Patents by Inventor Chris Michael Franklin

Chris Michael Franklin 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: 8779746
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a control circuit is provided for use with a switch-mode power stage that provides an output voltage signal and an output current signal at an output power. The switch-mode power stage has a nominal voltage, a nominal current, a maximum current, an output power and a maximum power. The control circuit includes a voltage control loop and a current control loop, and the control circuit uses the voltage control loop to provide voltage mode control if the output current signal is greater than or equal to the nominal current and less than the maximum current, wherein the output power is substantially constant. Numerous other aspects are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhong Ye, Shamim Choudhury, Chris Michael Franklin
  • Patent number: 8773097
    Abstract: A digital control circuit is provided for use with a switch-mode power converter that receives an input signal at a first input node and a control signal at a second input node, and that provides an output signal at a first output node and a current signal at a second output node. The digital control circuit generates a programmable current reference signal based on a difference between the output signal and a voltage reference signal, calculates a time instant when the current signal substantially equals the programmable reference current signal, and generates the control signal based on the calculated time instant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Chris Michael Franklin, Brent Alan McDonald, John Christian Vogt
  • Publication number: 20120274290
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a control circuit is provided for use with a switch-mode power stage that provides an output voltage signal and an output current signal at an output power. The switch-mode power stage has a nominal voltage, a nominal current, a maximum current, an output power and a maximum power. The control circuit includes a voltage control loop and a current control loop, and the control circuit uses the voltage control loop to provide voltage mode control if the output current signal is greater than or equal to the nominal current and less than the maximum current, wherein the output power is substantially constant. Numerous other aspects are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Zhong Ye, Shamim Choudhury, Chris Michael Franklin
  • Publication number: 20120176824
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a digital control circuit is provided for use with a switch-mode power converter that receives an input signal at a first input node and a control signal at a second input node, and that provides an output signal at a first output node and a current signal at a second output node. The digital control circuit generates a programmable current reference signal based on a difference between the output signal and a voltage reference signal, calculates a time instant when the current signal substantially equals the programmable reference current signal, and generates the control signal based on the calculated time instant. Numerous other aspects are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Chris Michael Franklin, Brent Alan McDonald, John Christian Vogt