Patents by Inventor Samuel D. Pritchett

Samuel D. Pritchett 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: 8462858
    Abstract: Baseband processor and communication overloading can be relieved in a portable wireless communication terminal by decentralizing power control (38, 39) and frequency shift control (75) functions that are conventionally concentrated in the baseband processor. A timing sequencer (31) for power control can be integrated into a transceiver of the portable wireless communications terminal, thereby advantageously permitting power control signals to be generated on the transceiver side (27, 29) rather than the baseband processor side. Shadow registers (74) containing information indicative of commonly used or repeated frequencies can be integrated into the transceiver side, thereby advantageously relieving the baseband processor of corresponding frequency shift control responsibilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Jeffrey A. Schlang, Francesco Dantoni
  • Patent number: 7693236
    Abstract: An RF receiver apparatus (31) is provided physically separately from a cooperating baseband processor apparatus (32). The RF receiver includes a mixer circuit (33) and an analog IF-to-digital baseband converter (34) formed on an integrated circuit. Sampling frequencies of the analog IF-to-digital baseband converter are controlled by the RF receiver apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Jeffrey A. Schlang, Sherif Embabi, Alan Holden, Francesco Dantoni
  • Patent number: 6947721
    Abstract: Baseband processor and communication overloading can be relieved in a portable wireless communication terminal by decentralizing power control (38, 39) and frequency shift control (75) functions that are conventionally concentrated in the baseband processor. A timing sequencer (31) for power control can be integrated into a transceiver of the portable wireless communications terminal, thereby advantageously permitting power control signals to be generated on the transceiver side (27, 29) rather than the baseband processor side. Shadow registers (74) containing information indicative of commonly used or repeated frequencies can be integrated into the transceiver side, thereby advantageously relieving the baseband processor of corresponding frequency shift control responsibilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Jeffrey A. Schlang, Francesco Dantoni
  • Patent number: 6916689
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has passive components integrated with the circuit and encapsulated in a plastic package for solder ball or leaded attachment. A plastic chip-scale semiconductor device has a substrate made of a plurality of patterned insulating layers alternating with patterned electrically conductive layers, the layers mutually adhering to form the substrate. The layers include a plurality of passive electrical components, such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors, and routing lines. Most routing lines terminate in a first plurality of bondable contact pads and a second plurality of solderable contact pads. The components and lines form a web and are configured mostly in a narrow peripheral band at least partially around a central substrate area, and are operable with high performance in conjunction with an integrated circuit (IC) chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Anthony L. Coyle, Milton L. Buschbom
  • Publication number: 20030205400
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has passive components integrated with the circuit and encapsulated in a plastic package for solder ball or leaded attachment. A plastic chip-scale semiconductor device has a substrate made of a plurality of patterned insulating layers alternating with patterned electrically conductive layers, the layers mutually adhering to form the substrate. The layers comprise a plurality of passive electrical components, such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors, and routing lines. Most routing line terminates in a first plurality of bondable contact pads and a second plurality of solderable contact pads. The components and lines form a web and are configured mostly in a narrow peripheral band at least partially around a central substrate area, and are operable with high performance in conjunction with an integrated circuit (IC) chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Anthony L. Coyle, Milton L. Buschbom
  • Patent number: 6586676
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has passive components integrated with the circuit and encapsulated in a plastic package for solder ball or leaded attachment. A plastic chip-scale semiconductor device has a substrate made of a plurality of patterned insulating layers alternating with patterned electrically conductive layers, the layers mutually adhering to form the substrate. The layers include a plurality of passive electrical components, such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors, and routing lines. Most routing lines terminate in a first plurality of bondable contact pads and a second plurality of solderable contact pads. The components and lines form a web and are configured mostly in a narrow peripheral band at least partially around a central substrate area, and are operable with high performance in conjunction with an integrated circuit (IC) chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Anthony L. Coyle, Milton L. Buschbom
  • Publication number: 20020015292
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has passive components integrated with the circuit and encapsulated in a plastic package for solder ball or leaded attachment. A plastic chip-scale semiconductor device has a substrate made of a plurality of patterned insulating layers alternating with patterned electrically conductive layers, the layers mutually adhering to form the substrate. The layers comprise a plurality of passive electrical components, such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors, and routing lines. Most routing line terminates in a first plurality of bondable contact pads and a second plurality of solderable contact pads. The components and lines form a web and are configured mostly in a narrow peripheral band at least partially around a central substrate area, and are operable with high performance in conjunction with an integrated circuit (IC) chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Publication date: February 7, 2002
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Anthony L. Coyle, Milton L. Buschbom
  • Publication number: 20020009164
    Abstract: In an RF receiver apparatus (31) that is provided physically separately from a cooperating baseband processor apparatus (32), the frequency plan options of the RF receiver apparatus can be enhanced by integrating into the RF receiver apparatus a suitably designed digital-IF-to baseband converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Jeffrey A. Schlang, Sherif Embabi, Alan Holden, Francesco Dantoni
  • Publication number: 20020009983
    Abstract: Baseband processor and communication overloading can be relieved in a portable wireless communication terminal by decentralizing power control (38, 39) and frequency shift control (75) functions that are conventionally concentrated in the baseband processor. A timing sequencer (31) for power control can be integrated into a transceiver of the portable wireless communications terminal, thereby advantageously permitting power control signals to be generated on the transceiver side (27, 29) rather than the baseband processor side. Shadow registers (74) containing information indicative of commonly used or repeated frequencies can be integrated into the transceiver side, thereby advantageously relieving the baseband processor of corresponding frequency shift control responsibilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: Samuel D. Pritchett, Jeffrey A. Schlang, Francesco Dantoni
  • Patent number: 5311148
    Abstract: A quasi-interdigitated transistor (50) for rf power applications has a plurality of channel regions (102-118) that are each offset from each other in a y-direction such that a q.sub.x heating component from adjacent channel regions will affect any one channel region to a lesser extent that the q.sub.x from adjacent channel regions in the conventional interdigitated structure. In a preferred embodiment, the channel regions (102-118) are formed in a single, curved, V-shaped row such that the cumulative transverse width of all of the transistor sections is less than the waveguide cutoff frequency. The V-shaped row of transistor sections also provides the advantage of parallel signal paths having approximately the same propagation time delay such that there is no phase cancellation within the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Samuel D. Pritchett
  • Patent number: 5210596
    Abstract: A quasi-interdigitated transistor (50) for rf power applications has a plurality of channel regions (102-118) that are each offset from each other in a y-direction such that a q.sub.x heating component from adjacent channel regions will affect any one channel region to a lesser extent that the q.sub.x from adjacent channel regions in the conventional interdigitated structure. In a preferred embodiment, the channel regions (102-118) are formed in a single, curved, V-shaped row such that the cumulative transverse width of all of the transistor sections is less than the waveguide cutoff frequency. The V-shaped row of transistor sections also provides the advantage of parallel signal paths having approximately the same propagation time delay such that there is no phase cancellation within the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Samuel D. Pritchett
  • Patent number: 5136265
    Abstract: A parallel branched N-state design method is used for discrete increment signal processing systems, such as incremental phase shifters and attenuators. These systems are implemented using parallel branched signal processing networks, each with N parallel discrete increment branch circuits (i.e., without being restricted to binary-state networks). In comparison with conventional cascaded binary-state networks, the parallel branched N-state design achieves reduced complexity and insertion loss. An exemplary embodiment of a phase shift system providing 32 phase increments (or states) uses three cascaded phase shift networks--two quaternary-state networks (Quits 10, 20) and a single binary-state network (Bit 30). The most significant Quit (10) illustrates the N-state design, providing the four most significant phase states (reference, +90.degree., -180.degree., -90.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Samuel D. Pritchett
  • Patent number: 5057882
    Abstract: A quasi-interdigitated transistor (50) for rf power applications has a plurality of channel regions (102-118) that are each offset from each other in a y-direction such that a q.sub.x heating component from adjacent channel regions will affect any one channel region to a lesser extent than the q.sub.x from adjacent channel regions in the conventional interdigitated structure. In a preferred embodiment, the channel regions (102-118) are formed in a single, curved, V-shaped row such that the cumulative transverse width of all of the transistor sections is less than the waveguide cutoff frequency. The V-shaped row of transistor sections also provides the advantage of parallel signal paths having approximately the same propagation time delay such that there is no phase cancellation within the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Samuel D. Pritchett
  • Patent number: 4870373
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a dual gate FET used in variable power amplifiers wherein a gain control circuit is provided across the dual gate electrodes whereby the voltage on one of the gate electrodes is a function of the voltage on the other gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Samuel D. Pritchett