Two-terminal current limiter and apparatus thereof
Granted: July 4, 2017
Patent Number:
9696736
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a load terminal, and a power source terminal. The apparatus can include a current limiter coupled to the load terminal and coupled to the power terminal. The current limiter can be configured to limit a current from the power source terminal to the load terminal using an electric field activated in response to a difference in voltage between the power source terminal and the load terminal.
Integrated power stage device with offset monitor current for sensing a switch node output current
Granted: June 27, 2017
Patent Number:
9692304
An integrated power stage device includes a switch node that is coupled to an output inductor. The integrated power stage device generates a monitor current that is a scaled version of the current through the output inductor. The integrated power stage device outputs a single-ended offset monitor current that is equal to the monitor current plus a DC offset current. A PWM controller senses the current through the output inductor by receiving a monitor voltage that is developed from the…
Silicon carbide (SiC) device with improved gate dielectric shielding
Granted: June 20, 2017
Patent Number:
9685550
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a silicon carbide (SiC) device can include a gate dielectric, a first doped region having a first conductivity type, a body region of the first conductivity type, and a second doped region having a second conductivity type. The second doped region has a first portion disposed between the first doped region and the body region, and the second doped region has a second portion disposed between the first doped region and the gate dielectric.
Thin semiconductor device packages
Granted: June 20, 2017
Patent Number:
9685398
In a general aspect, a packaged semiconductor device can include a semiconductor die having at least a first terminal on a first side of the semiconductor die and a second terminal on a second side of the semiconductor die. The device can include a leadframe portion electrically coupled to the first terminal of the semiconductor die and a clip portion electrically coupled to the second terminal of the semiconductor die. The device can include a molding compound. A surface of the…
Junction-less insulated gate current limiter device
Granted: June 13, 2017
Patent Number:
9679890
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a semiconductor substrate, and a trench defined within the semiconductor substrate and having a depth aligned along a vertical axis, a length aligned along a longitudinal axis, and a width aligned along a horizontal axis. The apparatus includes a dielectric disposed within the trench, and an electrode disposed within the dielectric and insulated from the semiconductor substrate by the dielectric. The semiconductor substrate can have a…
Audio accessory communication with active noise cancellation
Granted: June 6, 2017
Patent Number:
9674598
This document discusses, among other things, an advanced slave circuit and method configured to transfer power from a master device to a battery through an advanced slave circuit in a first mode using a load switch in a first state, to isolate the battery from the master device using the load switch in a second state, and to selectively couple a microphone to the master device using the advanced slave circuit in a second mode using a microphone switch.
Full bridge DC/DC converter control techniques
Granted: June 6, 2017
Patent Number:
9673712
The present disclosure describes full bridge power supply systems and control methods. In at least one embodiment, the full bridge power supply system may be driven utilizing a two-phase continuous conduction switching mode to control the inductor current. In another embodiment, the full bridge power supply system may be driven utilizing variably-configured three-phase continuous conduction modes to control the inductor current when an input voltage is within a window value to the output…
Apparatus and methods of charging to safe cell voltage
Granted: June 6, 2017
Patent Number:
9673655
This document discusses, among other things, a charge regulator configured to optimize charging of an energy storage device by measuring an internal voltage drop of the energy storage device using an open circuit voltage (OCV) across the terminals of the energy storage device during charging and a voltage across the terminals of the energy storage device during charging (CCV).
Low drop out supply asymmetric dynamic biasing
Granted: June 6, 2017
Patent Number:
9671803
Methods and apparatus for a dynamic bias generator are provided. In an example, a dynamic bias generator for a voltage regulator can include a slope generator and a peak detector coupled to the slope generator. In certain examples, the slope generator and the peak detector can receive a representation of output current of the voltage regulator and can adjust a bias control voltage at an output of the peak detector in response to a change in the output current of the voltage regulator.
Power supply with line compensation circuit
Granted: May 30, 2017
Patent Number:
9667156
A line compensation circuit for a power supply includes a line voltage sense circuit and a current limit adjuster. The line voltage sense circuit senses a slope of an inductor current by way of a compensation capacitor that receives a sense voltage that is representative of the inductor current on a primary side of the power supply. A compensation current that is generated from the compensation capacitor is used by the current limit adjuster to adjust an output current limit of the power…
Window reference trimming for accessory detection
Granted: May 16, 2017
Patent Number:
9654089
This document discusses, among other things, a detection circuit configured to receive an output of a window comparator over a range of input values and to measure a difference between first and second thresholds of the window comparator, and a trim circuit configured to adjust at least one of the first or second thresholds using the measured difference between the first and second thresholds.
Dual-mode voltage doubling buck converter with smooth mode transition
Granted: May 9, 2017
Patent Number:
9647546
Devices and methods provide a voltage regulating device including voltage supply circuitry configured to receive a first voltage, generate at least a second voltage based on the first voltage, and output an output voltage, the output voltage being one of the first voltage and the second voltage based on a voltage selection signal; regulator circuitry configured to switch between the output voltage and a reference potential based on a control signal; and control circuitry configured to…
Apparatus and methods for PLL-based gyroscope gain control, quadrature cancellation and demodulation
Granted: May 9, 2017
Patent Number:
9644963
This application discusses simplified interface circuits for a gyroscope. In an example, an interface can include an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit configured to couple to driver for a proof mass of a gyroscope sensor and to drive the proof-mass to oscillate at a predefined oscillation amplitude, and a phase-locked loop (PLL) configured to receive sensed oscillation information from the proof-mass and to provide at least a first phase signal synchronized with a sinusoidal waveform…
Enable and disable comparator voltage reference
Granted: April 25, 2017
Patent Number:
9635453
This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods to reduce power use of an accessory detection device. The accessory detection device can be configured to be coupled to a mobile device having an audio jack configured to be coupled to a mobile device accessory having a send/end key. In an example, the accessory detection device can include a comparator and a switch. The comparator can be configured to receive mobile device accessory information from the mobile device…
MEMS quadrature cancellation and signal demodulation
Granted: April 18, 2017
Patent Number:
9625272
In certain examples, a quadrature cancellation apparatus can include a drive charge amplifier configured to couple to a proof mass of a MEMS device and to provide oscillation motion information, a first sense charge amplifier configured to couple to the proof mass and to provide first sense information of a first movement of the MEMS device, a first programmable amplifier configured to receive the oscillation motion information and provide amplified oscillation motion information, a…
Adaptive response time acceleration
Granted: April 11, 2017
Patent Number:
9618920
This document discusses among other things, methods and apparatus to conserve energy when providing proximity information. An example apparatus can include an energy emitter configured to emit a first pulse of energy, an energy sensor configured to receive reflected energy from the first pulse of energy, a control circuit including a processor, the processor configured to provide first proximity information of the apparatus with respect to an object using the reflected energy. The…
MEMS device automatic-gain control loop for mechanical amplitude drive
Granted: April 11, 2017
Patent Number:
9618361
This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for digital automatic gain control for driving a MEMS device, such as a proof mass. In an example, an apparatus can include a driver configured to oscillate a proof mass of a MEMS device, a charge-to-voltage (C2V) converter configured to provide oscillation information of the proof mass, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to provide a digital representation of the oscillation information, and a digital,…
Audio jack insertion/removal fault detection
Granted: March 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9609447
This document discusses, among other things, circuits and methods for providing an indication of an impedance between a detecting pin and a first signal pin of an audio socket using first and second comparators to, among other things, determine if moisture is present in the audio socket. If moisture is present in the audio socket, communication between an audio processing unit and the audio socket can be disabled.
Schottky-barrier device and related semiconductor product
Granted: March 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9608056
In one general aspect, a power rectifier device can include a drift layer including silicon carbide of n-type conductivity, and a Schottky electrode disposed on the drift layer where the Schottky electrode and a surface of the drift layer can provide a Schottky contact. The power rectifier device can also include an array of p-type regions disposed underneath the Schottky electrode.
MEMS proof mass with split Z-axis portions
Granted: March 21, 2017
Patent Number:
9599472
This document discusses among other things apparatus and methods for a proof mass including split z-axis portions. An example proof mass can include a center portion configured to anchor the proof-mass to an adjacent layer, a first z-axis portion configure to rotate about a first axis using a first hinge, the first axis parallel to an x-y plane orthogonal to a z-axis, a second z-axis portion configure to rotate about a second axis using a second hinge, the second axis parallel to the x-y…
