Patents by Inventor Timothy Alan Phillips
Timothy Alan Phillips 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).
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Patent number: 11962242Abstract: A buck voltage converter is disclosed. The buck voltage generator includes a controller configured to generate one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) signals, and a plurality of serially connected switches configured to receive the PWM signals and to generate an output voltage signal at an output terminal based on the received PWM signals. The output voltage signal has an average voltage corresponding with a duty cycle of the PWM signals, a first switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a first breakdown voltage and a second switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a second breakdown voltage, and the first breakdown voltage is less than the second breakdown voltage.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2023Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
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Publication number: 20230280811Abstract: An electronic system includes a circuit board including a power plane. An integrated circuit (e.g., processor) is attached to a first side of the circuit board and is arranged to receive power from the power plane. A plurality of DC-to-DC converters are attached to a second side of the circuit board and are arranged to transfer power to the power plane. Each DC-to-DC converter includes a respective voltage sense input that is electrically connected to a separate location on the power plane. A telemetry circuit is coupled to each of the plurality of DC-to-DC converters and is configured to detect a quantity of power transferred to the common power plane from each of the plurality of power conversion devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Trey Roessig, Timothy Alan Phillips, David Lidsky, Gerhard Schrom, Yali Xiong, Artin Der Minassians
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Publication number: 20230261576Abstract: A buck voltage converter is disclosed. The buck voltage generator includes a controller configured to generate one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) signals, and a plurality of serially connected switches configured to receive the PWM signals and to generate an output voltage signal at an output terminal based on the received PWM signals. The output voltage signal has an average voltage corresponding with a duty cycle of the PWM signals, a first switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a first breakdown voltage and a second switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a second breakdown voltage, and the first breakdown voltage is less than the second breakdown voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2023Publication date: August 17, 2023Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
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Publication number: 20230215821Abstract: A configurable capacitance device includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of integrally formed capacitors; and a separate interconnect structure coupled to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the separate interconnect structure is configurable to electrically couple two or more of the plurality of integrally formed capacitors together in a parallel configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2022Publication date: July 6, 2023Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy Alan Phillips, Trey Roessig, Peter Huang
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Publication number: 20230198406Abstract: A power converter circuit. In one aspect, the power converter circuit includes a first buck converter coupled in series to a second buck converter at a junction, and a control circuit coupled to each of the first and second buck converters. In another aspect, the control circuit is arranged to sense a voltage at the junction, compare the sensed voltage to a first threshold voltage and in response to the sensed voltage being at a voltage lower than the first threshold voltage, the control circuit operates the first buck converter and disables the second buck converter. In yet another aspect, the control circuit is arranged to compare the sensed voltage to a second threshold voltage and in response to the sensed voltage being at a voltage higher than the second threshold voltage, the control circuit operates the second buck converter and disables the first buck converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2022Publication date: June 22, 2023Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Richard Nicholson, Timothy Alan Phillips
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Patent number: 11664730Abstract: A buck voltage converter is disclosed. The buck voltage generator includes a controller configured to generate one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) signals, and a plurality of serially connected switches configured to receive the PWM signals and to generate an output voltage signal at an output terminal based on the received PWM signals. The output voltage signal has an average voltage corresponding with a duty cycle of the PWM signals, a first switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a first breakdown voltage and a second switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a second breakdown voltage, and the first breakdown voltage is less than the second breakdown voltage.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
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Publication number: 20230124931Abstract: A capacitance device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a capacitor disposed on the semiconductor substrate and including first and second positive terminals and first and second negative terminals; a passivation layer formed over the capacitor, the first and second positive terminals and the first and second negative terminals, the passivation layer defining first and second openings over the first and second positive terminals, respectively, a third opening over the first negative terminal and a fourth opening over the second negative terminal; a first metallic bump disposed on the passivation layer and including first extending portions that extend through each of the first and second openings, electrically coupling the first and second positive terminals; and a second metallic bump disposed on the passivation layer and including second extending portions that extend through each of the third and fourth openings, electrically coupling the first and second negative terminals.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2021Publication date: April 20, 2023Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy Alan Phillips, Trey Roessig, Peter Huang, Artin Der Minassians
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Publication number: 20230114632Abstract: A switched-mode power regulator circuit has four solid-state switches connected in series and a capacitor and an inductor that regulate power delivered to a load. The solid-state switches are operated such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) prefluxing the inductor then charging the capacitor causing an increased current to flow in the inductor and (2) prefluxing the inductor then discharging the capacitor causing increased current to flow in the inductor. The inductor prefluxing steps enable the circuit to provide increased output voltage and/or increased output current.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2022Publication date: April 13, 2023Applicant: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak
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Patent number: 11557970Abstract: A switched-mode power regulator circuit has four solid-state switches connected in series and a capacitor and an inductor that regulate power delivered to a load. The solid-state switches are operated such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) prefluxing the inductor then charging the capacitor causing an increased current to flow in the inductor and (2) prefluxing the inductor then discharging the capacitor causing increased current to flow in the inductor. The inductor prefluxing steps enable the circuit to provide increased output voltage and/or increased output current.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2019Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak
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Patent number: 11552564Abstract: A switched-mode power regulator circuit has four solid-state switches connected in series and a capacitor and an inductor that regulate power delivered to a load. The solid-state switches are operated such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing a current to flow in the inductor and (2) discharging the capacitor causing current to flow in the inductor. The power regulator circuit may be configured to operate with zero current switching at frequencies in the range of 100 MHz, enabling it to be fabricated on a unitary silicon die along with the load that it powers.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips
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Publication number: 20220360170Abstract: A power circuit is disclosed. The power circuit includes an input node, a plurality of inductors each connected to an output node, a plurality of phases each configured to provide current to one of the inductors, and a control circuit configured to trigger the phases. The phases are configured to provide current to one of the inductors in response to being triggered by the control circuit, the control circuit is configured to determine a variable time difference between a first phase being triggered and a second phase being triggered, and the time difference is based at least in part on a voltage difference between an input voltage at the input node and an output voltage at the output node.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak, Shrinivasan Jaganathan
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Patent number: 11495554Abstract: A configurable capacitance device includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of integrally formed capacitors; and a separate interconnect structure coupled to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the separate interconnect structure is configurable to electrically couple two or more of the plurality of integrally formed capacitors together in a parallel configuration.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2020Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy Alan Phillips, Trey Roessig, Peter Huang
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Patent number: 11431247Abstract: A power circuit is disclosed. The power circuit includes an input node, a plurality of inductors each connected to an output node, a plurality of phases each configured to provide current to one of the inductors, and a control circuit configured to trigger the phases. The phases are configured to provide current to one of the inductors in response to being triggered by the control circuit, the control circuit is configured to determine a variable time difference between a first phase being triggered and a second phase being triggered, and the time difference is based at least in part on a voltage difference between an input voltage at the input node and an output voltage at the output node.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak, Shrinivasan Jaganathan
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Patent number: 11159086Abstract: A buck voltage converter is disclosed. The buck voltage generator includes a controller configured to generate one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) signals, and a plurality of serially connected switches configured to receive the PWM signals and to generate an output voltage signal at an output terminal based on the received PWM signals. The output voltage signal has an average voltage corresponding with a duty cycle of the PWM signals, a first switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a first breakdown voltage and a second switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a second breakdown voltage, and the first breakdown voltage is less than the second breakdown voltage.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2019Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
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Publication number: 20210134740Abstract: A configurable capacitance device includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of integrally formed capacitors; and a separate interconnect structure coupled to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the separate interconnect structure is configurable to electrically couple two or more of the plurality of integrally formed capacitors together in a parallel configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy Alan Phillips, Trey Roessig, Peter Huang
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Patent number: 10784769Abstract: A power conversion circuit includes a plurality of solid-state switches coupled between an input terminal and a ground. An output terminal is positioned between two of the plurality of solid-state switches and an inductor is coupled between the output terminal and a load. A capacitor is coupled in parallel with two of the serially connected solid-state switches. A controller controls the plurality of solid-state switches to generate a current in the inductor by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing a temporary increase in the current in the inductor, (2) entering a first wait state that configures the plurality of solid-state switches to maintain the capacitor in a charged state, (3) discharging the capacitor causing a temporary increase in the current in the inductor and (4) entering a second wait state that configures the plurality of solid-state switches to maintain the capacitor in a discharged state.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2019Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak
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Patent number: 10622890Abstract: A switched-mode power regulator circuit has four solid-state switches connected in series and a capacitor and an inductor that regulate power delivered to a load. The solid-state switches are operated such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing a current to flow in the inductor and (2) discharging the capacitor causing current to flow in the inductor. The power regulator circuit may be configured to operate with zero current switching at frequencies in the range of 100 MHz, enabling it to be fabricated on a unitary silicon die along with the load that it powers.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2017Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips
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Publication number: 20200112242Abstract: A switched-mode power regulator circuit has four solid-state switches connected in series and a capacitor and an inductor that regulate power delivered to a load. The solid-state switches are operated such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) charging the capacitor causing an increase in current flow in the inductor followed by a decrease in current flow in the inductor and before the current flow in the inductor stops, (2) discharging the capacitor causing an increase in current flow in the inductor followed by a decrease in current flow in the inductor and before the current flow in the inductor stops, repeating (1).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2019Publication date: April 9, 2020Applicant: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak
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Publication number: 20200052594Abstract: A buck voltage converter is disclosed. The buck voltage generator includes a controller configured to generate one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) signals, and a plurality of serially connected switches configured to receive the PWM signals and to generate an output voltage signal at an output terminal based on the received PWM signals. The output voltage signal has an average voltage corresponding with a duty cycle of the PWM signals, a first switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a first breakdown voltage and a second switch of the plurality of serially connected switches has a second breakdown voltage, and the first breakdown voltage is less than the second breakdown voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 4, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Applicant: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
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Publication number: 20190341849Abstract: A switched-mode power regulator circuit has four solid-state switches connected in series and a capacitor and an inductor that regulate power delivered to a load. The solid-state switches are operated such that a voltage at the load is regulated by repetitively (1) prefluxing the inductor then charging the capacitor causing an increased current to flow in the inductor and (2) prefluxing the inductor then discharging the capacitor causing increased current to flow in the inductor. The inductor prefluxing steps enable the circuit to provide increased output voltage and/or increased output current.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2019Publication date: November 7, 2019Applicant: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak