Patents by Inventor Kirk Su

Kirk Su 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: 10261477
    Abstract: In a method performed by a PoE system, a PSE provides data and operating voltage over Ethernet wires to a PD. Before the full PoE voltage is supplied, the PSE generates a low current signal received by the PD. A circuit in the PD, connected across its input terminals, has a characteristic analog response to the PSE signal corresponding to the PD's PoE requirements, such as whether the PD is a Type 1 or Type 2 PD. The circuit may be a certain value capacitor, zener diode, resistor, or other circuit. The PSE may generate a fixed current, fixed voltage, or time varying signal. Upon the PSE sensing the magnitude of the analog signal response at a particular time, the PSE associates the response with the PoE requirements of the PD. The PSE then applies the full PoE voltage in accordance with the PD's PoE requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: David Dwelley, Jeffrey Heath, Kirk Su, Ryan Huff
  • Publication number: 20180129171
    Abstract: In a method performed by a PoE system, a PSE provides data and operating voltage over Ethernet wires to a PD. Before the full PoE voltage is supplied, the PSE generates a low current signal received by the PD. A circuit in the PD, connected across its input terminals, has a characteristic analog response to the PSE signal corresponding to the PD's PoE requirements, such as whether the PD is a Type 1 or Type 2 PD. The circuit may be a certain value capacitor, zener diode, resistor, or other circuit. The PSE may generate a fixed current, fixed voltage, or time varying signal. Upon the PSE sensing the magnitude of the analog signal response at a particular time, the PSE associates the response with the PoE requirements of the PD. The PSE then applies the full PoE voltage in accordance with the PD's PoE requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: David Dwelley, Jeffrey Heath, Kirk Su, Ryan Huff
  • Patent number: 9897981
    Abstract: In a method performed by a PoE system, a PSE provides data and operating voltage over Ethernet wires to a PD. Before the full PoE voltage is supplied, the PSE generates a low current signal received by the PD. A circuit in the PD, connected across its input terminals, has a characteristic analog response to the PSE signal corresponding to the PD's PoE requirements, such as whether the PD is a Type 1 or Type 2 PD. The circuit may be a certain value capacitor, zener diode, resistor, or other circuit. The PSE may generate a fixed current, fixed voltage, or time varying signal. Upon the PSE sensing the magnitude of the analog signal response at a particular time, the PSE associates the response with the PoE requirements of the PD. The PSE then applies the full PoE voltage in accordance with the PD's PoE requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: David Dwelley, Jeffrey Heath, Kirk Su, Ryan Huff
  • Patent number: 9547318
    Abstract: In a method performed by a Power Over Ethernet (PoE) system, Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) provides data and voltage over Ethernet wires to a Powered Device (PD). The PD converts the PSE voltage to a regulated voltage by at least one DC-DC converter in the PD. A first load in the PD, such as a processor, operates in a standby mode during a standby period and draws a low current from the converter via a low current path. During this standby period, a high current load in the PD is disconnected and does not draw current. When the first load comes out of the standby mode and into an active mode, the converter supplies a relatively high current to the second load and the first load. In this way, the first load, if a processor, can be already booted up at the time the second load becomes active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: David Dwelley, Jeffrey Heath, Kirk Su
  • Patent number: 9535437
    Abstract: In a PoE system in an automobile, Power Source Equipment (PSE) is connected to Powered Devices (PDs) to provide data and power via Ethernet wires. When the ignition switch is on, the full PSE voltage, such as 44 volts, is supplied to the PDs, and the voltage is regulated by the PDs to power one or more loads in the PD. During a standby mode, such as when the ignition switch is off, the PSE is controlled to output a lower voltage of, for example, 5 volts, and the voltage is regulated by the PDs to power the loads, such as processors, in a low power standby mode. The voltage regulator in the PD for the low power mode may be an efficient linear regulator, and the voltage regulator in the PD for the full voltage mode may be a switching regulator. Thus, there is improved efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: David Dwelley, Jeffrey Heath, Kirk Su
  • Publication number: 20150091391
    Abstract: In a method performed by a PoE system, a PSE provides data and operating voltage over Ethernet wires to a PD. Before the full PoE voltage is supplied, the PSE generates a low current signal received by the PD. A circuit in the PD, connected across its input terminals, has a characteristic analog response to the PSE signal corresponding to the PD's PoE requirements, such as whether the PD is a Type 1 or Type 2 PD. The circuit may be a certain value capacitor, zener diode, resistor, or other circuit. The PSE may generate a fixed current, fixed voltage, or time varying signal. Upon the PSE sensing the magnitude of the analog signal response at a particular time, the PSE associates the response with the PoE requirements of the PD. The PSE then applies the full PoE voltage in accordance with the PD's PoE requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: David Dwelley, Jeffrey Heath, Kirk Su, Ryan Huff
  • Patent number: 8804389
    Abstract: Technique for controlling a circuit that converts an AC input voltage into a DC output voltage using transistors arranged in first and second transistor pairs. Each transistor of the first pair is controlled in accordance with polarity of the AC input voltage. Each transistor of the second pair is controlled based on a difference between the AC input voltage and the DC output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lynn Heath, Kirk Su, John Stineman
  • Publication number: 20130215657
    Abstract: Technique for controlling a circuit that converts an AC input voltage into a DC output voltage using transistors arranged in first and second transistor pairs. Each transistor of the first pair is controlled in accordance with polarity of the AC input voltage. Each transistor of the second pair is controlled based on a difference between the AC input voltage and the DC output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lynn Heath, Kirk Su, John Stineman
  • Publication number: 20060212724
    Abstract: A Power over Ethernet (PoE) system having a Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and a Powered Device (PD) configured for interacting over four pairs of wire provided for supplying power from the PSE to the PD. The PSE and the PD are configured to perform separate PD classification procedures over first and second 2-pair sets to support PoE operations that are not defined by the IEEE 802.3af standard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventors: David Dwelley, Jeffrey Heath, John Stineman, Jacob Herbold, Kirk Su, Clayton Stanford, Harry Kleeburg, Nevzat Kestelli
  • Publication number: 20060164769
    Abstract: Novel system and methodology for adjusting a current limit threshold in a Power over Ethernet (PoE) system in accordance with requirements of a Powered Device (PD). A system for supplying power to a PD over a communications link has a requirement determining circuit for determining a PD's requirement, and a control circuit for setting a parameter restricting an output signal of the PSE in accordance with the determined PD's requirement. The control circuit may set a current limit threshold of the PSE and/or the PD in accordance with the determined PD's requirement, such as a power requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Clayton Stanford, Jeffrey Heath, Kirk Su, Harry Kleeburg
  • Publication number: 20060164773
    Abstract: A power supply system for providing power over a communication link has current limit circuitry for restricting an output current of the system based on a current limit threshold, and threshold circuitry for setting the current limit threshold in accordance with an output parameter of the system. In particular, the threshold circuitry may control the current limit threshold in accordance with an output voltage of the system so as to achieve a substantially constant output power of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Clayton Stanford, Jeffrey Heath, Kirk Su, Harry Kleeburg
  • Publication number: 20060164098
    Abstract: A powered device for receiving power from a power supply device over a communication link has operation support circuitry responsive to power provided by the power supply device in a detection or classification mode to enable the power supply device to operate in the detection or classification mode, and auxiliary circuitry configured for being powered by at least a portion of the power supplied in the detection or classification mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventor: Kirk Su
  • Patent number: 6731121
    Abstract: A transducer interface circuit (10) for use with a capacitive sensor (20). The interface circuit (10), provided on application specific IC, includes numerous trims and adjustments that permit it to operate with a differential, balanced-pair sensors (20A) or a singled-ended sensor (2013). In particular, the circuit (10) provides a capacitive adjustment section (100) and a capacitive trans-impedance amplifier section (200) that are configured with capacitor adjustment controls (110) and gain adjustment controls (210) that, along with other controls, are provided as control registers. The capacitive trans-impedance amplifier section (300) periodically reverses the voltages across the sensor (20), and the capacitive adjustment section (200), after blanking a feedback capacitance (CF) that is used to integrate excess charge caused by a difference in capacitance. A low pass filter section 300 provides bandwidth adjustment without requiring any external components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Microsensors Corp.
    Inventors: Ying Hsu, Christ Saunders, Kirk Su