Patents by Inventor James E. Heckroth

James E. Heckroth 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: 12155332
    Abstract: A gate driver includes a variable strength driver circuit that provides an output signal to drive a high power device. The gate driver receives an update request from a host controller during an operating mode in which switching operations occur and updates one or more operating parameters associated with driving the high power device. The operating parameters including turn-on parameters, turn-off parameters, and soft shutdown parameters. The variable strength driver circuit uses the turn-on parameters for turn-on phases for the output signal, uses the turn-off parameters for turn-off phases for the output signal, and uses the soft shutdown parameters for soft shutdown phases for the output signal. The update request adjusts current, voltage, and/or time for one or more phases of the turn-on, turn-off and/or soft shutdown parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Heckroth, Ion C. Tesu, John N. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20240204756
    Abstract: A method for controlling a high-power drive device includes providing a current having a first predetermined current level to an output node during a first phase of a multi-phase turn-on process for the high-power drive device coupled to the output node. The method includes transitioning from the first phase to a second phase of the multi-phase turn-on process based on a first indication of a sensed voltage level on the output node during the first phase and a second indication of a time elapsed from a start of the first phase during the first phase. The method includes providing the current having a second predetermined current level to the output node during the second phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Ion C. Tesu, James E. Heckroth, Stefan N. Mastovich, John N. Wilson, Krishna Pentakota, Michael Ireland, Greg Ridsdale, Lyric Jackson
  • Publication number: 20240186988
    Abstract: A method for validating operation of a driver integrated circuit includes providing a signal using an output node. The signal is provided using multiple set points in response to a change in state of an input signal. Each set point corresponds to a different phase of a multi-phase transition of the signal. The method includes providing a timer value at an end of a phase of the multi-phase transition and determining whether the signal is in a target signal range of the phase based on the timer value at the end of the phase, a predetermined value defining the target signal range of the phase, and a predetermined time limit for the phase. A current through the output node may be provided using the multiple set points, and a voltage on the output node may have the multi-phase transition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: James E. Heckroth, Ion C. Tesu
  • Patent number: 11977506
    Abstract: A controller enumerates a plurality of devices while operating in a daisy-chain mode of operation and then causes the devices to operate in a parallel mode of operation in which the devices are individually addressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Heckroth, Patrick Johannus De Bakker, Ion Constantin Tesu, Phillip M. Matthews
  • Patent number: 11870440
    Abstract: A method for controlling a high-power drive device includes providing a current having a first predetermined current level to an output node during a first phase of a multi-phase turn-on process for the high-power drive device coupled to the output node. The method includes transitioning from the first phase to a second phase of the multi-phase turn-on process based on a first indication of a sensed voltage level on the output node during the first phase and a second indication of a time elapsed from a start of the first phase during the first phase. The method includes providing the current having a second predetermined current level to the output node during the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Ion C. Tesu, James E. Heckroth, Stefan N. Mastovich, John N. Wilson, Krishna Pentakota, Michael Ireland, Greg Ridsdale, Lyric Jackson
  • Patent number: 11539350
    Abstract: A method for validating operation of a driver integrated circuit includes providing a signal using an output node. The signal is provided using multiple set points in response to a change in state of an input signal. Each set point corresponds to a different phase of a multi-phase transition of the signal. The method includes providing a timer value at an end of a phase of the multi-phase transition and determining whether the signal is in a target signal range of the phase based on the timer value at the end of the phase, a predetermined value defining the target signal range of the phase, and a predetermined time limit for the phase. A current through the output node may be provided using the multiple set points, and a voltage on the output node may have the multi-phase transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Heckroth, Ion C. Tesu
  • Publication number: 20220294427
    Abstract: A method for controlling a high-power drive device includes providing a current having a first predetermined current level to an output node during a first phase of a multi-phase turn-on process for the high-power drive device coupled to the output node. The method includes transitioning from the first phase to a second phase of the multi-phase turn-on process based on a first indication of a sensed voltage level on the output node during the first phase and a second indication of a time elapsed from a start of the first phase during the first phase. The method includes providing the current having a second predetermined current level to the output node during the second phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Ion C. Tesu, James E. Heckroth, Stefan N. Mastovich, John N. Wilson, Krishna Pentakota, Michael Ireland, Greg Ridsdale, Lyric Jackson
  • Publication number: 20220188262
    Abstract: Each device on a bus auto-enumerates at power up or reset to assign a unique address to the device based on the resistance value of an external resistor. A current source supplies a current to a terminal to which a resistor is coupled. Each device has a resistor attached with a different resistance value. Each device senses the voltage at the terminal and the voltage corresponds to the unique device address on the bus. Following enumeration, the devices on the bus are individually addressable using their unique address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: James E. Heckroth, Patrick Johannus De Bakker, Ion Constantin Tesu, Phillip M. Matthews
  • Publication number: 20220188257
    Abstract: A controller enumerates a plurality of devices while operating in a daisy-chain mode of operation and then causes the devices to operate in a parallel mode of operation in which the devices are individually addressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: James E. Heckroth, Patrick Johannus De Bakker, Ion Constantin Tesu, Phillip M. Matthews
  • Patent number: 11362646
    Abstract: A method for driving a high-power drive device includes providing a signal having a first predetermined signal level to an output node during a first phase of a multi-phase transition process. The method includes generating a first indication of a first parameter associated with the signal provided to the output node. The method includes generating a second indication of a second parameter associated with the signal provided to the output node. The method includes providing the signal having a second predetermined signal level to the output node during a second phase of the multi-phase transition process. The method includes transitioning from the first phase to the second phase based on the first indication and the second indication. A multi-die, distributed package technique addresses power dissipation requirements for a driver product based on size and associated power dissipation needs of the high-power drive device in a target application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Ion C. Tesu, James E. Heckroth, Stefan N. Mastovich, John N. Wilson, Krishna Pentakota, Michael Ireland, Greg Ridsdale, Lyric Jackson
  • Publication number: 20220182004
    Abstract: A gate driver includes a variable strength driver circuit that provides an output signal to drive a high power device. The gate driver receives an update request from a host controller during an operating mode in which switching operations occur and updates one or more operating parameters associated with driving the high power device. The operating parameters including turn-on parameters, turn-off parameters, and soft shutdown parameters. The variable strength driver circuit uses the turn-on parameters for turn-on phases for the output signal, uses the turn-off parameters for turn-off phases for the output signal, and uses the soft shutdown parameters for soft shutdown phases for the output signal. The update request adjusts current, voltage, and/or time for one or more phases of the turn-on, turn-off and/or soft shutdown parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: James E. Heckroth, Ion C. Tesu, John N. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20220182041
    Abstract: A method for driving a high-power drive device includes providing a signal having a first predetermined signal level to an output node during a first phase of a multi-phase transition process. The method includes generating a first indication of a first parameter associated with the signal provided to the output node. The method includes generating a second indication of a second parameter associated with the signal provided to the output node. The method includes providing the signal having a second predetermined signal level to the output node during a second phase of the multi-phase transition process. The method includes transitioning from the first phase to the second phase based on the first indication and the second indication. A multi-die, distributed package technique addresses power dissipation requirements for a driver product based on size and associated power dissipation needs of the high-power drive device in a target application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Ion C. Tesu, James E. Heckroth, Stefan N. Mastovich, John N. Wilson, Krishna Pentakota, Michael Ireland, Greg Ridsdale, Lyric Jackson
  • Publication number: 20220182052
    Abstract: A method for validating operation of a driver integrated circuit includes providing a signal using an output node. The signal is provided using multiple set points in response to a change in state of an input signal. Each set point corresponds to a different phase of a multi-phase transition of the signal. The method includes providing a timer value at an end of a phase of the multi-phase transition and determining whether the signal is in a target signal range of the phase based on the timer value at the end of the phase, a predetermined value defining the target signal range of the phase, and a predetermined time limit for the phase. A current through the output node may be provided using the multiple set points, and a voltage on the output node may have the multi-phase transition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: James E. Heckroth, Ion C. Tesu