Patents by Inventor Alin Gherghescu

Alin Gherghescu 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: 10153700
    Abstract: A power converter for converting input power to output power includes a first transformer circuit, a second transformer circuit, and balance circuitry. The first transformer circuit includes a first primary winding for receiving a first part of the input power and a first secondary winding for generating a first part of the output power. The second transformer circuit includes a second primary winding for receiving a second part of the input power and a second secondary winding for generating a second part of the output power. The balance circuitry is coupled to a first terminal of the first secondary winding and a second terminal of the second secondary winding, and operable for balancing the first and second parts of the output power by passing a signal between the first and second terminals. The first and second terminals have the same polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Catalin Popovici, Alin Gherghescu, Laszlo Lipcsei
  • Patent number: 10044273
    Abstract: A method and a circuit of operating a multi-phase switching converter is presented. The circuit contains a plurality of phase circuits. The method includes setting an adaptive voltage positioning parameter of an adaptive voltage positioning controller and controlling an output voltage of the multi-phase switching converter using the adaptive voltage positioning controller. The method further includes generating a threshold voltage value based on the adaptive voltage positioning parameter, comparing the output voltage of the multi-phase switching converter with the threshold voltage value and performing at least one of enabling and disabling a phase circuit based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Alin Gherghescu, Amit Bavisi, Ershad Ahmed, Narendra Nath Gaddam, Vineet Tiwari
  • Publication number: 20180175734
    Abstract: A method and a circuit of operating a multi-phase switching converter is presented. The circuit contains a plurality of phase circuits. The method includes setting an adaptive voltage positioning parameter of an adaptive voltage positioning controller and controlling an output voltage of the multi-phase switching converter using the adaptive voltage positioning controller. The method further includes generating a threshold voltage value based on the adaptive voltage positioning parameter, comparing the output voltage of the multi-phase switching converter with the threshold voltage value and performing at least one of enabling and disabling a phase circuit based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Alin Gherghescu, Amit Bavisi, Ershad Ahmed, Narendra Nath Gaddam, Vineet Tiwari
  • Patent number: 9917510
    Abstract: A system and method of increasing the efficiency in multi-stage power converters by providing an open loop charge pump stage which reacts in part based on information from a closed loop multi-phase buck converter stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: DIALOG SEMICONDUCTOR (UK) LIMITED
    Inventors: Ershad Ahmed, Sorin Laurentiu Negru, Chi-Man Ng, Alin Gherghescu
  • Publication number: 20180062522
    Abstract: A power converter for converting input power to output power includes a first transformer circuit, a second transformer circuit, and balance circuitry. The first transformer circuit includes a first primary winding for receiving a first part of the input power and a first secondary winding for generating a first part of the output power. The second transformer circuit includes a second primary winding for receiving a second part of the input power and a second secondary winding for generating a second part of the output power. The balance circuitry is coupled to a first terminal of the first secondary winding and a second terminal of the second secondary winding, and operable for balancing the first and second parts of the output power by passing a signal between the first and second terminals. The first and second terminals have the same polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Catalin POPOVICI, Alin GHERGHESCU, Laszlo LIPCSEI
  • Publication number: 20180026526
    Abstract: A system and method of increasing the efficiency in multi-stage power converters by providing an open loop charge pump stage which reacts in part based on information from a closed loop multi-phase buck converter stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Ershad Ahmed, Sorin Laurentiu Negru, Chi-Man Ng, Alin Gherghescu
  • Patent number: 9819271
    Abstract: A power converter for converting input power to output power includes a first transformer circuit, a second transformer circuit, and balance circuitry. The first transformer circuit includes a first primary winding for receiving a first part of the input power and a first secondary winding for generating a first part of the output power. The second transformer circuit includes a second primary winding for receiving a second part of the input power and a second secondary winding for generating a second part of the output power. The balance circuitry is coupled to a first terminal of the first secondary winding and a second terminal of the second secondary winding, and operable for balancing the first and second parts of the output power by passing a signal between the first and second terminals. The first and second terminals have the same polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Catalin Popovici, Alin Gherghescu, Laszlo Lipcsei
  • Patent number: 9397579
    Abstract: A controller for a DC/DC converter controls a first, second, third, and fourth switches according to pulse signals generated alternately. The controller turns off the third switch on detection of a first edge of a first pulse signal, turns on the first switch after a delay from the detection of the first edge, turns off the fourth switch on detection of a second edge of the first pulse signal, turns on the second switch after a delay from the detection of the second edge, turns off the first switch on detection of a third edge of a second pulse signal, turns on the third switch after a delay from the detection of the third edge, turns off the second switch on detection of a fourth edge of the second pulse signal, and turns on the fourth switch after a delay from the detection of the fourth edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: O2Micro Inc
    Inventors: Catalin Popovici, Alin Gherghescu, Laszlo Lipcsei
  • Publication number: 20150188411
    Abstract: In an output circuit, a rectifying circuit outputs a rectified signal at an output node. The rectified signal has a rising edge and a falling edge. An energy storage component is coupled to the output node. A controllable path, coupled to the energy storage component, can be turned on if a voltage drop of the controllable path is greater than a voltage threshold. The controllable path can also be turned on in response to a turn-on signal. A control circuit, coupled to the controllable path, generates the turn-on signal subsequent to the rising edge of the rectified signal, and terminates the turn-on signal when a predetermined time interval expires subsequent to the generating of the turn-on signal and prior to the falling edge of the rectified signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: O2Micro Inc
    Inventors: Laszlo LIPCSEI, Catalin POPOVICI, Sorin HORNET, Alin GHERGHESCU
  • Publication number: 20150092451
    Abstract: A power converter for converting input power to output power includes a first transformer circuit, a second transformer circuit, and balance circuitry. The first transformer circuit includes a first primary winding for receiving a first part of the input power and a first secondary winding for generating a first part of the output power. The second transformer circuit includes a second primary winding for receiving a second part of the input power and a second secondary winding for generating a second part of the output power. The balance circuitry is coupled to a first terminal of the first secondary winding and a second terminal of the second secondary winding, and operable for balancing the first and second parts of the output power by passing a signal between the first and second terminals. The first and second terminals have the same polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Catalin POPOVICI, Alin GHERGHESCU, Laszlo LIPCSEI
  • Publication number: 20140218973
    Abstract: A controller for a DC/DC converter controls a first, second, third, and fourth switches according to pulse signals generated alternately. The controller turns off the third switch on detection of a first edge of a first pulse signal, turns on the first switch after a delay from the detection of the first edge, turns off the fourth switch on detection of a second edge of the first pulse signal, turns on the second switch after a delay from the detection of the second edge, turns off the first switch on detection of a third edge of a second pulse signal, turns on the third switch after a delay from the detection of the third edge, turns off the second switch on detection of a fourth edge of the second pulse signal, and turns on the fourth switch after a delay from the detection of the fourth edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: O2Micro Inc.
    Inventors: Catalin POPOVICI, Alin GHERGHESCU, Laszlo LIPCSEI
  • Patent number: 8737099
    Abstract: In a controller for a power converter, a control terminal can provide a control signal to control a power converter. A cycle of the control signal includes a first time interval and a second time interval. The control circuitry can increase a primary current flowing through a primary winding of transformer circuitry and a secondary current flowing through a secondary winding of the transformer circuitry in the first time interval, and can terminate the increasing of the primary current in the second time interval. The control circuitry can also control the first time interval to be inversely proportional to an input voltage provided to the primary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Laszlo Lipcsei, Alin Gherghescu, Catalin Popovici
  • Patent number: 8450976
    Abstract: Generally, a system includes a control circuitry configured to detect a current wherein the detected current is one of a battery discharge current or a battery charging current; a first transistor configured to disconnect a load from at least one of a battery and a DC/DC converter if the battery discharge current exceeds a maximum battery discharge current setting; and a second transistor configured to adjust the charging current to maintain the charging current at or near a charge current setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Laszlo Lipcsei, Catalin Popovici, Alin Gherghescu
  • Publication number: 20130016530
    Abstract: In a controller for a power converter, a control terminal can provide a control signal to control a power converter. A cycle of the control signal includes a first time interval and a second time interval. The control circuitry can increase a primary current flowing through a primary winding of transformer circuitry and a secondary current flowing through a secondary winding of the transformer circuitry in the first time interval, and can terminate the increasing of the primary current in the second time interval. The control circuitry can also control the first time interval to be inversely proportional to an input voltage provided to the primary winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Laszlo LIPCSEI, Alin GHERGHESCU, Catalin POPOVICI
  • Publication number: 20120105008
    Abstract: Generally, a system includes a control circuitry configured to detect a current wherein the detected current is one of a battery discharge current or a battery charging current; a first transistor configured to disconnect a load from at least one of a battery and a DC/DC converter if the battery discharge current exceeds a maximum battery discharge current setting; and a second transistor configured to adjust the charging current to maintain the charging current at or near a charge current setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: O2MICRO, INC.
    Inventors: Laszlo Lipcsei, Catalin Popovici, Alin Gherghescu