Permanent lockout attack detection
Granted: December 1, 2015
Patent Number:
9202041
This document discusses, among other things, an attack detection module configured to permanently shut down a slave device after a number of consecutive attacks.
DC/DC converter with shunt circuitry
Granted: December 1, 2015
Patent Number:
9201441
The present disclosure provides, in one embodiment, a method of shunting a power supply to reduce output ripple. The method includes determining at least one performance parameter of a DC/DC converter circuit; generating a first reference signal, wherein the first reference signal is based on the performance parameter; comparing the first reference signal to the performance parameter; and generating a shunt current from an input power source to an output node of the DC/DC converter…
Methods and apparatus related to a precision input power protection device
Granted: October 27, 2015
Patent Number:
9172239
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an input terminal and an overvoltage protection device coupled to the input terminal and configured to receive energy via the input terminal. The overvoltage protection device can have a breakdown voltage at an ambient temperature less than a target maximum operating voltage of a source configured to be received at the input terminal. The apparatus can also include an output terminal coupled to the overvoltage protection device and a load.
Voltage regulator with improved line rejection
Granted: October 27, 2015
Patent Number:
9170593
Devices and methods are provided for generating a regulated output voltage with improved line rejection based on an input voltage and a reference voltage. The device may include a pass transistor and a replica transistor, wherein source ports of the pass transistor and the replica transistor are coupled to the input voltage, a drain port of the pass transistor is coupled to the output voltage, and a gate port of the pass transistor is coupled to a gate port of the replica transistor. The…
Dimmer control with soft start over-current protection
Granted: October 20, 2015
Patent Number:
9166395
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…
Low-voltage band-gap voltage reference circuit
Granted: October 20, 2015
Patent Number:
9164527
The present application discusses low voltage band-gap voltage reference circuit and methods. In an example the circuit can include a current mirror, an operational amplifier adopting an N-Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (NMOS) input pair structure, a band-gap output circuit, an adaptive adjustment circuit; and two branches of Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT). The current mirror can be configured to receive an output signal of the operational amplifier and to provide a current to the two…
Semiconductor die package and method for making the same
Granted: October 13, 2015
Patent Number:
9159656
Semiconductor die packages are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor die package includes a premolded substrate. The premolded substrate can have a semiconductor die attached to it, and an encapsulating material may be disposed over the semiconductor die.
Packaging to reduce stress on microelectromechanical systems
Granted: October 13, 2015
Patent Number:
9156673
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.
Operational amplifier circuit and method implementing the same
Granted: October 6, 2015
Patent Number:
9154086
The disclosure provides an operational amplifier circuit, in which a power supply of an amplifying circuit is coupled to a first voltage clamping circuit, and the first voltage clamping circuit clamps a supply voltage of the amplifying circuit when the supply voltage exceeds a normal-operation allowable voltage of the amplifying circuit. The disclosure also provides a method for implementing the operational amplifier circuit. According to the disclosure, the operational circuit may be…
Active audio transducer protection
Granted: October 6, 2015
Patent Number:
9154101
This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for providing audio transducer protection. In an example, an audio protection circuit can include a first comparator configured to compare peak power information of a drive signal of an amplifier of an audio system with a first threshold, a limiter circuit configured to limit an input of the amplifier if the peak power information of the drive signal exceeds the first threshold, and a second comparator configured to…
Charger detection with proprietary charger support
Granted: September 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9148026
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…
High bond line thickness for semiconductor devices
Granted: September 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9147665
Die attach methods used in making semiconductor devices and the semiconductor devices resulting from those methods are described. The methods include providing a leadframe with a die attach pad, using a boundary feature(s) containing a bond wire to define a perimeter on the die attach pad, depositing a conductive material (such as solder) within the perimeter, and then attaching a die containing an integrated circuit device to the die attach pad by using the conductive material. The…
Flip chip MLP with conductive ink
Granted: September 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9147627
A flip chip molded leadless package (MLP) with electrical paths printed in conducting ink. The MLP includes a pre-molded leadframe with the electrical paths printed directly thereon. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating the semiconductor package.
High-voltage packaged device
Granted: September 22, 2015
Patent Number:
9142430
Packaged devices and methods for making and using the same are described. The packaged devices contain one or more circuit components, such as a die, that is attached to a leadframe having a first lead, a second lead, and a third lead (although, higher lead counts may be employed in some implementations). A portion of the circuit component and the leadframe are encapsulated in a molded housing so that the first lead is exposed from a first end of the housing while the second and third…
Data during analog audio
Granted: August 25, 2015
Patent Number:
9118527
This application discusses among other things, apparatus and method for transmitting data with an analog signal without significantly distorting the analog signal. In an example, an apparatus can include an audio channel, a capacitor coupled to a first conductor of the audio channel, the capacitor configured to couple an analog representation of a digital data signal with an analog audio signal on the audio channel, and a frequency modulator configured to receive the digital data signal…
Production of laterally diffused oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device and a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device using a semiconductor process
Granted: August 25, 2015
Patent Number:
9117845
In one general aspect, a method can include implanting a first dopant, simultaneously, in a portion of a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device and in a portion of a resistor device included in a semiconductor device. The method can also include implanting a second dopant, simultaneously, in a portion of the LDMOS device and in a portion of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device in the semiconductor device.
Input power protection
Granted: August 18, 2015
Patent Number:
9112346
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an input terminal, an output terminal and a ground terminal. The apparatus can also include an overcurrent protection device coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal. The apparatus can further include a thermal shunt device coupled between the output terminal and the ground terminal, the thermal shunt device being configured to, at a threshold temperature, operate in a thermally-induced low-impedance state.
Start-up circuitry
Granted: August 11, 2015
Patent Number:
9106149
One embodiment provides a start-up circuit that includes start-up switch circuitry comprising a switch coupled an input voltage rail and configured to generate a start-up voltage; wherein the start-up switch circuitry is configured to generate the start-up voltage to have a predefined voltage level within a predetermined time period. The start-up circuit also includes first controller circuitry configured to control the switch to turn ON and OFF based on, at least in part, the start-up…
Schottky-barrier device with locally planarized surface and related semiconductor product
Granted: August 11, 2015
Patent Number:
9105557
The present disclosure is related to alleviation of at least some of the drawbacks of the previously known implementations and to provide an improved alternative. Generally, at least some of the embodiments are related to a high voltage power conversion semiconductor device, in particular a SiC Schottky-barrier power rectifier device, having a planarized surface.
Apparatus related to an inductive switching test
Granted: August 4, 2015
Patent Number:
9097759
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an energy storage device configured to store energy during an unclamped inductive switching test of a target device, and a switch device configured to shunt at least a portion of energy away from the target device in response to the target device changing from a breakdown state to a failure state.
