Patents by Inventor Chongli Cai

Chongli Cai 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: 11870345
    Abstract: A power converter circuit included in a computer system may include multiple devices and a switch node coupled to a regulated power supply node via an inductor. During a first time period, the power converter charges a capacitor, and the couples the capacitor to the switch node during a second time period. During a third time period the power converter couples the switch node to an input power supply node. To maintain constant charge delivered to the load during each time the switch node is coupled to the input power supply node, the duration of the third time period is adjusted based on a voltage level of the input power supply node, a voltage level of the regulated power supply node, a value of the inductor, and the durations of first and second time periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chongli Cai, Dingkun Du, Michael B. Nussbaum
  • Patent number: 11837960
    Abstract: A power converter circuit that includes multiple phase circuits may employ coupled inductors to generate a particular voltage level on a regulated power supply node. In response to an initiation of an active time period, the phase circuits cycle, out of phase with each other, between on-times and off-times. To maintain the phase relationship between the operation of the phase circuits, each phase circuit generates a ramp current that is compared to the current flowing in its corresponding inductor and then halts an off-time based on a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chongli Cai, Hao Zhou
  • Patent number: 11736017
    Abstract: A power converter circuit that includes multiple phase circuits may employ coupled inductors to generate a particular voltage level on a regulated power supply node. Based on a comparison of a voltage level of the regulated power supply node and a reference voltage, the power converter circuit may initiate an active period, during which the phase circuits source respective currents to the regulated power supply node via corresponding coils included in the coupled inductor. After a time period has elapsed following an initiation of the active period, the operation of the phase circuits is adjusted so that the respective currents flowing in the coils of the coupled inductor are out of phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chongli Cai, Hao Zhou, Jay B. Fletcher
  • Publication number: 20230096741
    Abstract: A power converter circuit included in a computer system may include multiple devices and a switch node coupled to a regulated power supply node via an inductor. During a first time period, the power converter charges a capacitor, and the couples the capacitor to the switch node during a second time period. During a third time period the power converter couples the switch node to an input power supply node. To maintain constant charge delivered to the load during each time the switch node is coupled to the input power supply node, the duration of the third time period is adjusted based on a voltage level of the input power supply node, a voltage level of the regulated power supply node, a value of the inductor, and the durations of first and second time periods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Chongli Cai, Dingkun Du, Michael B. Nussbaum
  • Publication number: 20230092655
    Abstract: A power converter circuit that includes multiple phase circuits may employ coupled inductors to generate a particular voltage level on a regulated power supply node. In response to an initiation of an active time period, the phase circuits cycle, out of phase with each other, between on-times and off-times. To maintain the phase relationship between the operation of the phase circuits, each phase circuit generates a ramp current that is compared to the current flowing in its corresponding inductor and then halts an off-time based on a result of the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Chongli Cai, Hao Zhou
  • Publication number: 20220103074
    Abstract: A power converter circuit that includes multiple phase circuits may employ coupled inductors to generate a particular voltage level on a regulated power supply node. Based on a comparison of a voltage level of the regulated power supply node and a reference voltage, the power converter circuit may initiate an active period, during which the phase circuits source respective currents to the regulated power supply node via corresponding coils included in the coupled inductor. After a time period has elapsed following an initiation of the active period, the operation of the phase circuits is adjusted so that the respective currents flowing in the coils of the coupled inductor are out of phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Chongli Cai, Hao Zhou, Jay B. Fletcher