Patents by Inventor Akio Sasabe

Akio Sasabe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12143100
    Abstract: A signal transmission device includes a capacitor having a first capacitor element and a second capacitor element connected in parallel such that electrodes of different polarities are connected together between them, and transmits an analog signal in a form converted into a pulse signal by use of a triangular-wave signal generated through charging and discharging of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Nishinouchi, Akio Sasabe, Takeshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20240322816
    Abstract: A signal transmission device that transmits a driving signal for a power transistor from a primary circuit system to a secondary circuit system while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems includes: a first fault detection circuit configured to detect a fault in the primary circuit system; a second fault detection circuit configured to detect a fault in the secondary circuit system; a first signal transmission path configured to transmit the result of detection by the second fault detection circuit from the secondary circuit system to the primary circuit system while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems; and a self-test circuit configured to perform a self-test on each of the first fault detection circuit, the second fault detection circuit, and the first signal transmission path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Takeshi KIKUCHI, Masato Nishinouchi, Akio SASABE, Daiki YANAGISHIMA
  • Patent number: 12034437
    Abstract: A signal transmission device that transmits a driving signal for a power transistor from a primary circuit system to a secondary circuit system while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems includes: a first fault detection circuit configured to detect a fault in the primary circuit system; a second fault detection circuit configured to detect a fault in the secondary circuit system; a first signal transmission path configured to transmit the result of detection by the second fault detection circuit from the secondary circuit system to the primary circuit system while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems; and a self-test circuit configured to perform a self-test on each of the first fault detection circuit, the second fault detection circuit, and the first signal transmission path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kikuchi, Masato Nishinouchi, Akio Sasabe, Daiki Yanagishima
  • Publication number: 20240007100
    Abstract: A signal transmission device includes a capacitor having a first capacitor element and a second capacitor element connected in parallel such that electrodes of different polarities are connected together between them, and transmits an analog signal in a form converted into a pulse signal by use of a triangular-wave signal generated through charging and discharging of the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Masato NISHINOUCHI, Akio SASABE, Takeshi KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230353144
    Abstract: A signal transmission device 100 includes an isolated signal transmission circuit 10 configured to transmit a pulse signal from a primary circuit system 1p via a first isolating element ISO1 to a secondary circuit system 1s, and an isolated power supply control circuit 20 which serves as a controlling agent of an isolation-type power supply that generates a second supply voltage Vcc2 for the secondary circuit system 1s from a first supply voltage Vcc1 for the primary circuit system 1p and which transmits an output feedback signal of the isolation-type power supply from the secondary circuit system 1s via a second isolating element ISO2 to the primary circuit system 1p.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Daiki YANAGISHIMA, Akio SASABE
  • Publication number: 20230327662
    Abstract: A signal transmission device that transmits a driving signal for a power transistor from a primary circuit system to a secondary circuit system while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems includes; a first fault detection circuit configured to detect a fault in the primary circuit system; a second fault detection circuit configured to detect a fault in the secondary circuit system; a first signal transmission path configured to transmit the result of detection by the second fault detection circuit from the secondary circuit system to the primary circuit system while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems; and a self-test circuit configured to perform a self-test on each of the first fault detection circuit, the second fault detection circuit, and the first signal transmission path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Takeshi KIKUCHI, Masato NISHINOUCHI, Akio SASABE, Daiki YANAGISHIMA
  • Publication number: 20230318882
    Abstract: A signal transmission device transmits a driving signal for a gate-driving transistor between a primary circuit system and a secondary circuit system while isolating between the primary and secondary circuit systems. The signal transmission device includes: a first external terminal configured such that the ground terminal of the secondary circuit system is connected to it; a second external terminal configured such that the terminal voltage at it varies according to whether the first external terminal is in an open state; and an open detection circuit configured to monitor the terminal voltage at the second external terminal to perform open detection for the first external terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Takeshi KIKUCHI, Masato NISHINOUCHI, Akio SASABE, Daiki YANAGISHIMA
  • Patent number: 11747845
    Abstract: A mirror clamp circuit includes a comparator having a first input terminal connectable to a first control terminal of a transistor having the first control terminal connected to the other terminal of a resistor of which one terminal is fed with an output voltage and a first terminal fed with a reference potential and a second input terminal fed with a reference voltage, a transistor switch having a second control terminal fed with a control terminal voltage based on a comparison signal output from the comparator and inserted between the first control terminal and the reference potential, an OR circuit fed with a signal based on the control terminal voltage and the output voltage, and a current feeder configured to change the amount of current fed to the comparator based on the output of the OR circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Sasabe
  • Publication number: 20230152827
    Abstract: A mirror clamp circuit includes a comparator having a first input terminal connectable to a first control terminal of a transistor having the first control terminal connected to the other terminal of a resistor of which one terminal is fed with an output voltage and a first terminal fed with a reference potential and a second input terminal fed with a reference voltage, a transistor switch having a second control terminal fed with a control terminal voltage based on a comparison signal output from the comparator and inserted between the first control terminal and the reference potential, an OR circuit fed with a signal based on the control terminal voltage and the output voltage, and a current feeder configured to change the amount of current fed to the comparator based on the output of the OR circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akio SASABE
  • Publication number: 20230155470
    Abstract: A pulse receiving circuit constituting a signal transmission device includes a first pulse detector that receives a differential input between a first reception pulse signal, i.e. an internal signal at a secondary winding of a first transformer and a second reception pulse signal, i.e. an internal signal at a secondary winding of a second transformer; a second pulse detector that receives the differential input between the first reception pulse signal and the second reception pulse signal with input polarity reversed to that of the first pulse detector; and a logic unit that generates a reception pulse signal based on output signals of the first and second pulse detectors, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi FUKURA, Daiki YANAGISHIMA, Akio SASABE
  • Publication number: 20230146017
    Abstract: A comparator circuit includes a first comparator configured to receive input of an input signal and a comparison target signal to be compared with the input signal, a first output stage including an N-channel transistor having a control terminal to which a first control terminal voltage output from the first comparator is applied, and a first clamp unit configured to limit the first control terminal voltage to be not higher than a first predetermined voltage that is higher than a first threshold voltage of the N-channel transistor but is lower than a first high side voltage output as high level from the first comparator when the first control terminal voltage is not limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akio SASABE, Daiki YANAGISHIMA
  • Patent number: 9270111
    Abstract: The load drive device of the present invention comprises a load drive unit for switching on/off output current that flows to an inductive load; and an overcurrent protection circuit for detecting whether the output current is in an overcurrent state, wherein the load drive unit has an output transistor connected to one end of the inductive load; and a pre-driver for generating a control signal of the output transistor in accordance with an input signal, and the pre-driver has a first drive unit for switching on/off the output transistor during normal operation; and a second drive unit for switching off the output transistor more slowly than the first drive unit during overcurrent protection operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Ando, Akio Sasabe
  • Patent number: 9088444
    Abstract: A signal-transferring device having a first circuit and a second circuit that operate on different ground references, and a third circuit for transferring signals while providing insulation between the first circuit and the second circuit. The second circuit switches a logic level of an output signal in accordance with the logic level of an input signal notified by the first circuit, and notifies the first circuit about the logic level of the output signal. The first circuit notifies the second circuit about the logic level of the input signal not only when the logic level of the input signal has been switched, but also when the logic level of the output signal notified by the second circuit does not match the logic level of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Sasabe, Hirotaka Takihara, Makoto Ikenaga, Toshiyuki Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20140361810
    Abstract: A signal-transferring device having a first circuit and a second circuit that operate on different ground references, and a third circuit for transferring signals while providing insulation between the first circuit and the second circuit. The second circuit switches a logic level of an output signal in accordance with the logic level of an input signal notified by the first circuit, and notifies the first circuit about the logic level of the output signal. The first circuit notifies the second circuit about the logic level of the input signal not only when the logic level of the input signal has been switched, but also when the logic level of the output signal notified by the second circuit does not match the logic level of the input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Akio SASABE, Hirotaka TAKIHARA, Makoto IKENAGA, Toshiyuki ISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20130279047
    Abstract: The load drive device of the present invention comprises a load drive unit for switching on/off output current that flows to an inductive load; and an overcurrent protection circuit for detecting whether the output current is in an overcurrent state, wherein the load drive unit has an output transistor connected to one end of the inductive load; and a pre-driver for generating a control signal of the output transistor in accordance with an input signal, and the pre-driver has a first drive unit for switching on/off the output transistor during normal operation; and a second drive unit for switching off the output transistor more slowly than the first drive unit during overcurrent protection operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Motohiro Ando, Akio Sasabe
  • Patent number: 8488283
    Abstract: The load drive device of the present invention comprises a load drive unit for switching on/off output current that flows to an inductive load; and an overcurrent protection circuit for detecting whether the output current is in an overcurrent state, wherein the load drive unit has an output transistor connected to one end of the inductive load; and a pre-driver for generating a control signal of the output transistor in accordance with an input signal, and the pre-driver has a first drive unit for switching on/off the output transistor during normal operation; and a second drive unit for switching off the output transistor more slowly than the first drive unit during overcurrent protection operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Ando, Akio Sasabe
  • Publication number: 20110051296
    Abstract: The load drive device of the present invention comprises a load drive unit for switching on/off output current that flows to an inductive load; and an overcurrent protection circuit for detecting whether the output current is in an overcurrent state, wherein the load drive unit has an output transistor connected to one end of the inductive load; and a pre-driver for generating a control signal of the output transistor in accordance with an input signal, and the pre-driver has a first drive unit for switching on/off the output transistor during normal operation; and a second drive unit for switching off the output transistor more slowly than the first drive unit during overcurrent protection operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Ando, Akio Sasabe