse generator circuitry that is coupled to the pullup current generator circuitry and that generates a pulse to control operation of the one or more power amplifiers based at least in part on the second current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Lu Chu, Dong Pan
  • Patent number: 11340269
    Abstract: A circuit includes a peak detector, a diode, a dynamic clamp circuit, and an offset correction circuit. The peak detector generates a voltage on the peak detector output proportional to a lowest voltage on the peak defector input. The anode of the diode is coupled to the peak detector input. The dynamic clamp circuit is coupled to the peak detector input and is configured to clamp a voltage on the peak detector input responsive to a voltage on the diode's anode being greater than the lowest voltage on the peak detector's input. The offset correction circuit is coupled to the peak detector output and is configured to generate an output signal whose amplitude is offset from an amplitude of the peak detector output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Marius Vicentiu Dina, Susan Ann Thompson
  • Patent number: 11338703
    Abstract: A seat unit includes a light receiving circuit configured to output a pulsed light detection signal in two levels depending on a light reception, a switch input circuit configured to output a pulsed on-off signal in two levels depending on whether a switch mounted on the seat is turned on or turned off, a logic circuit configured to output a turn-on signal upon receipt of the light detection signal in a level indicating the light reception and the on-off signal in a turn-on level, a light emitting circuit configured to emit light upon receipt of the turn-on signal, and a delay circuit configured to delay the light detection signal. The switch input circuit cuts off, upon receipt of the delayed light detection signal in a level indicating no light reception, the power supply from a battery to the switch and to output the on-off signal in the turn-on level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11336273
    Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) includes functional circuitry and attack-protection circuitry (APC). The functional circuitry is to receive a supply voltage from a power-supply input. The APC is coupled to the power-supply input and includes a front-end circuit and an averaging circuit. The front-end circuit is to compare the supply voltage to a plurality of voltage thresholds, and to output a respective plurality of indications that indicate whether the supply voltage violates the respective voltage thresholds. The averaging circuit is to estimate, for a selected subset of the indications, respective duty-cycles at which the indications in the subset exceed the respective voltage thresholds. The APC is to trigger one or more attack detection events in response to the indications and the duty-cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Dotan Finkelshtein, Aviv Hasson, Yaniv Strassberg, Ran Sela