Patents by Inventor Ming-Fu Tsai

Ming-Fu Tsai 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: 10074745
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The device includes a second region having a greater curvature than a first region. The device includes an epitaxy layer of a first conductivity type, a well of a second conductivity type in the epitaxy layer, a drain in the epitaxy layer, a source in the well, and a bulk in the well and in contact with the source, the bulk having a greater area in the second region than in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Ming-Fu Tsai, Yu-Ti Su, Jen-Chou Tseng
  • Patent number: 10026640
    Abstract: A method and structure of improving the robustness of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed. One aspect of the instant disclosure provides a semiconductor structure that comprises: a first well structure; a second well structure arranged adjacent to the isolation structure in the substrate, a diffusion region respectively disposed in the first and the second well structures; an isolation structure arranged between the well structures and laterally separating the diffusion regions; and a partition structure arranged in the isolation structure. The partition structure affects a steeper slope on a lateral surface of the isolation structure bordering at least one of the diffusion regions, thereby modifying a ballasting characteristic of the isolation structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Alexander Kalnitsky, Jen-Chou Tseng, Chia-Wei Hsu, Ming-Fu Tsai
  • Publication number: 20180174584
    Abstract: A voice control device includes a microphone module, a voice encoding module, a display and a processing unit. The voice encoding module is electrically connected to the microphone module. The processing unit is electrically connected to the voice encoding module and the display. The microphone module receives a voice signal and transmits the received voice signal to the voice encoding module. One of the voice encoding module and the processing unit analyzes and processes the voice signal to determine a sound source direction of the voice signal and obtains response information according to the voice signal. The processing unit controls the display to rotate to the sound source direction and transmits the response information to the display for displaying the response information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: YU-YANG CHIH, MING-CHUN HO, MING-FU TSAI, CHENG-PING LIU, FU-BIN WANG, SHIH-LUN LIN
  • Publication number: 20170346479
    Abstract: A voltage detector includes a first node configured to have a first supply voltage, a second node configured to have a second supply voltage, and an output node. The voltage detector is configured to drive the output node to the first supply voltage in response to a difference between the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Ming-Fu TSAI, Jen-Chou TSENG, Kuo-Ji CHEN, Tzu-Heng CHANG
  • Publication number: 20170256643
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The device includes a second region having a greater curvature than a first region. The device includes an epitaxy layer of a first conductivity type, a well of a second conductivity type in the epitaxy layer, a drain in the epitaxy layer, a source in the well, and a bulk in the well and in contact with the source, the bulk having a greater area in the second region than in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: MING-FU TSAI, YU-TI SU, JEN-CHOU TSENG
  • Patent number: 9666713
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The device includes: The second region has a greater curvature than the first region. The device includes: an N-type epitaxy layer; a P-well in the N-type epitaxy layer; a drain in the N-type epitaxy layer; a source in the P-well; and a bulk in the P-well and in contact with the source, wherein the bulk has a greater area in the second region than in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Ming-Fu Tsai, Yu-Ti Su, Jen-Chou Tseng
  • Publication number: 20170141100
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a semiconductor device on a substrate. An interconnect structure is disposed over the substrate, and a first conductive pad is disposed over the interconnect structure. A second conductive pad is disposed over the interconnect structure and is spaced apart from the first conductive pad. A third conductive pad is disposed over the interconnect structure and is spaced apart from the first and second conductive pads. A fourth conductive pad is disposed over the interconnect structure and is spaced apart from the first, second, and third conductive pads. A first ESD protection element is electrically coupled between the first and second pads; and a second ESD protection element is electrically coupled between the third and fourth pads. A first device under test is electrically coupled between the first and third conductive pads; and a second device under test is electrically coupled between the second and fourth pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Jen-Chou Tseng, Ming-Fu Tsai, Tzu-Heng Chang
  • Patent number: 9608616
    Abstract: A circuit includes a first node having a first supply voltage, a second node having a second supply voltage, and a voltage detector coupled between the first node and the second node, the voltage detector including a first output node. A clamp circuit is coupled between the first node and the second node. The voltage detector is configured to drive the first output node to the first supply voltage in response to a difference between the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage value. The clamp circuit is configured to establish a conduction path between the first node and the second node in response to the first or second output node being driven to the first supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ming-Fu Tsai, Jen-Chou Tseng, Kuo-Ji Chen, Tzu-Heng Chang
  • Publication number: 20170005194
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The device includes: The second region has a greater curvature than the first region. The device includes: an N-type epitaxy layer; a P-well in the N-type epitaxy layer; a drain in the N-type epitaxy layer; a source in the P-well; and a bulk in the P-well and in contact with the source, wherein the bulk has a greater area in the second region than in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: MING-FU TSAI, YU-TI SU, JEN-CHOU TSENG
  • Patent number: 9472666
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The device includes: The second region has a greater curvature than the first region. The device includes: an N-type epitaxy layer; a P-well in the N-type epitaxy layer; a drain in the N-type epitaxy layer; a source in the P-well; and a bulk in the P-well and in contact with the source, wherein the bulk has a greater area in the second region than in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Ming-Fu Tsai, Yu-Ti Su, Jen-Chou Tseng
  • Publication number: 20160240668
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The device includes: The second region has a greater curvature than the first region. The device includes: an N-type epitaxy layer; a P-well in the N-type epitaxy layer; a drain in the N-type epitaxy layer; a source in the P-well; and a bulk in the P-well and in contact with the source, wherein the bulk has a greater area in the second region than in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: MING-FU TSAI, YU-TI SU, JEN-CHOU TSENG
  • Patent number: 9369556
    Abstract: A portable electronic device including a housing, a button assembly, a locking unit, a processing unit and a sensing unit is provided. The button assembly is disposed at an opening of the housing and includes a button, an elastomer and a switch. The button is movably disposed at the opening and configured to trigger the switch when an external force is applied. The elastomer is disposed between the button and the housing and forms a waterproof seal between the button and the housing. The locking unit is enabled to keep the button on a fixed position against the elastomer when the processing unit determines that a detection signal generated by the sensing unit is over a threshold. The locking unit is disabled when the processing unit determines that the detection signal is not over the threshold. A protection method for a portable electronic device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Kuei-Cheng Wang, Chia-Hung Lin, Ming-Fu Tsai
  • Patent number: 9368487
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed, which includes a substrate of a positive dopant type; a p-well defined in the substrate; a depletion inducing structure of a negative dopant type having a gap defined in a bottom portion thereof disposed in the p-well, and a n-channel device disposed in a planar encircled region defined by the depletion inducing structure. The well region is in connection with the substrate through the depletion inducing structure. Upon an ESD stress, the depletion inducing structure induces an expanded depletion region in the substrate under the well region, thus providing a substrate trigger mechanism that reduces the triggering voltage of the ESD protection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Yu-Ti Su, Li-Wei Chu, Ming-Fu Tsai, Jen-Chou Tseng
  • Publication number: 20160111411
    Abstract: A method and structure of improving the robustness of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed. One aspect of the instant disclosure provides a semiconductor structure that comprises: a first well structure; a second well structure arranged adjacent to the isolation structure in the substrate, a diffusion region respectively disposed in the first and the second well structures; an isolation structure arranged between the well structures and laterally separating the diffusion regions; and a partition structure arranged in the isolation structure. The partition structure affects a steeper slope on a lateral surface of the isolation structure bordering at least one of the diffusion regions, thereby modifying a ballasting characteristic of the isolation structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: ALEXANDER KALNITSKY, JEN-CHOU TSENG, CHIA-WEI HSU, MING-FU TSAI
  • Patent number: 8427091
    Abstract: A drive with heat dissipation and energy-saving function for supplying power to drive a motor. The drive includes a driving circuit having a rectification section. The rectification section serves to receive AC current generated when the motor abruptly accelerates/decelerates and convert the AC current into DC current and output the DC current. The drive further includes a cooling module electrically connected to an output end of the rectification section. The cooling module is drivable by the DC current output from the rectification section to conduct out and dissipate heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Hiwin Mikrosystem Corp.
    Inventors: Chi-Yuan Cheng, Ming Fu Tsai
  • Publication number: 20120229059
    Abstract: A drive with heat dissipation and energy-saving function for supplying power to drive a motor. The drive includes a driving circuit having a rectification section. The rectification section serves to receive AC current generated when the motor abruptly accelerates/decelerates and convert the AC current into DC current and output the DC current. The drive further includes a cooling module electrically connected to an output end of the rectification section. The cooling module is drivable by the DC current output from the rectification section to conduct out and dissipate heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Chi-Yuan Cheng, Ming Fu Tsai
  • Publication number: 20120229103
    Abstract: Signal compensation method for magnetically sensitive position feedback device in which the compensation for voltage offset is performed in accordance with the following formula (1), while the compensation for voltage amplitude is performed in accordance with the following formula (2): Voffset=(PreMaxV)/4+(NextMaxV)/4+(MaxV)/2,??formula (1) wherein: Voffset is the voltage offset of the half-wave of the current position, PreMaxV is the maximum positive (negative) voltage of the preceding half-wave to the half-wave of the current position, NextMaxV is the maximum positive (negative) voltage of the next half-wave from the half-wave of the current position, and MaxV is the maximum negative (positive) voltage of the half-wave of the current position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Ming-Fu TSAI, Cheng-Min LAI
  • Publication number: 20120229123
    Abstract: A magnetic ring encoding device for composite signals, which is disposed at an end of a rotary shaft of a rotary motor. The magnetic ring encoding device includes: a magnetic ring having a ring-shaped body section synchronously rotatable with the rotary shaft of the rotary motor, multiple magnetic poles being arranged on the body section at equal intervals; multiple Hall elements located and arranged around the body section at intervals, the Hall elements serving to sense magnetic field change that takes place when the magnetic poles pass through the Hall elements and output sensed signals according to the magnetic field change; and an adder for performing addition operation for the sensed signals output from the Hall elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Chi-Yuan CHENG, Chih-Mao SHIAO, Ming Fu TSAI
  • Patent number: 6358455
    Abstract: Induced surface reconstruction of silicone rubber by blending silicone gel reactants with a modified and curing with a mold having high critical surface tension was used to improve the adhesion of chemically inert silicone rubber to polyurethane. The modifier has the following formula wherein m=25˜50; R1, R2, R3, R4, R11 and R12 independently are alkyl; R′ is R or OR, wherein R is a polymer backbone having a molecular weight of 1000˜20000. The mold is formed with a material having a critical surface tension greater than that of a polymer having a repeating unit of said R.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology
    Inventors: Ming-Fu Tsai, Yu-Der Lee, Yong-Chien Ling, Wen-Hsiung Ku, Chang-Hao Tai
  • Patent number: 6290892
    Abstract: Induced surface reconstruction of silicone rubber by blending silicone gel reactants of addition type with a modifier and curing with a mold having a high critical surface tension was used to improve the adhesion of chemically inert silicone rubber to polyurethane. The modifier has the following formula wherein m=25˜50; R1, R2, R3, and R4 independently are alkyl; R′ is R or OR, wherein R is a polymer backbone having a molecular weight of 1000˜20000. The mold is formed with a material having a critical surface tension greater than that of a polymer having a repeating unit of said R.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology
    Inventors: Ming-Fu Tsai, Yu-Der Lee, Yong Chien Ling, Wen-Hsiung Ku, Yuan-Chyi Lin