Patents by Inventor Johannes Gerber
Johannes Gerber 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: 12079019Abstract: A system includes a digital controller in a voltage regulator. The system also includes a passgate array including two or more passgate transistors, where the passgate array is configured to provide a load current to a load, and where the digital controller is configured to activate and deactivate each passgate transistor in the passgate array. The system also includes a feedback loop configured to provide an error signal to the digital controller, the error signal based on a difference between an output voltage of the voltage regulator and a programmed voltage for the voltage regulator. The digital controller is configured to activate or deactivate a passgate transistor based at least in part on the error signal. The digital controller is also configured to activate at least one passgate transistor and deactivate at least one passgate transistor responsive to a clock cycle.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2021Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Johannes Gerber, Asif Qaiyum, Fraj Gharib, Christian Josef Sichert, Ruediger Kuhn, Frank Dornseifer, Bernhard Wolfgang Ruck
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Publication number: 20220374035Abstract: A system includes a digital controller in a voltage regulator. The system also includes a passgate array including two or more passgate transistors, where the passgate array is configured to provide a load current to a load, and where the digital controller is configured to activate and deactivate each passgate transistor in the passgate array. The system also includes a feedback loop configured to provide an error signal to the digital controller, the error signal based on a difference between an output voltage of the voltage regulator and a programmed voltage for the voltage regulator. The digital controller is configured to activate or deactivate a passgate transistor based at least in part on the error signal. The digital controller is also configured to activate at least one passgate transistor and deactivate at least one passgate transistor responsive to a clock cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2021Publication date: November 24, 2022Inventors: Johannes GERBER, Asif QAIYUM, Fraj GHARIB, Christian Josef SICHERT, Ruediger KUHN, Frank DORNSEIFER, Bernhard Wolfgang RUCK
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Patent number: 10969814Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided with a bandgap voltage reference circuit having a bandgap reference voltage output. A bandgap failure detection circuit is coupled to the bandgap reference voltage output. The bandgap failure detection forms a model value of the reference voltage from a first time, compares a present value of the reference voltage at a second time to the model value; and asserts a bandgap fail signal to indicate when the present value is less than the model value by a threshold value. The integrated circuit is reset by the bandgap fail signal. The detection circuit may be operated from a failsafe voltage domain that also allows a critical circuit to complete a pending operation during a reset.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Frank Dornseifer, Matthias Arnold, Johannes Gerber
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Publication number: 20190278315Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided with a bandgap voltage reference circuit having a bandgap reference voltage output. A bandgap failure detection circuit is coupled to the bandgap reference voltage output. The bandgap failure detection forms a model value of the reference voltage from a first time, compares a present value of the reference voltage at a second time to the model value; and asserts a bandgap fail signal to indicate when the present value is less than the model value by a threshold value. The integrated circuit is reset by the bandgap fail signal. The detection circuit may be operated from a failsafe voltage domain that also allows a critical circuit to complete a pending operation during a reset.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Frank Dornseifer, Matthias Arnold, Johannes Gerber
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Patent number: 10345844Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided with a bandgap voltage reference circuit having a bandgap reference voltage output. A bandgap failure detection circuit is coupled to the bandgap reference voltage output. The bandgap failure detection forms a model value of the reference voltage from a first time, compares a present value of the reference voltage at a second time to the model value; and asserts a bandgap fail signal to indicate when the present value is less than the model value by a threshold value. The integrated circuit is reset by the bandgap fail signal. The detection circuit may be operated from a failsafe voltage domain that also allows a critical circuit to complete a pending operation during a reset.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Frank Dornseifer, Matthias Arnold, Johannes Gerber
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Publication number: 20170147027Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided with a bandgap voltage reference circuit having a bandgap reference voltage output. A bandgap failure detection circuit is coupled to the bandgap reference voltage output. The bandgap failure detection forms a model value of the reference voltage from a first time, compares a present value of the reference voltage at a second time to the model value; and asserts a bandgap fail signal to indicate when the present value is less than the model value by a threshold value. The integrated circuit is reset by the bandgap fail signal. The detection circuit may be operated from a failsafe voltage domain that also allows a critical circuit to complete a pending operation during a reset.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2017Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: Frank Dornseifer, Matthias Arnold, Johannes Gerber
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Patent number: 9606563Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided with a bandgap voltage reference circuit having a bandgap reference voltage output. A bandgap failure detection circuit is coupled to the bandgap reference voltage output. The bandgap failure detection forms a model value of the reference voltage from a first time, compares a present value of the reference voltage at a second time to the model value; and asserts a bandgap fail signal to indicate when the present value is less than the model value by a threshold value. The integrated circuit is reset by the bandgap fail signal. The detection circuit may be operated from a failsafe voltage domain that also allows a critical circuit to complete a pending operation during a reset.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2014Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Frank Dornseifer, Matthias Arnold, Johannes Gerber
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Patent number: 9577630Abstract: An electronic device that includes a power on reset, a variable power supply filter coupled to the power on reset, and control logic coupled to the power on reset and the variable power supply filter. The control logic is configured to activate the variable power supply filter based on a core domain of the electronic device being active.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2014Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Matthias Arnold, Ruediger Kuhn, Johannes Gerber
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Publication number: 20160335641Abstract: Enhanced payment card account methods and systems. In an embodiment, a fraud scoring platform receives purchase transaction information and an associated decline decision generated by an issuer financial institution (FI) for a purchase transaction involving an enhanced payment card account. The fraud scoring platform then formulates a recommended decision score, determines that it is below a risk threshold, and transmits a purchase transaction authorization message to a payment network. Later, the fraud scoring platform receives a fraud message that the authorized purchase transaction of the enhanced payment card account is fraudulent, and then transmits instructions to transfer a monetary amount from a fraud expense pool to reimburse the issuer FI for costs associated with the fraudulent purchase transaction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Brigette White, Theunis Johannes Gerber, Julia Gosset
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Patent number: 9429968Abstract: A power-gated electronic device and a method of operating the same is provided. The power-gated electronic device comprises a low drop out voltage power supply (LDO), an auxiliary power supply and at least one electronic domain having a power gate. The LDO provides a supply voltage to the at least one electronic domain which is coupled to a supply rail of the LDO via a switch, acting as a power gate. The auxiliary power supply comprises at least one current source which is coupled to the electronic domain via an auxiliary switch acting as an auxiliary power gate. The auxiliary power supply is configured to control the auxiliary switch as a function of a voltage difference between a reference voltage and the auxiliary supply voltage.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2012Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Johannes Gerber, Frank Dornseifer
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Publication number: 20160231762Abstract: A mixed signal approach is applied to detect an output voltage condition as applied to a load. A current mode monitoring approach can be adopted and applied in discrete time using a mixed analog and digital approach. For application to various low drop-out voltage regulator situations, a sensing transistor can be connected in parallel with a feedback loop transistor of the low drop-out voltage regulator circuit to create a sensing current that is proportional to the current passing through the feedback loop transistor and thus the output current provided to the load. This sensing approach can be adapted to sense both overload and light load conditions to allow dynamic power control of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2016Publication date: August 11, 2016Inventors: Johannes Gerber, Matthias Arnold, Ronald Nerlich
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Patent number: 9383393Abstract: A dual-comparator circuit includes a main comparator providing a first decision output (outmain) including a main MOS differential pair, and an auxiliary comparator including an auxiliary MOS differential pair providing a second decision output (outaux). The auxiliary comparator receives a differential input voltage (Vin), and generates a control signal that is coupled to an enable input of the main comparator. A first operating mode (OM) is implemented when |Vin|<a predetermined voltage level (PVL), where the control signal activates the main comparator. A second OM is implemented when |Vin|?PVL where the main differential pair is protected by a switch from developing transient voltage input offset (VIO). Logic circuitry has logic inputs receiving outaux and outmain, and a logic output providing a decision result for the dual-comparator circuit using outmain when in the first OM and outaux when in the second OM.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2014Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Johannes Gerber, Bernhard Ruck, Asif Qaiyum, Ruediger Kuhn
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Patent number: 9348349Abstract: A mixed signal approach is applied to detect an output voltage condition as applied to a load. A current mode monitoring approach can be adopted and applied in discrete time using a mixed analog and digital approach. For application to various low drop-out voltage regulator situations, a sensing transistor can be connected in parallel with a feedback loop transistor of the low drop-out voltage regulator circuit to create a sensing current that is proportional to the current passing through the feedback loop transistor and thus the output current provided to the load. This sensing approach can be adapted to sense both overload and light load conditions to allow dynamic power control of the device.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2014Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Johannes Gerber, Matthias Arnold, Ronald Nerlich
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Patent number: 9342089Abstract: A bandgap reference (BGR) startup verification circuit includes a current minor for receiving an output current from a bandgap reference (BGR) circuit and generating output currents therefrom. A first verification sub-circuit is coupled to receive a first output current to generate a detection voltage (Vdet) and includes a voltage comparator receiving Vdet and a voltage output of the BGR circuit (VBG) to provide a first verification output. A second verification sub-circuit including a voltage comparator is coupled to receive a second output current and a second reference current and provide a second verification output. A third verification sub-circuit includes a current comparator coupled to receive a third output current and a third reference current and provide a third verification output. A digital state machine has inputs receiving the first, second and third verification output, and circuitry for processing these outputs to determine whether the BGR circuit has properly started.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2014Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Asif Qaiyum, Matthias Arnold, Johannes Gerber
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Publication number: 20160011245Abstract: A dual-comparator circuit includes a main comparator providing a first decision output (outmain) including a main MOS differential pair, and an auxiliary comparator including an auxiliary MOS differential pair providing a second decision output (outaux). The auxiliary comparator receives a differential input voltage (Vin), and generates a control signal that is coupled to an enable input of the main comparator. A first operating mode (OM) is implemented when |Vin|<a predetermined voltage level (PVL), where the control signal activates the main comparator. A second OM is implemented when |Vin|?PVL where the main differential pair is protected by switch from developing transient input offset voltage (VIO) offsets. Logic circuitry has logic inputs receiving outaux and outmain, and a logic output providing a decision result for the dual-comparator circuit using outmain when in the first OM and outaux when in the second OM.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2014Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: JOHANNES GERBER, BERNHARD RUCK, ASIF QAIYUM, RUEDIGER KUHN
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Publication number: 20150381137Abstract: An electronic device that includes a power on reset, a variable power supply filter coupled to the power on reset, and control logic coupled to the power on reset and the variable power supply filter. The control logic is configured to activate the variable power supply filter based on a core domain of the electronic device being active.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Matthias ARNOLD, Ruediger KUHN, Johannes GERBER
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Publication number: 20150317633Abstract: According to some embodiments, a payment system authorization platform may receive an authorization message from an acquirer platform. The payment system authorization platform may determine that the authorization request meets a pre-determined condition and transmit information about the authorization message to an analytics rules engine, such as by transmitting the authorization message. The analytics rules engine may analyze the information about the authorization message in accordance with at least one rule to generate a result and transmit information about the authorization message to the payment system authorization platform, such as by transmitting a supplemented authorization message or an authorization approval decision, including an indication that the authorization message is assigned to a segmentation dimension category.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2015Publication date: November 5, 2015Inventors: Greg Saunders, Theunis Johannes Gerber, Mark Wiesman
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Publication number: 20150309088Abstract: A bandgap reference (BGR) startup verification circuit includes a current minor for receiving an output current from a bandgap reference (BGR) circuit and generating output currents therefrom. A first verification sub-circuit is coupled to receive a first output current to generate a detection voltage (Vdet) and includes a voltage comparator receiving Vdet and a voltage output of the BGR circuit (VBG) to provide a first verification output. A second verification sub-circuit including a voltage comparator is coupled to receive a second output current and a second reference current and provide a second verification output. A third verification sub-circuit includes a current comparator coupled to receive a third output current and a third reference current and provide a third verification output. A digital state machine has inputs receiving the first, second and third verification output, and circuitry for processing these outputs to determine whether the BGR circuit has properly started.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2014Publication date: October 29, 2015Applicant: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: ASIF QAIYUM, MATTHIAS ARNOLD, JOHANNES GERBER
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Publication number: 20150286236Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided with a bandgap voltage reference circuit having a bandgap reference voltage output. A bandgap failure detection circuit is coupled to the bandgap reference voltage output. The bandgap failure detection forms a model value of the reference voltage from a first time, compares a present value of the reference voltage at a second time to the model value; and asserts a bandgap fail signal to indicate when the present value is less than the model value by a threshold value. The integrated circuit is reset by the bandgap fail signal. The detection circuit may be operated from a failsafe voltage domain that also allows a critical circuit to complete a pending operation during a reset.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2014Publication date: October 8, 2015Applicant: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: Frank Dornseifer, Matthias Arnold, Johannes Gerber
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Publication number: 20150286231Abstract: A mixed signal approach is applied to detect an output voltage condition as applied to a load. A current mode monitoring approach can be adopted and applied in discrete time using a mixed analog and digital approach. For application to various low drop-out voltage regulator situations, a sensing transistor can be connected in parallel with a feedback loop transistor of the low drop-out voltage regulator circuit to create a sensing current that is proportional to the current passing through the feedback loop transistor and thus the output current provided to the load. This sensing approach can be adapted to sense both overload and light load conditions to allow dynamic power control of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2014Publication date: October 8, 2015Applicant: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: Johannes Gerber, Matthias Arnold, Ronald Nerlich