Patents by Inventor Joseph T. Dibene, II

Joseph T. Dibene, II 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).

  • Publication number: 20240243012
    Abstract: Systems including voltage regulator circuits are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a voltage regulator controller integrated circuit (IC) die including one or more portions of a voltage regulator circuit. The apparatus further includes a capacitor die, an inductor die, and an interconnect layer arranged over the voltage regulator controller IC die, the capacitor die and the inductor die. The interconnect provides electrical connections between the voltage regulator controller IC die, the capacitor die and the inductor die to form the voltage regulator circuit. In a further embodiment, the voltage regulator controller IC die, the capacitor die and the inductor die are arranged in a planar fashion within a voltage regulator module. In still another embodiment, a system IC is coupled to the voltage regulator module and includes one or more functional circuit blocks coupled to receive a regulated supply voltage generated by the voltage regulator circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Publication number: 20240160268
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes multiple power management mechanism operating in different time domains (e.g., with different bandwidths) and control circuitry that is configured to coordinate operation of the mechanisms. If one mechanism is adding energy to the system, for example, the control circuitry may inform another mechanism that the energy is coming so that the other mechanism may not take as drastic an action as it would if no energy were coming. If a light workload is detected by circuitry near the load, and there is plenty of energy in the system, the control circuitry may cause the power management unit (PMU) to generate less energy or even temporarily turn off. A variety of mechanisms for the coordinated, coherent use of power are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Joseph T. DiBene, II, Inder M. Sodhi, Keith Cox, Gerard R. Williams, III
  • Patent number: 11967528
    Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Patent number: 11868192
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes multiple power management mechanism operating in different time domains (e.g., with different bandwidths) and control circuitry that is configured to coordinate operation of the mechanisms. If one mechanism is adding energy to the system, for example, the control circuitry may inform another mechanism that the energy is coming so that the other mechanism may not take as drastic an action as it would if no energy were coming. If a light workload is detected by circuitry near the load, and there is plenty of energy in the system, the control circuitry may cause the power management unit (PMU) to generate less energy or even temporarily turn off. A variety of mechanisms for the coordinated, coherent use of power are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph T. DiBene, II, Inder M. Sodhi, Keith Cox, Gerard R. Williams, III
  • Publication number: 20230335440
    Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Patent number: 11670548
    Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Publication number: 20220406522
    Abstract: An inductor is disclosed, including a first wire, a non-conductive material, and a shell. The non-conductive material may cover the first wire, with a portion of each end of the first wire uncovered. The shell may include a top portion and a bottom portion and include at least one magnetized layer and at least one gap between the first portion and the second portion. The shell may also surround a portion of the non-conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: David P. Cappabianca, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Shawn Searles, Le Wang, Yizhang Yang, Sean Cian O'Mathuna, Santosh Kulkarni, Paul McCloskey, Zoran Pavlovic, William Lawton, Graeme Maxwell, Joseph O'Brien, Hugh Charles Smiddy
  • Patent number: 11430606
    Abstract: An inductor is disclosed, including a first wire, a non-conductive material, and a shell. The non-conductive material may cover the first wire, with a portion of each end of the first wire uncovered. The shell may include a top portion and a bottom portion and include at least one magnetized layer and at least one gap between the first portion and the second portion. The shell may also surround a portion of the non-conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Cappabianca, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Shawn Searles, Le Wang, Yizhang Yang, Sean Cian O'Mathuna, Santosh Kulkarni, Paul McCloskey, Zoran Pavlovic, William Lawton, Graeme Maxwell, Joseph O'Brien, Hugh Charles Smiddy
  • Publication number: 20220137692
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes multiple power management mechanism operating in different time domains (e.g., with different bandwidths) and control circuitry that is configured to coordinate operation of the mechanisms. If one mechanism is adding energy to the system, for example, the control circuitry may inform another mechanism that the energy is coming so that the other mechanism may not take as drastic an action as it would if no energy were coming. If a light workload is detected by circuitry near the load, and there is plenty of energy in the system, the control circuitry may cause the power management unit (PMU) to generate less energy or even temporarily turn off. A variety of mechanisms for the coordinated, coherent use of power are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Joseph T. DiBene, II, Inder M. Sodhi, Keith Cox, Gerard R. Williams, III
  • Patent number: 11281270
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, margining routines to determine acceptable voltage command values for specific CPU implementations at one or more different operating levels may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Son Lam, Henry W. Koertzen, Joseph T. Dibene, II, Steven D. Patzer
  • Patent number: 11204636
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes multiple power management mechanism operating in different time domains (e.g. with different bandwidths) and control circuitry that is configured to coordinate operation of the mechanisms. If one mechanism is adding energy to the system, for example, the control circuitry may inform another mechanism that the energy is coming so that the other mechanism may not take as drastic an action as it would if no energy were coming. If a light workload is detected by circuitry near the load, and there is plenty of energy in the system, the control circuitry may cause the power management unit (PMU) to generate less energy or even temporarily turn off. A variety of mechanisms for the coordinated, coherent use of power are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph T. DiBene, II, Inder M. Sodhi, Keith Cox, Gerard R. Williams, III
  • Publication number: 20210043511
    Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Patent number: 10845856
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system may support a “coast mode” in which the power management unit (PMU) that supplies the supply voltage to an integrated circuit is disabled temporarily for certain modes of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may continue to operate, consuming the energy stored in capacitance in and/or around the integrated circuit. When coast mode is initiated, a time interval for coasting may be determined. When the time interval expires, the PMU may re-enable the power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph T. DiBene, II, Inder M. Sodhi, Gerard R. Williams, III
  • Patent number: 10818632
    Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Patent number: 10698430
    Abstract: In some embodiments described herein, proposed schemes utilize a duty-cycle sensing technique to detect load current imbalance in each individual inductor, and then adjusts the duty cycles for the specific phases through a digital duty cycle tuner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Fenardi Thenus, Peng Zou, Joseph T. Dibene, II
  • Patent number: 10601330
    Abstract: An embodiment of a system is disclosed, including an inductor, a voltage regulating circuit, a load, and a current detecting circuit. The inductor includes a first wire, a second wire, and a third wire. The third wire is between, and may be inductively coupled to, the first wire and the second wire. The voltage regulating circuit is coupled to a first end of the first wire and a first end of the second wire. The voltage regulating circuit is configured to generate a first current through the first wire and a second current through the second wire. The load is coupled to a second end of the first wire and a second end of the second wire. The current detecting circuit, coupled to ends of the third wire, is configured to generate an output signal based on a third current through the third wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Cappabianca, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Shawn Searles
  • Publication number: 20200012327
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, margining routines to determine acceptable voltage command values for specific CPU implementations at one or more different operating levels may be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Son Lam, Henry W. Koertzen, Joseph T. Dibene, II, Steven D. Patzer
  • Publication number: 20190346903
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes multiple power management mechanism operating in different time domains (e.g. with different bandwidths) and control circuitry that is configured to coordinate operation of the mechanisms. If one mechanism is adding energy to the system, for example, the control circuitry may inform another mechanism that the energy is coming so that the other mechanism may not take as drastic an action as it would if no energy were coming. If a light workload is detected by circuitry near the load, and there is plenty of energy in the system, the control circuitry may cause the power management unit (PMU) to generate less energy or even temporarily turn off. A variety of mechanisms for the coordinated, coherent use of power are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Joseph T. DiBene, II, Inder M. Sodhi, Keith Cox, Gerard R. Williams, III
  • Patent number: 10423209
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes multiple power management mechanism operating in different time domains (e.g. with different bandwidths) and control circuitry that is configured to coordinate operation of the mechanisms. If one mechanism is adding energy to the system, for example, the control circuitry may inform another mechanism that the energy is coming so that the other mechanism may not take as drastic an action as it would if no energy were coming. If a light workload is detected by circuitry near the load, and there is plenty of energy in the system, the control circuitry may cause the power management unit (PMU) to generate less energy or even temporarily turn off. A variety of mechanisms for the coordinated, coherent use of power are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph T. DiBene, II, Inder M. Sodhi, Keith Cox, Gerard R. Williams, III
  • Publication number: 20190221365
    Abstract: An inductor is disclosed, including a first wire, a non-conductive material, and a shell. The non-conductive material may cover the first wire, with a portion of each end of the first wire uncovered. The shell may include a top portion and a bottom portion and include at least one magnetized layer and at least one gap between the first portion and the second portion. The shell may also surround a portion of the non-conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: David P. Cappabianca, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Shawn Searles, Le Wang, Yizhang Yang, Sean Cian O'Mathuna, Santosh Kulkarni, Paul McCloskey, Zoran Pavlovic, William Lawton, Graeme Maxwell, Joseph O'Brien, Hugh Charles Smiddy