Patents by Inventor James Jason LoCascio
James Jason LoCascio 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).
-
Publication number: 20230073655Abstract: A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) can improve the ramp up speed of a boost converter with the inclusion of a controllable switch that may modify the connection of an output capacitor to reduce the ramp time as the output voltage is ramping to a desired boost setpoint. The switch may be controlled using jump start logic to switch a first plate or terminal of the output capacitor from a ground connection to a voltage supply connection. Once a threshold voltage is reached, the first plate of the capacitor may be switched from the supply voltage to ground. In certain cases, by switching the connection of the output capacitor between ground and a supply voltage based on one or more threshold voltages or a boost setpoint, the time to ramp from an initial voltage to a desired boost setpoint may be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Inventors: Wendy Ng, James Jason LoCascio
-
Patent number: 11476806Abstract: A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) can improve the ramp up speed of a boost converter with the inclusion of a controllable switch that may modify the connection of an output capacitor to reduce the ramp time as the output voltage is ramping to a desired boost setpoint. The switch may be controlled using jump start logic to switch a first plate or terminal of the output capacitor from a ground connection to a voltage supply connection. Once a threshold voltage is reached, the first plate of the capacitor may be switched from the supply voltage to ground. In certain cases, by switching the connection of the output capacitor between ground and a supply voltage based on one or more threshold voltages or a boost setpoint, the time to ramp from an initial voltage to a desired boost setpoint may be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Wendy Ng, James Jason LoCascio
-
Patent number: 11218116Abstract: A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) can improve the ramp up speed of a boost converter with the inclusion of a controllable switch that may modify the connection of an output capacitor to reduce the ramp time as the output voltage is ramping to a desired boost setpoint. The switch may be controlled using jump start logic to switch a first plate or terminal of the output capacitor from a ground connection to a voltage supply connection. Once a threshold voltage is reached, the first plate of the capacitor may be switched from the supply voltage to ground. The PMIC may further include a quick start assembly that can drive the boost converter at a high duty-cycle.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2020Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Wendy Ng, James Jason LoCascio
-
Publication number: 20210104985Abstract: A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) can improve the ramp up speed of a boost converter with the inclusion of a controllable switch that may modify the connection of an output capacitor to reduce the ramp time as the output voltage is ramping to a desired boost setpoint. The switch may be controlled using jump start logic to switch a first plate or terminal of the output capacitor from a ground connection to a voltage supply connection. Once a threshold voltage is reached, the first plate of the capacitor may be switched from the supply voltage to ground. The PMIC may further include a quick start assembly that can drive the boost converter at a high duty-cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2020Publication date: April 8, 2021Inventors: Wendy Ng, James Jason LoCascio
-
Publication number: 20210104979Abstract: A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) can improve the ramp up speed of a boost converter with the inclusion of a controllable switch that may modify the connection of an output capacitor to reduce the ramp time as the output voltage is ramping to a desired boost setpoint. The switch may be controlled using jump start logic to switch a first plate or terminal of the output capacitor from a ground connection to a voltage supply connection. Once a threshold voltage is reached, the first plate of the capacitor may be switched from the supply voltage to ground. In certain cases, by switching the connection of the output capacitor between ground and a supply voltage based on one or more threshold voltages or a boost setpoint, the time to ramp from an initial voltage to a desired boost setpoint may be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2020Publication date: April 8, 2021Inventors: Wendy Ng, James Jason LoCascio
-
Patent number: 10811980Abstract: According to certain aspects, a radio-frequency module can include a packaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components and a voltage converter implemented on the packaging substrate. The voltage converter can include a high-side switch circuit block comprising a plurality of high-side switching elements and a low-side switch circuit block comprising a plurality of low-side switching elements. The voltage converter may include an intermediate node coupled to one or more high-side switching elements and coupled to one or more low-side switching elements. The voltage converter may further include a segmentation circuit block communicatively coupled to the high-side switch circuit block and communicatively coupled to the low-side switch circuit block.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Wendy Ng, James Jason Locascio
-
Publication number: 20200076313Abstract: According to certain aspects, a radio-frequency module can include a packaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components and a voltage converter implemented on the packaging substrate. The voltage converter can include a high-side switch circuit block comprising a plurality of high-side switching elements and a low-side switch circuit block comprising a plurality of low-side switching elements. The voltage converter may include an intermediate node coupled to one or more high-side switching elements and coupled to one or more low-side switching elements. The voltage converter may further include a segmentation circuit block communicatively coupled to the high-side switch circuit block and communicatively coupled to the low-side switch circuit block.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Inventors: Wendy NG, James Jason LOCASCIO
-
Patent number: 10389257Abstract: A voltage converter is disclosed to include a high-side switch circuit block comprising a plurality of high-side switching elements and a low-side switch circuit block comprising a plurality of low-side switching elements. The voltage converter may include an intermediate node coupled to one or more high-side switching elements and coupled to one or more low-side switching elements. The voltage converter may further include a segmentation circuit block communicatively coupled to the high-side switch circuit block and communicatively coupled to the low-side switch circuit block.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Wendy Ng, James Jason Locascio
-
Publication number: 20180115250Abstract: A voltage converter is disclosed to include a high-side switch circuit block comprising a plurality of high-side switching elements and a low-side switch circuit block comprising a plurality of low-side switching elements. The voltage converter may include an intermediate node coupled to one or more high-side switching elements and coupled to one or more low-side switching elements. The voltage converter may further include a segmentation circuit block communicatively coupled to the high-side switch circuit block and communicatively coupled to the low-side switch circuit block.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2017Publication date: April 26, 2018Inventors: Wendy NG, James Jason LOCASCIO
-
Patent number: 9608517Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention reduce switching losses associated with existing non-zero volt switching and non-zero current switching in DC/DC converters without the need for a resonant design. Certain embodiments of the invention provide for improved efficiency by reducing switching losses related to the simultaneous presence of current and voltage across high power switching devices. In certain embodiments, this is accomplished by adding a relatively small inductor and two switching elements to various switching regulator topologies. Energy stored in the inductor is used to transition the output of the switching converter to achieve zero volt switching and zero current switching.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2013Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.Inventor: James Jason LoCascio
-
Patent number: 9305506Abstract: Electronic devices with a VCOM display panel are configured to provide a common voltage VCOM to a VCOM display panel backplane, referred to as a VCOM reference plane. The common voltage is supplied by a VCOM application circuit coupled to the VCOM reference plane. The VCOM application circuit includes a linear amplifier, such as a Class AB amplifier, coupled to a switched transient assist circuit configured to output the common voltage. The switched transient assist circuit stabilizes the amplifier in the presence of large transient output currents but with minimized power dissipation and heat rise in the amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2012Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.Inventors: Cheng-Wei Pei, Ronald Bonshaw Koo, James Jason LoCascio, Min Park, Christopher Francis Edwards
-
Publication number: 20150022167Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention reduce switching losses associated with existing non-zero volt switching and non-zero current switching in DC/DC converters without the need for a resonant design. Certain embodiments of the invention provide for improved efficiency by reducing switching losses related to the simultaneous presence of current and voltage across high power switching devices. In certain embodiments, this is accomplished by adding a relatively small inductor and two switching elements to various switching regulator topologies. Energy stored in the inductor is used to transition the output of the switching converter to achieve zero volt switching and zero current switching.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2013Publication date: January 22, 2015Inventor: James Jason LoCascio
-
Patent number: 8907590Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a LED illumination system, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of employing a LED driver control loop to adjust the brightness of the LED light smoothly and suppress flickering/blinking. The LED driver control loop comprises a LED driver, a charge integrator, a VPWR modulator, and a driver controller. The charge integrator generates a voltage VC that is associated with a LED current iLED and illumination energy for the LED light. The VPWR modulator provides a clamping voltage VPWR such that the LED driver ceases to inject the LED current iLED as the voltage VC saturates at VPWR during each powering cycle. The clamping voltage VPWR is dynamically adjusted at the end of each powering cycle to gradually adjust the brightness and avoid flickering or blinking while still ensuring illumination efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2012Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.Inventor: James Jason LoCascio
-
Patent number: 8704494Abstract: An energy harvesting circuit harvests energy from a voltage source and charges a storage element with the harvested energy. The energy harvesting circuit includes an energy source, a storage capacitor to store energy output from the energy source, a power converter circuit, an energy storage element, and an enabling circuit. The enabling circuit turns the boost converter circuit on and off according to a monitored capacitance voltage of the storage capacitor. When the boost converter circuit is turned off, the storage capacitor accumulates energy output from the energy source until a reference voltage is reached, whereupon the boost converter circuit is turned on, enabling current flow from the storage capacitor to the storage element. When the storage capacitor discharges to a minimum voltage level, the boost converter circuit is turned off. The enabling circuit and a reference voltage supply are powered by the energy source.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2011Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.Inventor: James Jason LoCascio
-
Publication number: 20120218250Abstract: Electronic devices with a VCOM display panel are configured to provide a common voltage VCOM to a VCOM display panel backplane, referred to as a VCOM reference plane. The common voltage is supplied by a VCOM application circuit coupled to the VCOM reference plane. The VCOM application circuit includes a linear amplifier, such as a Class AB amplifier, coupled to a switched transient assist circuit configured to output the common voltage. The switched transient assist circuit stabilizes the amplifier in the presence of large transient output currents but with minimized power dissipation and heat rise in the amplifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS, INC.Inventors: Cheng-Wei Pei, Ronald Bonshaw Koo, James Jason LoCascio, Min Park, Christopher Francis Edwards
-
Publication number: 20110241625Abstract: An energy harvesting circuit harvests energy from a voltage source and charges a storage element with the harvested energy. The energy harvesting circuit includes an energy source, a storage capacitor to store energy output from the energy source, a power converter circuit, an energy storage element, and an enabling circuit. The enabling circuit turns the boost converter circuit on and off according to a monitored capacitance voltage of the storage capacitor. When the boost converter circuit is turned off, the storage capacitor accumulates energy output from the energy source until a reference voltage is reached, whereupon the boost converter circuit is turned on, enabling current flow from the storage capacitor to the storage element. When the storage capacitor discharges to a minimum voltage level, the boost converter circuit is turned off. The enabling circuit and a reference voltage supply are powered by the energy source.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS, INC.Inventor: James Jason LoCascio
-
Patent number: 5990725Abstract: Temperature measurement with interleaved bi-level current on a diode and bi-level current source therefor which provides a very accurate ratio of measurement currents through the diode without calibration and despite process and temperature variations. The bi-level current source uses a plurality N of individual current sources wherein the higher current is comprised of the sum of the N individual current sources and the lower current is comprised of one of the individual current sources, with a temperature measurement being made using N higher current/lower current measuring sequences and using a different one of the N individual current sources for each sequence.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1997Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.Inventors: James Jason LoCascio, Charles Raymond Thurber, Jr.