Patents by Inventor Mark A. Pinchback

Mark A. Pinchback 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: 12519483
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter circuit usable for measuring a voltage having a large common-mode voltage includes two input voltage nodes, a voltage sensing circuit (that includes a sigma-delta modulator) that senses a voltage between the nodes, a digital filter that outputs a multi-bit digital value, and an input current cancellation circuit. The input current cancellation circuit supplies/draws cancellation currents to/from the nodes to compensate for currents drawn from/supplied to the nodes by the voltage sensing circuit. The input current cancellation circuit includes a digitally-programmable digital processing circuit and a current canceling circuit. In one example, the digital processing circuit includes a sigma-delta modulator that transforms a single-bit digital signal output by the voltage sensing circuit into a single-bit digital signal that drives the current canceling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Assignee: KeyTek Semiconductor HongKong Limited
    Inventor: Mark A. Pinchback
  • Publication number: 20250224753
    Abstract: A bandgap reference voltage generating circuit includes a bandgap cell, a tail resistor circuit, a high-order curvature compensation current generating circuit, an IZTAT current sink circuit, and a start-up circuit. The bandgap cell has a base current redistribution circuit that drives the bases of the bipolar transistors using a first base resupply current taken from the first current leg of the cell, and that uses a matched second base resupply current taken from the second current leg of the cell. VBG error due to bipolar current gain variation is reduced. The N-channel transistors of the curvature compensation current generating circuit operate in the near threshold region. The output current of the compensation circuit varies as power of approximately 2.1 of the input current. The tail resistor circuit is programmable in various ways so that the amount of curvature correction can be tailored and trimmed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2024
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Inventor: Mark A. Pinchback
  • Publication number: 20250224752
    Abstract: A bandgap reference voltage generating circuit includes a bandgap cell, a tail resistor circuit, a high-order curvature compensation current generating circuit, an IZTAT current sink circuit, and a start-up circuit. The bandgap cell has a base current redistribution circuit that drives the bases of the bipolar transistors using a first base resupply current taken from the first current leg of the cell, and that uses a matched second base resupply current taken from the second current leg of the cell. VBG error due to bipolar current gain variation is reduced. The N-channel transistors of the curvature compensation current generating circuit operate in the near threshold region. The output current of the compensation circuit varies as power of approximately 2.1 of the input current. The tail resistor circuit is programmable in various ways so that the amount of curvature correction can be tailored and trimmed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2024
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Inventor: Mark A. Pinchback
  • Publication number: 20250119156
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter circuit usable for measuring a voltage having a large common-mode voltage includes two input voltage nodes, a voltage sensing circuit (that includes a sigma-delta modulator) that senses a voltage between the nodes, a digital filter that outputs a multi-bit digital value, and an input current cancellation circuit. The input current cancellation circuit supplies/draws cancellation currents to/from the nodes to compensate for currents drawn from/supplied to the nodes by the voltage sensing circuit. The input current cancellation circuit includes a digitally-programmable digital processing circuit and a current canceling circuit. In one example, the digital processing circuit includes a sigma-delta modulator that transforms a single-bit digital signal output by the voltage sensing circuit into a single-bit digital signal that drives the current canceling circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2024
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventor: Mark A. Pinchback
  • Publication number: 20250119157
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter circuit usable for measuring a voltage having a large common-mode voltage includes two input voltage nodes, a voltage sensing circuit (that includes a sigma-delta modulator) that senses a voltage between the nodes, a digital filter that outputs a multi-bit digital value, and an input current cancellation circuit. The input current cancellation circuit supplies/draws cancellation currents to/from the nodes to compensate for currents drawn from/supplied to the nodes by the voltage sensing circuit. The input current cancellation circuit includes a digitally-programmable digital processing circuit and a current canceling circuit. In one example, the digital processing circuit includes a sigma-delta modulator that transforms a single-bit digital signal output by the voltage sensing circuit into a single-bit digital signal that drives the current canceling circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2024
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventor: Mark A. Pinchback
  • Patent number: 6271715
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for boosting an input signal to an output signal with a variable gain according to a supply voltage. The circuit comprises a detector and a voltage booster. The detector detects the supply voltage and generates a control signal having a value dependent on a difference between the detected supply voltage and a critical supply voltage. The critical supply voltage is temperature insensitive. The voltage booster is coupled to the detector for generating an output signal having a gain relative to the input signal. The gain is dependent on the value of the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Pinchback, Charles D. Thompson