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).

  • Patent number: 11962242
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
  • Publication number: 20230280811
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Trey Roessig, Timothy Alan Phillips, David Lidsky, Gerhard Schrom, Yali Xiong, Artin Der Minassians
  • Publication number: 20230261576
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
  • Publication number: 20230215821
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy Alan Phillips, Trey Roessig, Peter Huang
  • Publication number: 20230198406
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Nicholson, Timothy Alan Phillips
  • Patent number: 11664730
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
  • Publication number: 20230124931
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy Alan Phillips, Trey Roessig, Peter Huang, Artin Der Minassians
  • Publication number: 20230114632
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak
  • Patent number: 11557970
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak
  • Patent number: 11552564
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips
  • Publication number: 20220360170
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak, Shrinivasan Jaganathan
  • Patent number: 11495554
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy Alan Phillips, Trey Roessig, Peter Huang
  • Patent number: 11431247
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak, Shrinivasan Jaganathan
  • Patent number: 11159086
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
  • Publication number: 20210134740
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy Alan Phillips, Trey Roessig, Peter Huang
  • Patent number: 10784769
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak
  • Patent number: 10622890
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips
  • Publication number: 20200112242
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak
  • Publication number: 20200052594
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Timothy Alan Phillips
  • Publication number: 20190341849
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: EMPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: David Lidsky, Timothy Alan Phillips, Parag Oak