Patents Assigned to Monolithic Power System, Inc.
  • Method for fabricating low-cost isolated resurf LDMOS and associated BCD manufacturing process
    Patent number: 9502251
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a LDMOS device in a semiconductor substrate of a first doping type, including: implanting a series of dopants into the semiconductor substrate using a first mask, and forming a first region of a second doping type adjacent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second region of the first doping type located beneath the first region, and a third region of the second doping type located beneath the second region; implanting dopants into the semiconductor substrate using a second mask, and forming a fourth region of the second doping type adjacent to the first, second and third regions, wherein the fourth region extends from the surface of the semiconductor substrate to approximately the same depth as the third region; and implanting dopants into the first region using a third mask, and form a first well of the first doping type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Joel M. McGregor, Jeesung Jung, Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Eric K. Braun
  • MULTIPHASE POWER SUPPLY WITH CONSTANT ON-TIME DC-DC CONVERTERS
    Publication number: 20160315538
    Abstract: A multiphase power supply includes several constant ON-time (COT) DC-DC converter integrated circuits (ICs), with each COT DC-DC converter IC providing an output voltage of a phase of the multiphase power supply. The COT DC-DC converter ICs are sequentially turned ON one after another in interleaved fashion. A COT DC-DC converter IC receives a control signal at a take pin and, in response, turns ON its output switch. The COT DC-DC converter IC generates another control signal at a pass pin. The next COT DC-DC converter IC turns ON its output switch in response to receiving the other control signal from the previous COT DC-DC converter IC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James NGUYEN, Yan DONG, Jinghai ZHOU, Rohan SAMSI
  • Voltage regulator with hybrid adaptive voltage position and control method thereof
    Patent number: 9473027
    Abstract: A voltage regulator with hybrid adaptive voltage position includes a resistor, a controllable current source, a current DAC and an error amplifier. The resistor has a first terminal coupled to the output voltage of the voltage regulator and a second terminal. The controllable current source is coupled to the second terminal of the resistor to provide a main current proportional to the output current of the voltage regulator. The current DAC is configured to receive a digital signal and the output current, and provide a tuning current to the second terminal of the resistor based on the digital signal and the output current. The error amplifier generates a compensation signal based on a reference voltage and the voltage at the second terminal of the resistor, so as to adjust the output voltage of the voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Yan Dong
  • Offline power converter and the method thereof
    Patent number: 9472943
    Abstract: An offline power converter provides low EMI and quick reaction by slowly turning off a power switch at normal operation, and fast turning off the power switch when surge event happens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Urienza, Peng Liu
  • SMPS with adaptive COT control and method thereof
    Patent number: 9467045
    Abstract: A SMPS has a switching circuit and a controller. The switching circuit has an input terminal and an output terminal, and also includes a switch and an inductor, wherein the switching circuit regulates an output voltage at the output terminal based on an input voltage at the input terminal by controlling a switching action of the switch. The controller generates a switching control signal to control the switch, where the switching control signal transits from a first state to a second state when an output signal at the output terminal satisfies a predetermined condition, and the switching control signal transits from the second state to the first state after a period of time. And a switching frequency of the switch and an inductor ripple current of the inductor both vary with the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: John Fogg, Jian Jiang, Junyong Gong
  • Monolithic integrated circuit switch device with output current balancing for parallel-connection
    Patent number: 9467136
    Abstract: An electrical circuit includes monolithic integrated circuit (IC) switch devices that are connected in parallel. A monolithic IC switch device includes a first pin, a second pin, and a power switch that connects the first pin to the second pin through the power switch when the electrical circuit is turned ON. The monolithic IC switch device includes a current balancing circuit that controls the power switch to reduce an output current of the monolithic IC switch device when the output current of the monolithic IC switch device increases above the average of the output currents of monolithic IC switch devices in the electrical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: James Nguyen
  • Multi-phase SMPS with loop phase clocks and control method thereof
    Patent number: 9407148
    Abstract: A multi-phase SMPS has N switching circuits; a setting signal generator generating a setting signal based on an output signal of the SMPS; a clock signal generator generating a system clock signal; and a controller receiving the setting signal and the system clock signal, the controller generating N shifted phase clock signals according to the system clock signal, and the N shifted phase clock signals forming loop phase clocks, and the controller further generates N switching control signals based on the setting signal and the N shifted phase clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Yanchuan Guo
  • High voltage analog switch
    Patent number: 9401659
    Abstract: A high voltage analog switch can be used in medical ultrasound applications. The high voltage analog switch can pass high voltage transducer excitation signals without necessarily having any high voltage power supplies. The high voltage analog switch can include three output switches, with one of the output switches having a clamp circuit for ensuring that transistors of an output switch on an input end of the high voltage analog switch remain OFF when the high voltage analog switch is OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimes Lei, Kee Chee Tiew
  • SMART SWITCH FOR CONNECTING AN INPUT POWER SUPPLY TO A LOAD
    Publication number: 20160182039
    Abstract: A monolithic integrated circuit (IC) switch device includes an input pin that receives an input power supply and an output pin that is connected to a load. The monolithic IC switch device includes driving circuitry that controls a switching operation of a power switch to connect and disconnect the input power supply to and from the load. A microcontroller can enable or disable the monolithic IC switch device based on indicator signals received by the microcontroller from the monolithic IC switch device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ying XIAO, Rohan SAMSI, Jinghai ZHOU
  • HIGH VOLTAGE ANALOG SWITCH
    Publication number: 20160134199
    Abstract: A high voltage analog switch can be used in medical ultrasound applications. The high voltage analog switch can pass high voltage transducer excitation signals without necessarily having any high voltage power supplies. The high voltage analog switch can include three output switches, with one of the output switches having a clamp circuit for ensuring that transistors of an output switch on an input end of the high voltage analog switch remain OFF when the high voltage analog switch is OFF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimes LEI, Kee Chee TIEW
  • Bootstrap refresh control circuit, power converter and associated method
    Patent number: 9312773
    Abstract: A power converter having a bootstrap refresh control circuit and a method for controlling the power converter. The bootstrap refresh control circuit is configured to monitor a bootstrap voltage across a bootstrap capacitor and to provide an enhanced high side driving signal to a high side switch of the power converter. The bootstrap refresh control circuit is further configured to controlling the charging of the bootstrap capacitor through regulating the on and off switching of the high side switch and a low side switch based on the bootstrap voltage. The bootstrap refresh control circuit can refresh the bootstrap voltage in time to support driving the high side switch normally, without causing large spikes in an output voltage of the power converter and without influencing the power conversion efficiency of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Yike Li
  • Constant on-time switching converter with internal ramp compensation and control method thereof
    Patent number: 9270176
    Abstract: A switching converter includes a main transistor, an inductor coupled to the main transistor, a feedback circuit configured to generate a feedback signal indicative of the output voltage and a controller configured to generate a control signal to control the main transistor. The controller has an on timer, a ramp generator, a comparing circuit and a logic circuit. The on timer is configured to generate an on-time control signal. The ramp generator is configured to generate a ramp signal, wherein the level of the ramp signal is regulated to be equal to the level of a common mode voltage when the status of the main transistor is changed from OFF to ON. The comparing circuit generates a comparison signal based on the ramp signal, the common mode voltage, a reference signal and the feedback signal. The logic circuit generates the control signal based on the on-time control signal and the comparison signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James H. Nguyen, Jinghai Zhou
  • Short protection circuit for power switch and associated protection method
    Patent number: 9263937
    Abstract: A short protection circuit for protecting a power switch. The short protection circuit has a transistor and compares a differential voltage between a first end of the power switch and a second end of the power switch to a threshold voltage of the transistor only when the power switch is in an ON state; and wherein when the differential voltage is higher than the threshold voltage, the short protection circuit turns off the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: James H. Nguyen
  • Power converter with active bleeding and ramp up-down delay and the method thereof
    Patent number: 9246404
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a power converter providing a low output voltage from an offline AC. The power converter defines a voltage window for the input AC signal. Inside the voltage window, the rectified DC waveform is passed through to the output and the storage capacitor; outside the voltage window, the power converter is idle (or the output is blocked from input) and let the output storage capacitor alone supply the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Urienza, Yiqing Jin
  • Junction field effect transistors and associated fabrication methods
    Patent number: 9230956
    Abstract: A JFET having a semiconductor substrate of a first doping type, an epitaxial layer of the first doping type located on the semiconductor substrate, a body region of a second doping type located in the epitaxial layer, a source region of the first doping type located in the epitaxial layer, a gate region of the second doping type located in the body region, and a shielding layer of the second doping type located in the epitaxial layer, wherein the semiconductor substrate is configured as a drain region, the shielding layer is in a conductive path formed between the source region and the drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rongyao Ma, Tiesheng Li, Lei Zhang, Daping Fu
  • High voltage circuit layout structure
    Patent number: 9231121
    Abstract: A high voltage circuit layout structure has a P-type substrate; a first N-type tub, a second N-type tub, a third N-type tub, a first P-type tub with a first width and a second P-type tub with a second width formed on the P-type substrate; wherein the first P-type tub is formed between the first N-type tub and the second N-type tub; and the second P-type tub is formed between the second N-type tub and the third N-type tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Urienza
  • High voltage PMOS and the method for forming thereof
    Patent number: 9219146
    Abstract: A high voltage PMOS replacing the lightly doped region of the drain region with a low voltage P-well adopted in the low voltage devices, so as to save a mask. In order to achieve the high breakdown voltage and the low on resistance, a thick gate oxide applied in the DMOS is inserted. The N-type well region surrounding the source region may be replaced by a low voltage N-well adopted in the low voltage device to further save a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Yanjie Lian
  • REMOTE CONFIGURATION OF VOLTAGE REGULATOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
    Publication number: 20150356226
    Abstract: A design server provides an online service for remotely configuring a voltage regulator integrated circuit (IC). A customer may employ a customer computing device to connect to the design server. The design server may receive from the customer computing device a user requirement for the voltage regulator IC. The design server may select one or more external components to configure the voltage regular IC to meet the user requirement. The design server may automatically place an order for the external components online. The external components may be available from commercial partners of the vendor of the voltage regulator IC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Applicant: MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric YANG, Michael HSING
  • Current detection and emulation circuit, and method thereof
    Patent number: 9184651
    Abstract: A current detection circuit for detecting a current in a SMPS which has a first switch and a second switch; a current sensing circuit sensing a second switch current flowing through the second switch and providing a current sensing signal; and a current emulation circuit which generates a first current according to the current sensing signal and generate a second current according to the first current source, and the current emulation circuit further providing a current emulation signal based on the first current source and the second current source; wherein a current detection signal during a first period is proportional to the current emulation signal, and the current detection signal during a second period is proportional to the current sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James H. Nguyen, Francis C. Yu
  • High side DMOS and the method for forming thereof
    Patent number: 9159795
    Abstract: A high side DMOS provides high breakdown voltage with small termination area. The high side DMOS has three parts which may comprise a stair-field plate in the termination part of the poly gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ji-Hyoung Yoo, Lei Zhang, Daping Fu, Yanjie Lian