Patents by Inventor Robert A. Card

Robert A. Card 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: 11277015
    Abstract: Techniques for charging an electronic device using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable and connector are provided. In an example, an apparatus can include a charger, a USB cable coupled to the charger at a first end of the cable, a paddle card for a USB connector coupled to the cable at a second end of the cable, the paddle card including differential data contacts, and wherein the differential data contacts of the paddle card are shorted together at the paddle card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Card, James A. Meacham, II
  • Patent number: 10817457
    Abstract: A paddle board includes an electronic marker circuit configured to indicate at least one capability of a cable assembly to a device coupled to the cable assembly and to select the device as one of a source or a sink, the paddle board being powered by the device, a register configured to store at least one variable value associated with at least one of the cable assembly and the paddle board, and a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the paddle board and configured to store a value indicating the sensed temperature in the register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert A. Card, Erik Maier
  • Publication number: 20200244079
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus, systems, and methods to prevent a voltage of a charging battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, including receiving charging information from a battery and controlling an output current of a travel adapter, including adjusting the received battery current information using a load current to prevent the voltage of the battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, and providing output current limit information to the travel adapter using the adjusted battery current information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: James A. MEACHAM, II, Robert A. CARD
  • Patent number: 10666070
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus, systems, and methods to prevent a voltage of a charging battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, including receiving charging information from a battery and controlling an output current of a travel adapter, including adjusting the received battery current information using a load current to prevent the voltage of the battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, and providing output current limit information to the travel adapter using the adjusted battery current information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: James A. Meacham, II, Robert A. Card
  • Patent number: 10333260
    Abstract: A device includes an interface configured to couple a power source to the device. The interface includes a plurality of contacts including at least one first contact configured to couple a voltage bus of the power source to a voltage bus of the device, and at least one second contact configured to couple the voltage bus of the power source to a secondary bus of the device. The device further includes a detector configured to determine a contact resistance of the at least one first contact based on a first current associated with the voltage bus and a second current associated with the secondary bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Card
  • Patent number: 10090695
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods to optimize charging of a battery, including providing a first charge profile configured to provide charge current pulses to a battery in a plurality of steps. In the first charge profile, the charge current pulses can be stepped down in the plurality of steps using a comparison of a terminal voltage of the battery to a clamp voltage. When the terminal voltage meets or exceeds the clamp voltage, a high time current of the charge current pulse can be decreased and the clamp voltage can be increased before providing a subsequent charge current pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Card, Ming Chuen Alvan Lam
  • Publication number: 20180143674
    Abstract: A paddle board includes an electronic marker circuit configured to indicate at least one capability of a cable assembly to a device coupled to the cable assembly and to select the device as one of a source or a sink, the paddle board being powered by the device, a register configured to store at least one variable value associated with at least one of the cable assembly and the paddle board, and a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the paddle board and configured to store a value indicating the sensed temperature in the register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert A. CARD, Erik MAIER
  • Publication number: 20180097378
    Abstract: A power converter includes a load detector a processor and a power control block. The load detector is configured to determine a change in a load value of an electronic device coupled to the power converter without receiving a message communicated from the electronic device indicating the change in the load value, and determine if the change in the load value exceeds a threshold value. The processor, in response to determining the change in the load value exceeds the threshold value, is configured to signal the power converter to reduce a voltage. The power control block is configured to reduce the voltage based on the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert A. CARD, James A. MEACHAM, II
  • Publication number: 20180062326
    Abstract: A device includes an interface configured to couple a power source to the device. The interface includes a plurality of contacts including at least one first contact configured to couple a voltage bus of the power source to a voltage bus of the device, and at least one second contact configured to couple the voltage bus of the power source to a secondary bus of the device. The device further includes a detector configured to determine a contact resistance of the at least one first contact based on a first current associated with the voltage bus and a second current associated with the secondary bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Robert A. CARD
  • Publication number: 20170201109
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus, systems, and methods to prevent a voltage of a charging battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, including receiving charging information from a battery and controlling an output current of a travel adapter, including adjusting the received battery current information using a load current to prevent the voltage of the battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, and providing output current limit information to the travel adapter using the adjusted battery current information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: James A. MEACHAM, II, Robert A. Card
  • Publication number: 20170194803
    Abstract: Techniques for charging an electronic device using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable and connector are provided. In an example, an apparatus can include a charger, a USB cable coupled to the charger at a first end of the cable, a paddle card for a USB connector coupled to the cable at a second end of the cable, the paddle card including differential data contacts, and wherein the differential data contacts of the paddle card are shorted together at the paddle card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Robert A. Card, James A. Meacham, II
  • Patent number: 9618920
    Abstract: This document discusses among other things, methods and apparatus to conserve energy when providing proximity information. An example apparatus can include an energy emitter configured to emit a first pulse of energy, an energy sensor configured to receive reflected energy from the first pulse of energy, a control circuit including a processor, the processor configured to provide first proximity information of the apparatus with respect to an object using the reflected energy. The control circuit can be configured to control the energy emitter, to compare the first proximity information with second proximity information, and to modulate a delay between the first pulse of energy and a subsequent pulse of energy using the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Card
  • Patent number: 9423820
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods to communicate data over a data bus during a first period of a clock signal with a uniform power distribution, including providing a complimentary bit state of the data during a first portion of the first period of the clock signal and providing an actual bit state of the data during a second portion of the first period of the clock signal. In an example, the first period can include first, second, third, and fourth portions, and the systems and methods can include providing a complimentary bit state of the data during first and fourth portions of the first period of the clock signal and an actual bit state of the data during a second portion of the first period of the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Card
  • Patent number: 9401802
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for defending an electronic circuit secret algorithm and secret parameter values against a side-attack. In an example, a method can include receiving first one or more parameters for altering a clock signal of the electronic device at a non-volatile memory register, and altering a frequency of the clock signal of the electronic device during execution of an authentication routine according to the first one or more parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Robert A. Card
  • Publication number: 20160064957
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods to optimize charging of a battery, including providing a first charge profile configured to provide charge current pulses to a battery in a plurality of steps. In the first charge profile, the charge current pulses can be stepped down in the plurality of steps using a comparison of a terminal voltage of the battery to a clamp voltage. When the terminal voltage meets or exceeds the clamp voltage, a high time current of the charge current pulse can be decreased and the clamp voltage can be increased before providing a subsequent charge current pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Robert A. Card, Ming Chuen Alvan Lam
  • Patent number: 9202041
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, an attack detection module configured to permanently shut down a slave device after a number of consecutive attacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Card, Jefferson Hopkins, Christian Klein, Myron J. Miske, Michael Smith, John R. Turner, Jaeyoung Yoo
  • Patent number: 9020418
    Abstract: In one general aspect, a repeater can include an input terminal configured to be coupled to a first portion of a MIPI signal path. The MIPI signal path being a unidirectional path between a receiver and a transmitter, the input terminal configured to receive a set of signals from the receiver via the MIPI signal path. The repeater can include an output terminal configured to be coupled to a second portion of the MIPI signal path, the first portion of the MIPI signal path and the second portion of the MIPI signal path having a combined distance greater than 30 centimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A Card, Kenneth P Snowdon
  • Publication number: 20150039910
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for defending an electronic circuit secret algorithm and secret parameter values against a side-attack. In an example, a method can include receiving first one or more parameters for altering a clock signal of the electronic device at a non-volatile memory register, and altering a frequency of the clock signal of the electronic device during execution of an authentication routine according to the first one or more parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Robert A. Card
  • Publication number: 20150039911
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods to communicate data over a data bus during a first period of a clock signal with a uniform power distribution, including providing a complimentary bit state of the data during a first portion of the first period of the clock signal and providing an actual bit state of the data during a second portion of the first period of the clock signal. In an example, the first period can include first, second, third, and fourth portions, and the systems and methods can include providing a complimentary bit state of the data during first and fourth portions of the first period of the clock signal and an actual bit state of the data during a second portion of the first period of the clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Robert A. Card
  • Publication number: 20140219442
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a method of distributing authentication keys that can prevent certain forms of circuit fabrication piracy. In an example, a method can include selecting a number of authentication keys for generation at a key generation computer, generating a random number using a random number generator of the key generation computer, generating the number of authentication keys using the random number and a key generation algorithm stored in the memory of the key generation computer, scrambling each of the number of authentication keys using a scrambling routine executing on the key generation computer, and distributing the scrambled authentication keys to an authorized manufacturers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Card, Jefferson Hopkins, Christian Klein, Myron J. Miske, Michael Smith, John R. Turner, Jaeyoung Yoo, Nathan Charland