Fairchild Semiconductor Patent Applications

INDUCTOR CURRENT EMULATION FOR OUTPUT CURRENT MONITORING

Granted: March 25, 2021
Application Number: 20210091657
A multi-phase power supply includes a plurality of phase controllers each driving a first terminal of a respective inductor alternatively between an input voltage and a ground voltage to regulate an output voltage in a work mode, keeping the first terminal of the respective inductor in a high impedance state during a non-work mode, having an input for receiving an enable signal for selecting between the work mode and the non-work mode, and generating a current monitor signal to represent…

BATTERY CHARGE TERMINATION VOLTAGE REDUCTION

Granted: July 30, 2020
Application Number: 20200244079
This document discusses, among other things, apparatus, systems, and methods to prevent a voltage of a charging battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, including receiving charging information from a battery and controlling an output current of a travel adapter, including adjusting the received battery current information using a load current to prevent the voltage of the battery from exceeding a voltage threshold, and providing output current limit information to the travel adapter…

SUBSTRATE INTERPOSER ON A LEADFRAME

Granted: July 9, 2020
Application Number: 20200219866
In one general aspect, a device can include a leadframe including at least one of an external input terminal or an external output terminal, an interposer made of an insulating material, and a redistribution layer coupled to the interposer and made of a conductive material. The redistribution layer can include a plurality of traces. The device can also include a semiconductor die disposed between the redistribution layer and the leadframe.

CONTROL CIRCUIT AND METHOD THEREFOR

Granted: April 23, 2020
Application Number: 20200127573
In one embodiment, a power supply controller, or alternately a semiconductor device having a power supply controller, may have a first circuit configured to form a sense signal that is representative of a signal from an auxiliary winding of a transformer. A feedback circuit may be configured to allow the sense signal to increase in response to a turn-off of the power switch, to subsequently detect a second increase of the sense signal prior to subsequently turning on the power switch,…

LED DRIVE CIRCUIT WITH A PROGRAMMABLE INPUT FOR LED LIGHTING

Granted: April 2, 2020
Application Number: 20200107414
An LED (Light Emitting Diode) drive circuit includes a magnetic device, a power transistor, a current-sense resistor, and a controller. The magnetic device has a first terminal for receiving an input voltage derived from an input of the LED drive circuit, and a second terminal. The magnetic device generates an output current to drive at least one LED. The power transistor has a drain coupled to the second terminal of the magnetic device, a control terminal, and a source. The…

PACKAGED SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES WITH LASER GROOVED WETTABLE FLANK AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE

Granted: March 12, 2020
Application Number: 20200083148
In a general aspect, a method for producing a packaged semiconductor device can include coupling a semiconductor device to a leadframe structure having a signal lead that is electrically coupled with the semiconductor device. The method can also include forming, with a laser, a groove in the signal lead, the groove having a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and applying solder plating to the signal lead, including the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the groove. The method…

CHARGE PUMP CIRCUIT FOR PROVIDING VOLTAGES TO MULTIPLE SWITCH CIRCUITS

Granted: January 9, 2020
Application Number: 20200014298
A charge pump circuit generates a charge pump voltage that powers a bias circuit. The bias circuit generates a reference current and generates switch currents from the reference current. Gate-source voltages are generated from the switch currents and applied to switching components of switch circuits to connect two nodes. The gate-source voltages can be generated in the bias circuit and provided to the switch circuits. The gate-source voltages can also be generated in the switch…

LED DRIVE CIRCUIT WITH A PROGRAMMABLE INPUT FOR LED LIGHTING

Granted: November 14, 2019
Application Number: 20190350057
An LED drive circuit includes a controller, generating a switching signal to switch a magnetic device that receives an input voltage derived from an input of the LED drive circuit, for generating an output current to drive at least a LED. The controller includes an input circuit receiving a programmable signal correlated to the input of the LED drive circuit to generate a programmable current, the programmable current modulating a current input signal correlated to a switching current of…

SWITCH MODE POWER SUPPLY WITH RAMP GENERATOR FOR WIDE FREQUENCY RANGE PULSE WIDTH MODULATOR OR THE LIKE

Granted: October 24, 2019
Application Number: 20190326891
A switch mode power supply includes an error amplifier, an oscillator, a pulse width modulation logic circuit, and an output stage. The oscillator includes a current generator that receives a clock signal and provides a current proportional to a frequency of the clock signal, a current mirror having an input coupled to the output of the current generator, and a first capacitor having a first terminal coupled to an output of the current mirror and providing a ramp signal, and a second…

METHODS AND APPARATUS RELATED TO TERMINATION REGIONS OF A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

Granted: August 8, 2019
Application Number: 20190245078
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a semiconductor region, and a trench defined within the semiconductor region. The trench can have a depth aligned along a vertical axis and have a length aligned along a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the vertical axis. The trench can have a first portion of the length included in a termination region of the semiconductor region and can have a second portion of the length included in an active region of the semiconductor region.

SWITCH DEVICE WITH SWITCH CIRCUITS THAT PROVIDE HIGH VOLTAGE SURGE PROTECTION

Granted: July 4, 2019
Application Number: 20190207604
A switch device includes a common node that is connected to end nodes, such as that of computer interface ports. The switch device includes several switch circuits that can be connected in series to form a switch path between the common node and an end node. A switch circuit can include a main switch, such as a transistor that can be configured to withstand a positive or negative voltage surge by automatically changing the connection of its gate.

POWER SUPPLY WITH NEAR VALLEY SWITCHING

Granted: June 13, 2019
Application Number: 20190181765
A switched-mode power supply with near valley switching includes a quasi-resonant converter. The converter includes a switch element that is turned on not only at the valley, but also in a window range of ?tNVW close to the valley, where the voltage across the switch element is at its minimum. This advantageously reduces switching loss and maintains a balance between efficiency and frequency variation.

SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD THEREFOR

Granted: June 13, 2019
Application Number: 20190181763
In one embodiment, a power supply controller, or alternately a semiconductor device having a power supply controller, may have a first circuit configured to form a sense signal that is representative of a signal from an auxiliary winding of a transformer. A feedback circuit may be configured to allow the sense signal to increase in response to a turn-off of the power switch, to subsequently detect a second increase of the sense signal prior to subsequently turning on the power switch,…

VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES

Granted: June 13, 2019
Application Number: 20190181083
In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a leadframe including a plurality of leads disposed along a single edge of the apparatus. The apparatus can also include an assembly including a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor die disposed on the substrate, the assembly being mounted on the leadframe and an inductor having a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal of the inductor can be electrically coupled with the leadframe via a first conductive clip, where the…

POWER FACTOR CORRECTION CIRCUIT AND METHOD

Granted: January 10, 2019
Application Number: 20190013729
A Power Factor Correction (PFC) circuit includes an oscillator circuit. The oscillator circuit receives a valley detect signal indicating a zero current condition, determines a blanking time according to an operational cycle of the PFC circuit, and determines to initiate the operational cycle according to the valley detect signal and the blanking time. Determining the blanking time includes selecting one of a plurality of predetermined blanking times according to a count of operational…

AVALANCHE-RUGGED SILICON CARBIDE (SIC) POWER DEVICE

Granted: November 29, 2018
Application Number: 20180342576
In at least one general aspect, a silicon carbide (SiC) device can include a drift region and a termination region at least partially surrounding the SiC device. The termination region can have a first transition zone and a second transition zone. The first transition zone can be disposed between a first zone and a second zone, and the second zone can have a top surface lower in depth than a depth of a top surface of the first zone. The first transition zone can have a recess, and the…

HYBRID GATE DIELECTRICS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR POWER DEVICES

Granted: September 20, 2018
Application Number: 20180269302
In a general aspect, a power semiconductor device can include a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate and a SiC epitaxial layer disposed on the SiC substrate. The device can include a well region disposed in the epitaxial layer, a source region disposed in the well region and a gate trench disposed in the epitaxial layer and adjacent to the source region. The gate trench can have a depth that is greater than a depth of the well region and less than a depth of the epitaxial layer. The device…

PACKAGED SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES WITH LASER GROOVED WETTABLE FLANK AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE

Granted: September 20, 2018
Application Number: 20180269138
In a general aspect, a method for producing a packaged semiconductor device can include coupling a semiconductor device to a leadframe structure having a signal lead that is electrically coupled with the semiconductor device. The method can also include encapsulating at least a portion of the semiconductor device and at least a portion of the leadframe structure in a molding compound. At least a segment of the signal lead can be exposed outside the molding compound. A surface of the…

ENABLE AND DISABLE COMPARATOR VOLTAGE REFERENCE

Granted: June 28, 2018
Application Number: 20180184221
This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods to reduce power use of an accessory detection device. The accessory detection device can be configured to be coupled to a mobile device having an audio jack configured to be coupled to a mobile device accessory having a send/end key. In an example, the accessory detection device can include a comparator and a switch. The comparator can be configured to receive mobile device accessory information from the mobile device…

SILICON-CARBIDE TRENCH GATE MOSFETS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE

Granted: May 24, 2018
Application Number: 20180145168
In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a semiconductor substrate, a drift region disposed in the semiconductor substrate; a body region disposed in the drift region and a source region disposed in the body region. The apparatus can also include a gate trench disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The apparatus can further include a gate dielectric disposed on a sidewall and a bottom surface of the gate trench, the gate dielectric on the sidewall defining a first interface with…