Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Steven R. Biren
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Patent number: 6034509Abstract: A battery-powered electrical device comprising a switchable voltage drain (3,5) and a rechargeable battery (1), and further comprising means for measuring the voltage V across the terminals of the battery (1) as a function of cumulative discharge time t, and for determining the cumulative discharge time t.sub.p corresponding to the attainment of the local extremum of least magnitude in the derivative dV/dt. In a particular embodiment, the device contains means for interrupting the voltage drain (3,5) upon expiry of a cumulative discharge time t.sub.e =nt.sub.p, whereby n is a fixed, pre-selected real number. In addition, it is possible to calculate and display the remaining discharge time t.sub.rem =m.sub.o t.sub.o -t, where m.sub.o is a fixed, pre-selected real number. The values of n and m.sub.o will generally be chosen to lie in the range 1.2-6.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 1998Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Robert E. F. Einerhand, Johann R. G. C. Van Beek, Jean N. Patillon
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Patent number: 6034734Abstract: In a scan conversion method of generating an output video signal from an interlaced input signal, including the steps of furnishing (1) a first signal having first lines (F.sub.i (x-(0, 1).sup.T, n)) corresponding to original lines of the interlaced input signal, and second lines (F.sub.i (x, n)) in addition to the first lines (F.sub.i (x-(0, 1).sup.T, n)); and providing (5, 11, 7, 13) a second signal which is delayed or advanced with respect to the first signal, the second signal having first processed lines (F.sub.out (x-(0, 1).sup.T -D, n-1)) corresponding to the original lines, and second processed lines (F.sub.out (x-D, n-1)) corresponding to the second lines (F.sub.i (x, n)); output lines (F.sub.out (x, n)) of the output video signal are obtained in dependence upon a first difference between the first processed lines (F.sub.out (x-(0, 1).sup.T -D, n-1)) and the first lines (F.sub.i (x-(0, 1).sup.T, n)), and a second difference between the second processed lines (F.sub.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 1996Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Gerard De Haan, Paul W. A. C. Biezen
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Patent number: 6031742Abstract: A DC voltage converter is intended to multiply an input voltage and includes N elementary cells (ECi) in a cascade arrangement, each cell being intended to store the value of the input voltage in two capacitors (Ci1, Ci2). The charging and discharging of the capacitors (Ci1, Ci2) is controlled by transistors (Ni1, Ni2) whose conduction is controlled by the same control signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1998Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventor: Jacques Journeau
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Patent number: 6031986Abstract: A simulator and its operation, for simulating electromagnetic behaviour of an IC (integrated circuit) of thin-film passive circuit components, uses a simple equivalent circuit model to minimise computer processing time while retaining good model accuracy in spite of the energy losses and different film thicknesses, conductivities and dielectric properties which occur in a passive integration IC.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 1998Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventor: Robert F. Milsom
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Patent number: 6028480Abstract: In a differential pair (P1, P2) actively loaded with a current mirror (N1, N2), a differential amplifier (A) drives the common terminal (Z) of the current mirror to force a zero voltage difference between the input terminal (X) and the output terminal (Y) of the current mirror. The voltage at the input terminal (X) is actively bootstrapped, via the differential amplifier (A), by the voltage of the output terminal (Y) with high precision. Thus a high voltage gain is obtained. A capacitor (CP) between the input terminal (X) and the control terminal (Z) compensates the local loop formed by the differential amplifier (A) and the input transistor (N1) of the current mirror, and forms a short circuit at high frequencies, thus reducing the active load of the differential pair to a conventional current mirror. For high frequencies the circuit has the same gain and phase properties as the standard non-bootstrapped approach and standard compensating techniques can be applied to the complete amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1997Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Evert Seevinck, Monuko Du Plessis
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Patent number: 6026287Abstract: A converter, transmitter and/or receiver for mixing an input signal (I.sub.RF) having a first frequency (RF) with an input signal (I.sub.LO) coming from a local oscillator having a second frequency (LO), and for producing an output signal (O.sub.IF) having an intermediate frequency (IF), with rejection of the harmonics of the second frequency (LO) up to a very high order, for example, higher than the tenth order. The device includes a double balanced ring mixer (17) of field effect transistors (12, 13, 14, 15), having a first and a second pair of input terminals (3, 4; 1, 2) and having a pair of output terminals (5, 6), and a first and a second coupler (18, 19) respectively acting as a phase separator and phase combiner for the input signal (I.sub.RF) having the first frequency (RF) and output signal (O.sub.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 1997Date of Patent: February 15, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Eric Puechberty, Patrick Jean, Christophe Boyavalle
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Patent number: 6023090Abstract: A lateral thin-film Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) device includes a semiconductor substrate, a buried insulating layer on the substrate and a lateral MOS device on the buried insulating layer and having a source region of a first conductivity type formed in a body region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first. A lateral drift region of a first conductivity type is provided adjacent the body region, and a drain region of the first conductivity type is provided laterally spaced apart from the body region by the drift region. A gate electrode is provided over a part of the body region in which a channel region is formed during operation and over at least a part of the lateral drift region adjacent the body region, with the gate electrode being insulated from the body region and drift region by an insulation region.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 1998Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: Philips Electronics North America, CorporationInventors: Theodore Letavic, Mark Simpson
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Patent number: 6023309Abstract: A reflective liquid crystal display such as an AMLCD includes an array of reflective pixels located over a surface of a silicon substrate, with light transmissive regions being located between the reflective pixels. The structure includes two metal layers between the reflective pixels and the silicon substrate surface, with segments of one metal layer extending in a first direction to form row electrodes of the LCD and segments of the other metal layer extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first to form column electrodes of the LCD. In order to block light that would otherwise pass through light transmissive regions between the reflective pixels, portions of the first two metal layers extend beneath the light transmissive regions between the reflective pixels. In this manner, a light-blocking function is provided without the need for a separate blocking or shading metal layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1997Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: Philips Electronics North America CorporationInventors: Pawan Gogna, Peter J. Janssen
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Patent number: 6023142Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus (1) comprises a record carrier holder (8) into which a record carrier (7) can be loaded in a loading position of the record carrier holder (8) and which is movable by hand from its loading position into a switching position. A drive motor (9) is coupled to the record carrier holder (8) via a drive transmission (10) to move the record carrier holder (8) from its switching position into an operating position. The drive motor (9) supplies at least one generator pulse (GI) when the record carrier holder (8) is moved by hand from its loading position into its switching position, which generator pulse can be detected by a comparator device (17), which in response thereto supplies activation information (AI) to a mode activation stage (20). The mode activation stage (20) is adapted to activate an active mode upon the occurrence of activation information (AI) while the recording and/or reproducing apparatus (1) is in the power saving mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 1999Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventor: Josef Inschlag
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Patent number: 6020617Abstract: A lateral MOS transistor is described, in particular, though not exclusively, a transistor of the lateral DMOS type, in which the drain is provided with a weakly doped drain extension (8) to increase the breakdown voltage. This drain extension is also present at the ends of the drain digits, so that the "hard" drain (5) does not continue up to the edge (7) of the active region (6), but is separated therefrom by an interposed region. These regions do not contribute to the transistor effect. To reduce parasitic input capacitances, which correspond to these non-active regions, the gate poly (9) is provided in the active portion of the transistor only and is replaced in the non-active portions by poly (22) which is connected through to the source (4, 16). This poly acts as a gate which is permanently at 0 V, so that leakage currents in the non-active regions are prevented.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 1998Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventor: Hendrikus F. F. Jos
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Patent number: 6021037Abstract: A device (1) for supplying electric power to a load (4) connected to the device (1) in a power-on mode comprises a driver stage (7), a control unit (9), adapted to supply turn-on pulses to the driver stage (7), and an output stage (12) with a switching transistor (1) which can be driven into its conductive state for a time interval (T.sub.EIN) by the driver stage (7) in the power-on mode when turn-on pulses occur, and which can be driven into its non-conductive state after expiry of the time interval (T.sub.EIN), the driver stage (7) being also adapted to monitor the operating temperature (T.sub.S) of the switching transistor (11) and to activate a power-off mode when the operating temperature (T.sub.S) of the switching transistor (11) exceeds a first limit temperature (T.sub.G1), in which power-off mode the switching transistor (11) is permanently driven into its non-conductive state by the driver stage (7) in spite of the occurrence of turn-on pulses (I.sub.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 1997Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventor: Rudolf Hasler
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Patent number: 6014119Abstract: Control device for an electroluminescent display device, comprising an active layer of a semiconducting polymer of, for example pixels arranged in the form of a matrix, reducing flicker and crosstalk. The control device may be based on voltage control at which voltages across the pixels are at least 1.6 V, but is preferably based on current control, at which the duration of the data pulses determines the grey level.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 1996Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Aemilianus G. J. Staring, David B. Braun, Karel E. Kuijk
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Patent number: 6011278Abstract: A lateral silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor device includes a SIC substrate of a first conductivity type, a SiC epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type on the substrate and a SiC surface layer on the SiC epitaxial layer. The SiC surface layer has a SiC first region of the first conductivity type, a SiC lateral drift region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type adjacent the first region and forming a p-n junction therewith, and a SiC second region of the second conductivity type spaced apart from the first region by the drift region. By providing the drift region with a variable doping level which increases in a direction from the first region to the second region, compact SiC semiconductor devices such as high-voltage diodes or MOSFETs can be formed which can operate at high voltages, high temperatures and high frequencies, thus providing a substantial advantage over known devices.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1997Date of Patent: January 4, 2000Assignee: Philips Electronics North America CorporationInventors: Dev Alok, Satyendranath Mukherjee, Emil Arnold
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Patent number: 6009125Abstract: A digital transmission system includes a receiver which is synchronized with a transmitter wherein a correlation is established between a reference sequence and an initialization sequence transmitted by the transmitter. The system further includes an equalizer for operating with a first part of the initialization sequence, and a correlator for operating with a second part of the initialization sequence. This makes it possible to enhance the established correlation with the reference frequency and realize the synchronization, with great precision.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1995Date of Patent: December 28, 1999Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Bruno Ballarin, Antoine Chouly, Sabine Giorgi
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Patent number: 6005792Abstract: The binary values of the data word to be converted in a widely used type of D/A converter are supplied to a series of stages in which binarily stepped currents are supplied to a common output or derived therefrom, or are conducted to a second common output. To control the current switch, each stage comprises a flipflop in which the binary value to be converted is stored. Integration processes are often used in the integration of analog circuits by means of which digital circuit components cannot be usefully realized, for example, in the IIL technology. In the flipflop comprising cross-coupled transistors, the emitters are connected to a reference voltage which lies between ground potential and the supply voltage so as to obtain a favorable conversion of the digital signals for triggering the current switch. This renders it possible to connect the collectors of the transistors of the flipflop directly to the bases of the current switch.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 1997Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Jurgen Kordts, Friedrich Hahn, Peter Rolla, Ralf Beier, Axel Nathe
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Patent number: 5998845Abstract: The breakdown voltage at high current values can be reduced in a HV-MOST with a weakly doped drain extension and a conventional interdigitated source/drain configuration,so that the SOAR (safe operating area) is reduced. The invention is based inter alia on the recognition that breakdown occurs at the end faces of the drain fingers at high current values owing to current convergences and the accompanying Kirk effect. To widen the SOAR of the transistor, the tips 8 of the drain fingers 5, 6 are rendered inactive in that the source fingers 4 are locally interrupted. In an optimized embodiment, the source fingers 4 shorter than the drain fingers 5,6.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1997Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventor: Adrianus W. Ludikhuize
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Patent number: 5998982Abstract: A switched-mode power supply comprises storage means (8) for the storage of state information relating to switching times of switching means of the power supply, which state information corresponds to a load level of the load (3). The power supply further comprises detection means (9) responsive to a change in the load level of the load (3) to supply a selection signal (10) to the storage means (8) for the selection of the appropriate state information.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1997Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Dirk W. J. Groeneveld, Henricus J. M. De Cocq
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Patent number: 5997799Abstract: A method is described for injection-moulding a product by means of the so-called gas-injection method. A special feature of the method is that in addition to the injection of gas into the product cavity (10) via a first gas inlet (51), gas is injected into a spill cavity (20) via a second gas inlet (52). The amount of material (1) flowing from and toward the spill cavity (20) can be controlled by the location of the second gas inlet (52). Moreover, a variant of the method prevents the formation of so-called dead ends. By means of another variant of the method in accordance with the invention it is possible to prevent the occurrence of so-called flow lines.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 1996Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Marcellis H. J. Driessen, Willem Lock
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Patent number: 5995032Abstract: The circuit, arranged between a source of higher voltage (VCC) and a source of lower voltage (ground), comprises an analog/digital converter (ADC) which has a resistor ladder (RL) connected between a top terminal (Vtop), a bottom terminal (Vbot) for supplying a series of reference voltages. According to the invention, this circuit includes a bias generator arrangement formed by a resistor (Rmid) connected on one side to the supply voltage source and on the other side to a reference current source (Ip0), and automatic control means (A2) for controlling a variable impedance element (T5) inserted between the connection (Vbot) at the bottom of the ladder and ground, which automatic control means are suitable for controlling the voltage (FS) at the terminals of the resistor ladder.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 1998Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventor: Philippe Gandy
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Patent number: 5990817Abstract: The invention relates to an A/D conversion device intended to supply at the output a digital signal Vout[0:7] resulting from the conversion of an analog input voltage Vin and receiving a control signal CRS used for defining the transfer characteristic of the device by way of comparison with the output signal Vout[0:7]. According to the invention, such a device comprises a reference module (AO, CMP2) which allows adjustment of the digital value of the output signal Vout[0:7] at a predetermined value when the analog input voltage Vin is zero, and means (Mx, Vact) for substituting for said voltage Vin a reference voltage Vref having a predetermined value when the device is in its control mode.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 1997Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Philippe Belin, Herve Marie