Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and associated methods of manufacturing the magnetic field sensors include molded structures to encapsulate a magnetic field sensing element and an associated die attach pad of a lead frame and to also encapsulate or form a magnet or a flux concentrator.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 5, 2008
Date of Patent:
July 16, 2013
Assignee:
Allegro Microsystems, LLC
Inventors:
Virgil Ararao, Nirmal Sharma, Raymond W. Engel, Jay Gagnon, John Sauber, William P. Taylor, Elsa Kam-Lum
Abstract: A circuit for driving an LED load with a controllable converter includes a control circuit configured to turn off the converter in response to a PWM signal having a first level and to turn on the converter in response to the PWM signal having a second level. A load disconnect switch coupled in series with the LED load is also controlled by the PWM signal so that the load disconnect switch is opened when the PWM signal turns off the converter to thereby open the load current path.
Abstract: A set top box used in a satellite TV system includes a diode coupled in a particular way to better protect an adjustable linear regulator used in the set top box from transient voltages as may result from lighting or the like.
Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and associated methods of manufacturing the magnetic field sensors include molded structures to encapsulate a magnetic field sensing element and an associated die attach pad of a lead frame and to also encapsulate or form a magnet or a flux concentrator.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 23, 2011
Date of Patent:
June 11, 2013
Assignee:
Allegro Microsystems, LLC
Inventors:
Virgil Ararao, Nirmal Sharma, Raymond W. Engel, Jay Gagnon, John Sauber, William P. Taylor, Elsa Kam-Lum
Abstract: A mechanism for assigning unique addresses to identical devices attached to a serial bus is presented. Each device has at least one output and is provided with a storage device to provide a configurable portion of a bus address having a fixed portion and a configurable portion. The device is further provided with circuitry, coupled to the storage device and the output, to determine a state of the output and use the state to configure the configurable portion. Once the configurable portion is configured, the bus address uniquely identifies the device. Such configuration allows more than one such device to be coupled to the same serial bus, e.g., an I2C bus.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 27, 2009
Date of Patent:
June 11, 2013
Assignee:
Allegro Microsystems, LLC
Inventors:
Michael G. Ward, David J. Haas, William P. Taylor
Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes a compensation loop coupled in series with normal circuit couplings in order to reduce a transient signal that would otherwise be generated when the magnetic field sensor experiences a high rate of change of magnetic field. In some embodiments, the magnetic field sensor is a current sensor responsive to a magnetic field generated by a current-carrying conductor.
Abstract: A motion sensor has a magnetic field sensing element for generating a magnetic field signal and a state processor to identify a plurality of states corresponding to ranges of signal values of the magnetic field signal. The state processor includes a state peak logic module configured to generate states that have a reduced amount of state chatter.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 3, 2010
Date of Patent:
May 28, 2013
Assignee:
Allegro Microsystems, LLC
Inventors:
Andrea Foletto, Devon Fernandez, Eric Burdette