Patents by Inventor Richard A. Blanchard

Richard A. Blanchard 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: 20150108565
    Abstract: Power semiconductor devices, and related methods, where majority carrier flow is divided into paralleled flows through two drift regions of opposite conductivity types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: MAXPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Mohamed N. Darwish, Jun Zeng, Richard A. Blanchard
  • Publication number: 20150076711
    Abstract: Vias (holes) are formed in a wafer or a dielectric layer. A low viscosity conductive ink, containing microscopic metal particles, is deposited over the top surface of the wafer to cover the vias. An external force is applied to urge the ink into the vias, including an electrical force, a magnetic force, a centrifugal force, a vacuum, or a suction force for outgas sing the air in the vias. Any remaining ink on the surface is removed by a squeegee, spinning, an air knife, or removal of an underlying photoresist layer. The ink in the vias is heated to evaporate the liquid and sinter the remaining metal particles to form a conductive path in the vias. The resulting wafer may be bonded to one or more other wafers and singulated to form a 3-D module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, William J. Ray, Mark D. Lowenthal, Xiaorong Cai, Theodore Kamins
  • Publication number: 20150061732
    Abstract: Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Ideal Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, William C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20150054552
    Abstract: Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: IDEAL POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, William C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20150029769
    Abstract: Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: IDEAL POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, William C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 8940627
    Abstract: Vias (holes) are formed in a wafer or a dielectric layer. A low viscosity conductive ink, containing microscopic metal particles, is deposited over the top surface of the wafer to cover the vias. An external force is applied to urge the ink into the vias, including an electrical force, a magnetic force, a centrifugal force, a vacuum, or a suction force for outgassing the air in the vias. Any remaining ink on the surface is removed by a squeegee, spinning, an air knife, or removal of an underlying photoresist layer. The ink in the vias is heated to evaporate the liquid and sinter the remaining metal particles to form a conductive path in the vias. The resulting wafer may be bonded to one or more other wafers and singulated to form a 3-D module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Nthdegree Technologies Worldwide Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, William J. Ray, Mark D. Lowenthal, Xiaorong Cai, Theodore Kamins
  • Patent number: 8937502
    Abstract: A lateral insulated gate turn-off (IGTO) device includes an n-type layer, a p-well formed in the n-type layer, a shallow n+ type region formed in the well, a shallow p+ type region formed in the well, a cathode electrode shorting the n+ type region to the p+ type region, at least one trenched gate extending through the n+ type region and into the well, a p+ type anode region laterally spaced from the well, and an anode electrode electrically contacting the p+ type anode region. The structure forms a lateral structure of NPN and PNP transistors, where the well forms the base of the NPN transistor. When a turn-on voltage is applied to the gate, the p-base has a reduced width, resulting in the beta of the NPN transistor increasing beyond a threshold to turn on the IGTO device by current feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Pakal Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, Hidenori Akiyama, Woytek Tworzydlo
  • Publication number: 20140376291
    Abstract: Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: Ideal Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, William C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20140375287
    Abstract: Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: IDEAL POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, William C. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20140370629
    Abstract: An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary method of making a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises: adding a viscosity modifier to a plurality of diodes in a first solvent; and mixing the plurality of diodes, the first solvent and the viscosity modifier to form the liquid or gel suspension of the plurality of diodes. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Mark David Lowenthal, William Johnstone Ray, Neil O. Shotton, Richard A. Blanchard, Brad Oraw, Mark Allan Lewandowski, Jeffrey Baldridge, Eric Anthony Perozziello
  • Publication number: 20140363908
    Abstract: An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary method of fabricating an electronic device comprises: depositing one or more first conductors; and depositing a plurality of diodes suspended in a mixture of a first solvent and a viscosity modifier. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Mark David Lowenthal, William Johnstone Ray, Neil O. Shotton, Richard A. Blanchard, Brad Oraw, Mark Allan Lewandowski, Jeffrey Baldridge, Eric Anthony Perozziello
  • Patent number: 8891115
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system obtains a set of document-processing capabilities from a printer associated with the print job and obtains print data for the print job. Next, the system selects a set of document attributes for the print job based on the document-processing capabilities and the print data, wherein the set of document attributes comprises a document format and a document size. Finally, the system configures the print data to conform to the document attributes to enable processing of the print job by the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Howard A. Miller, Richard Blanchard, Jr., David Gelphman
  • Patent number: 8890238
    Abstract: Power semiconductor devices, and related methods, where majority carrier flow is divided into paralleled flows through two drift regions of opposite conductivity types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: MaxPower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohamed N. Darwish, Jun Zeng, Richard A. Blanchard
  • Patent number: 8878237
    Abstract: An insulated gate turn-off thyristor, formed as a die, has a layered structure including a p+ layer (e.g., a substrate), an n? layer, a p-well, vertical insulated gate regions formed in the p-well, and n+ regions between the gate regions, so that vertical NPN and PNP transistors are formed. The thyristor is formed of a matrix of cells. Due to the discontinuity along the edge cells, a relatively large number of holes are injected into the n? epi layer and drift into the edge p-well, normally creating a higher current along the edge and lowering the breakover voltage of the thyristor. To counter this effect, the dopant concentration of the n+ region(s) near the edge is reduced to reduce the NPN transistor beta and current along the edge, thus increasing the breakover voltage. Alternatively, a deep trench may circumscribe the edge cells to provide isolation from the injected holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Pakal Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Hidenori Akiyama, Richard A. Blanchard, Woytek Tworzydlo
  • Patent number: 8878857
    Abstract: Methods of expressing animation in a data stream are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of expressing animation in a data stream includes defining animation states in the data stream with each state having at least one property such that properties are animated as a group. The animation states that are defined in the data stream may be expressed as an extension of a styling sheet language. The data stream may include web content and the defined animation states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Graffagnino, Dave Hyatt, Richard Blanchard, Kevin Calhoun, Gilles Drieu, Maciej Stachowiak, Don Melton, Darin Adler
  • Patent number: 8878238
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a gate-controlled thyristor which switches between narrow-base operation in the ON state and wide-base operation in the OFF state, and which can only sustain latch-up in the narrow-base ON state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Pakal Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Richard A. Blanchard, Hidenori Akiyama, Woytek Tworzydlo
  • Patent number: 8877101
    Abstract: An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary method of fabricating an electronic device comprises: depositing one or more first conductors; and depositing a plurality of diodes suspended in a mixture of a first solvent and a viscosity modifier. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc
    Inventors: Mark D. Lowenthal, William Johnstone Ray, Neil O. Shotton, Richard A. Blanchard, Mark Allan Lewandowski, Brad Oraw, Jeffrey Baldridge, Eric Anthony Perozziello
  • Publication number: 20140312332
    Abstract: An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. In other exemplary embodiments a second solvent is also included, and the composition has a viscosity substantially between about 100 cps and about 25,000 cps at about 25° C. In an exemplary embodiment, a composition comprises: a plurality of diodes or other two-terminal integrated circuits; one or more solvents comprising about 15% to 99.9% of any of N-propanol, isopropanol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, N-octanol, ethanol, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, cyclohexanol, and mixtures thereof; a viscosity modifier comprising about 0.10% to 2.5% methoxy propyl methylcellulose resin or hydroxy propyl methylcellulose resin or mixtures thereof; and about 0.01% to 2.5% of a plurality of substantially optically transparent and chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Mark David Lowenthal, William Johnstone Ray, Neil O. Shotton, Richard A. Blanchard, Brad Oraw, Mark Allan Lewandowski, Jeffrey Baldridge, Eric Anthony Perozziello
  • Patent number: 8852467
    Abstract: An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary method of making a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises: adding a viscosity modifier to a plurality of diodes in a first solvent; and mixing the plurality of diodes, the first solvent and the viscosity modifier to form the liquid or gel suspension of the plurality of diodes. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc
    Inventors: Mark D. Lowenthal, William Johnstone Ray, Neil O. Shotton, Richard A. Blanchard, Mark Allan Lewandowski, Brad Oraw, Jeffrey Baldridge, Eric Anthony Perozziello
  • Publication number: 20140291644
    Abstract: An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary diode comprises: a light emitting or absorbing region having a diameter between about 20 and 30 microns and a height between 2.5 to 7 microns; a plurality of first terminals spaced apart and coupled to the light emitting region peripherally on a first side, each first terminal of the plurality of first terminals having a height between about 0.5 to 2 microns; and one second terminal coupled centrally to a mesa region of the light emitting region on the first side, the second terminal having a height between 1 to 8 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc.
    Inventors: Mark David Lowenthal, William Johnstone Ray, Neil O. Shotton, Richard A. Blanchard, Brad Oraw