Patents by Inventor Yun-Kai LAI

Yun-Kai LAI 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: 12229325
    Abstract: A microcontroller includes an event-detection circuit, a protection-control circuit, a digital-to-analog converter, a digital-to-analog conversion interface controller, a trigger-event controller, and a central processing unit. The event-detection circuit detects a sudden event, and correspondingly outputs an interrupt notification and a protection-enable signal. The protection-control circuit receives the protection-enable signal, and correspondingly outputs a protection-execution signal. The digital-to-analog conversion interface controller receives the protection-execution signal, stops updating the received input data, and stops outputting the acknowledgement signal. The trigger-event controller determines whether to set the conversion parameters of the digital-to-analog conversion interface controller according to the acknowledgement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yun-Kai Lai
  • Publication number: 20240274726
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, an epitaxial layer, a well region, an insulating structure, an upper electrode layer, and a lower electrode layer. The substrate has the first conductivity type. The epitaxial layer is disposed on the substrate and has the first conductivity type. There is a protruding structure on the upper portion of the epitaxial layer. The well region is disposed in the epitaxial layer. The well region has the second conductivity type. The insulating structure is disposed on the sidewall of the protruding structure. The upper electrode layer surrounds the protruding structure and is electrically connected to the epitaxial layer and the well region. The lower electrode layer is disposed under the substrate and opposite to the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicant: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Chen-Dong TZOU, Yun-Kai LAI, Chih-Cherng LIAO, Chia-Hao LEE
  • Patent number: 12015447
    Abstract: A microcontroller includes a setting unit, an encoder, a modulation circuit, and a digital-to-analog converter. The setting unit outputs a control signal. The encoder outputs a digital signal that is encoded. The modulation circuit loads at least one carrier signal on the digital signal at the logic high level and/or the logic low level according to the control signal to generate a modulated digital signal. The digital-to-analog converter converts the modulated digital signal into an analog signal, and outputs the analog signal for transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yun-Kai Lai
  • Patent number: 12009834
    Abstract: A control circuit and a method of calibrating a signal converter (such as DAC) are disclosed. The control circuit can be an existing control circuit, so no additional calibration circuit is required and the circuit area can be reduced. The control circuit can be an embedded microcontroller or other type of microcontroller. In general, the microcontroller includes an analog comparator and an arithmetic unit. With the combination of using the arithmetic unit to execute firmware program codes and using of the analog comparator, the control circuit is able to calibrate the signal converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yun Kai Lai
  • Patent number: 11984889
    Abstract: A signal generation circuit including a first control circuit, a second control circuit, an arbiter circuit, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit is provided. The first control circuit stores a first string of data. The first control circuit enables a first trigger signal in response to a first event occurring. The second control circuit stores a second string of data. The second control circuit enables a second trigger signal in response to a second event occurring. The arbiter circuit reads the first or second control circuit according to the order of priority to use the first string of data or the second string of data as a digital input in response to the first and second trigger signals being enabled. The DAC circuit converts the digital input to generate an analog output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yun-Kai Lai
  • Publication number: 20230036211
    Abstract: A control circuit and a method of calibrating a signal converter (such as DAC) are disclosed. The control circuit can be an existing control circuit, so no additional calibration circuit is required and the circuit area can be reduced. The control circuit can be an embedded microcontroller or other type of microcontroller. In general, the microcontroller includes an analog comparator and an arithmetic unit. With the combination of using the arithmetic unit to execute firmware program codes and using of the analog comparator, the control circuit is able to calibrate the signal converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventor: Yun Kai LAI
  • Publication number: 20220414269
    Abstract: A microcontroller includes an event-detection circuit, a protection-control circuit, a digital-to-analog converter, a digital-to-analog conversion interface controller, a trigger-event controller, and a central processing unit. The event-detection circuit detects a sudden event, and correspondingly outputs an interrupt notification and a protection-enable signal. The protection-control circuit receives the protection-enable signal, and correspondingly outputs a protection-execution signal. The digital-to-analog conversion interface controller receives the protection-execution signal, stops updating the received input data, and stops outputting the acknowledgement signal. The trigger-event controller determines whether to set the conversion parameters of the digital-to-analog conversion interface controller according to the acknowledgement signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventor: Yun-Kai LAI
  • Publication number: 20220407521
    Abstract: A signal generation circuit including a first control circuit, a second control circuit, an arbiter circuit, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit is provided. The first control circuit stores a first string of data. The first control circuit enables a first trigger signal in response to a first event occurring. The second control circuit stores a second string of data. The second control circuit enables a second trigger signal in response to a second event occurring. The arbiter circuit reads the first or second control circuit according to the order of priority to use the first string of data or the second string of data as a digital input in response to the first and second trigger signals being enabled. The DAC circuit converts the digital input to generate an analog output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventor: Yun-Kai LAI
  • Patent number: 11533047
    Abstract: A wave-generation circuit is provided. A core circuit establishes digital data. A fetch and calculation circuit generates a first data string and a second data string according to the digital data, outputs the first data string via a first pin, and outputs the second data string via a second pin. A latch circuit latches the first and second data strings. The latch circuit uses the first data string as first input data, and use the second data string as second input data. A digital-to-analog conversion circuit receives and converts the first input data and the second input data to generate a first output wave and a second output wave. After the core circuit establishes the digital data, the fetch and calculation circuit, the latch circuit, and the digital-to-analog conversion circuit operate independently of the core circuit to generate the first output wave and the second output wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yun-Kai Lai
  • Publication number: 20220345121
    Abstract: A wave-generation circuit is provided. A core circuit establishes digital data. A fetch and calculation circuit generates a first data string and a second data string according to the digital data, outputs the first data string via a first pin, and outputs the second data string via a second pin. A latch circuit latches the first and second data strings. The latch circuit uses the first data string as first input data, and use the second data string as second input data. A digital-to-analog conversion circuit receives and converts the first input data and the second input data to generate a first output wave and a second output wave. After the core circuit establishes the digital data, the fetch and calculation circuit, the latch circuit, and the digital-to-analog conversion circuit operate independently of the core circuit to generate the first output wave and the second output wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventor: Yun-Kai LAI
  • Publication number: 20220329325
    Abstract: A microcontroller includes a setting unit, an encoder, a modulation circuit, and a digital-to-analog converter. The setting unit outputs a control signal. The encoder outputs a digital signal that is encoded. The modulation circuit loads at least one carrier signal on the digital signal at the logic high level and/or the logic low level according to the control signal to generate a modulated digital signal. The digital-to-analog converter converts the modulated digital signal into an analog signal, and outputs the analog signal for transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventor: Yun-Kai LAI