Patents by Inventor James E. Gillberg
James E. Gillberg 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).
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Patent number: 9920736Abstract: In a general aspect, a circuit for controlling operation of an ignition circuit including an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device can include a current slope detection circuit configured to detect a slope of a current in a primary winding of an ignition coil included in the ignition circuit and a driver circuit coupled with the current slope detection circuit. The current slope detection circuit can be further configured to, during charging of the ignition coil, if the detected slope is above a first limit, provide a first indication to the driver circuit; and, if the detected slope is below a second limit, provide a second indication to the driver circuit. The driver circuit can be configured to, in response to receiving the first indication or the second indication, modify operation of the ignition circuit.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventors: Qingquan Tang, James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 9745947Abstract: In a general aspect, an apparatus can include an insulated-gate bipolar transistor device (IGBT), a gate driver circuit (driver) coupled with a gate terminal of the IGBT and a low-resistance switch device coupled between an emitter terminal of the IGBT and an electrical ground terminal, the low-resistance switch device being coupled with the electrical ground terminal via a resistor. The apparatus can also include a current sensing circuit coupled with the driver and a current sense signal line coupled with the current sensing circuit and a current sense node, the current sense node being disposed between the low-resistance switch device and the resistor. The apparatus can further include a control circuit configured, when the driver is off, to detect, based on a voltage on the current sense node, when a current through the resistor is above a threshold value and disable the IGBT in response to the detection.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventors: James E. Gillberg, Juergen Pianka
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Publication number: 20160222939Abstract: In a general aspect, a circuit for controlling operation of an ignition circuit including an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device can include a current slope detection circuit configured to detect a slope of a current in a primary winding of an ignition coil included in the ignition circuit and a driver circuit coupled with the current slope detection circuit. The current slope detection circuit can be further configured to, during charging of the ignition coil, if the detected slope is above a first limit, provide a first indication to the driver circuit; and, if the detected slope is below a second limit, provide a second indication to the driver circuit. The driver circuit can be configured to, in response to receiving the first indication or the second indication, modify operation of the ignition circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2016Publication date: August 4, 2016Inventors: Qingquan TANG, James E. GILLBERG
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Patent number: 9337728Abstract: Devices and methods provide a protection device for maintaining a steady output on a gate driver terminal despite fluctuations in a power supply, the protection device including low voltage detection circuitry configured to monitor the power supply and detect fluctuations in the power supply; and gate isolation circuitry configured to isolate the gate driver terminal from the power supply if the low voltage detection circuitry detects a fluctuation in the power supply, wherein a voltage of the gate driver terminal is maintained within a preselected range when the gate is isolated.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventors: James E. Gillberg, Juergen Pianka
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Patent number: 9273626Abstract: Generally, this disclosure provides systems and methods for a power switching system with a switching control circuit powered by a supply voltage derived from an input control signal. The system may include a power switch configured to electrically couple a device between a battery voltage and a ground, the device to be powered by the battery when the power switch is closed; a control circuit coupled to a gate port of the power switch, the control circuit configured to open and close the power switch by adjusting a gate driving signal provided to the gate port in response to a switching control signal provided to the control circuit; and a voltage conditioning circuit configured to generate a supply voltage based on the switching control signal, such that the supply voltage powers the control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2012Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventor: James E. Gillberg
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Publication number: 20150041849Abstract: In a general aspect, an apparatus can include an insulated-gate bipolar transistor device (IGBT), a gate driver circuit (driver) coupled with a gate terminal of the IGBT and a low-resistance switch device coupled between an emitter terminal of the IGBT and an electrical ground terminal, the low-resistance switch device being coupled with the electrical ground terminal via a resistor. The apparatus can also include a current sensing circuit coupled with the driver and a current sense signal line coupled with the current sensing circuit and a current sense node, the current sense node being disposed between the low-resistance switch device and the resistor. The apparatus can further include a control circuit configured, when the driver is off, to detect, based on a voltage on the current sense node, when a current through the resistor is above a threshold value and disable the IGBT in response to the detection.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Inventors: James E. GILLBERG, Juergen PIANKA
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Publication number: 20140232454Abstract: Devices and methods provide a protection device for maintaining a steady output on a gate driver terminal despite fluctuations in a power supply, the protection device including low voltage detection circuitry configured to monitor the power supply and detect fluctuations in the power supply; and gate isolation circuitry configured to isolate the gate driver terminal from the power supply if the low voltage detection circuitry detects a fluctuation in the power supply, wherein a voltage of the gate driver terminal is maintained within a preselected range when the gate is isolated.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventors: James E. Gillberg, Juergen Pianka
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Publication number: 20140117751Abstract: Generally, this disclosure provides systems and methods for a power switching system with a switching control circuit powered by a supply voltage derived from an input control signal. The system may include a power switch configured to electrically couple a device between a battery voltage and a ground, the device to be powered by the battery when the power switch is closed; a control circuit coupled to a gate port of the power switch, the control circuit configured to open and close the power switch by adjusting a gate driving signal provided to the gate port in response to a switching control signal provided to the control circuit; and a voltage conditioning circuit configured to generate a supply voltage based on the switching control signal, such that the supply voltage powers the control circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2012Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATIONInventor: James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 8358157Abstract: A power switch includes a first power transistor having a first source electrode, a first gate electrode, and a first drain electrode, and a second power transistor having a second source electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second drain electrode. The power switch further includes a first pilot transistor which has a third source electrode, a third gate electrode, and a third drain electrode. The first, second and third drain electrodes are electrically connected together. The first and second source electrodes are electrically connected together. The first and third gate electrodes are electrically connected together and can be biased independently from the second gate electrode. The first power transistor is the same size as or smaller than the second power transistor and the first power transistor is larger than the first pilot transistor.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2012Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventor: James E. Gillberg
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Publication number: 20120223745Abstract: A power switch includes a first power transistor having a first source electrode, a first gate electrode, and a first drain electrode, and a second power transistor having a second source electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second drain electrode. The power switch further includes a first pilot transistor which has a third source electrode, a third gate electrode, and a third drain electrode. The first, second and third drain electrodes are electrically connected together. The first and second source electrodes are electrically connected together. The first and third gate electrodes are electrically connected together and can be biased independently from the second gate electrode. The first power transistor is the same size as or smaller than the second power transistor and the first power transistor is larger than the first pilot transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2012Publication date: September 6, 2012Inventor: James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 8183892Abstract: A power switch includes a first power transistor having a first source electrode, a first gate electrode, and a first drain electrode, and a second power transistor having a second source electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second drain electrode. The power switch further includes a first pilot transistor has a third source electrode, a third gate electrode, and a third drain electrode. The first, second and third drain electrodes are electrically connected together. The first and second source electrodes are electrically connected together. The first and third gate electrodes are electrically connected together and can be biased independently from the second gate electrode. The first power transistor is the same size as or smaller than the second power transistor and the first power transistor is larger than the first pilot transistor. The first power transistor, the second power transistor, and the first pilot transistor are monolithically integrated in an integrated circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2009Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventor: James E. Gillberg
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Publication number: 20100308872Abstract: A power switch includes a first power transistor having a first source electrode, a first gate electrode, and a first drain electrode, and a second power transistor having a second source electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second drain electrode. The power switch further includes a first pilot transistor has a third source electrode, a third gate electrode, and a third drain electrode. The first, second and third drain electrodes are electrically connected together. The first and second source electrodes are electrically connected together. The first and third gate electrodes are electrically connected together and can be biased independently from the second gate electrode. The first power transistor is the same size as or smaller than the second power transistor and the first power transistor is larger than the first pilot transistor. The first power transistor, the second power transistor, and the first pilot transistor are monolithically integrated in an integrated circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2009Publication date: December 9, 2010Inventor: James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 7365954Abstract: A protected power device includes a power transistor with an internal control line to receive a control line current and a fault detector, coupled to the internal control line. A power device protection circuit includes a power device driver, coupled to the control line to drive the protected power device, a current sensor, coupled to the control line to sense a fault of the protected power device by monitoring the control line current and to generate a fault-sensing signal, and control logic, coupled to the current sensor and to the power device driver to respond to the fault-sensing signal of the current sensor. The fault detector modifies the control line current upon detecting a fault and the current sensor senses the fault by sensing the modified control line current. The control logic responds to the sensed fault by limiting or shutting down the current of the protected power device.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2005Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventor: James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 6055149Abstract: A thermally protected power device is disclosed and includes a semiconductor package having at least five pins. One of the pins comprises a ground pin for connecting to a ground connection, and another one of the five pins comprises a power pin for connecting to a source of a temperature stable reference voltage. A field effect transistor is formed within the semiconductor package and has a source, drain and gate connected to three of the output pins and forms respective source, drain and gate pins. A parasitic bipolar transistor is formed within the package and has a base, collector and emitter. The collector is connected to the gate of the field effect transistor.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1998Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Intersil CorporationInventors: James E. Gillberg, Raymond L. Giordano
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Patent number: 4594517Abstract: The loss of an AC supply voltage is detected by sensing the amplitude of the AC voltage relative to the reference potential about which it periodically goes positive and negative. Whenever the amplitude of the signal is below a given threshold, a sub-threshold signal is produced and its duration is sensed. If its duration is shorter than a predetermined sampling period, the sub-threshold signal is treated as a normally occurring signal and is filtered out of the system. If its duration exceeds the predetermined sampling period, it indicates that the AC voltage has remained "low" for too long a period of time, and an error signal is generated.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1984Date of Patent: June 10, 1986Assignee: RCA CorporationInventors: William R. Cohen, James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 4558345Abstract: A bond region is provided on an integrated circuit chip wherein the bond region has two or more sets of closely spaced conductors, each of which is electrically connected to a different point of the integrated circuit. During the manufacturing of the device, at the time of assembly of the chip into the package one end of a connector wire may, optionally, be bonded to the bond region thereby effecting a multiple connection of these different points of the integrated circuit. Such a procedure will enable a specific mode of operation of a multi-mode device.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1983Date of Patent: December 10, 1985Assignee: RCA CorporationInventors: Robert A. Dwyer, James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 4529892Abstract: Circuitry for discriminating between input signals having peak amplitudes which fall with two ranges includes two Schmitt triggers having their input terminals connected to a common circuit input terminal. The trigger points of the two Schmitt triggers overlap each other. The potential difference between the upper trigger points of the two Schmitt triggers establishes one of the input signal amplitude ranges. Signals with amplitudes greater than the upper trigger point of the higher of the two upper trigger points fall into the second of the two signal ranges. Decoder circuitry coupled to the outputs of the two Schmitt triggers determine if one or both of the Schmitt triggers is regularly responding to the input signal and thereby the relative amplitude range of the applied signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1982Date of Patent: July 16, 1985Assignee: RCA CorporationInventors: Robert J. Reilly, James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 4525635Abstract: An input signal is applied to a first flip-flop whose output is coupled to the input of a second flip-flop. The two flip-flops are clocked, at a time t.sub.1 and at a subsequent time t.sub.2, for storing the value (SI.sub.1) of the input signal at time t.sub.1 in one flip-flop and for storing the value (SI.sub.2) of the input signal at time t.sub.2, in the other flip-flop. Logic gates coupled between the first and second flip-flops and a third, set/reset, flip-flop sense the values (SI.sub.1 and SI.sub.2) of the input signal stored by the first and second flip-flops and either: (a) set the third flip-flop to a condition indicative of the value of the input signal at times t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 if SI.sub.1 is equal to SI.sub.2 ; or (b) maintain the third flip-flop undisturbed in the state to which it was set just prior to t.sub.1 if SI.sub.1 is not equal to SI.sub.2.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 1982Date of Patent: June 25, 1985Assignee: RCA CorporationInventor: James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 4387350Abstract: A watch circuit arrangement for conserving battery power includes a feedback connection between the crystal oscillator of the watch circuit and the display voltage generator which is responsive to the crystal oscillator output to develop sufficient output voltage for the watch display. Specifically, the output of the display voltage generator, which may be a voltage multiplier, is sensed by a display voltage sensing circuit which controls the gain of the crystal oscillator. Initially, when battery power is applied to the watch circuit, the voltage multiplier has zero output voltage, which conditions the crystal oscillator to have a sufficiently high gain to start the oscillator. After several cycles of oscillator signal, the voltage multiplier output increases, which conditions the crystal oscillator to have a lower gain for reducing power consumption while sustaining oscillation.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 1980Date of Patent: June 7, 1983Assignee: RCA CorporationInventors: Jeffrey M. Bessolo, James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 4350906Abstract: A complementary MOS input circuit not only transfers input signal swinging between conventional logic levels in a normal mode but also provides a control signal upon application of an input signal swinging outside the normal range of logic levels. This control signal is then available to be used to change selective connections in an integrated circuit to change its operating function, for example. The input circuit includes first and second complementary MOS transistors arranged like an inverter but having their gates connected to a fixed potential and having input signal potential applied to the source of the first transistor. The transistors exhibit an output signal at the interconnection between their drain electrodes which output changes state on an input swinging past the fixed potential sufficiently to render the first transistor conductive.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 1979Date of Patent: September 21, 1982Assignee: RCA CorporationInventor: James E. Gillberg