Patents by Inventor William MacLean

William MacLean 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: 9467043
    Abstract: A buck switching regulator implements a fixed frequency feedback control circuit including a voltage control loop and a frequency control loop to regulate the switching frequency of the buck switching regulator to a fixed or nearly fixed frequency. The voltage control loop, implementing ripple mode control, is configured to control the power switches in response to the switching regulator output voltage or a signal related to the switching regulator output voltage. The frequency control loop, implementing a phase-locked loop control scheme, is configured to adjust the on-time of the high-side switch so as to regulate the switching frequency to be equal to or be proportional to the reference frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: Dashun Xue, William MacLean
  • Patent number: 9455626
    Abstract: A buck switching regulator includes a feedback control circuit using a four-input comparator to regulate the output voltage to a substantially constant level with reduced voltage offset and with fast transient response. In some embodiments, the buck switching regulator uses the four-input comparator to compare a first feedback signal without ripple and a second feedback signal with injected ripple components to a reference level. The four-input comparator generates an output signal to control the switching of the power switches. The buck switching regulator generates an output voltage with increased accuracy and fast transient response. Furthermore, the buck switching regulator can be used with output capacitor having any value of ESR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: Dashun Xue, William MacLean
  • Patent number: 9201438
    Abstract: A buck switching regulator includes a feedback control circuit including a first gain circuit generating a first feedback signal indicative of the regulated output voltage; a ripple generation circuit generating a ripple signal that is injected to the first feedback signal; and a comparator receiving a first reference signal and the first feedback signal to generate a comparator output signal. The switching regulator further includes an offset compensation circuit including a second gain circuit generating a second feedback signal indicative of the regulated output voltage; and an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) configured to receive the second feedback signal and the first reference signal and to generate an output signal. The output signal of the OTA is coupled to the comparator to adjust an offset to the comparator so as to cancel the offset at the regulated output voltage due to the injected ripple signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: William MacLean, Dashun Xue, Leland Swanson
  • Publication number: 20150280557
    Abstract: A buck switching regulator implements a fixed frequency feedback control circuit including a voltage control loop and a frequency control loop to regulate the switching frequency of the buck switching regulator to a fixed or nearly fixed frequency. The voltage control loop, implementing ripple mode control, is configured to control the power switches in response to the switching regulator output voltage or a signal related to the switching regulator output voltage. The frequency control loop, implementing a phase-locked loop control scheme, is configured to adjust the on-time of the high-side switch so as to regulate the switching frequency to be equal to or be proportional to the reference frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: Dashun Xue, William MacLean
  • Publication number: 20150263617
    Abstract: A buck switching regulator includes a feedback control circuit using a four-input comparator to regulate the output voltage to a substantially constant level with reduced voltage offset and with fast transient response. In some embodiments, the buck switching regulator uses the four-input comparator to compare a first feedback signal without ripple and a second feedback signal with injected ripple components to a reference level. The four-input comparator generates an output signal to control the switching of the power switches. The buck switching regulator generates an output voltage with increased accuracy and fast transient response. Furthermore, the buck switching regulator can be used with output capacitor having any value of ESR.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: Dashun Xue, William MacLean
  • Patent number: 8890499
    Abstract: A buck switching regulator includes a feedback control circuit including a feedback network including first and second gain circuits configured to generate first and second feedback signals, respectively, indicative of the regulated output voltage; a ripple generation circuit configured to inject a ripple signal to the first gain circuit; an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) configured to receive the second feedback signal and a reference signal and to generate an output signal being coupled to the first gain circuit to adjust the first feedback signal; and a comparator configured to receive the first feedback signal and the reference signal and to generate a comparator output signal. The output signal of the OTA is applied to the first feedback signal to cancel a voltage offset in the regulated output voltage due to the injected ripple signal to the first gain circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Micrel, Inc.
    Inventors: Leland Swanson, Dashun Xue, William MacLean
  • Publication number: 20140253082
    Abstract: A buck switching regulator includes a feedback control circuit including a feedback network including first and second gain circuits configured to generate first and second feedback signals, respectively, indicative of the regulated output voltage; a ripple generation circuit configured to inject a ripple signal to the first gain circuit; an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) configured to receive the second feedback signal and a reference signal and to generate an output signal being coupled to the first gain circuit to adjust the first feedback signal; and a comparator configured to receive the first feedback signal and the reference signal and to generate a comparator output signal. The output signal of the OTA is applied to the first feedback signal to cancel a voltage offset in the regulated output voltage due to the injected ripple signal to the first gain circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Leland Swanson, Dashun Xue, William MacLean
  • Publication number: 20140132232
    Abstract: A buck switching regulator includes a feedback control circuit including a first gain circuit generating a first feedback signal indicative of the regulated output voltage; a ripple generation circuit generating a ripple signal that is injected to the first feedback signal; and a comparator receiving a first reference signal and the first feedback signal to generate a comparator output signal. The switching regulator further includes an offset compensation circuit including a second gain circuit generating a second feedback signal indicative of the regulated output voltage; and an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) configured to receive the second feedback signal and the first reference signal and to generate an output signal. The output signal of the OTA is coupled to the comparator to adjust an offset to the comparator so as to cancel the offset at the regulated output voltage due to the injected ripple signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: MICREL, INC.
    Inventors: William MacLean, Dashun Xue, Leland Swanson
  • Patent number: 7839203
    Abstract: An adaptive capacitor charge/discharge network tailors the rate-of-change of a capacitor. The network includes two circuit groups with two or more parallel circuit branches, each branch including a current source and a controllable switch connected in series. The parallel circuit branches of one group are connected to Vss, and the parallel circuit branches of the other group are connected to Vdd. All the parallel circuit branches are connected to one plate of a capacitor, the other plate of the capacitor is connected to either Vss or Vdd. A control circuit controls the switch status, and incrementally controls the charge/discharge of the capacitor according to a predetermined order and a predetermined timing sequence to achieve a desired tailored charge/discharge curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: William MacLean, Paul David Ranucci
  • Patent number: 7161341
    Abstract: A circuit includes a bandgap core coupled to an input voltage and capable of producing an output voltage. The circuit also includes an amplifier coupled to the bandgap core. In addition, the circuit includes a switch coupling the bandgap core to an output terminal. The switch is capable of being closed to provide the output voltage to the output terminal. The switch is also capable of being opened during auto-zeroing of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: William MacLean
  • Patent number: 6965223
    Abstract: A circuit and method for enabling a rapid adjustment of a reference voltage during a disable period such as a fault condition, shutdown condition, and the like, of a voltage regulator is described. A soft start circuit that is arranged to couple a reference voltage input of an error amplifier to a portion of an output voltage avoiding high current surges and optimizing start up time is modified to include a low resistance switch that provides a path for a reference node capacitance to rapidly discharge. The faster discharge may allow the reference voltage to match the output voltage even when the switch is activated for a very brief interval. This in return allows the output voltage to start up in a controlled manner after a disable period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: William MacLean, Glenn Chance Dunlap, III, Thatcher Klumpp
  • Patent number: 6954059
    Abstract: Adjustment of the temperature dependence of the output voltage of a band gap circuit is achieved by intentionally mismatching currents flowing through nodes coupled to the inputs of an amplifier. Each node is coupled to a bipolar junction transistor and a resistor, such that an output voltage of the band gap circuit varies due to the temperature dependence of currents through the bipolar junction transistors and the temperature dependence of currents flowing through the resistors. Networks of parallel metal oxide semiconductor transistors are coupled to each node, with one network including transistors that may be selectively switched into or out of the network to adjust the effective channel width for that network, thereby altering the ratio of effective channel widths and adjusting the temperature dependence of the band gap circuit's output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: William MacLean