Patents by Inventor Troy J. Littlefield

Troy J. Littlefield 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).

  • Method and circuits for performing offline circuit trimming
    Patent number: 6993467
    Abstract: An offline trim circuit includes one or more irreversible trim elements, such as fuses, for example, used for setting electrical parameters to desired values. Associated circuitry is employed to verify the effect of trimming, prior to permanently setting trim bit values, permitting the optimal definition of the trim bit sequence and completely eliminating guesswork from the trimming procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Toko, Inc.
    Inventors: Gabe C. Gavrila, Troy J. Littlefield, Fernando Ramon Martin-Lopez
  • Method and circuits for performing offline circuit trimming
    Publication number: 20020069394
    Abstract: An offline trim circuit includes one or more irreversible trim elements, such as fuses, for example, used for setting electrical parameters to desired values. Associated circuitry is employed to verify the effect of trimming, prior to permanently setting trim bit values, permitting the optimal definition of the trim bit sequence and completely eliminating guesswork from the trimming procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Inventors: Gabe C. Gavrila, Troy J. Littlefield, Fernando Ramon Martin-Lopez
  • DC to AC switching circuit for driving an electroluminescent lamp exhibiting capactive loading characteristics
    Patent number: 6081075
    Abstract: A switching circuit is provided for converting a DC voltage to an AC voltage required for driving an electroluminescent lamp. The switching circuit charges and discharges the electroluminescent lamp with a substantially constant current to thereby reduce peak currents and extend lamp life. A constant current discharge feature of the switching circuit results in a significant reduction in current consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Toko, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy J. Littlefield
  • Dual-threshold comparator circuit utilizing a single input pin
    Patent number: 6028456
    Abstract: A dual-threshold voltage comparator circuit utilizes a single input pin of an integrated circuit and an external resistor network. Appropriate selection of the resistors comprising the resistor network permits independent setting of the dual thresholds of the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Toko, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy J. Littlefield
  • Circuit and method for directly regulating the output voltage of an electroluminescent lamp driver
    Patent number: 6011382
    Abstract: An EL lamp driver employs constant power regulation rather than pulse frequency modulation to thereby eliminate the high voltage resistive divider network present in prior art EL lamp drivers that employ pulse frequency modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Toko, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy J. Littlefield, Dan Fleming
  • Controller circuit for controlling a step down switching regulator operating in discontinuous conduction mode
    Patent number: 5959443
    Abstract: A controller circuit for controlling and continuously varying the average value of discontinuous current pulses in a step down switching regulator operating in discontinuous conduction mode effects improvements in efficiency and output ripple of the switching regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Toko, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy J. Littlefield