Patents by Inventor Hidehiro Kikuchi

Hidehiro Kikuchi 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: 8035365
    Abstract: A DC (direct current) converter includes a PWM (pulse width modulation) pulse generation unit outputting a PWM pulse signal whose duty ratio is controlled in accordance with an output voltage, a PFM (pulse frequency modulation) pulse generation unit outputting a PFM pulse signal whose pulse output interval is controlled in accordance with an output voltage, a selection circuit selecting and outputting any one of the PWM pulse signal and the PFM pulse signal in response to a selection signal, a drive circuit unit driving a load and generating an output voltage on the basis of a signal outputted from the selection circuit, and a switching control unit outputting the selection signal. When the selection signal is in a second state, the switching control unit detects a fact that the number of pulses of the PFM pulse signal in a measurement period increases to or above a set value of the maximum number of pulses, and switches the selection signal to a first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hidehiro Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20090218999
    Abstract: A DC (direct current) converter includes a PWM (pulse width modulation) pulse generation unit outputting a PWM pulse signal whose duty ratio is controlled in accordance with an output voltage, a PFM (pulse frequency modulation) pulse generation unit outputting a PFM pulse signal whose pulse output interval is controlled in accordance with an output voltage, a selection circuit selecting and outputting any one of the PWM pulse signal and the PFM pulse signal in response to a selection signal, a drive circuit unit driving a load and generating an output voltage on the basis of a signal outputted from the selection circuit, and a switching control unit outputting the selection signal. When the selection signal is in a second state, the switching control unit detects a fact that the number of pulses of the PFM pulse signal in a measurement period increases to or above a set value of the maximum number of pulses, and switches the selection signal to a first state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hidehiro Kikuchi