Patents by Inventor Steven Leo Martin

Steven Leo Martin 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: 8558760
    Abstract: High efficiency drive circuitry for a group of parallel-connected light emitting devices, in which each device is driven in series by a respective source of bias current. The maximum voltage drop among the group of biased light emitting devices is determined and in response, a control voltage to drive all the light emitting device at the lowest effective voltage for the LED group is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Robert Vitunic, Steven Leo Martin
  • Patent number: 8405362
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for a portable device incorporating a battery and a battery charger. In the portable device, there are a plurality of system components configured to facilitate a plurality of functions that the portable device is designed to perform. The battery in the portable device is configured for providing an internal power supply to the plurality of system components in the absence of an external input power supply. The battery charger is configured for charging the battery when the external input power supply is available. The battery charger disclosed herein is capable of supplying system power to the system components when voltage of the battery that is being charged is below a limit, thereby allowing the portable device to operate when voltage of the battery drops below the limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Leo Martin, David Justin Simmons
  • Publication number: 20110133700
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for a portable device incorporating a battery and a battery charger. In the portable device, there are a plurality of system components configured to facilitate a plurality of functions that the portable device is designed to perform. The battery in the portable device is configured for providing an internal power supply to the plurality of system components in the absence of an external input power supply. The battery charger is configured for charging the battery when the external input power supply is available. The battery charger disclosed herein is capable of supplying system power to the system components when voltage of the battery that is being charged is below a limit, thereby allowing the portable device to operate when voltage of the battery drops below the limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Steven Leo MARTIN, David Justin SIMMONS
  • Patent number: 7795846
    Abstract: A switching circuit for converting an input voltage into an output voltage has an input terminal for receiving the input voltage. A power switching element is coupled to the input terminal and has duty cycle d controllable to adjust the output voltage with respect to a desired level using inductor current representing current in an inductor element connectable to the power switching element. An average and hold circuit is responsive to a voltage at an output of the power switching element to produce an average switch voltage over an ON phase of a switching cycle of the power switching element. A voltage-to-current converter is responsive to the average switch voltage for producing representation of an average inductor current over one or more switching cycles. A current modulator having a duty cycle equal to 1-d modulates the representation of the average inductor current to produce a signal proportional to an average output current of the switching circuit over one or more switching cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Steven Leo Martin
  • Patent number: 7777455
    Abstract: A switching circuit coupled to one or more input sources and having one or more switching elements controlled to produce an output for charging a battery. A first control circuit is responsive to current of the switching circuit for producing a first control signal to drive the switching element so as to control the current. A second control circuit is responsive to voltage at the battery for producing a second control signal to drive the switching element so as to control voltage developed across the battery. A selector circuit is responsive to the first and second control signals for selectively controlling the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Leo Martin, Trevor Wayne Barcelo
  • Publication number: 20080252275
    Abstract: A switching circuit for converting an input voltage into an output voltage has an input terminal for receiving the input voltage. A power switching element is coupled to the input terminal and has duty cycle d controllable to adjust the output voltage with respect to a desired level using inductor current representing current in an inductor element connectable to the power switching element. An average and hold circuit is responsive to a voltage at an output of the power switching element to produce an average switch voltage over an ON phase of a switching cycle of the power switching element. A voltage-to-current converter is responsive to the average switch voltage for producing representation of an average inductor current over one or more switching cycles. A current modulator having a duty cycle equal to 1-d modulates the representation of the average inductor current to produce a signal proportional to an average output current of the switching circuit over one or more switching cycles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventor: Steven Leo Martin