Patents by Inventor Hal Chen

Hal Chen 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: 11716024
    Abstract: A deadtime control scheme for improving buck converter light load efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Reed Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Jialun Du, Jiwei Fan, Hal Chen
  • Publication number: 20230208298
    Abstract: A deadtime control scheme for improving buck converter light load efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Jialun Du, Jiwei Fan, Hal Chen
  • Patent number: 11646651
    Abstract: A ramp generator for a constant on-time DC-DC converter, wherein the ramp generator is configured to reduce DC offset and smooth transitions between conduction modes. The ramp voltage generator includes a common voltage generator suitable for generating a common voltage; a first ramp voltage generation block suitable for generating a first ramp voltage responsive to a first switching signal and a control signal, wherein the first switching signal resets one or more valley points of the first ramp voltage to one or more valley points of the common voltage; and a second ramp voltage generation block suitable for generating a second ramp voltage responsive to a second switching signal, the first ramp voltage, and the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Reed Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Jiwei Fan, Yingqian Ma, Jingyuan Chen, Hal Chen, Jialun Du
  • Publication number: 20230012123
    Abstract: A ramp generator for a constant on-time DC-DC converter, wherein the ramp generator is configured to reduce DC offset and smooth transitions between conduction modes. The ramp voltage generator includes a common voltage generator suitable for generating a common voltage; a first ramp voltage generation block suitable for generating a first ramp voltage responsive to a first switching signal and a control signal, wherein the first switching signal resets one or more valley points of the first ramp voltage to one or more valley points of the common voltage; and a second ramp voltage generation block suitable for generating a second ramp voltage responsive to a second switching signal, the first ramp voltage, and the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Jiwei Fan, Yingqian Ma, Jingyuan Chen, Hal Chen, Jialun Du
  • Publication number: 20230010611
    Abstract: A frequency lock loop for a constant switching frequency of DC-DC converter, wherein the frequency lock loop includes a modulation circuit to generate a modulation signal in response to an input signal of the DC-DC converter and a frequency signal. Wherein a timer of the DC-DC converter generates a timing signal in response to the input signal, and wherein the frequency signal is a function of the timing signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Jiwei Fan, Yingqian Ma, Jingyuan Chen, Hal Chen, Jialun Du
  • Patent number: 9343962
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a power regulator system. The system includes a switch control stage configured to generate at least one activation signal based on a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal and to control a respective at least one switch to generate an output voltage. The system also includes a feedback stage configured to generate the PWM signal based on a ramp signal and a feedback voltage that is based on the output voltage. The system further includes a ramp generator stage configured to adaptively generate the ramp signal based on the output voltage and based on the at least one activation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kuang-Yao Cheng, Hal Chen, Wenkai Wu, Weidong Zhu
  • Patent number: 9124177
    Abstract: Systems and devices for smooth light load operation in a DC/DC converter are presented. The disclosed systems and methods enable smooth discontinuous conduction mode (DCM)/continuous conduction mode (CCM) transition. The disclosed systems and methods of smooth light load operation in a DC/DC converter may also avoid the generation of sub-harmonics during light load operation. In an example embodiment, a rising ramp is used to control the ON time of the converter oscillator, while a falling ramp controls the OFF time. During DCM operation, the minimum value of the falling ramp is clamped. The clamping of the falling ramp ensures a substantially similar level of the error amplifier output in both CCM and DCM and avoids disturbances caused by a difference in the error amplifier outputs between the modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Weidong Zhu, Xuening Li, Hal Chen, Wenkai Wu
  • Publication number: 20140266112
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a power regulator system. The system includes a switch control stage configured to generate at least one activation signal based on a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal and to control a respective at least one switch to generate an output voltage. The system also includes a feedback stage configured to generate the PWM signal based on a ramp signal and a feedback voltage that is based on the output voltage. The system further includes a ramp generator stage configured to adaptively generate the ramp signal based on the output voltage and based on the at least one activation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: KUANG-YAO CHENG, HAL CHEN, WENKAI WU, WEIDONG ZHU
  • Patent number: 8269570
    Abstract: Systems and devices for ripple reduction in a DC/DC converter are presented. The disclosed systems and methods enable ripple reduction in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) operation. In DCM, the inductor current peak to peak ripple may be reduced based on the load current. To achieve the reduction of the inductor peak to peak current ripple, a digital counter is used to count the time between consecutive PWM pulses. The digital output of the counter is used to control the pulse width modulation. As the digital output of the counter increases, the PWM on-time decreases. Since the PWM pulse is demanded by the load in DCM mode, the peak to peak inductor ripple is modulated by the counter, or, in turn, modulated by the load current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Xuening Li, Hal Chen, Weidong Zhu, Wenkai Wu
  • Publication number: 20120038331
    Abstract: Systems and devices for smooth light load operation in a DC/DC converter are presented. The disclosed systems and methods enable smooth discontinuous conduction mode (DCM)/continuous conduction mode (CCM) transition. The disclosed systems and methods of smooth light load operation in a DC/DC converter may also avoid the generation of sub-harmonics during light load operation. In an example embodiment, a rising ramp is used to control the ON time of the converter oscillator, while a falling ramp controls the OFF time. During DCM operation, the minimum value of the falling ramp is clamped. The clamping of the falling ramp ensures a substantially similar level of the error amplifier output in both CCM and DCM and avoids disturbances caused by a difference in the error amplifier outputs between the modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incoporated
    Inventors: Wenkai Wu, Weidong Zhu, Hal Chen, Xuening Li
  • Publication number: 20120032748
    Abstract: Systems and devices for ripple reduction in a DC/DC converter are presented. The disclosed systems and methods enable ripple reduction in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) operation. In DCM, the inductor current peak to peak ripple may be reduced based on the load current. To achieve the reduction of the inductor peak to peak current ripple, a digital counter is used to count the time between consecutive PWM pulses. The digital output of the counter is used to control the pulse width modulation. As the digital output of the counter increases, the PWM on-time decreases. Since the PWM pulse is demanded by the load in DCM mode, the peak to peak inductor ripple is modulated by the counter, or, in turn, modulated by the load current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Xuening Li, Hal Chen, Weidong Zhu, Wenkai Wu