Patents Assigned to Richtek Technology Corporation
  • Patent number: 10530264
    Abstract: A power supply circuit includes a power converter circuit, a path switch and a protocol control circuit. The protocol control circuit controls the power converter circuit and the path switch. The protocol control circuit includes: a shared pin and a signal determination circuit. The shared pin is coupled to the bus node via the temperature sensitive device and transmits different signals having different functions under at least two different modes. The signal determination circuit senses a voltage at the bus node via the shared pin under a power start-up mode, to determine whether to control the path switch to conduct the power path, thereby determining whether to enter a power supply mode. The signal determination circuit receives a temperature signal generated by the temperature sensitive device via the shared pin under the power supply mode, to determine an ambient temperature where the temperature sensitive is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yu-Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 10529295
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a timing controller and a gate-driver on array (GOA) control circuit. The timing controller generates a frame synchronization signal. The GOA control circuit is coupled to the timing controller and includes a scan signal management circuit and a level shifter. The scan signal management circuit generates a scan signal management signal according to the frame synchronization signal, a predetermined panel parameter, and an operation clock signal. The scan signal management circuit includes a storage unit which stores the predetermined panel parameter. The level shifter generates a scan control signal according to the scan signal management signal to control a GOA of a display panel circuit. The GOA generates a gate driving signal to control a vertical scan operation of the display panel circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chien-Chung Chen, Hsing-Shen Huang
  • Patent number: 10523032
    Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a DC switch circuit, a wireless power unit, a capacitive power conversion unit, and a switching power conversion unit. The charging apparatus operates in at least one of the following modes: in a constant current mode, the capacitive power conversion unit converts a bus current provided by the DC switch circuit or the wireless power unit to generate a predetermined constant charging current on a charging node to charge a battery; in a constant voltage mode, the switching power conversion unit converts a bus voltage provided by the DC switch circuit or the wireless power unit to generate a predetermined charging voltage on the charging node to charge the battery; in a first power output mode, the switching power conversion unit converts the battery voltage to generate an output voltage on a transmission interface pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Jen Huang, Chih-Hua Hou, Fu-Chi Lin
  • Patent number: 10505461
    Abstract: A flyback power converter circuit includes a transformer, a power switch, a primary side controller circuit, and a secondary side controller circuit. The transformer converts an input voltage to a first, a second and a third output voltages. The primary side controller circuit and the secondary side control are powered by the second voltage and a third voltage, respectively. In a burst mode, when the second output voltage is lower than a first threshold, a power regulation mode is triggered to control the power switch, such that the second output voltage is between the first threshold and a second threshold. After a predetermined delay time period, the power regulation mode stops and the flyback power converter circuit enters a reboot procedure, wherein the power switch is OFF such that the third voltage is lower than a secondary side reboot threshold, whereby the secondary side controller circuit is reboot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuang-Fu Chang, Chien-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 10505464
    Abstract: A discrete-time current sense circuit includes: a current mirror circuit, which includes: a power switch, for providing the communication current; and a sampling switch, which is for sampling the communication protocol current in a sampling period in a discrete manner, to generate a sampling current; a bias circuit, for providing a reference voltage to the reference node in the sampling period according to a communication protocol voltage of the communication protocol voltage node; a signal conversion circuit, for generating the discrete-time current sense signal according to the sampling current; and a first switch, for operating to determine the sampling period; wherein the sampling period is part of a complete period in which the power switch provides the communication protocol current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chien-Fu Tang, Hsin-Yi Wu, Isaac Y. Chen
  • Patent number: 10498254
    Abstract: The invention provides a power conversion device, including: a voltage conversion stage, including a primary side for receiving a rectified voltage and a secondary side for generating a rectified voltage according to the rectified voltage, wherein the primary side includes a primary side switch; a switch control circuit having a startup status and a normal operation status, the switch control circuit being configured to operably provide a control signal to a control terminal of the primary side switch; a startup circuit, providing a current to the control terminal when the switch control circuit is in the startup status, to at least partially conduct the primary side switch; and a slow soft-startup circuit, wherein when the switch control circuit is in the startup status and the output voltage does not reach a predetermined voltage in a first predetermined time period, the slow soft-startup circuit reduces a total current quantity supplied to the control terminal in a second predetermined time period which is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jyun-Che Ho, Isaac Y. Chen, Yi-Wei Lee
  • Patent number: 10497806
    Abstract: The present invention provides a MOS (Metal-Oxide-Silicon) device and a manufacturing method thereof. The MOS device includes: a semiconductor substrate, a gate, a source, a drain, and two LDDs (Lightly-Doped-Drains). At least one recess is formed at an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. The recess has a depth which is deeper than the depth of the two LDDs. The recess is filled with a conductive material. A vertical connection portion is formed at a boundary of the recess in the vertical direction, to at least connect one of the LDDs to the drain. The LDD closer to the drain is not laterally in contact with the drain but is connected to the drain by the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsung-Yi Huang
  • Patent number: 10476374
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a short circuit and/or bad connection detection method for use in a power supply system. The power supply system includes a power converter which converts an input voltage to an output voltage and supplies an output current to an electronic device. In the short circuit detection method, the conversion from the input voltage to the output voltage is disabled in a disable time period, and whether a short circuit occurs is determined according to the decreasing speed of the output voltage. In the bad connection detection method, an actual voltage and an actual current received by the electronic device are compared with the output voltage and the output current, to determine whether a bad connection occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yi-Min Shiu, Isaac Y. Chen
  • Patent number: 10476257
    Abstract: An interface control circuit comprises an interface signal transceiver circuit coupled with an interface which includes at least one interface pin for transmitting and/or receiving an interface signal through the interface, and a protection circuit for generating a protection control signal according to a capacitance of a first interface pin. During a predetermined detection time period starting from an attaching event, the protection circuit senses the capacitance of the first interface pin, and determines that there is an electrolytic substance existing and coupled with the first interface pin when the capacitance is larger than a predetermined first capacitance threshold. The protection control signal triggers the interface signal transceiver circuit to execute a protection operation. The interface includes the first interface pin and the second interface pin, and the first interface pin and the second interface pin can be one same pin or separate different pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chieh-Min Lo, Yi-Syue Jhu
  • Patent number: 10476275
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-load control apparatus, a slave circuit and a control method thereof. The multi-load control apparatus includes a master circuit and at least one slave circuit. The master circuit generates at least one pulse width modulation (PWM) signal according to an input signal. The slave circuit controls a power switch according to a corresponding PWM signal. The slave circuit has a primary side circuit and a secondary side circuit. The primary side circuit generates an AC PWM signal according to the corresponding PWM signal. The power switch has a control terminal which is driven according to a floating ground level which is not a constant voltage level. The power switch has a current inflow terminal and a current outflow terminal, which are connected to a corresponding load circuit in series, wherein the series circuit of the power switch and the load circuit receives an AC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chang-Yu Wu, Yi-Wei Lee
  • Patent number: 10476499
    Abstract: A power-on reset (POR) circuit includes: a signal generator circuit for generating a first and a second signal according to an input voltage, and a comparator circuit. The comparator circuit, having a non-zero input offset, includes a first MOS transistor with a first conductive type and having a first conductive type gate and a first threshold voltage, and a second MOS transistor with a first conductive type and having a second conductive type gate and a second threshold voltage. The input offset relates to a difference between the first and the second threshold voltage. The first and the second signal control the first and the second MOS transistors respectively to generate a POR signal. When the input voltage exceeds a POR threshold which relates to a predetermined multiple or ratio of the input offset, the POR signal transits its state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chin-Yuan Wei, Chih-Hsien Wang
  • Patent number: 10466732
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes a power stage circuit and a control circuit. The power stage circuit operates a high-side switch and a low-side switch therein according to a high-side signal and a low-side signal respectively to generate an inductor current flowing through an inductor therein. The adjustment signal generation circuit in the control circuit generates an adjustment level according to the high-side signal, the low-side signal, and/or the inductor current, wherein the adjustment level is switched between a reverse recovery level and an anti-latch-up level, and is electrically connected to a low-side isolation region of the low-side switch. The reverse recovery level is lower than the input voltage. The anti-latch-up level is higher than the reverse recovery level to avoid a latch-up effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chien-Yu Chen, Tsung-Yi Huang, Ting-Wei Liao
  • Patent number: 10461624
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power switch control circuit and an open detection method thereof. The power switch control circuit is for generating an operation signal at an operation signal output pin according to an input signal, wherein the operation signal is for operating a power switch. The power switch control circuit includes: a current injection circuit, which is connected to the operation signal output pin, and provides a predetermined current to the operation signal output pin according to an enable signal; and an open detection circuit, which is coupled to the current injection circuit, and determines whether a connection between the operation signal output pin and the power switch is open according to a level of the operation signal output pin at a detection time point or according to a level variation of the operation signal output pin during a detection time period, whereby an open detection signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pei-Sheng Tsu, Chien-Fu Tang, Isaac Y. Chen
  • Patent number: 10461652
    Abstract: A flyback power converter includes: a transformer, a power switch, a switch control unit, a synchronous rectifier switch and a secondary side control circuit. The secondary side control circuit includes: a switch signal generation circuit and a first power conversion circuit. The secondary side control circuit is coupled to the synchronous rectifier switch and the secondary winding of the transformer. The switch signal generation circuit generates the synchronous rectifier switch signal selectively according to a first power or a second power, to control the synchronous rectifier switch. The first power is related to the output voltage. The first power conversion circuit generates the second power according to a secondary phase signal on a phase node between the secondary winding of the transformer and the synchronous rectifier switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chien-Fu Tang, Jo-Yu Wang, Isaac Y. Chen
  • Patent number: 10447082
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter circuit includes a power inverter circuit, a resonant transmitter circuit and a control circuit. The power inverter circuit converts a DC power to an AC output power which includes an AC output current. The resonant transmitter circuit, including a variable capacitor circuit, converts the AC output power to a resonant wireless power which includes a resonant current. The control circuit generates an impedance control signal according to a resonant current related signal and a current reference signal, for controlling the impedance of the variable capacitor circuit to regulate the resonant current or the AC output current substantially at a predetermined current level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kuo-Chi Liu
  • Patent number: 10418482
    Abstract: A high voltage device is formed in a semiconductor substrate, and includes: a first deep well, a lateral lightly doped region, a high voltage well, an isolation region, a body region, a gate, a source, a drain, and a first isolation well. The first deep well and the first isolation well are for electrical isolating the high voltage device from neighboring devices below a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. The lateral lightly doped region is located between the first deep well and the high voltage well in a vertical direction, and the lateral lightly doped region contacts the first deep well and the high voltage well. The lateral lightly doped region is for reducing an inner capacitance of the high voltage device when the high voltage device operates, to improve transient response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsung-Yi Huang
  • Patent number: 10420179
    Abstract: A driver circuit supplies a positive voltage and a negative voltage to a load. The driver circuit includes: a positive power conversion circuit, coupled to the load, and generating the positive voltage according to an input voltage; a negative power conversion circuit, coupled to the positive power conversion circuit and the load, and generating the negative voltage according to the positive voltage; and a headroom adaptive adjustment circuit, coupled to the positive power conversion circuit and the load, and generating an adjustment signal according to one or more of a load current flowing through the load, the positive voltage Vp and the negative voltage Vn. The adjustment signal is sent to the positive power conversion circuit to adjust a regulation target of the positive voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ching-Yu Chen, Hsing-Shen Huang
  • Patent number: 10411581
    Abstract: A switching power conversion apparatus includes: a multi-level power stage, a PWM control circuit, a multi-level driver circuit, a bootstrap capacitor control circuit and a driving power control circuit. The bootstrap capacitor control circuit includes bootstrap capacitor control switches. During a charging period, a bootstrap control signal controls the bootstrap capacitor control switches, to electrically connect a second bootstrap node to the ground voltage level, whereby the supply voltage charges the bootstrap capacitor via the bootstrap diode. During a pumping period, the bootstrap control signal controls the bootstrap capacitor control switches to electrically connect the second bootstrap node to one of the upper-gate nodes or the switching node, whereby the voltage of the first bootstrap node is pumped to a corresponding pumping voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Jen Huang, Shun-Yu Huang
  • Patent number: 10396674
    Abstract: A flyback power converter includes a transformer having a primary winding for receiving an input power, a secondary winding for generating an output power, and an auxiliary winding for generating a supply voltage, a primary side switch coupled to the primary winding, a high voltage start-up switch coupled to the input voltage and the controller supply voltage, and a primary side controller powered by the controller supply voltage. The primary side controller includes a multi-function pin coupled to a control terminal of the high voltage start-up switch, a high voltage start-up circuit for controlling the high voltage start-up switch to be ON through the multi-function pin when the controller supply voltage is lower than a threshold, and a protection control circuit which is coupled to an protection sensing signal through the multi-function pin; the protection control circuit operates the flyback power converter according to the protection sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kun-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 10389249
    Abstract: A switching regulator having adjustable inductor current threshold employs a control method which includes: (S1) determining whether an output voltage is greater than a reference voltage or determining whether a switching frequency of the power stage is smaller than a predetermined lower frequency limit, and (S2) when it is determined yes in the step (S1), adjusting the inductor current threshold, such that the switching regulator operates under a pseudo discontinuous conduction mode (PDCM) wherein the switching frequency is not smaller than the predetermined lower frequency limit. Consequently, when the switching regulator operates under a light load mode, an optimum balance between a total power consumption and switching noise interference will be ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hong-Wei Huang, Yu-Kai Lin, Wei-Chuan Wu