Patents by Inventor Justin Gaither

Justin Gaither 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: 9825524
    Abstract: A regulator includes a controller, a driving unit, a digital-to-analog converter, and a comparator. The controller outputs a digital reference voltage and a control signal responsive to a comparison signal. The driving unit generates an output voltage at a first node responsive to the control signal. The digital-to-analog converter generates an analog reference voltage responsive to the digital reference voltage. The comparator generates the comparison signal based on the analog reference voltage and the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Justin Shi, Alan Roth, Justin Gaither, Eric Soenen
  • Patent number: 9287892
    Abstract: A circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC is configured to receive an analog feedback signal and an analog input signal and generate a digital output. The circuit further includes a digital filter configured to filter the digital output and a noise shaper. The noise shaper is configured to truncate the filtered digital output and generate a noise shaper output, and to shape quantization noise generated during truncation. The circuit further includes a pulse width modulation digital-to-analog converter (PWM DAC) configured to process the truncated digital output of the noise shaper output and generate a PWM DAC output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Eric Soenen, Alan Roth, Martin Kinyua, Justin Shi, Justin Gaither
  • Patent number: 9236856
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling slew rate is coupled to two adjustable voltage rails. The output of the apparatus is coupled to the gate of a switching element. By employing two adjustable voltage rails, the slew rate of the switching element is proportional to the voltage difference between the first adjustable rail and the second adjustable rail. The slew rate control apparatus can be applied to a variety of switching elements including N channel Field Effect Transistors (NFETs), P channel Field Effect Transistors (PFETs), current mode logic circuits and level shifter circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufactuing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Justin Shi, Alan Roth, Ying-Chih Hsu, Justin Gaither, Eric Soenen
  • Publication number: 20150229324
    Abstract: A circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC is configured to receive an analog feedback signal and an analog input signal and generate a digital output. The circuit further includes a digital filter configured to filter the digital output and a noise shaper. The noise shaper is configured to truncate the filtered digital output and generate a noise shaper output, and to shape quantization noise generated during truncation. The circuit further includes a pulse width modulation digital-to-analog converter (PWM DAC) configured to process the truncated digital output of the noise shaper output and generate a PWM DAC output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Eric SOENEN, Alan ROTH, Martin KINYUA, Justin SHI, Justin GAITHER
  • Patent number: 9013341
    Abstract: A circuit including an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC is configured to receive an analog feedback signal and an analog input signal and generate a digital output. The circuit further includes a noise shaper. The noise shaper is configured to truncate the digital output and generate a noise shaper output having a lower number of bits than the digital output, and to shape quantization noise generated during truncation. The circuit further includes a pulse width modulation digital-to-analog converter (PWM DAC). The PWM DAC configured to process the truncated digital output of the noise shaper output and generate a PWM DAC output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eric Soenen, Alan Roth, Martin Kinyua, Justin Shi, Justin Gaither
  • Patent number: 8450990
    Abstract: A method of controlling a regulator includes turning on a first driver during a first cycle for a first time period. A second driver is turned on during the first cycle for a second time period. The first and second drivers are off during the first cycle for a third time period. The first time period is adjusted to become an adjusted first time period for a second cycle based on a ratio and a voltage difference between a peak value of the output voltage and a first voltage during the first cycle. The ratio refers to the first time period over the first time period and the second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Justin Shi, Alan Roth, Justin Gaither, Eric Soenen
  • Publication number: 20130009795
    Abstract: A circuit including an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC is configured to receive an analog feedback signal and an analog input signal and generate a digital output. The circuit further includes a noise shaper. The noise shaper is configured to truncate the digital output and generate a noise shaper output having a lower number of bits than the digital output, and to shape quantization noise generated during truncation. The circuit further includes a pulse width modulation digital-to-analog converter (PWM DAC). The PWM DAC configured to process the truncated digital output of the noise shaper output and generate a PWM DAC output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Eric SOENEN, Alan ROTH, Martin KINYUA, Justin SHI, Justin GAITHER
  • Patent number: 8299946
    Abstract: A noise shaper that compares an input signal to a feedback output signal, which is a truncated version of the input signal, and generates the difference between the two signals (i.e., the error). The noise shaper then integrates the errors by adding to the error multiple of its delayed versions, and quantizes the integrated errors in such a way that the spectrum of the quantization noise is shaped toward high frequencies to be removed by a LC low-pass filter used in conjunction with the noise shaper. The low frequency content of the desired signal is mostly unaffected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eric Soenen, Alan Roth, Martin Kinyua, Justin Shi, Justin Gaither
  • Publication number: 20120146716
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling slew rate is coupled to two adjustable voltage rails. The output of the apparatus is coupled to the gate of a switching element. By employing two adjustable voltage rails, the slew rate of the switching element is proportional to the voltage difference between the first adjustable rail and the second adjustable rail. The slew rate control apparatus can be applied to a variety of switching elements including N channel Field Effect Transistors (NFETs), P channel Field Effect Transistors (PFETs), current mode logic circuits and level shifter circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Justin Shi, Alan Roth, Ying-Chih Hsu, Justin Gaither, Eric Soenen
  • Publication number: 20120038340
    Abstract: Some embodiments regard a method of controlling a regulator having an input voltage and an output voltage, comprising: turning on a first driver; determining a duration ratio having a first time period over the first time period and a second time period; the first time period and the second time period indicating a duration when the first driver and a second driver is on, respectively; generating a second voltage level for the reference voltage based on the duration ratio and a ripple voltage that is a difference between a high threshold voltage and a low threshold voltage; turning off the first driver and turning on the second driver based on a relationship between the second voltage level and a voltage level of the output voltage; turning off the second driver when a current flowing through a node of the output voltage reaches a pre-determined level; and generating a change in the first time period based on the duration ratio and a voltage difference between a peak of the output voltage and the high thresho
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Justin SHI, Alan ROTH, Justin GAITHER, Eric SOENEN
  • Publication number: 20110187566
    Abstract: A noise shaper that compares an input signal to a feedback output signal, which is a truncated version of the input signal, and generates the difference between the two signals (i.e., the error). The noise shaper then integrates the errors by adding to the error multiple of its delayed versions, and quantizes the integrated errors in such a way that the spectrum of the quantization noise is shaped toward high frequencies to be removed by a LC low-pass filter used in conjunction with the noise shaper. The low frequency content of the desired signal is mostly unaffected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Eric SOENEN, Alan ROTH, Martin KINYUA, Justin SHI, Justin GAITHER