Patents Examined by Sibin Chen
  • Patent number: 11971741
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure control aging of a signal path in an idle mode to mitigate aging. In one example, an input of the signal path is alternately parked low and high over multiple idle periods to balance the aging of devices (e.g., transistors) in the signal path. In another example, a clock signal (e.g., a clock signal with a low frequency) is input to the signal path during idle periods to balance the aging of devices (e.g., transistors) in the signal path. In another example, the input of the signal path is parked high or low during each idle period based on an aging pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mukund Narasimhan, Murali Krishna Ade, Arun David Arul Diraviyam, Mayank Gupta, Boris Dimitrov Andreev
  • Patent number: 11967896
    Abstract: Charging and discharging circuits for assisting charge pumps are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a radio frequency (RF) switch system includes an RF switch that receives an RF signal and is controlled by a switch control signal received at an input, a first charge pump configured to generate a first charge pump voltage, a level shifter powered by the first charge pump voltage and that generates the switch control signal based on a switch enable signal, and a charge pump assistance switch coupled to the input of the radio frequency switch and that activates to assist the first charge pump in response to a transition of the switch enable signal from a first state to a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Guillaume Alexandre Blin
  • Patent number: 11967955
    Abstract: A clocked storage element comprises a first latch having an input data node, a clock input node and a first latch output data node, and a second latch having an input connected to the first latch output data node, a clock input node and a second latch output data node. The first and second latches can have a clocked pull-up current path consisting of two p-channel transistors between their respective output data nodes and the VDD supply line, and a clocked pull-down current path consisting of two n-channel transistors between their respective output data nodes and the VSS supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: SambaNova Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vojin G. Oklobdzija
  • Patent number: 11958075
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to circuitry for driving a load. The circuitry comprises driver circuitry configured to generate a drive signal, based on an input signal to the driver circuitry, for driving the load, and commutator circuitry for coupling the driver circuitry to the load. The commutator circuitry is configured to alternate between commutation states in response to a level of the drive signal meeting a drive signal threshold or in response to a level of the input signal meeting a first input signal threshold. The circuitry is configured to apply an offset to the input signal when the input signal is below a second input signal threshold so as to increase a minimum level of the drive signal above the drive signal threshold or to increase a minimum level of the input signal above the first input signal threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Lesso, Toru Ido
  • Patent number: 11962291
    Abstract: A driver circuit for a low-inductance power module that has a connection and an output. The connection is connectable to the source contact of a power transistor and the output is connectable to the gate contact of the power transistor. The driver circuit is configured to produce, in a first operating mode, a first gate-source voltage for the gate contact of the power transistor and to provide the first gate-source voltage at the output of the driver circuit. The driver circuit is also configured to produce, in a second operating mode, during at least one preset minimum time span, a lower second gate-source voltage for the gate contact of the power transistor and to provide the second gate-source voltage at the output of the driver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Karl Oberdieck, Christian Maier, Sebastian Strache
  • Patent number: 11955477
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the embodiment includes: a transistor region including a first trench, a first gate electrode provided in the first trench, a second trench, a second gate electrode provided in the second trench, a third trench, and a third gate electrode provided in the third trench; a diode region including a fifth trench and a conductive layer provided in the fifth trench; a boundary region including a fourth trench and a fourth gate electrode provided in the fourth trench, the boundary region being provided between the transistor region and the diode region; a first electrode pad electrically connected to the first gate electrode; a second electrode pad electrically connected to the second gate electrode; and a third electrode pad electrically connected to the third gate electrode and the fourth gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoko Matsudai, Yoko Iwakaji, Ryohei Gejo
  • Patent number: 11949393
    Abstract: This application relates to an independent active electromagnetic interference filter module. In one aspect, the filter module includes a first element group including a noise sensing unit provided to sense electromagnetic noise, and a second element group including a compensating unit provided to generate a compensation signal for the electromagnetic noise. The first group and the second group may be respectively mounted on different substrates. According to some embodiments, the filter module can reduce a volume of each element constituting an electromagnetic interference filter module, implement a single modularization of a compact structure. The filter module can also improve electromagnetic interference noise reduction performance and a manufacturing method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: EM Coretech Co., Ltd., UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology)
    Inventors: Sang Yeong Jeong, Jin Gook Kim
  • Patent number: 11942931
    Abstract: A switching circuit comprises a radio frequency (RF) switch, a gate resistor, a voltage source, a transmission gate, and coupling circuitry configured to couple a gate of the RF switch, a first side of the gate resistor, and the transmission gate at a first node and the voltage source, a second side of the gate resistor, and the transmission gate at a second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Lynn Yun Kong, Yi Yang, Bo Zhou
  • Patent number: 11936381
    Abstract: A switch module with an automatic switching function and a method for automatically switching the switch module according to the load, wherein a first comparator and a second comparator are configured to automatically determine whether the load is light or heavy according to the voltage divided by a first resistor and a second resistor and the voltage of a source resistor, thereby generating a voltage control signal. A plurality of transistors are configured to receive a gate input signal according to the voltage control signal, thereby selectively bringing a GaN transistor or a MOSFET transistor in a conducting state. In this way, the output quality and efficiency of the power supply at light and heavy loads can be improved according to the characteristics of different transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: POTENS SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventors: Ching Kuo Chen, Wen Nan Huang
  • Patent number: 11929674
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a voltage multiplier comprises an input node, an output node, and first and second control nodes for receiving first and second clock signals defining two commutation states. An ordered sequence of intermediate nodes is coupled between the input and output nodes and includes two ordered sub-sequences. Capacitors are coupled: between each odd intermediate node in the first sub-sequence and the first control node; between each even intermediate node in the first sub-sequence and the second control node; between each odd intermediate node in the second sub-sequence and a corresponding odd intermediate node in the first sub-sequence; and between each even intermediate node in the second sub-sequence and a corresponding even intermediate node in the first sub-sequence. The circuit comprises selectively conductive electronic components coupled to the intermediate nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Francesco Pulvirenti
  • Patent number: 11929753
    Abstract: A non-linear charge pump for phased lock loops. Furthermore, an auxiliary charge pump apparatus, comprising a positive switch electrically connected to a current source configured to supplement power to a charge pump, a negative switch electrically connected to a current sink configured to discharge power from the charge pump, a windowing comparator, further comprising an input signal received from a phase-locked loop, a first comparator configured to compare the input signal against a high voltage threshold, a second comparator configured to compare the input signal against a low voltage threshold, an AND logic gate configured to provide a window signal and an activation circuit electrically connected to the positive switch and negative switch. Additionally, a non-linear charge pump system and method for reacquiring frequency lock of a phase lock loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jia-Chi Samuel Chieh, Henry Ngo
  • Patent number: 11923862
    Abstract: A first reception processing unit performs a process of receiving a first signal transmitted on a first transmission line, a second reception processing unit performs a process of receiving a second signal transmitted on a second transmission line, and an output speed control unit controls output speeds of the first signal and the second signal subjected to the reception process. A system switching unit selects and outputs the first signal or the second signal subjected to a reception process, and an output processing unit performs a process for output to another apparatus on the output from the system switching unit. A reception side clock output unit outputs a clock signal giving a processing timing of each process, and a clock frequency control unit adjusts a frequency of the clock signal giving the processing timing to the output processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumikazu Inuzuka, Kei Kitamura, Akira Hirano, Masahito Tomizawa, Takuya Ohara
  • Patent number: 11916476
    Abstract: A voltage generator and a voltage generating method are provided. The voltage generator includes at least one first charge pump circuit, at least one second charge pump circuit, an oscillator, a passing circuit, and a voltage detector. The first charge pump circuit is configured to receive a clock signal to generate a first pump voltage. The second charge pump circuit is configured to receive the clock signal to generate a first pump voltage. The oscillator is configured to provide the clock signal. The passing circuit is configured to receive the clock signal, a power-on detection signal and an external command. The voltage detector is configured to receive an operation voltage, and generate the power-on detection signal by detecting the operation voltage. The passing circuit determines whether to transmit the clock signal to the second charge pump circuit or not to activate or deactivate the second charge pump circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ting-Shuo Hsu
  • Patent number: 11916550
    Abstract: A integrated circuit includes a clock generator and a multiplexing latch circuit. The clock generator generates first and second latching clock signals in response to a select signal and a clock signal having a clock signal waveform, each of the first latching clock signal and the second latching clock signal having the clock signal waveform. The multiplexing latch circuit selects either first data on a first data line or second data on a second data line based on the first latching clock signal and the second latching clock signal, and stores and outputs the selected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hyunsung Hong
  • Patent number: 11909303
    Abstract: A bypass device of an HVDC sub module according to the present invention comprises: a sub module for generating a voltage in an HVDC system; a bypass switch driving unit for driving a bypass switch located at an input terminal of the sub module; a sub module controller for monitoring a state of the sub module to transmit the monitored state to a system controller, and controlling the sub module and the bypass switch driving unit according to a command of the system controller; and a voltage monitoring unit for controlling the bypass switch driving unit by monitoring a voltage of a capacitor located in the sub module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HYOSUNG HEAVY INDUSTRIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jung Ki Hong, Dong Woo Seo
  • Patent number: 11898428
    Abstract: A signal generator, system, and method for electromagnetically heating of a hydrocarbon formation. The method involves determining a desired output signal having a desired power spectral density; generating a plurality of source signals, based on the desired output signal; modulating the plurality of source signals, based on the desired output signal, to provide a plurality of modulated signals capable of providing the desired power spectral density; combining one or more of the plurality of modulated signals into a combined signal; transforming the combined signal to have the desired power spectral density, thereby providing at least one output signal; and applying the at least one output signal to a load having a frequency-dependent impedance to produce at least one standing electromagnetic wave along a length of the load. The at least one standing electromagnetic wave includes at least a partial standing electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Acceleware Ltd.
    Inventors: Jorgen S. Nielsen, Michal M. Okoniewski
  • Patent number: 11881759
    Abstract: A circuit includes a current path and a negative bootstrap circuitry coupled to the current path. The current path is coupled between a floating voltage and a reference ground, and includes a current generator coupled through a resistor to the floating voltage at a first node of the current generator. The current generator is controlled by a pulse signal. The negative bootstrap circuitry includes a pump capacitor coupled to a second node of the current generator and to the reference ground. The pump capacitor is configured to provide a negative voltage at the second node of the current generator based on the pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabrizio Bognanni, Giovanni Caggegi, Giuseppe Cantone, Vincenzo Marano, Francesco Pulvirenti
  • Patent number: 11876444
    Abstract: A power control unit is provided to control the efficiency of a charge pump converter having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, a primary attenuator and a secondary attenuator between a first input terminal and the second input terminal, a first output terminal, a second output terminal, a secondary attenuator controlling terminal and a primary attenuator controlling terminal to be plugged to the power control unit. The primary attenuator controlling terminal and the secondary attenuator controlling terminal are to attenuate or amplify a signal of the first input terminal and the second input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SA
    Inventor: Alessandro Venca
  • Patent number: 11876488
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a direct current (DC)-DC boost converter, which includes a battery terminal providing a battery voltage, a charge pump coupled between the battery terminal and an interior node, and a power inductor coupled between the interior node and a power supply terminal that provides a power voltage to a radio frequency transceiver. The charge pump is configured to provide an interior voltage at the interior node based on the battery voltage. Herein, the interior voltage toggles between the battery voltage and two times the battery voltage. The charge pump includes a first switch coupled between the battery terminal and the interior node, a second switch coupled between the battery terminal and a connecting node, a third switch coupled between the connecting node and ground, and a flying capacitor coupled between the interior node and the connecting node of the second switch and the third switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Nadim Khlat, Michael R. Kay, Jeffrey D. Potts, Michael J. Murphy
  • Patent number: 11876512
    Abstract: A method of using Josephson Junctions to convert the envelope of radio-frequency signals into baseband control pulses includes injecting a biasing current into an envelope detector circuit. The biasing current is identified based on first and second critical currents of superconducting devices in the envelope detector circuit. The first critical current corresponds to the envelope detector circuit receiving no RF signals. The second critical current corresponds to the envelope detector circuit receiving maximum RF signals. The method further includes receiving a modulated radio frequency (RF) signal at the envelope detector circuit to detect an envelope of the received RF signal. The output of the envelope detector circuit is used to drive an output load. The output is generated based on the detected envelope by the envelope detector circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Matthew Beck