Patents by Inventor Stephen L. Sutton

Stephen L. Sutton 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).

  • Non-volatile memory in power and linear integrated circuits
    Patent number: 5710515
    Abstract: A testable temperature warning circuit (120) in an integrated circuit substrate (124) provides a warning if the substrate temperature exceeds a critical temperature. A programming circuit (140) controls a selection, circuit (128) to establish a programmably selectable temperature at either the critical temperature or a second predetermined temperature lower than the critical temperature to enable the warning circuit operation to be tested at a temperature lower than the critical temperature. In one embodiment, the selection circuit 128 comprises a current source that produces a voltage drop across the resistor 121 and base-emitter of the transistor 122 produces a substrate temperature indicating current of magnitude related to the temperature of the substrate. The substrate temperature indicating current at the second temperature is extrapolatingly related to the substrate temperature indicating current at the critical temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ross E. Teggatz, Joseph A. Devore, Stephen L. Sutton, Ganapathy R. Subramaniam
  • SCR-DMOS circuit for driving electroluminescent displays
    Patent number: 4937647
    Abstract: Disclosed is a small-area solid state driver (30) adapted for switching high voltages. The driver (30) includes a DMOS device (48) driving a bipolar SCR (58). A SCR NPN transistor (54) and PNP transistor (56) are parasitic in nature, thus reducing the wafer area of the driver (30). The SCR (58) provides current sink capabilities to the driver output (60). Current source capabilities are provided by a substrate input terminal (50) which is connected to the output (60) by diodes (84, 86). A third input (52) allows the SCR (58) to be disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen L. Sutton
  • SCR-MOS circuit for driving electroluminescent displays
    Patent number: 4774420
    Abstract: Disclosed is a small-area solid state driver (30) adapted for switching high voltages. The driver (30) includes a DMOS device (48) driving a bipolar SCR (58). A SCR NPN transistor (54) and PNP transistor (56) are parasitic in nature, thus reducing the wafer area of the driver (30). The SCR (58) provides current sink capabilities to the driver output (60). Current source capabilities are provided by a substrate input terminal (50) which is connected to the output (60) by diodes (84, 86). A third input (52) allows the SCR (58) to be disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen L. Sutton