Patents by Inventor Masashi Nogawa
Masashi Nogawa 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: 20240178746Abstract: Embodiments of a switch converter are disclosed. The switch converter includes switching circuitry with a primary and a secondary switch, an output filter, a high-pass filter, switch control circuitry, and a trigger circuit. The output filter is connected to the switching circuitry. The switch control circuitry controls operation of the primary switch and the secondary switch so that the output filter generates a DC voltage and an enabling signal. The high-pass filter receives a feedback signal and detects a switching event of the switching circuitry with the feedback signal that is generated during a dead time of both the primary switch and the secondary switch are open simultaneously. The transient detector circuit generates a trigger signal in response to the switching event and an enabling signal being in an enabling state. The switching circuitry closes the secondary switch in response to the trigger signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2023Publication date: May 30, 2024Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20240162806Abstract: Embodiments of a switching circuitry are disclosed. In some embodiments, the switching circuitry includes a switch and a switch control circuit. The switch has a control terminal. The driver circuit is configured to initially apply a first voltage at a first voltage level to the control terminal so that the switch goes from being open to being closed. The driver circuit is configured to apply a second voltage at a second voltage level in response to the first voltage causing a voltage at the control terminal of the switch to reach a threshold voltage level, wherein the second voltage level is smaller in magnitude than the first voltage level. By using a higher voltage level when initially closing the switch, the switch is closed quickly. Once the switch is closed a lower voltage level is used to maintain the switch closed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2023Publication date: May 16, 2024Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 11984804Abstract: A resonant charge pump circuit includes a resonant circuit having a bucket capacitor and a bucket inductor connected in series, and a switching circuit connected to the resonant circuit. The switching circuit switches to a first state that enables current to flow from an input terminal into the resonant circuit to charge the bucket capacitor and the bucket inductor, and switches to a second state that enables current to flow from the resonant circuit to discharge the bucket capacitor and the bucket inductor to an output terminal. The resonant circuit controls current flow into and out from the resonant circuit when the switching circuit switches between the states. The resonant charge pump circuit also includes a timing circuit that controls when the switching circuit switches between the states.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20220337156Abstract: A resonant charge pump circuit includes a resonant circuit having a bucket capacitor and a bucket inductor connected in series, and a switching circuit connected to the resonant circuit. The switching circuit switches to a first state that enables current to flow from an input terminal into the resonant circuit to charge the bucket capacitor and the bucket inductor, and switches to a second state that enables current to flow from the resonant circuit to discharge the bucket capacitor and the bucket inductor to an output terminal. The resonant circuit controls current flow into and out from the resonant circuit when the switching circuit switches between the states. The resonant charge pump circuit also includes a timing circuit that controls when the switching circuit switches between the states.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2022Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 11381163Abstract: A resonant charge pump circuit includes a resonant circuit having a bucket capacitor and a bucket inductor connected in series, and a switching circuit connected to the resonant circuit. The switching circuit switches to a first state that enables current to flow from an input terminal into the resonant circuit to charge the bucket capacitor and the bucket inductor, and switches to a second state that enables current to flow from the resonant circuit to discharge the bucket capacitor and the bucket inductor to an output terminal. The resonant circuit controls current flow into and out from the resonant circuit when the switching circuit switches between the states. The resonant charge pump circuit also includes a timing circuit that controls when the switching circuit switches between the states.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: ACTIVE-SEMI, INC.Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 11139737Abstract: A voltage regulator control integrated circuit includes constituent parts including an error amplifier circuit, a comparator circuit, a compensation signal generator circuit, an oscillator/one-shot circuit, a latch, and a current sense circuit. In a first example, the integrated circuit is operable in a first mode and in a second mode. In the first mode, the various parts are configured and interconnected in such a way that they operate together as a valley current mode regulator control circuit. In the second mode, the various parts are configured and interconnected in such a way that they operate together as a current-mode constant on-time mode regulator control circuit. In another example, a voltage regulator control integrated circuit has the same basic constituent parts and is operable in a first mode as a peak current mode regulator control circuit, or in a second mode as a constant off-time time mode regulator control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 10917015Abstract: A multiphase operation control method comprises configuring a plurality of power phases of a power converter to operate in an interleaved manner by passing a token sequentially among the plurality of power phases, turning on a first power phase after the first power phase possesses the token and receives a trigger signal from a control circuit of the first power phase, passing the token to a second power phase after the first power phase finishes, passing the token sequentially until a last power phase of the plurality of power phases possesses the token and forwarding the token to the first power phase after the last power phase finishes.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Active-Semi (BVI) Inc.Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20200212797Abstract: A resonant charge pump circuit includes a resonant circuit having a bucket capacitor and a bucket inductor connected in series, and a switching circuit connected to the resonant circuit. The switching circuit switches to a first state that enables current to flow from an input terminal into the resonant circuit to charge the bucket capacitor and the bucket inductor, and switches to a second state that enables current to flow from the resonant circuit to discharge the bucket capacitor and the bucket inductor to an output terminal. The resonant circuit controls current flow into and out from the resonant circuit when the switching circuit switches between the states. The resonant charge pump circuit also includes a timing circuit that controls when the switching circuit switches between the states.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20190288602Abstract: A voltage regulator control integrated circuit includes constituent parts including an error amplifier circuit, a comparator circuit, a compensation signal generator circuit, an oscillator/one-shot circuit, a latch, and a current sense circuit. In a first example, the integrated circuit is operable in a first mode and in a second mode. In the first mode, the various parts are configured and interconnected in such a way that they operate together as a valley current mode regulator control circuit. In the second mode, the various parts are configured and interconnected in such a way that they operate together as a current-mode constant on-time mode regulator control circuit. In another example, a voltage regulator control integrated circuit has the same basic constituent parts and is operable in a first mode as a peak current mode regulator control circuit, or in a second mode as a constant off-time time mode regulator control circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 10404168Abstract: A power converter comprises a first switch and a second switch connected in series between an input power source and ground, an inductor connected between a common node of the first switch and the second switch, and an output capacitor and a comparator having a first input connected to a reference, a second input configured to receive a sum of a first feedback signal and a second feedback signal and an output configured to generate a turn-on signal of the first switch, wherein the first feedback signal is proportional to an voltage across the output capacitor and the second feedback signal is generated by applying at least one low-pass filter to a switching ripple voltage.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: Active-Semi (BVI), Inc.Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20190207516Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter employs peak current mode control and includes a cycle skipping prevent circuit. If a latch is set, then a high side switch is turned on. A comparator receives a signal indicative of current flow and a compensated error signal. The prevent circuit supplies a delayed version of a low duty cycle, fixed frequency, oscillator signal onto the set input lead of the latch. The prevent circuit gates a high signal as output by the comparator onto the reset input lead of the latch. If the output of the comparator has, however, not transitioned high by a predetermined time, then the prevent circuit gates a high pulse onto the reset input lead. Accordingly, the prevent circuit ensures that the latch is reset once every period of the signal SET. A cycle skipping prevent circuit is also disclosed for use in a converter that employs valley current mode control.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2018Publication date: July 4, 2019Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 10340797Abstract: A voltage regulator control integrated circuit includes constituent parts including an error amplifier circuit, a comparator circuit, a compensation signal generator circuit, an oscillator/one-shot circuit, a latch, and a current sense circuit. In a first example, the integrated circuit is operable in a first mode and in a second mode. In the first mode, the various parts are configured and interconnected in such a way that they operate together as a valley current mode regulator control circuit. In the second mode, the various parts are configured and interconnected in such a way that they operate together as a current-mode constant on-time mode regulator control circuit. In another example, a voltage regulator control integrated circuit has the same basic constituent parts and is operable in a first mode as a peak current mode regulator control circuit, or in a second mode as a constant off-time time mode regulator control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2017Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 10320293Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter employs peak current mode control and includes a cycle skipping prevent circuit. If a latch is set, then a high side switch is turned on. A comparator receives a signal indicative of current flow and a compensated error signal. The prevent circuit supplies a delayed version of a low duty cycle, fixed frequency, oscillator signal onto the set input lead of the latch. The prevent circuit gates a high signal as output by the comparator onto the reset input lead of the latch. If the output of the comparator has, however, not transitioned high by a predetermined time, then the prevent circuit gates a high pulse onto the reset input lead. Accordingly, the prevent circuit ensures that the latch is reset once every period of the signal SET. A cycle skipping prevent circuit is also disclosed for use in a converter that employs valley current mode control.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2018Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20190165676Abstract: A voltage regulator control integrated circuit includes constituent parts including an error amplifier circuit, a comparator circuit, a compensation signal generator circuit, an oscillator/one-shot circuit, a latch, and a current sense circuit. In a first example, the integrated circuit is operable in a first mode and in a second mode. In the first mode, the various parts are configured and interconnected in such a way that they operate together as a valley current mode regulator control circuit. In the second mode, the various parts are configured and interconnected in such a way that they operate together as a current-mode constant on-time mode regulator control circuit. In another example, a voltage regulator control integrated circuit has the same basic constituent parts and is operable in a first mode as a peak current mode regulator control circuit, or in a second mode as a constant off-time time mode regulator control circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2017Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 10291124Abstract: A power converter includes a first switch and a second switch connected in series between an input power source and ground, an inductor connected between a common node of the first switch and the second switch, and an output capacitor and a pulse width modulation (PWM) generator configured to generate a gate drive signal for the first switch, wherein a leading edge of the gate drive signal is determined by a comparison result between a reference and a voltage proportional to an output voltage of the power converter and a trailing edge of the gate drive signal is determined by a comparison result between a voltage ramp and a variable voltage source.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2018Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Active-Semi (BVI) Inc.Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20190074770Abstract: A multiphase operation control method comprises configuring a plurality of power phases of a power converter to operate in an interleaved manner by passing a token sequentially among the plurality of power phases, turning on a first power phase after the first power phase possesses the token and receives a trigger signal from a control circuit of the first power phase, passing the token to a second power phase after the first power phase finishes, passing the token sequentially until a last power phase of the plurality of power phases possesses the token and forwarding the token to the first power phase after the last power phase finishes.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20190013733Abstract: A power converter comprises a first switch and a second switch connected in series between an input power source and ground, an inductor connected between a common node of the first switch and the second switch, and an output capacitor and a pulse width modulation (PWM) generator configured to generate a gate drive signal for the first switch, wherein a leading edge of the gate drive signal is determined by a comparison result between a reference and a voltage proportional to an output voltage of the power converter and a trailing edge of the gate drive signal is determined by a comparison result between a voltage ramp and a variable voltage source.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, Masashi Nogawa
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Publication number: 20180375429Abstract: A power converter comprises a first switch and a second switch connected in series between an input power source and ground, an inductor connected between a common node of the first switch and the second switch, and an output capacitor and a comparator having a first input connected to a reference, a second input configured to receive a sum of a first feedback signal and a second feedback signal and an output configured to generate a turn-on signal of the first switch, wherein the first feedback signal is proportional to an voltage across the output capacitor and the second feedback signal is generated by applying at least one low-pass filter to a switching ripple voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 10122272Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter employs peak current mode control and includes a cycle skipping prevent circuit. If a latch is set, then a high side switch is turned on. A comparator receives a signal indicative of current flow and a compensated error signal. The prevent circuit supplies a delayed version of a low duty cycle, fixed frequency, oscillator signal onto the set input lead of the latch. The prevent circuit gates a high signal as output by the comparator onto the reset input lead of the latch. If the output of the comparator has, however, not transitioned high by a predetermined time, then the prevent circuit gates a high pulse onto the reset input lead. Accordingly, the prevent circuit ensures that the latch is reset once every period of the signal SET. A cycle skipping prevent circuit is also disclosed for use in a converter that employs valley current mode control.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2017Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.Inventor: Masashi Nogawa
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Patent number: 8680710Abstract: Supply voltage sequencing circuitry includes a first sequencer (10-1) that produces an active level of a Power Good signal PG if a first supply voltage VOUT1 exceeds an upper threshold V90% while a control signal EN_PG is active, and produces an inactive level of PG if EN_PG is inactive. The PG level is latched when a control signal EN is inactive. A Power Down signal PD is produced if VOUT1 is less than a lower threshold V10% while EN is inactive. An active level of PD is produced when EN is active. A power-up sequence of supply voltages VOUT1, VOUT2, and VOUT3 monitored by the first sequencer and similar second (10-2) and third (10-3) sequencers, respectively, is determined by connection of PG of each of the first and second sequencers to control the supply voltage monitored by the next sequencer.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2010Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventor: Masashi Nogawa