Patents by Inventor Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä

Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä 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: 11949333
    Abstract: A controller for a voltage converter, such as a buck converter, includes: a switching regulator circuit having high side and low side switches; comparators configured to compare a voltage of an output circuit to reference voltages; and a control circuit coupled to the current comparators, configured to receive outputs from the comparators, and configured to generate a control signal for alternatingly switching the high side and low side switches off and on, such that the low side switch is off when the high side switch is on, and the high side switch is off when the low side switch is on, and wherein the control circuit includes a latching circuit configured to latch a signal corresponding to at least one of the outputs from the comparators. A method of operating a buck converter in connection with a fixed high-frequency automotive radar system, with reliable over-current detection, is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Janne Matias Pahkala, Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä, Juha Olavi Hauru
  • Publication number: 20240022222
    Abstract: A feedback network has a feedback output terminal. A digital to analog converter has an analog output terminal. An amplifier includes an input differential pair having an inverting input terminal, a non-inverting input terminal, a first output current terminal and a second output current terminal. The inverting input terminal is coupled to the feedback output terminal, and the non-inverting input terminal is coupled to the analog output terminal. The amplifier includes a feedback differential pair having a third output current terminal, a fourth output current terminal, a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The third output current terminal is coupled to the first output current terminal, and the fourth output current terminal is coupled to the second output current terminal. The amplifier includes an amplifier output terminal coupled to the first input terminal and the second input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventor: Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä
  • Patent number: 11811372
    Abstract: A feedback network has a feedback output terminal. A digital to analog converter has an analog output terminal. An amplifier includes an input differential pair having an inverting input terminal, a non-inverting input terminal, a first output current terminal and a second output current terminal. The inverting input terminal is coupled to the feedback output terminal, and the non-inverting input terminal is coupled to the analog output terminal. The amplifier includes a feedback differential pair having a third output current terminal, a fourth output current terminal, a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The third output current terminal is coupled to the first output current terminal, and the fourth output current terminal is coupled to the second output current terminal. The amplifier includes an amplifier output terminal coupled to the first input terminal and the second input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä
  • Publication number: 20230208297
    Abstract: A controller for a voltage converter, such as a buck converter, includes: a switching regulator circuit having high side and low side switches; comparators configured to compare a voltage of an output circuit to reference voltages; and a control circuit coupled to the current comparators, configured to receive outputs from the comparators, and configured to generate a control signal for alternatingly switching the high side and low side switches off and on, such that the low side switch is off when the high side switch is on, and the high side switch is off when the low side switch is on, and wherein the control circuit includes a latching circuit configured to latch a signal corresponding to at least one of the outputs from the comparators. A method of operating a buck converter in connection with a fixed high-frequency automotive radar system, with reliable over-current detection, is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Janne Matias PAHKALA, Jussi Matti Aleksi SÄRKKÄ, Juha Olavi HAURU
  • Patent number: 11289998
    Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus comprises a switching regulator circuit, an output circuit, a duty cycle comparison circuit, a current comparison circuit, and a switching regulator control circuit. The switching regulator circuit switches between first and second voltages. The output circuit has a voltage input and a voltage output and generates a signal based on the first and second voltages. The duty cycle comparison circuit asserts a first signal responsive to a voltage at the voltage output exceeding a product of a multiplier and a reference signal. The current comparison circuit asserts a second signal responsive to a voltage at the voltage input exceeding a first reference voltage and to assert a third signal responsive to the voltage at the voltage input being below a second reference voltage. The switching regulator control circuit controls the switching regulator circuit based on the first, the second, and the third signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Juha Olavi Hauru, Ari Kalevi Väänänen, Antti Juhani Korhonen, Janne Matias Pahkala, Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä
  • Publication number: 20220037988
    Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus comprises a switching regulator circuit, an output circuit, a duty cycle comparison circuit, a current comparison circuit, and a switching regulator control circuit. The switching regulator circuit switches between first and second voltages. The output circuit has a voltage input and a voltage output and generates a signal based on the first and second voltages. The duty cycle comparison circuit asserts a first signal responsive to a voltage at the voltage output exceeding a product of a multiplier and a reference signal. The current comparison circuit asserts a second signal responsive to a voltage at the voltage input exceeding a first reference voltage and to assert a third signal responsive to the voltage at the voltage input being below a second reference voltage. The switching regulator control circuit controls the switching regulator circuit based on the first, the second, and the third signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Juha Olavi HAURU, Ari Kalevi VÄÄNÄNEN, Antti Juhani KORHONEN, Janne Matias Pahkala, Jussi Matti Aleksi SÄRKKÄ
  • Patent number: 11233451
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to bypass sensed signals in power converters. The disclosed methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture provide an apparatus to bypass sensed signals in power converters, the apparatus comprising: a first single shot circuit to, during runtime of a power converter, generate a clock signal based on an adaptive delay, the adaptive delay based on a count value of a counter; a pulse comparator coupled to an adaptation pulse generator, the pulse comparator to, during runtime of the power converter: compare a first duration of the adaptation pulse to a second duration of a reference pulse; and adjust the count value of the counter; and a ready detector coupled to the pulse comparator, the ready detector to, in response to a trigger event, transmit, during runtime of the power converter, the count value to a second single shot circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Janne Matias Pahkala, Juha Olavi Hauru, Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä
  • Publication number: 20210111681
    Abstract: A feedback network has a feedback output terminal. A digital to analog converter has an analog output terminal. An amplifier includes an input differential pair having an inverting input terminal, a non-inverting input terminal, a first output current terminal and a second output current terminal. The inverting input terminal is coupled to the feedback output terminal, and the non-inverting input terminal is coupled to the analog output terminal. The amplifier includes a feedback differential pair having a third output current terminal, a fourth output current terminal, a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The third output current terminal is coupled to the first output current terminal, and the fourth output current terminal is coupled to the second output current terminal. The amplifier includes an amplifier output terminal coupled to the first input terminal and the second input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventor: Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä
  • Patent number: 10879803
    Abstract: A power converter includes a power conversion circuit, an adaptive compensator coupled to a first output of the power conversion circuit, the adaptive compensator including, a voltage receiving circuit to generate a first current and a second current, a current mirror circuit coupled to the voltage receiving circuit, wherein the current mirror circuit replicates at least one of the first current or the second current, and a second output of the adaptive compensator, and a comparator to receive an input that is related to the second output of the adaptive compensator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä, Ari Kalevi Väänänen
  • Publication number: 20200382001
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to bypass sensed signals in power converters. The disclosed methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture provide an apparatus to bypass sensed signals in power converters, the apparatus comprising: a first single shot circuit to, during runtime of a power converter, generate a clock signal based on an adaptive delay, the adaptive delay based on a count value of a counter; a pulse comparator coupled to an adaptation pulse generator, the pulse comparator to, during runtime of the power converter: compare a first duration of the adaptation pulse to a second duration of a reference pulse; and adjust the count value of the counter; and a ready detector coupled to the pulse comparator, the ready detector to, in response to a trigger event, transmit, during runtime of the power converter, the count value to a second single shot circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Janne Matias Pahkala, Juha Olavi Hauru, Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä
  • Publication number: 20200076303
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to provide adaptive current compensation in buck converters or other switched mode power supplies. In some examples, improvements result in an accuracy of current limits and/or current regulation in switched converters. An example apparatus includes a power conversion circuit, an adaptive compensator coupled to a first output of the power conversion circuit, the adaptive compensator including, a voltage receiving circuit to generate a first current and a second current, a current mirror circuit coupled to the voltage receiving circuit, wherein the current mirror circuit replicates at least one of the first current or the second current, and a second output of the adaptive compensator, and a comparator to receive an input that is related to the second output of the adaptive compensator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä, Ari Kalevi Väänänen
  • Patent number: 10122280
    Abstract: A buck converter includes a high side transistor, a low side transistor, and a controller. The high side transistor is configured to, when ON, connect an inductor to an input signal. The low side transistor is configured to, when ON, connect the inductor to ground. The controller is configured to control the high side transistor and the low side transistor. The controller has a comparator that includes a first input pair that includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a first switch, and a second switch connected such that, when the first switch is closed and the second switch is open, a total gain of the first input pair is one relative to other input pairs and, when the second switch is closed and the first switch is open, the total gain of the first input pair is two relative to other input pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ari Kalevi Väänänen, Jussi Matti Aleksi Särkkä