Patents by Inventor Stephen E. Richard

Stephen E. Richard 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: 20120263258
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one transmit amplifier and rectification circuitry located in the at least one transmit amplifier, which is configured to receive a RF signal and provide a rectified voltage, which is selectably added to a voltage supplied by a battery to generate a DC voltage supply signal that is a function of RF power level. A controller is configured to select between providing the VBAT or the VSupply signal to a transmit switch depending on one or more of a logic state and a mode of operation. An alternate apparatus comprises a charge pump circuit configured to quickly raise a voltage supplied to it and store the output voltage on a capacitor and then either shift a first frequency provided by a charge pump oscillator to a lower second frequency or turn off a charge pump clock to maintain a voltage on the capacitor during a transmit mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. LaBelle, Michael Shane Moore, Jamel Benbrik, Michael B. Thomas, Stephen E. Richard
  • Patent number: 8217717
    Abstract: A linear diode detector having an increased dynamic range and an improved sensitivity level is described. The linear diode detector includes a signal input that receives a sample of output power from a power amplifier (PA). A detector output provides a voltage signal that is usable by power control circuitry to maintain a constant output power for the PA. A rectifier diode has an anode communicatively coupled to the signal input, and a cathode that is communicatively coupled to the detector output. A low pass filter is communicatively coupled to the detector output to filter out high frequency components of a rectified sample of output power. The anode of a feedback diode is communicatively coupled to the detector output, and the cathode of the feedback diode is communicatively coupled to the anode of the rectifier diode in order to feedback a portion of the voltage signal to increase detection sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Hien D. Bui, Stephen E. Richard