Patents by Inventor Sam Vermeir

Sam Vermeir 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: 9480193
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a load detection circuit may include a first circuit configured to control a first transistor to form a load current to a load in a first operating mode of the load detection circuit, a second circuit configured to be coupled to form at least a portion of the load current in a second operating mode of the load detection circuit, and a detection circuit configured to detect the control electrode of the first transistor having a value that is less than a threshold value of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sam Vermeir, Leo Aichriedler
  • Publication number: 20150145562
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a load detection circuit may include a first circuit configured to control a first transistor to form a load current to a load in a first operating mode of the load detection circuit, a second circuit configured to be coupled to form at least a portion of the load current in a second operating mode of the load detection circuit, and a detection circuit configured to detect the control electrode of the first transistor having a value that is less than a threshold value of the first transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sam VERMEIR, Leo AICHRIEDLER
  • Patent number: 7592764
    Abstract: A circuit for determining a direction of rotation of an electric motor, the motor having asymmetry and/or eccentricity in a profile of back electromotive force as a function of angular position of a rotor with respect to a stator, the circuit receiving a signal representing the BEMF, and use the corresponding asymmetry and/or eccentricity in the signal to derive the direction of rotation. The signal representing the back emf can be generated by a control circuit. The control circuit can have a feedback loop regulator to generate a control signal (TL or TR) to control a current drive circuit (11,12) to control an amplitude of current (iw) in the windings, the feedback loop regulator being arranged to compare the amplitude of the current (iw) in the windings with a reference value (iset), and use the control signal to provide the signal representing the back electromotive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: AMI Semiconductor Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Sam Vermeir, Francois Laulanet, Bart Decock
  • Publication number: 20080197794
    Abstract: A circuit for determining a direction of rotation of an electric motor, the motor having asymmetry and/or eccentricity in a profile of back electromotive force as a function of angular position of a rotor with respect to a stator, the circuit receiving a signal representing the BEMF, and use the corresponding asymmetry and/or eccentricity in the signal to derive the direction of rotation. The signal representing the back emf can be generated by a control circuit. The control circuit can have a feedback loop regulator to generate a control signal (TL or TR) to control a current drive circuit (11,12) to control an amplitude of current (iw) in the windings, the feedback loop regulator being arranged to compare the amplitude of the current (iw) in the windings with a reference value (iset), and use the control signal to provide the signal representing the back electromotive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: AMI Semiconductor Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Sam Vermeir, Francois Laulanet, Bart De Cock