Patents by Inventor Charles A. Casey

Charles A. Casey 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: 8773084
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC, buck-boost voltage converter includes a duty cycle controller configured to generate control signals for a buck driver configured to drive first and second buck switching transistors at a buck duty cycle and to generate control signals for a boost driver configured to drive first and second boost switching transistors at a boost duty cycle. The duty cycle controller includes at least a duty cycle timer and an offset timer where the duty cycle controller applies the duty cycle timer and the offset timer to control transitions between the buck, the buck-boost and the boost operation modes of the voltage converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles A. Casey, David Dearn
  • Patent number: 8633734
    Abstract: A bi-directional comparator compares two input signals and applies a hysteresis level to the smaller input signal only after the output signal switches logical states and when the two input signals are within a predetermined range of each other. In one embodiment, the hysteresis applied to the smaller input signal is removed when the two input signals are no longer within the predetermined range of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles A. Casey, Richard Zhu, Cameron Jackson
  • Publication number: 20120032658
    Abstract: A DC-to-DC, buck-boost voltage converter includes a duty cycle controller configured to generate control signals for a buck driver configured to drive first and second buck switching transistors at a buck duty cycle and to generate control signals for a boost driver configured to drive first and second boost switching transistors at a boost duty cycle. The duty cycle controller includes at least a duty cycle timer and an offset timer where the duty cycle controller applies the duty cycle timer and the offset timer to control transitions between the buck, the buck-boost and the boost operation modes of the voltage converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: MICREL, INC.
    Inventors: Charles A. Casey, David Dearn
  • Patent number: 7898830
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as a Buck converter system, for generating an output voltage while at the same time monitoring whether an overload or over current condition occurs at the output, and protecting the system if the overload or over current condition occurs. The apparatus includes a first circuit adapted to monotonically change a control voltage from a first voltage (e.g., approximately ground potential) towards a second voltage (e.g., a reference voltage VREF); a second circuit adapted to generate the output voltage based on the control voltage; a third circuit adapted to detect whether a magnitude of an output current exceeds a current threshold; and a fourth circuit adapted to change the control voltage from the second voltage towards the first voltage in response to the third circuit detecting that the magnitude of the output current exceeds the current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles A. Casey, Federico Piccitto, Paolo Nora, Marcello Criscione
  • Patent number: 6998828
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power supply controller of a power supply system uses an algorithm to reduce the number of drive pulses to the output transistors under light load conditions. The algorithm groups the drive pulses to the output transistors into sets and removes some of the drive pulses for each set drive pulses issued by the controller. Each successive set removes additional drive pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Charles A. Casey, Daniel Connolly, Brant Johnson
  • Patent number: D252013
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Assignee: M G F Industries Corporation
    Inventor: Charles A. Casey