Patents by Inventor Shankar Ramakrishnan

Shankar Ramakrishnan 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: 20250119664
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of imaging pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels can be coupled to a column analog-to-digital converter (ADC) via a pixel output line. The column ADC can include a first low noise single-ended comparison stage, a second low noise single-ended comparison stage, a latch circuit, and a counter. The first low noise single-ended comparison stage may include one or more current source transistors, a voltage ramp generator, a common source amplifier transistor, one or more autozero components, one or more capacitors such as a noise filtering capacitor, and a voltage clamping circuit. The voltage ramp generator can output an increasing voltage ramp or a decreasing voltage ramp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2024
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar RAMAKRISHNAN
  • Patent number: 12227117
    Abstract: A reconfigurable storage bin for a vehicle includes a storage bin portion including a base wall, a plurality of side walls including a first end wall, a second end wall opposite the first end wall, a first lateral side wall, and a second lateral side wall. The base wall and the plurality of side walls defining a storage zone. A rail member has a first end arranged at the first end wall, a second end arranged at the second end wall, and an intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end. The intermediate portion extending at a non-zero angle relative to the first end wall, the second end wall, the first lateral side wall, and the second lateral side wall. A retaining device is mounted to the rail member. The retaining device is shiftable between the first end and the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Vijaiya Shankar Ramakrishnan, Muragesh Tubaki
  • Patent number: 12207009
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of imaging pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels can be coupled to a column analog-to-digital converter (ADC) via a pixel output line. The column ADC can include a first low noise single-ended comparison stage, a second low noise single-ended comparison stage, a latch circuit, and a counter. The first low noise single-ended comparison stage may include one or more current source transistors, a voltage ramp generator, a common source amplifier transistor, one or more autozero components, one or more capacitors such as a noise filtering capacitor, and a voltage clamping circuit. The voltage ramp generator can output an increasing voltage ramp or a decreasing voltage ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar Ramakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20240351526
    Abstract: A storage bin for a vehicle includes a bin portion including storage volume defined by a plurality of walls including a base wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, and a base member arranged in the storage volume. The base member is selectively height adjustable relative to the base wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Vijaiya Shankar Ramakrishnan, Muragesh Tubaki
  • Publication number: 20240326676
    Abstract: A reconfigurable storage bin for a vehicle includes a storage bin portion including a base wall, a plurality of side walls including a first end wall, a second end wall opposite the first end wall, a first lateral side wall, and a second lateral side wall. The base wall and the plurality of side walls defining a storage zone. A rail member has a first end arranged at the first end wall, a second end arranged at the second end wall, and an intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end. The intermediate portion extending at a non-zero angle relative to the first end wall, the second end wall, the first lateral side wall, and the second lateral side wall. A retaining device is mounted to the rail member. The retaining device is shiftable between the first end and the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Vijaiya Shankar Ramakrishnan, Muragesh Tubaki
  • Patent number: 12088947
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for a track-and-hold amplifier configured to sample and amplify an analog signal. Methods and apparatus for a track-and-hold amplifier according to various aspects of the present invention may provide an isolation circuit configured to isolate transient current in a track-and-hold capacitor during a track phase. According to various embodiments, selective activation of the isolation circuit provides a settling time that is independent of the gain of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar Ramakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20240171875
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of imaging pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels can be coupled to a column analog-to-digital converter (ADC) via a pixel output line. The column ADC can include a first low noise single-ended comparison stage, a second low noise single-ended comparison stage, a latch circuit, and a counter. The first low noise single-ended comparison stage may include one or more current source transistors, a voltage ramp generator, a common source amplifier transistor, one or more autozero components, one or more capacitors such as a noise filtering capacitor, and a voltage clamping circuit. The voltage ramp generator can output an increasing voltage ramp or a decreasing voltage ramp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar RAMAKRISHNAN
  • Patent number: 11832006
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels may be coupled to current source transistors and capacitance cancellation circuitry. The capacitance cancellation circuitry may include capacitors, a common source amplifier transistor, an autozero switch, a switch for selectively deactivating at least one of the capacitors during sample-and-hold reset and sample-and-hold signal operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar Ramakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20230254606
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for a track-and-hold amplifier configured to sample and amplify an analog signal. Methods and apparatus for a track-and-hold amplifier according to various aspects of the present invention may provide an isolation circuit configured to isolate transient current in a track-and-hold capacitor during a track phase. According to various embodiments, selective activation of the isolation circuit provides a settling time that is independent of the gain of the amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar RAMAKRISHNAN
  • Patent number: 11695539
    Abstract: A physical layer transceiver and a network node including the transceiver. The transceiver includes a media independent interface, a converter circuit block comprising circuitry configured to convert digital signals to analog signals for transmission over a network communications medium and convert analog signals received over the medium to digital signals, and one or more processing blocks configured to process digital data communicated between the media independent interface and the converter circuit block according to a network protocol. Management and control circuitry including power management circuitry and reset circuitry are provided. The transceiver further includes at least one single event effect (SEE) monitor, such as an ambience monitor, a configuration register monitor, a state machine monitor, or a phase locked loop (PLL) lock monitor, configured to detect and respond to an SEE event in the transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Geet Govind Modi, Sumantra Seth, Vikram Sharma, Shankar Ramakrishnan, Raghu Ganesan
  • Patent number: 11647312
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for a track-and-hold amplifier configured to sample and amplify an analog signal. Methods and apparatus for a track-and-hold amplifier according to various aspects of the present invention may provide an isolation circuit configured to isolate transient current in a track-and-hold capacitor during a track phase. According to various embodiments, selective activation of the isolation circuit provides a settling time that is independent of the gain of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar Ramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11632509
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels may be coupled to current source transistors and a threshold voltage mitigation circuit. The threshold voltage mitigation circuit may include a long p-channel device for producing a reference current for the current source transistors. The mitigation circuit also includes an autozero transistor and a sampling transistor for passing a global control voltage to the current source transistors. The global control voltage may be generated using a control voltage generator that includes current mirroring circuits and a replica of the current source transistors and the threshold voltage mitigation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar Ramakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20230063737
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels may be coupled to current source transistors and capacitance cancellation circuitry. The capacitance cancellation circuitry may include capacitors, a common source amplifier transistor, an autozero switch, a switch for selectively deactivating at least one of the capacitors during sample-and-hold reset and sample-and-hold signal operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar RAMAKRISHNAN
  • Patent number: 11509844
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels may be coupled to current source transistors and capacitance cancellation circuitry. The capacitance cancellation circuitry may include capacitors, a common source amplifier transistor, an autozero switch, a switch for selectively deactivating at least one of the capacitors during sample-and-hold reset and sample-and-hold signal operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar Ramakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20220286633
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels may be coupled to current source transistors and a threshold voltage mitigation circuit. The threshold voltage mitigation circuit may include a long p-channel device for producing a reference current for the current source transistors. The mitigation circuit also includes an autozero transistor and a sampling transistor for passing a global control voltage to the current source transistors. The global control voltage may be generated using a control voltage generator that includes current mirroring circuits and a replica of the current source transistors and the threshold voltage mitigation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar RAMAKRISHNAN
  • Patent number: 11430821
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels may be coupled to current source transistors and active clamping circuitry. The active clamping circuitry may be configured to sample a reset voltage and to selectively pull down the column line after a charge transfer operation if the column line exceeds the previously sampled reset voltage. The active clamping circuitry can reduce settling time during low light conditions while eliminate column fixed pattern noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar Ramakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20220272290
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels may be coupled to current source transistors and capacitance cancellation circuitry. The capacitance cancellation circuitry may include capacitors, a common source amplifier transistor, an autozero switch, a switch for selectively deactivating at least one of the capacitors during sample-and-hold reset and sample-and-hold signal operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar RAMAKRISHNAN
  • Publication number: 20220181368
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of pixels may be coupled to current source transistors and active clamping circuitry. The active clamping circuitry may be configured to sample a reset voltage and to selectively pull down the column line after a charge transfer operation if the column line exceeds the previously sampled reset voltage. The active clamping circuitry can reduce settling time during low light conditions while eliminate column fixed pattern noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar RAMAKRISHNAN
  • Patent number: 11140343
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of imaging pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of imaging pixels may be coupled to a respective column output line. Each column output line may be coupled to readout circuitry that includes an adjustable current source, sample and hold circuitry, and slew rate sensing and current source control circuitry. To decrease the settling time of the column output line, the slew rate sensing and current source control circuitry may increase the magnitude of a bias current provided by the adjustable current source when the slew rate of the output voltage is above a threshold. When the slew rate of the output voltage is below the threshold, the bias current may revert to a lower magnitude to conserve power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar Ramakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20210306583
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of imaging pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of imaging pixels may be coupled to a respective column output line. Each column output line may be coupled to readout circuitry that includes an adjustable current source, sample and hold circuitry, and slew rate sensing and current source control circuitry. To decrease the settling time of the column output line, the slew rate sensing and current source control circuitry may increase the magnitude of a bias current provided by the adjustable current source when the slew rate of the output voltage is above a threshold. When the slew rate of the output voltage is below the threshold, the bias current may revert to a lower magnitude to conserve power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Shankar RAMAKRISHNAN