Patents Examined by Kenneth Wells
  • Patent number: 9100008
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for operating a highly linearized resistance for a switch through use of a bootstrapped features. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method and system that implements a method for operating a circuit configured to provide a highly linearized resistance including receiving a signal via a bootstrapped switch, coupling the received signal to a gate if the received signal is high, receiving a signal via a switch control input coupled to a high impedance element. Moreover, the method includes coupling the high impedance element to the gate and turning off the switch via a gate turn off when the gate turn off pulls the gate low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Benedict C. K. Choy, James T. Walker, Ming-Yuan Yeh
  • Patent number: 9094019
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, methods for controlling a Rail-to-Rail enabling signal, including providing a first signal of an input signal of a control circuit to a level switching circuit, performing, by the level switching circuit, enabling control according to a high level and a low level of the first signal, and outputting, by the level switching circuit, a disabling signal in case of a failure of a power supply coupled to the level switching circuit. The document also discusses a circuit for controlling a Rail-to-Rail enabling signal and a level switching circuit configured to output a disabling signal properly to provide an accurate enabling control signal for equipment operated under control of an enabling control in case of the failure of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Lei Huang
  • Patent number: 9095031
    Abstract: The disclosed technical solution relates to an organic light emitting diode driving circuit, and a display panel, a display and a driving method using the same. The organic light emitting diode driving circuit includes a driving unit, a threshold compensation unit and an organic light emitting diode. The preferred threshold compensation unit comprises 5 transistors and a capacitance. The organic light emitting diode driving circuit compensates the threshold voltage Vth of the driving transistor by means of this 6T1C circuit, eliminates the inconsistent operation states of the organic light emitting diode caused by the different threshold voltages of the driving transistor in the entire circuit, thereby solving the problem regarding the brightness and evenness of the organic light emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen Tan, Xiaojing Qi
  • Patent number: 9083248
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a PWM control circuit, a flyback converter, and a PWM control method. The PWM control circuit includes: a peak storing and reference signal generating unit storing a peak value of one period of a feedback signal from a secondary side output and inverting the peak signal and outputting the inverted peak signal as a reference signal; and a PWM control signal generating unit generating a PWM control signal by using an output obtained by comparing the reference signal with a reference waveform from the peak storing and reference signal generating unit. In addition, the flyback converter including the same and the method for controlling PWM are proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Deuk Hee Park, Yun Joong Lee, Sang Hyun Cha, Jae Shin Lee, Chang Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 9077320
    Abstract: An offset adjustment circuit of a dynamic comparator has a detection unit and a control unit. The detection unit detects whether a comparator offset possessed by the dynamic comparator is deviated from a target offset setting, and accordingly generates a detection result. The control unit adjusts a voltage setting of at least one input received by the dynamic comparator when the detection result indicates that the comparator offset is deviated from the target offset setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventor: Yun-Shiang Shu
  • Patent number: 9077337
    Abstract: An electronic switch contains an input terminal, and output terminal and at least one first switch element, which provides a voltage-dependent characteristic. In this context, the first switch element connects the input terminal to the output terminal in a selective manner. The electronic switch further comprises a compensation element, which provides a voltage-dependent characteristic. In this context, the compensation element is arranged in such a manner that it at least partially compensates the frequency-dependent characteristic of the switch element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Bernhard Richt
  • Patent number: 9072132
    Abstract: A lighting control system includes lighting devices arranged along a road for a moving body. Each lighting device includes a sensor that detects a moving body approaching the lighting device, a light source that emits light, a sensor that detects the moving body, a control unit connected to the sensor and the light source, and a communication unit. The sensor of the one of the lighting devices located in at least at one outermost position of the lighting devices has a higher detection frequency than the sensors of the other lighting devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Murakami, Shigeo Gotoh
  • Patent number: 9065437
    Abstract: A circuit for driving a transistor includes a drive circuit, a first voltage boost circuit and a second voltage boost circuit. The drive circuit has a first specific node, a second specific node, and a third specific node coupled to a control node of the transistor. The drive circuit is arranged for coupling the first specific node to the third specific node according to at least a voltage of the first specific node and a voltage of the second specific node in order to charge the control node. The first voltage boost circuit is coupled between the first specific node and a connection node of the transistor, and is arranged for boosting the voltage of the first specific node. The second voltage boost circuit is coupled between the first specific node and the second specific node, and is arranged for boosting the voltage of the second specific node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Wee Guan Tan, Siong Siew Yong
  • Patent number: 9059697
    Abstract: A drive circuit including a second switching element that is connected in series to a source of a first switching element, that is switched ON when the first switching element is switched ON, and that is switched OFF when the first switching element is switched OFF. The drive circuit includes a conduction element that is provided between a drain of the second switching element and a power line, and that connects the drain of the second switching element to the power line in accordance with a signal that switches the second switching element OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
    Inventor: Yoshiomi Shiina
  • Patent number: 9055652
    Abstract: The disclosed technical solution relates to an organic light emitting diode driving circuit, and a display panel, a display and a driving method using the same. The organic light emitting diode driving circuit includes a driving unit, a threshold compensation unit and an organic light emitting diode. The preferred threshold compensation unit comprises 5 transistors and a capacitance. The organic light emitting diode driving circuit compensates the threshold voltage Vth of the driving transistor by means of this 6T1C circuit, eliminates the inconsistent operation states of the organic light emitting diode caused by the different threshold voltages of the driving transistor in the entire circuit, thereby solving the problem regarding the brightness and evenness of the organic light emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen Tan, Xiaojing Qi
  • Patent number: 9054712
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, methods for controlling a Rail-to-Rail enabling signal, including providing a first signal of an input signal of a control circuit to a level switching circuit, performing, by the level switching circuit, enabling control according to a high level and a low level of the first signal, and outputting, by the level switching circuit, a disabling signal in case of a failure of a power supply coupled to the level switching circuit. The document also discusses a circuit for controlling a Rail-to-Rail enabling signal and a level switching circuit configured to output a disabling signal properly to provide an accurate enabling control signal for equipment operated under control of an enabling control in case of the failure of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Lei Huang
  • Patent number: 9054699
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of redundantly formed semiconductor circuits integrally has a monitor transistor and is energized by being supplied with an enable signal. A monitor circuit associated with each semiconductor circuit detects a collector current of the monitor transistor and, when the collector current is less than a predetermined threshold value, outputs an alarm signal. A variation predicting circuit calculates the rate of change per unit time with respect to the collector current. An order determining circuit stores the identification numbers of the semiconductor circuits into an order determination register in descending order of the rate of change. The order determination register initially outputs the front identification number, and thereafter outputs the respective following identification number each time a respective one of the monitor circuits outputs an alarm signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Masahiro Iwama
  • Patent number: 9055638
    Abstract: The controller changes an applied time (ON-time) of a DC voltage while keeping an intermittent period in which the DC voltage is supplied intermittently constant, when adjusting an average value of currents to a predetermined reference value or more, and changes a stopped time (OFF-time) of the DC voltage together with the intermittent period while keeping the applied time constant, when adjusting the average value to a value less than the predetermined reference value. Therefore, the lighting device can reduce variation in emission color compared with the conventional lighting device adopting DC Dimming Method, and can reduce variation in amount of light compared with the case where ON-time is changed until the dimming level reaches a lower limit. As a result, the lighting device can modulate light even at a low dimming level while reducing variation in emission color and variation in amount of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi Nakada, Nobuo Ukita, Hisanaga Onishi
  • Patent number: 9055625
    Abstract: The control method comprises the following steps. Firstly, whether a touch event occurs in a control device is determined. Then, responding to a color temperature set and a brightness set from the control device, a first PWM and a second PWM is generated. Then, whether the lamp connects with to the control device is determined. Then, the first PWM and the second PWM is packaged in a color control package if the lamp connects with to the control device. Then, the color control package is transmitted to the lamp in wireless.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: LEXTAR ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Feng-Ling Lin, Po-Shen Chen, Hui-Ying Chen, Chun-Kuang Chen, Yuan-Ching Chen
  • Patent number: 9048119
    Abstract: There exists a possibility that a semiconductor device configured with a normally-on JFET and a normally-off MOSFET which are coupled in cascade may break by erroneous conduction, etc. A semiconductor device is configured with a normally-on SiCJFET and a normally-off Si-type MOSFET. The normally-on SiCJFET and the normally-off Si-type MOSFET are coupled in cascade and configure a switching circuit. According to one input signal, the normally-on SiCJFET and the normally-off Si-type MOSFET are controlled so as to have a period in which both transistors are set in an OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamitsu Kanazawa, Satoru Akiyama
  • Patent number: 9041446
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed to accomplish power savings in an electronic device, such as a memory chip, by performing selective frequency locking and subsequent instantaneous frequency switching in the DLL (delay locked loop) used for clock synchronization in the electronic device. By locking the DLL at a slow clock frequency, the operational frequency may be substantially instantaneously switched to an integer-multiplied frequency of the initial locking frequency without losing the DLL lock point. This DLL locking methodology allows for faster frequency changes from higher (during normal operation) to lower (during a power saving mode) clock frequencies without resorting to gradual frequency slewing to conserve power and maintain DLL locking. Hence, a large power reduction may be accomplished substantially instantaneously without adding complexity to the system clock generator. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used in construing the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Greg A. Blodgett, Tyler Gomm
  • Patent number: 9035689
    Abstract: A thermal controller for driving a gate control unit of a gate-driven semiconductor switching device, the thermal controller comprising a junction temperature estimation module for generating an estimated junction temperature for the switching device, a gate voltage control module for modifying a gate voltage of the switching device, a switching frequency control module for modifying a switching frequency of the switching device, and a duty cycle control module for modifying the duty cycle of the switching device. In use, the thermal controller is adapted to activate one of the gate voltage control module, switching frequency control module and duty cycle control module dependent upon the estimated junction temperature in order to maintain the actual junction temperature below a pre-determined limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Bikramjit Bhangu, Mohamed Halick Mohamed Sathik, Sivakumar Nadarajan, Chandana Jayampathi Gajanayake
  • Patent number: 9028090
    Abstract: An LED lamp includes LED chips, a translucent cover housing the LED chips, a motion sensor unit, a condensing lens, and a power unit. The motion sensor unit includes a light receiving element for light of a predetermined wavelength. The lens condenses light of the predetermined wavelength onto the light receiving element. The power unit controls the state of operation of the LED chips based on an output from the motion sensor unit. The motion sensor unit includes a light shielding member disposed to overlap the light receiving element in an optical axis direction of the condensing lens and also to surround the light receiving element as viewed in the optical axis direction. The light shielding member is made of a material having a lower light transmissivity than that of the condensing lens for a range of wavelengths including the predetermined wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nagashima, Masaru Igaki
  • Patent number: 9030249
    Abstract: There is provided a level shift circuit free from malfunction. The level shift circuit converts a signal of a first power supply voltage of a first supply terminal, which is supplied to an input terminal, into a signal of a second power supply voltage of a second supply terminal and outputs the converted signal to an output terminal. The level shift circuit has a control circuit that detects when the first power supply voltage reduces below a predetermined voltage. The voltage of the output terminal of the level shift circuit is fixed to the second power supply voltage or a ground voltage according to a detection signal of the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Kosuke Takada, Atsushi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 9007099
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a current sampler and a start-up structure, comprises first, second and third high-voltage transistors, and a resistor, wherein: a drain terminal of the first transistor is respectively connected to a drain terminal of the second transistor, a drain terminal of the third transistor and one end of the resistor; a source terminal of the first transistor is grounded, and a gate terminal of the first transistor is connected to a gate terminal of the second transistor; the other end of the resistor is connected to a gate terminal of the third transistor; wherein the resistor is wound and formed in a common voltage withstand region of the first transistor, the second transistor and the third transistor, or in a voltage withstand region of the first transistor only, or in the voltage withstand region of the third transistor only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Suzhou Poweron IC Design Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yangbo Yi, Haisong Li, Ping Tao, Wengao Chen, Lixin Zhang