Patents by Inventor Christopher SCHAEF
Christopher SCHAEF 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).
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Publication number: 20240154526Abstract: A device comprises a first comparator to generate a first clock signal based on a reference voltage and a first voltage at an output of a switched-capacitor power converter (SCPC), and a second comparator to generate a first control signal based on the first voltage and a threshold voltage. A sensor is to generate a second control signal based on one of a level of a current of the first clock signal, or a duty cycle of the first clock signal. A frequency divider circuit is to generate a second clock signal based on the first control signal and the second control signal, and in some embodiments, further based on one of the first clock signal or a third clock signal. Controller circuitry is to operate switch circuitry of the SCPC based on the first clock signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2022Publication date: May 9, 2024Applicant: Intel CorporationInventors: Keng Chen, Huanhuan Zhang, Arvind Raghavan, Tamir Salus, Christopher Schaef, Gayathri Devi Sridharan
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Publication number: 20230421040Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for facilitating a scalable delivery of current to an inductor of a voltage regulator. In an embodiment, a hardware interface of integrated circuit (IC) die accommodates coupling of the IC die to multiple inductors. The hardware interface comprises contacts which are each to couple the IC die to a respective one of the multiple inductors. A phase circuit of the IC die includes multiple cells which are each coupled to a different respective contact of a plurality of contacts of the hardware interface. A digital controller of the IC die is operable to select any of various combinations of the multiple cells each to conduct a respective current with a corresponding one of the plurality of contacts. In another embodiment, the plurality of contacts are arranged as a multi-row, multi-column array.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2022Publication date: December 28, 2023Applicant: Intel CorporationInventors: Tamir Salus, Shunjiang Xu, Christopher Schaef
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Publication number: 20230195200Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to optimizing the operation of multiple integrated circuits (ICs) operating in parallel. In one aspect, the ICs are arranged in a voltage-stacked configuration, and an operating frequency of each IC is controlled using a tunable replica circuit to stabilize its voltage drop. The tunable replica circuit mimics a critical path on the IC. In another aspect, an IC is divided into top and bottom portions which are in respective voltage domains on a substrate. The substrate include a deep n-well region for the higher voltage domain. In another aspect, a physically unclonable function (PUF) is used to generate identifiers for each IC among a multiple ICs on a board. Entropy sources of the PUF generate bits of the identifiers. Unstable entropy sources are identified and their bits are masked out.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2022Publication date: June 22, 2023Inventors: Vikram B. Suresh, Sanu K. Mathew, Christopher Schaef, Chandra S. Katta, Long Sheng, Chin S. Park, Srinivasan Rajagopalan, Raju Rakha
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Publication number: 20230068300Abstract: A microelectronic assembly is provided, comprising a first IC die having an electrical load circuit, a second IC die having a portion of a voltage regulator (VR) electrically coupled to the first IC die, a package substrate having inductors of the VR electrically coupled to the first IC die and the second IC die, and a mold compound between the first IC die and the package substrate. The VR receives power at a first voltage from the package substrate and provides power at a second voltage to the electrical load circuit, the second voltage being lower than the first voltage. In various embodiments, the second IC die is in the mold compound. In some embodiments, the mold compound and the second IC die are comprised in a discrete interposer electrically coupled to the first IC die with die-to-die interconnects and to the package substrate with die-to-package substrate interconnects.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: INTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Krishna Bharath, William J. Lambert, Christopher Schaef, Alexander Lyakhov, Kaladhar Radhakrishnan, Sriram Srinivasan
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Publication number: 20230060727Abstract: A microelectronic assembly is provided comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) die having an electrical load circuit, a second IC die having a portion of a voltage regulator (VR), and a third IC die comprising inductors of the VR. The third IC die is between the first IC die and the second IC die, and the VR receives power at a first voltage and provides power at a second voltage to the electrical load circuit, the second voltage being lower than the first voltage. In various embodiments, the inductors in the third IC die comprise magnetic thin films. The third IC die may be a passive die without any active elements in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the microelectronic assembly further comprises a package substrate having conductive pathways, and the second IC die is between the third IC die and the package substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: Intel CorporationInventors: Kaladhar Radhakrishnan, Krishna Bharath, William J. Lambert, Adel A. Elsherbini, Sriram Srinivasan, Christopher Schaef
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Publication number: 20230031911Abstract: A microelectronic assembly is disclosed, comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) die having electrical load circuits, first control circuits, and a second control circuit, a second IC die having powertrain (PTR) phase circuits electrically coupled to the first IC die, and inductors in a package substrate electrically coupled to the first IC die and the second IC die within a package. Individual ones of the first control circuits regulates power to a corresponding one of the electrical load circuits. The second control circuit maps the first control circuits and the PTR phase circuits. The PTR phase circuits control power to the inductors. The first control circuits, the second control circuit, the PTR phase circuits and the inductors together function as a voltage regulator configured to receive power from the package substrate at a first voltage and deliver power to the electrical load circuits at a second voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2021Publication date: February 2, 2023Applicant: INTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Tamir Salus, Christopher Schaef, Alexander Lyakhov
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Patent number: 11411491Abstract: Voltage dividing circuitry is provided for use in a voltage converter for converting at least one input Direct Current, DC voltage to a plurality of output DC voltages. The voltage dividing circuitry including a voltage input port to receive an input DC voltage and an inductor having an input-side switch node and an output-side switch node. The output side switch node is connectable to one of a plurality of voltage output ports to supply a converted value of the input DC voltage as an output DC voltage. The flying capacitor interface has a plurality of switching elements and at least one flying capacitor, the flying capacitor interface to divide the input DC voltage to provide a predetermined fixed ratio of the input DC voltage at the input-side switch node of the inductor. A voltage converter and a power management integrated circuit having the voltage dividing circuitry are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2017Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Vivek De, Krishnan Ravichandran, Harish Krishnamurthy, Khondker Ahmed, Sriram Vangal, Vaibhav Vaidya, Turbo Majumder, Christopher Schaef, Suhwan Kim, Xiaosen Liu, Nachiket Desai
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Patent number: 11336270Abstract: A digital self-start controller, which is functional without fuse and/or trim information. The self-start controller protects a DC-DC converter against large inrush currents and voltage overshoots, while being capable of following a variable VID (voltage identification) reference ramp imposed by the system. The self-start controller uses a relaxation oscillator to set the switching frequency of the DC-DC converter. The oscillator can be initialized using either a clock or current reference to be close to a desired operating frequency. The output of the DC-DC converter is coupled weakly to the oscillator to set the duty cycle for closed loop operation. The controller is naturally biased such that the output supply voltage is always slightly higher than a set point, eliminating the need for any process, voltage, and/or temperature (PVT) imposed trims.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Nachiket Desai, Suhwan Kim, Harish Krishnamurthy, Christopher Schaef
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Publication number: 20220094263Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include inductor arrays. In an embodiment, an inductor array comprises a first inductor with a first inductance. In an embodiment, the first inductor is switched at a first frequency. In an embodiment, the inductor array further comprises a second inductor with a second inductance that is different than the first inductance. In an embodiment, the second inductor is switched at a second frequency that is different than the first frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2020Publication date: March 24, 2022Inventors: Krishna BHARATH, Christopher SCHAEF, William J. LAMBERT, Kaladhar RADHAKRISHNAN
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Publication number: 20220069810Abstract: A digital self-start controller, which is functional without fuse and/or trim information. The self-start controller protects a DC-DC converter against large inrush currents and voltage overshoots, while being capable of following a variable VID (voltage identification) reference ramp imposed by the system. The self-start controller uses a relaxation oscillator to set the switching frequency of the DC-DC converter. The oscillator can be initialized using either a clock or current reference to be close to a desired operating frequency. The output of the DC-DC converter is coupled weakly to the oscillator to set the duty cycle for closed loop operation. The controller is naturally biased such that the output supply voltage is always slightly higher than a set point, eliminating the need for any process, voltage, and/or temperature (PVT) imposed trims.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicant: Intel CorporationInventors: Nachiket Desai, Suhwan Kim, Harish Krishnamurthy, Christopher Schaef
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Publication number: 20220060180Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a circuit which generates a sawtooth waveform based on an adaptive feedback loop that self-corrects the ramp up rate to account for variations in a device. The sawtooth waveform is obtained by repeatedly charging and discharging a capacitor according to a clock signal. The sawtooth waveform can be sampled once per clock period at a comparator which provides a corresponding binary output to a state machine. If the binary output indicates the amplitude of the sawtooth waveform is below a desired maximum voltage, the state machine outputs a code word to a digitally-controlled variable current source to increase the output current. The sawtooth waveform can be used to provide a pulse-width modulated (PWM) waveform such as for a DC-DC converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Inventors: Juan Munoz Constantine, Christopher Schaef, Ajay Janardanan, Alexander Lyakhov
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Publication number: 20220014101Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to identifying, by phase current balancing (PCB) circuitry, an indication of whether a measured current of a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal of a plurality of PWM signals is greater than or less than an average current of the plurality of PWM signals. Embodiments further relate to adjusting, by the PCB circuitry, a bias-value of a non-modulated edge of a duty cycle of the PWM signal. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: CHRISTOPHER SCHAEF, JUAN MUNOZ CONSTANTINE, ALEXANDER LYAKHOV
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Patent number: 10958079Abstract: In one embodiment, an energy harvesting system includes multiple-input-multiple-output switched-capacitor (MIMOSC) circuitry comprising a plurality of switched-capacitor circuit units to receive a plurality of direct current (DC) input voltages at respective input terminals of the switched-capacitor circuit unit, combine the received DC input voltages, and provide the combined DC input voltages at an output terminal of the switched-capacitor circuit unit. The energy harvesting system also includes maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuitry coupled to switches of the switched-capacitor circuit units of the MIMOSC circuitry. The MPPT circuitry is to provide a plurality of switching signals to the switches of the switched-capacitor circuit units. The MIMOSC circuitry is to provide a plurality of DC output voltages to respective loads based on the switching signals from the MPPT circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Xiaosen Liu, Khondker Z. Ahmed, Vivek K. De, Nachiket V. Desai, Suhwan Kim, Harish K. Krishnamurthy, Turbo Majumder, Krishnan Ravichandran, Christopher Schaef, Vaibhav A. Vaidya, Sriram R. Vangal
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Patent number: 10958163Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with deriving power output from an energy harvester are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include one or more processors, devices, and/or circuitry to identify a plurality of times at which an intermediate voltage of a two stage power conversion circuit corresponds to a voltage reference, and ascertain an amount of time between one of the identified times and another one of the identified times. The one or more processors, devices, and/or circuitry may derive a power or current value associated with the second power supply using the amount of time.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2020Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Lilly Huang, Christopher Schaef, Vaibhav Vaidya, Suhwan Kim
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Patent number: 10942556Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for early pre-charge with respect to peak power events. Application performance may improve by pre-charging a supercap just prior to initiating a system wake up from a qualified system wake-source trigger. Additionally, the pre-charging of the supercap may be controlled by a time defined pre-charge period and may also be controlled by a predetermined threshold voltage.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2017Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Dileep J. Kurian, Ankit Gupta, Akhila M, Tanay Karnik, Vaibhav Vaidya, David Arditti Ilitzky, Christopher Schaef, Sriram Kabisthalam Muthukumar, Harish K. Krishnamurthy, Suhwan Kim
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Patent number: 10938327Abstract: An embodiment of a harvester apparatus comprising two or more charge pump stages may include at least a first charge pump stage to receive an alternating current source, and a second charge pump stage coupled to the first charge pump stage.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2017Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Suhwan Kim, Vaibhav Vaidya, Christopher Schaef
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Patent number: 10910946Abstract: An apparatus has a comparator circuitry (e.g., auto-zero comparator) with a first input, a second input, a third input; and an output; a first device (e.g., a low-side switch) coupled to the first and second inputs of the comparator; and a circuitry (e.g., a self-tuning logic) to generate a digital code which represents a comparator offset adjustment with reference to detection of current through a second device (e.g., an inductor), wherein the digital code (e.g., a multibit digital signal) is provided to the third input of the comparator circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Intel CorporationInventor: Christopher Schaef
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Patent number: 10897364Abstract: Spin Hall Effect (SHE) magneto junction memory cells (e.g., magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) or spin valve based memory cells) are used to implement high entropy physically unclonable function (PUF) arrays utilizing stochastics interactions of both parameter variations of the SHE-MTJ structures as well as random thermal noises. An apparatus is provided which comprises: an array of PUF devices, wherein an individual device of the array comprises a magnetic junction and an interconnect, wherein the interconnect comprises a spin orbit coupling material; a circuitry to sense values stored in the array, and to provide an output; and a comparator to compare the output with a code.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2017Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Vivek De, Krishnan Ravichandran, Harish Krishnamurthy, Khondker Ahmed, Sriram Vangal, Vaibhav Vaidya, Turbo Majumder, Christopher Schaef, Suhwan Kim, Xiaosen Liu, Nachiket Desai
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Publication number: 20200350817Abstract: Voltage dividing circuitry is provided for use in a voltage converter for converting at least one input Direct Current, DC voltage to a plurality of output DC voltages. The voltage dividing circuitry including a voltage input port to receive an input DC voltage and an inductor having an input-side switch node and an output-side switch node. The output side switch node is connectable to one of a plurality of voltage output ports to supply a converted value of the input DC voltage as an output DC voltage. The flying capacitor interface has a plurality of switching elements and at least one flying capacitor, to divide the input DC voltage to provide a predetermined fixed ratio of the input DC voltage at the input-side switch node of the inductor. A voltage converter and a power management integrated circuit having the voltage dividing circuitry are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2017Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Vivek DE, Krishnan RAVICHANDRAN, Harish KRISHNAMURTHY, Khondker AHMED, Sriram VANGAL, Vaibhav VAIDYA, Turbo MAJUMDER, Christopher SCHAEF, Suhwan KIM, Xiaosen LIU, Nachiket DESAI
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Patent number: 10720831Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus for reference voltage generation includes a plurality of reference voltage rails each with a corresponding reference voltage, a first controller, and a second controller. The first controller is to cycle through the plurality of reference voltage rails and maintain the reference voltages in a synchronous mode. The second controller is to detect an event and provide an indication to the first controller to update in an asynchronous mode one of the plurality of reference voltages in response to the event. The first controller is to update in an asynchronous mode the one of the plurality of reference voltages in response to the event.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2017Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Christopher Schaef, Vaibhav Vaidya, Suhwan Kim