Patents by Inventor Washington Lamar

Washington Lamar 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).

  • Publication number: 20180190599
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a package, a plurality of external leads extending outside the package, a first die within the package having one or more first contacts electrically coupled to at least a first one of the external leads, and a second die within the package having one or more second contacts electrically coupled to at least a second one of the external leads. A capacitive coupling may be positioned between the first and second die to allow electrostatic discharge (ESD) current to flow between the first die and the second die in response to an ESD event and to electrically isolate the first and second die from each other in the absence of the ESD event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Washington Lamar, Maxim Klebanov
  • Patent number: 9941224
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a package, a plurality of external leads extending outside the package, a first die within the package having one or more first contacts electrically coupled to at least a first one of the external leads, and a second die within the package having one or more second contacts electrically coupled to at least a second one of the external leads. A capacitive coupling may be positioned between the first and second die to allow electrostatic discharge (ESD) current to flow between the first die and the second die in response to an ESD event and to electrically isolate the first and second die from each other in the absence of the ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Washington Lamar, Maxim Klebanov
  • Publication number: 20180083442
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a conduction path circuit coupled between the first and second terminals. The conduction path circuit includes an input terminal to receive an enable signal which, when activated, allows the conduction path circuit to conduct electrical current between the first and second terminal. A control circuit coupled to the input terminal of the conduction path circuit is configured to selectively activate the enable signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Washington Lamar, Maxim Klebanov
  • Publication number: 20180061784
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a package, a plurality of external leads extending outside the package, a first die within the package having one or more first contacts electrically coupled to at least a first one of the external leads, and a second die within the package having one or more second contacts electrically coupled to at least a second one of the external leads. A capacitive coupling may be positioned between the first and second die to allow electrostatic discharge (ESD) current to flow between the first die and the second die in response to an ESD event and to electrically isolate the first and second die from each other in the absence of the ESD event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Washington Lamar, Maxim Klebanov
  • Publication number: 20180061820
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a package, a plurality of external connections extending outside the package, and a first die having a first electrical contact coupled to a first connection of the plurality of external connections. The apparatus also includes a second die having a second electrical contact coupled to a second connection of the plurality of external connections. A conductor is electrically coupled between the first contact and the second contact to allow electrostatic discharge current to flow between the first die to the second die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Maxim Klebanov, Washington Lamar, William P. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9866014
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device comprises a shared electrical over-stress (EOS) protection circuit. The shared EOS protection circuit may be coupled between a power input terminal and ground terminal to provide an EOS current path from the power input terminal to the ground terminal, and coupled between the output terminal and the ground terminal to provide an EOS current path from the output terminal to the ground terminal. The electronic device may also include a power interruption mitigation circuit to provide power to the electronic device during interruptions or fluctuations in external power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Maxim Klebanov, Washington Lamar
  • Publication number: 20170250143
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a package and at least two leads exposed external to the package to permit electrical connections to the package. A first die situated in the package has a first substrate and at least a first terminal electrically coupled to a first one of the leads. A second die situated in the package has a second substrate and at least a second terminal electrically coupled to a second one of the lead. An adhesive material holding the first and second die in place forms a voltage-triggered conduction path between the first and second die electrically that isolates the second die from the first die under a first condition and provides an ESD current path between the first one of the leads and the second one of the leads under a second condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: Allegro Microsystems, LLC
    Inventors: William Wilkinson, Washington Lamar, Maxim Klebanov
  • Publication number: 20160282893
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes semiconductor substrate having a first doping type and a reference terminal coupled to the semiconductor substrate. A tub area having a second doping type is formed in the semiconductor substrate. A well area having the first doping type is formed within the tub area. A driver circuit comprising a transistor is formed within the well area and has an output terminal. A control circuit is coupled to the driver circuit for controlling the driver circuit. A second transistor is within the well area and coupled in series between the driver circuit and the output terminal, the second transistor having a first terminal coupled to the driver circuit and a second terminal coupled to the output terminal. A biasing circuit is coupled to a gate terminal of the second transistor and configured to bias the transistor to a conducting state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Allegro Microsystems, LLC
    Inventors: Richard B. Cooper, Maxim Klebanov, Washington Lamar, Devon Fernandez
  • Publication number: 20160233670
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device comprises a shared electrical over-stress (EOS) protection circuit. The shared EOS protection circuit may be coupled between a power input terminal and ground terminal to provide an EOS current path from the power input terminal to the ground terminal, and coupled between the output terminal and the ground terminal to provide an EOS current path from the output terminal to the ground terminal. The electronic device may also include a power interruption mitigation circuit to provide power to the electronic device during interruptions or fluctuations in external power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Maxim Klebanov, Washington Lamar
  • Patent number: 8922962
    Abstract: A power clamp circuit having improved robustness to electrostatic discharge (ESD) events includes a voltage regulation circuit and a current controlled switch. The voltage regulation circuit and the current controlled switch may be used to modify a snapback voltage of the power clamp in a manner that enhances the power clamp's ability to handle ESD events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, LLC
    Inventors: Washington Lamar, Maxim Klebanov
  • Publication number: 20140176110
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a driver circuit having an output terminal that can be coupled to a load to drive the load. A control circuit may be coupled to the driver circuit for controlling the driver circuit. A transistor may be coupled in series between the driver circuit and the output terminal. The transistor may have a first terminal coupled to the driver circuit and a second terminal coupled to the output terminal. A biasing circuit may be coupled to a gate terminal of the transistor and configured to bias the transistor to a conducting state. The biasing circuit may have sufficient drive strength to maintain the transistor in the conducting state in the presence of electromagnetic interference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Washington Lamar, Maxim Klebanov
  • Publication number: 20130335868
    Abstract: A power clamp circuit having improved robustness to electrostatic discharge (ESD) events includes a voltage regulation circuit and a current controlled switch. The voltage regulation circuit and the current controlled switch may be used to modify a snapback voltage of the power clamp in a manner that enhances the power clamp's ability to handle ESD events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Washington Lamar, Maxim Klebanov
  • Patent number: 7694200
    Abstract: An integrated circuit and a method of built-in self test in the integrated circuit employ an offset control node and offset capabilities with the integrated circuit in order to communicate and distribute a built-in self-test signal. The built-in self-test signal can emulate signals internal to the integrated circuit during normal operation, and/or the built-in self-test signal can have other signal characteristics representative of signals other than those signals internal to the integrated circuit during normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn A. Forrest, Washington Lamar
  • Publication number: 20090024889
    Abstract: An integrated circuit and a method of built-in self test in the integrated circuit employ an offset control node and offset capabilities with the integrated circuit in order to communicate and distribute a built-in self-test signal. The built-in self-test signal can emulate signals internal to the integrated circuit during normal operation, and/or the built-in self-test signal can have other signal characteristics representative of signals other than those signals internal to the integrated circuit during normal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Glenn A. Forrest, Washington Lamar
  • Patent number: 7253614
    Abstract: A proximity detector has a sequential flow state machine to identify states associated with a magnetic field signal provided by a magnetic field sensing element. The proximity detector can include a vibration processor to identify a vibration in response to the states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn A. Forrest, James M. Bailey, Washington Lamar
  • Publication number: 20060208729
    Abstract: A proximity detector has a sequential flow state machine to identify states associated with a magnetic field signal provided by a magnetic field sensing element. The proximity detector can include a vibration processor to identify a vibration in response to the states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventors: Glenn Forrest, James Bailey, Washington Lamar