Patents by Inventor Michael Couleur
Michael Couleur 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: 10056819Abstract: A timing regulation circuit includes a fixed and tunable timer. A current source generates a source current I1 proportional to an inductor voltage ?V1 of a DC-DC converter during an energizing phase and a current source generates a sink current I2 proportional to inductor voltage ?V2 during a de-energizing phase. The fixed timer controls a first switch in series with I1 or I2 and the tunable timer controls a balancing switch in series with the other current. I1 or I2 is coupled by the first switch and the other current is coupled by the balancing switch to a common capacitor that provides a regulation voltage to the tunable timer which outputs a regulated duration (Tregulated) for an energizing or de-energizing phase. When Tregulated closes the balancing switch the common capacitor provides a predicted current returning inductor current to a starting value when all phases finish for providing a volt-second balance.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Michael Couleur, Neil Gibson, Antonio Priego
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Publication number: 20180183332Abstract: A multi-phase power converter includes a plurality of power channels arranged in parallel to drive an output of the power converter, and a channel selection circuit. Each of the power channels includes a driver, a feedback control circuit coupled to an output of the driver, and a comparator coupled to the feedback control circuit. The channel selection circuit is coupled to the feedback control circuit of each of the power channels. The channel control circuit is configured to: select a different specific one of the power channels to activate in each of a plurality of phases, and introduce an offset voltage into each of the feedback control circuits, except the feedback control circuit of the specific one of the power channels. The feedback control circuit is configured to apply the offset to bias driver output feedback voltage away from a threshold voltage at which the power channel is activated.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2016Publication date: June 28, 2018Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Stefan HERZER, Michael COULEUR, Antonio PRIEGO
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Patent number: 10009019Abstract: Disclosed examples include self-biased DLL circuits to generate a bias current signal proportional to a repetition frequency of a first signal representing continuous switching or discontinued switching operation of the DC-DC converter. The DLL circuit includes a monostable multivibrator to provide a pulse output signal in response to an edge of the first signal with a pulse duration set by a control current signal, a phase detector to provide output signals according to a phase difference between an edge of the pulse output signal and the first signal, and an output circuit to provide an output signal according to the phase detector output signals and according to an offset signal, to provide the bias current signal according to the output signal, and to provide the control current signal according to the output signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Michael Couleur, Neil Gibson, Antonio Priego
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Publication number: 20180166990Abstract: A controller for a DC-DC converter includes a state machine and a plurality of drivers for controlling switches in the DC-DC converter, where each state in the state machine determines a state of the drivers, and a plurality of timers, where each state in the state machine, other than a passive state, has an associated timer for the state of the drivers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2016Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Neil Gibson, Antonio Priego, Erich Bayer, Joerg Kirchner, Michael Lueders, Stefan Herzer, Michael Couleur
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Publication number: 20180097443Abstract: Disclosed examples include a transient event detector circuit to detect transient events in a switching converter, including a DLL circuit to detect changes in a duty cycle of a pulse width modulation signal used to operate a switching converter, and an output circuit to provide a status output signal in a first state when no transient event is detected, and to provide the status output signal in a second state indicating a transient event in the switching converter in response to a detected change in the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2016Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventors: Michael Couleur, Neil Gibson, Antonio Priego
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Publication number: 20180097513Abstract: Disclosed examples include self-biased DLL circuits to generate a bias current signal proportional to a repetition frequency of a first signal representing continuous switching or discontinued switching operation of the DC-DC converter. The DLL circuit includes a monostable multivibrator to provide a pulse output signal in response to an edge of the first signal with a pulse duration set by a control current signal, a phase detector to provide output signals according to a phase difference between an edge of the pulse output signal and the first signal, and an output circuit to provide an output signal according to the phase detector output signals and according to an offset signal, to provide the bias current signal according to the output signal, and to provide the control current signal according to the output signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2016Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventors: Michael Couleur, Neil Gibson, Antonio Priego
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Publication number: 20170310216Abstract: A DC-to-DC voltage converter includes a converter input for receiving a DC voltage. A first switch is coupled between the input and a first node. A second switch is coupled between the first node and a ground. An inductor is coupled between the first node and a converter output. A capacitor is coupled between the converter output and ground. An output voltage synthesizer is coupled to the converter input and the converter output for synthesizing the voltage at the first node and for generating a control signal for at least one of the first switch and the second switch in response to the voltages at the converter input and the converter output.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2016Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Neil Gibson, Michael Couleur, Antonio Priego, Stefan Herzer
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Patent number: 9369043Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a first differential voltage sensor to detect a first inductor current by sensing a first differential voltage across a first power stage of the DC-DC converter. A second differential voltage sensor detects a second inductor current by sensing a second differential voltage across a second power stage of the DC-DC converter. An integrator stage combines the first differential voltage from the first power stage and the second differential voltage from the second power stage to generate a compensation signal to adjust current balancing for the DC-DC converter.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2012Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Michael Couleur, Stefan Herzer, Nicola Florio
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Patent number: 8816656Abstract: An electronic device for switched DC-DC conversion of an input voltage level into an output voltage level, comprising a first power switch and a second power switch, being connected in parallel and having a different gate width, and a driving stage that is configured to selectively drive the first power switch and/or second power switch depending on a load current output.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2011Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: Michael Couleur, Neil Gibson, Christophe Vaucourt
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Publication number: 20140111179Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a first differential voltage sensor to detect a first inductor current by sensing a first differential voltage across a first power stage of the DC-DC converter. A second differential voltage sensor detects a second inductor current by sensing a second differential voltage across a second power stage of the DC-DC converter. An integrator stage combines the first differential voltage from the first power stage and the second differential voltage from the second power stage to generate a compensation signal to adjust current balancing for the DC-DC converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2012Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: MICHAEL COULEUR, STEFAN HERZER, NICOLA FLORIO
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Publication number: 20130335156Abstract: Oscillator and electronic device comprising an oscillator, wherein the oscillator has an RC-circuit and a push-pull stage. A tapping point of the RC-circuit is coupled to an input of the push-pull stage and an output of the push-pull stage is fed back to a switching transistor which is coupled to the tapping point of the RC-circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2012Publication date: December 19, 2013Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Michael Couleur, Stefan Guenther
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Patent number: 8471545Abstract: An electronic device is provided for switched DC-DC conversion of an input voltage level into an output voltage level. The electronic device is configured to control a control gate of a power switch and to prevent a charge of a capacitance of the control gate released during a switching operation from flowing to ground.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2010Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: Michael Couleur, Lei Liao, Christophe Vaucourt
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Patent number: 8405464Abstract: An electronic device controlling a frequency modulation index has a frequency modulation index control loop having an input adapted to be connected to a frequency output of a frequency controllable oscillator. The oscillator has a center frequency Fc and an output adapted to be connected to an input of a frequency-modulation unit, the modulation index control loop being adapted to determine the modulation index. Further provided is a method of frequency-modulating with a modulation frequency Fm a non-linear controllable oscillator having a center frequency Fc with a constant modulation index.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2011Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: Neil Gibson, Michael Couleur
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Publication number: 20130063113Abstract: A load current sensing circuit for sensing a DC-DC converter load current in a DC-DC converter comprising a high-side power transistor and a low-side power transistor connected in series between supply terminals and having a converter switching node therebetween coupled to an inductor to which a load is to be coupled. A first averaging stage determines a DC voltage component of the PWM signal and a second averaging stage determines a DC component of the voltage signal at the converter switching node. A comparison stage determines a difference voltage between the first averaging stage and the second averaging stage. An impedance replica stage forms a resistance which is proportional to the resistance of the series-connected power transistors. A measuring stage measures a current flowing through the impedance replica stage with the determined difference voltage applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: Michael Couleur, Vishal Gupta, Sureena Gupta
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Publication number: 20110309807Abstract: An electronic device for switched DC-DC conversion of an input voltage level into an output voltage level, comprising a first power switch and a second power switch, being connected in parallel and having a different gate width, and a driving stage that is configured to selectively drive the first power switch and/or second power switch depending on a load current output.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: Michael Couleur, Neil Gibson, Christophe Vaucourt
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Publication number: 20110175683Abstract: An electronic device controlling a frequency modulation index has a frequency modulation index control loop having an input adapted to be connected to a frequency output of a frequency controllable oscillator. The oscillator has a center frequency Fc and an output adapted to be connected to an input of a frequency-modulation unit, the modulation index control loop being adapted to determine the modulation index. Further provided is a method of frequency-modulating with a modulation frequency Fm a non-linear controllable oscillator having a center frequency Fc with a constant modulation index.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2011Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbHInventors: Neil Gibson, Michael Couleur
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Publication number: 20110001462Abstract: An electronic device is provided for switched DC-DC conversion of an input voltage level into an output voltage level comprising a driving stage for controlling a control gate of a high side power switch so as to vary the voltage level on a switching node and an auxiliary switch, wherein the auxiliary switch is coupled between the control gate of the power switch and the switching node so as to feed a charge released from the control gate in a switching operation to the switching node.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2010Publication date: January 6, 2011Applicant: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Michael Couleur, Lei Liao, Neil Gibson
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Publication number: 20100308785Abstract: An electronic device is provided for switched DC-DC conversion of an input voltage level into an output voltage level. The electronic device is configured to control a control gate of a power switch and to prevent a charge of a capacitance of the control gate released during a switching operation from flowing to ground.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2010Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Michael Couleur, Lei Liao, Christophe Vaucourt