Patents by Inventor Kevin Mark Smith

Kevin Mark Smith 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: 20240133669
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a target to rotate about an axis; an excitation coil to carry an excitation signal; and a first sense coil to carry a sense signal induced by the excitation signal. The first sense coil comprises two or more lobes in one or more planes that are perpendicular to the axis. The two or more lobes comprise a first lobe at a first position relative to the axis and a second lobe at a second position relative to the axis. The second position is substantially the same radial distance from the axis as the first position is from the axis. The second position is at an angular distance of ? from the first position, where ?=180°±?/2, and ? is a measurement range for angular-position sensing (e.g., ?=60°) within a range of 50% to 150% of ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Ganesh Shaga, Kevin Mark Smith, Hwangsoo Choi, Surendra Akkina, Sudhneer Puttapudi
  • Publication number: 20220011138
    Abstract: An angular position sensor comprising two planar excitation coils forming a substantially circular interior area and two planar sensing coils positioned within a minor sector of the substantially circular interior area. Each of the two planar sensing coils comprises a clockwise winding portion and a counter-clockwise winding portion. The angular position sensor further comprises a substantially circular rotatable inductive coupling element positioned in overlying relation to the two planar sensing coils and separated from the two planar sensing coils by an airgap, wherein the substantially circular rotatable inductive coupling element comprises three, substantially evenly space, sector apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Ganesh Shaga, Kevin Mark Smith, JR., Hwangsoo Choi, Sudheer Puttapudi
  • Patent number: 11221236
    Abstract: An angular position sensor comprising two planar excitation coils forming a substantially circular interior area and two planar sensing coils positioned within a minor sector of the substantially circular interior area. Each of the two planar sensing coils comprises a clockwise winding portion and a counter-clockwise winding portion. The angular position sensor further comprises a substantially circular rotatable inductive coupling element positioned in overlying relation to the two planar sensing coils and separated from the two planar sensing coils by an airgap, wherein the substantially circular rotatable inductive coupling element comprises three, substantially evenly space, sector apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Ganesh Shaga, Kevin Mark Smith, Jr., Hwangsoo Choi, Sudheer Puttapudi
  • Patent number: 10837847
    Abstract: An angular rotation sensor system constituted of: a first target with a member radially extending from, and rotating about a longitudinal axis of the first target; a second target with a member radially extending from, and rotating about a longitudinal axis of the second target; a first receive coil comprising a plurality of loops laid out such that adjacent loops exhibit opposing magnetic polarities responsive to a radio frequency current injected into the transmit coil; a second receive coil comprising a plurality of loops laid out such that adjacent loops exhibit opposing magnetic polarities responsive to a radio frequency current injected into the transmit coil; and an output coupled to each of the first and second receive coils, wherein each of the members is shaped and sized to generally match a shape and size of a pair of loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Microsemi Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin Mark Smith, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200109996
    Abstract: An angular rotation sensor system constituted of: a first target with a member radially extending from, and rotating about a longitudinal axis of the first target; a second target with a member radially extending from, and rotating about a longitudinal axis of the second target; a first receive coil comprising a plurality of loops laid out such that adjacent loops exhibit opposing magnetic polarities responsive to a radio frequency current injected into the transmit coil; a second receive coil comprising a plurality of loops laid out such that adjacent loops exhibit opposing magnetic polarities responsive to a radio frequency current injected into the transmit coil; and an output coupled to each of the first and second receive coils, wherein each of the members is shaped and sized to generally match a shape and size of a pair of loops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: Microsemi Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin Mark Smith, JR.
  • Patent number: 9362828
    Abstract: A converter constituted of: an inductor; a plurality of electronically controlled switches; and a control circuitry arranged to operate in a buck-boost mode responsive to the output voltage of the converter being within a predetermined range of the input voltage of the converter, the control circuitry arranged in the buck-boost mode: responsive to a current flowing through the inductor being lower than a predetermined low current threshold, to control the switches to couple the inductor between the input voltage and a common potential; responsive to the current flowing through the inductor being greater than a predetermined medium current threshold, to control the switches to couple the inductor between the input voltage and the output voltage; and responsive to the current flowing through the inductor being greater than a predetermined high current threshold, to control the switches to couple the inductor between the output voltage and the common potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Microsemi Corporation
    Inventors: Arkadiy Peker, Kevin Mark Smith, Jr., Dror Korcharz
  • Patent number: 8988056
    Abstract: A hysteretic power converter constituted of: a switched mode power supply; a hysteretic comparator, a first input of the comparator arranged to receive a feedback signal providing a representation of the output voltage of the switched mode power supply and a second input of the comparator arranged to receive a reference voltage; a ramp capacitor coupled to one of the first and second input of the comparator; a current source, a terminal of the current source coupled to the ramp capacitor and arranged to drive current to the ramp capacitor; and a switchable current source, a terminal of the switchable current source coupled to the ramp capacitor, the switchable current source arranged to drive current to the ramp capacitor in a direction opposite the current driven by the current source, wherein the switchable current source is alternately enabled and disabled responsive to the output of the hysteretic comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Microsemi Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Mark Smith, Jr., Ekrem Cengelci
  • Publication number: 20140217996
    Abstract: A converter constituted of: an inductor; a plurality of electronically controlled switches; and a control circuitry arranged to operate in a buck-boost mode responsive to the output voltage of the converter being within a predetermined range of the input voltage of the converter, the control circuitry arranged in the buck-boost mode: responsive to a current flowing through the inductor being lower than a predetermined low current threshold, to control the switches to couple the inductor between the input voltage and a common potential; responsive to the current flowing through the inductor being greater than a predetermined medium current threshold, to control the switches to couple the inductor between the input voltage and the output voltage; and responsive to the current flowing through the inductor being greater than a predetermined high current threshold, to control the switches to couple the inductor between the output voltage and the common potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Microsemi Corporation
    Inventors: Arkadiy PEKER, Kevin Mark SMITH, JR., Dror KORCHARZ
  • Patent number: 7261479
    Abstract: An RFID label with embedded tag is passed through an RFID antenna in a printer system, where the RFID antenna allows a roll of such labels to pass in close proximity to the antenna and still allow each individual RFID tag to be read and/or programmed. The RFID antenna module is formed with a transmission line coupled to an RF phase splitter, where in one embodiment, the transmission line is formed from two parallel conductive strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Printronix
    Inventors: Gordon B. Barrus, Richard E. Schumaker, Andrew W. Edwards, Kevin Mark Smith, Duane C. Gibbs, Rudy Concepcion, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7037009
    Abstract: An RFID label with embedded tag is passed through an RFID antenna in a printer system, where the RFID antenna allows a roll of such labels to pass in close proximity to the antenna and still allow each individual RFID tag to be read and/or programmed. The RFID antenna module is formed with a transmission line coupled to an RF phase splitter, where in one embodiment, the transmission line is formed from two parallel conductive strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Printronix
    Inventors: Gordon B. Barrus, Richard E. Schumaker, Andrew W. Edwards, Kevin Mark Smith, Duane C. Gibbs, Rudy Concepcion, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6929412
    Abstract: An RFID label with embedded tag is passed through an RFID antenna in a printer system, where the RFID antenna allows a roll of such labels to pass in close proximity to the antenna and still allow each individual RFID tag to be read and/or programmed. The RFID antenna is formed with two parallel microstrip transmission lines coupled to an RF phase splitter there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Printronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon B. Barrus, Richard E. Schumaker, Andrew W. Edwards, Duane C. Gibbs, Kevin Mark Smith, Rudy Concepcion Jr.
  • Patent number: 6899476
    Abstract: An RFID label with embedded tag is passed through an RFID antenna in a printer system, where the RFID antenna allows a roll of such labels to pass in close proximity to the antenna and still allow each individual RFID tag to be read and/or programmed. The RFID antenna module is formed with a transmission line coupled to an RF phase splitter, where in one embodiment, the transmission line is formed from two parallel conductive strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Printronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon B. Barrus, Richard E. Schumaker, Andrew W. Edwards, Kevin Mark Smith, Duane C. Gibbs, Rudy Concepcion, Jr.