Patents by Inventor Phillip Herron

Phillip Herron 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).

  • Avalanche photodiode biasing system including a current mirror, voltage-to-current converter circuit, and a feedback path sensing an avalanche photodiode voltage
    Patent number: 8901475
    Abstract: A system has a current mirror that has an input node and an output node and an avalanche photodiode (APD) coupled to the output node of the current mirror. The system also has a nonlinear voltage-to-current conversion element coupled to the input node of the current mirror that transmits current through the current mirror and the APD. Further, the system has a feedback path coupled between the output node of the current mirror and the voltage-to-current conversion element that senses a voltage across the APD and provides, based on the sensed voltage, an input signal to the voltage-to-current conversion element for controlling the element's output current, and the feedback path is arranged to limit a voltage of the input signal such that the output current is limited thereby preventing damage to the APD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Joffe, Phillip Herron