Patents Assigned to Benchmarg Microelectronics
  • Patent number: 5604467
    Abstract: A temperature compensated current source for driving a multi-vibrator (19) includes a voltage generator (10) that outputs a voltage that is proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) and a resistor (12) for setting the current output by the voltage generator (10). The temperature coefficient of the resistor (12) is chosen such that any variations in the current supplied by the voltage generator (10) are compensated for to result in a current that has substantially no temperature variation. This current is mirrored to a current source (18) for driving the multi-vibrator (19). The voltage across the resistor (12)is a function of temperature, with the current being a function of the value of the resistor (12). The temperature coefficient of the resistor (12) is substantially equal to the temperature coefficient of the voltage generator (10) to yield a temperature coefficient of substantially 0 ppm/.degree.C. for the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Benchmarg Microelectronics
    Inventor: Wallace E. Matthews
  • Patent number: 5454710
    Abstract: A battery detect circuit (32) is connected to a battery, with the current A battery V:the battery and the current extracted from the battery measured with a sense resistor (50) and convened to charge and discharge voltages with a V/F converter (52). A microcontroller (64) is operable to increment a nominal available charge (NAC) register (180) during a charge operation and to increment a discharge rate counter (DCR) (184) during a discharge operation. The NAC register (180) indicates the available charge, i.e. the charge state of the battery, which value is output to a display (34). The display (34) is controlled to operate in either an absolute full mode or a relative full mode. This is determined by an external programming pin which has first and second programming states associated with the two modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Benchmarg Microelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Landau, Wallace E. Matthews, David L. Freeman
  • Patent number: 5440221
    Abstract: A battery detect circuit (32) is connected to the battery with the current input to the battery and extracted from the battery measured with a sense resistor (50) and then converted to charge and discharge pulses with a V/F converter (52). A microcontroller (64) is operable to increment a Nominal Available Charge (NAC) register (180) during a charge operation, and to increment a Discharge Count Register (DCR) (184) during a discharge operation. The NAC register (180) indicates the available charge, which value is output to a display (34). The maximum value to which the NAC value can rise is limited by a value stored in the last measured discharge register (182). This value represents the value stored in the DCR (184) whenever the battery is discharged from an apparent full state to a fully discharged state. This results in a qualified transfer to the LMD register (182) such that no knowledge of the actual battery charge is necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Benchmarg Microelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Landau, Wallace E. Matthews, David L. Freeman
  • Patent number: 5418487
    Abstract: A fuse state sense circuit includes a fusible link (40) that is disposed between a node (38) and ground. A programming/sense pad (42) is provided to allow voltage to be applied to the node (38) external to the fuse state sense circuit. Current is provided to the node (38) through a current source (30) and a transistor (36). The transistor (36) is controlled by a bias current. An output node (32) is disposed between the current source (30) and the transistor (36). This is connected to the output through an inverter (34). In operation, the voltage on node (38) is raised to a first level to turn off transistor (36) to allow the output to be exercised and to change the state thereof to emulate the fusible link (40) being open. In a second and programming mode, the voltage on the node (38) is raised to a much higher level to allow sufficient current to flow through fusible link (40) to open it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Benchmarg Microelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Gene L. Armstrong, II