Patents by Inventor Roland Saint-Pierre

Roland Saint-Pierre 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: 7990127
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling a buck converter. In one aspect, an integrator is coupled to receive a current sense signal representative of a current in a switch of the buck converter and to integrate the current sense signal to produce a first input signal. A ramp generator is coupled to receive an oscillating signal having a same switching period as the switch, and to generate a piecewise linear ramp signal in response to the oscillating signal. The piecewise linear ramp signal has a delay segment of substantially zero slope followed by a plurality of segments having finite linear slopes within the switching period of the switch. A multiplier multiplies the piecewise linear ramp signal to produce a second input signal and a drive signal generator is coupled to receive a third input signal generated in response to the first and the second input signals to produce a drive signal to be coupled to control the switch to substantially regulate an output voltage of the buck converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Roland Saint-Pierre
  • Publication number: 20090231889
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling a buck converter. In one aspect, an integrator is coupled to receive a current sense signal representative of a current in a switch of the buck converter and to integrate the current sense signal to produce a first input signal. A ramp generator is coupled to receive an oscillating signal having a same switching period as the switch, and to generate a piecewise linear ramp signal in response to the oscillating signal. The piecewise linear ramp signal has a delay segment of substantially zero slope followed by a plurality of segments having finite linear slopes within the switching period of the switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Roland Saint-Pierre
  • Publication number: 20070253225
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed to provide transformerless safety isolation in a power supply. One example regulated power converter includes input terminals included in a primary circuit of the power converter. Output terminals are included in a secondary circuit of the power converter. A plurality of safety capacitors including first and second safety capacitors are also included. Each of the plurality of safety capacitors includes a respective first terminal coupled to the primary circuit and a respective second terminal coupled to the secondary circuit. The plurality of safety capacitors galvanically isolates the primary circuit from the secondary circuit. A power switch is included in the primary circuit. The power switch is coupled such that switching of the power switch causes energy to transfer between the primary and secondary circuits through the plurality of safety capacitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Stefan Baurle, David Matthews, Roland Saint-Pierre