Patents Examined by Khanh V. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11888447
    Abstract: A circuit includes an operational amplifier having: a positive input; a negative input; an operational amplifier output; a differential front end; a positive channel (PCH) input stage; a negative channel (NCH) input stage; and an output stage. The operational amplifier also includes a current limit circuit coupled to an output of the output stage and including: an output current sense voltage circuit having an output configured to provide an output current sense voltage; an indirect current feedback circuit coupled to the output of the output current sense voltage circuit, the indirect current feedback circuit having an output configured to provide an output current feedback sense voltage responsive to the output current sense voltage; and control circuitry coupled to the indirect current feedback circuit and configured vary a resistance between the output stage output and ground responsive to a difference between the output current feedback sense voltage and a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Munaf Hussain Shaik, Srinivas Kumar Pulijala, Vadim Valerievich Ivanov
  • Patent number: 11881822
    Abstract: A power amplifier module includes an output-stage amplifier, a driver-stage amplifier, an input switch, an output switch, an input matching circuit, an inter-stage matching circuit, an output matching circuit, and a control circuit. The input switch selectively connects one of a plurality of input signal paths to an input terminal of the driver-stage amplifier. The output switch selectively connects one of a plurality of output signal paths to an output terminal of the output-stage amplifier. The control circuit controls operations of the driver-stage amplifier and the output-stage amplifier. The input switch, the output switch, and the control circuit are integrated into an IC chip. The control circuit is disposed between the input switch and the output switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Okabe
  • Patent number: 11870403
    Abstract: A half duplex amplifier for a cable network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Zoran Maricevic, Marcel F. C. Schemmann, Zhijian Sun, Shodhan K. Shetty, Dean Painchaud, Brian J. Solomon
  • Patent number: 11870404
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for gain stabilization. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes an amplifier and a gain-stabilization circuit. The amplifier has a gain that is based on a bias voltage and an amplification control signal. The gain-stabilization circuit is coupled to the amplifier and includes a replica amplifier. The replica amplifier has a replica gain that is based on the bias voltage and the amplification control signal. The gain-stabilization circuit is configured to adjust at least one of the bias voltage or the amplification control signal based on a gain error associated with the replica amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Kentaro Yamamoto, Aram Akhavan, Ganesh Kiran, Lei Sun, Elias Dagher, Dinesh Jagannath Alladi
  • Patent number: 11863127
    Abstract: An amplifier device includes a regulator circuit, a first voltage converting circuit, a first control circuit, and an amplifier circuit. The regulator circuit is configured to output a first driving voltage. The first voltage converting circuit is coupled to the regulator circuit, and is configured to output one of the first driving voltage and at least one first voltages related to the first driving voltage, as a first operating voltage. The first control circuit is coupled to the first voltage converting circuit through a first node, and is configured to receive the first operating voltage and generate a first operating signal according to the first operating voltage and a first control signal. The amplifier circuit is coupled to the first control circuit and the regulator circuit, and is configured to receive the first driving voltage, and is controlled by the first operating signal to generate an output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yang Chang, Kuan-Yu Shih, Chia-Jun Chang, Ka-Un Chan
  • Patent number: 11863142
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine automated gain control parameters for an automated gain control protocol are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first tuner to amplify an audio signal. Disclosed example apparatus also include a second tuner to amplify the audio signal. Disclosed example apparatus also include a first controller to tune the first tuner to apply a first gain representative of a first range of gains to the audio signal to determine a first amplified audio signal and tune the second tuner to apply a second gain representative a second range of gains to the audio signal to determine a second amplified audio signal, the second range of gains lower than the first range of gains. Disclosed example apparatus also include a second controller to select the first range of gains to be utilized in an automated gain control protocol when the first gain results in clipping of the first amplified audio signal and the second gain does not result in clipping of the second amplified audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NIELSEN COMPANY (US) LLC
    Inventors: John T. Livoti, Rajakumar Madhanganesh, Stanley Wellington Woodruff, Ryan C. Lehing, Charles Clinton Conklin
  • Patent number: 11855590
    Abstract: Disclosed is an amplifying circuit and method. In one embodiment, an amplifying circuit, includes: a common-gate (CG) amplifier, wherein the CG amplifier comprises a first transistor, wherein source terminal and body terminal of the first transistor is coupled together through a first resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Garming Liang, Simon Chai, Tzu-Jin Yeh, En-Hsiang Yeh, Wen-Sheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11855588
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic circuit includes: an input differential pair including first and second transistors; a first pair of transistors in emitter-follower configuration including third and fourth transistors, and an output differential pair including fifth and sixth transistors. The third transistor has a control terminal coupled to the first transistor, and a current path coupled to a first output terminal. The fourth transistor has a control terminal coupled to the second transistor, and a current path coupled to a second output terminal. The fifth transistor has a control terminal coupled to the first transistor, and a first current path terminal coupled to the first output terminal. The sixth transistor has a control terminal coupled to the second transistor, and a first current path terminal coupled to the second output terminal. First and second termination resistors are coupled between the first pair of transistors and the output differential pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Edoardo Marino, Alessio Vallese, Alessio Facen, Enrico Mammei, Paolo Pulici
  • Patent number: 11848646
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes a voltage-to-current conversion circuit and a current-to-voltage conversion circuit. The voltage-to-current conversion circuit generates a current signal according to an input voltage signal, and includes an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) used to output the current signal at an output port of the OTA. The current-to-voltage conversion circuit generates an output voltage signal according to the current signal, and includes a linear amplifier (LA), wherein an input port of the LA is coupled to the output port of the OTA, and the output voltage signal is derived from an output signal at an output port of the LA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Shih-Hsiung Chien, Sung-Han Wen, Kuan-Ta Chen
  • Patent number: 11838000
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for regulating an integration current of a sensing amplifier. The sensing amplifier includes a first input transistor and a second input transistor, wherein a source of the first input transistor and a source of the second input transistor are coupled to a source node. The method includes pulling a current from or sourcing the current to the source node, measuring the integration current, comparing the measured integration current with a reference signal, and adjusting the current pulled from or sourced to the source node based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Todd Morgan Rasmus, Shih-Wei Chou
  • Patent number: 11830917
    Abstract: A collector layer is disposed on a substrate. The collector layer is a continuous region when viewed in plan. A base layer is disposed on the collector layer. An emitter layer is disposed on the base layer. An emitter mesa layer is disposed on the emitter layer. Two base electrodes are located outside the emitter mesa layer and within the base layer when viewed in plan. The two base electrodes are electrically connected to the base layer. Two capacitors are disposed on or above the substrate. Each of the two capacitors is connected between a corresponding one of the two base electrodes and a first line above the substrate. Two resistance elements are disposed on or above the substrate. Each of the two resistance elements is connected between a corresponding one of the two base electrodes and a second line on or above the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunari Umemoto, Shaojun Ma, Shigeki Koya
  • Patent number: 11824391
    Abstract: A device includes an amplifier having inverting and non-inverting inputs and an output. The device includes a capacitor coupled to a first node and to ground, a resistor coupled to the first node and the amplifier output, and a first switch coupled to the first node and a current sink, which is coupled to ground. The device includes AND gate having inputs and an output coupled to control terminal of first switch. The device includes a first comparator having non-inverting and inverting inputs and an output coupled to an AND gate input; a second comparator having a non-inverting input coupled to the amplifier output, an inverting input coupled to a transistor stack, and an output coupled to an AND gate input; and a second switch coupled to the transistor stack and to a current source, the second switch having a control terminal coupled to the first comparator output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hakan Oner, Kevin Scoones
  • Patent number: 11824506
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit comprises a first gain circuit path configured to provide a first signal gain to an input signal, a second gain circuit path configured to provide a second signal gain to an input signal, an auxiliary gain circuit path configured to provide an auxiliary signal gain to an auxiliary input signal, wherein the auxiliary signal gain is equal to the first signal gain minus the second signal gain, a summing circuit configured to sum the second gain signal path and the auxiliary signal path, and logic circuitry configured to change an output of the circuit between the first gain circuit path and the sum of the second gain signal path and the auxiliary signal path, and set the auxiliary input signal equal to the input signal before the changing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Anthony Eric Turvey, Michael E. Harrell, Murat Demirkan
  • Patent number: 11824504
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device comprising two error amplifier stages having their first inputs interconnected, their second inputs interconnected and their outputs coupled to an output of the device, each stage comprising an operational amplifier; a circuit for calibrating the amplifier; a switch coupling an input of the amplifier to the first input; a switch coupling another input of the amplifier to the second input; a switch coupling an output of the amplifier to the stage output; a switch having on state which short-circuits the inputs of the amplifier; and a switch coupling the output of the amplifier to the calibration circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventor: Kuno Lenz
  • Patent number: 11817838
    Abstract: An electronic amplification-interface circuit includes a differential-current reading circuit having a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The differential-current reading circuit includes a continuous-time sigma-delta conversion circuit formed by an integrator-and-adder module generating an output signal that is coupled to an input of a multilevel-quantizer circuit configured to output a multilevel quantized signal. The integrator-and-adder module includes a differential current-integrator circuit configured to output a voltage proportional to an integral of a difference between currents received at the first and second input terminals. A digital-to-analog converter, driven by a respective reference current, receives and converts the multilevel quantized signal into a differential analog feedback signal. The integrator-and-adder module adds the differential analog feedback signal to the differential signal formed at the first and second input terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Calogero Marco Ippolito, Michele Vaiana
  • Patent number: 11811373
    Abstract: An active load stage converts a first input current and a second input current into a first voltage and a second voltage. A driver amplifier operates upon receiving the first voltage and the second voltage from the active load stage, and outputs a current to an output terminal. The driver amplifier has a first transistor and a second transistor connected in series between a first reference potential terminal and a second reference potential terminal. The first transistor receives the first voltage at a gate and passes a first current, and the second transistor receives the second voltage at a gate and passes a second current. A minimum selector provides feedback to the first voltage and the second voltage such that an absolute value of each of the first current and the second current becomes more than or equal to a quiescent current of the driver amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Nakai
  • Patent number: 11811375
    Abstract: An asymmetric signal path approach is used to extract differential signals out of the photodetector (e.g., a photodiode) for amplification by a differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA). This asymmetric-path differential TIA configuration has less low-frequency Inter Symbol Interference (ISI) (also known as Baseline Wander), less high-frequency noise amplification, and higher bandwidth capabilities. There is no power penalty with this design in comparison to a single-ended TIA, can extend the range of the link for a given system power consumption, and can decrease transmitter power for a given range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Kadaba Lakshmikumar, Alexander Kurylak, Romesh Kumar Nandwana
  • Patent number: 11804811
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: a low noise amplifier (LNA) to receive and amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal, the LNA having a first controllable gain; a mixer to downconvert the RF signal to a second frequency signal; a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) coupled to the mixer to amplify the second frequency signal, the PGA having a second controllable gain; a digitizer to digitize the second frequency signal to a digitized signal; a demodulator coupled to the digitizer to demodulate the digitized signal; an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit to control one or more of the first controllable gain and the second controllable gain; and an AGC settling circuit to cause the demodulator to begin operation in response to determining that the AGC circuit has settled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Gorday, Guner Arslan, Marc Leroux, Pascal Blouin
  • Patent number: 11804813
    Abstract: This application relates to Class D amplifier circuits. A modulator controls a Class D output stage based on a modulator input signal (Dm) to generate an output signal (Vout) which is representative of an input signal (Din). An error block, which may comprise an ADC, generates an error signal (?) from the output signal and the input signal. In various embodiments the extent to which the error signal (?) contributes to the modulator input signal (Dm) is variable based on an indication of the amplitude of the input signal (Din). The error signal may be received at a first input of a signal selector block. The input signal may be received at a second input of the signal selector block. The signal selector block may be operable in first and second modes of operation, wherein in the first mode the modulator input signal is based at least in part on the error signal; and in the second mode the modulator input signal is based on the digital input signal and is independent of the error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: John Paul Lesso, Toru Ido
  • Patent number: 11791775
    Abstract: Thermal temperature sensors for power amplifiers are provided herein. In certain implementations, a semiconductor die includes a compound semiconductor substrate, and a power amplifier including a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) configured to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal. The plurality of FETs are arranged on the compound semiconductor substrate as a transistor array. The semiconductor die further includes a semiconductor resistor configured to generate a signal indicative of a temperature of the transistor array. The semiconductor resistor is located adjacent to one end of the transistor array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith E. Benson