Patents by Inventor Brian Linehan

Brian Linehan 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: 12028066
    Abstract: In a transistor turnoff system, a transistor control circuit is configured to adjust a control voltage at a transistor control output responsive to a comparison signal at a control input. The control voltage has a slew rate. A comparator has a comparator output and first and second comparator inputs. The first comparator input is coupled to the transistor control output. The comparator is configured to: provide the comparison signal at the comparator output based on a reference voltage at the second comparator input; and deactivate the transistor control circuit by changing a state of the comparison signal responsive to the control voltage falling below the reference voltage. A slew-rate compensator is configured to increase the reference voltage by a compensation voltage that compensates for a time delay of the comparator or the transistor control circuit. The compensation voltage is proportional to the slew rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kyoung Min Lee, James M. Walden, Brian Linehan, Yang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20230261657
    Abstract: In a transistor turnoff system, a transistor control circuit is configured to adjust a control voltage at a transistor control output responsive to a comparison signal at a control input. The control voltage has a slew rate. A comparator has a comparator output and first and second comparator inputs. The first comparator input is coupled to the transistor control output. The comparator is configured to: provide the comparison signal at the comparator output based on a reference voltage at the second comparator input; and deactivate the transistor control circuit by changing a state of the comparison signal responsive to the control voltage falling below the reference voltage. A slew-rate compensator is configured to increase the reference voltage by a compensation voltage that compensates for a time delay of the comparator or the transistor control circuit. The compensation voltage is proportional to the slew rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Kyoung Min Lee, James M. Walden, Brian Linehan, Yang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11671098
    Abstract: In a transistor turnoff system, a transistor control circuit is configured to adjust a control voltage at a transistor control output responsive to a comparison signal at a control input. The control voltage has a slew rate. A comparator has a comparator output and first and second comparator inputs. The first comparator input is coupled to the transistor control output. The comparator is configured to: provide the comparison signal at the comparator output based on a reference voltage at the second comparator input; and deactivate the transistor control circuit by changing a state of the comparison signal responsive to the control voltage falling below the reference voltage. A slew-rate compensator is configured to increase the reference voltage by a compensation voltage that compensates for a time delay of the comparator or the transistor control circuit. The compensation voltage is proportional to the slew rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kyoung Min Lee, James M. Walden, Brian Linehan, Yang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20220216872
    Abstract: In a transistor turnoff system, a transistor control circuit is configured to adjust a control voltage at a transistor control output responsive to a comparison signal at a control input. The control voltage has a slew rate. A comparator has a comparator output and first and second comparator inputs. The first comparator input is coupled to the transistor control output. The comparator is configured to: provide the comparison signal at the comparator output based on a reference voltage at the second comparator input; and deactivate the transistor control circuit by changing a state of the comparison signal responsive to the control voltage falling below the reference voltage. A slew-rate compensator is configured to increase the reference voltage by a compensation voltage that compensates for a time delay of the comparator or the transistor control circuit. The compensation voltage is proportional to the slew rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Kyoung Min Lee, James M. Walden, Brian Linehan, Yang Zhang