Patents by Inventor Merle Wood
Merle Wood 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).
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Publication number: 20240003985Abstract: Systems and methods that may be implemented to determine electrical characteristic/s of one or more power supply cable/s that are coupled to supply power from a power supply to a battery-powered information handling system, and to take one or more actions based on the determined electrical characteristic/s. The disclosed systems and methods may be so implemented to detect values of input voltage and input current that are provided from the power supply cable to a battery-powered information handling system, and to take one or more actions based on these detected values of input voltage and input current, such as power supply voltage compensation, protection of the power supply, alerts to the battery-powered information handling system, and/or warnings to a user of the battery-powered information handling system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2022Publication date: January 4, 2024Inventors: Merle Wood, III, Chin-Jui Liu, Chi-Che Wu, Tsung-Cheng Liao, Wei-Cheng Yu
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Publication number: 20220308607Abstract: Monolithic power stage (Pstage) packages and methods for using same are provided that may be implemented to provide lower thermal resistance/enhanced thermal performance, reduced noise, and/or smaller package footprint than conventional monolithic Pstage packages. The conductive pads of the disclosed Pstage packages may be provided with a larger surface area for contacting respective conductive layers of a mated PCB to provide a more effective and increased heat transfer away from a monolithic Pstage package. In one example, the increased heat transfer away from the monolithic Pstage package results in lower monolithic Pstage package operating temperature and increased power output.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2021Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Merle Wood, III, Chin-Jui Liu, Shiguo Luo, Feng-Yu Wu
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Patent number: 11442519Abstract: The present disclosure provides various embodiments of an external power supply and methods to enhance the output power delivered by an external power supply to a power consuming load. As described in more detail below, the embodiments disclosed herein enable an external power supply to deliver a higher than maximum output power for short periods of time when ambient temperatures within the external power supply are low. As the ambient temperature increases, the embodiments disclosed herein throttle (or incrementally reduce) the output power delivered by the external power supply until the maximum output power specified for the power supply is reached. Although not strictly limited to such, the external power supply may be a Universal Serial Bus (USB)-enabled AC/DC adapter, and more specifically, a USB Power Deliver (USB-PD) AC/DC adapter, in some embodiments.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Wei Cheng Yu, Geroncio O. Tan, Merle Wood, III, Chi Che Wu, Tsung-Cheng Liao, Wen-Yung Chang
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Publication number: 20220269327Abstract: The present disclosure provides various embodiments of an external power supply and methods to enhance the output power delivered by an external power supply to a power consuming load. As described in more detail below, the embodiments disclosed herein enable an external power supply to deliver a higher than maximum output power for short periods of time when ambient temperatures within the external power supply are low. As the ambient temperature increases, the embodiments disclosed herein throttle (or incrementally reduce) the output power delivered by the external power supply until the maximum output power specified for the power supply is reached. Although not strictly limited to such, the external power supply may be a Universal Serial Bus (USB)-enabled AC/DC adapter, and more specifically, a USB Power Deliver (USB-PD) AC/DC adapter, in some embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2021Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Wei Cheng Yu, Geroncio O. Tan, Merle Wood, III, Chi Che Wu, Tsung-Cheng Liao, Wen-Yung Chang
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Patent number: 11411509Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to implement power supply units (PSUs) that are capable of operating on input power having different types of input voltage waveforms, including, but not limited to, pure sinusoidal waveforms, non-pure sinusoidal waveforms, and non-sinusoidal waveforms. Such a PSU may operate to continue supplying DC output power to a system load as long as the PSU is powered by any one of a variety of such different input power types, while at the same time also effectively monitoring for presence of input power provided to the PSU and shutting down the PSU in event of absence or termination of the input power to the PSU. Such a PSU may also automatically identify and adapt to changes between different types of input power while at the same time continuing to supply DC output power to a system load in an uninterrupted manner for as long as some type of input power is being provided to the PSU.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Wei Cheng Yu, Geroncio O. Tan, Chi Che Wu, Merle Wood, III, Yung-Chang Chang, Ya-Tang Hsieh, Tsung-Cheng Liao
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Patent number: 11392744Abstract: Systems and methods that may be implemented to automatically sense and verify proper mated orientation of a removable BGA package relative to a mating pad array (e.g., of a BGA socket) prior to supplying power to the BGA package. A removable BGA package may be provided with first and second symmetric pins so as to present different respective circuit states on opposing sides of a center point of its BGA package pin array, such that proper orientation of the BGA package occurs only when a designated one of the first and second symmetric pins is mated with a designated pad of the mating pad array. A programmable integrated circuit may in turn sense the circuit state presented at the designated pad to verify proper orientation of the mated BGA package based on the sensed circuit state presented at the designated pad, and may take one or more designated actions based on whether or not proper orientation of the mated BGA package is verified.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Geroncio O. Tan, Lip Vui Kan, Merle Wood, III, Wei Cheng Yu
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Publication number: 20220123664Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to implement power supply units (PSUs) that are capable of operating on input power having different types of input voltage waveforms, including, but not limited to, pure sinusoidal waveforms, non-pure sinusoidal waveforms, and non-sinusoidal waveforms. Such a PSU may operate to continue supplying DC output power to a system load as long as the PSU is powered by any one of a variety of such different input power types, while at the same time also effectively monitoring for presence of input power provided to the PSU and shutting down the PSU in event of absence or termination of the input power to the PSU. Such a PSU may also automatically identify and adapt to changes between different types of input power while at the same time continuing to supply DC output power to a system load in an uninterrupted manner for as long as some type of input power is being provided to the PSU.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2020Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: Wei Cheng Yu, Geroncio O. Tan, Chi Che Wu, Merle Wood, III, Yung-Chang Chang, Ya-Tang Hsieh, Tsung-Cheng Liao
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Publication number: 20220114319Abstract: Systems and methods that may be implemented to automatically sense and verify proper mated orientation of a removable BGA package relative to a mating pad array (e.g., of a BGA socket) prior to supplying power to the BGA package. A removable BGA package may be provided with first and second symmetric pins so as to present different respective circuit states on opposing sides of a center point of its BGA package pin array, such that proper orientation of the BGA package occurs only when a designated one of the first and second symmetric pins is mated with a designated pad of the mating pad array. A programmable integrated circuit may in turn sense the circuit state presented at the designated pad to verify proper orientation of the mated BGA package based on the sensed circuit state presented at the designated pad, and may take one or more designated actions based on whether or not proper orientation of the mated BGA package is verified.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2020Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Geroncio O. Tan, Lip Vui Kan, Merle Wood, III, Wei Cheng Yu
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Patent number: 9979300Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing peak power capability and hold-up time in a resonant converter having a LLC topology may include a couple choke transformer circuit that may control an inductance of the couple choke transformer circuit and improve power efficiency of the resonant converter. The resonant converter may also include a resonant tank circuit that may provide improved peak power delivery of the resonant converter. The resonant converter may further include a resonant tank control circuit to control the resonant tank circuit and may increase the peak gain of the resonant converter, increase a voltage range of the input voltage, and extend a hold-up time of the input voltage when an AC power failure occurs.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Merle Wood, Wei-Cheng Yu, Tun-Chieh Liang, Tsung-Cheng Liao, Wen-Yung Chang
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Systems and methods for diagnostic current shunt and overcurrent protection (OCP) for power supplies
Patent number: 9906143Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that may be implemented to provide a power supply with automatic overcurrent protection (OCP) point calibration and/or current sense resistor (Rsense) verification. The provided systems and methods may implement auto-calibration techniques on the secondary side of a power supply to achieve a more precise OCP point than is possible with conventional adapter technology, and in one example may implement auto trimming for OCP voltage threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Wei Cheng Yu, Tsung Cheng Liao, Merle Wood, Geroncio O. Tan -
Publication number: 20110202777Abstract: An information handling system can receive power from a wireless or wired power source. In response to determining the information handling system is coupled to the wired power source, the system decouples the wireless power source from providing power. In response to the system being decoupled from the wired power source, the information handling system couples the wireless power source to the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2010Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: Dell Products, LPInventors: Mohammed Hijazi, Andrew T. Sultenfuss, Joseph Clegg, Merle Wood
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Patent number: 7683573Abstract: A portable information handling system powered through a docking station charges an internal battery based on available power sensed at the docking station and communicated to a charger of the information handling system. A dock sensor on the information handling system selectively interfaces a local power sensor if the information handling system is not docked or a docking station sensor if the information handling system is docked. Available power sensed at the docking station is communicated to a battery charger of the information handling system by a differential wire pair interfaced through a docking connector.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2007Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Ayedin Nikazm, Andrew T. Sultenfuss, Merle Wood
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Patent number: 7536569Abstract: A portable information handling system having internal battery power and external adapter power manages power drawn from the external power adapter to avoid exceeding the power rating of the external power adapter. As power drawn from the external adapter approaches a predetermined limit of the power adapter power rating, a power manager of the information handling system alters the operation of the information handling system to reduce power drawn from the adapter, such as by reducing current drawn to charge the battery, enforcing battery optimized mode steps or throttling central processing unit operation. Incremental decreases in power consumption maintain power draw below the external adapter power rating while incremental increases in power consumption have a delay that returns the information handling system to normal operations without excessive oscillation between operating modes.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2006Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Adolfo S. Montero, Joey M. Goodroe, Merle Wood
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Publication number: 20090033287Abstract: A portable information handling system powered through a docking station charges an internal battery based on available power sensed at the docking station and communicated to a charger of the information handling system. A dock sensor on the information handling system selectively interfaces a local power sensor if the information handling system is not docked or a docking station sensor if the information handling system is docked. Available power sensed at the docking station is communicated to a battery charger of the information handling system by a differential wire pair interfaced through a docking connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2007Publication date: February 5, 2009Inventors: Ayedin Nikazm, Andrew T. Sultenfuss, Merle Wood
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Patent number: 7352159Abstract: A synchronous Buck voltage regulator accepts an input voltage to provide a regulated output voltage to an information handling system processing component, such as a CPU. Input voltage is regulated by a control MOSFET, a synchronous MOSFET and a regulator controller that controls the output by controlling the control and synchronous MOSFETs. The synchronous MOSFET handles overvoltage events output from the control MOSFET by interfacing an inductor-capacitor tank circuit to reduce the overvoltage. A negative voltage protection MOSFET driver associated with the regulator controller monitors for negative voltage events that result from the interfacing of the inductor-capacitor tank circuit and selectively decouples the inductor-capacitor tank circuit if the negative voltage event is associated with a predetermined condition. The negative voltage protection MOSFET driver maintains the interface of the inductor-capacitor tank circuit if the overvoltage event is associated with a failed control MOSFET.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2005Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Shiguo Luo, Leszek Brukwicz, Merle Wood, Guangyong Zhu
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Publication number: 20070250722Abstract: A portable information handling system having internal battery power and external adapter power manages power drawn from the external power adapter to avoid exceeding the power rating of the external power adapter. As power drawn from the external adapter approaches a predetermined limit of the power adapter power rating, a power manager of the information handling system alters the operation of the information handling system to reduce power drawn from the adapter, such as by reducing current drawn to charge the battery, enforcing battery optimized mode steps or throttling central processing unit operation. Incremental decreases in power consumption maintain power draw below the external adapter power rating while incremental increases in power consumption have a delay that returns the information handling system to normal operations without excessive oscillation between operating modes.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2006Publication date: October 25, 2007Inventors: Adolfo Montero, Joey Goodroe, Merle Wood
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Publication number: 20060238181Abstract: A synchronous Buck voltage regulator accepts an input voltage to provide a regulated output voltage to an information handling system processing component, such as a CPU. Input voltage is regulated by a control MOSFET, a synchronous MOSFET and a regulator controller that controls the output by controlling the control and synchronous MOSFETs. The synchronous MOSFET handles overvoltage events output from the control MOSFET by interfacing an inductor-capacitor tank circuit to reduce the overvoltage. A negative voltage protection MOSFET driver associated with the regulator controller monitors for negative voltage events that result from the interfacing of the inductor-capacitor tank circuit and selectively decouples the inductor-capacitor tank circuit if the negative voltage event is associated with a predetermined condition. The negative voltage protection MOSFET driver maintains the interface of the inductor-capacitor tank circuit if the overvoltage event is associated with a failed control MOSFET.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2005Publication date: October 26, 2006Inventors: Shiguo Luo, Leszek Brukwicz, Merle Wood, Guangyong Zhu