Patents by Inventor Benjamim Tang
Benjamim Tang 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).
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Publication number: 20240103552Abstract: A signal adjustor receives a first signal such as feedback associated with generation of an output voltage. The output voltage is regulated based on a selected setpoint reference voltage. The signal adjustor maps a magnitude of the selected setpoint reference voltage to a first set of signal adjustment information amongst multiple sets of signal adjustment information. The signal adjustor then applies the first signal adjustment information to the first signal to produce a second signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2022Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Aviral SRIVASTAVA, Luca Petruzzi, Benjamim Tang
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Patent number: 11929679Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller a current mode controller that produces an output voltage by supplying output current from at least one power supply phase of a power supply to power a load. The controller produces an error current signal based on a difference between a magnitude of the output current supplied from the power supply to a load and a phase current setpoint. Based on a magnitude of the error current signal, control a pulse width setting of a pulse width modulation signal controlling the at least one power supply phase. The controller varies a leading edge and a falling edge of a pulse width ON-time of the pulse width modulation signal over each of multiple control cycles depending on variations in the magnitude of the pulse width setting.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Venkat Sreenivas, Bikiran Goswami, Benjamim Tang, Todd Bellefeuille, Kang Peng
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Patent number: 11881762Abstract: An apparatus may include a regulated power converter, a control engine configured to control the regulated power converter based upon a regulation control parameter, and a parameter control system. The parameter control system may be configured to detect a transient event at an output of the regulated power converter. The parameter control system may be configured to modify, in response to the transient event, the regulation control parameter from a first value to a second value based upon a parameter modification profile. The parameter control system may be configured to modify, in response to modifying the regulation control parameter from the first value to the second value, the regulation control parameter according to a function of the parameter modification profile. The function may define a return of the regulation control parameter from the second value to the first value over a period of time.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2021Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AGInventors: Venkat Sreenivas, Bikiran Goswami, Benjamim Tang, Todd Bellefeuille
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Patent number: 11757343Abstract: An apparatus includes a soft start manager such as implemented via hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The soft start manager receives input parameter from a power supply; the input parameter (such as output voltage, duty cycle, input voltage, etc.) is associated with conversion of the input voltage into an output voltage that powers a load. The soft start manager monitors a magnitude of the input parameter. Based at least in part on the magnitude of the input parameter, the soft start manager controls a switching period applied to switch circuitry in the power supply.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: David Lewis, Benjamim Tang, Venkat Sreenivas
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Publication number: 20230006550Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller that monitors an error voltage indicating a difference between an output voltage and a setpoint voltage. Based on the monitored error voltage, the controller generates modulation adjustment signals including a frequency adjustment signal and an ON-time adjustment signal. The controller generates a pulse width modulation signal of a first power supply phase in accordance with both the frequency modulation adjustment signal and the ON-time adjustment signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2021Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventors: Venkat Sreenivas, Bikiran GOSWAMI, Benjamim TANG, Todd BELLEFEUILLE, Kang PENG
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Publication number: 20220376598Abstract: An apparatus includes a soft start manager such as implemented via hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The soft start manager receives input parameter from a power supply; the input parameter (such as output voltage, duty cycle, input voltage, etc.) is associated with conversion of the input voltage into an output voltage that powers a load. The soft start manager monitors a magnitude of the input parameter. Based at least in part on the magnitude of the input parameter, the soft start manager controls a switching period applied to switch circuitry in the power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2021Publication date: November 24, 2022Inventors: David Lewis, Benjamim TANG, Venkat Sreenivas
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Patent number: 11502595Abstract: An isolated switched-mode power converter converts power from an input source into power for an output load. Power switches within a primary-side power stage control the amount of power input to the power converter and, ultimately, provided to the output load. A digital controller on the secondary side of the power converter generates signals to control the power switches. This controller also senses a rectified voltage on the secondary side of the power converter and uses this sensed voltage to detect fault conditions of the primary side. For example, the sensed rectified voltage is used to detect undervoltage or overvoltage conditions of the input power source of the power converter, or faulty power switches within the primary-side power stage.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2018Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Benjamim Tang, Hongying Ding, Sue Perranoski, Richard Pierson, Darryl Tschirhart
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Patent number: 11502602Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller that monitors an error voltage indicating a difference between an output voltage and a setpoint voltage. Based on the monitored error voltage, the controller generates modulation adjustment signals including a frequency adjustment signal and an ON-time adjustment signal. The controller modulates a pulse width modulation signal of a first power supply phase in accordance with both the frequency modulation adjustment signal and the ON-time adjustment signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Benjamim Tang, Todd Bellefeuille, Bikiran Goswami, Kang Peng, Venkat Sreenivas
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Patent number: 11444632Abstract: A tracking analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for a power converter includes a first tracking loop and a second tracking loop. The first tracking loop is configured to track a voltage input to the tracking ADC using one or more comparators and has a re-clocking circuit to mitigate the impact of comparator output metastability, but introduces multi-cycle latency which increases a residual error of the voltage tracking provided by the first tracking loop. The second tracking loop is configured to supplement the voltage tracking provided by the first tracking loop and to reduce the residual error of the voltage tracking for dynamic changes at the voltage input. The second tracking loop has a single-cycle latency and is implemented with logic that is less sensitive to logic errors due to comparator metastability. Corresponding methods of voltage tracking and an electronic system are also described.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Sujata Sen, Mattia Oddicini, Luca Petruzzi, Benjamim Tang
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Patent number: 11387737Abstract: A power stage of a multi-phase power converter includes: a first switch device configured to connect an output node of the power stage to a supply voltage in a first switching state of the power stage; a second switch device configured to connect the output node to ground in a second switching state of the power stage; driver circuitry configured to set the power stage in either switching state or a non-switching state, a duration of each state and a timing transition between the states being indicated by a control signal; current sense circuitry configured to measure current flowing through at least one of the switch devices; and timing circuitry configured to adjust the timing transition between switching states so as to change an effective duration of the first and/or second switching state relative to a reference duration defined by the control signal, based on magnitude of the measured current.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2020Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventor: Benjamim Tang
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Publication number: 20220131552Abstract: A tracking analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for a power converter includes a first tracking loop and a second tracking loop. The first tracking loop is configured to track a voltage input to the tracking ADC using one or more comparators and has a re-clocking circuit to mitigate the impact of comparator output metastability, but introduces multi-cycle latency which increases a residual error of the voltage tracking provided by the first tracking loop. The second tracking loop is configured to supplement the voltage tracking provided by the first tracking loop and to reduce the residual error of the voltage tracking for dynamic changes at the voltage input. The second tracking loop has a single-cycle latency and is implemented with logic that is less sensitive to logic errors due to comparator metastability. Corresponding methods of voltage tracking and an electronic system are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2020Publication date: April 28, 2022Inventors: Sujata Sen, Mattia Oddicini, Luca Petruzzi, Benjamim Tang
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Publication number: 20220115954Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller that monitors an error voltage indicating a difference between an output voltage and a setpoint voltage. Based on the monitored error voltage, the controller generates modulation adjustment signals including a frequency adjustment signal and an ON-time adjustment signal. The controller modulates a pulse width modulation signal of a first power supply phase in accordance with both the frequency modulation adjustment signal and the ON-time adjustment signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2020Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Benjamim Tang, Todd Bellefeuille, Bikiran Goswami, Kang Peng, Venkat Sreenivas
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Patent number: 11283356Abstract: A method of assembling a DC-DC converter includes: attaching first and second discrete power stage transistor dies to a first side of a substrate, the first discrete die including a high-side power transistor and the second discrete die including a low-side power transistor electrically connected to the high-side power transistor to form an output phase of the DC-DC converter; attaching an inductor to the first side of the substrate so as to electrically connect the output phase to a metal output trace on the substrate, the inductor partly covering at least one of the first and the second discrete power stage transistor dies such that each discrete power stage transistor die that is partly covered by the inductor comprises a plurality of pins that are not covered by the inductor; and visually inspecting the plurality of pins uncovered by the inductor.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies North America Corp.Inventors: Darryl Tschirhart, Benjamim Tang, Emil Todorov
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Patent number: 11196342Abstract: According to an embodiment, a multiphase regulator includes a plurality of output phases each of which is operable to deliver a phase current through a separate inductor to a load connected to the output phases via the inductors and an output capacitor. A controller is operable to regulate a voltage delivered to the load by adjusting the phase currents delivered to the load by the output phases, monitor the phase currents delivered to the load by the output phases, test the output phases in a predetermined sequence, and determine if the phase currents respond in a predetermined way.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Benjamim Tang, Richard Pierson, Scott Southwell, Tim Ng, Yi-Yuan Liu, Brian Molloy, Kenneth Ostrom, Amir Babazadeh
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Patent number: 11157062Abstract: A high-speed, low-latency configurable digital interface for a voltage regulator includes a first hardwired unit, a second hardwired unit and a programmable microcontroller interfaced between the first and second hardwired units. The first hardwired unit is operable to deserialize incoming frames received over the configurable digital interface into commands and data associated with operation of a switching voltage regulator, and serialize outgoing data into new frames for transmission over the configurable digital interface. The second hardwired unit is operable to process the commands included in the incoming frames deserialized by the first hardwired unit, and provide the outgoing data to be serialized into new frames by the first hardwired unit. The programmable microcontroller is operable to change one or more of the commands and data flowing between the first and second hardwired units.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2018Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Cristian Mitrea, Herbert Zojer, Benjamim Tang, Renato Bessegato
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Publication number: 20210328510Abstract: A power stage of a multi-phase power converter includes: a first switch device configured to connect an output node of the power stage to a supply voltage in a first switching state of the power stage; a second switch device configured to connect the output node to ground in a second switching state of the power stage; driver circuitry configured to set the power stage in either switching state or a non-switching state, a duration of each state and a timing transition between the states being indicated by a control signal; current sense circuitry configured to measure current flowing through at least one of the switch devices; and timing circuitry configured to adjust the timing transition between switching states so as to change an effective duration of the first and/or second switching state relative to a reference duration defined by the control signal, based on magnitude of the measured current.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2020Publication date: October 21, 2021Inventor: Benjamim Tang
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Patent number: 11070125Abstract: A fault-tolerant multiphase voltage regulator includes a plurality of power stages, each of which is configured to deliver a phase current to a processor, and a controller. The controller is configured to: control the plurality of power stages to regulate an output voltage provided to the processor; detect and disable a faulty power stage; generate a throttling signal to indicate that one or more of the power stages is faulty and disabled; communicate the throttling signal to the processor over a physical line running between the processor and the controller; and place the multiphase voltage regulator in a self-test mode in which the processor is operated at a known computational load and the controller operates each power stage independently to determine if any of the power stages is faulty under the known computational load. A corresponding method of operating a fault-tolerant power distribution system is also described.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Benjamim Tang, Jinghong Guo, Harrison Hu, Tim Ng, Mattia Oddicini, Herbert Zojer
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Publication number: 20210143735Abstract: A controller for a power converter includes: an estimator configured to estimate or calculate a slew rate of an output voltage of the power converter or a slew rate of an error voltage which corresponds to a difference between the output voltage and a target voltage, during a load transient; and a modulator configured to modify regulation of the output voltage based on the estimated or calculated slew rate. A corresponding voltage regulation method and an electronic system that includes the power converter are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2019Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventors: Zhiqing You, Tim Ng, Sue Perranoski, Benjamim Tang
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Publication number: 20210057996Abstract: A method of assembling a DC-DC converter includes: attaching first and second discrete power stage transistor dies to a first side of a substrate, the first discrete die including a high-side power transistor and the second discrete die including a low-side power transistor electrically connected to the high-side power transistor to form an output phase of the DC-DC converter; attaching an inductor to the first side of the substrate so as to electrically connect the output phase to a metal output trace on the substrate, the inductor partly covering at least one of the first and the second discrete power stage transistor dies such that each discrete power stage transistor die that is partly covered by the inductor comprises a plurality of pins that are not covered by the inductor; and visually inspecting the plurality of pins uncovered by the inductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Darryl Tschirhart, Benjamim Tang, Emil Todorov
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Patent number: 10855178Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a substrate having opposing first and second sides, a first discrete power stage transistor die attached to the first side of the substrate and including a high-side power transistor, and a second discrete power stage transistor die attached to the first side of the substrate and including a low-side power transistor electrically connected to the high-side power transistor to form an output phase of the DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter further includes an inductor attached to the first side of the substrate so as to electrically connect the output phase to a metal output trace on the substrate. The inductor at least partly covers at least one of the first and the second discrete power stage transistor dies.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Darryl Tschirhart, Benjamim Tang, Emil Todorov