Patents by Inventor Josef Niederl

Josef Niederl 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: 10897261
    Abstract: A switched-capacitor analog-to-digital converter (ADC) includes: a main digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit; a comparator coupled to the main DAC circuit and configured to determine whether the input to the comparator exceeds a pre-determined threshold; and a supplementary DAC circuit coupled to the main DAC circuit, wherein the switched-capacitor ADC is configured to operate in at least one of a first mode or a second mode, wherein in the first mode for measuring an offset of the switched-capacitor ADC, the supplementary DAC circuit is configured to shift a voltage at an output of the main DAC circuit by a first value having a first polarity, and wherein in the second mode for measuring a full-scale gain error of the switched-capacitor ADC, the supplementary DAC circuit is configured to shift the voltage at the output of the main DAC circuit by a second value having a second polarity opposite the first polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Josef Niederl, Peter Bogner
  • Patent number: 8890629
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit with a comparator is provided, wherein the comparator has a supply input. A supply circuit supplies the comparator with a first current during a first section of an oscillator period of the oscillator circuit and with a second current greater than the first current during a second, different section of the oscillator period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Josef Niederl
  • Publication number: 20130021109
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit with a comparator is provided, wherein the comparator has a supply input. A supply circuit supplies the comparator with a first current during a first section of an oscillator period of the oscillator circuit and with a second current greater than the first current during a second, different section of the oscillator period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Josef Niederl
  • Patent number: 7583127
    Abstract: A voltage controlled variable capacitor, formed of a larger number of fixed capacitor segments and a corresponding number of switching elements, uses translinear amplifiers to control each switching element. Each translinear amplifier linearly switches from the fully off to the fully on state; a minimum number of switching stages (ideally only one) is in the mode-of-change at any one time with a minimum overlap. The arrangement achieves a nearly linear change of capacitance at linear tuning voltage change, while resulting in high Q-factor due to the low RDSon and high RDSoff of the fully switched stages. The invention eliminates temperature and voltage dependencies of other solutions like varactor diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Sibrai, Josef Niederl
  • Patent number: 7265459
    Abstract: A voltage controlled variable capacitor, formed of a larger number of fixed capacitor segments and a corresponding number of switching elements, linearly switches on each switching element, one after the other. Several techniques are disclosed to have only a minimum number of switching stages being in the active mode-of-change at any one time with a minimum overlap. The arrangement achieves a nearly linear change of capacitance versus tuning voltage change, while resulting in high Q-factor due to the low RDSon and high RDSoff of the fully switched stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Sibrai, Josef Niederl
  • Patent number: 6937098
    Abstract: In a translinear amplifier, where the output voltage difference is kept at the same relative difference as the input voltage difference and which is normally formed by two current balancing circuits and some form of an amplifier stage, said amplifier stage is drastically simplified and even replaced by a simple diode. Two additional functions sharply limit the analog operating region: an added current limiting transistor on one side and the purpose use of the voltage limited by the power supply on the other side. One key objective is linearly switching on or off a transistor, and getting sharp maxima and minima of its RDSon at the extreme ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Meusburger, Andreas Sibrai, Josef Niederl
  • Publication number: 20050151575
    Abstract: A voltage controlled variable capacitor, formed of a larger number of fixed capacitor segments and a corresponding number of switching elements, uses translinear amplifiers to control each switching element. Each translinear amplifier linearly switches from the fully off to the fully on state; a minimum number of switching stages (ideally only one) is in the mode-of-change at any one time with a minimum overlap. The arrangement achieves a nearly linear change of capacitance at linear tuning voltage change, while resulting in high Q-factor due to the low RDSon and high RDSoff of the fully switched stages. The invention eliminates temperature and voltage dependencies of other solutions like varactor diodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Andreas Sibrai, Josef Niederl
  • Publication number: 20050152092
    Abstract: A voltage controlled variable capacitor, formed of a larger number of fixed capacitor segments and a corresponding number of switching elements, linearly switches on each switching element, one after the other. Several techniques are disclosed to have only a minimum number of switching stages being in the active mode-of-change at any one time with a minimum overlap. The arrangement achieves a nearly linear change of capacitance versus tuning voltage change, while resulting in high Q-factor due to the low RDSon and high RDSoff of the fully switched stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Andreas Sibrai, Josef Niederl
  • Publication number: 20050052234
    Abstract: In a translinear amplifier, where the output voltage difference is kept at the same relative difference as the input voltage difference and which is normally formed by two current balancing circuits and some form of an amplifier stage, said amplifier stage is drastically simplified and even replaced by a simple diode. Two additional functions sharply limit the analog operating region: an added current limiting transistor on one side and the purposely use of the voltage limited by the power supply on the other side. One key objective is linearly switching on or off a transistor, and getting sharp maxima and minima of its RDSon at the extreme ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Walter Meusburger, Andreas Sibrai, Josef Niederl