Patents by Inventor Ball Fan

Ball Fan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10462564
    Abstract: An audio accessory key detection system (40) includes a host circuit (2-3) coupled to communicate via a microphone line (7) with an accessory circuit (3-3) in either a MSFT mode or a digital communication mode. Depletion mode transistors (44-1,2,3) in the accessory circuit are coupled between keys (15-1,2,3) of the accessory circuit, respectively. The depletion mode transistors are allowed to remain conductive for MSFT mode operation. For digital communications mode operation, the host circuit sends a command via the microphone line to a key detector and controller circuit (29A) in the accessory circuit. In response, a voltage is generated to turn the depletion mode transistors off so as to allow digital communications mode operation between the accessory circuit and the host circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ball Fan, Wenpang David Wang, Christopher Michael Graves
  • Patent number: 10374606
    Abstract: A lever shifter includes an output driver and a high-side gate driver. The high-side gate driver is configured to drive the high-side output transistor, and is coupled to an on pulse signal line that conducts an on pulse, and is coupled to an off pulse signal line that conducts an off pulse. The high-side gate driver includes a blocking circuit configured to enable generation of a drive signal to the high-side output transistor based on a voltage of a first of the on or off pulse signal line being greater than a first predetermined amount and a voltage of a second of the on or off signal line being less than a second predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Danyang Zhu, Jie Feng, Xiaonan Wang, Ball Fan
  • Publication number: 20190158093
    Abstract: A lever shifter includes an output driver and a high-side gate driver. The high-side gate driver is configured to drive the high-side output transistor, and is coupled to an on pulse signal line that conducts an on pulse, and is coupled to an off pulse signal line that conducts an off pulse. The high-side gate driver includes a blocking circuit configured to enable generation of a drive signal to the high-side output transistor based on a voltage of a first of the on or off pulse signal line being greater than a first predetermined amount and a voltage of a second of the on or off signal line being less than a second predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Danyang Zhu, Jie Feng, Xiaonan Wang, Ball Fan
  • Patent number: 10230372
    Abstract: A lever shifter includes an output driver and a high-side gate driver. The high-side gate driver is configured to drive the high-side output transistor, and is coupled to an on pulse signal line that conducts an on pulse, and is coupled to an off pulse signal line that conducts an off pulse. The high-side gate driver includes a blocking circuit configured to enable generation of a drive signal to the high-side output transistor based on a voltage of a first of the on or off pulse signal line being greater than a first predetermined amount and a voltage of a second of the on or off signal line being less than a second predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Danyang Zhu, Jie Feng, Xiaonan Wang, Ball Fan
  • Publication number: 20180241396
    Abstract: A lever shifter includes an output driver and a high-side gate driver. The high-side gate driver is configured to drive the high-side output transistor, and is coupled to an on pulse signal line that conducts an on pulse, and is coupled to an off pulse signal line that conducts an off pulse. The high-side gate driver includes a blocking circuit configured to enable generation of a drive signal to the high-side output transistor based on a voltage of a first of the on or off pulse signal line being greater than a first predetermined amount and a voltage of a second of the on or off signal line being less than a second predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Danyang Zhu, Jie Feng, Xiaonan Wang, Ball Fan
  • Publication number: 20180145690
    Abstract: A lever shifter includes an output driver and a high-side gate driver. The high-side gate driver is configured to drive the high-side output transistor, and is coupled to an on pulse signal line that conducts an on pulse, and is coupled to an off pulse signal line that conducts an off pulse. The high-side gate driver includes a blocking circuit configured to enable generation of a drive signal to the high-side output transistor based on a voltage of a first of the on or off pulse signal line being greater than a first predetermined amount and a voltage of a second of the on or off signal line being less than a second predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Danyang Zhu, Jie Feng, Xiaonan Wang, Ball Fan
  • Patent number: 9979397
    Abstract: A lever shifter includes an output driver and a high-side gate driver. The high-side gate driver is configured to drive the high-side output transistor, and is coupled to an on pulse signal line that conducts an on pulse, and is coupled to an off pulse signal line that conducts an off pulse. The high-side gate driver includes a blocking circuit configured to enable generation of a drive signal to the high-side output transistor based on a voltage of a first of the on or off pulse signal line being greater than a first predetermined amount and a voltage of a second of the on or off signal line being less than a second predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Danyang Zhu, Jie Feng, Xiaonan Wang, Ball Fan
  • Publication number: 20170019733
    Abstract: An audio accessory key detection system (40) includes a host circuit (2-3) coupled to communicate via a microphone line (7) with an accessory circuit (3-3) in either a MSFT mode or a digital communication mode. Depletion mode transistors (44-1,2,3) in the accessory circuit are coupled between keys (15-1,2,3) of the accessory circuit, respectively. The depletion mode transistors are allowed to remain conductive for MSFT mode operation. For digital communications mode operation, the host circuit sends a command via the microphone line to a key detector and controller circuit (29A) in the accessory circuit. In response, a voltage is generated to turn the depletion mode transistors off so as to allow digital communications mode operation between the accessory circuit and the host circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Ball Fan, Wenpang David Wang, Christopher Michael Graves
  • Patent number: 9479882
    Abstract: An audio accessory key detection system (40) includes a host circuit (2-3) coupled to communicate via a microphone line (7) with an accessory circuit (3-3) in either a MSFT mode or a digital communication mode. Depletion mode transistors (44-1,2,3) in the accessory circuit are coupled between keys (15-1,2,3) of the accessory circuit, respectively. The depletion mode transistors are allowed to remain conductive for MSFT mode operation. For digital communications mode operation, the host circuit sends a command via the microphone line to a key detector and controller circuit (29A) in the accessory circuit. In response, a voltage is generated to turn the depletion mode transistors off so as to allow digital communications mode operation between the accessory circuit and the host circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ball Fan, Wenpang David Wang, Christopher Michael Graves
  • Publication number: 20140254809
    Abstract: An audio accessory key detection system (40) includes a host circuit (2-3) coupled to communicate via a microphone line (7) with an accessory circuit (3-3) in either a MSFT mode or a digital communication mode. Depletion mode transistors (44-1,2,3) in the accessory circuit are coupled between keys (15-1,2,3) of the accessory circuit, respectively. The depletion mode transistors are allowed to remain conductive for MSFT mode operation. For digital communications mode operation, the host circuit sends a command via the microphone line to a key detector and controller circuit (29A) in the accessory circuit. In response, a voltage is generated to turn the depletion mode transistors off so as to allow digital communications mode operation between the accessory circuit and the host circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ball Fan, Wenpang David Wang, Christopher Michael Graves