Patents by Inventor Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer
Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer 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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Publication number: 20230095412Abstract: Power adapters having a small-form factor, are capable of delivering a large amount of power, can charge multiple electronic devices, and can allocate power between the multiple electronic devices in an efficient manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Andrew C. O'Connell
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Patent number: 10171000Abstract: A power converter controller includes a drive circuit to generate a drive signal to control switching of a power switch. The drive circuit generates the drive signal in response to a current sense signal, a current limit signal, a frequency skip signal, and a hold signal. A current limit generator generates the current limit signal in response to a load. A frequency detection circuit generates the frequency skip signal in response to the drive signal to indicate when an intended frequency of the drive signal is within a frequency window. The current limit signal remains fixed for at least a switching cycle when the intended frequency is within the frequency window. A first latch generates the hold signal to control the current limit generator to hold the current limit signal. The first latch generates the hold signal in response to the frequency skip signal and a feedback signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2018Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Vikram Balakrishnan, Giao Minh Pham, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
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Publication number: 20180262114Abstract: A power converter controller includes a drive circuit to generate a drive signal to control switching of a power switch. The drive circuit generates the drive signal in response to a current sense signal, a current limit signal, a frequency skip signal, and a hold signal. A current limit generator generates the current limit signal in response to a load. A frequency detection circuit generates the frequency skip signal in response to the drive signal to indicate when an intended frequency of the drive signal is within a frequency window. The current limit signal remains fixed for at least a switching cycle when the intended frequency is within the frequency window. A first latch generates the hold signal to control the current limit generator to hold the current limit signal. The first latch generates the hold signal in response to the frequency skip signal and a feedback signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Vikram Balakrishnan, Giao Minh Pham, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
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Patent number: 10003270Abstract: A controller includes a drive circuit that generates a drive signal to switch a power switch to control a transfer of energy to of a power converter output in response to a current sense signal, a feedback signal, and a current limit signal. A current limit generator generates the current limit signal in response to a load coupled to the output. An exclusion frequency range detection circuit generates a frequency skip signal in response to the drive signal to indicate when an intended frequency of the drive signal is within an exclusion frequency window. The current limit signal is unvarying for at least a switching cycle when the intended frequency of the drive signal is within the exclusion frequency window. A first latch generates a hold signal to control the current limit generator to hold the current limit signal in response to the frequency skip signal and the feedback signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2017Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Vikram Balakrishnan, Giao Minh Pham, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
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Publication number: 20180123465Abstract: A controller includes a drive circuit that generates a drive signal to switch a power switch to control a transfer of energy to of a power converter output in response to a current sense signal, a feedback signal, and a current limit signal. A current limit generator generates the current limit signal in response to a load coupled to the output. An exclusion frequency range detection circuit generates a frequency skip signal in response to the drive signal to indicate when an intended frequency of the drive signal is within an exclusion frequency window. The current limit signal is unvarying for at least a switching cycle when the intended frequency of the drive signal is within the exclusion frequency window. A first latch generates a hold signal to control the current limit generator to hold the current limit signal in response to the frequency skip signal and the feedback signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Vikram Balakrishnan, Giao Minh Pham, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
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Patent number: 9893630Abstract: A power converter controller includes a drive circuit that generates a drive signal to switch a power switch to control a transfer of energy to an output of the power converter in response to a current sense signal, a feedback signal, and a current limit signal. A current limit generator generates the current limit signal in response to a load coupled to the output. An audible noise detection circuit generates a frequency skip signal in response to the drive signal to indicate when an intended frequency of the drive signal is within an audible noise frequency window. A state of the current limit signal fixed when the intended frequency of the drive signal is within the audible noise frequency window. A first latch generates a hold signal to control the current limit generator to hold the current limit signal in response to the frequency skip signal and the feedback signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2016Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Vikram Balakrishnan, Giao Minh Pham, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
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Patent number: 9876433Abstract: A controller for use in a power converter includes a drive circuit coupled to generate a drive signal to control switching of a power switch of the power converter in response to a feedback signal to control a transfer of energy from an input to an output of the power converter. An audible noise window circuit is coupled to generate a frequency skip signal in response to the feedback signal. The frequency skip signal is activated in response to a frequency of a feedback request signal responsive to the feedback signal being within an audible noise window. An audible noise reduction circuit is coupled to output a reduction signal in response to the frequency skip signal. The drive circuit is coupled to generate the drive signal in response to the reduction signal from the audible noise reduction circuit.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2016Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
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Publication number: 20170250614Abstract: A controller for use in a power converter includes a drive circuit coupled to generate a drive signal to control switching of a power switch of the power converter in response to a feedback signal to control a transfer of energy from an input to an output of the power converter. An audible noise window circuit is coupled to generate a frequency skip signal in response to the feedback signal. The frequency skip signal is activated in response to a frequency of a feedback request signal responsive to the feedback signal being within an audible noise window. An audible noise reduction circuit is coupled to output a reduction signal in response to the frequency skip signal. The drive circuit is coupled to generate the drive signal in response to the reduction signal from the audible noise reduction circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2016Publication date: August 31, 2017Inventors: Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
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Publication number: 20170250613Abstract: A power converter controller includes a drive circuit that generates a drive signal to switch a power switch to control a transfer of energy to an output of the power converter in response to a current sense signal, a feedback signal, and a current limit signal. A current limit generator generates the current limit signal in response to a load coupled to the output. An audible noise detection circuit generates a frequency skip signal in response to the drive signal to indicate when an intended frequency of the drive signal is within an audible noise frequency window. A state of the current limit signal fixed when the intended frequency of the drive signal is within the audible noise frequency window. A first latch generates a hold signal to control the current limit generator to hold the current limit signal in response to the frequency skip signal and the feedback signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2016Publication date: August 31, 2017Inventors: Vikram Balakrishnan, Giao Minh Pham, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Peter Vaughan
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Patent number: 9750102Abstract: A controller for use in a power converter includes a first edge detection circuit that receives a first input sense signal representative of an input of the power converter coupled to a dimmer circuit, and generates a first edge detection signal in response to the first input sense signal. A shaping circuit receives the first edge detection signal from the first edge detection circuit. The shaping circuit generates a first shape signal in response to the first edge detection signal. A drive circuit receives the first shape signal and a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter. The drive circuit generates the drive signal in response to the feedback signal to control switching of a power switch of the power converter. The drive circuit switches the power switch in a first higher current mode for a first duration in response to the first shape signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Mingming Mao, Tiziano Pastore, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Antonius Jacobus Johannes Werner, Matthew David Waterson
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Patent number: 9692298Abstract: A transient event detector includes a first reference generator, an adjustable low-pass filter, and a comparator. The first reference generator coupled to scale the input current signal to generate a first reference current signal that tracks the input current signal. The adjustable low-pass filter circuit is coupled to receive the input current signal and to generate a filtered input current signal such that a magnitude of a slope of the filtered input current signal is less than the magnitude of the slope of the input current signal during a transient event. The first comparator is coupled to generate an event detection signal that indicates the presence of the transient event in response to a value of the filtered input current signal reaching a value of the first reference current signal. The adjustable low-pass filter circuit is configured to increase the cutoff frequency in response to the event detection signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2015Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Mingming Mao, Tiziano Pastore, Michael Yue Zhang, Yury Gaknoki
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Patent number: 9680383Abstract: A controller for use in a power converter includes a state selection circuit coupled to receive an input voltage sense signal representative of an input voltage, a switch current sense signal representative of a switch current of a power switch, and a feedback signal representative of an output quantity of the power converter. The state selection circuit is coupled to generate an input voltage signal in response to the input voltage sense signal, an input current signal in response to the switch current sense signal, and an input threshold signal in response to the feedback signal. A state machine circuit is coupled to the state selection circuit to generate a drive signal in response to the input voltage signal, the input current signal, and the input threshold signal to switch the power switch to control a transfer of energy from an input to an output of the power converter.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Mingming Mao, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Michael Yue Zhang, Tiziano Pastore
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Patent number: 9621019Abstract: A controller includes a multiplier block that is coupled to receive an input voltage signal, an input current signal, and an output voltage signal that are representative of a power conversion system. The multiplier block outputs a multiplier block output signal responsive to a product of the input voltage signal and the input current signal divided by the output voltage signal. A signal discriminator outputs a error signal responsive to the multiplier block output signal. The error signal is representative of a difference between a portion of the multiplier block output signal that is greater than a reference signal and a portion of the multiplier block output signal that is less than or equal to the reference signal. A switch controller generates a drive signal responsive to the error signal to control switching of a power switch to regulate an average output current of the power conversion system.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2015Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Power Intergrations, Inc.Inventors: Michael Yue Zhang, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Mingming Mao, Tiziano Pastore
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Patent number: 9602013Abstract: A controller for controlling a power supply includes a feedback signal generator to generate a feedback signal representative of an output current in response to an output sense signal. A state selector circuit receives the feedback signal and outputs a digital state signal to set an operational state of a switch of the power supply. The state selector circuit adjusts the digital state signal in response to feedback information at an end of a feedback period. A driver circuit receives the digital state signal and generates a drive signal in response to the digital state signal. The drive signal drives switching of the switch in accordance with the operational state of the switch.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Tiziano Pastore, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Mingming Mao, Peter Vaughan
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Patent number: 9572224Abstract: Thermally protected bleeder circuits for maintaining an input current of a power converter above a dimmer circuit holding current are disclosed. In one example, a bleeder control circuit may generate a bleeder control signal to control a bleeder current of the bleeder circuit based on an input current signal and a temperature signal. The bleeder control circuit may cause the bleeder current to be substantially equal to zero in response to the input current signal being greater than or equal to a reference signal, and may cause the bleeder current to be proportional to a difference between the input current signal and the reference signal in response to the input current signal being less than the reference signal. The reference signal may be constant for temperatures less than a threshold temperature, but may decrease with respect to increases in temperature for temperatures greater than the threshold temperature.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Yury Gaknoki, Mingming Mao, Tiziano Pastore, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Michael Yue Zhang
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Patent number: 9484814Abstract: A bleeder controller for controlling a magnitude of a variable current conducted by bleeder circuitry between input terminals of a device is disclosed. The magnitude of the variable current is controllable in response to a control signal. The bleeder controller includes a dimming detector to classify a half line cycle as leading-edge-dimmed or a trailing-edge-dimmed in response to at least one of an input current sense signal and an input voltage sense signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2015Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Mingming Mao, Tiziano Pastore, Michael Yue Zhang, Yury Gaknoki
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Patent number: 9479065Abstract: A power conversion device includes a power switch a first main terminal coupled to a higher potential portion, a second main terminal coupled to a lower potential portion, and a tap coupled to the first main terminal to provide a current for charging a supply terminal capacitor. A controller is coupled to a control terminal of the power switch to control switching of the power switch to produce a regulated output. A supply terminal is to be coupled to a supply terminal capacitor to store a charge for supplying power to at least some of the components of the controller. A voltage regulator is coupled to regulate the charge stored and a potential on the supply terminal capacitor. The current for charging the supply terminal capacitor is selectively drawn from the tap of the power switch in response to the supply terminal capacitor being below a threshold.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Mingming Mao, Michael Yue Zhang, Tiziano Pastore, Yury Gaknoki, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer
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Patent number: 9473031Abstract: A controller for a power converter includes conduction detection circuitry and a variable reference generator. The conduction detection circuitry is coupled to generate a conduction signal representative of conduction times that an input signal is above a threshold value. The variable reference generator is coupled to receive the conduction signal and configured to generate a count value in response to a first conduction time of the conduction signal. The variable reference generator is coupled to output a reference signal in response to the count value and in response to prior count values stored in the variable reference generator.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2014Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Mingming Mao, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Tiziano Pastore, Peter Vaughan
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Patent number: 9438122Abstract: A power converter controller asserts a leading edge signal when a leading edge of a voltage signal is detected. The voltage sense signal is representative of an input voltage of the power converter. A trailing edge signal is asserted when a trailing edge of the voltage signal is detected. A first state of a threshold signal is generated when the voltage sense signal is at or above an upper threshold and generating a second state of the threshold signal when the voltage sense signal is at or below a lower threshold. A conduction signal is updated in response to the leading edge signal, the trailing edge signal, and the threshold signal. The conduction signal is for controlling a switch coupled to regulate an output of the power converter.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2014Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Mingming Mao, Tiziano Pastore, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer
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Patent number: 9419528Abstract: A controller for a power converter includes an edge detection circuit including a first circuit coupled to coupled to compare a voltage sense signal representative of an input voltage to a first reference, and a second circuit coupled to compare a current sense signal representative of an input current to a second reference. A slope sense circuit is coupled to measure a slope of the voltage sense signal over time. An edge driver circuit is coupled to generate an edge signal that indicates that an edge has been determined when the voltage sense signal is greater than the first reference, the current sense signal is lower than the second reference, and the slope is negative. A drive circuit is coupled to output a drive signal in response to the edge signal. The drive signal is for controlling a switch coupled to regulate an output of the power converter.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.Inventors: Mingming Mao, Ricardo Luis Janezic Pregitzer, Tiziano Pastore, Michael Yue Zhang