Field-effect Transistor Patents (Class 326/83)
-
Patent number: 10763845Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of enhancing uniformity of temperatures of transistors in an active clamp state while maintaining current performance is provided. A power transistor is connected to a power transistor in parallel. An active clamp circuit is provided in a path from a connection point between the power transistors to a gate of the power transistor and is conducted in a case where a voltage of the connection point exceeds a first threshold. An active clamp cutoff circuit is provided in a path from the active clamp circuit to a gate of the power transistor and cuts off or suppresses a current flowing into the path.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2017Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Shinichirou Wada, Masahito Sonehara
-
Patent number: 10763846Abstract: An analog switch circuit is provided. The circuit includes a branch coupled between an input terminal and an output terminal. The branch is configured to transfer an input signal at the input terminal to the output terminal when a control signal is at a first state. A transistor in the branch includes a current electrode coupled at the input terminal and is configured for receiving the input signal having a voltage exceeding a voltage rating of the transistor. A level shifter includes an output coupled to a control electrode of the transistor and is configured to provide a first voltage sufficient to cause the transistor to be conductive without exceeding the voltage rating of the first transistor when the control signal is at the first state. A voltage generator is coupled to the level shifter and is configured to generate the first voltage based on the input signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Marcos Mauricio Pelicia, Ivan Carlos Ribeiro do Nascimento, Bruno Bastos Cardoso
-
Patent number: 10756078Abstract: An integrated circuit having a CML driver including a driver biasing network. A first output pad and a second output pad are connected to a voltage pad. A first driver is connected to the first output pad and the voltage pad. A second driver is connected to the second output pad and the voltage pad. A first ESD circuit is connected to the voltage pad, the first output pad, and the first driver. A second ESD circuit is connected to the voltage pad, the second output pad, and the second driver. The first ESD circuit biases the first driver toward a voltage of the voltage pad when an ESD event occurs at the first output pad, and the second ESD circuit biases the second driver toward the voltage of the voltage pad when an ESD event occurs at the second output pad.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2017Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: James P. Di Sarro, Robert J. Gauthier, Jr., Nathan D. Jack, JunJun Li, Souvick Mitra
-
Patent number: 10739424Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing variability in the output impedance of an integrated switch-mode power amplifier (PA) split the output impedance between passive resistor, which may be on-chip, and a MOSFET switch of the amplifier. The PA may have a single-ended configuration or a differential configuration having two single-ended structures operating with opposite phases. In one implementation, the size of the MOSFET switch is larger than that of the MOSFET switch implemented in a conventional PA, but the size is still acceptable to operate the PA at a desired frequency. In addition, a calibration approach may be utilized to ensure that the MOSFET switch has a controlled and calibrated ON resistance, thereby providing stable output power levels of the PA and ensuring consistency and repeatability in NMR measurements.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: WAVEGUIDE CORPORATIONInventor: Alexander Alexeyev
-
Patent number: 10742181Abstract: A buffer circuit includes a first buffer configured to operate at an external power voltage, generate first and second buffer signals by comparing an input signal with a reference voltage, and control potential levels of the first and second buffer signals in response to a common mode feedback voltage; a second buffer configured to operate at an internal power voltage and generate an output signal in response to the first and second buffer signals; and a replica circuit configured to generate the common mode feedback voltage to be less than the internal power voltage.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: SK hynix Inc.Inventors: Dong Hyun Kim, Eun Ji Choi, Yo Han Jeong, Jae Heung Kim
-
Patent number: 10734083Abstract: A voltage driver includes a voltage divider, a first transistor and a second transistor. The voltage divider is connected with a first voltage source and a second voltage source, and generates a first bias voltage. A drain terminal of the first transistor is connected with a third voltage source. A gate terminal of the first transistor is connected with the voltage divider to receive the first bias voltage. A drain terminal of the second transistor is connected with a source terminal of the first transistor. A gate terminal of the second transistor receives a second bias voltage. A source terminal of the second transistor is connected with a fourth voltage source. The first transistor and the second transistor are of the same conductivity type and match each other. The source terminal of the first transistor generates an output voltage.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: EMEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.Inventors: Yu Wu, Wei-Chiang Ong, Chih-Yang Huang
-
Patent number: 10700610Abstract: Communicating information stored at a secondary controller to a primary controller in a secondary-controlled flyback converter is described. In one embodiment, a method includes storing, by a secondary-side controller of a power converter, calibration information associated with a primary-side controller of the power converter. The power converter is a secondary-controlled alternating current to direct current (AC-DC) flyback converter comprising a galvanic isolation barrier. The method further includes sending, by the secondary-side controller, the calibration information to the primary-side controller across the galvanic isolation barrier in response to power-up of the power converter.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor CorporationInventor: Hariom Rai
-
Patent number: 10673435Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing dynamic switching current in high speed logic. The apparatus may include a CMOS logic circuit, which in turn includes an NMOS FinFET, a first PMOS FinFET, and a second PMOS FinFET. A gate of the NMOS FinFET is connected to a gate of the first PMOS FinFET, a drain of the NMOS FinFET is connected to a drain of the first PMOS FinFET, and the second PMOS FinFET is connected to the first PMOS FinFET to create a capacitor between a source and the drain of the first PMOS FinFET. In one embodiment, the second PMOS FinFET is contained in and positioned at an edge of a cell that also contains the first PMOS FinFET and the NMOS FinFET.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2018Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: NXP USA, INC.Inventors: Emmanuel Chukwuma Onyema, David Russell Tipple
-
Patent number: 10644699Abstract: A circuit includes a first transistor comprising a first control input and first and second current terminals, the first control input coupled to receive a first input control signal, and the first current terminal coupled to a first power supply node. The circuit also includes a first resistor coupled to the first control input of the first transistor, a first capacitor coupled between the second current terminal of the first transistor and the first resistor and a second transistor comprising a second control input and third and fourth current terminals, the third current terminal coupled to the first resistor and to the first capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventor: Steven Ernest Finn
-
Patent number: 10622950Abstract: An amplifier arrangement has a first differential stage with a first transistor pair, a second differential stage with a first and a second transistor pair, each pair having a common source connection. The amplifier arrangement further has a first complementary differential stage with a transistor pair having opposite conductivity type, and a second complementary differential stage with a first and a second transistor pair of the complementary conductivity type. The first and the second complementary differential stage are connected symmetrically compared to the first and the second differential stage. The transistors of the second differential stage and the second complementary differential stage are symmetrically connected to form respective first, second, third and fourth current paths. A pair of output terminals is coupled to the first and the fourth current path. Gate terminals of the transistors are coupled to a respective pair of input terminals.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2016Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: ams AGInventors: Matthias Steiner, Andreas Fitzi
-
Patent number: 10608625Abstract: Circuits, methods, and systems are provided for setting a current level to be used by a current-mode gate driver. The current level may be used to source, sink, or both source and sink current to/from the gate terminal of a power device. The current level is based upon a current or voltage level input from an analog current-setting terminal. This input current or voltage level may take a value from a continuous range of current or voltage values.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2018Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AGInventors: Giuseppe Bernacchia, Adriano Sambucco
-
Patent number: 10593810Abstract: A logic circuit includes a thin film transistor having a channel formation region formed using an oxide semiconductor, and a capacitor having terminals one of which is brought into a floating state by turning off the thin film transistor. The oxide semiconductor has a hydrogen concentration of 5×1019 (atoms/cm3) or less and thus substantially serves as an insulator in a state where an electric field is not generated. Therefore, off-state current of a thin film transistor can be reduced, leadind to suppressing the leakage of electric charge stored in a capacitor, through the thin film transistor. Accordingly, a malfunction of the logic circuit can be prevented. Further, the excessive amount of current which flows in the logic circuit can be reduced through the reduction of off-state current of the thin film transistor, resulting in low power consumption of the logic circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Masashi Tsubuku, Kosei Noda
-
Patent number: 10552562Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for calculating an input timing slack at an input to a latch by subtracting an input arrival time to the latch from an input required arrival time, calculating an output timing slack at an output to the latch by subtracting an output arrival time of the latch from an output required arrival time from the latch, performing cycle stealing to improve the output timing slack by modifying the input required arrival time and the output arrival time, reducing the output timing slack by a pessimism amount, performing optimization in the integrated circuit to improve the input timing slack and the output timing slack, and increasing the output timing slack by the pessimism amount.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2017Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Nathaniel D. Hieter, Kerim Kalafala, Alexander J. Suess
-
Patent number: 10552365Abstract: In some embodiments, a buffer stage device includes a data input for receiving a data signal, a clock input for receiving a clock signal, a data output and a processor that is configured to deliver, to the data output, the data from the data signal in synchronism with clock cycles of the clock signal. The processor includes a first buffer module configured to deliver, to the data output, each datum in synchronism with a first edge of the clock signal and during a first half of a clock cycle, and a second buffer module configured to hold the datum at the data output during the second half of the clock cycle.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2018Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SASInventors: François Tailliet, Chama Ameziane El Hassani
-
Patent number: 10540465Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for calculating an input timing slack at an input to a latch by subtracting an input arrival time to the latch from an input required arrival time, calculating an output timing slack at an output to the latch by subtracting an output arrival time of the latch from an output required arrival time from the latch, performing cycle stealing to improve the output timing slack by modifying the input required arrival time and the output arrival time, reducing the output timing slack by a pessimism amount, performing optimization in the integrated circuit to improve the input timing slack and the output timing slack, and increasing the output timing slack by the pessimism amount.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2019Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Nathaniel D. Hieter, Kerim Kalafala, Alexander J. Suess
-
Patent number: 10523185Abstract: A power supply for a gate driver circuit is provided. The power supply is configured to supply a logic voltage, a positive voltage and a negative voltage to the gate driver circuit such that a gated semiconductor driven by the gate driver circuit does not inadvertently turn on. The gate driver power supply is configured such that the logic voltage becomes a steady-state voltage prior to the positive voltage becoming a steady-state voltage and remains above a first voltage value until the positive voltage is less than a second voltage value.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2018Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: BAE Systems Controls Inc.Inventor: Paul Carvell
-
Patent number: 10505521Abstract: A high voltage driver includes a charge pump, a level shift circuit, a first string of diodes, and a second string of diodes. The charge pump adjusts a driving voltage according to a feedback voltage. The level shift circuit generates an output voltage according to the at least one control signal, and the level shift circuit includes a plurality of stacked transistors for relieving a high voltage stress caused by the driving voltage, and a plurality of control transistors coupled to the plurality of stacked transistors for controlling the output voltage. The first string of diodes provides a plurality of divisional voltages between the driving voltage and a reference voltage, and each of the stacked transistors has a control terminal receiving a corresponding divisional voltage of the plurality of divisional voltages. The second string of diodes provides the feedback voltage.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: eMemory Technology Inc.Inventor: Cheng-Te Yang
-
Patent number: 10498227Abstract: A power conversion apparatus capable of improving an EMI characteristic and an air conditioner including the same are disclosed. The power conversion apparatus includes an inverter including a plurality of switching elements corresponding to three phases, a gate driver configured to drive the switching elements of the inverter, and a noise reducer connected to the gate driver and configured to set switching noise occurrence times caused by the switching elements in the respective phases to be different.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2018Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Hansung Nam, Wonwoo Lee
-
Patent number: 10496583Abstract: Methods and systems are described for receiving a set of input bits at a plurality of drivers and responsively generating an ensemble of signals, each respective signal of the ensemble of signals generated by receiving a subset of input bits at a respective driver connected to a respective wire of a multi-wire bus, the received subset of bits corresponding to sub-channels associated with the respective wire, generating a plurality of weighted analog signal components, each weighted analog signal component (i) having a corresponding weight and sign selected from a set of wire-specific sub-channel weights associated with the respective wire and (ii) modulated by a corresponding bit of the received subset of bits, and generating the respective signal by forming a summation of the plurality of weighted analog signal components at a common node connected to the respective wire for transmission over the respective wire of the multi-wire bus.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2017Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: KANDOU LABS, S.A.Inventors: Omid Talebi Amiri, Armin Tajalli
-
Patent number: 10446100Abstract: Provided is an array substrate, including a sequence controller and gate drivers, and each of the gate drivers includes a first adjustable resistor and a gate drive unit, and one end of the first adjustable resistor is coupled to a first voltage, and the other end of the first adjustable resistor is coupled to a first input end of the gate drive unit, and the sequence controller is coupled to a control end of the first adjustable resistor to adjust a resistance value of the first adjustable resistor to make voltage difference values among the gate drive units in a preset range. In the gate driver, a first adjustable resistor is added between the first voltage and the gate drive unit. By controlling the resistance value of the first adjustable resistor, the voltages of the adjacent gate drivers are the same to prevent the appearance of the horizontal boundary.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2016Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., LtdInventors: Ping-sheng Kuo, Yu-yeh Chen, Li-wei Chu
-
Patent number: 10448415Abstract: Techniques disclosed for accurately predicting the occurrence of anomalous sensor readings within a sensor network and advantageously using these predictions to limit the amount of power used by relay nodes within the sensor network. Some examples analyze spatial and temporal characteristics of anomalous sensor readings to predict future occurrences. In these examples, the relay nodes operate in a reduced power mode for periods of time in which anomalous sensor readings are not predicted to occur. Also, in these examples, only relay nodes in a path between a sensor predicting an anomalous reading and a gateway of the sensor network operate in full power mode. This feature allows other relay nodes to remain in the reduced power mode even when an anomalous sensor reading is predicted elsewhere in the sensor network.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: INTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Venkataraman Natarajan, Apoorv Vyas, Jaroslaw J. Sydir, Kumar Ranganathan
-
Patent number: 10425000Abstract: Methods and apparatus to increase efficiency of a power converter using a bias voltage on a low side drive gate are disclosed. An example power converter includes an inductor; a transistor coupled to the inductor; and a driver coupled to a gate of the transistor, the driver to apply (A) a first voltage to the gate to enable the transistor, (B) a second voltage to the gate to disable the transistor, and (C) a third voltage to the gate during a transition between applying the first voltage and the second voltage, the third voltage being between the first voltage and the second voltage.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2017Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Robert Alan Neidorff, Joseph Maurice Khayat
-
Patent number: 10411691Abstract: A semiconductor device driving circuit includes: a signal transmission circuit including a first level shift circuit, the signal transmission circuit and an unsaturated voltage detection circuit configured to output a first error signal when an unsaturated voltage of a semiconductor switching element driven by the drive signal is detected. The semiconductor device driving circuit generates a second error signal having the second voltage level by level-shifting the first error signal or a converted signal obtained by converting the first error signal into a pulse signal. The semiconductor device driving circuit further includes a soft shutdown circuit configured to change a drive signal for the semiconductor switching element to softly shut down the semiconductor switching element when the second error signal is input.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2015Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Kazuya Hokazono, Akihisa Yamamoto, Dong Wang
-
Patent number: 10348288Abstract: A differential output circuit includes: input transistors that receive differential input signals; n stages of cascode transistors (n?2) cascode connected to the input transistors; output terminals connected to the drains of n-th stage cascode transistors; an intermediate potential generating circuit that supplies an intermediate potential of potentials of the output terminals to the gates of the n-th stage cascode transistors; and a dividing circuit that supplies divided potentials resulting from the intermediate potential being divided into (n?1) stages to the respective gates of the (n?1)-th through first stages of the cascode transistors in descending order of potential.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masami Funabashi
-
Patent number: 10339914Abstract: A device voltage shifter includes a first voltage reference node, a second voltage reference node, an output node and a clamp node. A first high-voltage switching transistor of the voltage shifter has a first conduction terminal coupled to the first voltage reference node and a second conduction terminal coupled to the clamp node. A second high-voltage switching transistor of the voltage shifter has a first conduction terminal coupled to the clamp node and a second conduction terminal coupled to the second voltage reference node. A third high-voltage switching transistor of the voltage shifter has a first conduction terminal coupled to the first voltage reference node, a control terminal coupled to the clamp node, and a second conduction terminal coupled to the output node. A voltage regulator of the voltage shifter is coupled between the output node and the clamp node.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2018Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Matteo Albertini, Sandro Rossi
-
Patent number: 10312896Abstract: A transmitter includes: a pulse amplitude modulation encoder that encodes serial data to multi-bit transmission data of a first data group and a second data group; a first driver that converts first multi-bit transmission data of the first data group to a first differential signal having a first voltage swing width; a second driver that converts second multi-bit transmission data of the second data group to a second differential signal having a second voltage swing width narrower than the first voltage swing width; a first voltage regulator that provides to the second driver a first low swing voltage for generating the second differential signal; a second voltage regulator that provides to the second driver a second low swing voltage less than the first low swing voltage; and a constant current load switch that provides a current path between the first and second voltage regulators depending on deactivation of the second driver.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2018Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sung-Ha Kim, Jung Hoon Chun, Hwaseok Oh
-
Patent number: 10311941Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for input signal receiver circuits are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an amplifier stage configured to receive a reference voltage and an input signal. The amplifier stage is configured to provide in a first mode a first output having a complementary logic level to the input signal and a second output having a same logic level to the input signal and is further configured to provide in a second mode the first output unrelated to the input signal and the second output having a same logic level to the input signal. The example apparatus further includes a pull-up circuit and a pull-down circuit. The pull-up circuit is configured to provide a high logic level voltage to a common node when activated by the first output. The pull-down circuit is configured to provide a low logic level voltage to the common node when activated by the second output.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Hyun Yoo Lee
-
Patent number: 10305474Abstract: A high voltage output driver may be provided. The high voltage output driver may include a pull-up driver and a pull-down driver. The high voltage output driver may include a first driver boosting control logic circuit configured to apply a first bias control signal to the pull-up driver. The high voltage output driver may include a second driver boosting control logic circuit configured to apply a second bias control signal to the pull-down driver.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.Inventor: Seung Ho Lee
-
Patent number: 10298238Abstract: A driver includes first and second resistors coupled to a supply voltage and coupled to pairs of main transistors at positive and negative output nodes. The first and second pairs of main transistors provide emphasis and de-emphasis on the positive and negative output nodes. The driver also includes a delay inverter, a pull up booster and a pull down booster. The delay inverter delays and inverts each of a pair of differential input signals to provide delayed and inverted differential signals. The pull up booster provides a bypass current path that bypasses the first and second resistors but includes at least some of the first and second pairs of main transistors. The pull down booster provides an additional current path from the supply voltage through the first or second resistor to ground.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Weicheng Zhang, Huanzhang Huang, Yanli Fan, Roland Sperlich
-
Patent number: 10249348Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for generating a voltage are described. An example apparatus includes first, second, and third bias circuits configured to provide first, second, and third bias signals, respectively. The example apparatus further includes a voltage output circuit configured to receive the first, second, and third bias signals. The voltage output circuit includes an output circuit and a current circuit. The output circuit includes an output node, a first node, and an input circuit configured to receive the first bias signal. The output circuit is configured to provide an output voltage at the output node having a magnitude based on the magnitude of the first bias signal. The current circuit includes a first transistor configured to receive the second bias signal and further includes a second transistor configured to receive the third bias signal. The first transistor and second transistor are coupled in parallel and to the first node.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Hitoshi Tanaka, Yasunori Orito
-
Patent number: 10216875Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for calculating an input timing slack at an input to a latch by subtracting an input arrival time to the latch from an input required arrival time, calculating an output timing slack at an output to the latch by subtracting an output arrival time of the latch from an output required arrival time from the latch, performing cycle stealing to improve the output timing slack by modifying the input required arrival time and the output arrival time, reducing the output timing slack by a pessimism amount, performing optimization in the integrated circuit to improve the input timing slack and the output timing slack, and increasing the output timing slack by the pessimism amount.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Nathaniel D. Hieter, Kerim Kalafala, Alexander J. Suess
-
Patent number: 10079602Abstract: Novel unipolar circuits and vertical structures are described which exhibit low stand-by power, low dynamic power, high speed performance, and higher density compared to conventional silicon CMOS circuitry. In one embodiment, a design methodology utilizing either a p-channel or n-channel transistor type such that each logic gate is clocked and the clocking mechanism provides the pull up or pull down. Further embodiments include novel designs of vertical unipolar logic gates which provides for high density. Ultra-short transistor channel lengths in vertical unipolar logic gates are fabricated with a deposition process—in lieu of a lithography process—thereby providing for high speed operation and low cost manufacturing.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2017Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: TACHO HOLDINGS, LLCInventors: Tommy Allen Agan, James John Lupino
-
Patent number: 10063193Abstract: A class D amplifier output stage including an input for receiving an input signal, an output for providing an output signal to a load, serially coupled upper and lower switching devices configured to provide an output signal to the output, a driver circuit configured to receive the input signal, and to derive therefrom first and second drive signals for driving the upper and lower switching devices alternately from a conducting state into a non-conducting state and vice versa, such that the conducting state periods of the upper switching device with respect to those of the lower switching device are mutually exclusive and separated by dead time intervals during which both upper and lower output transistors are non-conducting.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Semiconductor Ideas to the Market (ITOM) B.V.Inventor: Wolfdietrich Georg Kasperkovitz
-
Patent number: 10056777Abstract: A plurality of drivers for driving corresponding differential data output signals are arranged in series such that a first current discharged by a first one of the drivers is recycled through remaining ones of the drivers.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2016Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Xiaohua Kong, Jie Xu
-
Patent number: 10056903Abstract: A driver for transmitting multi-level signals on a multi-wire bus is described that includes at least one current source connected to a transmission line, each current source selectively enabled to source current to the transmission line to drive a line voltage above a termination voltage of a termination voltage source connected to the transmission line via a termination impedance element, wherein each of the at least one current sources has an output impedance different than a characteristic impedance of the transmission line, and at least one current sink connected to the transmission line, each current sink selectively enabled to sink current from the transmission line to drive a line voltage below the termination voltage, each of the at least one current sinks having an output impedance different than the characteristic impedance of the transmission line.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: KANDOU LABS, S.A.Inventors: Omid Talebi Amiri, Richard Simpson
-
Patent number: 10027329Abstract: Provided are an NOR gate circuit, a shift register, an array substrate and a display apparatus, wherein the NOR gate circuit comprises a first inverter and a second inverter, each of the first inverter and the second inverter having an input terminal (VIN), a high voltage terminal (VGH), a low voltage terminal (VGL) and an output terminal (VOUT), the output terminal (VOUT) of the first inverter being connected to the high voltage terminal (VGH) of the second inverter, and wherein at least one of the first inverter and the second inverter comprises: a first transistor (T1; T5) having a gate connected to a first node (VA), a first electrode connected to the high voltage terminal (VGH) and a second electrode connected to the output terminal (VOUT), a first capacitor (C1; C2) having a first terminal connected to the first node (VA) and a second terminal connected to the output terminal (VOUT), a pulling-up module being configured to pull up a potential at the first node (VA) by a potential at the high voltage terType: GrantFiled: October 29, 2015Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.Inventor: Zhongyuan Wu
-
Patent number: 9991797Abstract: A semiconductor element drive apparatus for driving first and second semiconductor elements connected to a half-bridge circuit at respectively an upper-level side and a lower-level side of the half-bridge circuit. The semiconductor element drive apparatus includes a high-side circuit and a low-side circuit for respectively driving the first and second semiconductor elements. The high-side circuit includes a voltage drop detection unit that detects an abnormal voltage drop of a voltage of a main power supply, a pulse generation circuit that generates a pulse signal, a frequency of which is decreased in response to the abnormal voltage drop detected by the voltage drop detection unit, and a level-down circuit that receives the pulse signal from the pulse generation circuit, generates an abnormality signal, and transmits the abnormality signal to the low-side circuit, to thereby notify the low-side circuit of the abnormal voltage drop in the high-side circuit.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2016Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Masashi Akahane
-
Patent number: 9973198Abstract: Telescopic amplifier circuits are disclosed. In an embodiment, a telescopic amplifier includes an input stage for receiving differential input signals, an output stage for outputting differential output signals at the drains of a first output transistor and a second output transistor, a tail current transistor coupled to sources of a first input transistor and a second input transistor, a common mode feedback circuit coupled to the differential output signals and outputting a common mode output signal, and a circuit element coupled between the common mode output signal and a gate of the tail current transistor. In an embodiment the circuit element is a resistor. In another embodiment the circuit element is a source follower transistor. In additional embodiments a phase margin of the common mode feedback open loop gain of the amplifier is determined by the value of the resistor. Additional embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2017Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventor: Roswald Francis
-
Patent number: 9966958Abstract: A dynamic decode circuit for decoding a plurality of input signals comprises a decoder that decodes the plurality of input signals to produce a result at a first node, the result is propagated to a second node while an evaluation clock is active by a pair of serially connected transistors consisting of a transistor receiving an evaluation clock at its gate and a transistor receiving the first node at its gate, the interconnection of the pair of serially connected transistors is precharged when the evaluation clock is inactive to provide a delay between the end of the active evaluation clock and the beginning of the precharge.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2017Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Paul Alan Bunce, Yuen Hung Chan, John D Davis, Antonio Raffaele Pelella
-
Patent number: 9887710Abstract: A driver circuit includes a plurality of output circuits coupled in parallel between a differential input and a differential output and having a first common node and a second common node. Each of the plurality of output circuits includes a series combination of a pair of inverters and a pair of resistors, coupled between the differential input and the differential output; first source terminals of the pair of inverters coupled to the first common node; and second source terminals of the pair of inverters coupled to the second common node. The driver circuit further includes a first voltage regulator having an output coupled to the first common node of the plurality of output circuits; a second voltage regulator having an output coupled to the second common node of the plurality of circuits; and a current compensation circuit coupled between the outputs of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2016Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Siok Wei Lim, Kok Lim Chan, Kee Hian Tan, Hongyuan Zhao, Chin Yang Koay, Yohan Frans, Kun-Yung Chang
-
Patent number: 9859873Abstract: A circuit structure is provided. The circuit structure includes first pfet device. The circuit structure further includes a first nfet device connected to the pfet device. The circuit structure further includes a keeper nfet device that reduces stress associated with the first nfet device by keeping the first nfet device off during its functional state. The circuit structure further includes a keeper pfet device that reduces stress associated with the first pfet device by keeping the first pfet device off during its functional state.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2014Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Navin Agarwal, Igor Arsovski, Venkatraghavan Bringivijayaraghavan, Krishnan S. Rengarajan
-
Patent number: 9847779Abstract: In a dead time adjusting circuit, a switch voltage appearing at a connection node between a first output switch and a second output switch, which are connected in series between two different potentials, is monitored to detect a first dead time, which is from a time at which the second output switch is turned off to a time at which the first output switch is turned on, and a second dead time, which is from a time at which the first output switch is turned off to a time at which the second output switch is turned on, each of the first and second dead times being feedback-controlled to be identical to a predetermined target value.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2016Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.Inventor: Keisuke Kadowaki
-
Patent number: 9843326Abstract: Device and a method of configuring a voltage level shifter is disclosed. The device includes a traditional level shifter circuit (TLSC), a first control circuit (FCC) cross-coupled to a second control circuit (SCC). The FCC is coupled to receive an inverse of an input at a first input node and provide a first output at a first output node. The SCC is coupled to receive the input at a second input node and provide a second output at a second output node and the TLSC is configured to provide an output at an output node in response to the first output received at the first output node and the second output received at the second output node. A first power source is configured to provide a first power supply voltage to the TLSC, the FCC and the SCC. The output is latched to track the input. The TLSC, the FCC and the SCC are coupled to a ground reference node.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.Inventors: Fei Xu, On Auyeung, Qi Chen, Zhihong Luo, Sui Chor Benjamin Lau, Bai Yen Nguyen
-
Patent number: 9838013Abstract: A multi-bit clock gating cell is used in an integrated circuit (IC) in place of single bit clock gating cells to reduce power consumption. A physical design method is used to form a clock tree of the IC. Initial positions of clock gating cells are defined with respective initial clock input paths. Selected clock gating cells are moved to modified positions in which they may be adjoining. Adjoining cells are merged by substituting a multi-bit clock gating cell having multiple gating signal inputs, corresponding gated clock outputs, and a common clock input path. A net reduction is obtained for the overall capacitance of the clock path due to reduction of the upstream capacitance of the clock path and of the resulting multi-bit clock gating cell itself, compared with the aggregate capacitance of the clock paths of the corresponding clock gating cells before moving and merging.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2016Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: NXP USA, INC.Inventors: Zhe Ge, Huabin Du, Miaolin Tan, Peidong Wang
-
Patent number: 9744562Abstract: A circuit for driving ultrasound transducers uses a sample-and-hold circuit to sample multiple sample periods of a transducer driving waveform, and uses the samples to modify drive parameters. Use of multiple sample periods enables independent measurement and adjustment of different portions of the transducer driving waveform to ensure mirror symmetry.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2016Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Max Earl Nielsen, Ricky Dale Jordanger, Ismail Hakki Oguzman, Zheng Gao
-
Patent number: 9722604Abstract: In one example, a current-mode logic (CML) circuit includes a differential transistor pair having a differential input port configured to receive a differential input voltage, a bias port configured for coupling to a current source, and a differential output port. The CML circuit further includes a load circuit coupled to the differential output port. The load circuit includes an active inductive load, a cross-coupled transistor pair, and a switch coupled between the cross-coupled transistor pair and the differential output.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventor: Junho Cho
-
Patent number: 9712155Abstract: A drive circuit for a power semiconductor element includes: a voltage-command generation unit that generates a voltage command VGEref, which is a charge command between the gate and emitter terminals of a power semiconductor element; and a subtracter that calculates a deviation voltage Verr between the voltage command VGEref and the voltage between the gate and emitter terminals. The drive circuit also includes: a gate current controller that is input with the deviation voltage Verr and calculates a gate-current command voltage VIGref for determining the gate current that is caused to flow to the gate terminal of the power semiconductor element; a gate-current command limiter that limits the gate-current command voltage VIGref; and a gate-current supply device that is input with an actual gate-current command voltage VIGout and that supplies a gate current to the gate terminal of the power semiconductor element.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2013Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Yoshitomo Hayashi, Masahiro Ozawa, Toshiki Tanaka
-
Patent number: 9667250Abstract: Inversely proportional voltage-delay buffers for buffering data according to data voltage levels are disclosed. In one aspect, an inversely proportional voltage-delay buffer is configured to buffer a data signal for an amount of time that is inversely proportional to a voltage level of the data signal. The inversely proportional voltage-delay buffer includes an inversion circuit and pass circuit. The inversion circuit is configured to generate a control signal that is the logic inverse of the data signal. Notably, the control signal transitions at a rate proportional to the voltage level of the data signal. The pass circuit is configured to generate a weak logic state of the data signal when the data signal and the control signal have the same logic state. The pass circuit is configured to generate a strong logic state of the data signal when the data input and the control signal have opposite logic states.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventor: Joshua Lance Puckett
-
Patent number: 9660585Abstract: A class AB amplifier may include an input stage, a first folded cascode stage, a second folded cascode stage, and a class AB output stage. In some embodiments, the class AB output stage may provide differential output signals. The common-mode voltage of the differential output signals may be controlled via a correction signal coupled to a selected folded cascode stage. The correction signal may control the common-mode voltage of the differential output signals by altering bias currents within the selected folded cascode stage. The other cascode stage may include bias currents controlled by relatively fixed bias voltages.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2015Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Ayush Mittal, Gireesh Rajendran, Rahul Karmaker
-
Patent number: RE46490Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes an interface, a power supply, a driver, and a switch section. The interface includes a first MOSFET and converts a terminal switch signal of input serial data into parallel data. The first MOSFET is provided on the SOI substrate and has a back gate in a floating state. The power supply includes a second MOSFET and generates an ON potential higher than a potential of a power supply to be supplied to the interface. The second MOSFET is provided on the SOI substrate and has a back gate connected to a source. The driver includes a third MOSFET and outputs a control signal for controlling the ON potential to be in a high level according to the parallel data. The third MOSFET is provided on the SOI substrate and has a back gate connected to a source.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2015Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventor: Toshiki Seshita