Current Driver Patents (Class 327/108)
  • Patent number: 11611332
    Abstract: A gate driver includes: an input pin for receiving switching control information from a controller; an output pin for driving a control terminal of a power transistor; a power supply pin for receiving power from an external supply; an input side electrically connected to the input pin; an output side electrically connected to the output pin and the power supply pin; and an isolation structure galvanically isolating the input side and the output side from one another. The output side is configured to transfer a fraction of the power received at the power supply pin to the input side over the isolation structure for powering the input side. The input side is configured to convey the switching control information received at the input pin to the output side over the isolation structure. A power electronic system that includes the gate driver is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Heiko Rettinger
  • Patent number: 11611338
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to circuit for reversing a threshold voltage shift of a transistor. The circuit includes a current mirror for sensing a transistor current and generating a mirrored current corresponding to the sensed transistor current, a gate biasing module for providing a gate bias to the transistor, and a calibration engine configured to receive the mirrored current from the current mirror and to control the gate biasing module in response to determining whether the mirrored current is outside of a predetermined range indicative of a shift in the threshold voltage of the transistor. The gate biasing module includes a gate biasing circuit configured to operate the transistor in a region where hot carrier injection (HCI) is present, and a gate switch for coupling the gate biasing circuit to a gate terminal of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aly Ismail, Amr Haggag
  • Patent number: 11611340
    Abstract: A drive circuit includes a second drive circuit that drives a semiconductor switching element in a case where a pulse width of a corresponding signal is determined to be larger than a second threshold, and a timing adjustment circuit that adjusts a timing at which the second drive circuit cooperates with a first drive circuit to drive the semiconductor switching element during a turn-off period of the semiconductor switching element due to drive of the first drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11606091
    Abstract: An input/output module electrically coupled between a control circuit and an input/output pin is provided. The input/output module includes a pre-driver and a post-driver. The pre-driver is electrically coupled to the control circuit, and the post-driver is electrically coupled between the pre-driver and the input/output pin. The pre-driver generates a pull-up selection signal and a pull-down selection signal according to an input signal and an enable signal generated by the control circuit. The post-driver sets a voltage level of the input/output pin according to the pull-up and pull-down selection signals. When the enable signal is at a first logic level, the input/output pin has a high impedance. When the enable signal is at a second logic level, the voltage level of the input/output pin changes with a logic level of the input signal, wherein the first logic level and the second logic level are inverted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: FARADAY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chih-Hung Wu, Yu-Chieh Ma
  • Patent number: 11605962
    Abstract: A battery management system comprises a first and second battery cell controllers and a transmission line providing a point-to-point signal transmission path between the first and second battery cell controllers. At least one of the first and second battery cell controllers includes a logic circuit constructed and arranged for encoding data for transmission as a serial data stream along the signal transmission path in compliance with a multi-level encoding technique. The logic circuit comprises an encoding/decoding circuit that generates a modulated signal of the serial data stream over at least three discrete signal levels at a predetermined and fixed data pulse frequency for transmission through the transmission line and encodes a plurality of data units of the serial data stream into a data packet. The data packet includes at least three symbols constructed and arranged with at least four consecutive transmissions per symbol. Each transmission of each symbol assumes one of the three discrete signal levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Bordes, Simon Bertrand, Alexis Nathanael Huot-Marchand
  • Patent number: 11601038
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a device including a first switch, a diode, and a passive resistive element electrically in series between conduction and control terminals of the first switch, a terminal of the diode located on the side of the first switch being coupled to a node of application of a potential variable with respect to the potential of said conduction terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Dominique Bergogne, Guillaume Regis
  • Patent number: 11588485
    Abstract: A power domain change circuit includes an input circuit and an output circuit. The input circuit is suitable for operating in a first power domain and generating first and second intermediate processing signals. The output circuit is suitable for operating in a second power domain and generating a final output signal by averaging and combining transition jitter components of the first and second intermediate processing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Ji Hyo Kang
  • Patent number: 11588473
    Abstract: A circuit with a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor and a diode module is applied to a power factor correction circuit, which can effectively reduce the heat generated by the whole system under heavy load. The circuit includes a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor and a diode module and a load determination unit. The diode module includes a plurality of diodes with a switch. The load determination unit can control the connection/disconnection of each diode in the diode module based on the magnitude of the load current. It can effectively reduce the current generated by each diode due to the load, thereby reducing the heat generation of the overall system. Moreover, due to the contact capacitance effect after the diodes are connected in parallel, the electromagnetic interference (EMI) characteristics of the power factor correction circuit of the system can be further optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: POTENS SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventors: Wen Nan Huang, Ching Kuo Chen, Chih Ming Yu, Hsiang Chi Meng
  • Patent number: 11568776
    Abstract: A gate driver includes a plurality of active stages and a plurality of dummy stages. The active stage is configured to output a plurality of gate signals to a display region. The dummy stage is c connected to respective active stages and configured to output a plurality of dummy carry signals to the respective active stages. The active stage is configured to output the plurality of gate signals and a plurality of active carry signals. The plurality of dummy stages are configured to output the plurality of dummy carry signals, respectively, and not to output any gate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventor: Junghwan Hwang
  • Patent number: 11563434
    Abstract: A driver circuit comprising a differential operational amplifier configured to receive an input voltage and produce a differential output voltage based at least in part on the input voltage. The differential output voltage can be produced for a receiver circuit that is communicatively coupled to the driver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Paul Baker, Alvaro Flores
  • Patent number: 11543850
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for a clock buffer. The clock buffer comprises a source follower, and the source follower comprises a voltage source and a resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Acacia Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Dedic, Gavin Allen, David Enright, Bo Yang, Tarun Gupta
  • Patent number: 11543846
    Abstract: A driver circuit includes three sub-circuits. A first sub-circuit is configured to generate a drive current output by the driver circuit through an output node during first and second regions of operation and includes: a diode coupled to the output node and a first transistor, and a second transistor coupled to the first transistor and a current mirror. A second sub-circuit is configured to generate the drive current during the first and second and a third region of operation and includes: a third transistor coupled to the output node; and a fourth transistor. A third sub-circuit is configured to generate the drive current during the third region of operation and includes: a current source coupled to the current mirror and a buffer; and a fifth transistor coupled to the third transistor and the fourth transistor and configured to receive an output of the buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Krishnamurthy Ganapathi Shankar
  • Patent number: 11539366
    Abstract: A capacitive transmitter includes a control circuit configured to generate a data signal by delaying input data and to generate a control signal according to the input data and a delayed signal thereof; a capacitor connected between a first node and a transmission node; a driving circuit configured to receive the data signal and to provide an output signal corresponding to the data signal to the first node; and a bias setting circuit configured to set a transmission voltage at the transmission node according to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: SK hynix Inc., Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Sangyoon Lee, Jaekwang Yun, Suhwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11538394
    Abstract: A gate driver circuit, a display device and a driving method. The gate driver circuit includes: a scan signal generation circuit, wherein the scan signal generation circuit includes N1 stages of first output terminals, and the scan signal generation circuit is configured to output N1 first pulse scan signals stage by stage respectively through the N1 stages of first output terminals; and N2 level conversion circuits, wherein the N2 level conversion circuits are configured to output under a control of a plurality of conversion control signals N1 second pulse scan signals which are in one-to-one correspondence with the N1 first pulse scan signals, and the plurality of conversion control signals include a plurality of first sub-control signals which are the N1 first pulse scan signals, wherein N1 is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and N2 is an integer greater than or equal to 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yifeng Zou, Hui Wang, Rongcheng Liu, Xiong Xiong
  • Patent number: 11538417
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a light emission control shift register and method thereof, a gate driving circuit, and a display device. An input circuit outputs a signal of a signal input terminal to a first node. A first control circuit outputs a voltage of a first voltage terminal to a second node. A second control circuit transmits the voltage of the first voltage terminal to a third node. A third control circuit transmits the voltage of the first voltage terminal to a fourth node, and the third control circuit can further transmit the voltage of the second voltage terminal to the fourth node. A fourth control circuit transmits the voltage of the first voltage terminal to a signal output terminal, and the fourth control circuit can further transmit the voltage of the second voltage terminal to the signal output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bo Yang, Chengchung Yang, Xiangfei He, Ling Shi
  • Patent number: 11515885
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for generating a process-voltage-temperature (PVT)-dependent reference voltage at a reference branch circuit based on a reference current obtained via a band gap generator and a common mode voltage input, generating a PVT-dependent output voltage at an output of a static analog calibration circuit responsive to the common mode voltage input and an adjustable current, adjusting the adjustable current through the static analog calibration circuit according to a control signal generated responsive to comparisons of the PVT-dependent output voltage to the PVT-dependent reference voltage, and configuring a clocked data sampler with a PVT-calibrated current by providing the control signal to the clocked data sampler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: KANDOU LABS, S.A.
    Inventors: Kiarash Gharibdoust, Armin Tajalli, Pavan Kumar Jampani, Ali Hormati
  • Patent number: 11502635
    Abstract: The control system comprises an amplifier (264; 266) designed to receive an input control signal (cmd*; cmd*), in order to amplify the input control signal (cmd*; cmd*) so as to obtain an output control signal (CMD*; CMD*) and to apply the output control signal (CMD*; CMD*) to the switch (222; 224) in order to either open or close the switch (222; 224), the amplifier (264; 266) having two, positive and negative, supply terminals intended to receive a supply voltage. It moreover comprises an inhibiting device (310; 314) for the amplifier (264; 266) designed to lower the supply voltage on receiving what is referred to as a total inhibit control (INHIB_T) so that the output control signal (CMD*; CMD*) keeps the switch (222; 224) open irrespective of the input control signal (cmd*; cmd*).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventor: Romuald Morvany
  • Patent number: 11502685
    Abstract: A gate drive circuit in a switching circuit including a switching terminal connected to a node that is connected to a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor, and connected to an end of a boot-strap capacitor, a bootstrap terminal connected to another end of the bootstrap capacitor, a high-side driver having an output terminal connected to a gate of the high-side transistor, an upper power supply node connected to the bootstrap terminal, and a lower power supply node connected to the switching terminal, a low-side driver having an output terminal connected to a gate of the low-side transistor, a rectifying device for applying a constant voltage to the bootstrap terminal, and a dead time controller for controlling a length of a dead time during which the high-side transistor and the low-side transistor are simultaneously turned off, based on a potential difference between the bootstrap terminal and the switching terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Karasawa, Hiroki Niikura
  • Patent number: 11482918
    Abstract: A gate drive circuit, which drives a gate of a first transistor, includes a first switch on a high potential side and a second switch on a low potential side connected in series at a second connection node between a high potential end and a low potential end of a series connection structure, constituted of a first voltage source and a second voltage source connected in series at a first connection node; and a third switch and an inductor connected in series between the first connection node and the second connection node. The gate of the first transistor can be electrically connected to the second connection node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Okawauchi, Yusuke Nakakohara, Ken Nakahara
  • Patent number: 11482996
    Abstract: A circuit device includes an output terminal, an output transistor, and a gate voltage control circuit. The output transistor is provided between a first power supply node and the output terminal. The gate voltage control circuit changes a gate voltage of the output transistor at a first temporal voltage change rate after an input signal changes from a first logic level to a second logic level, changes the gate voltage at a second temporal voltage change rate smaller than the first temporal voltage change rate after the gate voltage reaches a first determination voltage, and changes the gate voltage at a third temporal voltage change rate greater than the second temporal voltage change rate after the gate voltage reaches a second determination voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Sakamoto, Motoaki Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11476880
    Abstract: A radio frequency module includes a filter that is arranged on a first path connecting a common terminal and a first input/output terminal and has a first frequency band as a pass band, another filter that is arranged on a second path connecting the common terminal and a second input/output terminal and has a second frequency band different from the first frequency band as a pass band, and a detection circuit connected to the first path and configured to detect a leakage signal in the second frequency band leaked to the first path and output a signal indicating a detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michiyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11475844
    Abstract: A display substrate includes a scanning driving circuit arranged on a base substrate. The scanning driving circuit includes a plurality of shift register units and a first voltage signal line extending in a first direction. At least one shift register unit includes an output capacitor and a first transistor, a first electrode thereof is coupled to the first voltage signal line, and a second electrode thereof is coupled to an electrode plate of the output capacitor. A maximum distance between an orthogonal projection of the first electrode/second electrode of the first transistor onto the base substrate and an orthogonal projection of the first voltage signal line/the electrode plate of the output capacitor onto the base substrate is smaller than a first/second predetermined distance in a second direction, and the first direction intersects the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: Chengdu BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing BOE Technology Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jie Dai, Pengfei Yu, Huijuan Yang, Lu Bai, Huijun Li, Xiaofeng Jiang
  • Patent number: 11467611
    Abstract: A power transistor generates an output current and a sense transistor generates a proportional sense current. A differential amplifier generates a gate voltage applied to the power and sense transistors in response to first and second input signals. A comparator circuit compares the gate voltage to a switching reference to detect whether the power and sense transistors are operating in a triode mode of operation or in a saturation mode of operation. At least one of the first and second input signals is modified in response to the detection made by the comparator circuit. In one instance, different reference voltages are applied to an input of the amplifier depending on the detected mode of operation. In another instance, different resistances are used to convert the sense current to a voltage for application to an input of the amplifier in response to the detected mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Marco Martini
  • Patent number: 11469750
    Abstract: Provided is a switching apparatus and a determination apparatus connected to the switching apparatus. The switching apparatus comprises: a first switching device and a second switching device, wherein each first main terminal is connected to a first reference potential; an opposing switching device, wherein a second main terminal is connected to a second reference potential; an output wiring section; a first detector for detecting a first detection value changing in accordance with current flowing in the first switching device; and a second detector for detecting a second detection value changing in accordance with current flowing in the second switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Sato
  • Patent number: 11463082
    Abstract: A gate-driving circuit for turning on and off a switch device having a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a source terminal coupled to a reference node is provided. The gate-driving circuit includes a controller and a waveform conversion circuit. The controller includes a first switch supplying a high voltage level to a first node, a second switch coupling the first node to a low voltage level of the reference node, and a third switch coupling a second node to the low voltage level. The second node is coupled to the gate terminal. When the first switch is turned on for the first time during startup, the third switch is turned on simultaneously. The waveform conversion circuit includes a first resistor coupled between the first node and the second node and a first capacitor coupled between the first node and the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Po-Chin Chuang
  • Patent number: 11456745
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first voltage domain circuit including a first circuit component configured to provide a first digital output signal; a second voltage domain circuit comprising a second circuit component; a level shifter arrangement configured to receive the first digital output signal and generate a second digital output signal based thereon with an increased voltage level of the high state, and provide said second digital output signal to the second circuit component; wherein the level shifter arrangement comprises at least one stage, the at least one stage comprising an arrangement of one or more diode-connected PMOS transistors, coupled to a CMOS inverter arrangement; the CMOS inverter arrangement of a first of the at least one stages configured to receive the first digital output signal and the CMOS inverter arrangement of a final stage of the at least one stages configured to output said second digital output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Klaas-Jan de Langen, Antonius Martinus Jacobus Daanen, Frederik van den Ende
  • Patent number: 11451225
    Abstract: This publication describes apparatuses and methods for driving a switching device and providing for the fast start-up of the switching device. In an aspect, the apparatus includes a driver circuit and a starter circuit. The driver circuit for applying control signals to a control terminal of the switching device when activated. The switching device is activatable to drive a load in an operating mode when a control signal above a threshold voltage is applied to the control terminal. The starter circuit is coupled to the control terminal and includes an energy store and a switch operable to discharge the energy store to deliver a start-up voltage above the threshold to the control terminal. As such, the switching device can be activated during a delay period before the driver circuit can generate a control signal above the threshold voltage after being activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Emmanuel Boudoux, Markus Heinrich
  • Patent number: 11450257
    Abstract: An electroluminescence display apparatus includes a display panel including a display area including a plurality of pixel lines and a non-display area including a gate driving circuit supplying a gate signal to the plurality of pixel lines, and each of the plurality of pixel lines includes a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels includes a pixel driving circuit and a light emitting device, each of the pixel driving circuit and the gate driving circuit is implemented with a p-type transistor and an n-type transistor, and the gate driving circuit supplies a gate signal to the n-type transistor of the pixel driving circuit, so that a stably output can be provided, and the non-display area of the display panel can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Seok Park, Sung Jin Lee, Jae Yong You
  • Patent number: 11451197
    Abstract: An output stage circuit comprising a bias voltage generator, a first amplifier circuit and a second amplifier circuit is provided. The bias voltage generator is coupled to an output terminal of the output stage circuit to generate a bias voltage according to an output voltage of the output terminal. The first amplifier circuit is coupled to the output terminal, a first power supply terminal and the bias voltage generator, receives a first pre-driving signal, a first predetermined voltage and the bias voltage, and determines whether to transmit a first voltage to serve as the output voltage. The second amplifier circuit is coupled to the output terminal, a second power supply terminal and the bias voltage generator, receives a second pre-driving signal, a second predetermined voltage and the bias voltage, and determines whether to transmit a second voltage to serve as the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Shanghai Zhaoxin Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shen Li, Zhongding Liu
  • Patent number: 11437991
    Abstract: A control circuit for a main switch is provided. The control circuit includes an output voltage tracker, a main switch bias generator, and a reference current device. The output voltage tracker is coupled to the main output end and generates a first tracking voltage positively correlated to an output voltage. The main switch bias generator, in response to the first tracking voltage, generates a second tracking voltage substantially equal to the output voltage. The reference current device is coupled to the main switch bias generator and is used to generate a control voltage on a main control end. The reference current device is used to limit the maximum value of the output current. The main switch and a duplicating switching element of the main switch bias generator form a current mirror configuration circuit. The consuming current of the output voltage tracker is positively correlated to the output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: AIROHA TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Hung-I Chen, Yu-Hua Liu
  • Patent number: 11435389
    Abstract: Embodiments of this application relate to the technical field of electronics, and disclose an electrical control device detection circuit, a detection method, and an electric vehicle. In some embodiments of this application, the detection circuit is configured to detect a drive circuit of the electrical control device. The drive circuit includes a high-side switch unit. The detection circuit includes a first detection module and a control module. A first end of the first detection module is connected to a first end of the electrical control device. A second end of the first detection module is connected to a second end of the electrical control device. A third end of the first detection module is connected to the control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Yanhui Fu, Baohai Du, Guoxiu Wu
  • Patent number: 11431166
    Abstract: A gate driver integrated circuit includes a high-side region that operates in a first voltage domain according to a first pair of supply terminals that include a first lower supply terminal and a first higher supply terminal; a low-side region that operates in a second voltage domain according to a second pair of supply terminals; a low-voltage region the operates in a third voltage domain; at least one termination region that electrically isolates the high-side region from the low-side region and the low-voltage region; a first electrostatic device arranged in the high-side region and connected to the first pair of supply terminals; a second electrostatic device arranged in the low-side region and connected to the second pair of supply terminals; and a third electrostatic device connected to a lower supply terminal of the first pair of supply terminals and is coupled in series with the first electrostatic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventor: Matteo Albertini
  • Patent number: 11417391
    Abstract: A memory device includes a level down shifting driver circuit. The level down shifting driver circuit include input circuitry having at least one input port, and a cross-junction circuitry electrically coupled to the input circuitry and configured to receive a first signal from the input circuitry to drive one or more devices included in the cross-junction circuitry. The level down shifting driver circuit further includes an output drive circuitry electrically coupled to the cross-junction circuitry and configured to receive a second signal from the cross-junction circuitry, wherein the output drive circuitry comprises an output line configured to deliver a first voltage output based on a first input voltage received by the input circuitry, and a second voltage output based on a second input voltage received by the input circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tae H. Kim
  • Patent number: 11411561
    Abstract: A signal is caused to have a small amplitude without increasing a voltage source, and power consumption is reduced. A semiconductor circuit includes a driver, and a pulse control circuit that controls the driver. The driver has a configuration in which first and second transistors are connected. The pulse control circuit supplies a first control signal to the first transistor, and supplies a second control signal to the second transistor. The first and second control signals to be supplied from the pulse control circuit are different in a pulse width from each other. Therefore, the pulse control circuit reduces an output amplitude of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takanori Saeiki
  • Patent number: 11411494
    Abstract: A first current mirror circuit is provided between a first transistor and a power supply line to return a current that flows to the first transistor. A second current mirror circuit returns an output current from the first current mirror circuit, and generates a starting current. An inverter has an input connected to a node, and an output connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. A first current source generates a first current when a power supply voltage has exceeded a first threshold value. A third current mirror circuit draws a current proportional to the first current from an input side of the second current mirror circuit. A second current source supplies a second current to the node when the power supply voltage has exceeded a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: ROHM Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiro Nomura, Takatoshi Manabe
  • Patent number: 11411395
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes a voltage drop circuit, a detector circuit, and a clamping circuit. The voltage drop circuit is configured to generate a second voltage according to a first voltage. The second voltage is smaller than the first voltage. The detector circuit is coupled to the voltage drop circuit. The detector circuit is configured to generate a control signal according to the second voltage and an input voltage. The clamping circuit is coupled to the voltage drop circuit and the detector circuit. The clamping circuit is configured to provide an electrostatic discharge path according to a voltage level of the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chung-Yu Huang, Tay-Her Tsaur, Po-Ching Lin
  • Patent number: 11410718
    Abstract: A memory device includes a common gate input buffer circuit. The input buffer circuit includes an input node configured to receive a signal representative of data to be stored in the memory device and a voltage reference node. The input buffer circuit further includes an amplification circuit electrically coupled to the input node and to the voltage reference node and configured to amplify the signal to provide for an amplified signal. The input buffer circuit additionally includes an equalization circuit electrically coupled to the amplification circuit and configured to process the amplified signal to provide for a filtered signal and an output circuit electrically coupled to equalization circuit and configured to provide for at least one output signal based on the filtered signal, wherein the output signal comprises a differential output signal and wherein the common gate input buffer circuit does not include a common mode feedback (CMFB) loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shin Deok Kang
  • Patent number: 11404884
    Abstract: GaN-based half bridge power conversion circuits employ control, support and logic functions that are monolithically integrated on the same devices as the power transistors. In some embodiments a low side GaN device communicates through one or more level shift circuits with a high side GaN device. Various embodiments of level shift circuits and their inventive aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Navitas Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Daniel M. Kinzer, Santosh Sharma, Ju Jason Zhang
  • Patent number: 11405040
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to a device having logic circuitry with multiple inversion stages. One or more of the multiple inversion stages may be configured to operate as first inversion logic with a first number of transistors. One or more of the multiple inversion stages may be configured to operate as second inversion logic with a second number of transistors that is greater than the first number of transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventor: Anil Kumar Baratam
  • Patent number: 11397209
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a condition of a SiC MOSFET can include (a) applying a first test gate-source voltage across a gate-source of a SiC MOSFET in-situ, the first test gate-source voltage configured to operate the SiC MOSFET in saturation mode to generate a first drain current in the SiC MOSFET, (b) applying a second test gate-source voltage across the gate-source of the SiC MOSFET in-situ, the second test gate-source voltage configured to operate the SiC MOSFET in fully-on mode to generate a second drain current in the SiC MOSFET, (c) determining a drain-source saturation resistance using the first drain current to provide an indication of a degradation of a gate oxide of the SiC MOSFET; and (d) determining a drain-source on resistance using the second drain current to provide an indication of a degradation of contact resistance of the SiC MOSFET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Bilal Akin, Shi Pu, Enes Ugur, Fei Yang, Chi Xu, Bhanu Teja Vankayalapati
  • Patent number: 11387821
    Abstract: A pulse signal sending circuit that outputs pulse signals from an output terminal includes: an output transistor; an inverter circuit; and a delay circuit. The output transistor includes a drain terminal connected to the output terminal. The inverter circuit is connected to a gate terminal of the output transistor and outputs a signal to be input to the gate terminal of the output transistor. The delay circuit receives a pulse signal as an input and delays rising or falling of the input pulse signal. The pulse signal delayed by the delay circuit is input to the inverter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keizo Kumagai
  • Patent number: 11361695
    Abstract: A gate-driver-on-array type display panel having a display area includes a plurality of pixel units and a GOA circuit, wherein the pixel units and the GOA circuit are disposed in the display area. The GOA unit set and the GOA trace set are respectively disposed in the pixel units that are in two adjacent rows, and the GOA trace set is electrically connected to two ends of the GOA unit set through a plurality of first signal connecting traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jing Zhu, Wei Shao
  • Patent number: 11356094
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement is provided, having a first circuit configured to receive an input signal, and a second circuit configured to provide an output signal, wherein the first circuit includes a first pull-up network having a first transistor of a first conductivity type and a second transistor of a second conductivity type electrically coupled to each other, and a first pull-down network having a first transistor of the first conductivity type and a second transistor of the second conductivity type electrically coupled to each other, wherein the second circuit includes a second pull-up network having a first transistor of the first conductivity type, and a second pull-down network having a second transistor of the second conductivity type, wherein the first pull-up network and the second pull-down network are electrically coupled to each other, and wherein the first pull-down network and the second pull-up network are electrically coupled to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Nanyang Technological University
    Inventors: Joseph Sylvester Chang, Kwen Siong Chong, Ne Kyaw Zwa Lwin, Sivaramakrishnan Hariharakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11348847
    Abstract: The invention provides a testkey detection circuit, including a plurality of oscillators and a driving circuit. Each of the oscillators has an enable terminal, a voltage terminal and an output terminal, wherein the enable terminals are connected to a common enable terminal. The driving circuit receives the output terminals of the oscillators and increases a driving level of a selected one of the output terminals as a frequency output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Kun-Yuan Wu, Wei-Jen Wang, Chien-Fu Chen, Chen-Hsien Hsu, Yuan-Hui Chen, Ruei-Yau Chen, Cheng-Tsung Ku, Zhi-Hong Huang, Cheng-Yang Tsai, Yu-Lin Chen
  • Patent number: 11349460
    Abstract: A current-mode Schmitt Trigger includes a plurality of current output stages connected to a common supply voltage that powers the current-mode Schmitt Trigger, a main input on one of the current output stages that receives an input current, and a non-inverting output on a different one of the current output stages that is shorted to the main input to establish a positive closed-loop feedback and supplies a non-inverting output current as the input current. The current-mode Schmitt Trigger includes only active components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & MINERALS
    Inventors: Abdulrahman Alshuhail, Hussain Alzaher, Alaa El-Din Hussein
  • Patent number: 11336277
    Abstract: This invention introduces the negative feedback into the gate drive. It proposes a negative feedback active gate drive (NFAGD) for silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor devices to fully utilize their potential of high switching-speed capability in a phase-leg configuration. An auxiliary P-channel MOSFET is introduced to construct a negative feedback control mechanism. Due to the negative feedback mechanism, the proposed drive can automatically attenuate the disturbance from the complementary device of the phase-leg. The negative feedback active gate drive (NFAGD) has a simple structure and easy to be realized using a push-pull drive circuit, a drive resistor, an auxiliary MOSFET and an auxiliary capacitor, without involving any additional logical circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignees: BEIJING JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY, GLOBAL POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tiancong Shao, Zhijun Li, Trillion Q. Zheng, Bo Huang, Junxing Wang
  • Patent number: 11334108
    Abstract: A power management integrated circuit comprises a modular interleaved clock generator comprising a plurality of interconnected modular elements, each element constructed to generate and output a clock signal, and each one comprising: a phase port high input; a phase port low input; a clock input; and a bypass switch coupled between the phase port high input and the phase port low input, wherein in response to the bypass switch of at least one of the plurality of elements in a closed state, the phase port high inputs or the phase port low inputs of the remaining elements absent the at least one interleaving controller having the bypass switch in the closed state each receives a voltage that interleaves the clock signals output from the remaining active elements to have an interleaving arrangement that includes equal phase delays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Miguel Mannes Hillesheim, Marc Michel Cousineau, Eric Pierre Rolland, Philippe Goyhenetche, Guillaume Jacques Léon Aulagnier
  • Patent number: 11323099
    Abstract: Electronic circuits are disclosed. One electronic circuit includes: a transistor device having a load path and a drive input; a first drive circuit configured to receive a supply voltage and generate a drive signal for the transistor device based on the supply voltage; and a biasing circuit connected in parallel with the load path of the transistor device. The biasing circuit includes a bias voltage circuit configured to receive the supply voltage and generate a bias voltage higher than the supply voltage based on the supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Hans Weber, Franz Hirler, Matteo-Alessandro Kutschak, Andreas Riegler
  • Patent number: 11316520
    Abstract: A transmitter includes a driving circuitry configured to drive a channel coupled to an output node by controlling an output impedance of a pull-up path, an output impedance of a pull-down path, or both, according to one or more multi-bit data signals, a pull-up control signal, and a pull-down control signal; a driving control circuit configured to generate the pull-up control signal and the pull-down control signal according to one or more calibration signals and the multi-bit data signals or according to the calibration signals and one or more duplicate multi-bit data signals, the duplicate multi-bit data signals duplicating the multi-bit data signals; and a look-up table storing values of the calibration signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignees: SK hynix Inc., Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Changho Hyun, Suhwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11303721
    Abstract: A memory device includes a communication circuit configured to communicate a first signal and a second signal; and a selection mechanism coupled to the communication circuit and configured to select between operating the communication circuit the first signal and the second signal (1) independent signals for separate memory operations or (2) a complementary set for a memory operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew D. Rowley, Mark Bauer