Patents by Inventor Michael Ashburn
Michael Ashburn 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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Patent number: 9385745Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing spurious noise tones in sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are described. A dither signal may be added to two differential input signals of a pseudo-differential sigma-delta ADC. The dither signal may be generated by a pseudo-random bit sequence generator and applied to two input buffers, which add the dither signal to received differential analog input signals. The dithered signals may be digitized by two independent sigma-delta ADCs and then subtracted to remove the dither signal from an overall digital output signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2015Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: MediaTek Inc.Inventors: Frank Op 't Eynde, Chi-Lun Lo, Michael A. Ashburn
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Publication number: 20150126481Abstract: The present disclosure is drawn to an adhesive peel-forming formulation for dermal delivery of a drug, comprising a drug, a solvent vehicle, and a polymer peel-forming agent. The solvent vehicle can comprise a volatile solvent system comprising one or more volatile solvent, and a non-volatile solvent system comprising two or more non-volatile solvents. The non-volatile solvent system can have a solubility with respect to the drug that is within a window of operable solubility such that the drug is deliverable at therapeutically effective rates over a sustained period of time.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2014Publication date: May 7, 2015Inventors: Jie Zhang, Kevin S. Warner, Michael A. Ashburn, Larry D. Rigby, Suyi Niu
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Patent number: 8907153Abstract: The present invention is drawn to adhesive peel-forming formulations for dermal delivery of a drug. The formulation can include a drug, a solvent vehicle, and a peel-forming agent. The solvent vehicle can include a volatile solvent system having one or more volatile solvent, and a non-volatile solvent system having one or more non-volatile solvent, wherein the non-volatile solvent system has a solubility for the drug that is within a window of operable solubility for the drug such that the drug can be delivered at therapeutically effective rates over a sustained period of time. The formulation can have a viscosity suitable for application to a skin surface prior to evaporation of the volatile solvents system. When applied to the skin, the formulation can form a solidified peelable layer after at least a portion of the volatile solvent system is evaporated.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2005Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Nuvo Research Inc.Inventors: Jie Zhang, Kevin S. Warner, Michael A. Ashburn, Larry D. Rigby, Suyi Niu
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Patent number: 8653869Abstract: A Fractional-N PLL includes a phase frequency detector module receiving a first clock and a second clock that is associated with a feedback path arrangement. A coarse phase adjustment module receives a coarse phase component and an output signal associated with a divider module used in the feedback path arrangement and performs a coarse phase adjustment. A fine phase adjustment module performs fine phase adjustment using a fine phase component and the coarse phase adjustment as input to produce the second clock. The fine phase adjustment module nominally cancels most or all of the quantization noise present during the coarse phase adjustment, thereby greatly reducing the net phase noise of the divider module. A segmentation module receives a control signal and generates the coarse phase component and the fine phase component that are provided to the fine phase adjustment module and the coarse phase adjustment module for processing.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Media Tek Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Tsung-Kai Kao, Che-Fu Liang, Michael A. Ashburn, Jr.
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Patent number: 8570200Abstract: An apparatus includes a clock source and an oversampled continuous-time digital-to-analog converter. Noise signal is added to the clock signal as the clock signal is generated and/or routed. The oversampled continuous-time digital-to-analog converter includes a sigma-delta modulator to perform noise shaping on input data samples and provide intermediate data samples; a filter to filter the intermediate data samples and generate filtered samples, the filter having a transfer function that has a stop band at a frequency range that includes the frequency of the noise signal or a component of the noise signal; and a continuous-time digital-to-analog converter to convert the filtered samples to an output analog signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 25, 2011Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, Jr., Jeffrey Carl Gealow, Paul F. Ferguson, Jr.
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Patent number: 8570201Abstract: A continuous-time sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter includes a plurality of integrator stages, in which one of the integrator stages includes a current buffer that drives an integrating capacitor. The analog-to-digital converter includes an outer feedback digital-to-analog converter and an inner digital-to-analog converter. The inner digital-to-analog converter is a current-mode digital-to-analog converter that converts the digital output signal to an analog current feedback signal, which is provided to an output of the integrator stage that includes the current buffer. Both the analog current feedback signal and an input signal provided to the current buffer are integrated by the integrating capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2012Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, Jr., Ayman Shabra
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Publication number: 20130241915Abstract: A low voltage driver for a higher voltage LCD includes a plurality of LCD drive bias voltage input terminals; an LCD drive voltage output terminal; an input transistor switching circuit having at least one switch for each LCD drive bias voltage for selecting one of the bias voltages; an output transistor switching circuit, responsive to the input transistor switching circuit, for applying the selected one of the bias voltages to the LCD drive voltage output terminal, the transistors of the switching circuits having a predetermined breakdown voltage; a level shifter for providing switching voltages counterpart to the plurality of bias voltages; a logic circuit for enabling the first transistor switching circuit to select a one of the bias voltages and applying a set of counterpart switching voltages to the input and output transistor switching circuits for connecting the selected one of the bias voltages to the output terminal and applying a set of switching voltages to the input and output switching circuitsType: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2013Publication date: September 19, 2013Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.Inventors: Abhishek BANDYOPADHYAY, Eric G. NESTLER, Michael A. ASHBURN, JR.
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Patent number: 8502719Abstract: A continuous-time sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter includes a first integrator stage to integrate a difference between a first differential signal derived from a differential analog input signal and a second differential signal derived from a quantized output signal, a quantizer and a low pass filter. The first integrator stage has a differential operational amplifier, first, second, third, and fourth input resistors, and a first pair of integrating capacitors. The differential analog input signal is received at first and second input nodes of the converter. The first and third input resistors are coupled in series between the first input node and a first input of the operational amplifier. The second and fourth input resistors are coupled in series between the second input node and a second input of the operational amplifier. The first and second input resistors are coupled to the third and fourth input resistors, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2012Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, Jr., Jeffrey Carl Gealow
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Patent number: 8456463Abstract: A low voltage driver for a higher voltage LCD includes a plurality of LCD drive bias voltage input-terminals; an LCD drive voltage output terminal; an input transistor switching circuit having at least one switch for each LCD drive bias voltage for selecting one of the bias voltages; an output transistor switching circuit, responsive to the input transistor switching circuit, for applying the selected one of the bias voltages to the LCD drive voltage output terminal, the transistors of the switching circuits having a predetermined breakdown voltage; a level shifter for providing switching voltages counterpart to the plurality of bias voltages; a logic circuit for enabling the first transistor switching circuit to select a one of the bias voltages and applying a set of counterpart switching voltages to the input and output transistor switching circuits for connecting the selected one of the bias voltages to the output terminal and applying a set of switching voltages to the input and output switching circuitsType: GrantFiled: September 28, 2007Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.Inventors: Abhishek Bandyopadhyay, Eric Nestler, Michael A. Ashburn, Jr.
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Publication number: 20130099839Abstract: A Fractional-N PLL includes a phase frequency detector module receiving a first clock and a second clock that is associated with a feedback path arrangement. A coarse phase adjustment module receives a coarse phase component and an output signal associated with a divider module used in the feedback path arrangement and performs a coarse phase adjustment. A fine phase adjustment module performs fine phase adjustment using a fine phase component and the coarse phase adjustment as input to produce the second clock. The fine phase adjustment module nominally cancels most or all of the quantization noise present during the coarse phase adjustment, thereby greatly reducing the net phase noise of the divider module. A segmentation module receives a control signal and generates the coarse phase component and the fine phase component that are provided to the fine phase adjustment module and the coarse phase adjustment module for processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2012Publication date: April 25, 2013Inventors: Tsung-Kai Kao, Che-Fu Liang, Michael A. Ashburn, JR.
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Publication number: 20130021183Abstract: A continuous-time sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter includes a first integrator stage to integrate a difference between a first differential signal derived from a differential analog input signal and a second differential signal derived from a quantized output signal, a quantizer and a low pass filter. The first integrator stage has a differential operational amplifier, first, second, third, and fourth input resistors, and a first pair of integrating capacitors. The differential analog input signal is received at first and second input nodes of the converter. The first and third input resistors are coupled in series between the first input node and a first input of the operational amplifier. The second and fourth input resistors are coupled in series between the second input node and a second input of the operational amplifier. The first and second input resistors are coupled to the third and fourth input resistors, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2012Publication date: January 24, 2013Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, JR., Jeffrey Carl Gealow
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Publication number: 20130021184Abstract: A continuous-time sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter includes a plurality of integrator stages, in which one of the integrator stages includes a current buffer that drives an integrating capacitor. The analog-to-digital converter includes an outer feedback digital-to-analog converter and an inner digital-to-analog converter. The inner digital-to-analog converter is a current-mode digital-to-analog converter that converts the digital output signal to an analog current feedback signal, which is provided to an output of the integrator stage that includes the current buffer. Both the analog current feedback signal and an input signal provided to the current buffer are integrated by the integrating capacitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2012Publication date: January 24, 2013Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, JR., Ayman Shabra
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Publication number: 20120188107Abstract: An apparatus includes a clock source and an oversampled continuous-time digital-to-analog converter. Noise signal is added to the clock signal as the clock signal is generated and/or routed. The oversampled continuous-time digital-to-analog converter includes a sigma-delta modulator to perform noise shaping on input data samples and provide intermediate data samples; a filter to filter the intermediate data samples and generate filtered samples, the filter having a transfer function that has a stop band at a frequency range that includes the frequency of the noise signal or a component of the noise signal; and a continuous-time digital-to-analog converter to convert the filtered samples to an output analog signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 25, 2011Publication date: July 26, 2012Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, JR., Jeffrey Carl Gealow, Paul F. Ferguson, JR.
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Patent number: 7898320Abstract: An auto-nulled bandgap reference system employing a substrate bandgap reference circuit with primary and auxiliary amplifiers and a switching circuit which in a first mode develops a voltage to null the offset and noise errors of the auxiliary amplifier and then in the second mode uses the nulled auxiliary amplifier to develop a voltage to null the offset and noise errors of the primary amplifier; and a strobe circuit including an output storage device and a strobe control circuit for periodically powering up a bandgap reference circuit to charge the output storage device and powering down the bandgap reference circuit to conserve power.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2009Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, Stephen W. Harston
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Patent number: 7797118Abstract: Real-time clock calibration is accomplished by generating a fast clock signal and a slow clock signal from an uncompensated clock signal; selectively, momentarily, replacing the uncompensated clock signal with the fast and slow clock signal to generate a compensated clock signal; generating from the compensated clock signal a calibration strobe and window trigger; responding to the window trigger to detect any uncompensated clock signal frequency error and responding to the calibration strobe to selectively, momentarily, replace the uncompensated clock signal with the fast or slow clock signal to reduce the clock signal frequency error.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2007Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, Jr., Stephen W. Harston
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Publication number: 20090284243Abstract: An auto-nulled bandgap reference system employing a substrate bandgap reference circuit with primary and auxiliary amplifiers and a switching circuit which in a first mode develops a voltage to null the offset and noise errors of the auxiliary amplifier and then in the second mode uses the nulled auxiliary amplifier to develop a voltage to null the offset and noise errors of the primary amplifier; and a strobe circuit including an output storage device and a strobe control circuit for periodically powering up a bandgap reference circuit to charge the output storage device and powering down the bandgap reference circuit to conserve power.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2009Publication date: November 19, 2009Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.Inventors: Michael A. ASHBURN, JR., Stephen W. HARSTON
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Patent number: 7583135Abstract: An auto-nulled bandgap reference system employing a substrate bandgap reference circuit with primary and auxiliary amplifiers and a switching circuit which in a first mode develops a voltage to null the offset and noise errors of the auxiliary amplifier and then in the second mode uses the nulled auxiliary amplifier to develop a voltage to null the offset and noise errors of the primary amplifier; and a strobe circuit including an output storage device and a strobe control circuit for periodically powering up a bandgap reference circuit to charge the output storage device and powering down the bandgap reference circuit to conserve power.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2007Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, Jr., Stephen W. Harston
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Publication number: 20080079708Abstract: A low voltage driver for a higher voltage LCD includes a plurality of LCD drive bias voltage input-terminals; an LCD drive voltage output terminal; an input transistor switching circuit having at least one switch for each LCD drive bias voltage for selecting one of the bias voltages; an output transistor switching circuit, responsive to the input transistor switching circuit, for applying the selected one of the bias voltages to the LCD drive voltage output terminal, the transistors of the switching circuits having a predetermined breakdown voltage; a level shifter for providing switching voltages counterpart to the plurality of bias voltages; a logic circuit for enabling the first transistor switching circuit to select a one of the bias voltages and applying a set of counterpart switching voltages to the input and output transistor switching circuits for connecting the selected one of the bias voltages to the output terminal and applying a set of switching voltages to the input and output switching circuitsType: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2007Publication date: April 3, 2008Inventors: Abhishek Bandyopadhyay, Eric Nestler, Michael Ashburn
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Publication number: 20080079413Abstract: An auto-nulled bandgap reference system employing a substrate bandgap reference circuit with primary and auxiliary amplifiers and a switching circuit which in a first mode develops a voltage to null the offset and noise errors of the auxiliary amplifier and then in the second mode uses the nulled auxiliary amplifier to develop a voltage to null the offset and noise errors of the primary amplifier; and a strobe circuit including an output storage device and a strobe control circuit for periodically powering up a bandgap reference circuit to charge the output storage device and powering down the bandgap reference circuit to conserve power.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2007Publication date: April 3, 2008Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, Stephen W. Harston
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Publication number: 20080082279Abstract: Real-time clock calibration is accomplished by generating a fast clock signal and a slow clock signal from an uncompensated clock signal; selectively, momentarily, replacing the uncompensated clock signal with the fast and slow clock signal to generate a compensated clock signal; generating from the compensated clock signal a calibration strobe and window trigger; responding to the window trigger to detect any uncompensated clock signal frequency error and responding to the calibration strobe to selectively, momentarily, replace the uncompensated clock signal with the fast or slow clock signal to reduce the clock signal frequency error.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2007Publication date: April 3, 2008Inventors: Michael A. Ashburn, Stephen W. Harston