Patents by Inventor William David Southcombe

William David Southcombe 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: 20120056679
    Abstract: A split current current digital-to-analog converter (IDAC) and a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) stage are disclosed. The split current IDAC operates in a selected one of a group of DDS operating modes and provides a group of array bias signals based on the selected one of the group of DDS operating modes. Each of the group of array bias signals is a current signal. The RF PA stage includes a group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements. The RF PA stage biases at least one of the group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements based on the group of array bias signals. Further, the RF PA stage receives and amplifies an RF stage input signal to provide an RF stage output signal using at least one of the group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements that is biased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: RF MICRO DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: David E. Jones, William David Southcombe, Chris Levesque, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert
  • Publication number: 20120049894
    Abstract: A sample-and-hold (SAH) current estimating circuit and a first switching power supply are disclosed. The first switching power supply provides a first switching power supply output signal based on a series switching element and a setpoint. The SAH current estimating circuit samples a voltage across the series switching element of the first switching power supply during an ON state of the series switching element and during a ramping signal peak to provide an SAH output signal based on an estimate of an output current of the first switching power supply output signal. The first switching power supply selects the ON state of the series switching element, such that during the ramping signal peak, the series switching element has a series current having a magnitude, which is about equal to a magnitude of the output current of the first switching power supply output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: RF MICRO DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Berchtold, Joseph Hubert Colles, David E. Jones, Chris Levesque, William David Southcombe, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert
  • Publication number: 20120052825
    Abstract: Radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) circuitry, which transmits RF signals is disclosed. The RF PA circuitry includes a final stage, a final stage current digital-to-analog converter (IDAC), and a final stage temperature compensation circuit. A final stage current reference circuit may provide an uncompensated final stage reference current to the final stage temperature compensation circuit, which receives and temperature compensates the uncompensated final stage reference current to provide a final stage reference current. The final stage IDAC uses the final stage reference current in a digital-to-analog conversion to provide a final stage bias signal to bias the final stage. The temperature compensation provided by the final stage temperature compensation circuit is selectable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: RF MICRO DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: William David Southcombe, David E. Jones, Hui Liu, Chris Levesque, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert
  • Publication number: 20120043956
    Abstract: RF PA circuitry and a DC-DC converter, which includes an RF PA envelope power supply and DC-DC control circuitry, are disclosed. The PA envelope power supply provides an envelope power supply signal to the RF PA circuitry. The DC-DC control circuitry has a DC-DC look-up table (LUT) structure, which has at least a first DC-DC LUT. The DC-DC control circuitry uses DC-DC LUT index information as an index to the DC-DC LUT structure to obtain DC-DC converter operational control parameters. The DC-DC control circuitry then configures the PA envelope power supply using the DC-DC converter operational control parameters. Using the DC-DC LUT structure provides flexibility in configuring the DC-DC converter for different applications, for multiple static operating conditions, for multiple dynamic operating conditions, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: William David Southcombe, Chris Levesque, Jean-Christophe Berchtold, David E. Jones, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert
  • Publication number: 20120044606
    Abstract: A power amplifier (PA) controller semiconductor die and a first radio frequency (RF) PA semiconductor die are disclosed. The PA controller semiconductor die includes a first electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit, which ESD protects and provides a first ESD protected signal. The RF PA semiconductor die receives the first ESD protected signal. In one embodiment of the PA controller semiconductor die, the first ESD protected signal is an envelope power supply signal. The PA controller semiconductor die may be a Silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) semiconductor die and the RF PA semiconductor die may be a Gallium Arsenide semiconductor die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: RF MICRO DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: David E. Jones, William David Southcombe, Chris Levesque, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert
  • Publication number: 20120044022
    Abstract: An in-phase radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) stage and a quadrature-phase RF PA stage are disclosed. The in-phase RF PA stage includes a first group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements and the quadrature-phase RF PA stage includes a second group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements. A group of array bias signals is based on a selected one of a group of DDS operating modes. Each of the group of array bias signals is a current signal. The in-phase RF PA stage biases at least one of the first group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements based on the group of array bias signals. Similarly, the quadrature-phase RF PA stage biases at least one of the second group of arrays of amplifying transistor elements based on the group of array bias signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: RF MICRO DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Gregg A. Walker, David E. Jones, Chris Levesque, William David Southcombe, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert