Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Robert F. Hightower
  • Method of forming a high capacitance diode and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7666751
    Abstract: In one embodiment, high doped semiconductor channels are formed in a semiconductor region of an opposite conductivity type to increase the capacitance of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: David D. Marreiro, Sudhama C. Shastri, Gordon M. Grivna, Earl D. Fuchs
  • Vertical MOS transistor and method therefor
    Patent number: 7652329
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a vertical MOS transistor is formed without a thick field oxide and particularly without a thick field oxide in the termination region of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Prasad Venkatraman
  • Power supply controller and method therefor
    Patent number: 7646189
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a PWM controller uses the input power of a power system to regulate a duty cycle of a switching PWM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gang Chen
  • Method of forming a voltage regulator and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7642754
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a voltage regulator uses a first current to charge a by-pass capacitor for a first time period and uses a second current after the first time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Stephen W. Dow, Praveen Manapragada, David F. Moeller
  • High voltage sensor device
    Patent number: 7638405
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a high voltage element is formed overlying a doped semiconductor region that can be depleted during the operation of the high voltage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Jefferson W. Hall, Mohammed Tanvir Quddus
  • Semiconductor package and method therefor
    Patent number: 7638863
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor package is formed to include a tamper barrier that is positioned between at least a portion of the connection terminals of the semiconductor package and an edge of the semiconductor package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Phillip Celaya, James P. Letterman, Jr.
  • Method of forming a semiconductor device and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7638385
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming isolation trenches that are used to isolate some of the electrical elements such as transistors, diodes, capacitors, or resistors on a semiconductor die from other elements on the semiconductor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Gordon M. Grivna, Peter J. Zdebel, Diann Dow
  • Power supply soft start controller with no output voltage undershoot when transitioning from skip cycle mode to normal mode
    Patent number: 7623361
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller is configured to reset or override a soft-start reference signal responsively to the output voltage decreasing to a value that is less than a desired regulated value of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Christophe Basso, Jefferson W. Hall, Petr Kadanka
  • Method of forming a low capacitance semiconductor device and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7619287
    Abstract: In one embodiment a transistor is formed with a gate structure having an opening in the gate structure. An insulator is formed on at least sidewalls of the opening and a conductor is formed on the insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Prasad Venkatraman
  • Edge seal for a semiconductor device and method therefor
    Patent number: 7615469
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an edge seal region of a semiconductor die is formed by forming a first dielectric layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate near an edge of the semiconductor die and extending across into a scribe grid region of the semiconductor substrate. Another dielectric layer is formed overlying the first dielectric layer. An opening is formed through the first and second dielectric layers. The second dielectric layer is used as a mask for forming a doped region on the semiconductor substrate through the opening. A metal is formed that electrically contacts the doped region and an exterior edge of the first dielectric layer within the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Gordon M. Grivna, Shanghui L. Tu
  • Method of forming a transistor diagnostic circuit
    Patent number: 7602206
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a diagnostic circuit is used to test the on-resistance of a transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Alan R. Ball
  • Switching power supply control
    Patent number: 7595617
    Abstract: A switching power supply controller includes a comparator to compare a feedback signal to a first limit and a second limit, one of which includes a ramp. Limit generators may be used to generate limit signals in response to power supply signals, control signals, and/or output signals. An error amplifier may be used to generate the feedback signal in response to an output signal and an input control signal. A switching power supply may alternatively include an oscillator that shifts the switching frequency in response to the input control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Tod F. Schiff
  • Boosted switch drive with charge transfer
    Patent number: 7592718
    Abstract: A switch drive circuit utilizes charge transfer within and/or between boost circuit and/or snubber circuits for boosted switch drives. A boost circuit may include a divider to limit a boosted signal for driving a switch. A snubber circuit may transfer charge to a boost circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Tod F. Schiff
  • Low audible noise power supply method and controller therefor
    Patent number: 7583522
    Abstract: A power controller forms drive pulses that reduces audible noise under light load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jefferson W. Hall, Christophe Basso
  • Power supply controller and method therefor
    Patent number: 7583120
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an error amplifier of a power supply controller is configured to receive a current sense signal prior to the current sense signal undergoing amplification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Benjamin M. Rice
  • LED controller and method therefor
    Patent number: 7583034
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a vertical N-channel transistor is coupled in a high side configuration to control a current through an LED. A control circuit operates the vertical N-channel transistor to control a value of the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara-Ascorra, Stephen P. Robb, Alan R. Ball
  • Multi-channel ESD device and method therefor
    Patent number: 7579632
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an ESD device is configured to include a zener diode and a P-N diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ali Salih, Mingjiao Liu, Sudhama C. Shastri, Thomas Keena, Gordon M. Grivna, John Michael Parsey, Jr., Francine Y. Robb, Ki Chang
  • Current regulator and method therefor
    Patent number: 7579818
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a current regulator is configured to form a first signal representative of a current flow through a power switch and to use the first signal to determine an off-time of the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Alan R. Ball, David M. Heminger
  • Accurate timing generator and method therefor
    Patent number: 7579892
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a reference generator forms a reference signal that may have temperature and process variations. A comparator that has similar variations is used to detect a signal using the reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Petr Kadanka
  • Accurate voltage reference circuit and method therefor
    Patent number: 7570040
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a voltage reference circuit is configured to use two differentially coupled transistors to form a delta Vbe for the voltage reference circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Paolo Migliavacca