Patents by Inventor Scott Willingham

Scott Willingham 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: 11989788
    Abstract: The following relates generally to light detection and ranging (LIDAR). In some embodiments, a homeowners insurance quote is produced based upon data received from a LIDAR camera. For instance, in some embodiments, a system: receives light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data generated from one or more LIDAR cameras; analyzes the LIDAR data to determine or identify one or more features or characteristics of a home; and generates an electronic homeowners insurance quote based upon, at least in part, the one or more features or characteristics of the home determined or identified from the LIDAR data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas Carmelo Marotta, Jd Johnson Willingham, Stacee Madsen, Jared Wheet, Laura A. Uphoff, Paul Bates, Austin Rowley, Michael Scott Harrison
  • Patent number: 10739845
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a circuit that has a normal mode of operation and a low-power mode of operation. The circuit consumes more power in the normal mode of operation than in the low-power mode of operation. The apparatus further includes a power-supply circuit. The power-supply circuit provides a normal supply voltage to the circuit in the normal mode of operation. The power-supply circuit includes a non-linear circuit to provide a compressed supply voltage to the circuit in the low-power mode of operation, wherein the normal supply voltage is greater than the compressed supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Praveen Kallam, Johnny Gudmund Bjornsen, Kenneth W. Fernald, Scott Willingham, Pavel Konecny
  • Publication number: 20190163257
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a circuit that has a normal mode of operation and a low-power mode of operation. The circuit consumes more power in the normal mode of operation than in the low-power mode of operation. The apparatus further includes a power-supply circuit. The power-supply circuit provides a normal supply voltage to the circuit in the normal mode of operation. The power-supply circuit includes a non-linear circuit to provide a compressed supply voltage to the circuit in the low-power mode of operation, wherein the normal supply voltage is greater than the compressed supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Praveen Kallam, Johnny Gudmund Bjornsen, Kenneth W. Fernald, Scott Willingham, Pavel Konecny
  • Patent number: 10139896
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a circuit that has a normal mode of operation and a low-power mode of operation. The circuit consumes more power in the normal mode of operation than in the low-power mode of operation. The apparatus further includes a power-supply circuit. The power-supply circuit provides a normal supply voltage to the circuit in the normal mode of operation. The power-supply circuit includes a non-linear circuit to provide a compressed supply voltage to the circuit in the low-power mode of operation, wherein the normal supply voltage is greater than the compressed supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Praveen Kallam, Johnny Gudmund Bjornsen, Kenneth W. Fernald, Scott Willingham, Pavel Konecny
  • Publication number: 20170010660
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a circuit that has a normal mode of operation and a low-power mode of operation. The circuit consumes more power in the normal mode of operation than in the low-power mode of operation. The apparatus further includes a power-supply circuit. The power-supply circuit provides a normal supply voltage to the circuit in the normal mode of operation. The power-supply circuit includes a non-linear circuit to provide a compressed supply voltage to the circuit in the low-power mode of operation, wherein the normal supply voltage is greater than the compressed supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Praveen Kallam, Johnny Gudmund Bjornsen, Kenneth W. Fernald, Scott Willingham, Pavel Konecny
  • Patent number: 9106176
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus to control a motor external to the motor control apparatus includes a microcontroller unit (MCU). The MCU includes mixed signal motor control circuitry adapted to perform back electromotive force (EMF) motor control in a first mode of operation. The mixed signal motor control circuitry is further adapted to perform field oriented control (FOC) in a second mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth A Berringer, Axel Thomsen, Pedro Pachuca, Brent Wilson, Jinwen Xiao, Scott Willingham, Kenneth W Fernald, Paul Zavalney
  • Publication number: 20140184116
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus to control a motor external to the motor control apparatus includes a microcontroller unit (MCU). The MCU includes mixed signal motor control circuitry adapted to perform back electromotive force (EMF) motor control in a first mode of operation. The mixed signal motor control circuitry is further adapted to perform field oriented control (FOC) in a second mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Berringer, Axel Thomsen, Pedro Pachuca, Brent Wilson, Jinwen Xiao, Scott Willingham, Kenneth W. Fernald, Paul Zavalney
  • Patent number: 8374296
    Abstract: A system including first voltage supply circuitry configured to provide a first voltage supply with spurious frequency content and second voltage supply circuitry configured to provide a second voltage supply without the spurious frequency content is provided. The system includes signal generation circuitry configured to generate a first digital signal using a clock signal and the first voltage supply and configured to cause the spurious frequency content on the first voltage supply and output circuitry configured to generate a second digital signal from the first digital signal synchronous with the clock signal using the second voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Vancorenland, Scott Willingham, Mustafa Koroglu, Jing Li
  • Patent number: 8306491
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining if a frequency control instruction would cause a first capacitor bank to reach a limit and adjusting the first capacitor bank in a first direction using a calibration value and adjusting a second capacitor bank in a second direction if the first capacitor bank would reach the limit. Furthermore, the calibration value may be calculated and stored in accordance with other embodiments. In such manner, small changes in capacitance and correspondingly small changes in frequency may be effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Der, Dana Taipale, Scott Willingham
  • Publication number: 20120183102
    Abstract: A receiver includes a first terminal for receiving an RF signal having a frequency of less than approximately 60 MHz, a second terminal, and a receive path having an input coupled to the first terminal and an output for providing a demodulated RF signal. The receiver further includes a detector coupled to the receive path for detecting a signal parameter in the RF signal and a controller coupled to the detector and to the second terminal. The controller provides the multiplex signal in a tuning state to the second terminal to selectively provide one of a first RF signal and a second RF signal to the first terminal and to determine at least one of a first parameter of the first RF signal and a second parameter of the second RF signal. The controller provides the multiplex signal in an operating state based on the first parameter and the second parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: SILICON LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Scott Willingham, Vivek Sarda
  • Publication number: 20100009645
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining if a frequency control instruction would cause a first capacitor bank to reach a limit and adjusting the first capacitor bank in a first direction using a calibration value and adjusting a second capacitor bank in a second direction if the first capacitor bank would reach the limit. Furthermore, the calibration value may be calculated and stored in accordance with other embodiments. In such manner, small changes in capacitance and correspondingly small changes in frequency may be effected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Lawrence Der, Dana Taipale, Scott Willingham
  • Publication number: 20090245440
    Abstract: A system including first voltage supply circuitry configured to provide a first voltage supply with spurious frequency content and second voltage supply circuitry configured to provide a second voltage supply without the spurious frequency content is provided. The system includes signal generation circuitry configured to generate a first digital signal using a clock signal and the first voltage supply and configured to cause the spurious frequency content on the first voltage supply and output circuitry configured to generate a second digital signal from the first digital signal synchronous with the clock signal using the second voltage supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Peter J. Vancorenland, Scott Willingham, Mustafa Koroglu, Jing Li
  • Patent number: 7587184
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining if a frequency control instruction would cause a first capacitor bank to reach a limit and adjusting the first capacitor bank in a first direction using a calibration value and adjusting a second capacitor bank in a second direction if the first capacitor bank would reach the limit. Furthermore, the calibration value may be calculated and stored in accordance with other embodiments. In such manner, small changes in capacitance and correspondingly small changes in frequency may be effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Der, Dana Taipale, Scott Willingham
  • Publication number: 20080008259
    Abstract: A ratiometric clock system for an integrated receiver and associated method are disclosed that provide an advantageous solution for combining digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry on the same integrated circuit as mixer and local oscillator (LO) generation circuitry. The generation circuitry generates an oscillation signal that is passed through a first divider to generate mixing signals for the mixer and that is passed through a second divider to generate a digital clock signal that is utilized by the DSP circuitry. This digital clock signal can be utilized by integrated analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: G. Tuttle, David Welland, Scott Willingham
  • Publication number: 20070057743
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a plurality of varactor cells to receive a control signal to control a frequency of the oscillator. Each of the varactor cells includes a switch that includes a first terninal to receive the control signal and a second terminal such that the switch operates to control a capacitance of the varactor cell in response to a voltage between the first and second terminals. The oscillator includes a bias circuit to provide a different bias voltage to each second terminal and an amplifier that is coupled to the varactor cells to generate an oscillating signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventors: Peter Vancorenland, Lysander Lim, Augusto Marques, Scott Willingham
  • Publication number: 20070004362
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having a first capacitor coupled between a first node and a second node, a second capacitor coupled between the second node and a reference potential, and a third capacitor coupled between the second node and a switch, where the switch is controllable to couple the third capacitor to the second node. Using such an apparatus small changes in capacitance and correspondingly small changes in frequency may be effected. Other embodiments are directed to calibration of one or more capacitor banks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Lawrence Der, Dana Taipale, Scott Willingham
  • Publication number: 20070001657
    Abstract: A technique includes using a first stored energy source to generate a reference signal to circuitry of a supply regulator in response to the regulator being in a startup state. The technique includes using an output signal that is provided by the regulator to generate the reference signal in response to the regulator not being in the startup state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Murthy Mellachurvu, Scott Willingham, Peter Vancorenland, G. Tuttle
  • Publication number: 20070001823
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining if a frequency control instruction would cause a first capacitor bank to reach a limit and adjusting the first capacitor bank in a first direction using a calibration value and adjusting a second capacitor bank in a second direction if the first capacitor bank would reach the limit. Furthermore, the calibration value may be calculated and stored in accordance with other embodiments. In such manner, small changes in capacitance and correspondingly small changes in frequency may be effected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Lawrence Der, Dana Taipale, Scott Willingham
  • Publication number: 20060003728
    Abstract: A ratiometric clock system for an integrated receiver and associated method are disclosed that provide an advantageous solution for combining digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry on the same integrated circuit as mixer and local oscillator (LO) generation circuitry. The generation circuitry generates an oscillation signal that is passed through a first divider to generate mixing signals for the mixer and that is passed through a second divider to generate a digital clock signal that is utilized by the DSP circuitry. This digital clock signal can be utilized by integrated analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Inventors: G. Tuttle, David Welland, Scott Willingham
  • Publication number: 20050212581
    Abstract: A buffer (40) includes a capacitor (42) having a first terminal for receiving an input signal, and a second terminal; a first transistor (44) having a first current electrode for receiving a first power supply voltage, a control electrode coupled to the second terminal of the capacitor (42), and a second current electrode for providing an output signal of the buffer (40); and a second transistor (45) having a first current electrode coupled to the second current electrode of the first transistor (44), a control electrode coupled to the second terminal of the capacitor (42), and a second current electrode for receiving a second power supply voltage. A capacitance of the capacitor (42) is chosen to reduce a peak-to-peak voltage swing of the input signal such that a peak-to-peak voltage swing at the control electrodes of the first (44) and second (45) transistors is less than or equal to a difference between the first and second power supply voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Scott Willingham, Augusto Marques