Patents by Inventor Joseph M. Andruzzi

Joseph M. Andruzzi 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: 6377032
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for virtual current sensing in a DC-DC switched mode power supply. In a fixed frequency implementation, when a switching phase begins, the phase node goes high when the high-side switching transistor is turned on. At this point, a first programmable current source begins charging a current sensing capacitor and the voltage across the capacitor simulates the rising slope of the voltage across a conventional current sensing resistor. Simultaneously, a ramp capacitor beginning at a reference voltage is charged by a second programmable current source. When the sum of the voltages across the two capacitors exceeds an error voltage, the phase node goes low when the drive signal to the transistor is turned off. At this point, a third programmable current source begins discharging the current sensing capacitor and the voltage across the capacitor simulates the falling slope of the current across the conventional resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Semtech Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph M. Andruzzi, John Fogg, William E. Rader, III