Patents Assigned to Arques Technology
  • Patent number: 7106566
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) has logic and timing circuits that are coupled to discrete circuitry to provide protection and indications whenever an AC adapter that is faulty or has improper voltage levels or polarity are plugged into a system. In particular, the IC device provides over-voltage, under-voltage, and reversed-polarity protections to an electronic system to keep the electronic system from being damaged by an alternating current (AC) adapter having an improper voltage range or voltage polarity. It also provides a protection that prevents an adapter from powering a host system that has a short-circuit fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Kwang H. Liu, Sorin Negru, George Hsieh, Jacky Chen, Frank Shih, Scott Wu
  • Patent number: 7057310
    Abstract: A dual-output voltage regulator is disclosed, which provides a first terminal voltage and a second terminal voltage to DDR DRAM. The dual-output voltage regulator comprises a first regulator unit for receiving an input voltage and providing the first terminal voltage via a first transistor unit; and a second regulator unit for receiving the input voltage and the first terminal voltage in order to output the second terminal voltage, wherein the second terminal voltage is half of the first terminal voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Kwang H. Liu, Sorin L. Negru, Terry Groom, Fu-Yuan Shih, Te-Jen Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7019504
    Abstract: A constant ON-time controller for a buck converter utilizes dual symmetrical ramps. The ramps may be generated artificially or by sensing the voltage across a sense resistor in the output. The ramp may also be generated by sensing the voltage across the “ON” resistance of the low side FET in the switching regulator. A modified output voltage has one of the ramps superimposed and a modified reference voltage has the other ramps superimposed. The modified output voltage and the modified reference voltage are compared to determine when to start the ON-time of the buck converter. The dual ramps reduce, noise susceptibility. The ON-time is stopped in response to charging a capacitor with the regulator input voltage. An offset may also be generated representing the difference between the average output voltage and the reference voltage. The offset is used to generate a modified reference to compensate for the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Stuart Pullen, Terry J. Groom
  • Patent number: 6903535
    Abstract: A gate drive supply circuit generating a high-level supply voltage and a low-level supply voltage for driving N-type high-side and low-side power MOSFETs in a multiple-output, low-voltage DC-DC converter integrated circuit. The gate drive supply circuit includes a boost regulator for generating the low-level supply voltage and a charge pump doubler for generating the high-level supply voltage. Both the high-level supply voltage and the low-level supply voltage are distributed to one or more regulators, including but not limited to buck or boost type regulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Arques Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwang H. Liu, Sorin L. Negru
  • Patent number: 6871289
    Abstract: A compensated reference voltage for the controller of a buck regulator corrects for offsets and controls the rate at which the output load current can change in response to a change in the reference setting output voltage level of the buck converter. A current source is coupled to a resistor that has one terminal connected to the ground potential of the output voltage. The voltage across this resistor generates a remote reference voltage. A feedback current is generated as a function of the difference between the remote reference voltage and the output voltage. The feedback current is time integrated to form the compensated reference, which is used to control the ON-time of the buck converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Stuart Pullen, Terry J. Groom
  • Publication number: 20050010826
    Abstract: A compensated reference voltage for the controller of a buck regulator corrects for offsets and controls the rate at which the output load current can change in response to a change in the reference setting output voltage level of the buck converter. A current source is coupled to a resistor that has one terminal connected to the ground potential of the output voltage. The voltage across this resistor generates a remote reference voltage. A feedback current is generated as a function of the difference between the remote reference voltage and the output voltage. The feedback current is time integrated to form the compensated reference, which is used to control the ON-time of the buck converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Stuart Pullen, Terry Groom
  • Publication number: 20050010825
    Abstract: A plurality of constant ON-time buck converters are coupled to a common load. The output of each buck converter is coupled to a common load via a series sense resistor. The regulated output voltage across the common load is compared to a reference voltage to generate a start signal. The start signal is alternately coupled to the controller on each buck converter. The ON-time of a master buck converter is terminated when a ramp signal generated from the regulator input voltage exceeds the reference voltage. All other slave converters have an ON-time pulse started by the start signal and stopped by comparing a sense voltage corresponding to their output current during their ON-time pulse to the peak current in the master converter during its ON-time. A counting circuit with an output corresponding to each of the plurality of buck converters is used to select which buck converter receives the start signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Stuart Pullen, Terry Groom
  • Publication number: 20050007711
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) has logic and timing circuits that are coupled to discrete circuitry to provide protection and indications whenever an AC adapter that is faulty or has improper voltage levels or polarity are plugged into a system. In particular, the IC device provides over-voltage, under-voltage, and reversed-polarity protections to an electronic system to keep the electronic system from being damaged by an alternating current (AC) adapter having an improper voltage range or voltage polarity. It also provides a protection that prevents an adapter from powering a host system that has a short-circuit fault.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Kwang Liu, Sorin Negru, George Hsieh, Jacky Chen, Frank Shih, Scott Wu
  • Publication number: 20050007087
    Abstract: A constant ON-time controller for a buck converter utilizes dual symmetrical ramps. The ramps may be generated artificially or by sensing the voltage across a sense resistor in the output. The ramp may also be generated by sensing the voltage across the “ON” resistance of the low side FET in the switching regulator. A modified output voltage has one of the ramps superimposed and a modified reference voltage has the other ramps superimposed. The modified output voltage and the modified reference voltage are compared to determine when to start the ON-time of the buck converter. The dual ramps reduce, noise susceptibility. The ON-time is stopped in response to charging a capacitor with the regulator input voltage. An offset may also be generated representing the difference between the average output voltage and the reference voltage. The offset is used to generate a modified reference to compensate for the offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Stuart Pullen, Terry Groom
  • Patent number: 6798177
    Abstract: A power converter including a first stage, a reservoir capacitor and a second stage. The first stage converts the voltage of a primary energy source, such as a battery, to a voltage on the reservoir capacitor, which stores a large amount of energy in the form of a voltage substantially larger than the voltage of the primary energy source. The second stage converts the voltage on the reservoir capacitor to a substantially constant voltage for a load device that demands current having the form of large, short, current pulses. The cascaded converter prevents the pulsating load currents of the load device, such as a GSM power amplifier, from causing a severe voltage loss at the battery. This increases the power available from the battery and reduces loses from the internal resistance of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Arques Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwang H. Liu, Sorin L. Negru, Fu-Yuan Shih, George Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20040070276
    Abstract: A dual-output voltage regulator is disclosed, which provides a first terminal voltage and a second terminal voltage to DDR DRAM. The dual-output voltage regulator comprises a first regulator unit for receiving an input voltage and providing the first terminal voltage via a first transistor unit; and a second regulator unit for receiving the input voltage and the first terminal voltage in order to output the second terminal voltage, wherein the second terminal voltage is half of the first terminal voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: Arques Technology
    Inventors: Kwang H. Liu, Sorin L. Negru, Terry Groom, Fu-Yuan Shih, Te-Jen Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6707280
    Abstract: A voltage regulator for providing a bidirectional current and a regulated voltage to a load. The voltage regulator regulates the output voltage at one half the level of the input voltage using a voltage doubler circuit in reverse. The regulator provides current to the load when the output voltage drops and receives current from the load when the output voltage rises. The voltage regulator is particularly suited to supplying a termination voltage to multiple line drivers in a DDR DRAM system, where the line drives require an active termination voltage to reduce power. Additionally, a pair of linear regulators, one for clamping the output voltage at a predetermined low voltage level and for supplying additional current demanded by the load, and the other for clamping the output voltage at a predetermined high voltage level and for receiving additional current supplied by the load, is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Arques Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwang H. Liu, Sorin L. Negru, Fu-Yuan Shih