Patents by Inventor James Allen Kohout

James Allen Kohout 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: 10651665
    Abstract: A current sense method comprises generating a voltage across a first current mirror of a current sense apparatus, the voltage being proportional to a current flowing through the current sense apparatus when the current is greater than a predetermined current value and applying a minimum drain-to-source voltage limiter to the first current mirror of the current sense apparatus when the current is less than the predetermined current value, wherein, as a result of applying the minimum drain-to-source voltage limiter to the first current mirror, the voltage across the first current mirror is clamped to a predetermined voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Active-Semi (BVI), Inc.
    Inventor: James Allen Kohout
  • Publication number: 20180076643
    Abstract: A current sense method comprises generating a voltage across a first current mirror of a current sense apparatus, the voltage being proportional to a current flowing through the current sense apparatus when the current is greater than a predetermined current value and applying a minimum drain-to-source voltage limiter to the first current mirror of the current sense apparatus when the current is less than the predetermined current value, wherein, as a result of applying the minimum drain-to-source voltage limiter to the first current mirror, the voltage across the first current mirror is clamped to a predetermined voltage value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventor: James Allen Kohout
  • Patent number: 9882485
    Abstract: Current metering for transitioning to low power operation in switching regulators is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method is provided that includes generating pulse width modulated charging cycles that enable current to flow to an inductor to adjust an output voltage, and detecting a skipped charging cycle. The method also includes determining whether a number of charging cycles are skipped over a time interval that begins when the skipped charging cycle is detected. The method also includes transitioning to a low power operating mode if it determined that the number of charging cycles have been skipped over the selected time interval. During the low power operating mode pulse frequency modulated charging cycles are generated that enable the current to flow to the inductor to generate the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.
    Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, James Allen Kohout
  • Patent number: 9859733
    Abstract: A current sense apparatus comprises a first switch having a first terminal connected to a power source and a second terminal connected to a battery, a second switch comprising a gate connected to a gate of the first switch and a first terminal connected to the first terminal of the first switch, a first operational amplifier having a first input connected to the second terminal of the first switch and a second input connected to a second terminal of the second switch, a second operational amplifier having an output connected to the gate of the first switch, a first input coupled to the first terminal of the first switch and a second input coupled to the second terminal of the first switch and a reference voltage source connected to one input of the second operational amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Active-Semi (BVI), Inc.
    Inventor: James Allen Kohout
  • Publication number: 20170110967
    Abstract: Current metering for transitioning to low power operation in switching regulators is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method is provided that includes generating pulse width modulated charging cycles that enable current to flow to an inductor to adjust an output voltage, and detecting a skipped charging cycle. The method also includes determining whether a number of charging cycles are skipped over a time interval that begins when the skipped charging cycle is detected. The method also includes transitioning to a low power operating mode if it determined that the number of charging cycles have been skipped over the selected time interval. During the low power operating mode pulse frequency modulated charging cycles are generated that enable the current to flow to the inductor to generate the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, James Allen Kohout
  • Publication number: 20170063118
    Abstract: A current sense apparatus comprises a first switch having a first terminal connected to a power source and a second terminal connected to a battery, a second switch comprising a gate connected to a gate of the first switch and a first terminal connected to the first terminal of the first switch, a first operational amplifier having a first input connected to the second terminal of the first switch and a second input connected to a second terminal of the second switch, a second operational amplifier having an output connected to the gate of the first switch, a first input coupled to the first terminal of the first switch and a second input coupled to the second terminal of the first switch and a reference voltage source connected to one input of the second operational amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventor: James Allen Kohout
  • Patent number: 9577527
    Abstract: Current metering for transitioning to low power operation in switching regulators is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method is provided that includes generating pulse width modulated charging cycles that enable current to flow to an inductor to adjust an output voltage, and detecting a skipped charging cycle. The method also includes determining whether a number of charging cycles are skipped over a time interval that begins when the skipped charging cycle is detected. The method also includes transitioning to a low power operating mode if it determined that the number of charging cycles have been skipped over the selected time interval. During the low power operating mode pulse frequency modulated charging cycles are generated that enable the current to flow to the inductor to generate the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.
    Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, James Allen Kohout
  • Publication number: 20160276931
    Abstract: Current metering for transitioning to low power operation in switching regulators is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method is provided that includes generating pulse width modulated charging cycles that enable current to flow to an inductor to adjust an output voltage, and detecting a skipped charging cycle. The method also includes determining whether a number of charging cycles are skipped over a time interval that begins when the skipped charging cycle is detected. The method also includes transitioning to a low power operating mode if it determined that the number of charging cycles have been skipped over the selected time interval. During the low power operating mode pulse frequency modulated charging cycles are generated that enable the current to flow to the inductor to generate the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Narasimhan Trichy, James Allen Kohout
  • Patent number: 7710089
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a Regulator that automatically configures to work in either SMPS mode or linear mode are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes inputting a constant current source to a CBoot_pin for a first predetermined amount of time upon enabling an autodetect circuit by a Regulator control circuit. The CBoot voltage at the CBoot_pin is then determined to see if the CBBoot voltage at the CBoot_pin is above a predetermined CBoot voltage for a second predetermined amount of time. The Regulator is then switched to operate in SMPS mode if the CBoot voltage is substantially continuously above the predetermined CBoot voltage for a second predetermined amount of time. The SMPS is operated in linear mode if the CBoot voltage is substantially continuously below or equal to the predetermined CBoot voltage for a second predetermined amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James Allen Kohout, John H Carpenter, Jr., Brett Jason Thompsen
  • Patent number: 7479770
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for driving a power field-effect transistor (FET). In one embodiment, a system comprises a control circuit that generates a control signal to provide a gate voltage of the power FET. The system further comprises a slope control circuit coupled between the control circuit and the power FET that is operative to dynamically control the rate-of-change of a gate voltage of the power FET to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) emissions and power loss resulting from switching the power FET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James Allen Kohout, David John Baldwin