Buck Up Power Converter
Granted: September 19, 2013
Application Number:
20130241660
Generally, this disclosure provides an apparatus, method and system for DC-DC conversion. The apparatus may include a switch network including a first plurality of switches configured to operate in a Buck mode to generate an output voltage that is less than an input voltage, and a second plurality of switches configured to operate in an Up mode to generate an output voltage that is greater than the input voltage. The apparatus of this example may further include controller circuitry…
LEVEL SWITCHING CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING RAIL-TO-RAIL ENABLING SIGNAL
Granted: September 12, 2013
Application Number:
20130234774
This document discusses, among other things, methods for controlling a Rail-to-Rail enabling signal, including providing a first signal of an input signal of a control circuit to a level switching circuit, performing, by the level switching circuit, enabling control according to a high level and a low level of the first signal, and outputting, by the level switching circuit, a disabling signal in case of a failure of a power supply coupled to the level switching circuit. The document…
UMOS Semiconductor Devices Formed by Low Temperature Processing
Granted: August 29, 2013
Application Number:
20130224922
UMOS (U-shaped trench MOSFET) semiconductor devices that have been formed using low temperature processes are described. The source region of the UMOS structure can be formed before the etch processes that are used to create the trench, allowing low-temperature materials to be incorporated into the semiconductor device from the creation of the gate oxide layer oxidation forward. Thus, the source drive-in and activation processing that are typically performed after the trench etch can be…
MODIFIED BINARY SEARCH FOR TRANSFER FUNCTION ACTIVE REGION
Granted: August 29, 2013
Application Number:
20130222046
This document discusses, among other things, a modified binary search configured to identify monotonic transfer function active region boundaries. The modified binary search can avoid false results outside of the active region of the monotonic transfer function.
CURRENT OBSERVER CIRCUITRY FOR BATTERY CHARGERS
Granted: August 29, 2013
Application Number:
20130221905
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery charging system. The battery charging system includes battery charging circuitry configured to provide charging current to a battery. The battery charging system further includes feedback circuitry configured to generate a feedback signal indicative of a battery charging condition, wherein the battery charging system is configured to control the battery charging current based on, at least in part, the feedback…
STEPPED-SOURCE LDMOS ARCHITECTURE
Granted: August 15, 2013
Application Number:
20130207186
A semiconductor device can include a source region near a working top surface of a semiconductor region. The device can also include a gate located above the working top surface and located laterally between the source and a drain region. The source region and the gate can at least partially laterally overlap a body region near the working top surface. The source region can include a first portion having the first conductivity type, a second portion having a second conductivity type, and…
SHUNT REGULATOR
Granted: July 25, 2013
Application Number:
20130187619
This document discusses, among other things, a circuit including a diode and a transistor. In certain examples, an integrated circuit can include the diode and the transistor. In some examples, an apparatus can include the diode having a first temperature coefficient, a bias resistor configured to bias the diode, and a bipolar junction transistor having a second temperature coefficient the bipolar junction transistor having a base coupled to the diode and the bias resistor, wherein the…
CONDUCTIVITY MODULATION IN A SILICON CARBIDE BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR
Granted: July 25, 2013
Application Number:
20130187173
In one general aspect, a silicon carbide bipolar junction transistor (BJT) can include a collector region, a base region on the collector region, and an emitter region on the base region. The silicon carbide BJT can include a base contact electrically contacting the base region where the base region having an active part interfacing the emitter region. The silicon carbide BJT can also include an intermediate region of semiconductor material having at least a part extending from the…
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR WITH SELF-ALIGNED SOURCE AND HEAVY BODY REGIONS
Granted: July 18, 2013
Application Number:
20130181282
A field effect transistor includes a plurality of trenches extending into a semiconductor region of a first conductivity type. The plurality of trenches includes a plurality of gated trenches and a plurality of non-gated trenches. A body region of a second conductivity extends in the semiconductor region between adjacent trenches. A dielectric material fills a bottom portion of each of the gated and non-gated trenches. A gate electrode is disposed in each gated trench. A conductive…
DIMMER CONTROL WITH SOFT START OVER-CURRENT PROTECTION
Granted: July 11, 2013
Application Number:
20130176755
This document discloses, among other things, apparatus and methods for dimmer control. In an apparatus example, a circuit can include an input configured to receive a control signal, a controller configured to modulate a pulse width of a pulse train using the control signal when the controller is enabled, an output configured to provide the pulse train to a driver, and first and second current limit detectors configured to receive load current information of the driver and to terminate…
Dual Input Single Output Power Multiplexer for Near Field Communication Application
Granted: July 4, 2013
Application Number:
20130169059
Generally, this disclosure provides systems, methods and platforms for power multiplexer switching operations. The system may include a near field communication (NFC) module configured to receive power through a radio frequency (RF) channel; a subscriber identity module (SIM) circuit configured with a supply voltage port; and a power multiplexer circuit configured to controllably couple the SIM circuit supply voltage port to the NFC module, wherein the NFC module provides a supply…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OUTPUT CONTROL
Granted: June 20, 2013
Application Number:
20130154709
The present disclosure provides an output control circuit including a signal feedback circuit and an enable control circuit, wherein the signal feedback circuit is configured to compare an output voltage with a set output voltage threshold and to output a disable signal to an enable control circuit when the output voltage arrives at the set output voltage threshold, and wherein the enable control circuit is configured to stop an operation of a translation circuit, upon reception of the…
MEMS MULTI-AXIS GYROSCOPE Z-AXIS ELECTRODE STRUCTURE
Granted: June 6, 2013
Application Number:
20130139592
Various examples include microelectromechanical die for sensing motion that includes symmetrical proof-mass electrodes interdigitated with asymmetrical stator electrodes. Some of these examples include electrodes that are curved around an axis orthogonal to the plane in which the electrodes are disposed. An example provides vertical flexures coupling an inner gimbal to a proof-mass in a manner permitting flexure around a horizontal axis.
PIN SELECTABLE I2C SLAVE ADDRESSES
Granted: May 23, 2013
Application Number:
20130132626
This document discusses, among other things, a multi-address Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) selection circuit configured to receive a number (N) of identification (ID) signals from a corresponding number (N) of ID pins of a slave I2C device and at least one of a data signal from a serial data line (SDA) of an I2C bus or a clock signal from a serial clock line (SCL) of the I2C bus, and to determine one of 4 to the power of N (4N) selectable I2C addresses using the number (N) of ID signals…
SILICON CARBIDE BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR
Granted: May 23, 2013
Application Number:
20130126910
In at least one aspect, an apparatus can include a silicon carbide material, a base contact disposed on a first portion of the silicon carbide material, and an emitter contact disposed on a second portion of the silicon carbide material. The apparatus can also include a dielectric layer disposed on the silicon carbide material and disposed between the base contact and the emitter contact, and a surface electrode disposed on the dielectric layer and separate from the base contact and the…
DEVICES, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS WITH MOS-GATED TRENCH-TO-TRENCH LATERAL CURRENT FLOW
Granted: May 16, 2013
Application Number:
20130119467
A DMOS transistor is fabricated with its source/body/deep body regions formed on the walls of a first set of trenches, and its drain regions formed on the walls of a different set of trenches. A gate region that is formed in a yet another set of trenches can be biased to allow carriers to flow from the source to the drain. Lateral current low from source/body regions on trench walls increases the active channel perimeter to a value well above the amount that would be present if the…
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A SiC BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR AND SiC BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR THEREOF
Granted: April 11, 2013
Application Number:
20130087809
A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a SiC BJT are provided. The SiC BJT comprises an emitter region, a base region and a collector region. The collector region is arranged on a substrate having an off-axis orientation of about 4 degrees or lower. Further, a defect termination layer (DTL) is arranged between the substrate and the collector region. A thickness and a doping level of the DTL are configured to terminate basal plane…
SIC BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR WITH OVERGROWN EMITTER
Granted: April 11, 2013
Application Number:
20130087808
New designs for silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and new methods of manufacturing such SiC BJTs are provided. The SiC BJT can include a collector region, a base region, and an emitter region where the collector region, the base region, and the emitter region are arranged as a stack. The emitter region can form an elevated structure defined by outer sidewalls disposed on the stack. The base region can have a portion interfacing the emitter region and defining an…
CHARGER DETECTION WITH PROPRIETARY CHARGER SUPPORT
Granted: April 4, 2013
Application Number:
20130082644
Method and apparatus, among other things, are provided for detecting a charger type. In an example, a method to classify a potential charger coupled to a port of an electronic device can include detecting the potential charger coupled to a USB-compatible port of the electronic device, applying a pull-down current to first and second data lines of the USB-compatible port to provide a first test voltage on each of the first and second data lines, and executing a primary detection process…
MULTIPLE BATTERY POWER PATH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Granted: March 28, 2013
Application Number:
20130076147
Devices, systems and methods are provided for multiple battery power path management. The device may include a first battery port configured to couple to a first battery; a second battery port configured to couple to a second battery; an output voltage port configured to couple to a device to be powered; a battery selection port configured to couple to the device to be powered; a control circuit configured to select one of the first battery and the second battery as a power source…
