Patents by Inventor Shawn Searles

Shawn Searles 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: 20250149489
    Abstract: A semiconductor device package is described that includes a power consuming device (such as an SOC device). The power consuming device may include one or more current consuming elements. A passive device may be coupled to the power consuming device. The passive device may include a plurality of passive elements formed on a semiconductor substrate. The passive elements may be arranged in an array of structures on the semiconductor substrate. The power consuming device and the passive device may be coupled using one or more terminals. The passive device and power consuming device coupling may be configured in such a way that the power consuming device determines functionally the way the passive device elements will be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2025
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventors: Jared L. Zerbe, Emerson S. Fang, Jun Zhai, Shawn Searles
  • Publication number: 20250076912
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system having a power supply circuit, a first regulator circuit, a second regulator circuit, and a load circuit. The power supply circuit outputs a power supply voltage. The first regulator circuit receives the power supply voltage and outputs a first regulated voltage based on the power supply voltage. The second regulator circuit receives the first regulated voltage and outputs a second regulated voltage based on the first regulated voltage. The load circuit receives the second regulated voltage and sends power requirement information (e.g., load current information) to one or more of the power supply circuit, the first regulator circuit, and the second regulator circuit. Based on the power requirement information, one or more of the power supply voltage, the first regulated voltage, and the second regulated voltage is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jay B. FLETCHER, Shawn SEARLES, Hao ZHOU, Sanjay PANT
  • Patent number: 12216515
    Abstract: A power converter circuit included in a computer system may include a phase circuit and a sample circuit. The phase circuit compares a voltage level of the regulated power supply node to a reference voltage to generate a demand current that is used to adjust the voltage level of the regulated power supply node. The phase circuit also digitizes the demand current and stores the resultant bit stream in a memory circuit. The sample circuit generates timestamp information that points to particular storage locations in the memory circuit that correspond to trigger events, allowing the operation of the power converter circuit to be analyzed during different circumstances as well as to adjust operating parameters of the power converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn Searles, Fabio Gozzini, Sanjay Pant, Inder M. Sodhi
  • Publication number: 20250015033
    Abstract: A semiconductor device package is described that includes a power consuming device (such as an SOC device). The power consuming device may include one or more current consuming elements. A passive device may be coupled to the power consuming device. The passive device may include a plurality of passive elements formed on a semiconductor substrate. The passive elements may be arranged in an array of structures on the semiconductor substrate. The power consuming device and the passive device may be coupled using one or more terminals. The passive device and power consuming device coupling may be configured in such a way that the power consuming device determines functionally the way the passive device elements will be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2024
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Inventors: Jared L. Zerbe, Emerson S. Fang, Jun Zhai, Shawn Searles
  • Publication number: 20240396452
    Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit included in a computer system may employ a control circuit and a switch array that includes multiple switch circuits. Different groups of switch circuits that include respective groups of switch devices are coupled between an input power supply node and corresponding regulated power supply nodes. To maintain desired respective voltages on the regulated power supply nodes, the control circuit compares the voltages of the regulated power supply nodes to corresponding reference voltages and, based on results of the comparisons, opens and closes various ones of the switch devices included in the different groups of switch circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Inventors: Jay B. Fletcher, Nathan F. Hanagami, Sanjay Pant, Hao Zhou, Shawn Searles
  • Publication number: 20240313646
    Abstract: A power management circuit included in a computer system regulates a voltage level of a power supply node used by other circuits in the computer system. The power management circuit includes a control circuit and multiple phase circuits coupled to the regulated power supply node via corresponding inductors. The control circuit selectively activates particular ones of the multiple phase circuits allowing them source respective currents to the regulated power supply node. The control circuit also selectively activates particular ones of other phase circuits that are external to the power management circuit and coupled to the regulated power supply node via their own corresponding inductors. Once activated, the external phase circuits source respective currents to the regulated power supply node via their corresponding inductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Hao Zhou, Sarfraz Shaikh, Jay B. Fletcher, Sanjay Pant, Mark A. Yoshimoto, Vincenzo Bisogno, Shawn Searles
  • Patent number: 12081124
    Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit included in a computer system may employ a control circuit and a switch array that includes multiple switch circuits. Different groups of switch circuits that include respective groups of switch devices are coupled between an input power supply node and corresponding regulated power supply nodes. To maintain desired respective voltages on the regulated power supply nodes, the control circuit compares the voltages of the regulated power supply nodes to corresponding reference voltages and, based on results of the comparisons, opens and closes various ones of the switch devices included in the different groups of switch circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jay B. Fletcher, Nathan F. Hanagami, Sanjay Pant, Hao Zhou, Shawn Searles
  • Patent number: 12068324
    Abstract: A semiconductor device package is described that includes a power consuming device (such as an SOC device). The power consuming device may include one or more current consuming elements. A passive device may be coupled to the power consuming device. The passive device may include a plurality of passive elements formed on a semiconductor substrate. The passive elements may be arranged in an array of structures on the semiconductor substrate. The power consuming device and the passive device may be coupled using one or more terminals. The passive device and power consuming device coupling may be configured in such a way that the power consuming device determines functionally the way the passive device elements will be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jared L. Zerbe, Emerson S. Fang, Jun Zhai, Shawn Searles
  • Publication number: 20240241571
    Abstract: A power delivery system included in a computer system uses multiple power converter circuits to generate respective voltage levels on multiple power supply nodes. An embodiment of the power delivery system includes an input power converter circuit that generates a voltage level for use by host and follower power converter circuits. The host power converter circuit generates an external demand current that is shared by multiple follower power converter circuits to regulate the voltage level on the multiple power supply nodes. The power delivery system can be scaled to different platforms of the computer system by adjusting the number of follower power converter circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Shawn Searles, Sanjay Pant, Ludmil N. Nikolov, Tiago Filipe Galhoz Patrao, Enrico Zanetti, Hao Zhou, Vincenzo Bisogno
  • Publication number: 20240243012
    Abstract: Systems including voltage regulator circuits are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a voltage regulator controller integrated circuit (IC) die including one or more portions of a voltage regulator circuit. The apparatus further includes a capacitor die, an inductor die, and an interconnect layer arranged over the voltage regulator controller IC die, the capacitor die and the inductor die. The interconnect provides electrical connections between the voltage regulator controller IC die, the capacitor die and the inductor die to form the voltage regulator circuit. In a further embodiment, the voltage regulator controller IC die, the capacitor die and the inductor die are arranged in a planar fashion within a voltage regulator module. In still another embodiment, a system IC is coupled to the voltage regulator module and includes one or more functional circuit blocks coupled to receive a regulated supply voltage generated by the voltage regulator circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Patent number: 11983063
    Abstract: A power delivery system included in a computer system using multiple power converter circuits to generate respective voltage levels on multiple power supply nodes. The power delivery system includes a step-down power converter circuit that generates a voltage level for use by host and follower power converter circuits. The host power converter circuit generates an external demand current that is shared by multiple follower power converter circuits to regulate the voltage level on the multiple power supply nodes. The power delivery system can be scaled to different platforms of the computer system by adjusting the number of follower power converter circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn Searles, Sanjay Pant, Ludmil N. Nikolov, Tiago Filipe Galhoz Patrao, Enrico Zanetti, Hao Zhou, Vincenzo Bisogno
  • Patent number: 11967528
    Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Publication number: 20240126353
    Abstract: A power converter circuit included in a computer system may include a phase circuit and a sample circuit. The phase circuit compares a voltage level of the regulated power supply node to a reference voltage to generate a demand current that is used to adjust the voltage level of the regulated power supply node. The phase circuit also digitizes the demand current and stores the resultant bit stream in a memory circuit. The sample circuit generates timestamp information that points to particular storage locations in the memory circuit that correspond to trigger events, allowing the operation of the power converter circuit to be analyzed during different circumstances as well as to adjust operating parameters of the power converter circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Shawn Searles, Fabio Gozzini, Sanjay Pant, Inder M. Sodhi
  • Patent number: 11953967
    Abstract: A power management subsystem included in a computer system may include a host device and a power circuit group. The power circuit group includes multiple power circuits arranged in a tree-like structure. The resources of the multiple power circuits are mapped to corresponding addresses within a common address space. The host device sends, via a first communication bus, commands to a branch power circuit of the multiple power circuits, which, in turn, relays the commands, using a second communication bus, to corresponding ones of the other power circuits based on respective power resources specified in the commands received from the host device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn Searles, Preethi Damodaran, Ofir Gilad, Michele De Fazio, Inder M. Sodhi, Enrico Zanetti, Olivier Girard, Lothar Münch, Andrea Barsanti, Andrea Lazzeri
  • Publication number: 20240069621
    Abstract: A power delivery system included in a computer system using multiple power converter circuits to generate respective voltage levels on multiple power supply nodes. The power delivery system includes a step-down power converter circuit that generates a voltage level for use by host and follower power converter circuits. The host power converter circuit generates an external demand current that is shared by multiple follower power converter circuits to regulate the voltage level on the multiple power supply nodes. The power delivery system can be scaled to different platforms of the computer system by adjusting the number of follower power converter circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Shawn Searles, Sanjay Pant, Ludmil N. Nikolov, Tiago Filipe Galhoz Patrao, Enrico Zanetti, Hao Zhou, Vincenzo Bisogno
  • Publication number: 20230369972
    Abstract: A power management circuit included in a computer system regulates a voltage level of a power supply node used by other circuits in the computer system. The power management circuit includes a control circuit and multiple phase circuits coupled to the regulated power supply node via corresponding inductors. The control circuit selectively activates particular ones of the multiple phase circuits allowing them source respective currents to the regulated power supply node. The control circuit also selectively activates particular ones of other phase circuits that are external to the power management circuit and coupled to the regulated power supply node via their own corresponding inductors. Once activated, the external phase circuits source respective currents to the regulated power supply node via their corresponding inductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Hao Zhou, Sarfraz Shaikh, Jay B. Fletcher, Sanjay Pant, Mark A. Yoshimoto, Vincenzo Bisogno, Shawn Searles
  • Publication number: 20230353048
    Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit included in a computer system may employ a control circuit and a switch array that includes multiple switch circuits. Different groups of switch circuits that include respective groups of switch devices are coupled between an input power supply node and corresponding regulated power supply nodes. To maintain desired respective voltages on the regulated power supply nodes, the control circuit compares the voltages of the regulated power supply nodes to corresponding reference voltages and, based on results of the comparisons, opens and closes various ones of the switch devices included in the different groups of switch circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Jay B. Fletcher, Nathan F. Hanagami, Sanjay Pant, Hao Zhou, Shawn Searles
  • Patent number: 11803219
    Abstract: A power converter circuit included in a computer system may include a phase circuit and a sample circuit. The phase circuit compares a voltage level of the regulated power supply node to a reference voltage to generate a demand current that is used to adjust the voltage level of the regulated power supply node. The phase circuit also digitizes the demand current and stores the resultant bit stream in a memory circuit. The sample circuit generates timestamp information that points to particular storage locations in the memory circuit that correspond to trigger events, allowing the operation of the power converter circuit to be analyzed during different circumstances as well as to adjust operating parameters of the power converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn Searles, Fabio Gozzini, Sanjay Pant, Inder M. Sodhi
  • Publication number: 20230335440
    Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Vidhya Ramachandran, Jun Zhai, Chonghua Zhong, Kunzhong Hu, Shawn Searles, Joseph T. DiBene, II, Mengzhi Pang
  • Publication number: 20230333625
    Abstract: A power management subsystem included in a computer system may include a host device and a power circuit group. The power circuit group includes multiple power circuits arranged in a tree-like structure. The resources of the multiple power circuits are mapped to corresponding addresses within a common address space. The host device sends, via a first communication bus, commands to a branch power circuit of the multiple power circuits, which, in turn, relays the commands, using a second communication bus, to corresponding ones of the other power circuits based on respective power resources specified in the commands received from the host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Shawn Searles, Preethi Damodaran, Ofir Gilad, Michele De Fazio, Inder M. Sodhi, Enrico Zanetti, Olivier Girard, Lothar Münch, Andrea Barsanti, Andrea Lazzeri