LED drive circuit with a programmable input for LED lighting
Granted: January 7, 2020
Patent Number:
10531528
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…
Overcurrent detection circuit and method, load switch, and portable device
Granted: January 7, 2020
Patent Number:
10530356
The present invention provides an overcurrent detection circuit, an overcurrent detection method, a load circuit, and a portable device. The overcurrent detection circuit comprises: a first overcurrent detection sub-circuit and a second overcurrent detection sub-circuit; wherein: the first overcurrent detection sub-circuit is configured to perform overcurrent detection for a switch circuit when a voltage of an output terminal of the switch circuit is greater than or equal to a preset…
Magnetic sensor utilizing magnetization reset for sense axis selection
Granted: December 24, 2019
Patent Number:
10514430
In one general aspect, a system includes a material including a surface, and a magnetic sensor configured to sense a first component and a second component of a magnetic field. The first component of the magnetic field may be orthogonal to the second component of the magnetic field. The magnetic sensor may include a first sense element included on a first angled surface sloping in a first direction relative to the surface of the material, a second sense element included on a second…
Avalanche-rugged silicon carbide (SiC) power device
Granted: December 10, 2019
Patent Number:
10504989
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: November 26, 2019
Patent Number:
10490644
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: November 19, 2019
Patent Number:
10483192
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…
Input AC line control for AC-DC converters
Granted: November 5, 2019
Patent Number:
10468985
An AC-DC converter includes a main switch that is controlled according to an input AC line voltage. The main switch is allowed to be switched when a level of the input AC line voltage is within a regulation band, and is prevented from being switched when the level of the input AC line voltage is not within the regulation band. The regulation band can be dynamically adjusted based on load condition. The AC-DC converter can be a buck, boost, or buck-boost converter.
Charge pump circuit for providing voltages to multiple switch circuits
Granted: October 29, 2019
Patent Number:
10461634
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…
Isolation between semiconductor components
Granted: October 15, 2019
Patent Number:
10446498
In some general aspects, an apparatus may include a first semiconductor die, a second semiconductor die, and a capacitive isolation circuit being coupled to the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die. The capacitive isolation circuit may be disposed outside of the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die. The first semiconductor die, the second semiconductor die, and the capacitive circuit may be included in a molding of a semiconductor package.
Power management with over voltage protection
Granted: September 17, 2019
Patent Number:
RE47610
This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods to provide an internal supply rail with over voltage protection using a host power source, an external power source, and a switch configured to receive indications of host and external power source validity. In an example, the switch can be configured to provide the internal supply rail using the host power source when the indication of host power source validity indicates a valid host power source and the external power…
LED drive circuit with a programmable input for LED lighting
Granted: September 10, 2019
Patent Number:
10412796
A LED drive circuit according to the present invention comprises a controller and a programmable signal. The controller generates a switching signal coupled to switch a magnetic device for generating an output current to drive a plurality of LEDs. The programmable signal is coupled to regulate a current-control signal of the controller. The switching signal is modulated in response to the current-control signal for regulating the output current, and the level of the output current is…
Semiconductor package and related methods
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10403601
Implementations of semiconductor packages may include: a first substrate having a first dielectric layer coupled between a first metal layer and a second metal layer; a second substrate having a second dielectric layer coupled between a third metal layer and a fourth metal layer. A first die may be coupled with a first electrical spacer coupled in a space between and coupled with the first substrate and the second substrate and a second die may be coupled with a second electrical spacer…
Adaptive overvoltage protection for adaptive power adapters
Granted: August 27, 2019
Patent Number:
10396571
A power adapter includes a protocol integrated circuit (IC) on a secondary side of a transformer and a controller IC on a primary side of the transformer. The power adapter has an output voltage that changes depending on the charging voltage requirement of an electronic device (e.g., mobile device) connected to receive power from the power adapter. The power adapter includes an adaptive overvoltage protection mode that sets an overvoltage protection threshold to a low level during…
Ramp generator for wide frequency range pulse width modulator controller or the like
Granted: August 20, 2019
Patent Number:
10389337
A ramp generator includes a current generator, a current mirror, and a first capacitor. The current generator has an input for receiving a clock signal, and an output for providing a current proportional to a frequency of the clock signal using a first transistor having first and second current electrodes and a control electrode, an amplifier that establishes a reference voltage on the second current electrode of the first transistor, and a variable resistor coupled between the second…
Vpower switch
Granted: August 20, 2019
Patent Number:
10389169
This document discusses, among other things, an electronic circuit and method for defaulting to a valid battery supply to power an electronic device. In an example, an electronic circuit can be configured to receive information about the battery supply (e.g., an internal battery), such as the battery supply voltage (VBAT), and to determine if the battery supply is valid or invalid using the received information (e.g., comparing the VBAT to a threshold). If VBAT is valid, the electronic…
Reported state-of-charge scaling
Granted: August 6, 2019
Patent Number:
10371755
In a general aspect, a method can include providing an indication that the electronic device has changed from a battery charging state to a battery discharging state and measuring an initial measured state-of-charge (MSOC) value of a battery of the electronic device. In the event the initial MSOC value is above a threshold value, the method can further include determining a compensation value based on the initial MSOC value and the threshold value, determining an initial reported state…
Silicon-carbide trench gate MOSFETs and methods of manufacture
Granted: July 16, 2019
Patent Number:
10355123
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…
USB TYPE-C to legacy USB cable detection
Granted: June 11, 2019
Patent Number:
10318394
A port controller includes an advertise block configured to determine a cable assembly coupled to the port controller is not compliant with a standard used by the port controller, a comparator configured to determine a current drawn from a power converter coupled to the cable assembly exceeds a capability of the power converter based on comparing a bus voltage to a threshold voltage, and a protection block configured to, in response to determining the current drawn from the power…
Bypass charging circuit and method
Granted: May 14, 2019
Patent Number:
10291052
In accordance with an embodiment, a bypass charging circuit includes a pair of transistors having current carrying terminals commonly connected to form a node. An input of a comparator is coupled to the node through a switch and to a resistor. Another input terminal of the comparator is coupled for receiving a reference voltage. Optionally, a transistor may be connected to the bypass charging circuit. In accordance with another embodiment a method is provided in which bypass charging…
Switch device with switch circuits that provide high voltage surge protection
Granted: April 23, 2019
Patent Number:
10270438
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 bulk.
