Patents by Inventor Michael David Mulligan

Michael David Mulligan 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: 9774240
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for an edge rate driver for a power converter switch. In an example, the driver can include an input node configured to receive a pulse width modulated signal, a first switch configured to couple a control node of the power converter switch to a supply voltage during a first state, a second switch configured to couple the control node of the power converter switch to a reference voltage during a second state, and a first current source configured to supply charge current to the first switch when the power converter switch transitions from the second state to the first state, the charge current configured to charge a parasitic capacitance of the power converter switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Michael David Mulligan, Timothy Alan Dhuyvetter
  • Publication number: 20150028678
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for an edge rate driver for a power converter switch. In an example, the driver can include an input node configured to receive a pulse width modulated signal, a first switch configured to couple a control node of the power converter switch to a supply voltage during a first state, a second switch configured to couple the control node of the power converter switch to a reference voltage during a second state, and a first current source configured to supply charge current to the first switch when the power converter switch transitions from the second state to the first state, the charge current configured to charge a parasitic capacitance of the power converter switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Michael David Mulligan, Timothy Alan Dhuyvetter
  • Patent number: 8860398
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for an edge rate driver for a power converter switch. In an example, the driver can include an input node configured to receive a pulse width modulated signal, a first switch configured to couple a control node of the power converter switch to a supply voltage during a first state, a second switch configured to couple the control node of the power converter switch to a reference voltage during a second state, and a first current source configured to supply charge current to the first switch when the power converter switch transitions from the second state to the first state, the charge current configured to charge a parasitic capacitance of the power converter switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Michael David Mulligan, Timothy Alan Dhuyvetter
  • Publication number: 20120206123
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for an edge rate driver for a power converter switch. In an example, the driver can include an input node configured to receive a pulse width modulated signal, a first switch configured to couple a control node of the power converter switch to a supply voltage during a first state, a second switch configured to couple the control node of the power converter switch to a reference voltage during a second state, and a first current source configured to supply charge current to the first switch when the power converter switch transitions from the second state to the first state, the charge current configured to charge a parasitic capacitance of the power converter switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Michael David Mulligan, Timothy Alan Dhuyvetter
  • Publication number: 20120206122
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for operating a voltage converter. In an example, a circuit for controlling a converter can include a comparator configured to receive an off-time charge voltage and an off-time threshold and to initiate a transition of a power transistor from an off-time state to an on-time state when the off-time charge voltage exceeds the off-time threshold, and a capacitor coupled to the comparator and configured to receive a voltage from an inductor in the off-time state and to provide the off-time charge voltage using the voltage from the inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Timothy Alan Dhuyvetter, Michael David Mulligan
  • Patent number: 6949968
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are arranged to provide increased sensitivity for a temperature sensor in an integrated circuit such that the accurate temperature sensing is achieved over a broad temperature range. A temperature sense signal from a VPTAT circuit is coupled to a level shifter to provide a level shifted signal. The level shifted signal is coupled to a gain block to provide an output signal with increased signal amplitude. The output signal is fed to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that is in communication with control logic. The control logic dynamically adjusts at least one parameter associated with the level shifter circuit and/or the gain block to maximize the dynamic range associated with the temperature sense signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Michael David Mulligan