Patents by Inventor Nick M. Johnson

Nick M. Johnson 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).

  • Publication number: 20240307724
    Abstract: A fire-fighting system includes a pump, a nozzle for directing fluid flow from the pump to a target area, a discharge valve controlling fluid flow between the pump and the nozzle, a sensor coupled to the nozzle, and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The sensor detects movement of the nozzle and generates a signal indicative of the detected movement. The controller communicatively coupled is configured to receive the signal from the sensor, and control at least one of the discharge valve, the pump, and the nozzle based on the detected movement of the nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Jason Cerrano, Michael A. Laskaris, Nick Ramirez, Jon A. Jenkins, James M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6621336
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for over-current protection of an amplifier circuit, which comprises driving an electronic load with the output of the amplifier circuit and sensing for a fault condition in the load, such as a short or over-current condition. The amplifier is switched off in response to the fault condition and can stay off for a specified time delay and the amplifier is then switched on. The fault condition is tested for again and, if cured, the amplifier can remain on until a new fault condition is detected. If the fault condition remains, testing and switching the amplifier on and off over very short time periods results in an effectively limited current in the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Nick M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6181796
    Abstract: A system and method which generates amplified signals indicative of left and right stereo channels, and uses the signals to drive transducers for each of subwoofer, left stereo, and right stereo channels. The amplification circuitry is operable with a power supply having low peak current capability (i.e., low peak to average current rating) even when amplifying an input signal pair having highly correlated frequency components, since it spreads the peak current demands imposed on the power supply over a full cycle of each of the highly correlated frequency components. A series-connected pair of left and right channel transducers is driven by left and right channel power amplifiers of the amplification circuitry, and the subwoofer channel transducer is connected in parallel with this transducer pair so that all three transducers are driven by two power amplifiers, thus eliminating the need for a third power amplifier to drive the subwoofer channel transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Nick M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5703529
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit with improved turn-on transient operation includes a differential amplifier and a selectively variable reference generator for controlling the amplifier output during circuit turn-on. The amplifier is biased by a single power supply and its differential inputs are driven by a reference voltage from the reference generator and a single-ended input signal. Following circuit turn-on, the selectively variable reference voltage, generated by charging the bypass capacitor with a constant current source, charges in a linear manner from ground potential toward its final value of, typically, half of the power supply voltage. This allows improved turn-on transient operation to be realized, e.g. reduced "pops" and "clicks" upon circuit turn-on, while giving the user increased flexibility in selecting the sizes of the reference voltage bypass capacitor and the input signal coupling capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Parviz Ghaffaripour, Arthur J. Kalb, Nick M. Johnson, Sai L. Ting
  • Patent number: 5642074
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit with improved turn-on and turn-off transient operation includes an amplifier and a controller for controlling the amplifier output during initial and subsequent circuit turn-on and turn-off. The amplifier is biased by a positive power supply voltage and has a differential input driven by a reference voltage and a single-ended input signal. Where the output is single-ended, a single amplifier provides a single-ended output signal. Where the output is differential, the amplifier includes cascaded, differential input, single-ended output amplifiers which together provide a differential output signal. Following circuit turn-on and turn-off, the reference voltage, which drives one of each of the differential inputs, typically charges to or discharges from, respectively, a value of half of the positive power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Parviz Ghaffaripour, Nick M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5638025
    Abstract: An output stage of an amplifier contains N-channel high-side and low-side transistors for producing an output current. The gate drive circuitry for the transistors includes an N-channel transistor having its gate connected in common with the gate of the low-side transistor to the output of a high-gain input stage amplifier, and having its drain connected to the gate of the high-side transistor. This structure reduces distortion at the crossover between positive and negative output voltages and improves control of the quiescent current. Avoiding a P-channel low-side transistor also reduces the area required for the amplifier on an IC chip and eliminates clipping during negative swings of the output voltage. A capacitive coupling stage is used to prevent clipping during positive swings of the output voltage. When the gate drive for the high-side transistor goes low, a capacitor charges through a diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Nick M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5343156
    Abstract: A circuit for responding to the output of a capacitive fuel sensor that can distinguish gasoline from methanol and produces an output that is related to the methanol proportion. The response is independent of the conductivity in the sensor resulting from fuel contamination. A square wave is employed to excite the sensor and the circuit provides for stabilizing the square wave amplitude. The circuit includes an amplitude modulation detector that converts the square wave transients into a fuel composition related voltage output that can be applied to an engine control mechanism that will adjust the automotive engine to operate efficiently with the fuel being supplied. Circuits are shown for linearizing the fuel composition to voltage response and a charge dispenser amplitude modulation detector is described wherein the detection occurs only during the square wave transient interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Inventors: Nick M. Johnson, Chun-Foong Cheah
  • Patent number: 5231358
    Abstract: A fuel composition sensor provides to a voltage divider comprising sensor and reference capacitors a voltage which oscillates between two voltages at a comparatively low frequency, such as 6 KHz, for lower power dissipation, but which switches fast to produce periodic fast voltage changes across the voltage divider to produce voltage spikes at the junction of the capacitors indicative of the capacitance ratio and thus of fuel composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignees: General Motors Corp., National Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Nick S. Kapsokavathis, Carl D. Wright, Stephen P. Sanders, Nick M. Johnson, Chun F. Cheah
  • Patent number: 5059916
    Abstract: A gauge circuit for use with a wide angle air core meter display having high linearity and adapted for use with a remote sensing resistor. A constant sense current is provided and its value is moudlated at a frequency that is high with respect to the frequencies associated with offset voltages that occur with a sense resistor that is grounded remotely from the gauge ground. A low duty cycle pulse modulation shape is disclosed for the purpose of minimizing electromagnetic interference radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Nick M. Johnson