Patents by Inventor Stephen P. Robb

Stephen P. Robb 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).

  • Patent number: 7508641
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an in-rush limiter is configured to control an output voltage to increase at a rate that is independent of the load that is powered by the in-rush limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Alan R. Ball, Stephen P. Robb
  • Publication number: 20080074364
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a vertical N-channel transistor is coupled in a high side configuration to control a current through an LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara-Ascorra, Stephen P. Robb, Alan R. Ball
  • Patent number: 7297603
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a transistor is formed to conduct current in both directions through the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Robb, Francine Y. Robb, Robert F. Hightower
  • Patent number: 7230299
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power switch device (33) includes a first MOSFET device 41 and a second MOSFET device (42). A split gate structure (84) including a first gate electrode (48,87) controls the first MOSFET device (41). A second gate electrode (49,92) controls the second MOSFET device (42). A current limit device (38) is coupled to the first gate electrode (48,97) to turn on the first MOSFET device during a current limit mode. A comparator device (36) is coupled to the second gate electrode (49,92) to turn on the second MOSFET device (42) when the power switch device (33) is no longer in current limit mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Robb, David K. Briggs
  • Patent number: 7102199
    Abstract: A method of providing a Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) device is described utilizing a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) structure and an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) structure. The MOS based TVS devices offer reduced leakage current with reduced clamp voltages between 0.5 and 5 volts. Trench MOS based TVS device (72) provides an enhanced gain operation, while device (88) provides a top side drain contact. The high gain MOS based TVS devices provide increased control over clamp voltage variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries L.L.C.
    Inventors: Francine Y. Robb, Jeffrey Pearse, David M. Heminger, Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 7030447
    Abstract: A method of providing a Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) device is described utilizing a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) structure and an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) structure. The MOS based TVS devices offer reduced leakage current with reduced clamp voltages between 0.5 and 5 volts. Trench MOS based TVS device (72) provides an enhanced gain operation, while device (88) provides a top side drain contact. The high gain MOS based TVS devices provide increased control over clamp voltage variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Francine Y. Robb, Jeffrey Pearse, David M. Heminger, Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 6949961
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power switch device (33) includes a first MOSFET device 41 and a second MOSFET device (42). A split gate structure (84) including a first gate electrode (48,87) controls the first MOSFET device (41). A second gate electrode (49,92) controls the second MOSFET device (42). A current limit device (38) is coupled to the first gate electrode (48,97) to turn on the first MOSFET device during a current limit mode. A comparator device (36) is coupled to the second gate electrode (49,92) to turn on the second MOSFET device (42) when the power switch device (33) is no longer in current limit mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Robb, David K. Briggs
  • Patent number: 6841437
    Abstract: A method of forming medium breakdown voltage vertical transistors (11) and lateral transistors (12, 13) on the same substrate (14) provides for optimizing the epitaxial layer (16) for the lateral transistors (12, 13). The vertical transistor (11) is formed in a well (18) that has a lower resistivity than the epitaxial layer (16) to provide the required low on-resistance for the vertical power transistor (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Stephen P. Robb
  • Publication number: 20040256680
    Abstract: A method of forming medium breakdown voltage vertical transistors (11) and lateral transistors (12, 13) on the same substrate (14) provides for optimizing the epitaxial layer (16) for the lateral transistors (12, 13). The vertical transistor (11) is formed in a well (18) that has a lower resistivity than the epitaxial layer (16) to provide the required low on-resistance for the vertical power transistor (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC.
    Inventor: Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 6781502
    Abstract: A protection circuit (10) is formed to protected a load (11) when a short circuit develops during operation of the load (11). A load transistor (18) is formed to couple the load to a voltage return terminal. A disable transistor (19) is formed to disable the load transistor (18) when a short circuit occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Stephen P. Robb
  • Publication number: 20040070029
    Abstract: A method of providing a Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) device is described utilizing a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) structure and an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) structure. The MOS based TVS devices offer reduced leakage current with reduced clamp voltages between 0.5 and 5 volts. Trench MOS based TVS device (72) provides an enhanced gain operation, while device (88) provides a top side drain contact. The high gain MOS based TVS devices provide increased control over clamp voltage variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Francine Y. Robb, Jeffrey Pearse, David M. Heminger, Stephen P. Robb
  • Publication number: 20030205762
    Abstract: A method of providing a Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) device is described utilizing a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) structure and an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) structure. The MOS based TVS devices offer reduced leakage current with reduced clamp voltages between 0.5 and 5 volts. Trench MOS based TVS device (72) provides an enhanced gain operation, while device (88) provides a top side drain contact. The high gain MOS based TVS devices provide increased control over clamp voltage variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Francine Y. Robb, Jeffrey Pearse, David M. Heminger, Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 6633063
    Abstract: A method of providing a Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) device is described utilizing a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) structure and an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) structure. The MOS based TVS devices offer reduced leakage current with reduced clamp voltages between 0.5 and 5 volts. Trench MOS based TVS device (72) provides an enhanced gain operation, while device (88) provides a top side drain contact. The high gain MOS based TVS devices provide increased control over clamp voltage variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC
    Inventors: Francine Y. Robb, Jeffrey Pearse, David M. Heminger, Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 6507070
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (10) is formed that is bi-lateral and has a voltage blocking capability that is well suited to applications involving portable electronics. The semiconductor device has an epitaxial layer (14) that is formed on a semiconductor substrate (11). A doped region (24) is formed that extends from a top surface (16) of the epitaxial layer (14) to the underlying semiconductor substrate (11). The semiconductor device (10) has a source region (31) that is separated from the doped region (24) to provide a channel region (29). The channel region (29) is modulated by a gate structure (20) to determine if a current flow should be allowed through semiconductor device (10) or if semiconductor device (10) is to provide voltage blocking capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC
    Inventors: Zheng Shen, Stephen P. Robb, Chang Su Mitter
  • Patent number: 6504424
    Abstract: Depletion mode pass transistor (38) accepts input voltage Vin and provides regulated output voltage Vout. The regulated output voltage is referenced to the threshold voltage of MOSFET (40) and is directly proportional to the ratio of resistors (50 and 52). MOSFET (58) provides enabling and disabling of voltage regulator (54). Multiple voltage regulators (FIG. 5) having multiple output potentials are realized on the same semiconductor die producing the same threshold potential for MOSFET's (40), whereby the output potentials are selectable using the ratio of resistors 50 and 52. Constant current source (56) reduces output voltage variation due to input voltage variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC
    Inventors: David M. Heminger, Stephen P. Robb, Margaret E. Fuchs
  • Publication number: 20020163021
    Abstract: A method of providing a Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) device is described utilizing a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) structure and an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) structure. The MOS based TVS devices offer reduced leakage current with reduced clamp voltages between 0.5 and 5 volts. Trench MOS based TVS device (72) provides an enhanced gain operation, while device (88) provides a top side drain contact. The high gain MOS based TVS devices provide increased control over clamp voltage variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Applicant: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC
    Inventors: Francine Y. Robb, Jeffrey Pearse, David M. Heminger, Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 6333604
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (10) for driving an ignition coil (14) has a first transistor (30) providing a coil current (ICOIL) at a first lead (22) of the integrated circuit. A second transistor (32) has a collector coupled to the first lead and an emitter coupled to a gate electrode of the first transistor. A gate electrode of the second transistor is coupled to a second lead (23) of the integrated circuit for receiving a control signal (VENABLE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC
    Inventor: Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 6204097
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (10) having a termination structure (25) and a reduced on-resistance. The termination structure (25) is fabricated using the same processing steps that were used for manufacturing an active device region (21). The termination structure (25) and the active device region (21) are formed by etching trenches (22, 23) into a drift layer (14). The trenches (22, 23) are filled with a doped polysilicon trench fill material (24), which is subsequently planarized. The semiconductor device (10) is formed in the trenches (22) filled with the polysilicon trench fill material (24) that are in the active region. The trenches (23) filled with the polysilicon trench fill material (24) in a termination region serve as termination structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Zheng Shen, Francine Y. Robb, Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 6166893
    Abstract: A load driver circuit (10) includes an output driver (11) suitable for driving an inductive load (13). An output clamp circuit (15) clamps the output (12) to a high voltage during turn-off of the output driver (11). An open load detect circuit (26) clamps the output (12) to a lower voltage when the load (13) has an open circuit fault. A power fault voltage detect circuit (28) clamps the output (12) to another low voltage during a power fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Zheng Shen, Stephen P. Robb
  • Patent number: 6160691
    Abstract: A load driver circuit (10) includes an output driver (11) suitable for driving an inductive load (13). An output clamp circuit (15) clamps the output (12) to a high voltage during turn-off of the output driver (11). An open load detect circuit (26) clamps the output (12) to a lower voltage when the load (13) has an open circuit fault. A power fault voltage detect circuit (28) clamps the output (12) to another low voltage during a power fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Zheng Shen, Stephen P. Robb