Patents by Inventor Shan-Fong Hong
Shan-Fong Hong 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).
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Patent number: 10784763Abstract: An inverter circuit may include an inverter, a driver coupled to the inverter, and a slew rate control module configured to modify a slew rate of the driver. The slew rate may be modified based on a magnitude of a load driven by the inverter circuit. The magnitude of the load driven by the inverter circuit may be indicated by a current representing a load current or a voltage representing an input voltage. The slew rate may also be modified based on a mode configuration of the inverter circuit.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2018Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: MediaTek Inc.Inventors: Kuan-Yu Chu, HuaChiang Huang, Chih-Chen Li, Shan-Fong Hong
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Patent number: 10211732Abstract: An SMPS (Switched Mode Power Supply) circuit includes a first switch element, a second switch element, an inductor, a capacitor, a current sensor, a current comparator, and a controller. The first switch element is coupled between a first power node and a switch node. The second switch element is coupled between the switch node and a second power node. The inductor is coupled between the switch node and an output node. The capacitor is coupled between the output node and the second power node. The current sensor detects a switch current through the second switch element. The current comparator compares the switch current with a first reference current to generate a comparison signal. The controller controls the first switch element and the second switch element according to the comparison signal and a switch voltage at the switch node. The invention can avoid an excessive SMPS output current.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: MediaTek Inc.Inventors: Chih-Chen Li, Kuan-Yu Chu, Shan-Fong Hong
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Patent number: 10211723Abstract: The invention provides a regulator for DC-DC hybrid-mode power regulation of an output voltage and a load current. The regulator may include a controller and a back-end circuit. The controller controls the output voltage and the load current by charging a connection node when a driving signal is at an on-level, and stopping charging the connection node when the driving signal is at an off-level. The back-end circuit is coupled to the controller, capable of switching between a first mode and a second mode to control transition of the driving signal by different schemes. The back-end circuit switches from the second mode to the first mode when a mode-switch criterion is satisfied, and whether the mode-switch criterion is satisfied is independent of a measurement of the output voltage.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.Inventors: Shan-Fong Hong, Chih-Chen Li, Kuan-Yu Chu, Chien-Wei Kuan, Yen-Hsun Hsu
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Publication number: 20180262097Abstract: An inverter circuit may include an inverter, a driver coupled to the inverter, and a slew rate control module configured to modify a slew rate of the driver. The slew rate may be modified based on a magnitude of a load driven by the inverter circuit. The magnitude of the load driven by the inverter circuit may be indicated by a current representing a load current or a voltage representing an input voltage. The slew rate may also be modified based on a mode configuration of the inverter circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Applicant: MediaTek Inc.Inventors: Kuan-Yu Chu, HuaChiang Huang, Chih-Chen Li, Shan-Fong Hong
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Patent number: 10008936Abstract: A method for performing phase shedding for a voltage converter having a multi-phase output stage circuit includes: sensing an input current of the voltage converter to generate a first digital signal when enabling at least one first output stage within the multi-phase output stage circuit; sensing the input current of the voltage converter to generate a second digital signal when further enabling a second output stage within the multi-phase output stage circuit; comparing the first digital signal with the second digital signal to generate a comparison resultant signal; dynamically adjusting the phase shedding threshold according to the comparison resultant signal, to automatically search/determine an optimal phase shedding threshold; and, performing the phase shedding when an operation of the voltage converter exceeds the optimal phase shedding threshold.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2016Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.Inventor: Shan-Fong Hong
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Patent number: 9899920Abstract: A voltage regulator includes a plurality of output stages and a controller. The plurality of output stages are arranged for selectively enabling to generate output voltages and output currents or not according to a plurality of control signals, respectively. The controller is arranged for sensing the output currents of the output stages, and generating the control signals according to the sensed output currents. When the controller generates the control signals to reduce a quantity of the enabled output stages, the controller determines whether a summation of the sensed output currents is greater than a first threshold or not to determine whether to enable more output stages, then a period of time later, the controller selectively determines whether the summation of the sensed output currents is greater than a second threshold or not to determine whether to enable more output stages, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.Inventors: Chien-Wei Kuan, Yen-Hsun Hsu, Shan-Fong Hong, Chih-Chen Li, Yu-Te Chao
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Publication number: 20170310211Abstract: The invention provides a regulator for DC-DC hybrid-mode power regulation of an output voltage and a load current. The regulator may include a controller and a back-end circuit. The controller controls the output voltage and the load current by charging a connection node when a driving signal is at an on-level, and stopping charging the connection node when the driving signal is at an off-level. The back-end circuit is coupled to the controller, capable of switching between a first mode and a second mode to control transition of the driving signal by different schemes. The back-end circuit switches from the second mode to the first mode when a mode-switch criterion is satisfied, and whether the mode-switch criterion is satisfied is independent of a measurement of the output voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2016Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Shan-Fong Hong, Chih-Chen Li, Kuan-Yu Chu, Chien-Wei Kuan, Yen-Hsun Hsu
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Publication number: 20170077813Abstract: An SMPS (Switched Mode Power Supply) circuit includes a first switch element, a second switch element, an inductor, a capacitor, a current sensor, a current comparator, and a controller. The first switch element is coupled between a first power node and a switch node. The second switch element is coupled between the switch node and a second power node. The inductor is coupled between the switch node and an output node. The capacitor is coupled between the output node and the second power node. The current sensor detects a switch current through the second switch element. The current comparator compares the switch current with a first reference current to generate a comparison signal. The controller controls the first switch element and the second switch element according to the comparison signal and a switch voltage at the switch node. The invention can avoid an excessive SMPS output current.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2016Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventors: Chih-Chen LI, Kuan-Yu CHU, Shan-Fong HONG
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Publication number: 20170077806Abstract: A method for performing phase shedding for a voltage converter having a multi-phase output stage circuit includes: sensing an input current of the voltage converter to generate a first digital signal when enabling at least one first output stage within the multi-phase output stage circuit; sensing the input current of the voltage converter to generate a second digital signal when further enabling a second output stage within the multi-phase output stage circuit; comparing the first digital signal with the second digital signal to generate a comparison resultant signal; dynamically adjusting the phase shedding threshold according to the comparison resultant signal, to automatically search/determine an optimal phase shedding threshold; and, performing the phase shedding when an operation of the voltage converter exceeds the optimal phase shedding threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2016Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventor: Shan-Fong Hong
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Publication number: 20170077811Abstract: A voltage regulator includes a plurality of output stages and a controller. The plurality of output stages are arranged for selectively enabling to generate output voltages and output currents or not according to a plurality of control signals, respectively. The controller is arranged for sensing the output currents of the output stages, and generating the control signals according to the sensed output currents. When the controller generates the control signals to reduce a quantity of the enabled output stages, the controller determines whether a summation of the sensed output currents is greater than a first threshold or not to determine whether to enable more output stages, then a period of time later, the controller selectively determines whether the summation of the sensed output currents is greater than a second threshold or not to determine whether to enable more output stages, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2016Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventors: Chien-Wei Kuan, Yen-Hsun Hsu, Shan-Fong Hong, Chih-Chen Li, Yu-Te Chao