Patents by Inventor Maxim Franke

Maxim Franke 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: 11961879
    Abstract: An IC includes a substrate including circuitry configured to provide a receiver or a transmitter circuit. A metal stack is over the semiconductor surface including a top metal layer and a plurality of lower metal layers. An isolation capacitor includes the top metal layer as a top plate that is electrically connected to a first node; and a top dielectric layer on the top plate with a top plate dielectric aperture. One of the plurality of lower metal layers provides a bottom plate that includes a plurality of spaced apart segments. A capacitor dielectric layer is between the top and bottom plate. The segments include a first segment electrically connected to a second node and at least a second segment electrically connected to a third node, with separation regions located between adjacent spaced apart segments. The top plate covers at least a portion of each of the separation regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jeffrey West, Mrinal Das, Byron Williams, Thomas Bonifield, Maxim Franke
  • Publication number: 20230336172
    Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises: a voltage sensing circuit having a voltage sensing terminal and a voltage sensing output, the voltage sensing circuit configured to generate a first voltage at the voltage sensing output representing a second voltage at the voltage sensing terminal; a control circuit having a control circuit input and a control circuit output, the control circuit input coupled to the voltage sensing output, the control circuit configured to: determine a state of a transistor based on the first voltage; and generate a driver signal at the control circuit output based on the state; and a driver circuit having a driver input and a switch control output, the driver input coupled to the control circuit output, the driver circuit configured to provide a current at the switch control output responsive to the driver signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Rajdeep Bondade, Maxim Franke, Stephen Phillip Savage, Mrinal Kanti Das, Johan Tjeerd Strydom
  • Publication number: 20230268377
    Abstract: An IC includes a substrate including circuitry configured to provide a receiver or a transmitter circuit. A metal stack is over the semiconductor surface including a top metal layer and a plurality of lower metal layers. An isolation capacitor includes the top metal layer as a top plate that is electrically connected to a first node; and a top dielectric layer on the top plate with a top plate dielectric aperture. One of the plurality of lower metal layers provides a bottom plate that includes a plurality of spaced apart segments. A capacitor dielectric layer is between the top and bottom plate. The segments include a first segment electrically connected to a second node and at least a second segment electrically connected to a third node, with separation regions located between adjacent spaced apart segments. The top plate covers at least a portion of each of the separation regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Jeffrey West, Mrinal Das, Byron Williams, Thomas Bonifield, Maxim Franke
  • Patent number: 11716078
    Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises: a voltage sensing circuit having a voltage sensing terminal and a voltage sensing output, the voltage sensing circuit configured to generate a first voltage at the voltage sensing output representing a second voltage at the voltage sensing terminal; a control circuit having a control circuit input and a control circuit output, the control circuit input coupled to the voltage sensing output, the control circuit configured to: determine a state of a transistor based on the first voltage; and generate a driver signal at the control circuit output based on the state; and a driver circuit having a driver input and a switch control output, the driver input coupled to the control circuit output, the driver circuit configured to provide a current at the switch control output responsive to the driver signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rajdeep Bondade, Maxim Franke, Stephen Phillip Savage, Mrinal Kanti Das, Johan Tjeerd Strydom
  • Patent number: 11688760
    Abstract: An IC includes a substrate including circuitry configured to provide a receiver or a transmitter circuit. A metal stack is over the semiconductor surface including a top metal layer and a plurality of lower metal layers. An isolation capacitor includes the top metal layer as a top plate that is electrically connected to a first node; and a top dielectric layer on the top plate with a top plate dielectric aperture. One of the plurality of lower metal layers provides a bottom plate that includes a plurality of spaced apart segments. A capacitor dielectric layer is between the top and bottom plate. The segments include a first segment electrically connected to a second node and at least a second segment electrically connected to a third node, with separation regions located between adjacent spaced apart segments. The top plate covers at least a portion of each of the separation regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey West, Mrinal Das, Byron Williams, Thomas Bonifield, Maxim Franke
  • Publication number: 20230188130
    Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises: a voltage sensing circuit having a voltage sensing terminal and a voltage sensing output, the voltage sensing circuit configured to generate a first voltage at the voltage sensing output representing a second voltage at the voltage sensing terminal; a control circuit having a control circuit input and a control circuit output, the control circuit input coupled to the voltage sensing output, the control circuit configured to: determine a state of a transistor based on the first voltage; and generate a driver signal at the control circuit output based on the state; and a driver circuit having a driver input and a switch control output, the driver input coupled to the control circuit output, the driver circuit configured to provide a current at the switch control output responsive to the driver signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Rajdeep Bondade, Maxim Franke, Stephen Phillip Savage, Mrinal Kanti Das, Johan Tjeerd Strydom
  • Publication number: 20230058511
    Abstract: An IC includes a substrate including circuitry configured to provide a receiver or a transmitter circuit. A metal stack is over the semiconductor surface including a top metal layer and a plurality of lower metal layers. An isolation capacitor includes the top metal layer as a top plate that is electrically connected to a first node; and a top dielectric layer on the top plate with a top plate dielectric aperture. One of the plurality of lower metal layers provides a bottom plate that includes a plurality of spaced apart segments. A capacitor dielectric layer is between the top and bottom plate. The segments include a first segment electrically connected to a second node and at least a second segment electrically connected to a third node, with separation regions located between adjacent spaced apart segments. The top plate covers at least a portion of each of the separation regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Jeffrey West, Mrinal Das, Byron Williams, Thomas Bonifield, Maxim Franke