Patents by Inventor Walter J. Butler
Walter J. Butler 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: 4262532Abstract: A hybrid sensor for simultaneously sensing pressure and temperature in non-interacting manner, includes an insulative substrate having a temperature-sensitive printed thick film resistor fabricated thereon. A conductive plate is insulatively spaced above the resistor and supported by a pressure-tight insulative barrier. The distributed capacitance between the plate and the resistive pattern is a function of the pressure applied to the exterior face of the plate, while the resistance of the resistive thick film is a function of temperature of the surrounding environment.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 1979Date of Patent: April 21, 1981Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Miran Milkovic
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Patent number: 4250494Abstract: A charge transfer analog-to-digital converter is provided with means to establish the potential across a large storage well at a comparator threshold voltage at the initiation of a cycle. Charge transfer circuitry is also provided for transferring, into the large potential well, charge packets of size dependent only upon the value of a charge packet capacitance and a scaling voltage. Parasitic capacitance effects are essentially eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1979Date of Patent: February 10, 1981Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4180807Abstract: A charge transfer circuit of the type including first and second capacitors separated by a charge transfer MOSFET is disclosed. The disclosure includes the description of a circuit which compensates for variations in the threshold voltage of the charge transfer MOSFET such that the magnitude of the charge packet transferred from the first to the second capacitor is substantially independent of changes in the magnitude of the threshold voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1977Date of Patent: December 25, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charles W. Eichelberger, Walter J. Butler
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Patent number: 4165478Abstract: A reference voltage source, relatively insensitive to changes in ambient temperature and supply voltage, utilizes a plurality of charge transfer amplifiers each having a temperature-stable amplification factor determined essentially by the ratio of two capacitances and independent of temperature-related factors. The amplifiers operate to provide a punch-through reference device with a constant current to cause generation of a stable reference voltage.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1977Date of Patent: August 21, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4158804Abstract: A stable temperature-insensitive constant reference voltage circuit is provided which can be implemented in either MOS or bipolar technology. The circuit may be implemented by MOSFET devices on a single chip with another circuit such as an A/D converter to provide a monolithic A/D converter with its own internal reference voltage circuit. The reference voltage circuit consists of a series-connected long channel MOSFET and short channel MOSFET which produce, at their junction, a temperature-independent voltage. A differential circuit containing three MOSFET devices is then provided with one of the devices serving as a current source which carries the current of the other two MOSFET devices which are in parallel. The gates of the two parallel MOSFET devices are connected respectively to the junction between the long channel and short channel device and to the output voltage.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 1977Date of Patent: June 19, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4156152Abstract: A charge transfer circuit of the type including first and second charge storage locations and a charge transfer transistor for transferring a plurality of discrete packets of charge from the first to the second charge storage location is disclosed. The charge transfer circuit includes circuitry for compensating for changes in a thermally induced leakage current such that the charge transfer transistor transfers a variable amount of charge from the first to the second charge storage location during each successive charge transfer operation such that the total amount of charge, i.e. the leakage charge plus the transferred charge packet, accumulated by the second charge storage location during each charge transfer operation, is a constant regardless of changes in the temperature or illumination of the transistor.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 1977Date of Patent: May 22, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles M. Puckette
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Patent number: 4156233Abstract: A monolithic analog to digital converter having leakage current compensating circuitry is disclosed. First and second charge storage capacitors are formed in a single semi-conductor substrate. An analog signal to be converted and a reference signal are simultaneously applied to the first and second capacitors, respectively. Thereafter, a charge transfer circuit supplies the first capacitor with a plurality of discrete charge packets. The polarity of the charge packets is chosen so as to increase or decrease the voltage across the first capacitor in the direction of the voltage across the second capacitor. When the voltage across the two capacitors become equal, a differential comparator generates an output signal indicating the end of a conversion operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1977Date of Patent: May 22, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charles M. Puckette, Walter J. Butler
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Patent number: 4151539Abstract: The novel structure disclosed comprises an n-type epitaxial layer on a p.sup.- type substrate with p.sup.+ type top gates diffused into the epi-layer and p.sup.+ buried gates aligned with the source side of the top gates. The top-gate diffusion extends far into the drain region.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1977Date of Patent: April 24, 1979Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Mark B. Barron, Walter J. Butler
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Patent number: 4145748Abstract: A plurality of capacitive touch pad sensors are multiplexed to the input of a common charge transfer analog-to-digital converter (CTAD) under the control of a control logic circuit. The no-touch digital output of each touch pad is stored in a memory. The touch pads are then sequentially addressed and their output level is digitized in the CTAD and the digital output of each touch pad is compared to its no-touch value stored in the memory. If the digital value read is sufficiently different from the no-touch memorized value, a touch-detection signal is given. The no-touch digital reading in the memory is periodically updated, by a count of only one at most, if the updated no-touch value differs from the no-touch value in the memory.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1977Date of Patent: March 20, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charles W. Eichelberger, Walter J. Butler
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Patent number: 4145689Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter is described wherein an analog signal is converted to a digital equivalent thereof in a structure suitable for implementation in MOS form. The analog signal is converted to a quantity of charge which is duplicated by summing a plurality of substantially equal sized charge packets in an MOS charge storage location.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 1977Date of Patent: March 20, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles M. Puckette
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Patent number: 4144527Abstract: A time-independent, dual-slope analog to digital converter is disclosed. During a first integration period, a predetermined number of charge packets having a first polarity and a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of an analog voltage to be converted are applied to a charge storage element. The first integration period is followed by a second integration period during which a second plurality of charge packets are applied to the charge storage element. The second plurality of charge packets each have a polarity opposite to that of the first plurality of charge packets and a predetermined, constant magnitude. The number of second charge packets required to return the charge stored in the charge storage element to its original value is indicative of the magnitude of the analog signals to be converted.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1977Date of Patent: March 13, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles M. Puckette
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Patent number: 4138666Abstract: A charge transfer circuit of the type including first and second capacitors and a charge transfer transistor for transferring discrete packets of charge from the first to the second capacitor is disclosed. The charge transfer circuit includes a feedback circuit which recharges the first capacitor to a value which varies as a function of the threshold voltage of the charge transfer transistor. As a result, the magnitude of the charge packets transferred by the charge transfer remain at a predetermined value irrespective of variations in the threshold voltage of the transistor.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1977Date of Patent: February 6, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charles W. Eichelberger, Walter J. Butler
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Patent number: 4138665Abstract: A preamplifier using charge transfer techniques is formed on the same chip as a charge transfer analog to digital converter. The preamplifier then couples low level output sensors directly to the converter without need for a costly interfacing amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1977Date of Patent: February 6, 1979Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charles W. Eichelberger, Walter J. Butler
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Patent number: 4121461Abstract: An electronic temperature sensor utilizing monolithic charge transfer circuitry is disclosed. A first charge transfer circuit supplies a charge storage element with N.sub.1 first charge packets, N.sub.1 being the number of charge packets required to change the charge stored by the charge storage element from a first to a second value. A second charge transfer circuit supplies the charge storage element with N.sub.2 second charge packets, N.sub.2 being the number of charge packets required to change the charge stored by the charge storage element from the first to the second value. The magnitude of the second charge packet varies from the magnitude of first packet as the linear function of the temperature to the sensor. A counter generates an output signal which is a function of the difference between N.sub.1 and N.sub.2 and which is indicative of the magnitude of the temperature to be sensed.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1977Date of Patent: October 24, 1978Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4117353Abstract: A solid state cathode driver circuit for controllably sinking a current substantially independent of applied voltage includes a main current carrying transistor and first and second field effect transistors connected to a controlled electrode of the current carrying transistor for setting the potential on the control electrode substantially independent of the applied voltages to the controlled terminals. The magnitude of the sunk current is essentially determined by the geometry of the device utilized and is, therefore, essentially constant. Selective activation of the current sink is provided by grounding the control electrode to turn off the device.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1976Date of Patent: September 26, 1978Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4074260Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter is described including scaling means for providing an output based on a preselected scale factor. Conversion is made by selectively transferring charge from a charge storage location in discrete quanta the size of which are adjusted during the course of conversion in order to eliminate certain sources of error including threshold drift, leakage and transistor gain drift.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 1976Date of Patent: February 14, 1978Assignee: General Electric Co.Inventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4070600Abstract: A semiconductor switching circuit utilizes a relatively low breakdown voltage transistor for switching between a higher and a lower voltage by switching between a first conducting state of said transistor which is a "turned-on" state and a second state which is a "breakdown" state. The switching circuit is especially useful for the operation of display devices.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1976Date of Patent: January 24, 1978Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4070666Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter of the metered charge transfer type is provided including an automatic polarity sensing circuit which selectively connects first and second input terminals to a charge storage location at appropriate times during a measurement cycle in order to insure that proper polarity relationships are maintained.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 1976Date of Patent: January 24, 1978Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4065766Abstract: A charge transfer analog-to-digital converter is provided wherein a plurality of charge packets is transferred into and out of a charge storage location which includes both linear and nonlinear capacitive components. At the initiation of an analog-to-digital measurement cycle the level of charge in the nonlinear portion of the charge storage location is established at an initial value by comparison with a reference voltage. During the measurement cycle the level of charge in the linear and nonlinear portions of the capacitive charge storage location vary from the initial values thereof as charge is transferred into and out of the charge storage location according to the particular method of analog-to-digital conversion. At the end of the measurement cycle, the level of charge in the nonlinear portion is again established at the initial value thereof so that the net change in charge stored in the nonlinear portion of the charge storage location is zero from the beginning to the end of the measurement cycle.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1976Date of Patent: December 27, 1977Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Charles W. Eichelberger
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Patent number: 4045810Abstract: An MOS bucket brigade delay line having reduced parasitic capacitances include a first set of diffused drain source regions in a semiconductor substrate, a thin gate oxide layer overlying said diffused regions, a plurality of gate electrodes having first and second edges, the first edge of each electrode substantially overlapping one of said diffused regions, each of these elements formed in conventional manner. A second set of diffused drain-source regions extends the first set of regions by an amount limited by the second edge of the gate electrodes. The second set of drain source regions is formed by utilizing the gate electrodes as a diffusion mask.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1976Date of Patent: August 30, 1977Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Walter J. Butler, Mark B. Barron, Bruno F. Kurz, deceased, by Elizabeth Kurz-Beerli, executrix, also known as Elisabeth H. Kurz