Patents by Inventor Tawen Mei

Tawen Mei 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: 20240113102
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a buried trench capacitor below an electronic component of the microelectronic device. In one embodiment, the buried trench capacitor may be formed between a silicon oxide capped p-type buried trench capacitor polysilicon region and a buried trench capacitor deep n-type region separated by buried trench capacitor liner dielectric. In a second embodiment, the buried trench capacitor may be formed by a buried trench capacitor polysilicon region and a p-type silicon epitaxial region separated by a buried trench capacitor liner dielectric. One terminal of the deep trench capacitor is made through the substrate via a deep trench substrate contact. The second terminal of the deep trench capacitor is made via a well contact that connects to the capacitor through a deep well region in one embodiment and through a polysilicon layer in a second embodiment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Umamaheswari Aghoram, Guruvayurappan Mathur, Robert Oppen, Tawen Mei
  • Publication number: 20230344345
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes a first transistor having a control input and the first transistor is coupled to an input voltage terminal. The regulator includes a second transistor having a control input. The second transistor is coupled to the first transistor at a switch terminal and to a ground terminal. The regulator also includes a controller coupled to the control inputs of the first and second transistor. The controller configured is configured to cause both the first and second transistors to be off concurrently during each of multiple switching cycles for an adaptive high impedance state. The length of time of the adaptive high impedance state is inversely related to current output by the switching regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Hakan ONER, Tawen MEI
  • Publication number: 20230315139
    Abstract: Described embodiments include a circuit for voltage regulator startup. The circuit includes a voltage regulation circuit having first and second regulator inputs and a regulator output. A startup circuit has a startup input coupled to the first regulator input, and a startup output. A reference generation circuit has first and second reference inputs and first and second reference outputs. The first reference input is coupled to the regulator output. The second reference input is coupled to the startup output, and the first reference output is coupled to a reference output terminal and to the second regulator input. A reference detection circuit has a first detection input coupled to the regulator output, and a second detection input coupled to the second reference output, and provides a reference ready signal responsive to a reference voltage being within a reference specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventor: Tawen Mei
  • Patent number: 11777406
    Abstract: Multiphase switched mode power supply clock apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first clock recovery circuit to in response to obtaining a first clock pulse, transmit the first clock pulse to a power converter to cause the power converter to switch based on the first clock pulse, in response to obtaining a second clock pulse after the first clock pulse re-transmit the second clock pulse to a second clock recovery circuit, and increment a count value, and in response to the count value meeting a phase selection value, reset the count value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tawen Mei, Karen Huimun Chan
  • Publication number: 20230275573
    Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus comprises: an amplifier having an amplifier output and first and second amplifier inputs, the first amplifier input coupled to a reference voltage terminal, and the second amplifier input coupled to a power input terminal; a ramp generation circuit having a reset input and a ramp output; a comparator having a comparator output and first and second comparator inputs, the first comparator input coupled to the amplifier output, and the second comparator input coupled to the ramp output; and a switching signal generation circuit having a circuit input and a circuit output, the circuit input coupled to the comparator output, and the circuit output coupled to a power control terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventor: Tawen Mei
  • Patent number: 11722061
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes a first transistor having a control input and the first transistor is coupled to an input voltage terminal. The regulator includes a second transistor having a control input. The second transistor is coupled to the first transistor at a switch terminal and to a ground terminal. The regulator also includes a controller coupled to the control inputs of the first and second transistor. The controller configured is configured to cause both the first and second transistors to be off concurrently during each of multiple switching cycles for an adaptive high impedance state. The length of time of the adaptive high impedance state is inversely related to current output by the switching regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hakan Oner, Tawen Mei
  • Patent number: 11722105
    Abstract: A device includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier. The first amplifier includes an inverting input configured to be coupled to a feedback node of an output of a power converter, a first non-inverting input configured to couple to a first voltage node, a second non-inverting input, and an output. The second amplifier includes an inverting input coupled to the output of the first amplifier, a non-inverting input coupled to a second voltage node, and an output. The device also includes a first transistor coupled to the output of the first amplifier and having a control terminal coupled to the output of the second amplifier, a capacitor coupled to a ground node and to the second non-inverting input of the first amplifier, and a current node coupled to the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tawen Mei, Jiun Heng Goh, Robert Blattner
  • Patent number: 11616436
    Abstract: A system includes: an input voltage source; a power stage coupled to the input voltage source; a load coupled to an output of the power stage; and an error amplifier circuit coupled to the power stage. The error amplifier circuit includes an error amplifier; a transconductance stage coupled to an output of the error amplifier; an internal compensation switch; an external compensation switch; and control logic coupled to the internal compensation switch and the external compensation switch. The control logic is configured to selectively operate the internal compensation switch and the external compensation switch in one of an internal compensation mode and an external compensation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tawen Mei, Karen Chan
  • Patent number: 11588480
    Abstract: A circuit is configured to drive a switch mode regulator and to control the slew rate at a switching terminal of the regulator. The circuit includes first and second transistors coupled between a voltage supply terminal and a switching terminal, and includes third and fourth transistors coupled between the voltage supply terminal and the switching terminal. The circuit includes a fifth transistor coupled to the fourth transistor in a current mirror configuration and a sixth transistor coupled between the voltage supply terminal and the third transistor. The circuit includes a first resistor coupled between the voltage supply terminal and the fifth transistor, and includes a second resistor coupled between the sixth transistor and the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Tawen Mei
  • Publication number: 20220360171
    Abstract: A switching regulator includes a first transistor having a control input and the first transistor is coupled to an input voltage terminal. The regulator includes a second transistor having a control input. The second transistor is coupled to the first transistor at a switch terminal and to a ground terminal. The regulator also includes a controller coupled to the control inputs of the first and second transistor. The controller configured is configured to cause both the first and second transistors to be off concurrently during each of multiple switching cycles for an adaptive high impedance state. The length of time of the adaptive high impedance state is inversely related to current output by the switching regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Hakan ONER, Tawen MEI
  • Publication number: 20220149729
    Abstract: In some examples, a switch-mode power supply circuit comprises a pulse generation circuit comprising an oscillator, the oscillator configured to generate first pulses using a fixed frequency regulation for a first load condition that exceeds a predefined threshold and configured to generate second pulses using a variable frequency regulation for a second load condition that does not exceed the predefined threshold. The circuit also includes a power converter coupled to the pulse generation circuit and configured to convert a first voltage to a regulated voltage using either one of the first or second pulses generated by the pulse generation circuit. The circuit further comprises an output filter coupled to the power converter and configured to produce a second voltage from the regulated voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventor: Tawen MEI
  • Publication number: 20220131465
    Abstract: Multiphase switched mode power supply clock apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first clock recovery circuit to in response to obtaining a first clock pulse, transmit the first clock pulse to a power converter to cause the power converter to switch based on the first clock pulse, in response to obtaining a second clock pulse after the first clock pulse re-transmit the second clock pulse to a second clock recovery circuit, and increment a count value, and in response to the count value meeting a phase selection value, reset the count value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Tawen Mei, Karen Huimun Chan
  • Patent number: 11271479
    Abstract: In some examples, a switch-mode power supply circuit comprises a pulse generation circuit comprising an oscillator, the oscillator configured to generate first pulses using a fixed frequency regulation for a first load condition that exceeds a predefined threshold and configured to generate second pulses using a variable frequency regulation for a second load condition that does not exceed the predefined threshold. The circuit also includes a power converter coupled to the pulse generation circuit and configured to convert a first voltage to a regulated voltage using either one of the first or second pulses generated by the pulse generation circuit. The circuit further comprises an output filter coupled to the power converter and configured to produce a second voltage from the regulated voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Tawen Mei
  • Patent number: 11251706
    Abstract: Multiphase switched mode power supply clock apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first clock recovery circuit to in response to obtaining a first clock pulse, transmit the first clock pulse to a power converter to cause the power converter to switch based on the first clock pulse, in response to obtaining a second clock pulse after the first clock pulse re-transmit the second clock pulse to a second clock recovery circuit, and increment a count value, and in response to the count value meeting a phase selection value, reset the count value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tawen Mei, Karen Huimun Chan
  • Publication number: 20220029590
    Abstract: A device includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier. The first amplifier includes an inverting input configured to be coupled to a feedback node of an output of a power converter, a first non-inverting input configured to couple to a first voltage node, a second non-inverting input, and an output. The second amplifier includes an inverting input coupled to the output of the first amplifier, a non-inverting input coupled to a second voltage node, and an output. The device also includes a first transistor coupled to the output of the first amplifier and having a control terminal coupled to the output of the second amplifier, a capacitor coupled to a ground node and to the second non-inverting input of the first amplifier, and a current node coupled to the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Tawen Mei, Jiun Heng Goh, Robert Blattner
  • Patent number: 11201543
    Abstract: A system includes a current mirror coupled to a first transistor, the first transistor includes a first gate, a first current terminal, and a second current terminal, a controller coupled to the current mirror and a converter, the controller is to output a delayed signal for a second transistor, the second transistor being a part of the converter, and a source voltage coupled to the current mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Tawen Mei
  • Patent number: 11183977
    Abstract: A device includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier. The first amplifier includes an inverting input configured to be coupled to a feedback node of an output of a power converter, a first non-inverting input configured to couple to a first voltage node, a second non-inverting input, and an output. The second amplifier includes an inverting input coupled to the output of the first amplifier, a non-inverting input coupled to a second voltage node, and an output. The device also includes a first transistor coupled to the output of the first amplifier and having a control terminal coupled to the output of the second amplifier, a capacitor coupled to a ground node and to the second non-inverting input of the first amplifier, and a current node coupled to the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tawen Mei, Jiun Heng Goh, Robert Gregory Blattner
  • Patent number: 11152919
    Abstract: An example of an apparatus includes a bias circuit having first and second bias circuit outputs. The apparatus also includes a comparator having first and second comparator inputs. The apparatus also includes a first capacitor coupled between the second comparator input and the second bias circuit output. The apparatus also includes a first switch coupled between the second comparator input and the second bias circuit output. The apparatus also includes a second switch coupled between the first bias circuit output and an input terminal, a third switch coupled between the input terminal and the first comparator input, and a fourth switch coupled between the first bias circuit output and the first comparator input. The apparatus also includes a second capacitor coupled between the first comparator input and the second bias circuit output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Marc Edric Davis-Marsh, Hakan Oner, Tawen Mei
  • Publication number: 20210242773
    Abstract: A system includes: an input voltage source; a power stage coupled to the input voltage source; a load coupled to an output of the power stage; and an error amplifier circuit coupled to the power stage. The error amplifier circuit includes an error amplifier; a transconductance stage coupled to an output of the error amplifier; an internal compensation switch; an external compensation switch; and control logic coupled to the internal compensation switch and the external compensation switch. The control logic is configured to selectively operate the internal compensation switch and the external compensation switch in one of an internal compensation mode and an external compensation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Tawen MEI, Karen CHAN
  • Publication number: 20210184561
    Abstract: A circuit is configured to drive a switch mode regulator and to control the slew rate at a switching terminal of the regulator. The circuit includes first and second transistors coupled between a voltage supply terminal and a switching terminal, and includes third and fourth transistors coupled between the voltage supply terminal and the switching terminal. The circuit includes a fifth transistor coupled to the fourth transistor in a current mirror configuration and a sixth transistor coupled between the voltage supply terminal and the third transistor. The circuit includes a first resistor coupled between the voltage supply terminal and the fifth transistor, and includes a second resistor coupled between the sixth transistor and the second transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventor: Tawen Mei