Patents by Inventor Alastair Hopper

Alastair Hopper 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: 10461071
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the disclosure are directed to electrostatic discharge protection of an integrated circuit clock. According to a specific example, circuitry includes a direct-current power supply, a voltage-controlled oscillation (VCO) circuit, an electrostatic protection circuit, and a voltage regulator. The VCO circuit has an oscillation frequency and includes an amplification circuit and capacitance circuitry. The electrostatic protection circuit is arranged to connect power to the VCO circuit while reducing variation in the oscillation frequency of the VCO circuit resulting from electrostatic energy. The voltage regulator is connected between the direct-current power supply and a power supply connection at which the direct-current power is connected to the VCO, and is configured to mitigate an imbalance of electric charges from adversely altering a tuning capacitance of the VCO established by the capacitance circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Alastair Hopper
  • Publication number: 20180226393
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the disclosure are directed to electrostatic discharge protection of an integrated circuit clock. According to a specific example, circuitry includes a direct-current power supply, a voltage-controlled oscillation (VCO) circuit, an electrostatic protection circuit, and a voltage regulator. The VCO circuit has an oscillation frequency and includes an amplification circuit and capacitance circuitry. The electrostatic protection circuit is arranged to connect power to the VCO circuit while reducing variation in the oscillation frequency of the VCO circuit resulting from electrostatic energy. The voltage regulator is connected between the direct-current power supply and a power supply connection at which the direct-current power is connected to the VCO, and is configured to mitigate an imbalance of electric charges from adversely altering a tuning capacitance of the VCO established by the capacitance circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventor: Alastair Hopper