Patents by Inventor Howard Hou

Howard Hou 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).

  • Boost power converter with high-side active damping in discontinuous conduction mode
    Patent number: 8907639
    Abstract: A boost power converter system according to one embodiment includes an input voltage high-side node; an inductor coupled to the input voltage high-side node at a first terminal of the inductor; a power switch coupled to the inductor at a second terminal of the inductor; a drive circuit configured to control the power switch such that the boost power converter system operates in a discontinuous conduction mode when a load current drops below a critical conduction threshold; and a damping switch configured to enable current flow from the power switch at the second terminal of the inductor to the input voltage high-side node, wherein the damping switch is closed when the power switch is open and the damping switch is opened when the power switch is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Rendon Holloway, Adrian Ong, Howard Hou
  • BOOST POWER CONVERTER WITH HIGH-SIDE ACTIVE DAMPING IN DISCONTINUOUS CONDUCTION MODE
    Publication number: 20130027006
    Abstract: A boost power converter system according to one embodiment includes an input voltage high-side node; an inductor coupled to the input voltage high-side node at a first terminal of the inductor; a power switch coupled to the inductor at a second terminal of the inductor; a drive circuit configured to control the power switch such that the boost power converter system operates in a discontinuous conduction mode when a load current drops below a critical conduction threshold; and a damping switch configured to enable current flow from the power switch at the second terminal of the inductor to the input voltage high-side node, wherein the damping switch is closed when the power switch is open and the damping switch is opened when the power switch is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Rendon Holloway, Adrian Ong, Howard Hou