Analog-to-digital converter with reduced average input current and reduced average reference current
Granted: January 16, 2007
Patent Number:
7164378
Novel system and methodology for sampling analog input signals to reduce an average common-mode input current caused by unbalanced nodes of an input signal source. An analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion system for converting an analog input signal supplied by a signal source having first and second nodes may have a first sampling circuit coupled to the first node for sampling the input signal with respect to a reference signal and configured so as to provide a substantially zero total…
Circuits and methods for providing multiple phase switching regulators which employ the input capacitor voltage signal for current sensing
Granted: January 16, 2007
Patent Number:
7164258
Circuits and methods to correct the load sharing in multiphase switching regulators are provided. Using these systems and methods, the input capacitor voltage signal can be sampled and used for current sensing of the regulator's stages. Differences in the amount of output current for a converter stage can then be determined. Corrections needed to equalize the output current of the converter stages can then be determined and carried out.
System and method for determining load current in switching regulators operable in pulse skipping mode
Granted: January 9, 2007
Patent Number:
7161333
Novel circuitry and methodology for determining a load current in a switching regulator circuit operable in a pulse skipping mode of operation and having main and synchronous switches. The load current is determined based on a ratio of time when the synchronous switch is on in the pulse skipping mode to an average period of a switching cycle in the pulse skipping mode. The load current may be measured by a circuit that determines an average value of a switch control signal for…
Flashless lead frame with horizontal singulation
Granted: December 26, 2006
Patent Number:
7154165
A lead frame is configured for use with a singulation apparatus that eliminates flash. A die pad is attached to sides of the frame by tie bars and peripheral portions. The peripheral portions have cutout sections defining openings that are bridged by lead frame segments. The apparatus applies a downward force to the lead frame segments and translates the downward force to a horizontal force applied to the tie bars. The singulation process confines movement of the lead frame metal to…
Ultra-wideband constant gain CMOS amplifier
Granted: October 17, 2006
Patent Number:
7123097
Circuitry and methods for improved amplifiers with large bandwidth and constant gain are provided. The combination of a synthetic inductive drain load and a bridged-T matching network provide amplifiers that can drive a substantial capacitive load with the above mentioned improvements over prior amplifiers. Additionally, circuits presented allow for improved rise time and insensitivity to temperature variations.
Multi-bit digital input using a single pin
Granted: October 10, 2006
Patent Number:
7119714
Electronic devices, and methods, for transmitting, transferring and/or conveying a multi-bit digital signal as a voltage signal via a single pin. Devices and methods according to the invention substantially reduce the pin count of a device because inputting of a multi-bit digital signal preferably does not use more than one input pin. In addition, the speed of transmission is improved because the multi-bit digital signal is transmitted as a voltage signal substantially at one time as…
Circuitry and methods for current measurements referred to a precision impedance
Granted: September 5, 2006
Patent Number:
7103487
Circuitry and methods for obtaining accurate measurements of current supplied by an integrated circuit are provided. Current calculations are performed using information from a precision termination resistor and from the ratio relationship of two on-chip resistors. The invention provides a way to obtain accurate current measurements without the use of component trimming.
Methods and circuits for selectable gain amplification by subtracting gains
Granted: August 29, 2006
Patent Number:
7098733
The present invention comprises methods and circuits for increasing the number of selectable gain settings of an amplifier by subtracting gains. In one embodiment, the amplifier is configured with three gain channels that are power-of-three weighted—that is, the gain channels provide gains of 1×, 3× and 9×. By combining the gain values of those gain channels in a manner that adds and/or subtracts the gain values, the amplifier can be configured with any of 13 consecutive gain…
Analog signal sampling system and method having reduced average differential input current
Granted: August 15, 2006
Patent Number:
7091896
A novel sampling system having a sampling device responsive to an analog input signal and a reference signal for providing corresponding charges. A switching circuit is provided to supply the input signal and the reference signal to the sampling device. The switching circuit is controlled to supply the input signal and the reference signal to the sampling device so as provide a substantially zero total charge taken by the sampling device from a source of the input signal. One application…
Analog signal sampling system and method having reduced average input current
Granted: August 8, 2006
Patent Number:
7088280
A novel sampling system having a sampling device responsive to an analog input signal and a reference signal for providing corresponding charges. A switching circuit is provided to supply the input signal and the reference signal to the sampling device. The switching circuit is controlled to supply the input signal and the reference signal to the sampling device so as provide a substantially zero total charge taken by the sampling device from a source of the input signal. One application…
High linearity digital variable gain amplifier
Granted: July 4, 2006
Patent Number:
7071784
Variable gain amplifiers offering high frequency response with improved linearity and reduced power dissipation are provided. An amplifier is disclosed that is constructed from a one-stage topology with multiple signal paths and compensation networks for improved linearity and stable operation. In this amplifier, improved performance is obtained by replacing single transistor components with enhanced active devices which incorporate local negative feedback. One embodiment of the…
Circuitry and methods for improving the performance of a light emitting element
Granted: May 23, 2006
Patent Number:
7049759
Light emitting elements with preselected or adjustable impedance characteristics are provided. Embodiments using a preselected impedance characteristic obtain significant performance benefits compared to the prior art. Embodiments having an adjustable impedance may alter the impedance associated with the light emitting component such that it has a substantially constant resistive or reactive impedance that improves certain performance attributes. This solution virtually eliminates the…
Trim circuits and methodologies for data converters
Granted: April 25, 2006
Patent Number:
7034735
An improved digital-to-analog converter comprises a reference node, switches providing an input digital signal, and an output stage including at least one resistive element. A resistance ladder, coupled to the switches, includes branches corresponding respectively to bit positions, in which selective operation of the switches in response to the input digital signal produces a corresponding analog output signal from the output stage. The ladder includes a first trim structure coupled to…
Switching voltage regulator circuit
Granted: April 18, 2006
Patent Number:
RE39065
An integrated circuit for use in implementing a switching voltage regulator, the integrated circuit including a power switching transistor, driver circuitry and control circuitry, which is operable in a normal feedback mode or an isolated flyback mode. The integrated circuit includes shutdown circuitry for placing the regulator in a micro-power sleep mode, and can be packaged in a five-pin conventional power transistor package. The terminals of the integrated circuit regulator perform…
Methods and circuits for programmable automatic burst mode control using average output current
Granted: April 18, 2006
Patent Number:
7030596
The present invention comprises a user-programmable control circuit for use in a power converter to automatically transition the converter into BURST mode when load current demand is low. The control circuit senses load current demand by monitoring the output current of the converter, and generating a signal representative of the monitored output current. The control circuit may automatically transition the converter into BURST mode when the signal indicative of the average monitored…
Methods and circuitry for interconnecting data and clock busses of live backplane circuitry and input/output card circuitry, and methods and circuitry for isolating capacitanes of a live backplane from the capacitanes of at least one input/output card
Granted: April 18, 2006
Patent Number:
7032051
Circuits and methods for interconnecting a live backplane and at least one I/O card are provided. This invention provides interconnection circuitry that utilizes buffer circuitry to connect the data and clock busses of the backplane to the data and clock busses of the I/O card in a “hot-swappable” fashion. Buffer circuitry also isolates the capacitance associated with the backplane from the capacitance associated with the I/O card. For example, when at least one signal is driven from…
Voltage overshoot reduction circuits
Granted: April 4, 2006
Patent Number:
7023713
Feedback circuits capable of preventing output voltage overshoot in closed-loop DC regulated power supplies are presented. The circuits employ hysteresis at the input of an operational amplifier to improve the response time of the feedback circuits to a rising output voltage reaching a threshold. The feedback circuits substantially reduce, if not prevent, output voltage overshoot during start-up and hard and soft output shorts.
Circuits and methods for synchronizing non-constant frequency switching regulators with a phase locked loop
Granted: March 28, 2006
Patent Number:
7019497
Methods for synchronizing non-constant frequency switching regulators with a phase locked loop are disclosed. The methods enable non-constant frequency switching regulators to be synchronized with a phase locked loop to achieve constant frequency operation in steady state while retaining the advantages of non-frequency operation to improve transient response and operate over a wider range of duty cycles. In addition, the methods enable multiple non-constant frequency regulators to be…
Methods and circuits for programmable current limit protection
Granted: March 28, 2006
Patent Number:
7019507
The present invention provides methods and circuits for protecting power converters from over-current conditions that, in one embodiment, (1) reduce average inductor current to a steady-state threshold during a transient phase and regulate average inductor current in steady-state regulation approximately at the steady-state threshold; and (2) reduce instantaneous inductor current after the instantaneous inductor current exceeds a maximum instantaneous threshold during the transient…
High voltage MOS transistor with up-retro well by providing dopant in an epitaxial layer
Granted: January 24, 2006
Patent Number:
6989309
A high voltage MOS transistor is provided that is compatible with low-voltage, sub-micron CMOS and BiCMOS processes. The high voltage transistor of the present invention has dopants that are implanted into the substrate prior to formation of the epitaxial layer. The implanted dopants diffuse into the epitaxial layer from the substrate during the formation of the epitaxial layer and subsequent heating steps. The implanted dopants increase the doping concentration in a lower portion of the…
