Artificial ripple modulation control circuitry
Granted: November 7, 2017
Patent Number:
9812956
A power supply system has a power switch circuit that switches an input voltage to generate a switched input voltage, an output circuit that generates an output voltage from the switched input voltage, and a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller that generates a PWM signal to control the power switch circuit. The PWM controller turns OFF the PWM signal based on a ramp signal that emulates a current of an output inductor and a feedback signal that indicates an error between the output…
Biased ESD circuit
Granted: November 7, 2017
Patent Number:
9812440
This document discusses, among other things, a biased electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit and method configured to reduce capacitance of an ESD structure with little to no change in other ESD structure parameters. A bulk terminal of an ESD device can be negative biased to reduce a drain terminal to source terminal capacitance of the ESD device. A charge pump can be configured to provide a negative bias to the bulk terminal of the ESD device. In certain examples, the gate terminal of…
Through silicon via including multi-material fill
Granted: October 31, 2017
Patent Number:
9802814
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…
Apparatus and method for detecting insertion anomaly of an audio jack
Granted: October 17, 2017
Patent Number:
9794708
Apparatus and methods for detecting audio jack connection anomalies such as moisture or a partial insertion of an audio jack plug with an audio jack receptacle are provided. In an example, a method for detecting an audio jack insertion anomaly can include ramping on a first detection current source of a detection circuit coupled to a detection terminal of a first audio jack connector, receiving a reference information at a comparator of the detection circuit, receiving a voltage of the…
Magnetic sensor utilizing magnetization reset for sense axis selection
Granted: October 17, 2017
Patent Number:
9791523
This document discusses, among other things, a first magnetic sensor configured to sense first and second components of a magnetic field in respective, orthogonal directions, using first, second, third, and fourth sense elements, each on an angled surface sloped with respect to a surface, each including respective first, second, third, and fourth longitudinal axes, each parallel to each other. Further, a second magnetic sensor on the same surface can sense second and third components of…
Impedance detection circuit, method, and integrated circuit
Granted: September 26, 2017
Patent Number:
9774954
This document discusses, among other things, an impedance detection circuit, method, and integrated circuit, comprising a ramp-up current generation circuit and an impedance determining circuit, wherein the ramp-up current generation circuit is configured to input a ramp-up current including n breaks to a port of a device where the ramp-up current generation circuit is disposed, to which port an external device is connected, and wherein the impedance determining circuit is configured to…
Edge rate control gate driver for switching power converters
Granted: September 26, 2017
Patent Number:
9774240
This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for an edge rate driver for a power converter switch. In an example, the driver can include an input node configured to receive a pulse width modulated signal, a first switch configured to couple a control node of the power converter switch to a supply voltage during a first state, a second switch configured to couple the control node of the power converter switch to a reference voltage during a second state, and a first…
Differential thermistor circuit
Granted: September 26, 2017
Patent Number:
9772233
This document discusses, among other things, an apparatus and method for providing temperature information. In an example, an integrated circuit apparatus can include a first resistor configured to be coupled to a first terminal of a temperature-sensitive resistance, a second resistor configured to be coupled to a second terminal of the temperature-sensitive resistance, and a temperature information circuit configured to receive a first voltage from the first terminal of the…
Voltage comparator circuit and method
Granted: September 19, 2017
Patent Number:
9768761
This document discusses, among other things, a voltage comparator, an integrated circuit, or a voltage comparison method having increased precision. The hysteresis comparator or the integrated circuit can include first and second input transistors, each having a gate configured to receive a respective first or second input voltage. A bias power source can generate a bias current to a first node by applying a voltage through a first resistor. The first node can be connected to a source of…
Apparatus and method for detecting insertion anomaly of an audio jack
Granted: September 19, 2017
Patent Number:
9769579
Apparatus and methods for detecting audio jack connection anomalies such as moisture or a partial insertion of an audio jack plug with an audio jack receptacle are provided. In an example, a method for detecting an audio jack insertion anomaly can include ramping on a first detection current source of a detection circuit coupled to a detection terminal of a first audio jack connector, receiving a reference information at a comparator of the detection circuit, receiving a voltage of the…
Temperature and power supply calibration
Granted: September 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9759564
This document discusses, among other things, a temperature and power supply calibration system configured to compensate for temperature and supply voltage variation in MEMS or other circuits using representations of positive and negative supply voltages and first and second base-emitter voltages, wherein the second base-emitter voltage is a scaled representation of the first base-emitter voltage.
Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) monitor
Granted: September 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9762049
This document discusses, among other things, a self-test (ST) ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) monitor configured to generate a simulated ground fault starting in a first half-cycle of a first cycle of AC power and extending into a second half-cycle of the first cycle of AC power, wherein the first half-cycle of the first cycle of AC power precedes the second half-cycle of the first cycle of AC power. Further, the ST GFCI monitor can detect a response to the simulated ground…
Trench-based power semiconductor devices with increased breakdown voltage characteristics
Granted: August 29, 2017
Patent Number:
9748329
Exemplary power semiconductor devices with features providing increased breakdown voltage and other benefits are disclosed.
Ignition control circuit with short circuit protection
Granted: August 29, 2017
Patent Number:
9745947
In a general aspect, an apparatus can include an insulated-gate bipolar transistor device (IGBT), a gate driver circuit (driver) coupled with a gate terminal of the IGBT and a low-resistance switch device coupled between an emitter terminal of the IGBT and an electrical ground terminal, the low-resistance switch device being coupled with the electrical ground terminal via a resistor. The apparatus can also include a current sensing circuit coupled with the driver and a current sense…
Avalanche-rugged silicon carbide (SiC) power Schottky rectifier
Granted: August 22, 2017
Patent Number:
9741873
In at least one general aspect, a SiC device can include a drift region of a first conductivity type, a shielding body, and a Schottky region. The SiC device can include a rim having a second conductivity type at least partially surrounding the shielding body and the Schottky region. The SiC device can include a termination region at least partially surrounding the rim and having a doping of the second conductivity type. The termination region can have a transition zone disposed between…
Load balancing in discrete devices
Granted: August 15, 2017
Patent Number:
9735768
In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a temperature measurement circuit configured to produce a first signal indicating a first operating temperature of a first semiconductor device and a temperature comparison circuit operationally coupled with the temperature measurement circuit. The temperature comparison circuit can be configured to compare the first signal with a second signal indicating a second operating temperature of at least a second semiconductor device and produce a…
Fast and stable ultra low drop-out (LDO) voltage clamp device
Granted: August 15, 2017
Patent Number:
9735147
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a junction-less, gate-controlled voltage clamp device having a gate terminal coupled to a voltage reference device.
Isolation between semiconductor components
Granted: August 15, 2017
Patent Number:
9735112
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.
Protection of a speaker using temperature calibration
Granted: August 8, 2017
Patent Number:
9729986
In one general aspect, a method can include calculating, at a calibration temperature of a speaker, a calibration parameter through a coil of the speaker in response to a first test signal, and can include sending a second test signal through the coil of the speaker. The method can also include measuring a parameter through the coil of the speaker based on the second test signal, and calculating a temperature change of the coil of the speaker based on the parameter and based on the…
Wireless module with active devices
Granted: July 4, 2017
Patent Number:
9698143
In a general aspect, a wireless multichip module can include a leadframe structure with portions configured to receive at least one flip-chip mounted semiconductor die, including one or more of an integrated circuit, a high side MOSFET and/or a low side MOSFET, which can form a half-bridge circuit that is encapsulated in a molding compound. The module can be assembled without any bond wires (e.g., be wireless). The module may include carry passive components including an external input…
