Patents Examined by Patricia T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11855617
    Abstract: an electronic circuit according to an embodiment includes: a generation circuit generating a first clocksignal and a second clocksignal delayed from the first clocksignal; a first coupler transmitting one of the first and the second clocksignals by electromagnetic coupling; a first converter driven by the transmitted clocksignal and converting a first input signal into a first signal of a frequency corresponding to the transmitted clocksignal; a second coupler transmitting the first signal by electromagnetic coupling; a second converter converting the first signal into a second signal of a frequency corresponding to the first input signal with the other of the first and the second clocksignals; an output device outputting the second signal; and a protection circuit connected to a line through which the one of the first and the second clocksignals is transmitted between the first coupler and the first converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Satoshi Takaya, Hiroaki Ishihara, Kohei Onizuka
  • Patent number: 11843353
    Abstract: An autotuning controller is provided for improving power efficiency and linearity of digital power amplifiers (DPAs). The controller includes an interface including input and output terminals connected to the DPAs, the interface being configured to acquire input signals and output signals, a digital pre-distortion (DPD)-DPA adaptive controller including a processor and a memory running and storing a DPD algorithm, an efficiency enhancement method and a learning cost function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mouhacine Benosman, Rui Ma, Chouaib Kantana
  • Patent number: 11842957
    Abstract: An amplifier module includes a module substrate with a mounting surface, a signal conducting layer, a ground layer, and a ground terminal pad at the mounting surface. A thermal dissipation structure extends through the module substrate. A ground contact of a power transistor die is coupled to a surface of the thermal dissipation structure. Encapsulant material covers the mounting surface of the module substrate and the power transistor die, and a surface of the encapsulant material defines a contact surface of the amplifier module. A ground terminal is embedded within the encapsulant material. The ground terminal has a proximal end coupled to the ground terminal pad, and a distal end exposed at the contact surface. The ground terminal is electrically coupled to the ground contact of the power transistor die through the ground terminal pad, the ground layer of the module substrate, and the thermal dissipation structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Kevin Jones, Kevin Kim, Freek Egbert van Straten, Ibrahim Khalil
  • Patent number: 11831279
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method for operating a millimeter-wave power amplifier including an input transistor having an output node coupled to a load path of a cascode transistor includes: receiving a millimeter-wave transmit signal at a control node of the input transistor; amplifying the millimeter-wave transmit signal to form an output signal; providing the output signal to a load coupled to an output node of the cascode transistor; and adjusting a first DC bias current of the input transistor to form a substantially constant second DC bias current of the cascode transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: David Seebacher, Matteo Bassi, Dmytro Cherniak, Fabio Padovan
  • Patent number: 11821968
    Abstract: Gradient power amplifier (GPA) systems and methods are provided. A GPA system may include a plurality of paralleled GPAs; and at least one controller operably coupled to the plurality of paralleled GPAs. The at least one controller may be configured to perform operations including: obtaining a total current parameter of the plurality of paralleled GPAs; determining, based on the total current parameter and a target current parameter, a first difference value; and determining, based on the first difference value, a first control parameter of a first GPA of the plurality of paralleled GPAs, wherein the first control parameter is configured to control an output current of the first GPA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mingyu Xue, Haicong Zhang, Bin Cao, Xu Chu, Peng Chen
  • Patent number: 11824505
    Abstract: Systems and methods related to a parametric amplifier including a quantum capacitor are described. In one example, a parametric amplifier comprising an input terminal for receiving a qubit signal is provided. The parametric amplifier further includes a pump terminal for receiving a pump signal. The parametric amplifier further comprises an amplifier, including a plurality of quantum capacitance devices configured to operate in a cryogenic environment, configured to amplify the qubit signal by mixing the qubit signal with the pump signal to generate an amplified signal. The parametric amplifier further includes an output terminal for providing the amplified signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: David J. Reilly
  • Patent number: 11817834
    Abstract: A load independent inverter comprises a switched mode zero-voltage switching (ZVS) amplifier. The switched mode ZVS amplifier comprising: a pair of circuits comprises: at least a transistor and at least a capacitor arranged in parallel; and at least an inductor arranged in series with the transistor and capacitor. The amplifier further comprises only one ZVS inductor connected to the pair of circuits; and at least a pair of capacitors connected to the ZVS inductor and arranged in series with at least an inductor and at least a resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SOLACE POWER INC.
    Inventor: Samer Aldhaher
  • Patent number: 11817831
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) summer circuit having a characteristic impedance Z0 comprises first and second ports coupled by first and second resistances, respectively, to a junction. The circuit further comprises a series combination of a third resistance and a switch movable between open and closed positions and an amplifier having input and output terminals and operable in an off state and an on state wherein the series combination is coupled across the input and output terminals of the amplifier between the junction and a third port. The first resistance, second resistance, and the third resistance are all substantially equal to Z0/3. Further, when the switch is moved to the closed position and the amplifier is switched to the off state a passive mode of operation is implemented and when the switch is moved to the open position and the amplifier is switched to the on state an active mode of operation is implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Eric C. Wagner, Timothy R. LaRocca
  • Patent number: 11791779
    Abstract: A method for use in an analog circuit having a plurality of differential pairs of elements, wherein for each pair of the plurality of differential pairs of elements, the elements of the pair are designed to match but may have mismatch that induces error. The method includes, for each pair of at least two pairs of the plurality of differential pairs of elements: spectrally separating the mismatch-induced error of the pair from mismatch-induced error of a remainder of the plurality of differential pairs of elements, monitoring, by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), an output of the analog circuit, and analyzing the monitored output to measure the mismatch-induced error of the pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramin Zanbaghi, John L. Melanson, Edmund M. Schneider
  • Patent number: 11784610
    Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a Doherty amplifier module includes a first amplifier die with a first output terminal, a second amplifier die with a second output terminal, and a wideband impedance inverter circuit electrically coupled between the first and second output terminals. The wideband impedance inverter circuit includes a network of capacitors, the network of capacitors including at least a series capacitor having a positive capacitance, a first shunt circuit having a first negative capacitance, and a second shunt circuit having a second negative capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Lamy, Olivier Lembeye
  • Patent number: 11777450
    Abstract: An apparatus for turning off a cascode amplifier having a common-gate transistor and a common-source transistor is disclosed that includes the cascode amplifier, a feedback circuit, and a bias circuit. The feedback circuit is configured to receive a drain-voltage from the drain of the common-source transistor when the common-source transistor is switched to a first OFF state and produce a first feedback signal. The drain-voltage is equal to a source voltage of the common-gate transistor and the drain-voltage increases in response to switching the common-source transistor to the first OFF state. The bias circuit is configured to receive the first feedback signal and produce a bias-voltage. A first gate-voltage is produced from the bias-voltage. The cascode amplifier is configured to receive the first gate-voltage and a second gate-voltage. The common-gate transistor is configured to switch to a second OFF state in response to receiving the second gate-voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Silanna Asia Pte Ltd
    Inventor: Stuart Ide Hodge, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11774561
    Abstract: Amplifier input protection circuits are described. In one embodiment, a photoreceiver for a lidar system has a photodetector configured to generate an output current in response to received light. A transimpedance amplifier is configured to receive the output current and generate a voltage output corresponding to the output current in response thereto, and a diode circuit has a cathode coupled at a node between the photodetector output and the transimpedance amplifier input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gaalema, Robert D. Still
  • Patent number: 11770104
    Abstract: Envelope tracking systems for power amplifiers are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an envelope tracker is provided for a power amplifier that amplifies an RF signal. The envelope tracker includes a multi-level switching circuit having an output that provides an output current that changes in relation to an envelope signal indicating an envelope of the RF signal when the envelope tracker is operating in an envelope tracking mode. The multi-level switching circuit includes a multi-level supply (MLS) modulator that receives multiple regulated voltages of different voltage levels, and an MLS control circuit that controls the selection of the MLS modulator over time based on the envelope signal. When transitioning the MLS modulator from selection of one regulated voltage level to another regulated voltage level, the MLS control circuit provides a soft transition to gradually switch the regulated voltage levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Florinel G. Balteanu, Serge Francois Drogi, Sabah Khesbak, Shayan Farahvash, David Richard Pehlke
  • Patent number: 11770107
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an amplification system. The amplification system generally includes: a first amplifier having an output coupled to an output of the amplification system; a second amplifier, inputs of the first amplifier and the second amplifier being coupled to an input of the amplification system; an impedance coupled to an output of the second amplifier; and a biasing circuit having a first voltage sense input coupled to the output of the first amplifier, a second voltage sense input coupled to the output of the second amplifier, and an output coupled to a bias input of the first amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Wai Lim Ngai, Jeremy Darren Dunworth
  • Patent number: 11757416
    Abstract: A matching circuit includes an input terminal, an output terminal, a first impedance component, a first set of switching devices, a second impedance component, a second set of switching devices and a controller. The first impedance component includes a first terminal coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal, and a second terminal. The first set of switching devices is coupled to the second terminal of the first impedance component, the controller and a reference terminal. The second impedance component includes a first terminal coupled between the second terminal of the first impedance component and the first set of switching devices, and a second terminal. The second set of switching devices is coupled to the second terminal of the second impedance component, the controller and the reference terminal. The controller controls the first set of switch devices and the second set of switch devices according to a detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Sheng Chen, Yun-Jhu Lai
  • Patent number: 11757417
    Abstract: The present invention provides a common-mode rejection ratio and gain trimming circuit of differential amplifier, comprising: a first trimming unit and a second trimming unit coupled between an in-phase input voltage and a reference voltage, wherein the first trimming unit and the second trimming unit are coupled to a positive input terminal of the differential amplifier by means of tap switches; a third trimming unit and a fourth trimming unit coupled between tan inverting input voltage and an output terminal of the differential amplifier, wherein the third trimming unit and the fourth trimming unit are coupled to a negative input terminal of the differential amplifier by means of tap switches; wherein, the first trimming unit, the second trimming unit, the third trimming unit, and the fourth trimming unit comprise: a first trimming resistor string and a second trimming resistor string coupled in series; the first trimming resistor string is coupled in parallel with a first trimming auxiliary resistor string
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI ANALOGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Zhang, Yi Du, Zhihao Yan
  • Patent number: 11757411
    Abstract: A power amplifier circuit includes a first transistor having an emitter electrically connected to a common potential, a base to which a first high-frequency signal is input, and a collector from which a third high-frequency signal is output; a second transistor having an emitter electrically connected to the common potential, a base to which a second high-frequency signal is input, and a collector from which a fourth high-frequency signal is output; a first capacitance circuit electrically connected between the collector of the second transistor and the base of the first transistor; and a second capacitance circuit electrically connected between the collector of the first transistor and the base of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Tanaka, Satoshi Arayashiki, Satoshi Goto, Yusuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11750160
    Abstract: A differential residue amplifier fits between Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) stages. Switched-Capacitor Common-Mode Feedback circuits determine voltage shifts. An AC-coupled input network uses switched capacitors to shift upward voltages of the differential inputs to the residue amplifier to apply to an upper pair of p-channel differential transistors with sources connected to the power supply. The AC-coupled input network also shifts downward in voltage the differential inputs to the residue amplifier to apply to a lower pair of n-channel differential transistors with grounded sources. The drains of the p-channel differential transistors connect to differential outputs through p-channel cascode transistors. N-channel cascode transistors connect the drains of the n-channel differential transistors to the differential outputs. The drains of differential transistors can be input to differential amplifiers to drive the gates of the cascode transistors for gain boosting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Caelus Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Chi Fung Lok
  • Patent number: 11750157
    Abstract: A system may include a Class-D stage comprising a first high-side switch coupled between a supply voltage and a first output terminal of the Class-D stage, a second high-side switch coupled between the supply voltage and a second output terminal of the Class-D stage, a first low-side switch coupled between a ground voltage and the first output terminal, and a second low-side switch coupled between the ground voltage and the second output terminal. The system may also include current sensing circuitry comprising a sense resistor, such that an output current through a load coupled between the first output terminal and the second output terminal causes a first sense voltage proportional to the output current across the sense resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Ramin Zanbaghi, Cory J. Peterson, Eric Kimball
  • Patent number: 11750156
    Abstract: A power amplifier including: a main power amplification device having an output; an auxiliary power amplification device having an output; a load modulation circuit operably connected to the output of the main power amplification device and the output of the auxiliary power amplification device; and a post-matching circuit operably connected to load modulation circuit. The load modulation circuit is arranged to enable fundamental frequency load modulation and to enable modulated harmonic terminations of at least the second and third harmonic frequencies. The modulated harmonic terminations may include drain terminations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Wing Shing Chan, Xin Yu Zhou, Shi Chang Chen, Wen Jie Feng