Patents by Inventor Thomas Somerville

Thomas Somerville 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: 9793861
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for implementing an amplification system. The amplification system includes an amplifier comprising differential inputs and an output. The differential inputs include an inverting input and a non-inverting input. The amplification system further includes a feedback path from the output coupled to the inverting input. The feedback path from the output is coupled to at least one of an inverting amplifier or buffer, and the at least one of the inverting amplifier or buffer is further coupled to the non-inverting input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas Somerville
  • Patent number: 6876249
    Abstract: An adjustable voltage reference circuit (14, 25, 70) that can be adjusted via an external device is disclosed. The circuit is designed to receive, after packaging, a plurality of adjustment inputs (20). These inputs are used by an adjustable voltage cell (21, 26, 71) to produce an adjustment factor. The adjustment factor will then be used by a voltage reference cell (22, 27, 72) to adjust the reference voltage (Vref).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Maigret, Thomas Somerville
  • Publication number: 20050012554
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for an amplifier with wide output voltage swing are disclosed. The amplifier may include multiple output stages, each associated with a distinct supply voltage. Each output stage may contribute current to the output of the amplifier over a range of amplifier output voltages and these ranges may overlap. Each output stage may contribute current until the amplifier output voltage reaches the supply voltage associated with that output stage. The amplifier output may be as great as the largest supply voltage minus a drop equal to Rdson for an output transistor multiplied by the output current. In a CMOS implementation, this voltage drop may be approximately 0.15V. When the amplifier output voltage is close to the supply voltage associated with an output stage, both that output stage and the output stage associated with the next highest supply voltage may contribute to the amplifier output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Somerville, Klaas Wortel
  • Patent number: 6747477
    Abstract: A programmable data latch (21) is disclosed. The data latch comprises a master latch (34) operable to load data into the data latch (21) and a slave latch (36) operable to receive the data and produce the output (20) and inverted output of the data latch (21). Also provided is a plurality of programmable floating gate transistor (53, 54) wherein the “on” or “off” state of the floating gate transistor (53, 54) is determined by the data loaded into the data latch (21). A programming voltage supply (26) is supplied to the floating gate transistors (53, 54) which increases the threshold voltage of the floating gate transistor (53, 54) in the “on” state and produces a programmed transistor. The programmed transistor is operable to set the state of the data latch (21) upon subsequent use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert Maigret, Thomas Somerville
  • Publication number: 20040032281
    Abstract: A programmable data latch (21) is disclosed. The data latch comprises a master latch (34) operable to load data into the data latch (21) and a slave latch (36) operable to receive the data and produce the output (20) and inverted output of the data latch (21). Also provided is a plurality of programmable floating gate transistor (53, 54) wherein the “on” or “off” state of the floating gate transistor (53, 54) is determined by the data loaded into the data latch (21). A programming voltage supply (26) is supplied to the floating gate transistors (53, 54) which increases the threshold voltage of the floating gate transistor (53, 54) in the “on” state and produces a programmed transistor. The programmed transistor is operable to set the state of the data latch (21) upon subsequent use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Robert Maigret, Thomas Somerville
  • Publication number: 20040032293
    Abstract: An adjustable voltage reference circuit (14,25,70) that can be adjusted via an external device is disclosed. The circuit is designed to receive, after packaging, a plurality of adjustment inputs (20). These inputs are used by an adjustable voltage cell (21, 26, 71) to produce an adjustment factor. The adjustment factor will then be used by a voltage reference cell (22, 27, 72) to adjust the reference voltage (Vref).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC.
    Inventors: Robert Maigret, Thomas Somerville