Patents by Inventor Brian B. North

Brian B. North 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: 11696228
    Abstract: A system for managing power on distributed devices may include a first device having a master logic and a second device having a slave logic. The master logic may enable the first device to communicate with multiple devices having the slave logic on one or more channels. The slave logic may enable the second device having the slave logic to communicate with the first device and to communicate with a third device having the slave logic. The slave logic may enable the multiple devices having the slave logic to manage operations of the distributed devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies International Holdings LP
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Stephen E. Parks
  • Patent number: 11659305
    Abstract: A system for serial communication may include a first device and a plurality of devices on a series connection. The first device may have a master circuit and the plurality devices may have a slave circuit. The master circuit may enable the first device to communicate with the plurality devices having the slave circuit on the series connection. The master circuit may enable the first device to send a command frame on the series connection. The command frame may include an execution mode command and a plurality of commands. The second devices may execute the commands within the command frame at or after the end of the command frame based on the execution mode command indicating a synchronous mode of command execution; and may execute the commands within the command frame at the ends of individual ones of the commands based on the execution mode command indicating a non-synchronous mode of command execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies International Holdings LP
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Jan Nilsson
  • Patent number: 11564165
    Abstract: A system for managing power on distributed devices may include a first device having a master logic and a second device having a slave logic. The master logic may enable the first device to communicate with multiple devices having the slave logic on one or more channels. The slave logic may enable the second device having the slave logic to communicate with the first device and to communicate with a third device having the slave logic. The slave logic may enable the multiple devices having the slave logic to manage operations of the distributed devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies International Holdings LP
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Stephen E. Parks
  • Publication number: 20220385998
    Abstract: A system for serial communication may include a first device and a plurality of devices on a series connection. The first device may have a master circuit and the plurality devices may have a slave circuit. The master circuit may enable the first device to communicate with the plurality devices having the slave circuit on the series connection. The master circuit may enable the first device to send a command frame on the series connection. The command frame may include an execution mode command and a plurality of commands. The second devices may execute the commands within the command frame at or after the end of the command frame based on the execution mode command indicating a synchronous mode of command execution; and may execute the commands within the command frame at the ends of individual ones of the commands based on the execution mode command indicating a non-synchronous mode of command execution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: William Robert PELLETIER, Brian B. NORTH, Jan NILSSON
  • Patent number: 11516559
    Abstract: A system for serial communication may include a first device and a plurality of devices on a series connection. The first device may have a master circuit and the plurality devices may have a slave circuit. The master circuit may enable the first device to communicate with the plurality devices having the slave circuit on the series connection. The master circuit may enable the first device to send a command frame on the series connection. The command frame may include an execution mode command and a plurality of commands. The second devices may execute the commands within the command frame at or after the end of the command frame based on the execution mode command indicating a synchronous mode of command execution; and may execute the commands within the command frame at the ends of individual ones of the commands based on the execution mode command indicating a non-synchronous mode of command execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies International Holdings LP
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Jan Nilsson
  • Publication number: 20200413333
    Abstract: A system for managing power on distributed devices may include a first device having a master logic and a second device having a slave logic. The master logic may enable the first device to communicate with multiple devices having the slave logic on one or more channels. The slave logic may enable the second device having the slave logic to communicate with the first device and to communicate with a third device having the slave logic. The slave logic may enable the multiple devices having the slave logic to manage operations of the distributed devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: William Robert PELLETIER, Brian B. NORTH, Stephen E. PARKS
  • Publication number: 20200351575
    Abstract: A system for serial communication may include a first device and a plurality of devices on a series connection. The first device may have a master circuit and the plurality devices may have a slave circuit. The master circuit may enable the first device to communicate with the plurality devices having the slave circuit on the series connection. The master circuit may enable the first device to send a command frame on the series connection. The command frame may include an execution mode command and a plurality of commands. The second devices may execute the commands within the command frame at or after the end of the command frame based on the execution mode command indicating a synchronous mode of command execution; and may execute the commands within the command frame at the ends of individual ones of the commands based on the execution mode command indicating a non-synchronous mode of command execution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: William Robert PELLETIER, Brian B. NORTH, Jan NILSSON
  • Patent number: 10798653
    Abstract: A system for managing power on distributed devices may include a first device having a master logic and a second device having a slave logic. The master logic may enable the first device to communicate with multiple devices having the slave logic on one or more channels. The slave logic may enable the second device having the slave logic to communicate with the first device and to communicate with a third device having the slave logic. The slave logic may enable the multiple devices having the slave logic to manage operations of the distributed devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Stephen E. Parks
  • Patent number: 10757484
    Abstract: A system that uses pulse-based communication may include a first device and a plurality of devices on a series connection. The first device may have a master circuit and the plurality devices may have a slave circuit. The master circuit may enable the first device to communicate with the plurality devices having the slave circuit on the series connection. The master circuit may enable the first device to send a pulse string including one or more pulses to the plurality devices. The slave circuit may enable the plurality devices to receive the pulse string from a previous device on the series connection and change the pulse string. The slave circuit may enable the plurality devices to send the pulse string to a next device on the series connection. Each of the plurality devices may determine its address in the series connection based on the pulse string it receives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Jan Nilsson
  • Publication number: 20190174409
    Abstract: A system for managing power on distributed devices may include a first device having a master logic and a second device having a slave logic. The master logic may enable the first device to communicate with multiple devices having the slave logic on one or more channels. The slave logic may enable the second device having the slave logic to communicate with the first device and to communicate with a third device having the slave logic. The slave logic may enable the multiple devices having the slave logic to manage operations of the distributed devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: William Robert PELLETIER, Brian B. NORTH, Stephen E. PARKS
  • Patent number: 10212658
    Abstract: A system for managing power on distributed devices may include a first device having a master logic and a second device having a slave logic. The master logic may enable the first device to communicate with multiple devices having the slave logic on one or more channels. The slave logic may enable the second device having the slave logic to communicate with the first device and to communicate with a third device having the slave logic. The slave logic may enable the multiple devices having the slave logic to manage operations of the distributed devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Stephen E. Parks
  • Publication number: 20180191522
    Abstract: A system that uses pulse-based communication may include a first device and a plurality of devices on a series connection. The first device may have a master circuit and the plurality devices may have a slave circuit. The master circuit may enable the first device to communicate with the plurality devices having the slave circuit on the series connection. The master circuit may enable the first device to send a pulse string including one or more pulses to the plurality devices. The slave circuit may enable the plurality devices to receive the pulse string from a previous device on the series connection and change the pulse string. The slave circuit may enable the plurality devices to send the pulse string to a next device on the series connection. Each of the plurality devices may determine its address in the series connection based on the pulse string it receives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Jan Nilsson
  • Publication number: 20180098278
    Abstract: A system for managing power on distributed devices may include a first device having a master logic and a second device having a slave logic. The master logic may enable the first device to communicate with multiple devices having the slave logic on one or more channels. The slave logic may enable the second device having the slave logic to communicate with the first device and to communicate with a third device having the slave logic. The slave logic may enable the multiple devices having the slave logic to manage operations of the distributed devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: William Robert Pelletier, Brian B. North, Stephen E. Parks
  • Patent number: 8482216
    Abstract: A digital control mechanism is provided to maintain current matching of a plurality of LED devices where the conventional supply voltage may be insufficient to achieve the threshold working current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian B. North
  • Patent number: 8081777
    Abstract: An audio amplifier such as for driving headphones. The amplifier includes multiple amplifier devices coupled in parallel. Both a bias generator and a volume control are responsive to a user setting. Under low output signal conditions, one or more of the amplifier devices are disabled in response to the user setting. Disabled amplifier devices do not consume output bias current. Thus the audio amplifier has reduced power consumption, and the system has longer battery life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Brian B. North
  • Patent number: 7750732
    Abstract: An efficient class-G amplifier having multiple rails is configured with parallel class AB amplifiers powered by at least one rail supplying a voltage that can be varied in response to signal characteristics, typically as sensed at an output across a load. In a specific embodiment, an analog-to-digital converter is coupled to a digital signal processor that converts signals into a programmed voltage level for setting the voltage rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Cary L. Delano, Brian B. North, Arun Jayaraman
  • Patent number: 7733178
    Abstract: According to the invention, an audio amplifier system for use with a single-ended portable power supply that is referenced to ground, such as a small battery, has a single-channel class G amplifier section, a multiple voltage output charge pump subsystem for supplying complementary pairs of power supply voltages at selected ratiometric levels to an amplifier section, a set of switches on the power supply rails and a power-measuring comparator for selecting which complementary pair of power supply voltages is provided to the amplifier section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Cary L. Delano, Brian B. North
  • Patent number: 7619480
    Abstract: An improved Class G type amplifier is provided which switches between multiple power rails depending upon the instantaneous amplitude of the input signal versus the power rails without excessive distortion. The low voltage (inner) amplifier includes a plurality of parallel amplifier devices, and the high voltage (outer) amplifier includes a plurality of parallel amplifier devices. A plurality of switches each couples the input signal to either a respective one of the inner amplifier devices or a respective one of the outer amplifier devices. The switches are activated sequentially, such that the switching from inner amplifier devices to outer amplifier devices or vice versa is staggered over time. This avoids having a single, large glitch in the output and spreads multiple smaller glitches over enough time so that some of the radiated glitch energy can fall within frequencies where amplifier feedback circuitry can eliminate its noise. The switches are sequentially activated by a series of delay elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Brian B. North
  • Publication number: 20090179583
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a utility device, such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp that is powered in accordance with a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, includes an analog sensor which monitors the utility device to derive an output signal representative of the PWM signal. An integrating analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which is coupled to the sensor and has its operation synchronized with an integral multiple of the period of the PWM signal, produces an output representative of an average of the output of the utility device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: INTERSIL AMERICAS INC.
    Inventors: Dong ZHENG, Robert L. LYLE, JR., Barry HARVEY, Brian B. NORTH
  • Patent number: 7528818
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a utility device, such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp that is powered in accordance with a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, includes an analog sensor which monitors the utility device to derive an output signal representative of the PWM signal. An integrating analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which is coupled to the sensor and has its operation synchronized with an integral multiple of the period of the PWM signal, produces an output representative of an average of the output of the utility device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Zheng, Robert L. Lyle, Jr., Barry Harvey, Brian B. North