Patents Assigned to Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
  • Devices and methods for improving yield of scalable periphery amplifiers
    Patent number: 9407212
    Abstract: Device and methods for improving consistency of operation and therefore yield of sealable periphery amplifiers is described. Amplifier size of the scalable periphery architecture can be adjusted to obtain part-to-part consistency of operating performance as per a defined/desired set of criteria. Amplifier segments of the scalable periphery architecture can be rotated to distribute wear. Further, extra amplifier segments can be implemented on amplifier dies to extend the overall lifetime of amplifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Dan William Nobbe
  • Circuit and method for controlling charge injection in radio frequency switches
    Patent number: 9397656
    Abstract: A circuit and method for controlling charge injection in a circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, the circuit and method are employed in a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) Radio Frequency (RF) switch. In one embodiment, an SOI RF switch comprises a plurality of switching transistors coupled in series, referred to as “stacked” transistors, and implemented as a monolithic integrated circuit on an SOI substrate. Charge injection control elements are coupled to receive injected charge from resistively-isolated nodes located between the switching transistors, and to convey the injected charge to at least one node that is not resistively-isolated. In one embodiment, the charge injection control elements comprise resistors. In another embodiment, the charge injection control elements comprise transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Dribinsky, Tae Youn Kim, Dylan J. Kelly, Christopher N. Brindle
  • Segmented attenuator with glitch reduction
    Patent number: 9397635
    Abstract: A method and circuit for significantly reducing the switching transients of a digital step attenuator (DSA) by employing a segmented architecture that combines thermometer and binary coded stages. This approach reduces the number of attenuator stages switching at the same time and thus minimizes any glitch amplitude. Embodiments of a segmented DSA may be realized with “pi” and “bridged-T” attenuators, as well as with simple tuned L-pad attenuators combined in a resistor ladder network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Damian Costa
  • Method, system, and apparatus for preparing substrates and bonding semiconductor layers to substrates
    Patent number: 9390942
    Abstract: Embodiments of preparing substrates for subsequent bonding with semiconductor layer are described herein. A substrate may be prepared with one or more chemicals or a sacrificial layer to limit or remove substrate contaminants and reduce substrate surface damage. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Domyo, Michael McCafferty, Alain Duvallet, Masaki Sato, Christopher O'Brien, Anthony Mark Miscione, George Imthurn
  • Methods and devices for testing segmented electronic assemblies
    Patent number: 9391566
    Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for testing an electronic assembly comprising a number of segments. In one embodiment, a scalable periphery amplifier may comprise a number of amplifier segments. In one embodiment a method of testing the amplifier segments in a scalable periphery architecture is described. One or more of the amplifier segments can be independently turned on and/or turned off to achieve desired impedance characteristics of the overall amplifier to test the scalable periphery amplifier. In another embodiment, the electronic assembly comprises digitally tunable capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Chris Olson
  • Methods and devices for overcoming insertion loss in RF systems
    Patent number: 9374125
    Abstract: Methods and devices are described for overcoming insertion loss notches in RF systems. In one case programmable impedances are used to move an insertion loss notch outside a frequency band of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin Roberts
  • Integrated RF front end with stacked transistor switch
    Patent number: 9369087
    Abstract: A monolithic integrated circuit (IC), and method of manufacturing same, that includes all RF front end or transceiver elements for a portable communication device, including a power amplifier (PA), a matching, coupling and filtering network, and an antenna switch to couple the conditioned PA signal to an antenna. An output signal sensor senses at least a voltage amplitude of the signal switched by the antenna switch, and signals a PA control circuit to limit PA output power in response to excessive values of sensed output. Stacks of multiple FETs in series to operate as a switching device may be used for implementation of the RF front end, and the method and apparatus of such stacks are claimed as subcombinations. An iClass PA architecture is described that dissipatively terminates unwanted harmonics of the PA output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Mark L. Burgener, James S. Cable
  • High voltage ring pump with inverter stages and voltage boosting stages
    Patent number: 9354654
    Abstract: A multi-stage device for boosting an input voltage is discussed. Each stage of the device comprises a stage of a ring oscillator and a charge pump. An oscillating signal, generated by the ring oscillator within the device, drives the charge pump in each stage of the device. The charge pumps of the stages are serially connected. A final stage of the multi-stage device is adapted to provide voltage to a load circuit. The multi-stage device is applicable for generation of different bias voltages from one or more source voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: James W. Swonger
  • Methods and devices for thermal control in power amplifier circuits
    Patent number: 9331643
    Abstract: Methods of turning on and/or turning off amplifier segments in a scalable periphery amplifier architecture are described in the present disclosure. The turning on and/or turning off the amplifier segments according to the various embodiments of the present can reduce spectral splatter in adjacent channels. In some embodiments, amplifier performance and efficiency can be improved by dissipating heat more uniformly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Michael P. Gaynor
  • Method, system, and apparatus for RF switching amplifier
    Patent number: 9331738
    Abstract: Embodiments of RF switching amplifiers are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Vikas Sharma, Jaroslaw Adamski, Neil Calanca, Robert Broughton
  • Independent control of branch FETs for RF performance improvement
    Patent number: 9306617
    Abstract: A FET-based RF switch architecture and method that provides for independent control of FETs within component branches of a switching circuit. With independent control of branch FETs, every RF FET in an inactive branch that is in an “open” (capacitive) state can be shunted to RF ground and thus mitigate impedance mismatch effects. Providing a sufficiently low impedance to RF ground diminishes such negative effects and reduces the sensitivity of the switch circuit to non-matched impedances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Conry, Kevin Roberts, Edward Nicholas Comfoltey
  • Resonant pre-driver for switching amplifier
    Patent number: 9306517
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method for improving the efficiency of a multistage switching amplifier using a resonant circuit element is presented. The multistage amplifier comprises a pre-driver amplifier, a final stage amplifier and a series L-C arrangement coupled between the pre-driver amplifier and the final stage amplifier. The series L-C arrangement forms a parallel L-C resonant circuit with a gate to source capacitor of an input transistor of the final stage amplifier. An oscillation of energy takes place between the gate to source capacitor of the input transistor of the final stage amplifier and the series L-C arrangement. This oscillation of energy provides the final stage amplifier with driving current and improves efficiency of the overall multistage amplifier arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jaroslaw Adamski
  • Antenna transmit receive switch
    Patent number: 9300286
    Abstract: An antenna switch is presented. The antenna switch can connect an antenna to either transmit circuitry or receive circuitry, depending on control signals applied to the antenna switch while presenting different impedances to a connected circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. Gaynor, Dan William Nobbe
  • Method, system, and apparatus for resonator circuits and modulating resonators
    Patent number: 9300038
    Abstract: Embodiments of resonator circuits and modulating resonators and are described generally herein. One or more acoustic wave resonators may be coupled in series or parallel to generate tunable filters. One or more acoustic wave resonances may be modulated by one or more capacitors or tunable capacitors. One or more acoustic wave modules may also be switchable in a filter. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Mark L. Burgener, James S. Cable
  • Scalable periphery tunable matching power amplifier
    Patent number: 9294056
    Abstract: A scalable periphery tunable matching power amplifier is presented. Varying power levels can be accommodated by selectively activating or deactivating unit cells of which the scalable periphery tunable matching power amplifier is comprised. Tunable matching allows individual unit cells to see a constant output impedance, reducing need for transforming a low impedance up to a system impedance and attendant power loss. The scalable periphery tunable matching power amplifier can also be tuned for different operating conditions such as different frequencies of operation or different modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Dan William Nobbe, David Halchin, Jeffrey A. Dykstra, Michael P. Gaynor, David Kovac, Kelly Michael Mekechuk, Gary Frederick Kaatz, Chris Olson
  • Digitally tuned capacitors with tapered and reconfigurable quality factors
    Patent number: 9293262
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes tuning capacitors with tapered and reconfigurable quality factors. Digitally tuned capacitors (DTCs) that provide a variable quality factor (Q) while maintaining a constant or near constant capacitance as well as DTCs that provide one or more Q values in a tapered distribution while maintaining a constant or near constant capacitance are described. The present disclosure also describes DTCs that provide one or more capacitances in a tapered distribution and one or more Q values in a tapered distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn Bawell, Robert Broughton, Peter Bacon, Robert W. Greene, Tero Tapio Ranta
  • Control systems and methods for power amplifiers operating in envelope tracking mode
    Patent number: 9287829
    Abstract: Control systems and methods for power amplifiers operating in envelope tracking mode are presented. A set of corresponding functions and modules are described and various possible system configurations using such functions and modules are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Dan William Nobbe, Jeffrey A. Dykstra, Chris Olson, James S. Cable
  • Input power detecting arrangement and method
    Patent number: 9281786
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit with an input power detector and a related method are described. With the input power detector and related control network, the arrangement enables and/or disables a number of unit cells in power amplifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: David Kovac
  • Systems and methods of stacking LC tanks for wide tuning range and high voltage swing
    Patent number: 9276547
    Abstract: A cascaded arrangement of resonant tanks capable of widening frequency selection and tuning within an RF circuit is presented. Moreover, usage of DTC allows for larger frequency tuning per tank as well as handling of higher voltage swings while maintaining high linearity across the tuning range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Chun-Cheng Wang, Jianhua Lu
  • Methods and devices for impedance matching in power amplifier circuits
    Patent number: 9276527
    Abstract: Methods of turning on and/or turning off amplifier segments in a scalable periphery amplifier architecture are described in the present disclosure. The turning on and/or turning off the amplifier segments according to the various embodiments of the present can reduce spectral splatter in adjacent channels. In some embodiments, amplifier performance and efficiency can be improved by dissipating heat more uniformly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Michael P. Gaynor