Parallel-charge, Series-discharge (e.g., Voltage Doublers) Patents (Class 307/110)
  • Patent number: 11830637
    Abstract: A hybrid nuclear reactor that is operable to produce a medical isotope includes an ion source operable to produce an ion beam from a gas, a target chamber including a target that interacts with the ion beam to produce neutrons, and an activation cell positioned proximate the target chamber and including a parent material that interacts with the neutrons to produce the medical isotope via a fission reaction. An attenuator is positioned proximate the activation cell and selected to maintain the fission reaction at a subcritical level, a reflector is positioned proximate the target chamber and selected to reflect neutrons toward the activation cell, and a moderator substantially surrounds the activation cell, the attenuator, and the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SHINE Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Gregory Piefer
  • Patent number: 11791722
    Abstract: A switched capacitor converter circuit includes: plural capacitors and plural switches which switch the connections of the plural capacitors periodically. In a first period, the plural switches control a first capacitor to be electrically connected between a first power and a second power, and control a second capacitor and a third capacitor to be electrically connected in series between the second power and a ground level. In a second period, the plural switches control the first capacitor and the second capacitor to be electrically connected in series between the second power and the ground, and control the third capacitor and the second capacitor to be electrically connected in parallel with the second power, thereby a second current of the second power is 4 times of a first current of the first power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsung-Wei Huang, Ding-Yu Wei, Sheng-Kai Fan
  • Patent number: 11652420
    Abstract: An isolated converter with high boost ration includes a transformer, a first bridge arm, a second bridge arm, and a boost circuit. The transformer includes a secondary side having a secondary side first node and a secondary side second node. The first bridge arm includes a first diode and a second diode. The second bridge arm includes a third diode and a fourth diode. The boost circuit includes at least one fifth diode coupled between the first bridge arm and the secondary side second node, at least one sixth diode coupled between the second bridge arm and the secondary side first node, and at least two capacitors coupled to the secondary side first node and the secondary side second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Hung-Chieh Lin, Chao-Li Kao, Yi-Ping Hsieh, Jin-Zhong Huang, Chao-Lung Kuo, Hung-Yu Huang, Chih-Hsien Li
  • Patent number: 11341344
    Abstract: A device for contactless communication with a terminal, the device comprising: an antenna for receiving a wireless signal emitted by the terminal; an embedded chip configured to generate data for communication to the terminal to perform a first function associated with the device; and a module separate from the chip configured to perform processes as part of a second function associated with the device, the module being connected to the antenna and comprising a power-harvesting unit configured to harvest power from the received wireless signal to power at least the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: IDEX Biometrics ASA
    Inventors: Keith Ahluwalia, Peter Eckehard Kollig, Anthony Michael Eaton, Tuck Weng Poon, Fred G. Benkley, III
  • Patent number: 11211861
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing electric power includes a power-converter having a path for power flow between first and second power-converter terminals. During operation the first and second power-converter terminals are maintained at respective first and second voltages. Two regulating-circuits and a switching network are disposed on the path. The first regulating-circuit includes a magnetic-storage element and a first-regulating-circuit terminal. The second regulating-circuit includes a second-regulating-circuit terminal. The first-regulating-circuit terminal is connected to the first switching-network-terminal and the second-regulating-circuit terminal is connected to the second switching-network-terminal. The switching network is transitions between a first switch-configuration and a second switch-configuration. In the first switch-configuration, charge accumulates in the first charge-storage-element at a first rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: David Giuliano
  • Patent number: 11121582
    Abstract: The present technology is directed to a system and method for implementing passive power harvesting from ambient electromagnetic emissions with a smart rectenna that incorporates automatic frequency response tuning features. The disclosed system incorporates a tunable High Pass Filter and voltage multiplier rectifier with a front-end ultra wide band antenna unit. The frequency response of tunable components can be actively adjusted to match the frequency band containing most of the energy in the incident electromagnetic emission. A look up table is used for determining the appropriate biasing levels of the tunable components for each frequency in a frequency band of interest. By tuning a frequency response of impedance matching, filtering and rectifying components to correspond to a frequency region of maximum power spectral density in the incident energy signal, the system facilitates the scavenging of ambient electromagnetic energy from the spectral region with the highest power spectral density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shanay Ravin Kothari
  • Patent number: 11081635
    Abstract: A piezo driver system including a driver including a switching amplifier coupling a power port to a driver port, a battery coupled to the power port, a piezo device coupled to the driver port, where the switching amplifier provides a filtered driver signal to the driver port and returns stored charge from the piezo device to the battery. A method for driving a piezo device includes multiplying an input signal by an oscillator signal to provide a control signal, controlling a switching amplifier in accordance with the control signal to provided a filtered alternating current (AC) driver signal and a returned charge direct current (DC) signal, applying the filtered driver signal to a piezo device, and returning stored charge of the piezo device to a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Cary L. Delano, Timothy A. Dhuyvetter
  • Patent number: 11043893
    Abstract: A bias circuit is provided. The bias circuit includes a comparator circuit configured to compare a first voltage at a first input with a second voltage at a second input and generate a digital value at an output. A level shifter circuit is coupled to the comparator circuit. The level shifter is configured to receive a reference voltage at an input and generate the second voltage at an output. A charge pump circuit is coupled to the comparator circuit. The charge pump circuit is configured to generate the first voltage at an output based on the digital value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Marcos Mauricio Pelicia, Ricardo Pureza Coimbra, Luis Enrique Del Castillo, Eduardo Ribeiro da Silva
  • Patent number: 11038418
    Abstract: Various embodiments of charge adjustment techniques for a switched capacitor power converter are described. In one example embodiment, briefly, charge adjustment techniques may include a technique to control operation of a charge pump for a switched capacitor power converter so that the charge pump is able to adjust the charge of a selected one or more of the two or more charge pump capacitors along a charge transfer path, independent of the charge of other charge pump capacitors of the two or more charge pump capacitors. Likewise, in some instances, a charge may be adjusted in a manner that is to include at least one of the following: a current source, a voltage regulator, an adjustment of switching frequency of a charge pump, a time-based charge operation, a bypass switch with respect to at least one charge pump capacitor, on-resistance modulation for one or more switches of the charge pump, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, David M. Giuliano, Gregory Szczeszynski, Jeff Summit, Oscar Blyde
  • Patent number: 11016518
    Abstract: A voltage subtracter includes a first charge storage device and a second charge storage device. The first charge storage device receives a first voltage and a second voltage during a first time period, and storages a first difference voltage between the first voltage and the second voltage. The second charge storage device receives a reference ground voltage and the first voltage during a second time period, and storages a second difference voltage between the reference ground voltage and the first voltage. The first charge storage device and the second charge storage device are coupled to an output end during a second time period, and a charge sharing operation is operatedon the first charge storage device and the second charge storage device to generate an output voltage on the output end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yih-Shan Yang
  • Patent number: 11011988
    Abstract: A DC/DC power converter and a method to convert an input voltage into an output voltage are presented. The power converter may have a first flying capacitor, a second flying capacitor, an inductor, and switching elements. It may control the switching elements such that the switching elements establish a first magnetizing current path from the input node, via the first flying capacitor, via the second flying capacitor, via the inductor, to the output node. The converter may control the switching elements to interrupt said first magnetizing current path after a pre-determined time interval. The converter may control the switching elements such that the switching elements establish a demagnetizing current path from a reference potential via the inductor to the output node. The converter may control the switching elements such that said demagnetizing current path is interrupted when a current through the inductor reaches a pre-determined threshold current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Mihail Jefremow, Simon Stark, Holger Petersen, Fabio Rigoni, Stephan Drebinger, Alessandro Angeli
  • Patent number: 10985651
    Abstract: An apparatus for converting a first voltage into a second voltage includes a reconfigurable switched capacitor power converter having a selectable conversion gain. The power converter has switch elements configured to electrically interconnect capacitors to one another and/or to the first or second voltage in successive states. The switch elements are configured to interconnect at least some capacitors to one another through the switch elements. A controller causes the reconfigurable switched capacitor power converter to transition between first and second operation modes. The controller minimizes electrical transients arising from transition between modes. In the first operating mode, the power converter operates with a first conversion gain. In the second operating mode, it operates with a second conversion gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, David Giuliano, Gregory Szczeszynski, Jeff Summit, Oscar Blyde
  • Patent number: 10978944
    Abstract: In some examples, a voltage regulator includes a first pair of switches controllable by a first clock signal having a first phase. The switches in the first pair are coupled to each other via a capacitor. The voltage regulator also includes a second pair of switches controllable by a second clock signal having a second phase. The first and second phases are non-overlapping. The switches in the second pair are coupled to each other via the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kishalay Datta, Vinod Menezes
  • Patent number: 10972003
    Abstract: The charge pump is provided, which comprises a power supply circuit and a frequency control circuit. The power supply circuit comprises at least one electric energy storage element, and charges the at least one electric energy storage element for producing a supply voltage. The frequency control circuit is coupled to the at least one electric energy storage element, and outputs an operating signal to the power supply circuit. The frequency control circuit adjusts, an operating frequency of the operating signal in according to the electricity stored in the at least one electric energy storage element for controlling charging of the at least one electric energy storage element to increase the electricity of the at least one electric energy storage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Sitronix Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Sheng-Ying Lin
  • Patent number: 10958161
    Abstract: A method for multi-phase high conversion ratio Switched Capacitor Power Conversion includes sequentially forming one of four subcircuits during a respective timing phase, wherein each subcircuit comprises at most three capacitors. Conversion between an input voltage of an input and an output voltage of an output occurs by sequentially connecting for each respective timing phase, one of the input, the output, a ground, a top plate of a first one of the three capacitors and a bottom plate of the first one of the three capacitors to one of a top plate of a second one of the three capacitors and a bottom plate of the second one of the three capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Ravichandra Karadi
  • Patent number: 10924006
    Abstract: A power converter includes a switched-capacitor circuit that forms different capacitor networks out of a set of capacitors. It does so in a way that avoids losses that can arise when capacitors are connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: David M. Giuliano
  • Patent number: 10879796
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a direct current (DC)-DC converter associated with a radio frequency transceiver, which includes a transceiver capacitor. The disclosed DC-DC converter includes a battery terminal configured to provide a battery voltage, a charge pump coupled to the battery terminal and configured to provide a boosted voltage based on the battery voltage, a power inductor is coupled between the charge pump and the transceiver capacitor, and fast voltage charging circuitry with a fast-path block that is coupled between the charge pump and the transceiver capacitor. Herein, the transceiver capacitor is capable to be charged with the boosted voltage through the power inductor. The fast-path block is parallel with the power inductor and configured to provide an extra charging path to the transceiver capacitor, so as to accelerate a charging speed of the transceiver capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventor: Nadim Khlat
  • Patent number: 10874451
    Abstract: A pulse generator discharge circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes one or more discharge stages, each discharge stage including a plurality of control input terminals. The circuit also includes first and second discharge terminals, and a plurality of serially connected switches electrically connected between the first and second discharge terminals, where a conductive state of each of the switches is controlled by a control signal. The circuit also includes a plurality of inductive elements configured to generate the control signals for the serially connected switches, where each inductive element is configured to generate a control signal for one of the serially connected switches in response to one or more input signals at one or more of the control input terminals, and where each of the serially connected switches is configured to receive a control signal from a respective one of the inductive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: PULSE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
    Inventors: Brian G. Athos, Darrin R. Uecker, Shu Xiao
  • Patent number: 10855177
    Abstract: A method of converting a positive voltage to a negative voltage includes applying an input signal having intermittent high- (e.g., positive-) and low (e.g., zero or ground) levels to a capacitor network having two or more capacitors; configuring the network into a serial configuration, in which the capacitors are connected to each other in series; charging the capacitors connected in series with the input signal during a pre-charge period, during which the input signal level is high; subsequently, during a pump period, during which the input signal level is low, configuring the network into a parallel configuration, in which the capacitors are connected to each other in parallel; and discharging the capacitors connected in parallel to an output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yen-An Chang, Yi-Chun Shih
  • Patent number: 10855199
    Abstract: A method of discharging a Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) includes a plurality of phase legs connected in delta configuration. Each leg includes a plurality of series connected submodules, each submodule including an energy storage. The method includes disconnecting the MMC from an electrical grid, discharging the energy storages by means of a circulating current, and reconnecting the MMC to the electrical grid. The discharging includes, for each phase leg, setting a voltage reference, and sequentially selecting submodules in zero state by means of a sorting algorithm for switching each of the selected submodules to plus or minus state until the voltage deviation from the set voltage reference of the energy storage of each submodule in the phase leg is within a predefined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Beat Buchmann, Jerome Fischer
  • Patent number: 10847096
    Abstract: A driving module for an organic light-emitting diode display device includes a converting unit, for adjusting a voltage range of a plurality of data signals from a first voltage range to a second voltage range; and a driving unit, for generating a plurality of driving signals within the second voltage range to the organic light-emitting diode display device according to the plurality of data signals; wherein the maximum voltage of the second voltage range is greater than or equal to the maximum driving voltage of display components coupled to the driving signals in the organic light-emitting diode display device, and the minimum voltage of the second voltage range is smaller than or equal to the minimum driving voltage of display components coupled to the driving signals in the organic light-emitting diode display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: FORCELEAD TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Wen-Lin Yang, Chih-Lung Kuo
  • Patent number: 10833579
    Abstract: A switching capacitor regulator, comprising: a switching capacitor configured to switch between a first state and a second state, wherein, in the first state, a first node of the switching capacitor is coupled to a second terminal, and a second node of the switching capacitor is coupled to a fixed voltage level, and wherein, in the second state, the first node is coupled to a first terminal, and the second node is coupled to the second terminal; a power switch configured to couple the second node to the second terminal when the switching capacitor is in the second state; and a flying inverter configured to control the power switch, wherein the flying inverter has a positive power terminal and a negative power terminal, wherein the positive power terminal is coupled to the first node, and wherein the negative power terminal is coupled to the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Lion Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Alessandro Angelo Puggelli, Zhipeng Li, Thomas Li
  • Patent number: 10818261
    Abstract: A gate driving unit circuit pair and a driving method thereof, a gate driving circuit and a display device are provided. The gate driving unit circuit pair includes two gate driving unit circuits, each of which includes a first output sub-circuit, a second output sub-circuit, and a coupling and isolation sub-circuit. The coupling and isolation sub-circuit is configured to: if the first output sub-circuit outputs signal, isolate the signal of the first output terminal from the signal of the second output terminal; or else, couple the signal of the first output terminal to the second output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignees: HEFEI BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bin Luo, Hao Chen, Jincheng Jia, Yunfei Liu, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 10811952
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices implement direct current (DC)-DC converters having fast wake up times and low ripple effects. Methods include determining a DC-DC converter is to be transitioned from an operational mode to a low power mode, and storing a voltage at an input of a comparator coupled to an input of a charge pump, the voltage being stored in a feedback capacitor of a feedback regulation loop. The methods further include uncoupling a voltage trimming circuit from the input of the comparator, and maintaining, at least in part, the stored voltage at the feedback capacitor during the low power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Oren Shlomo
  • Patent number: 10790740
    Abstract: Techniques for improving efficiency of a switched-capacitor voltage regulator are provided. In an example, a switched-capacitor voltage regulator can include a switched-capacitor network having multiple gain configurations, a clock configured to switch capacitors of the switched-capacitor network between a charge state and a discharge state to provide a scaled output voltage, and a controller configured to select a capacitor configuration associated with a gain of the multiple gain configurations to provide the scaled output voltage within a desired output voltage range while continuously switching the capacitor configuration, and to interrupt switching of the capacitor configuration to permit an output voltage of the switched-capacitor voltage regulator to fall below the scaled output voltage but to remain above a lower limit of the desired output voltage range to save power by reducing losses due to the switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Amit Kumar Singh, Sriram Ganesan, Miguel A. Ruiz, Jose Tejada
  • Patent number: 10770970
    Abstract: A powertrain for a vehicle may include a variable voltage converter (VVC), and a controller. The VVC may include an inductor, a bus capacitor and a flying capacitor. The controller may be configured to, in response to a power demand signal exceeding a threshold, modulate switches of the VVC such that an inductor current created by a collapsing field of the inductor is directed into the flying capacitor or the bus capacitor such that a bus capacitor voltage exceeds a flying capacitor voltage, and in response to the power demand signal dropping below the threshold, modulate switches such that the flying capacitor and the bus capacitor are coupled in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Shuitao Yang, Yan Zhou, Lihua Chen, Baoming Ge, Fan Xu, Mohammed Khorshed Alam
  • Patent number: 10746581
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring at least one physical or chemical process variable, comprising at least one measurement branch and a compensation branch connected in parallel therewith for compensating the influence of at least one environmental parameter on the process variable and/or on the measuring of the process variable. The measurement branch includes at least one primary sensor unit and a primary electronics unit for signal registration, evaluation, and/or feeding. The compensation branch includes at least a secondary sensor unit and a secondary electronics unit. The secondary sensor unit is so embodied that it registers a physical or chemical variable characteristic for the at least one environmental parameter, wherein the secondary electronics unit is so embodied that it draws the required energy from the measurement branch, and that it produces from the characteristic physical or chemical variable a compensation signal, which it transmits to the primary electronics unit of the measuring branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER FLOWTEC AG
    Inventors: Achim Wiest, Oliver Brumberg
  • Patent number: 10693370
    Abstract: Structures and methods are provided for attaining high step-up and high step-down DC-to-DC power conversion using switched-capacitors. The DC-DC converters are comprised of a modular configuration of capacitors and switches and attain step-up ideal conversion ratios greater than 2N and step-down ideal conversion ratios less than 1/2N, where N is the number of floating capacitors used by the converter. A method is provided for controlling the converters, wherein the control circuit generates a multiphase switching sequence which opens and closes the switches such that the converter cycles through a plurality of topological states. Sample switching sequences are provided to generate a set of attainable ideal conversion ratios for embodiments of the converters using three and four floating capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Inventor: Marko Krstic
  • Patent number: 10680513
    Abstract: A cascade multiplier includes a switch network having switching elements, a phase pump, and a network of pump capacitors coupled with the phase pump and to the switch network. The network of pump capacitors includes first and second capacitors, both of which have one terminal DC coupled with the phase pump, and a third capacitor coupled with the phase pump through the first capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: David Giuliano
  • Patent number: 10680516
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for multi-mode charge pumps are disclosed herein. In certain configurations, a multi-mode charge pump includes an output terminal, a mode control circuit that operates the multi-mode charge pump in a selected mode, a first switched capacitor, a capacitor charging circuit, and a plurality of switches. The capacitor charging circuit connects a first end of the first switched capacitor to a charging voltage in a first phase of a clock signal, and connects the first end of the first switched capacitor to a reference voltage in a second phase of the clock signal. The charging voltage has a voltage level that changes based on the selected mode. The plurality of switches connect a second end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and connect the second end of the first switched capacitor to the output terminal in the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Christian Crandall, Robert Michael Fisher, Curtis Lee Mayberry
  • Patent number: 10650735
    Abstract: A charge pump, a voltage control method for the charge pump, and a display device are provided. The charge pump includes a voltage output end and a first step-up circuitry. The first step-up circuitry includes a first energy storage unit, a second energy storage unit, a first input control unit, a first voltage application control unit, a first output control unit and a first charging path control unit. The first voltage application control unit is configured to enable a first end of the first energy storage unit to be electrically connected to, or electrically disconnected from, a first voltage end, and enable a first end of the second energy storage unit to be electrically connected to, or electrically disconnected from, a second voltage end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignees: BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jituo Tang, Guohuo Su, Shulin Yao, Zhihua Sun, Yinlong Zhang, Xu Zhang, Ning Zhang, Wenpeng Ma
  • Patent number: 10622031
    Abstract: Memory devices may have internal circuitry that employs voltages higher than voltages provided by an external power source. Charge pumps are DC/DC converters that may be used to generate, internally, higher voltages for operation. The number of available charge pumps in a memory device may be higher than the number used for certain memory operations. Gating circuitry may be used to selectively enable charge pump cores based on power demands that may be associated with a mode of operation and/or a command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Harish N. Venkata, Yu-Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 10615696
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes an inductive element, a capacitive element, and switch elements. A first end of the inductive element is connected to an input voltage. A first end of a first switch element is connected to the first end of the inductive element. The capacitive element is connected between a second end of the first switch element and a second end of the inductive element. A second switch element is connected between the second end of the first switch element and a reference voltage. A third switch element is connected between the second end of the inductive element and the reference voltage. A fourth switch element is connected between the second end of the inductive element and a first output voltage. A fifth switch element is connected between the second end of the inductive element and a second output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Minyong Jung, Gyeong-Gu Kang, Gyu-Hyeong Cho, Hyunseok Kim, Heemun Bang, Se-Un Shin, Chang Seok Chae
  • Patent number: 10569301
    Abstract: An electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) system for inspecting a part includes an EMAT sensor and a power supply for supplying an output power to the EMAT sensor. The power supply includes a DC/DC converter to boost an input DC voltage into a boosted DC voltage, a DC/AC inverter having Silicon Carbide (SiC) Mosfet power switches to invert the boosted DC voltage into an AC square voltage, and an output filter to filter the AC square voltage into an AC sinusoidal voltage. The AC sinusoidal voltage is the output power from the power supply to the EMAT sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: ULC Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Qin Lei, Junjun Xin
  • Patent number: 10541606
    Abstract: A negative charge pump includes a network of two or more capacitors, and switches and adapted to switch the capacitor network between a serial configuration, in which the capacitors are connected to each other in series, and a parallel configuration, in which the capacitors are connected to each other in parallel. The negative charge pump has an input adapted to receive an input signal having intermittent high- and low levels, and an output. The switches are adapted to switch the capacitor network into the serial configuration when the input signal is high and switch the switch the capacitor network into the parallel configuration when the input signal is low (e.g., zero or ground level). A method of converting a positive voltage to a negative voltage includes applying an input signal having intermittent high- (e.g., positive-) and low (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-An Chang, Yi-Chun Shih
  • Patent number: 10541611
    Abstract: A converter circuit and related technique for providing high power density power conversion includes a reconfigurable switched capacitor transformation stage coupled to a magnetic converter (or regulation) stage. The circuits and techniques achieve high performance over a wide input voltage range or a wide output voltage range. The converter can be used, for example, to power logic devices in portable battery operated devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: David M. Giuliano, David J. Perreault, Robert C. N. Pilawa-Podgurski
  • Patent number: 10530247
    Abstract: The present subject matter relates to charge pump devices, systems, and methods in which a first plurality of series-connected charge-pump stages is connected between a supply voltage node and a first circuit node, wherein the first plurality of charge-pump stages are operable to produce a first electrical charge at the first circuit node, the first electrical charge having a first polarity; and a second plurality of series-connected charge-pump stages is connected between the supply voltage node and a second circuit node, wherein the second plurality of charge-pump stages are operable to produce a second electrical charge at the second circuit node, the second electrical charge having a second polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: WISPRY, INC.
    Inventors: Arthur S. Morris, III, Vincent Cheung, David Zimlich
  • Patent number: 10530256
    Abstract: Power converters and method with reverse charge capability are presented. A power converter operates either in a buck mode for transferring electrical power from a first terminal of the power converter to a second terminal of the power converter, or in a boost mode for transferring electrical power from the second terminal of the power converter to the first terminal of the power converter. The power converter has several switching elements, a flying capacitor, an inductor, and a control unit. The switching elements couple the first terminal of the power converter and the flying capacitor, couple the first terminal of the flying capacitor and a first terminal of the inductor, couple the first terminal of the inductor and a second terminal of the flying capacitor and couple the second terminal of the flying capacitor and a reference potential. The control unit controls the switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Karthik Jayaraman, Lasse Harju
  • Patent number: 10528109
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method enables determining an input power load for a multi voltage rail subsystem in an electronic device such as an information handing system. The method comprises determining a first output power value from a first voltage regulator and a second output power value from a second voltage regulator. A first input power value to the first voltage regulator is determined based at least partially on the first output power value and a second input power value to the second voltage regulator is determined based at least partially on the second output power value. An offset power value is calculated based on the first input power value and the second input power value. A total input power value is calculated based on the offset power value and a third input power value. The total input power value is transmitted to a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Shiguo Luo, John Erven Jenne, Ralph H. Johnson, III
  • Patent number: 10483843
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for multi-mode charge pumps are disclosed herein. In certain configurations, a multi-mode charge pump includes an output terminal, a mode control circuit that operates the multi-mode charge pump in a selected mode, a first switched capacitor, a capacitor charging circuit, and a plurality of switches. The capacitor charging circuit connects a first end of the first switched capacitor to a charging voltage in a first phase of a clock signal, and connects the first end of the first switched capacitor to a reference voltage in a second phase of the clock signal. The charging voltage has a voltage level that changes based on the selected mode. The plurality of switches connect a second end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and connect the second end of the first switched capacitor to the output terminal in the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Christian Crandall, Robert Michael Fisher, Curtis Lee Mayberry
  • Patent number: 10404249
    Abstract: A system including a power supply and a clock circuitry to generate a plurality of clock signals. Each clock signal is synchronous with a primary clock signal. First, second, and third clock signals of the plurality of clock signals are asynchronous to each other. The system further includes a plurality of switches. Each switch of the plurality of switches is communicatively coupled to the power supply and the clock circuitry. A first switch of the plurality of switches receives the first clock signal, a second switch of the plurality of switches receives the second clock signal, and a third switch of the plurality of switches receives the third clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Jordan, Todd Rearick
  • Patent number: 10403330
    Abstract: Memory devices may have internal circuitry that employs voltages higher than voltages provided by an external power source. Charge pumps are DC/DC converters that may be used to generate, internally, higher voltages for operation. The number of available charge pumps in a memory device may be higher than the number used for certain memory operations. Gating circuitry may be used to selectively enable charge pump cores based on power demands that may be associated with a mode of operation and/or a command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Harish N. Venkata, Yu-Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 10404176
    Abstract: A switched capacitor voltage converter comprises: an input port; an output port; a first control field-effect transistor (FET) comprising a first terminal coupled to the input port; a second control FET comprising a first terminal coupled to a second terminal of the first control FET; a first tank circuit coupled to the second terminal of the first control FET and to the first terminal of the second control FET; a first high-side sync FET comprising a first terminal coupled to the output port, a second terminal coupled to the first tank circuit; a first low-side sync FET comprising a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first high-side sync FET and to the first tank circuit; and a first current sense circuit coupled to the first tank circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhiyuan Hu, Jian Liu
  • Patent number: 10396776
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a gate driver with voltage boosting capabilities. In some embodiments, the gate driver may comprise a charge pump that includes capacitor(s) and switch(es). Responsive a logic low input signal, the gate driver may bypass the capacitor(s) to allow the input digital signal to drive the gating signal directly. Conversely, responsive to a logic high input signal, the gate driver may couple the capacitor(s) in series with the input digital signal to generate a boosted gating signal. In some embodiments, the gate driver may comprise an inductor-capacitor resonant circuit to create a doubled output gating signal with respect to the input digital signal. In some embodiments, the resonant gate driver may include an additional voltage boosting capability that can be selectively enabled to compensate for a voltage drop during the signal transfer from the input to the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marco A. Davila, Bogdan T. Bucheru
  • Patent number: 10389228
    Abstract: A power supply circuit which can suppress current surges comprises a first switch unit, a first control unit, a second switch unit, and a second control unit. The first switch unit is coupled between a voltage input terminal and a load, the load comprising a capacitor. The second switch unit is coupled between the voltage input terminal and the load. The second control unit turns on the second switch unit to charge the capacitor to a predetermined voltage before the first control unit controls the first switch unit to turn on. The second control unit controls the second switch unit to turn off when a voltage of the capacitor is greater than the predetermined voltage, and the first control unit controls the first switch unit to then turn on to supply power to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: HONGFUJIN PRECISION ELECTRONICS (TIANJIN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ying Li, Xue-Qin Xia
  • Patent number: 10361706
    Abstract: A clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit for data sampling includes a sampler, a phase detector, a proportional-integral (PI) controller, and an oscillator. The sampler receives a data signal and a clock signal, and generates first, second, and third sampled signals. The phase detector receives the first, second, and third sampled signals, and generates first and second early-late vote (ELV) signals. The charge pump steers a current signal into or out of one of summing nodes based on the first and second ELV signals. The integrator circuit receives the current signal from one of the summing nodes, and generates a first control signal. The proportional circuit receives the first and second ELV signals, and generates a second control signal. The oscillator receives the first and second control signals from the integrator and proportional circuits, respectively, and generates a clock signal for sampling the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Biman Chattopadhyay, Jairaj Naik K R
  • Patent number: 10340847
    Abstract: A power supply control circuit includes: a power supply control switch provided between a load and a capacitor which stores power from an energy harvester in which a plurality of power generation cells are coupled in series and supplies stored power to the load and configured to select whether or not to supply the stored power in the capacitor to the load; and a controller configured to control the power supply control switch based on a first potential extracted from a first coupling node of the plurality of power generation cells and a second potential extracted from a second coupling node different from the first coupling node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 10333397
    Abstract: A charge pump includes boosting circuits cascade coupled between first and second nodes, wherein each boosting circuit is operable in both a positive voltage boosting mode to positively boost voltage and a negative voltage boosting mode to negatively boost voltage. A first switching circuit selectively applies a first voltage to one of the cascaded boosting circuits in response to a first logic state of a periodic enable signal, with the cascaded boosting circuits operating in the positive voltage boosting mode to produce a high positive voltage at the second node. A second switching circuit selectively applies a second voltage to another of the cascaded boosting circuits in response to a second logic state of the periodic enable signal, with the cascaded boosting circuits operating in the negative voltage boosting mode to produce a high negative voltage at the first node. Simultaneous output of the positive and negative voltages is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Abhishek Mittal
  • Patent number: 10333392
    Abstract: An apparatus for converting a first voltage into a second voltage includes a reconfigurable switched capacitor power converter having a selectable conversion gain. The power converter has switch elements configured to electrically interconnect capacitors to one another and/or to the first or second voltage in successive states. The switch elements are configured to interconnect at least some capacitors to one another through the switch elements. A controller causes the reconfigurable switched capacitor power converter to transition between first and second operation modes. The controller minimizes electrical transients arising from transition between modes. In the first operating mode, the power converter operates with a first conversion gain. In the second operating mode, it operates with a second conversion gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Aichen Low, David M. Giuliano, Gregory Szczeszynski, Jeff Summit, Oscar Blyde
  • Patent number: 10312803
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a clock booster including a doubler capacitor, the clock booster configured to precharge the doubler capacitor and provide a boosted intermediate voltage greater than an input voltage; a secondary booster including a booster capacitor, the secondary booster configured to use the voltage stored on the doubler capacitor to generate a stage output greater than the boosted intermediate voltage; and a connecting switch connected to the clock booster and the secondary booster, the connecting switch configured to electrically connect the doubler capacitor and the booster capacitor during a direct charging duration for charging the booster capacitor using source-secondary current from an input voltage supply instead of or in addition to the voltage stored on the doubler capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michele Piccardi