Patents by Inventor James Honea

James Honea 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: 9991884
    Abstract: A circuit includes an electronic component package that comprises at least a first lead, a III-N device in the electronic component package, a gate driver, and a ferrite bead. The III-N device comprises a drain, gate, and source, where the source is coupled to the first lead. The gate driver comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal is coupled to the first lead. The ferrite bead is coupled between the gate of the III-N transistor and the second terminal of the gate driver. When switching, the deleterious effects of the parasitic inductance of the circuit gate loop are mitigated by the ferrite bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: Zhan Wang, Yifeng Wu, James Honea
  • Patent number: 9899998
    Abstract: A half bridge is described with at least one transistor having a channel that is capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in one direction through the channel and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel. The half bridge can have two circuits with such a transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Patent number: 9866210
    Abstract: A half bridge is described with at least one transistor having a channel that is capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in one direction through the channel and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel. The half bridge can have two circuits with such a transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Patent number: 9819336
    Abstract: A half bridge is described with at least one transistor having a channel that is capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in one direction through the channel and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel. The half bridge can have two circuits with such a transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Publication number: 20170222640
    Abstract: A circuit includes an electronic component package that comprises at least a first lead, a III-N device in the electronic component package, a gate driver, and a ferrite bead. The III-N device comprises a drain, gate, and source, where the source is coupled to the first lead. The gate driver comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal is coupled to the first lead. The ferrite bead is coupled between the gate of the III-N transistor and the second terminal of the gate driver. When switching, the deleterious effects of the parasitic inductance of the circuit gate loop are mitigated by the ferrite bead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Zhan Wang, Yifeng Wu, James Honea
  • Patent number: 9690314
    Abstract: Power switching circuits including an inductive load and a switching device are described. The switches devices can be either low-side or high-side switches. Some of the switches are transistors that are able to block voltages or prevent substantial current from flowing through the transistor when voltage is applied across the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Patent number: 9660640
    Abstract: A circuit includes an electronic component package that comprises at least a first lead, a III-N device in the electronic component package, a gate driver, and a ferrite bead. The III-N device comprises a drain, gate, and source, where the source is coupled to the first lead. The gate driver comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal is coupled to the first lead. The ferrite bead is coupled between the gate of the III-N transistor and the second terminal of the gate driver. When switching, the deleterious effects of the parasitic inductance of the circuit gate loop are mitigated by the ferrite bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: Zhan Wang, Yifeng Wu, James Honea
  • Publication number: 20170085258
    Abstract: A circuit includes an electronic component package that comprises at least a first lead, a III-N device in the electronic component package, a gate driver, and a ferrite bead. The III-N device comprises a drain, gate, and source, where the source is coupled to the first lead. The gate driver comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal is coupled to the first lead. The ferrite bead is coupled between the gate of the III-N transistor and the second terminal of the gate driver. When switching, the deleterious effects of the parasitic inductance of the circuit gate loop are mitigated by the ferrite bead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Zhan Wang, Yifeng Wu, James Honea
  • Patent number: 9543940
    Abstract: A circuit includes an electronic component package that comprises at least a first lead, a III-N device in the electronic component package, a gate driver, and a ferrite bead. The III-N device comprises a drain, gate, and source, where the source is coupled to the first lead. The gate driver comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal is coupled to the first lead. The ferrite bead is coupled between the gate of the III-N transistor and the second terminal of the gate driver. When switching, the deleterious effects of the parasitic inductance of the circuit gate loop are mitigated by the ferrite bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: Zhan Wang, Yifeng Wu, James Honea
  • Patent number: 9537425
    Abstract: A multilevel inverter includes a first half bridge in series with a second half bridge, each comprising a switch having a channel. The switch is configured to block a substantial voltage in a first direction during a first mode of operation, to conduct substantial current through the channel in the first direction during a second mode of operation, and to conduct substantial current through the channel in a second direction during a third mode of operation. During the third mode of operation, a gate of the switch is biased relative to a source of the switch at a voltage that is less than a threshold voltage of the switch. The inverter may also include a third half bridge. The inverter can be configured such that in operation, switches of the third half bridge are switched at a substantially lower frequency than the switches of the first and second half bridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventor: James Honea
  • Patent number: 9293458
    Abstract: An electronic component includes a high-voltage depletion-mode transistor and a low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor both encased in a single package. A source electrode of the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to a drain electrode of the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor, a drain electrode of the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to a drain lead of the single package, a gate electrode of the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor is electrically connected to a gate lead of the single package, a gate electrode of the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to an additional lead of the single package, and a source electrode of the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor is electrically connected to a conductive structural portion of the single package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: Primit Parikh, James Honea, Carl C. Blake, Jr., Robert Coffie, Yifeng Wu, Umesh Mishra
  • Publication number: 20160006428
    Abstract: A circuit includes an electronic component package that comprises at least a first lead, a III-N device in the electronic component package, a gate driver, and a ferrite bead. The III-N device comprises a drain, gate, and source, where the source is coupled to the first lead. The gate driver comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, where the first terminal is coupled to the first lead. The ferrite bead is coupled between the gate of the III-N transistor and the second terminal of the gate driver. When switching, the deleterious effects of the parasitic inductance of the circuit gate loop are mitigated by the ferrite bead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Zhan Wang, Yifeng Wu, James Honea
  • Patent number: 9041435
    Abstract: An electronic component comprising a half bridge adapted for operation with an electrical load having an operating frequency is described. The half bridge comprises a first switch and a second switch each having a switching frequency, the first switch and the second switch each including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch and the second terminal of the second switch are both electrically connected to a node. The electronic component further includes a filter having a 3 dB roll-off frequency, the 3 dB roll-off frequency being less than the switching frequency of the switches but greater than the operating frequency of the electrical load. The first terminal of the filter is electrically coupled to the node, and the 3 dB roll-off frequency of the filter is greater than 5 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Publication number: 20150070076
    Abstract: A half bridge is described with at least one transistor having a channel that is capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in one direction through the channel and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel. The half bridge can have two circuits with such a transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Publication number: 20150016169
    Abstract: A multilevel inverter includes a first half bridge in series with a second half bridge, each comprising a switch having a channel. The switch is configured to block a substantial voltage in a first direction during a first mode of operation, to conduct substantial current through the channel in the first direction during a second mode of operation, and to conduct substantial current through the channel in a second direction during a third mode of operation. During the third mode of operation, a gate of the switch is biased relative to a source of the switch at a voltage that is less than a threshold voltage of the switch. The inverter may also include a third half bridge. The inverter can be configured such that in operation, switches of the third half bridge are switched at a substantially lower frequency than the switches of the first and second half bridges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: James Honea
  • Patent number: 8912839
    Abstract: A half bridge is described with at least one transistor having a channel that is capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in one direction through the channel and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel. The half bridge can have two circuits with such a transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Publication number: 20140327412
    Abstract: Power switching circuits including an inductive load and a switching device are described. The switches devices can be either low-side or high-side switches. Some of the switches are transistors that are able to block voltages or prevent substantial current from flowing through the transistor when voltage is applied across the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Publication number: 20140292394
    Abstract: An electronic component comprising a half bridge adapted for operation with an electrical load having an operating frequency is described. The half bridge comprises a first switch and a second switch each having a switching frequency, the first switch and the second switch each including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch and the second terminal of the second switch are both electrically connected to a node. The electronic component further includes a filter having a 3 dB roll-off frequency, the 3 dB roll-off frequency being less than the switching frequency of the switches but greater than the operating frequency of the electrical load. The first terminal of the filter is electrically coupled to the node, and the 3 dB roll-off frequency of the filter is greater than 5 kHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Patent number: 8816751
    Abstract: Power switching circuits including an inductive load and a switching device are described. The switches devices can be either low-side or high-side switches. Some of the switches are transistors that are able to block voltages or prevent substantial current from flowing through the transistor when voltage is applied across the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu
  • Patent number: 8786327
    Abstract: An electronic component comprising a half bridge adapted for operation with an electrical load having an operating frequency is described. The half bridge comprises a first switch and a second switch each having a switching frequency, the first switch and the second switch each including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch and the second terminal of the second switch are both electrically connected to a node. The electronic component further includes a filter having a 3 dB roll-off frequency, the 3 dB roll-off frequency being less than the switching frequency of the switches but greater than the operating frequency of the electrical load. The first terminal of the filter is electrically coupled to the node, and the 3 dB roll-off frequency of the filter is greater than 5 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: James Honea, Yifeng Wu