Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Robert F. Hightower
  • Shunt protection circuit and method therefor
    Patent number: 7564666
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a protection device is used to protect a circuit. The protection device has a maximum rated power dissipation that is less than a maximum rated power dissipation of the circuit that is being protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Alan R. Ball, Stephen P. Robb
  • Method of forming a power supply controller and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7564704
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller is configured to switch a power switch of a power supply when a voltage across the switch is at a minimum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Antonin Rozsypal, Roman Stuler, Karel Ptacek
  • Power supply controller and method therefor
    Patent number: 7545134
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller is configured to form a reference signal that has selectable values. The power supply controller is also configured to form a feed-forward signal in response to change in the value of the reference voltage and to use this feed-forward signal control the value of an output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Paul J. Harriman
  • Compensated switching power supply controller and method therefor
    Patent number: 7541792
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi-channel power supply controller adjusts the value of an error signal to minimize overshoot and undershoot during load transients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Paul J. Harriman
  • Method of forming low capacitance ESD device and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7538395
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the ESD device uses highly doped P and N regions deep within the ESD device to form a zener diode that has a controlled breakdown voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Thomas Keena, Ki Chang, Francine Y. Robb, Mingjiao Liu, Ali Salih, John Michael Parsey, Jr., George Chang
  • Bi-directional transistor with by-pass path and method therefor
    Patent number: 7537970
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a transistor is formed to have a first current flow path to selectively conduct current in both directions through the transistor and to have a second current flow path to selectively conduct current in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Francine Y. Robb, Stephen P. Robb
  • Method of forming a PWM controller and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7535276
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a PWM controller is configured to form a drive signal that has an operating frequency that varies around a center by a percentage of the center frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Radim Mlcousek, Pavel Latal
  • High accuracy zero crossing detector and method therefor
    Patent number: 7535265
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a zero crossing detector couples a plurality of comparators in parallel and operates at least a portion of the comparators at different time periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Abdesselam Bayadroun
  • LED control system
    Patent number: 7528551
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an LED system is controlled to have a substantially unity power factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Alan R. Ball
  • Linear regulator and method therefor
    Patent number: 7521909
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a linear regulator is formed with a variable miller compensation circuit that varies a zero of the linear regulator proportionally to a load current supplied by the regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Stephen W. Dow, Praveen Manapragada, David F. Moeller
  • Secondary side controller and method therefor
    Patent number: 7515442
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a secondary side power supply controller is configured to enable a secondary side power switch independently of a state of a drive signal used to control a primary side of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Frantisek Mikulenka, Roman Urban
  • Multi-chip semiconductor connector assemblies
    Patent number: 7508060
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a multi-chip semiconductor connector is utilized for forming a semiconductor package having a plurality of semiconductor die. The multi-chip semiconductor connector is utilized to mechanically attach the plurality of semiconductor die together and to provide electrical connection to the plurality of semiconductor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Francis J. Carney, Phillip Celaya, Joseph K. Fauty, James P. Letterman, Stephen St. Germain, Jay A. Yoder
  • Method of forming an in-rush limiter and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7508641
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an in-rush limiter is configured to control an output voltage to increase at a rate that is independent of the load that is powered by the in-rush limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Alan R. Ball, Stephen P. Robb
  • Power supply controller and method therefor
    Patent number: 7508183
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller utilizes a plurality of reference signals that operate at different frequencies to form a switching signal that is suitable to control a power device to regulate an output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gang Chen
  • Method of forming an operational amplifier and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7501894
    Abstract: In one aspect, an operational amplifier is configured to form a quiescent current that is a ratio of a current of a current source of the operational amplifier and to provide a load current to a load that is not ratioed to the current of the current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: John D. Stone
  • Switching power supply controller with improved efficiency and method therefor
    Patent number: 7486529
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a switching power supply controller decouples the power supply controller from receiving a sense signal during one portion of the operation of the power supply controller and couples the switching power supply controller to receive the sense signal during another portion of the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Frantisek Sukup
  • Fan speed control system
    Patent number: 7483270
    Abstract: A fan speed control system (200) for an electronic equipment enclosure comprises means for determining temperature (201, 202, 203, 210, 211) at a plurality of locations within the enclosure, means for determining operating parameters (201, 202, 203, 212) for the fan control system, means for setting operating speed (201) of at least one cooling fan, and means for exchanging information signals (205, 217, 218) relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller. A method is also provided for controlling fan speed for an electronic equipment enclosure comprising the steps of determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure, determining operating parameters for the fan control system, setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan, and exchanging information signals relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: John Blake
  • Method of forming a start-up device and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7477532
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a start-up controller for a PWM power supply controller is formed to generate a current that is substantially constant for changes in temperature and for changes in an output voltage received by the start-up controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jefferson W. Hall, Senpeng Sheng
  • Power supply output monitor
    Patent number: 7466894
    Abstract: A power supply monitoring system generates a monitor signal having information on more than one aspect of the power supply output. In one example embodiment, the monitor signal may be implemented as a square wave in which the duty cycle is proportional to output current, the peak amplitude is proportional to output voltage, and the average value is equal to output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Tod F. Schiff, Rodney J. Goldhammer, Gabor T. Reizik
  • Method of forming a trench semiconductor device and structure therefor
    Patent number: 7462550
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a trench semiconductor device is formed to have an oxide of a first thickness along the sidewalls of the trench, and to have a greater thickness along at least a portion of a bottom of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gordon M. Grivna