Patents by Inventor Axel Thomsen

Axel Thomsen 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).

  • Publication number: 20140354258
    Abstract: A method includes using a charge pump to receive a first supply voltage and generate a voltage in response thereto. The method includes using the voltage generated by the charge pump to bias a supply voltage circuit to generate a second supply voltage. The second supply voltage is greater than the first supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventor: Axel Thomsen
  • Patent number: 8878570
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a configurable interface. The configurable interface includes an operational amplifier, a programmable gain amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter and a first select circuit. The first select circuit is configured to selectively couple the operational amplifier to the analog-to-digital converter in response to a first control signal. The first select circuit is further configured to selectively couple the programmable gain amplifier to the analog-to-digital converter in response to the first control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Axel Thomsen
  • Patent number: 8880749
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of pads adapted to send or receive signals, and a plurality of mixed signal interface blocks, each of which is coupled to a corresponding pad in the plurality of pads. Furthermore, each mixed signal interface block in the plurality of mixed signal interface blocks is adapted to be configurable to provide selected functionality independently of the other mixed signal interface blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Jinwen Xiao, Pavel Konecny, Axel Thomsen, Clayton Daigle, Xiaodong Wang, John Khoury, Alan Westwick, Shahram Tadayon
  • Publication number: 20140312820
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an integrated circuit (IC). The IC includes a differencing comparator. The differencing comparator receives a differential input signal. The differencing comparator compares the differential input signal to a threshold value. The differencing comparator includes a transconductance circuit coupled to receive the differential input signal and to provide a differential output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Axel Thomsen, Kenneth W. Fernald, Pavel Konecny
  • Publication number: 20140184116
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus to control a motor external to the motor control apparatus includes a microcontroller unit (MCU). The MCU includes mixed signal motor control circuitry adapted to perform back electromotive force (EMF) motor control in a first mode of operation. The mixed signal motor control circuitry is further adapted to perform field oriented control (FOC) in a second mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Berringer, Axel Thomsen, Pedro Pachuca, Brent Wilson, Jinwen Xiao, Scott Willingham, Kenneth W. Fernald, Paul Zavalney
  • Publication number: 20140184435
    Abstract: A circuit includes a comparator including a first input, a second input, and an output. The circuit further includes a plurality of capacitive sampling circuits configured to be selectively coupled to the first and second inputs. Each of the plurality of capacitive sampling circuits includes first and second capacitors, and includes first and second conversion switches configured to selectively couple the first and second capacitors to the first and second inputs, respectively. The first and second conversion switches of a selected one of the plurality of capacitive sampling circuits are closed to couple the selected one to the first and second inputs of the comparator during a conversion phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wang, Shouli Yan, Axel Thomsen, Jinwen Xiao
  • Publication number: 20140184115
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an integrated circuit (IC) adapted to be powered by a positive supply voltage. The IC includes a charge pump that is adapted to convert the positive supply voltage of the IC to a negative bias voltage. The IC further includes a bidirectional interface circuit. The bidirectional interface circuit includes an amplifier coupled to the negative bias voltage to accommodate a bidirectional input voltage of the IC. The bidirectional interface circuit further includes a comparator coupled to the negative bias voltage to accommodate the bidirectional input voltage of the IC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: SILICON LABORATORIES INC.
    Inventor: Axel Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20140184331
    Abstract: A method of operating an amplifier circuit having a pre-charge phase and a sample/conversion phase includes, during a pre-charge phase, charging first and second capacitors to first and second bias voltages. The first capacitor is coupled to a first input of an amplifier circuit, which has a second input and an output. The second capacitor is coupled to the second input. During a sample/conversion phase, the first input of the amplifier circuit is coupled to an input signal through the first capacitor to level-shift the input signal according to the first bias voltage and the output of the amplifier is coupled to the second input through the second capacitor to level shift a feedback signal according to the second bias voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: Axel Thomsen, Gang Yuan
  • Publication number: 20140176250
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: during a first portion of a cycle of a clock signal generated by an oscillator, pre-charging a first capacitor of a first switched capacitor stage until a first comparator determines that a first node voltage of the first switched capacitor stage is greater than a first reference voltage at a first reference voltage node; applying a second reference voltage to the first reference voltage node; and responsive to a first edge of the clock signal, charging the first capacitor until the first comparator determines that the first node voltage is greater than the second reference voltage at the first reference voltage node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Axel Thomsen, Pavel Konecny, Xiaodong Wang
  • Patent number: 8762586
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of pads adapted to communicate signals with a circuit external to the IC, and a first mixed signal interface block coupled to a first pad in the plurality of pads, where the first mixed signal interface block is adapted to receive a first trigger signal from the circuit external to the IC and to provide a second trigger signal. The IC further includes a second mixed signal interface block coupled to a second pad in the plurality of pads, where the second mixed signal interface block is adapted to receive and track a first input signal from the circuit external to the IC in a first mode of operation of the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Clayton Daigle, Jinwen Xiao, Axel Thomsen, Subrata Roy, Xiaodong Wang
  • Patent number: 8681026
    Abstract: An input digital signal is converted to an analog signal using a main digital to analog converter (DAC) and a sub DAC. An offset value is subtracted from the input digital signal to generate an offset adjusted digital signal. The main DAC converts the offset adjusted digital signal to a first analog signal. A second digital signal is generated based on the offset value and a correction factor determined, at least in part, during calibration of the main DAC. The sub DAC converts the second digital to a second analog signal, which when combined with the first analog signal, provides an analog representation of the input digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Jinwen Xiao, Pavel Konecny, Axel Thomsen, Ka Y. Leung
  • Publication number: 20140002133
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of pads adapted to communicate signals with a circuit external to the IC, and a first mixed signal interface block coupled to a first pad in the plurality of pads, where the first mixed signal interface block is adapted to receive a first trigger signal from the circuit external to the IC and to provide a second trigger signal. The IC further includes a second mixed signal interface block coupled to a second pad in the plurality of pads, where the second mixed signal interface block is adapted to receive and track a first input signal from the circuit external to the IC in a first mode of operation of the IC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Clayton Daigle, Jinwen Xiao, Axel Thomsen, Subrata Roy, Xiaodong Wang
  • Publication number: 20140002184
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of pads adapted to send or receive signals, and a plurality of mixed signal interface blocks, each of which is coupled to a corresponding pad in the plurality of pads. Furthermore, each mixed signal interface block in the plurality of mixed signal interface blocks is adapted to be configurable to provide selected functionality independently of the other mixed signal interface blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Jinwen Xiao, Pavel Konecny, Axel Thomsen, Clayton Daigle, Xiaodong Wang, John Khoury, Alan Westwick, Shahram Tadayon
  • Publication number: 20130222162
    Abstract: An input digital signal is converted to an analog signal using a main digital to analog converter (DAC) and a sub DAC. An offset value is subtracted from the input digital signal to generate an offset adjusted digital signal. The main DAC converts the offset adjusted digital signal to a first analog signal. A second digital signal is generated based on the offset value and a correction factor determined, at least in part, during calibration of the main DAC. The sub DAC converts the second digital to a second analog signal, which when combined with the first analog signal, provides an analog representation of the input digital signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Jinwen Xiao, Pavel Konecny, Axel Thomsen, Ka Y. Leung
  • Patent number: 8471629
    Abstract: A power control circuit is coupled to receive a feedback signal from a power amplifier (PA) and generate a control signal to control a variable gain amplifier (VGA) coupled to an input to the PA based on the feedback signal. The power control circuit may include, in one embodiment, a mute circuit to generate a mute signal to be provided to the VGA when the control signal is less than a first level and a clamp circuit to clamp a control voltage used to generate the control signal from exceeding a threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc
    Inventors: Axel Thomsen, Zhongda Wang, Sai Chu Wong, Yunteng Huang
  • Patent number: 8441325
    Abstract: An isolator that includes first and second substantially identical circuitry galvanically isolated from each other and each having at least one communications channel thereon for communicating signals across an isolation boundary therebetween and each of said first and second circuitry having configurable functionality associated with the operation thereof. A coupling device is provided for coupling signal across the isolation boundary between the at least one communication channels of the first and second circuitry. First and second configuration memories are provided, each associated with a respective one of the first and second circuitry. First and second configuration control devices are provided, each associated with a respective one of the first and second circuitry and each configuring the functionality of the associated one of the first and second circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Phil A. Callahan, Ahsan Javed, Zhiwei Dong, Axel Thomsen, Donald E. Alfano, Timothy Dupuis, Ka Y. Leung
  • Publication number: 20130082740
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a configurable interface. The configurable interface includes an operational amplifier, a programmable gain amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter and a first select circuit. The first select circuit is configured to selectively couple the operational amplifier to the analog-to-digital converter in response to a first control signal. The first select circuit is further configured to selectively couple the programmable gain amplifier to the analog-to-digital converter in response to the first control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventor: Axel Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20130002357
    Abstract: A power control circuit is coupled to receive a feedback signal from a power amplifier (PA) and generate a control signal to control a variable gain amplifier (VGA) coupled to an input to the PA based on the feedback signal. The power control circuit may include, in one embodiment, a mute circuit to generate a mute signal to be provided to the VGA when the control signal is less than a first level and a clamp circuit to clamp a control voltage used to generate the control signal from exceeding a threshold level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Axel Thomsen, Zhongda Wang, Sai Chu Wong, Yunteng Huang
  • Patent number: 8203370
    Abstract: A Schmitt trigger comprises first and second circuitry. The first circuitry receives an input voltage and provides an output voltage at either a logical “low” or a logical “high” voltage level responsive to the input voltage and a first bias voltage. The second circuitry connects to the first circuitry to generate a second bias current for generating the output voltage. The second bias current is larger than the first bias current. The Schmitt trigger operates in a low power mode of operation using only the first bias voltage to maintain the logical “low” voltage level or the logical “high” voltage level at a substantially constant level. In a high power mode of operation the Schmitt trigger uses the second bias voltage during transition periods between the logical “low” voltage level and the logical “high” voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Shouli Yan, Zhiwei Dong, Axel Thomsen
  • Patent number: 8198951
    Abstract: An integrated circuit having voltage isolation capabilities includes a plurality of communications channels for transceiving data from the integrated circuit. Each of the communications channel includes capacitive isolation circuitry located in conductive layers of the integrated circuit for providing a high voltage isolation link. The capacitive isolation circuitry distributes a first portion of a high voltage isolation signal across a first group of capacitors on a first link and a second link in the capacitive isolation circuitry and distributes a second portion of the high voltage isolation signal across a second group of capacitors in the first link and the second link in the capacitive isolation circuitry. A differential receiver on each of the plurality of communications channels receives the data on the first link and the second link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiwei Dong, Shouli Yan, Axel Thomsen, William W. K. Tang, Ka Y. Leung