Abstract: A booster power management integrated circuit chip includes first and second output pads, a transistor switch coupled between the first and second output pads and having a gate, and a trigger circuit coupled between the first and second output pads and further coupled to the gate of the transistor switch. The trigger circuit drives the transistor switch to conduct when an instantaneous voltage larger than a trigger voltage level is present between the first and second output pads so as to enable electric current to flow through the transistor switch.

Abstract: A method, which is for determining switching state of a transistor-based switching device that includes a set of transistors, includes the steps of: applying a bias voltage to a transistor having a fastest response so as to dispose the transistors in the set in a desired transistor state; detecting a voltage level at a transistor having a slowest response to the bias voltage; and comparing the detected voltage level with a predetermined threshold voltage level in order to determine the switching state of the switching device. A transistor-based switching device is also disclosed.

Abstract: In a method for a DC-DC power conversion performed by a switching mode buck voltage converter, the power conversion is split into two or more stages, and a feed-forward signal is generated by one of the stages and sent to another stage prior thereto. The feed-forward signal is generated by responding to a load current transient, such as output voltage drop, ON-duty increment or decrement occurred in the PWM control loop, error amp output swinging, and any other detectable signals in response to load current transient of the voltage converter. As a result, the performance of the DC-DC voltage converter is improved due to the prior stage modulated early in time, and both lower ripple current and peak current in steady state operations and fast response to load current transient conditions could be simultaneously obtained.

Abstract: Electronic circuits use low-cost depletion-mode JFET to serve as power switch. Since depletion-mode JFET has smaller conductive resistance and is majority carrier device, the energy loss is less when current flows through the depletion-mode JFET, and faster switching speed is obtained, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the electronic circuits.

Abstract: A single-chip common-drain JFET device comprises a drain, two gates and two source arranged such that two common-drain JFETs are formed therewith. Due to the two JFETs merged within a single chip, no wire bonding connection is needed therebetween, thereby without parasitic inductance and resistance caused by bonding wire, and therefore improving the performance and reducing the package cost. The single-chip common-drain JFET device may be applied in buck converter, boost converter, inverting converter, switch, and two-step DC-to-DC converter to improve their performance and efficiency. Alternative single-chip common-drain JFET devices are also provided for current sense or proportional current generation.

Abstract: In a LED driver using a depletion mode transistor to serve as a current source, the depletion mode transistor is self-biased for providing a driving current to drive at least one LED, thereby requesting no additional control circuit to control the depletion mode transistor. The driving current is independent on the supply voltage coupled to the at least one LED, thereby requesting no additional voltage regulator, reducing the circuit size, and lowering the cost.

Abstract: In a battery charger using a depletion mode transistor to serve as a current source, the depletion mode transistor is self-biased for generating a charging current to charge a battery, thereby requesting no additional control circuit to control the depletion mode transistor, reducing the circuit size, and lowering the cost.

Abstract: A battery charger comprises a power input to be connected to a power supply, a charge node to be connected with a battery, a N-channel or P-channel JFET coupled between the power input and the charge node, and a controller to monitor the voltage of the battery to control the JFET.

Abstract: A circuit protection device includes an overheat protecting circuit connected to a main circuit and capable of being activated so as to shut down the main circuit when operating temperature of the main circuit reaches a predetermined value, and a current limiting circuit connected to the main circuit for preventing current through the main circuit from exceeding a predetermined threshold value. The current limiting circuit is further connected to the overheat protecting circuit and controls activation of the overheat protecting circuit when the current through the main circuit reaches the predetermined threshold value. Therefore, erroneous operation of the circuit protection device due to a shift in component characteristics of the overheat protecting circuit attributed to limitations in fabrication can be avoided.

Abstract: A frame-shifted technique is disclosed for a dynamic gamma correction method and system that comprises counting the gray levels of each frame to figure out the probability distribution of gray levels in the current frame, and determining the gamma reference voltages according to the probability distribution of gray levels of the current frame for the gamma correction of the next frame.

Abstract: In a capacitor charger including a transformer having a primary winding connected with an input voltage and a secondary winding for transforming a primary current flowing through the primary winding to a secondary current flowing through the secondary winding, the primary current is adjusted according to a monitoring voltage varying with the input voltage, thereby prolonging the lifetime of the battery that provides the input voltage and improving the power efficiency of the battery.

Abstract: In a capacitor charger, a transformer has a primary winding connected between an input voltage and a switch for generating a primary current flowing through the primary winding by switching the switch to thereby induce a secondary current flowing through a secondary winding of the transformer and a secondary voltage tapered from the secondary winding, a control apparatus and method adjusts the on-time period for the switch in response to the input voltage. The charging time and charging current are independent of the input voltage, and there is no power loss resulted from current sense to the primary current.

Abstract: A current sense apparatus and method comprises a common drain DMOSFET and a MOSFET connected in series between a high voltage and a low voltage to serve as an output stage. The DMOSFET produces a phase output current, a mirror current mirrored from the phase output current, and a sense voltage. A servo amplifier is connected with the mirror current and sense voltage to produce a current sense signal. Due to the mirror current from the DMOSFET proportional to the phase output current, the current sense apparatus senses the phase output current in a temperature independent manner.

Abstract: A programmable voltage supervisory circuit and method with minimum programming pins and low quiescent current is provided to monitor a supply voltage, by which only one programming pin can configure three voltage levels for the threshold voltage to be compared to the supply voltage. The programming pin is connected with a voltage select signal that is defined to be high, low or floating states each determines a setting voltage among three levels corresponding to the three threshold voltages, respectively, by a voltage select circuit. A sample/hold circuit in combination with a switch arrangement is further connected to the voltage select circuit such that the programmable voltage supervisory circuit is only operationable during the duty of a clock and thereby to reduce the power consumption thereof by squeezing the duty.

Abstract: A two-step ripple-free multi-phase buck converter and method thereof comprises a first-stage voltage regulator to convert an input voltage to an intermediate voltage and a second-stage voltage regulator with a phase number not less than two to further convert the intermediate voltage to an output voltage by a split phase control, in which the ratio of the intermediate voltage to the output voltage is intended to the phase number such that the steady state output current of the converter approaches to be ripple-free, and hence the drivers and MOSFETs for the second-stage voltage regulator are lower cost, the efficiency of the second-stage voltage regulator is improved, and a higher slew rate current is obtained for transient driving capabilities.

Abstract: A backlight power controller chip comprises a control circuit connected to two switches to turn on and off two display panels of a dual panel display handheld apparatus. The controller chip individually switches the two switches to control the backlight sources of the two display panels. The controller chip is available for various types of display panels.

Abstract: In a gamma voltage generator and gamma voltage generating method that can tune the gamma voltages individually, several gamma currents of a same magnitude are generated for each to flow through a variable resistive element to generate a variable common voltage and several variable voltages, from which a common gamma voltage and several first gamma voltages are generated. By use of the symmetric property of the gamma curve corresponding to those gamma voltages to be generated, several voltages are generated by mapping the first gamma voltages with the common gamma voltage as the center axis, and from which several second gamma voltages are derived. The common gamma voltage and the first and second gamma voltages are provided for those gamma voltages corresponding to the gamma curve.

Abstract: An inductor equivalent circuit is disclosed. The circuit comprises a reference current source, a first current mirror, a second current mirror, two operational amplifiers OP1 and OP2, a capacitor, a first transistor, a second transistor, a mirror resistor set, and a bypass current source in parallel with the capacitor. An input signal is through OP1 and second transistor to control the reference current source. The first mirror current is then feed-back a signal to the first transistor through an OP2. The current signal makes the drain current of the first transistor lags the input voltage signal by 90° due to the capacitor coupled with the first mirror current source.

Abstract: An automatic contrast compensation apparatus for an OLED display comprises a photo detector, an OLED driver, a safety clamping circuit, and a solar cell. When the intensity of environmental light increased, the photo detector sends a signal to the OLED driver to increase the brightness of the OLED display and for which, the solar cell provides the extra power for the OLED driver to improve the displaying performance of the OLED display in a power-saving manner. The safety clamping circuit prevents the OLED driver from over-current from the solar cell.

Abstract: A current sense apparatus and method comprises a common drain DMOSFET and a MOSFET connected in series between a high voltage and a low voltage to serve as an output stage. The DMOSFET produces a phase output current, a mirror current mirrored from the phase output current, and a sense voltage. A servo amplifier is connected with the mirror current and sense voltage to produce a current sense signal. Due to the mirror current from the DMOSFET proportional to the phase output current, the current sense apparatus senses the phase output current in a temperature independent manner.