THROUGH SILICON VIA INCLUDING MULTI-MATERIAL FILL
Granted: March 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140070339
An apparatus includes a substrate having at least one via disposed in the substrate, wherein the substrate includes a trench having a substantially trapezoidal cross-section, the trench extending through the substrate between a lower surface of the substrate and an upper surface of the substrate, wherein the top of the trench opens to a top opening, and the bottom of the trench opens to a bottom opening, the top opening being larger than the bottom opening. The apparatus can include a…
WIRELESS MODULE WITH ACTIVE AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS
Granted: March 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140070329
A wireless multichip module has a leadframe structure 10 with potions for receiving flip-chip mounted dies, including an integrated circuit 20 and high and low side mosfets 30, 40 to form a half-bridge circuit encapsulated in molding compound 70. The module is assembled without any bond wires. The module may also carry passive components including an external input capacitor 150 or an internal input capacitor 350.
Sensorless Current Sense for Regulating Inductor Current in a Buck Converter
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140062440
A device and method for sensing an inductor current in an inductor is provided that generates a voltage signal proportionate to the inductor current if the inductor is connected to a positive supply and simulates the inductor current if the inductor is not connected to the positive supply. The voltage signal may be generated by sampling an input voltage from the inductor onto a capacitor if the inductor is connected to the positive supply. The inductor current may be simulated by…
ULTRA LOW RIPPLE BOOST CONVERTER
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140062427
This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods including a boost converter configured to receive an input voltage (e.g., a battery voltage) and to provide a boosted output voltage higher than the input voltage, and a shunt regulator coupled to the output of the boost converter through a resistive element and configured to regulate an output ripple of the boosted output voltage. In an example, using the systems and methods described herein, a battery voltage of less than…
SENSOR SHARING FUEL GAUGE
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140062386
A fuel gauge can include a resistor configured to generate predetermined temperature information and a switch configured to couple a temperature sensor to a temperature output of the fuel gauge in a first state and to couple the resistor to the temperature output of the fuel gauge in a second state.
BUFFER SYSTEM HAVING REDUCED THRESHOLD CURRENT
Granted: February 27, 2014
Application Number:
20140055164
A buffer system is provided that reduces threshold current using a current source to provide power to one or more stages of the buffer system. The buffer system may also include delay management techniques that balances all of, or part of, a delay that may be imparted to an input signal by the current source. In addition, hysteresis techniques may be used to provide enhanced noise management of the input signal.
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR WITH GATED AND NON-GATED TRENCHES
Granted: February 27, 2014
Application Number:
20140054691
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…
BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR IN SILICON CARBIDE WITH IMPROVED BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE
Granted: February 27, 2014
Application Number:
20140054612
A silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) including a collector region and a base region having an extrinsic part. The SiC BJT including an emitter region and a surface passivation layer deposited on the extrinsic part between an emitter contact contacting the emitter region and a base contact contacting the base region. The SiC BJT also including a surface gate at the surface passivation layer.
TRENCH-BASED POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES WITH INCREASED BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE CHARACTERISTICS
Granted: February 20, 2014
Application Number:
20140048869
Exemplary power semiconductor devices with features providing increased breakdown voltage and other benefits are disclosed.
PROTECTIVE MULTIPLEXER
Granted: February 20, 2014
Application Number:
20140049861
Apparatus and methods for a protective multiplexer, among other things, are provided. In an example, a protective multiplexer circuit can include a first switch that in a first state can be configured to couple an input of a power supply to at least one of first or second signal nodes of a passgate when a first voltage of the at least one of the first or second signal nodes is below a first limit voltage.
SYNCHRONOUS RECTIFIER CONTROL TECHNIQUES FOR A RESONANT CONVERTER
Granted: February 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140043865
A resonant converter system includes a first stage having inverter circuitry and resonant tank circuitry configured to generate an AC signal from a DC input signal, a transformer configured to transform the AC signal, and a second stage. The second stage features synchronous rectifier (SR) circuitry including a plurality of SR switches each having a body diode and SR control circuitry. SR control circuitry is configured to generate gate control signals to control the conduction state of…
Pulsed Gate Driver
Granted: February 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140043076
A gate driver includes a control input receiving a control signal, an output to provide an amplified output signal to the gate, and controller. The controller produces an adaptive pulse train varying with the control signal. An adaptive incrementer produces a sequence of numbers that set a slew rate of the switch, and a look-up table is fed with the sequence of numbers, and associates the numbers produced by the adaptive incrementer with values representing the duty cycle of the output…
Soft-Start Control Techniques for a Switched-Mode Power Supply
Granted: February 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140042994
A power supply system including switched-mode power supply circuitry configured to generate a DC output voltage from a DC input voltage and soft-start feedback circuitry configured to control the switched-mode power supply circuitry to generate a predefined output voltage during a soft-start period of operation. The soft-start feedback circuitry includes a controllable current source configured to generate a reference current and a reference voltage, wherein the reference current is…
TRENCH-BASED POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES WITH INCREASED BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE CHARACTERISTICS
Granted: February 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140042536
Exemplary power semiconductor devices with features providing increased breakdown voltage and other benefits are disclosed.
TRENCH-BASED POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES WITH INCREASED BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE CHARACTERISTICS
Granted: February 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140042532
Exemplary power semiconductor devices with features providing increased breakdown voltage and other benefits are disclosed.
SiC Proportional Bias Switch Driver Circuit with Current Transformer
Granted: February 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140035627
A switch bias system is provided that includes a silicon on carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) switch comprising a base, emitter, and collector; an energy storage circuit coupled to the collector of the SiC BJT switch, the energy storage circuit supplying current flow to the collector of the SiC BJT switch; a current transformer circuit coupled to the emitter, the current transformer circuit configured to sense current flow through the emitter of the SiC BJT switch; and a…
Simulating Power Supply Inductor Current
Granted: February 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140035546
One embodiment described herein provides a circuit to approximate the inductor current of a power supply that includes a capacitor; charge/discharge circuitry configured to charge the capacitor with a voltage that is proportional to an input voltage rail of the power supply, and discharge the capacitor with a voltage that is proportional to the output voltage of the power supply; and error correction circuitry is configured to adjust the voltage that is proportional to the input voltage…
BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR WITH SPACER LAYER
Granted: February 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140034968
New designs for silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and new methods of manufacturing such SiC BJTs are described. The SiC BJT comprises a collector region, a base region and an emitter region disposed as a stack, the emitter region and part of the base region forming a mesa. The intrinsic part of the base region includes a first portion having a first doping concentration and a second portion having a second doping concentration lower than the first doping…
MAXIMUM VOLTAGE SELECTION CIRCUIT AND METHOD AND SUB-SELECTION CIRCUIT
Granted: January 2, 2014
Application Number:
20140002139
A maximum voltage selection circuit and method and a sub-selection circuit are provided. The maximum voltage selection circuit includes a peripheral signal circuit and a selection circuit with N channels of input voltages. The peripheral signal circuit provides an operating mode signal and a reference voltage to the selection circuit including N sub-selection circuits coupled to the N channels of input voltages respectively. A sub-selection circuit determines its operating mode according…
PACKAGING TO REDUCE STRESS ON MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Granted: December 26, 2013
Application Number:
20130341737
One example includes an integrated circuit including at least one electrical interconnects disposed on an elongate are extending away from a main portion of the integrated circuit and a microelectromechanical layer including an oscillating portion, the microelectromechanical layer coupled to the main portion of the integrated circuit.
