Patents by Inventor Scott E. Ragona

Scott E. Ragona 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: 10630183
    Abstract: A switching converter having a high-side switching transistor and a low-side switching transistor and an inductor, having a circuit for generating a simulated waveform representing a sawtooth inductor current waveform. A circuit for monitoring and voltage at a switch node between the high-side and low-side transistors to determine a time during which the inductor current is increasing and a time during which the inductor current is decreasing wherein voltage across the low-side transistor when it is conducting represents a first portion of the simulated sawtooth inductor current waveform. A circuit for utilizing the time when the inductor current is increasing, the time when the inductor current is decreasing and the voltage across the low-side transistor when it is conducting to generate a portion of the simulated inductor current waveform when the high-side transistor is conducting. A method and a power supply utilizing this circuit are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott E. Ragona, Rengang Chen, David Jauregui
  • Publication number: 20180226892
    Abstract: A switching converter having a high-side switching transistor and a low-side switching transistor and an inductor, having a circuit for generating a simulated waveform representing a sawtooth inductor current waveform. A circuit for monitoring and voltage at a switch node between the high-side and low-side transistors to determine a time during which the inductor current is increasing and a time during which the inductor current is decreasing wherein voltage across the low-side transistor when it is conducting represents a first portion of the simulated sawtooth inductor current waveform. A circuit for utilizing the time when the inductor current is increasing, the time when the inductor current is decreasing and the voltage across the low-side transistor when it is conducting to generate a portion of the simulated inductor current waveform when the high-side transistor is conducting. A method and a power supply utilizing this circuit are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Scott E. Ragona, Rengang Chen, David Jauregui
  • Patent number: 9966855
    Abstract: A switching converter having a high-side switching transistor and a low-side switching transistor and an inductor, having a circuit for generating a simulated waveform representing a sawtooth inductor current waveform. A circuit for monitoring and voltage at a switch node between the high-side and low-side transistors to determine a time during which the inductor current is increasing and a time during which the inductor current is decreasing wherein voltage across the low-side transistor when it is conducting represents a first portion of the simulated sawtooth inductor current waveform. A circuit for utilizing the time when the inductor current is increasing, the time when the inductor current is decreasing and the voltage across the low-side transistor when it is conducting to generate a portion of the simulated inductor current waveform when the high-side transistor is conducting. A method and a power supply utilizing this circuit are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Scott E. Ragona, Rengang Chen, David Jauregui
  • Patent number: 9295124
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a shunt circuit includes a floating shunt switch configured to bypass at least one load, for example at least one LED, among a plurality of series-connected loads, such as a plurality of series-connected LEDs in a lighting system, responsive to a high-side control signal. The at least one load has terminals connected across the shunt circuit. The shunt circuit further includes a high-voltage level-shift up circuit configured to shift a low-side control signal up to the high-side control signal using a voltage of at least one of the terminals of the at least one load. The floating shunt switch can be configured to bypass the at least one load responsive to a failure of the at least one load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Ribarich, Scott E. Ragona
  • Publication number: 20150097539
    Abstract: A switching converter having a high-side switching transistor and a low-side switching transistor and an inductor, having a circuit for generating a simulated waveform representing a sawtooth inductor current waveform. A circuit for monitoring and voltage at a switch node between the high-side and low-side transistors to determine a time during which the inductor current is increasing and a time during which the inductor current is decreasing wherein voltage across the low-side transistor when it is conducting represents a first portion of the simulated sawtooth inductor current waveform. A circuit for utilizing the time when the inductor current is increasing, the time when the inductor current is decreasing and the voltage across the low-side transistor when it is conducting to generate a portion of the simulated inductor current waveform when the high-side transistor is conducting. A method and a power supply utilizing this circuit are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Scott E. Ragona, Rengang Chen, David Jauregui
  • Patent number: 8866464
    Abstract: Systems and methods for regulating a switching converter are disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a power supply system that includes a switching converter that provides an output voltage by alternately turning on and off a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor both coupled to an output inductor through a switching node. The switching converter includes a drive circuit that regulates the output voltage based on a feedback signal. The power supply system also includes a simulated output generator that generates and provides the drive circuit with a simulated inductor waveform as the feedback signal based on a low-side output waveform of the low-side transistor measured at the switching node during off-times of the switching converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott E. Ragona, Rengang Chen, David Jauregui
  • Publication number: 20130154590
    Abstract: Systems and methods for regulating a switching converter are disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a power supply system that comprises a switching converter that provides an output voltage by alternately turning on and off a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor both coupled to an output inductor through a switching node. The switching converter includes a drive circuit that regulates the output voltage based on a feedback signal. The power supply system also comprises a simulated output generator that generates and provides the drive circuit with a simulated inductor waveform as the feedback signal based on a low-side output waveform of the low-side transistor measured at the switching node during off-times of the switching converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: SCOTT E. RAGONA, RENGANG CHEN, David Jauregui
  • Publication number: 20120025713
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a shunt circuit includes a floating shunt switch configured to bypass at least one load, for example at least one LED, among a plurality of series-connected loads, such as a plurality of series-connected LEDs in a lighting system, responsive to a high-side control signal. The at least one load has terminals connected across the shunt circuit. The shunt circuit further includes a high-voltage level-shift up circuit configured to shift a low-side control signal up to the high-side control signal using a voltage of at least one of the terminals of the at least one load. The floating shunt switch can be configured to bypass the at least one load responsive to a failure of the at least one load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas J. Ribarich, Scott E. Ragona