Patents Examined by Jeffrey S. Zweizig
  • Patent number: 7973590
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transmission line and a second transmission line disposed at different layers; a contact fuse coupled with the first transmission line and the second transmission line; a power driver configured to apply an electric stress to the contact fuse; and a fuse state output unit configured to output a fuse state signal having a logic level corresponding to an electric connection state of the contact fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Hoon Shin, Hyung-Dong Lee, Jun-Gi Choi
  • Patent number: 7973574
    Abstract: A flip-flop, and a frequency divider and an RF circuit using the flip-flop. The frequency divider, which receives a first signal and generates a second signal by dividing a frequency of the first signal, including a plurality of flip-flops that each latch and output a signal based on the first signal; and at least one switch unit that is switched in response to a control signal to modify a signal transfer path between the plurality of the flip-flops, wherein a different number of flip-flops are activated in response to each first and second status of the control signal so that the frequency of the first signal is divided by different multiples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyoung-seok Oh
  • Patent number: 7969231
    Abstract: An output terminal of a first boost circuit is connected to a second boost circuit. After the second boost circuit is started up, a boost clock frequency of the second boost circuit is reduced. A time required to start up the second boost circuit is reduced, and in addition, a current supply capability of the first boost circuit is increased after the second boost circuit is started up. When the second boost circuit is driven, output voltages of the first and second boost circuits are stably supplied without instantaneously changing the output voltage of the first boost circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Yamahira
  • Patent number: 7969224
    Abstract: A method and a circuit for correcting duty cycle distortion. A delay insertion gate corrects data dependent delay distortion that is generated by CMOS flip-flop circuits. The delay insertion gate includes two field effect transistors and a current mirror. The two transistors each respectively receive an input signal from an upstream circuit. At least one of the transistors is coupled to an output node. The output node temporarily holds a voltage state within the delay insertion gate, correcting any distortion in the duty cycle of the input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul M. Werking
  • Patent number: 7969237
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes at least one first transistor configured to control conductance between an input power line and an output power line, at least one second transistor configured to control conductance between the input power line and the output power line, a first buffer configured to supply a first control signal for driving the at least one first transistor to a first control line connected to the at least one first transistor, a second buffer configured to generate a second control signal for driving the at least one second transistor upon receipt of the first control signal supplied through the first control line and supply the second control signal to a second control line connected to the at least one second transistor, and at least one capacitor connected between the first control line and the output power line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tetsuya Fujita, Yousuke Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 7969239
    Abstract: A novel capacitor for use in a charge pump circuit has a substrate with a planar surface. A first electrode is in a first plane spaced apart from the planar surface. A second electrode is adjacent to and is spaced apart from the first electrode in the first plane and is capacitively coupled thereto. A third electrode is in a second plane, spaced apart from the first plane and is capacitively coupled to the first electrode. A fourth electrode is adjacent to and spaced apart from the third electrode in the second plane and is capacitively coupled to the third electrode and capacitively coupled to the second electrode. The first and fourth electrodes are electrically connected together and the second and third electrodes are electrically connected together. In addition, a cylindrical shape electrode, and a great wall electrode, and charge pump capacitor-by-pattern-filling is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hieu Van Tran, Hung Q. Nguyen, Thuan T. Vu, Anh Ly
  • Patent number: 7969238
    Abstract: A cost-effective device for influencing the transmission of electrical energy of an alternating voltage line with a plurality of phases has phase modules, which each have an alternating voltage terminal for connecting to a phase of the alternating voltage line and two connecting terminals. A phase module branch extends between each connecting terminal and each alternating voltage terminal. The phase module branch is formed of a series connection of sub-modules, each having a power semiconductor circuit and an energy accumulator connected in parallel to the power semiconductor circuit. The connecting terminals are connected to one another. The power semiconductor circuit is equipped with power semiconductors that can be switched off and are connected to each other in a half bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Bernhard, Mike Dommaschk, Jörg Dorn, Ingo Euler, Franz Karlecik-Maier, Jörg Lang, John-William Strauss, Quoc-Buu Tu, Carsten Wittstock, Klaus Würflinger
  • Patent number: 7969229
    Abstract: A comparator circuit for comparing outputs of an on-chip redundant system is mounted on a second semiconductor chip that is separate from the on-chip redundant system. The second semiconductor chip which preferably contains a power source circuit for supplying power to the on-chip redundant system, a driver circuit for driving an output circuit, and the like are mounted. With this configuration, the influence of a failure occurring in the on-chip redundancy system can be prevented from being exerted on the comparator measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Kanekawa, Ryoichi Kobayashi, Tomonobu Koseki, Katsuya Oyama
  • Patent number: 7961036
    Abstract: Internal voltage generation circuit including a reference oscillation signal generator for generating a reference oscillation signal according to a comparison result of a pumping voltage with a reference voltage, an oscillation signal generator for generating a plurality of oscillation signals with a predetermined phase difference and a pumping voltage generator for generating a pumping voltage through sequential charge pumping operations performed in response to the plurality of oscillation signals, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Jae-Boum Park
  • Patent number: 7961035
    Abstract: Provided is a boosting circuit having a small circuit scale. When a node (Vg) is reset by a reset transistor (M3) after a boosting operation has been finished, the reset transistor (M3) is controlled based on a power supply voltage to reset the node (Vg). Therefore, another boosted voltage is not required for the reset, and hence an additional boosting circuit required for the another boosted voltage is unnecessary as well. As a result, the circuit scale of the boosting circuit is reduced correspondingly to the additional boosting circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Mitani, Fumiyasu Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 7952398
    Abstract: A receiver suitable for applications that desire a common-mode voltage range from approximately 0.7V to approximately 0.9V is arranged by coupling first and second differential pair circuit architectures based on first and second current-steering schemes into the same path to generate an output signal. The receiver includes first and second differential pair circuits. The first differential pair circuit is coupled to a first current-steering path via a first port and a second current-steering path via a second port. The second differential pair circuit is coupled to the first current-steering path via a third port and the second current-steering path via a fourth port. A bridge circuit is interposed between the first and second differential pair circuits. The bridge circuit integrates the first and second current-steering paths in a single-stage of the receiver assembly. A bias signal directs the bridge circuit over a set of worst case conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Enterprise IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Manuel Salcido, J. Ken Patterson, Thomas Edward Cynkar
  • Patent number: 7952393
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes an enable signal generating unit for generating an enable signal in response to an active signal and an internal voltage driving unit driven by the active signal and the enable signal, wherein the internal voltage driving unit drives an internal voltage by comparing the internal voltage and a reference voltage and then generating first and second driving signals, and wherein the enable signal generating unit receives the second driving signal and then determines enablement of the enable signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Won Oh Lee
  • Patent number: 7948298
    Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit is provided, in which an external temperature control or temperature monitoring is possible, with little influence by the noise of a system board which mounts the semiconductor integrated circuit. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes the temperature detection circuit which detects the chip temperature, and the functional module which flows a large operating current. An external terminal which supplies operating voltage, and an external terminal which supplies ground voltage are coupled to the functional module. The temperature detection circuit generates a temperature detection signal and a reference signal. The reference signal and the temperature detection signal are led out to the exterior of the semiconductor integrated circuit via a first external output terminal and a second external output terminal, respectively, and are supplied to an external temperature control/monitoring circuit which has a circuitry type of a differential amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Kameyama, Takayasu Ito, Seiichi Saito, Koji Sato
  • Patent number: 7948296
    Abstract: A synchronous rectifier comprising a MOSFET device, and a gate driver for driving the gate of the MOSFET device, the MOSFET device comprising first and second MOSFET transistors coupled with their drain-source paths in parallel to receive an alternating current waveform for rectification by the drain-source paths of the MOSFET transistors, the first transistor having a low Rdson and the second transistor having a high Rdson whereby the apparent Rdson of the MOSFET device is increased when the current through the MOSFET device is below a threshold thereby enabling zero crossing detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Bruno Charles Nadd, Xavier de Frutos, Andre Mourrier
  • Patent number: 7948307
    Abstract: A dual dielectric tri-gate field effect transistor, a method of fabricating a dual dielectric tri-gate field effect transistor, and a method of operating a dual dielectric tri-gate effect transistor are disclosed. In one embodiment, the dual dielectric tri-gate transistor comprises a substrate, an insulating layer on the substrate, and at least one semiconductor fin. A first dielectric having a first dielectric constant extends over sidewalls of the fin, and a metal layer extends over the first dielectric, and a second dielectric having a second dielectric constant is on a top surface of the fin. A gate electrode extends over the fin and the first and second dielectrics. The gate electrode and the first dielectric layer form first and second gates having a threshold voltage Vt1, and the gate electrode and the second dielectric layer form a third gate having a threshold voltage Vt2 different than Vt1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Josephine B. Chang, Leland Chang, Chung-Hsun Lin, Jeffrey W. Sleight
  • Patent number: 7944255
    Abstract: A CMOS bias circuit includes a starter circuits and a started circuit part which supplies a current to the outside. The starter circuits has a connection node (first terminal) between it and the started circuit part. The starter circuits includes a first MOS transistor connected at its drain to the first terminal, a first current supply circuit which supplies a starter current to the started circuit via the first MOS transistor, and a circuit which supplies a second current in a direction that interrupts a current flowing through the first MOS transistor to a node between the first MOS transistor and the first current supply circuit in accordance with a potential at the first terminal. The starter circuits has a function of preventing a current flowing between the drain and source of the first MOS transistor in the opposite direction by increasing or decreasing a gate bias of the first MOS transistor in accordance with a value of the second current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kan Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7940118
    Abstract: In many applications, “dying gasp” periods following power down are used. Conventional circuits supply energy for the “dying gasp” periods generally by use of large external capacitors that are bulky and expensive. Here, a dying gasp charge controller is employed that allows for the use of smaller capacitors at higher voltages, which maintains or exceeds the energy storage capacities of conventional circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Hassan Pooya Forghani-zadeh, Luis A. Huertas-Sanchez, Li Li
  • Patent number: 7936210
    Abstract: A traveling wave device employs an active Gallium Nitride FET. The Gallium Nitride FET has a plurality of gate feeding fingers connecting to an input gate transmission line. The FET has a drain electrode connected to an output drain transmission line with the source electrode connected to a point of reference potential. The input and output transmission lines are terminated with terminating impedances which are not matched to the gate and drain transmission lines. The use of Gallium Nitride enables the terminating impedance to be at much higher levels than in the prior art. The use of Gallium Nitride permits multiple devices to be employed, thus resulting in higher gain amplifiers with higher voltage operation and higher frequency operation. A cascode traveling wave amplifier employing GaN FETs is also described having high gain and bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Robinson, Paul Saunier, Hua-Quen Tserng
  • Patent number: 7924085
    Abstract: A transmission gate includes first and second MOS transistors of opposite conductivity type coupled in parallel with each other. Each transistor includes a body connection that is separately biased by corresponding first and second biasing circuits. The first biasing circuit generates a first bias voltage having a voltage level that is generated as a function of the signal at the first node and a first (for example, positive) reference voltage. The second biasing circuit generates a second bias voltage having a voltage level that is generated as a function of the signal at the first node and a second (for examples ground) reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Dianbo Guo
  • Patent number: 7920016
    Abstract: A testing procedure may determine whether a monolithic voltage reference device meets a temperature drift specification. A first non-room temperature output voltage of the monolithic voltage reference device may be measured while the monolithic voltage reference device is at a first non-room temperature which is substantially different than room temperature. First non-room temperature information may be stored in a memory within the monolithic voltage reference device which is a function of the first non-room temperature output voltage. A second non-room temperature output voltage of the monolithic voltage reference device may be measured while the monolithic voltage reference device is at a second non-room temperature which is substantially different than the room temperature and the first non-room temperature. Second non-room temperature information may be stored in the memory without destroying the first non-room temperature information which is a function of the second non-room temperature output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Michael B. Anderson, Tahir M. Hasoon, Brendan J. Whelan, J. Spencer Wright, Robert L. Reay