Patents by Inventor Eric J. King

Eric J. King 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: 12257601
    Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A driver circuit has first and second switching drivers for driving the transducer in a bridge-tied-load configuration, each of the switching drivers having a respective output stage for controllably switching the respective driver output node between high and low switching voltages with a controlled duty cycle. Each of switching drivers is operable in a plurality of different driver modes, wherein the switching voltages are different in said different driver modes. A controller controls the driver mode of operation and the duty cycle of the switching drivers based on the input signal. The controller is configured to control the duty cycles of the first and second switching drivers within defined minimum and maximum limits of duty cycles; and to transition between driver modes of operation when the duty cycle of one of the switching drivers reaches a duty cycle limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Thomsen, Eric J. King, Anthony S. Doy, Thomas H Hoff, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 12255481
    Abstract: A battery management system, may include an input configured to couple to a power supply, an output configured to couple to a battery, and battery management circuitry coupled between the power supply and the battery and configured to deliver electrical energy to the output at a significantly higher peak-to-average power ratio than receipt of electrical energy to the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Melanson, Eric J. King, Emmanuel Marchais
  • Publication number: 20250038642
    Abstract: A cascaded switched power converter provides a wide voltage conversion ratio and improved efficiency ins systems such as power supplies and amplifiers. A switched-capacitor charge pump circuit is operated by one or more first clock signals and is coupled in cascade with an inductor-based power supply circuit according to one or more second clock signals. A control circuit that generates clock signals so that the one or more second clock signals have a phase offset with respect to the one or more first clock signals that is set to adjust a conversion ratio of the cascaded combination of the switched-capacitor charge pump circuit and the inductor-based power supply circuit. The inductor of the inductor-based power supply circuit may be an inductive load, such as a speaker, and the phase offset may be modulated according to an audio signal to provide audio amplification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 30, 2025
    Inventors: John L. Melanson, Eric J. King
  • Patent number: 12184110
    Abstract: A power management system for use in a device comprising a battery and one or more components configured to draw electrical energy from the battery may include a first power converter configured to electrically couple between charging circuitry configured to provide electrical energy for charging the battery and the one or more downstream components and a bidirectional power converter configured to electrically couple between the charging circuitry and the battery, wherein the bidirectional power converter is configured to transfer charge from the battery or transfer charge from the battery based on a power requirement of the one or more components and a power available from the first power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Ivan Perry, Hasnain Akram, Eric J. King
  • Publication number: 20240429929
    Abstract: Pulse width modulation (PWM) driver circuitry comprising: a loop filter configured to receive an analog input signal and to output a digital loop filter output signal based on the analog input signal and an analog feedback signal; and a PWM modulator configured to receive a digital signal based on the digital loop filter output signal and to output a PWM signal, wherein the PWM driver circuitry further comprises a feedback path coupled to an output of the PWM driver circuitry for the analog feedback signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: John L. MELANSON, Eric J. KING, Thomas H. HOFF, Lingli ZHANG
  • Patent number: 12119834
    Abstract: Pulse width modulation (PWM) driver circuitry comprising: a loop filter configured to receive an analog input signal and to output a digital loop filter output signal based on the analog input signal and an analog feedback signal; and a PWM modulator configured to receive a digital signal based on the digital loop filter output signal and to output a PWM signal, wherein the PWM driver circuitry further comprises a feedback path coupled to an output of the PWM driver circuitry for the analog feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Melanson, Eric J. King, Thomas H. Hoff, Lingli Zhang
  • Patent number: 12107551
    Abstract: A mobile device may include a power supply configured to generate a supply voltage, a power converter configured to generate a converted voltage from the supply voltage wherein the converted voltage is significantly different than the supply voltage, and a plurality of power domains. The plurality of power domains may include a first power domain that is global to the mobile device and comprising a first plurality of electronic components powered from the converted voltage and a second power domain that is global to the mobile device and comprising a second plurality of electronic components powered from the supply voltage, wherein power requirements of each of the second plurality of electronic components are significantly higher than power requirements of each of the first plurality of electronic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventor: Eric J. King
  • Patent number: 12108223
    Abstract: The application describes a switched driver (401) for outputting a drive signal at an output node (402) to drive a load such as a transducer. The driver receives respective high-side and low-side voltages (VinH, VinL) defining an input voltage at first and second input nodes and has connections for first and second capacitors (403H, 403L). A network of switching paths is configured such that each of the first and second capacitors can be selectively charged to the input voltage, the first input node can be selectively coupled to a first node (N1) by a path that include or bypass the first capacitor, and the second input node can be selectively coupled to a second node (N2) by a path that includes or bypasses the second capacitor. The output node (402) can be switched between two switching voltages at the first or second nodes. The driver is selectively operable in different operating modes, where the switching voltages are different in each of said modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony S. Doy, Eric J. King
  • Publication number: 20240288477
    Abstract: A system for estimating power dissipation in an integrated circuit comprising a power converter and an amplifier, the system comprising processing circuitry configured to: receive a signal indicative of an output voltage to a load which, in use of the integrated circuit, is driven by the amplifier; receive a signal indicative of an output current to the load; determine an output power value based on the received signal indicative of the output voltage to the load and the received signal indicative of the output current to the load; receive a signal indicative of an input voltage to the power converter; receive a signal indicative of an average current input to the power converter; determine an input power value based on the received signal indicative of the input voltage to the power converter and the received signal indicative of the average current input to the power converter; and determine a power dissipation value based on the determined output power value and the determined input power value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2023
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Alastair M. BOOMER, John B. BOWLERWELL, Malcolm BLYTH, Eric J. KING
  • Publication number: 20240266948
    Abstract: A method for controlling an input current limit of boost converter circuitry, the method comprising: receiving a power dissipation value for the boost converter circuitry; and controlling an input current limit of the boost converter circuitry based on the power dissipation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2024
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: John B. BOWLERWELL, Eric J. KING, Alastair M. BOOMER, Malcolm BLYTH
  • Publication number: 20240250599
    Abstract: A system may include a control circuit and a multi-level power converter comprising a plurality of switches and a power inductor electrically coupled to the plurality of switches, wherein the power inductor is coupled to a switching node of the multi-level power converter, wherein the multi-level power converter is capable of applying three or more switching voltages to the switching node. The control circuit may generate control signals that define a sequence of switching of the plurality of switches of the power converter, the control circuit configured to, during a switching cycle of the converter in which the power inductor is magnetized and demagnetized, control switching of the plurality of switches among at least three switch configurations during magnetization and demagnetization of the power inductor such that a voltage on the switching node experiences a different respective magnitude of voltage in each of the at least three switch configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Hasnain AKRAM, Graeme G. MACKAY, Eric J. KING
  • Publication number: 20240235389
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a power converter system may comprise a plurality of power converter stages in a cascaded arrangement, the power converter stages comprising at least a first power converter stage and a second power converter stage configured to modify an operational state and/or an operational mode of the second power converter stage responsive to feedforward information associated with the first power converter stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Hasnain AKRAM, Graeme G. MACKAY, Jason W. LAWRENCE, Ilija JERGOVIC, Eric J. KING, Thomas H. HOFF, Paulo RAYMUNDO SILVA
  • Publication number: 20240226960
    Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A driver circuit has first and second switching drivers for driving the transducer in a bridge-tied-load configuration, each of the switching drivers having a respective output stage for controllably switching the respective driver output node between high and low switching voltages with a controlled duty cycle. Each of switching drivers is operable in a plurality of different driver modes, wherein the switching voltages are different in said different driver modes. A controller controls the driver mode of operation and the duty cycle of the switching drivers based on the input signal. The controller is configured to control the duty cycles of the first and second switching drivers within defined minimum and maximum limits of duty cycles; and to transition between driver modes of operation when the duty cycle of one of the switching drivers reaches a duty cycle limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2024
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Axel THOMSEN, Eric J. KING, Anthony S. DOY, Thomas H. HOFF, John L. MELANSON
  • Patent number: 11990896
    Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A switching driver has first and second supply node for receiving supply voltages and includes an output bridge stage, a capacitor and a network of switches. The network of switches is operable in different switch states to provide different switching voltages to the output bridge stage. A controller is configured to control the switch state of the network of switches and a duty cycle of output switches of the output bridge stage based on an input signal to generate an output signal for driving the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Thomsen, Eric J. King, Thomas H. Hoff, John L. Melanson, Angus Black, Ross C. Morgan, Malcolm Blyth
  • Patent number: 11980913
    Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for driving a transducer with switching drivers. A driver circuit has first and second switching drivers for driving the transducer in a bridge-tied-load configuration, each of the switching drivers having a respective output stage for controllably switching the respective driver output node between high and low switching voltages with a controlled duty cycle. Each of switching drivers is operable in a plurality of different driver modes, wherein the switching voltages are different in said different driver modes. A controller controls the driver mode of operation and the duty cycle of the switching drivers based on the input signal. The controller is configured to control the duty cycles of the first and second switching drivers within defined minimum and maximum limits of duty cycles; and to transition between driver modes of operation when the duty cycle of one of the switching drivers reaches a duty cycle limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Thomsen, Eric J. King, Anthony S. Doy, Thomas H. Hoff, John L. Melanson
  • Publication number: 20240134325
    Abstract: A method for intelligently generating a stimulus for use in characterization of parameters of a model of a battery may include dynamically analyzing a current drawn from the battery by a load, based on analysis of the current, determining a sink current for augmenting the current drawn by the load, and generating the sink current based on a determined need to update the parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Samuel P. EBENEZER, Eric J. KING, Emmanuel A. MARCHAIS, Jon D. HENDRIX, Mohamed SABET
  • Publication number: 20240136930
    Abstract: A method for intelligently generating a stimulus for use in characterization of parameters of a model of a battery may include dynamically analyzing a current drawn from the battery by a load, based on analysis of the current, determining an augmented current for augmenting the current drawn by the load, and generating the augmented current based on a determined need to update the parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Samuel P. EBENEZER, Emmanuel A. MARCHAIS, Eric J. KING, John L. MELANSON
  • Publication number: 20240133957
    Abstract: A method for estimating equivalent circuit model parameters of a battery may include measuring a battery voltage across terminals of the battery and a battery current drawn from the battery, decomposing the battery voltage and the battery current into a plurality of sub-bands, each sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands based on a time constant that characterizes a temporal behavior of the battery, for each sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands, estimating an equivalent resistance for such sub-band based on a spectral content of the battery voltage and battery current for such sub-band, and estimating an open circuit voltage of the battery based at least on the spectral content of the battery voltage and battery current present in one of the plurality of sub-bands and the equivalent resistances of the plurality of sub-bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Samuel P. EBENEZER, Emmanuel A. MARCHAIS, Eric J. KING
  • Patent number: 11962180
    Abstract: A power delivery system may include an inductive power converter comprising a shared connection to a shared voltage from a battery, multiple inductive phases, each of the multiple inductive phases configured to generate a respective voltage from the shared voltage, multiple regulated voltage connections, and one or more switches configured and arranged to selectively assign at least one of the multiple inductive phases to a regulated voltage connection selected from the multiple regulated voltage connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Emmanuel Marchais, Ross C. Morgan, Ivan Perry, Eric J. King
  • Publication number: 20240072559
    Abstract: A power management system for use in a device comprising a battery and one or more components configured to draw electrical energy from the battery may include a first power converter configured to electrically couple between charging circuitry configured to provide electrical energy for charging the battery and the one or more downstream components and a bidirectional power converter configured to electrically couple between the charging circuitry and the battery, wherein the bidirectional power converter is configured to transfer charge from the battery or transfer charge from the battery based on a power requirement of the one or more components and a power available from the first power converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Ivan PERRY, Hasnain AKRAM, Eric J. KING