Patents Examined by LaKaisha Jackson
  • Patent number: 11387738
    Abstract: When a constant on-time flyback converter is in the switch-on stage, the gate voltage of the switch and the input voltage of the flyback converter adopt the primary side of the transformer to control. The gate voltage is controlled by the second control signal generated by the controller. The flyback converter is then turn off to enter the switch off stage. When the flyback converter is in the switch off stage, the secondary side controller on the secondary side of the transformer, based on the output voltage and output current of the secondary side, sends a first control signal to the primary side controller to control the main switch to turn on. Thus, the flyback converter enters the switch-on stage. Therefore, the calculation complexity is reduced, and there is no need to set a blanking time, such that the flyback converter can be used in high switching frequency applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR INTERNATIONAL LP
    Inventors: Jung-Pei Cheng, Hung-Ta Hsu, Hsiang-Chung Chang, Yueh-Ping Yu, Yu-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 11381173
    Abstract: A switching regulator which has load transient quick response ability includes at least one power stage circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generation circuit and a quick response (QR) signal generation circuit. The PWM signal generation circuit generates a PWM signal according to an output voltage and a QR signal, to control a power switch of the corresponding power stage circuit, thus converting an input voltage to the output voltage. The QR signal generation circuit includes a differentiator circuit and a comparison circuit. The differentiator circuit performs a differential operation on a voltage sensing signal related to the output voltage, to generate a differential signal. The comparison circuit compares the differential signal with a QR threshold signal, such that when the differential signal exceeds the QR signal, the PWM signal generation circuit performs a QR procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yung-Jen Chen, Yu-Chieh Lin, Chia-Chi Liu, Fu-To Lin
  • Patent number: 11378992
    Abstract: In certain aspects, a voltage regulator includes a pass n-type field effect transistor (NFET) coupled between a first voltage rail and a second voltage rail, and a pass p-type field effect transistor (PFET) coupled between the first voltage rail and the second voltage rail. The voltage regulator also includes a first amplifier having an output, a first switch coupled between the output of the first amplifier and a gate of the pass NFET, a second amplifier having an output, and a second switch coupled between the output of the second amplifier and a gate of the pass PFET, a third switch coupled between the gate of the pass NFET and a ground, and a fourth switch coupled between the gate of the pass PFET and the second voltage rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Madjid Hafizi
  • Patent number: 11372438
    Abstract: A startup circuit is provided. The startup circuit includes a first switch connected between an operating voltage terminal and a first connection node, and configured to perform a switching operation based on a shutdown signal, a second switch connected between the first connection node and ground, and configured to perform a switching operation based on a bandgap voltage, a logic circuit performing a logical AND operation on a first voltage of the first connection node and an enabling signal to generate a switching voltage, and a third switch connected between an output node and the ground, and configured to perform a switching operation based on the switching voltage, where the output node outputs a startup voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun Goo Jeon
  • Patent number: 11374490
    Abstract: A power conversion system includes a power conversion circuit and a start circuit. The power conversion circuit includes a first terminal, a second terminal, an output capacitor, at switching unit, a flying capacitor and a magnetic element. The second switching unit includes two switch groups. The flying capacitor is connected between the first terminal and the second terminal. The magnetic element includes two first windings that are electromagnetically coupled with each other. A first one of the two first windings is electrically connected between one switch group and the second terminal of the power conversion circuit. A second one of the two first windings is electrically connected between the other switch group and the second terminal of the power conversion circuit. The start circuit includes a third winding, an inductor and at least one switch element. The third winding is electromagnetically coupled with the first windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Zhengyu Ye, Xueliang Chang, Qinghua Su
  • Patent number: 11362579
    Abstract: A switching power converter circuit may include output voltage overshoot mitigation circuitry that can modify operation of the converter responsive to an overvoltage condition by switching from a pulse width modulation (PWM) mode to a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) mode. A clamp may be provided to clamp a control voltage or a compensating capacitor voltage of the main output voltage control loop (e.g., a PWM control loop) to a control voltage of the PFM loop. An output pull down circuit may be provided to temporarily apply a load to the converter output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Hrinya, Di Zhao
  • Patent number: 11353901
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a variable resistor. The first transistor has a first threshold voltage. The second transistor has a second threshold voltage that is different from the first threshold voltage. The second transistor is coupled to the first transistor. The variable resistor is coupled to the first transistor and the second transistor. The variable resistor is configured to adjust a temperature coefficient of the electronic circuit. The electronic circuit is configured to generate a reference voltage based on a difference of the first threshold voltage and the second threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rajat Chauhan, Joseph Alan Sankman, Avinash Shreepathi Bhat
  • Patent number: 11353899
    Abstract: A constant voltage device include a diode; a switch including one terminal connected to a ground potential and another terminal connected both to an anode terminal of the diode and to a drain of a PMOS transistor having a source applied with a power source voltage; a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a voltage of a predetermined magnitude; and a differential amplifier that includes a non-inverting input terminal to which both a cathode terminal of the diode and an output terminal of the voltage generation circuit are connected, and that is configured to change a supply route of a reference voltage applied to the non-inverting input terminal according to a state of the switch. The voltage generation circuit is configured to employ an output voltage based on the reference voltage and amplified by the differential amplifier to generate the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Junichi Matsubara, Koji Saito
  • Patent number: 11347248
    Abstract: A load coupled to a linear voltage regulator may create a load transient so that an output of the voltage regulator is temporarily raised to an elevated level above a regulated level. Without compensation, the linear voltage regulator may respond by turning a pass transistor completely OFF thereby losing regulation and allowing a compensation capacitor to become charged in a polarization opposite to one required for regulation. If a subsequent load transient (i.e., back-to-back load transient) is generated while the linear voltage regulator is in this condition, a large spike in the output may occur as the voltage regulator recharges the pass transistor turns back ON and as the compensation capacitor recharges. Disclosed herein is a linear voltage regulator with transient compensation circuitry to prevent the scenario described above and reduce the spike in the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jiri Matyscak
  • Patent number: 11342848
    Abstract: A multiphase switching converter has a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel, and a plurality of control circuits configured in a daisy chain. Each control circuit receives a phase input signal, and provides a phase output signal and a switching control signal for controlling a corresponding switching circuit. When a current sense signal is less than a phase shedding threshold, and if a corresponding one of the control circuits is a last one in the daisy chain or if a pulse on the phase input signal lasts within a preset time period, then a corresponding one of the switching circuits stops a power output, and the phase output signal equals the phase input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Suhua Luo
  • Patent number: 11334101
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus to provide bandgap calibration for multiple outputs are disclosed. In one implementation, a computing chip includes a bandgap current generator; a first adjustable current output coupled to the bandgap current generator; a second adjustable current output coupled to the bandgap current generator; a first switch selectively coupling the first adjustable current output to a calibration circuit and to a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC); and a second switch selectively coupling the second adjustable current output to a load on the computing chip and to the ADC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Baptiste Grave, Mustafa Keskin
  • Patent number: 11320851
    Abstract: An all-MOSFET voltage reference circuit includes a first cascaded branch configured to generate a bias current and composed of a first current source and a diode-connected first N-type transistor connected at a first interconnected node; a second cascaded branch composed of a second current source, a diode-connected second N-type transistor and a third N-type transistor connected with the second N-type transistor disposed in between, wherein the second N-type transistor and the third N-type transistor are connected at a second interconnected node; a third cascaded branch composed of a third current source and a diode-connected fourth N-type transistor connected at an output node that provides a reference voltage; and an amplifier with a non-inverting node coupled to the first interconnected node and an inverting node coupled to the second interconnected node. A threshold voltage of the third N-type transistor is larger than a threshold voltage of the second N-type transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignees: NCKU Research and Development Foundation, Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Wei-Ting Yeh, Chien-Hung Tsai
  • Patent number: 11314267
    Abstract: An adjuster includes a power transfer circuit, a negative feedback circuit, a constant current source circuit and a control circuit. Two inputs of an error amplifier in the negative feedback circuit receive a reference voltage and a feedback voltage corresponding to an output signal of the adjuster respectively, and the error amplifier is configured to output a first voltage signal when the feedback voltage is less than the reference voltage, and output a second voltage signal when the feedback voltage is greater than the reference voltage, during the starting process of the adjuster. The control circuit is configured to control the negative feedback circuit to be turned off and the constant current source circuit to be turned on, and control the constant current source circuit to be turned off and the negative circuit to be turned on according to the second voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN GOODIX TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chengzuo Wang
  • Patent number: 11303199
    Abstract: A method for limiting an input or output current of a DC-DC converter and a current limiting circuit are disclosed. In an embodiment a method for limiting an input or output current of a DC to DC converter includes storing a first value representative of a level of an output voltage of the DC to DC converter in response to the input or output current exceeding or falling below a first threshold and modifying a control signal based on the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRAND OUEST) SAS
    Inventor: Lionel Cimaz
  • Patent number: 11294412
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes power amplification circuitry and current-level switch circuitry. The power amplification circuitry has a first input port, a second input port, and field-effect transistor (FET) circuitry, the FET circuitry to operate in a saturation mode while drawing power provided at the first input port from a first power source. The current-level switch circuitry is to sense a change in a current-level used to maintain the FET circuitry in the saturation mode and, in response to the sensed change in the current-level, to cause the power amplification circuitry to draw power provided at the second input port from a second power source while maintaining the saturation mode of the FET circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Christian Vincent Sorace, Ludovic Oddoart, Fabien Boitard
  • Patent number: 11296590
    Abstract: A multi-level inverter having one or more banks, each bank containing a plurality of low voltage MOSFET transistors. A processor configured to switch the plurality of low voltage MOSFET transistors in each bank to switch at multiple times during each cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Ilan Yoscovich, Tzachi Glovinsky, Guy Sella, Yoav Galin
  • Patent number: 11290013
    Abstract: An integrated circuit apparatus includes a first regulator circuit configured to generate a first regulated voltage; a second regulator circuit configured to generate a second regulated voltage; and a control circuit configured to perform selection with respect to the first regulator circuit and the second regulator circuit such that one regulator circuit among the first regulator circuit and the second regulator circuit is in an on-state and another regulator circuit is in an off-state. The control circuit is configured to: cause the second regulator circuit to be in the on-state upon detecting that a load current is greater than or equal to a predetermined load current; and cause the first regulator circuit to be in the on-state upon detecting that the load current is less than the predetermined load current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventor: Kosuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11290028
    Abstract: A power supply includes an inverter configured to direct current (DC) power into alternating current (AC) power, an impedance matching circuit configured to supply the AC power to a load; and a controller configured to adjust disposition of a powering period, in which the AC power is output, and a freewheeling period, in which the AC power is not output, to adjust a power amount of the power supplied to the load through the impedance matching circuit by the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: EN2CORE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Yeong-Hoon Sohn, Se-Hong Park, Sae-Hoon Uhm
  • Patent number: 11281247
    Abstract: A front-end module comprises a low-dropout (LDO) voltage regulator, a reference current generator, a power amplifier, and a voltage reference configured to provide a reference voltage to the LDO voltage regulator and the reference current generator. The LDO voltage regulator, reference current generator, power amplifier, and voltage reference are integrated on a first semiconductor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Bang Li Liang, Yasser Khairat Soliman, Adrian John Bergsma, Haoran Yu, Hassan Sarbishaei
  • Patent number: 11275397
    Abstract: A power factor correction circuit includes a power meter configured to measure a total harmonic distortion (THD) and an amplitude ratio of each harmonic component at an input port; a switching-type regulator that is controllable by a switch control signal in order to adjust a power factor; and a controller configured to generate the switch control signal to control the switching-type regulator to perform power factor correction, where the controller decreases the THD by adjusting a current reference signal according to the measured THD and the amplitude ratio of each harmonic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Zhaofeng Wang, Xiaodong Huang, Chen Zhao