Patents by Inventor Robert E. Whyte

Robert E. Whyte 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: 20070236825
    Abstract: A disk drive controller including a differential voice coil motor control function is disclosed. The differential voice coil motor control function includes an on-chip compensation network for the inner control loop, including a resistor formed of one or more MOS transistors connected in series. The gate of the MOS transistors in the compensation network is driven with a bias voltage based on a tuning current, where the tuning current is derived so that it varies with process and temperature variations of the integrated circuit, for example with variations in an on-chip capacitor. The on-chip compensation network can be tuned with sufficient precision to properly compensate the inner control loop to provide the desired frequency response in driving the voice coil motor in the disk drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Degang Xia, Robert E. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20070236164
    Abstract: A disk drive controller including a differential voice coil motor control function is disclosed. The differential voice coil motor control function includes an on-chip compensation network for the inner control loop, including a resistor formed of one or more MOS transistors connected in series. The gate of the MOS transistors in the compensation network is driven with a bias voltage based on a tuning current, where the tuning current is derived so that it varies with process and temperature variations of the integrated circuit, for example with variations in an on-chip capacitor. The on-chip compensation network can be tuned with sufficient precision to properly compensate the inner control loop to provide the desired frequency response in driving the voice coil motor in the disk drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Degang Xia, Robert E. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20040131343
    Abstract: Disclosed are circuits and circuit architectures for partitioning between a hard disk drive assembly mixed signal spindle motor driver and additional associated digital circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Robert E. Whyte, Frederick W. Trafton, Liyong Chen
  • Publication number: 20040095815
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hard disk drive system having overvoltage protection circuits for various types of overvoltage conditions. For example, the system comprises one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips residing on a board and a hard disk drive power plug receptacle residing on the board having two different value power supply ports associated therewith. The receptacle is operable to receive a power plug therein, wherein when the power plug is inserted therein in a proper orientation the two different value voltages are properly supplied to the one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips, and wherein when the power plug is inserted therein in an improper orientation the two different value voltages are switched with respect to their intended values. The system comprises a reverse power plug orientation protection circuit coupled between the hard disk drive power plug receptacle and at least one of the one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: James E. Chloupek, Robert E. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20040070905
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hard disk drive system having overvoltage protection circuits for various types of overvoltage conditions. For example, the system comprises one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips residing on a board and a hard disk drive power plug receptacle residing on the board having two different value power supply ports associated therewith. The receptacle is operable to receive a power plug therein, wherein when the power plug is inserted therein in a proper orientation the two different value voltages are properly supplied to the one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips, and wherein when the power plug is inserted therein in an improper orientation the two different value voltages are switched with respect to their intended values. The system comprises a reverse power plug orientation protection circuit coupled between the hard disk drive power plug receptacle and at least one of the one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: James E. Chloupek, Robert E. Whyte
  • Publication number: 20020071231
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hard disk drive system having overvoltage protection circuits for various types of overvoltage conditions. For example, the system comprises one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips residing on a board and a hard disk drive power plug receptacle residing on the board having two different value power supply ports associated therewith. The receptacle is operable to receive a power plug therein, wherein when the power plug is inserted therein in a proper orientation the two different value voltages are properly supplied to the one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips, and wherein when the power plug is inserted therein in an improper orientation the two different value voltages are switched with respect to their intended values. The system comprises a reverse power plug orientation protection circuit coupled between the hard disk drive power plug receptacle and at least one of the one or more hard disk drive integrated circuit chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: James E. Chloupek, Robert E. Whyte
  • Patent number: 5821717
    Abstract: A system for driving a hard disk drive spindle motor is disclosed. The system comprises a spindle motor control circuit (120) and a spindle motor power circuit (220). The system also includes at least one disk (22) attached to a rotatable spindle (21) and a spindle motor (400) which receives power signals from the spindle motor power circuit (220) and controls the rotation of the spindle (21). The spindle motor control circuit (120) comprises a multiplexor (127) which transmits either a pulse width modulation signal or a current control signal in response to a mode selection signal, and a spindle predriver (125) which receives the multiplexor output signal and transmits spindle motor control signals to the spindle motor power circuit (220).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mehedi Hassan, Robert E. Whyte, James E. Chloupek