Patents by Inventor Andy Burstein

Andy Burstein 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: 7830688
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit. During each switching period of the switching circuit, the current for the slave is checked; namely, after the beginning of a low-side conduction period, and before the beginning of a high-side conduction period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron M. Schultz, Andy Burstein, Biljana Beronja
  • Patent number: 7825643
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a master controller and one or more slaves, and the master controller and each slave can communicate using a ring communication scheme. A command generated by the master controller can be passed from the master controller to the subsequent slaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Andy Burstein, Michael Christenson
  • Patent number: 7795850
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. Each slave can include a high-side power transistor having a drain connected to the input terminal and a source connected to the intermediate node, and a low-side power transistor having a source connected to ground and a drain connected to the intermediate node. Each slave can act as a switching circuit to alternate between coupling the intermediate node to the input terminal and between the intermediate node to a ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Andy Burstein, Jeremy M. Flasck
  • Patent number: 7616463
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a master controller and one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate terminal, and an internal controller which sends a same control signal to each slave. Each internal controller includes a phase-locked loop which offsets the control signal so that each slave is phase-offset relative to the other slaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Andy Burstein
  • Publication number: 20090189576
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a master controller and one or more slaves, and the master controller and each slave can communicate using a ring communication scheme. A command generated by the master controller can be passed from the master controller to the subsequent slaves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: VOLTERRA SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andy Burstein, Michael Christenson
  • Patent number: 7522436
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit. During each switching period of the switching circuit, the current for the slave is checked; namely, after the beginning of a low-side conduction period, and before the beginning of a high-side conduction period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron M. Schultz, Andy Burstein, Biljana Beronja
  • Patent number: 7514909
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a master controller and one or more slaves, and the master controller and each slave can communicate using a ring communication scheme. A command generated by the master controller can be passed from the master controller to the subsequent slaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Voiterra Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Andy Burstein, Michael Christenson
  • Publication number: 20070076455
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a master controller and one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate terminal, and an internal controller which sends a same control signal to each slave. Each internal controller includes a phase-locked loop which offsets the control signal so that each slave is phase-offset relative to the other slaves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventor: Andy Burstein
  • Publication number: 20070076453
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit. During each switching period of the switching circuit, the current for the slave is checked; namely, after the beginning of a low-side conduction period, and before the beginning of a high-side conduction period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventors: Aaron Schultz, Andy Burstein, Biljana Beronja
  • Publication number: 20070075691
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes a master controller and one or more slaves, and the master controller and each slave can communicate using a ring communication scheme. A command generated by the master controller can be passed from the master controller to the subsequent slaves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventors: Andy Burstein, Michael Christenson
  • Publication number: 20070076454
    Abstract: A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. Each slave can include a high-side power transistor having a drain connected to the input terminal and a source connected to the intermediate node, and a low-side power transistor having a source connected to ground and a drain connected to the intermediate node. Each slave can act as a switching circuit to alternate between coupling the intermediate node to the input terminal and between the intermediate node to a ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventors: Andy Burstein, Jeremy Flasck