Patents by Inventor Steve Hawley

Steve Hawley 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: 20230335328
    Abstract: A low-profile coupled inductor is disclosed to provide compact and high performance magnetic coupling. The low-profile coupled inductor has an asymmetrical geometry, having a pair of complementary ferrite cores supporting a pair of conducting strips in an alternating serpentine pattern. One or more core gaps exist between the cores to create a strong flux coupling between adjacent magnetic fields of either conducting strip. The alternating serpentine conductors and core gaps serve to increase energy transfer between the magnetic fields and improve the overall power density of the low-profile coupled inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Steve Hawley, George Anthony Serpa, John David Brazzle, Jim Yang
  • Patent number: 10756614
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for current sensing and error correction in a switched-mode power supply composed of a high-side transistor coupled to a low-side transistor are described. One example method generally includes capturing a current associated with the low-side transistor at a first time corresponding to the low-side transistor turning off; capturing a current associated with the high-side transistor at a second time corresponding to a first delay after the high-side transistor turns on; capturing the current associated with the high-side transistor at a third time corresponding to the high-side transistor turning off; and applying a first correction current to a current-summing node of the current-sensing circuit for a first interval based on the first delay, wherein the first correction current is based on the captured current associated with the low-side transistor at the first time and on the captured current associated with the high-side transistor at the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Stuart Pullen, Michael Bui, Steve Hawley, Chunping Song
  • Patent number: 10749218
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatus and techniques for charging a multi-stack battery pack. For example, certain aspects provide a circuit for charging a battery pack having multiple battery cells. The circuit generally includes a voltage regulator circuit and charge pump circuitry having an input coupled to an output of the voltage regulator circuit, and an output coupled to a first battery charging terminal. In certain aspects, the first battery charging terminal may be configured to be coupled to a terminal of a first battery cell of the multiple battery of the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Steve Hawley, Giuseppe Pinto
  • Patent number: 10523042
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to reducing the size of parallel charging circuits for charging a battery in a portable device, while still effectively providing input current sensing and reverse current blocking capabilities. One example battery charging circuit generally includes: (1) a first charging circuit comprising a first charging output connectable to a battery and a first converter to provide power to the first charging output; and (2) a second charging circuit comprising a second charging output connectable to the battery, a second converter to provide power to the second charging output, a first transistor coupled between an output of the second converter and the second charging output, and a current-sensing circuit coupled to the output of the second converter to sense a current through the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Chunping Song, Jialei Xu, Stuart Pullen, Steve Hawley, Neal Horovitz, Shashank Prakash Mane
  • Patent number: 10432008
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method of charging a battery. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving, in a battery charging circuit on an electronic device, an input voltage having a first voltage value from an external power source. The battery charger is configured to produce a charge current having a first current value into the battery. The input current limit and/or duty cycle of the charger is monitored. Control signals may be generated to increase the first voltage value of the input voltage if either (i) the input current limit is activated or (ii) the duty cycle reaches a maximum duty cycle. The charger also receives signals indicating a temperature inside the electronic device and generates control signals to decrease the value of the input voltage when the temperature increases above a threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Christian Sporck, VaraPrasad Arikatla, Shadi Hawawini, Steve Hawley, Thomas O'Brien, Seema Kumar, Aaron Melgar
  • Patent number: 10326296
    Abstract: A multi-phase (e.g., dual-phase) concurrent configuration of a power management component supports higher current levels to peripheral devices while maintaining acceptable thermal limits. A dual-phase integrated circuit (IC) having a first input/output (I/O) port coupled to a battery and a second I/O port coupled to an adapter and a peripheral device implements the configuration. The dual phase IC includes a dual-phase voltage regulator that selectively provide power (i) from the first I/O port to the second I/O port to provide power to the peripheral device or (ii) from the second I/O port to the first I/O port to provide power to the battery. A controller activates a boost phase to power the second I/O port in response to detecting a demand current of the peripheral device exceeds a maximum current available from the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Stuart Pullen, Steve Hawley, Thomas O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20180013295
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method of charging a battery. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving, in a battery charging circuit on an electronic device, an input voltage having a first voltage value from an external power source. The battery charger is configured to produce a charge current having a first current value into the battery. The input current limit and/or duty cycle of the charger is monitored. Control signals may be generated to increase the first voltage value of the input voltage if either (i) the input current limit is activated or (ii) the duty cycle reaches a maximum duty cycle. The charger also receives signals indicating a temperature inside the electronic device and generates control signals to decrease the value of the input voltage when the temperature increases above a threshold temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Christian Sporck, VaraPrasad Arikatla, Shadi Hawawini, Steve Hawley, Thomas O'Brien, Seema Kumar, Aaron Melgar
  • Patent number: 9748788
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method of charging a battery. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving, in a battery charging circuit on an electronic device, an input voltage having a first voltage value from an external power source. The battery charger is configured to produce a charge current having a first current value into the battery. The input current limit and/or duty cycle of the charger is monitored. Control signals may be generated to increase the first voltage value of the input voltage if either (i) the input current limit is activated or (ii) the duty cycle reaches a maximum duty cycle. The charger also receives signals indicating a temperature inside the electronic device and generates control signals to decrease the value of the input voltage when the temperature increases above a threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christian Sporck, VaraPrasad Arikatla, Shadi Hawawini, Steve Hawley, Thomas O'Brien, Seema Kumar, Aaron Melgar
  • Publication number: 20170085098
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method of charging a battery. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving, in a battery charging circuit on an electronic device, an input voltage having a first voltage value from an external power source. The battery charger is configured to produce a charge current having a first current value into the battery. The input current limit and/or duty cycle of the charger is monitored. Control signals may be generated to increase the first voltage value of the input voltage if either (i) the input current limit is activated or (ii) the duty cycle reaches a maximum duty cycle. The charger also receives signals indicating a temperature inside the electronic device and generates control signals to decrease the value of the input voltage when the temperature increases above a threshold temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Christian Sporck, VaraPrasad Arikatla, Shadi Hawawini, Steve Hawley, Thomas O'Brien, Seema Kumar, Aaron Melgar
  • Publication number: 20170019017
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cancelling ripple voltage from an output voltage. A first voltage is input to a converter, which may be a buck converter, a boost converter, or a buck/boost converter. The converter converts the first or input voltage and produces a first output voltage that containing a first ripple voltage. A second voltage is input to an inverting converter and is adjusted. This second voltage contains a second output ripple voltage that is equal and opposite to the first ripple voltage. The first and second voltages are filtered and summed The summing cancels the output ripple voltage and delivers a cleaner voltage. The apparatus includes: a converter connected to a power source, an inverting converter connected to the power source, at least one filter connected to the converter; at least one filter connected to the inverting converter; a blocking capacitor connected to a summer; and a load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventor: Steve Hawley