Patents Assigned to Advanced Analogic Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited
  • Patent number: 9337158
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes an IC and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device. The IC has a substrate, a core and a power mesh. The power mesh has a power electrode, a grounding electrode and a seal ring. The core is formed inside the grounding electrode. The power electrode is formed between the seal ring and the grounding electrode. The ESD protection device has multiple switch triggering units, multiple switching units and multiple discharging units formed on the substrate and electrically connected between the power electrode and the grounding electrode. The switching units turn on corresponding discharging units upon detecting occurrence of ESD to guide static electricity on the power electrode to the grounding electrode, thereby preventing the core from being damaged by static electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Advanced Analog Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shuo-Yen Lin
  • Patent number: 9306462
    Abstract: A constant current control circuit includes a sample and hold unit coupled to a current sensing resistor of a power converter, for storing a current sensing voltage of the current sensing resistor; a first capacitor for storing a comparison voltage; a discharge unit coupled between the sample and hold unit and the first capacitor, for controlling a discharge current of the first capacitor according to a reference voltage and the current sensing voltage stored in the sample and hold unit; a charge unit coupled to the first capacitor, for controlling a charging current of the first capacitor according to the reference voltage and a ground voltage; and a comparator for comparing the comparison voltage with the reference voltage to generate a comparison result, and outputting a control signal according to the comparison result, in order to control a duty cycle of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Advanced Analog Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yeu-Torng Yau
  • Patent number: 9293424
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is arranged on an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit includes a seal ring arranged at outer periphery of the integrated circuit, a metal ring arranged at an inner side of the seal ring and a power bus arranged at a side of the metal ring. The semiconductor structure includes a first P type electrode area, a second P type electrode area and a first N type electrode area. The first P type electrode area is formed at a position on a P well corresponding to the seal ring, and coupled to the seal ring. The second P type electrode area is formed at a position on the P well corresponding to the metal ring, and coupled to the metal ring. The first N type electrode area is formed at a position corresponding to the power bus, and coupled to the power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Advanced Analog Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Chung Ko, Chih-Lun Wu, Shuo-Yen Lin
  • Patent number: 9202807
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a P well formed on a P type substrate; a first N type electrode area formed on a central region of the P well; a first insulating area formed on the P well and surrounding the first N type electrode area; a second N type electrode area formed on the P well and surrounding the first insulating area; a second insulating area formed on the P well and surrounding the second N type electrode area; and a P type electrode area formed on the P well and surrounding the second insulating area; wherein periphery outlines of the first N type electrode area and the second N type electrode area are both 8K sided polygons or circles, and K is a positive integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Analog Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Chung Ko, Chih-Lun Wu, Shuo-Yen Lin
  • Patent number: 8952619
    Abstract: A distributed system for driving strings of series-connected LEDs for backlighting, display and lighting applications includes multiple intelligent satellite LED driver ICs connected to a an interface IC via serial bus. The interface IC translates information obtained from a host microcontroller into instructions for the satellite LED driver ICs pertaining to such parameters as duty factor, current levels, phase delay and fault settings. Fault conditions in the LED driver ICs can be transmitted back to, the interface IC. An analog current sense feedback system which also links the LED driver ICs determines the supply voltage for the LED strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Williams, Kevin D'Angelo, David A. Brown, George A. Hariman
  • Patent number: 8947407
    Abstract: A distributed system for driving strings of series-connected LEDs for backlighting, display and lighting applications includes multiple intelligent satellite LED driver ICs connected to a an interface IC via serial bus. The interface IC translates information obtained from a host microcontroller into instructions for the satellite LED driver ICs pertaining to such parameters as duty factor, current levels, phase delay and fault settings. Fault conditions in the LED driver ICs can be transmitted back to the interface IC. An analog current sense feedback system which also links the LED driver ICs determines the supply voltage for the LED strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Williams, Kevin D'Angelo, David A. Brown, George A. Hariman
  • Patent number: 8933634
    Abstract: A distributed system for driving strings of series-connected LEDs for backlighting, display and lighting applications includes multiple intelligent satellite LED driver ICs connected to a an interface IC via serial bus. The interface IC translates information obtained from a host microcontroller into instructions for the satellite LED driver ICs pertaining to such parameters as duty factor, current levels, phase delay and fault settings. Fault conditions in the LED driver ICs can be transmitted back to the interface IC. An analog current sense feedback system which also links the LED driver ICs determines the supply voltage for the LED strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard K. Williams, Kevin D'Angelo, David A. Brown, George A. Hariman
  • Patent number: 8916965
    Abstract: Thermal transfer from a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) die is improved by mounting the die in a bump-on-leadframe manner in a semiconductor package, with solder or other metal bumps connecting the active layer of the SOI die to metal leads used to mount the package on a printed circuit board or other support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard K. Williams
  • Patent number: 8896281
    Abstract: A method for controlling a switching voltage regulator that includes generating a feedback voltage that is proportional to the output voltage of the voltage regulator; generating a voltage proportional to the duty-cycle of the inductor charging and discharging phases as a function of the difference between the feedback voltage and a reference voltage; and adding a dominate pole and two zeros to the function used to generate the voltage proportional to the duty-cycle of the inductor charging and discharging phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert Wrathall
  • Patent number: 8847564
    Abstract: A freewheeling MOSFET is connected in parallel with the inductor in a switched DC/DC converter. When the freewheeling MOSFET is turned on during the switching operation of the converter, while the low-side and energy transfer MOSFETs are turned off, the inductor current circulates or “freewheels” through the freewheeling MOSFET. The frequency of the converter is thereby made independent of the lengths of the magnetizing and energy transfer stages, allowing far greater flexibility in operating and converter and overcoming numerous problems associated with conventional DC/DC converters. In one embodiment the freewheeling MOSFET is an N-channel MOSFET with its body connected to circuit ground and not shorted to either its source or its drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard K. Williams
  • Patent number: 8841891
    Abstract: A multiple output DC-to-DC voltage converter using a new time-multiplexed-capacitor converter algorithm and related circuit topologies is herein disclosed. One embodiment of this invention includes a flying capacitor, a first output node, a second output node, and a switching network. The switching network configured to provide the following modes of circuit operation: 1) a first mode where the positive electrode of the flying capacitor is connected to an input voltage and the negative electrode of the flying capacitor is connected to ground; 2) a second mode where the negative electrode of the flying capacitor is connected to the input voltage and the positive electrode of the flying capacitor is connected to the first output node; and 3) a third mode where the positive electrode of the flying capacitor is connected to ground and the negative electrode of the flying capacitor is connected to the second output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard K. Williams
  • Patent number: 8829873
    Abstract: A low voltage current mirror design is used to control a high voltage boost converter. A high amperage reference current emanating from a high voltage inductor based DC-to-DC boost converter is mirrored to a low amperage output current. On-chip CMOS elements are used to measure and manipulate the output current, eliminating the need for a high precision, low resistance, external resistor. The measured and manipulated current is used to control the PWM duty cycle of an inductor based DC-to-DC boost converter, allowing for a lower cost solution in a high voltage, high current situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Kevin D'Angelo
  • Patent number: 8823342
    Abstract: A multi-output dual polarity inductive boost converter includes an inductor, a first output node, a second output node, and a switching network, the switching network configured to provide the following modes of circuit operation: a first mode where the positive electrode of the inductor is connected to an input voltage and the negative electrode of the inductor is connected to ground; 2) a second mode the negative electrode of the inductor is connected to ground and the positive electrode of the inductor is connected in sequence to one or more of the fourth and fifth output nodes; and 3) a third mode where the positive electrode of the inductor is connected to the input voltage and the negative electrode of the inductor is connected in sequence to one or more of the first, second and third output nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard Williams
  • Patent number: 8810216
    Abstract: An integrated circuit contains a current sink that is used to control a channel of varying forward voltage, with a goal of maintaining a minimally sufficient voltage across the current sink. A target voltage for the current sink return is determined, and a switched inductor is used to maintain said voltage. Various target determination schemes are possible, and various enhancements improve startup time, efficiency, and effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin D'Angelo, Andrew Whyte, Gustavo Mehas
  • Patent number: 8810162
    Abstract: An LED driver IC for driving external strings of LEDs comprises a prefix register and a data register connected in series with each other and with the prefix and data registers in other driver ICs. The prefix and data registers of the driver ICs are connected in a daisy chain arrangement with an interface IC. The interface IC loads data identifying a functional latch into the prefix register and data defining a functional condition into the data register of each driver IC. The data in the data register is then transferred to the functional latch to control the functional condition within the LED driver IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kent Williams, Kevin D'Angelo, David A. Brown
  • Patent number: 8803494
    Abstract: A switching regulator that practices the current invention includes a high-side switch M1 connected between an input voltage and a node LX. A low-side switch is connected between the node LX and ground. An inductor L is connected between LX and an output node (VOUT). A filtering capacitor connects VOUT to ground. The switching regulator has two distinct operational phases. During the first operational phase, the high-side switch is OFF and the low-side switch is ON. During the second operational phase, the high-side switch is ON and the low-side switch acts as a current source. During transitions between the second and first operational phases, the low-side switch is controlled to momentarily decrease the regulated drain-to-source current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin D'Angelo, Robert Wrathall
  • Patent number: 8786216
    Abstract: An LED driver IC for driving external strings of LEDs comprises a prefix register and a data register connected in series with each other and with the prefix and data registers in other driver ICs. The prefix and data registers of the driver ICs are connected in a daisy chain arrangement with an interface IC. The interface IC loads data identifying a functional latch into the prefix register and data defining a functional condition into the data register of each driver IC. The data in the data register is then transferred to the functional latch to control the functional condition within the LED driver IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kent Williams, Kevin D'Angelo, David A. Brown
  • Patent number: 8779696
    Abstract: An LED driver IC for driving external strings of LEDs comprises a prefix register and a data register connected in series with each other and with the prefix and data registers in other driver ICs. The prefix and data registers of the driver ICs are connected in a daisy chain arrangement with an interface IC. The interface IC loads data identifying a functional latch into the prefix register and data defining a functional condition into the data register of each driver IC. The data in the data register is then transferred to the functional latch to control the functional condition within the LED driver IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Kent Williams, Kevin D'Angelo, David A. Brown
  • Patent number: 8778740
    Abstract: To avoid shorts between adjacent die pads in mounting a multi-die semiconductor package to a printed circuit board (PCB), one of the die pads is embedded in the polymer capsule, while the other die pad is exposed at the bottom of the package to provide a thermal escape path to the PCB. This arrangement is particularly useful when one of the dice in a multi-die package generates more heat than another die in the package. A process for fabricating the package includes a partial etch that defines the bottom surface of the embedded die pad and may include a through-etch that leaves one or more of the contacts or leads integrally connected to the embedded die pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Advanced Analogic Technologies Inc., Advanced Analogic Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Richard K. Williams, Keng Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 8749222
    Abstract: A cascode current sensor includes a main MOSFET and a sense MOSFET. The drain terminal of the main MOSFET is connected to a power device whose current is to be monitored, and the source and gate terminals of the main MOSFET are connected to the source and gate terminals, respectively, of the sense MOSFET. The drain voltages of the main and sense MOSFETs are equalized, in one embodiment by using a variable current source and negative feedback. The gate width of the main MOSFET is typically larger than the gate width of the sense MOSFET. Using the size ratio of the gate widths, the current in the main MOSFET is measured by sensing the magnitude of the current in the sense MOSFET. Inserting the relatively large MOSFET in the power circuit minimizes power loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard K. Williams