Patents by Inventor Andre L. Couto

Andre L. Couto 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).

  • Rail-to-rail follower circuits
    Patent number: 9467107
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a source follower circuit may include a first level shifter configured to receive an input voltage; an N-type Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (NMOS) transistor having a gate terminal coupled to an output of the first level shifter; a second level shifter configured to receive the input voltage; a P-type Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (PMOS) transistor having a gate terminal coupled to an output of the second level shifter and a source terminal coupled to a source terminal of the NMOS transistor; and an amplifier configured to receive the input voltage and to output a current at a node between the source terminal of the NMOS transistor and the source terminal of the PMOS transistor, wherein the current is determined based upon a difference between the input voltage and a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricardo P. Coimbra, Edevaldo Pereira Silva, Jr., Andre L. Couto
  • RAIL-TO-RAIL FOLLOWER CIRCUITS
    Publication number: 20150256135
    Abstract: Rail-to-rail follower circuits. In some embodiments, a source follower circuit may include a first level shifter configured to receive an input voltage; an N-type Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (NMOS) transistor having a gate terminal coupled to an output of the first level shifter; a second level shifter configured to receive the input voltage; a P-type Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (PMOS) transistor having a gate terminal coupled to an output of the second level shifter and a source terminal coupled to a source terminal of the NMOS transistor; and an amplifier configured to receive the input voltage and to output a current at a node between the source terminal of the NMOS transistor and the source terminal of the PMOS transistor, wherein the current is determined based upon a difference between the input voltage and a reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricardo P. Coimbra, Edevaldo Pereira Silva, JR., Andre L. Couto