Controller for a semiconductor switch that includes an inductive coupling for communication across galvanic isolation
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12143169
A controller comprising a driver interface referenced to a first reference potential, a drive circuit referenced to a second reference potential, and an inductive coupling. The driver interface comprises a first receiver configured to compare a portion of signals having a first polarity on the first terminal of the inductive coupling with a first threshold, and a second receiver configured to compare a portion of signals having a second polarity on the second terminal of the inductive…
Coupled polysilicon guard rings for enhancing breakdown voltage in a power semiconductor device
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12136646
Coupled polysilicon guard rings for enhancing breakdown voltage in a power semiconductor device are presented herein. Polysilicon guard rings are disposed above the power device drift region and electrically coupled to power device regions (e.g., device diffusions) so as to spread electric fields associated with an operating voltage. Additionally, PN junctions (i.e., p-type and n-type junctions) are formed within the polysilicon guard rings to operate in reverse bias with a low leakage…
Apparatus and methods for controllable networks to vary inter-stage power transfer in a multi-stage power conversion system
Granted: October 15, 2024
Patent Number:
12119743
Apparatus and methods for controllable networks to vary inter-stage power transfer in a multi-stage power conversion system are disclosed herein. By using controllable networks (111-113) within the first power converter stage (102), intermediate power delivered to a subsequent or second power converter stage (104) can be varied so that the multi-stage power conversion system (100) may respond to a full load step while offering improved light load power conversion efficiency. A power…
Discharge prevention of the power switch in a power converter
Granted: September 17, 2024
Patent Number:
12095377
A power converter including a controller to control a synchronous rectifier (SR) switch. The controller includes a request control circuit and a discharge prevention circuit. The request control circuit is configured to generate a request signal in response to an output of the power converter. The request control circuit generates a secondary control signal to control the SR switch. The discharge prevention circuit is configured to prevent a parasitic capacitance discharge of a power…
Method for implant and anneal for high voltage field effect transistors
Granted: August 20, 2024
Patent Number:
12068161
In an example, the present invention provides a method of forming a semiconductor device on a gallium and nitrogen containing material. The method includes providing a substrate member comprising a surface region, the substrate member comprising a gallium and nitrogen bearing material. The method includes causing an implanted species to electrically activate the implant profile while removing one or more crystalline damage from the epitaxial material to change the amorphous state to a…
Beryllium doped GaN-based light emitting diode and method
Granted: August 13, 2024
Patent Number:
12062738
The invention described herein provides a method and apparatus to realize incorporation of Beryllium followed by activation to realize p-type materials of lower resistivity than is possible with Magnesium. Lower contact resistances and more effective electron confinement results from the higher hole concentrations made possible with this invention. The result is a higher efficiency GaN-based LED with higher current handling capability resulting in a brighter device of the same area.
Beryllium doped GaN-based light emitting diode and method
Granted: July 23, 2024
Patent Number:
12046699
The invention described herein provides a method and apparatus to realize incorporation of Beryllium followed by activation to realize p-type materials of lower resistivity than is possible with Magnesium. Lower contact resistances and more effective electron confinement results from the higher hole concentrations made possible with this invention. The result is a higher efficiency GaN-based LED with higher current handling capability resulting in a brighter device of the same area.
Housing for ferrite beads and other pass-through electrical filter components
Granted: July 2, 2024
Patent Number:
12027295
A system for mounting a filter component to a circuit hoard. The system comprises a filter component housing dimensioned to house a filter component. The system further comprises a mount between the filter component housing and the circuit hoard, the mount configured to couple the filter component housing to the circuit board.
Switching delay for communication
Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number:
12021439
A controller for use in a power converter including a first controller coupled to control switching of a power switch of the power converter to transfer energy to an output of the power converter. The first controller includes a communication delay generator configured to receive a first signal. The communication delay generator determines a communication delay in response to the first signal and outputs a communication signal representative of the communication delay. The first…
Fast turn-on protection of a cascode switch
Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number:
12015394
Fast turn-on protection of a cascode switch is presented herein. A cascode circuit includes a depletion mode field effect transistor and an enhancement mode field effect transistor electrically coupled in cascode. During turn-on, a protection circuit detects an overcurrent fault by observing a plateau of a cascode node voltage. An overcurrent fault may be detected in response to the plateau existing for greater than a threshold time duration.
Motor alignment control
Granted: May 28, 2024
Patent Number:
11996795
A motor drive system for use with a motor comprising a first high-side switch coupled to a high voltage bus and the motor. A first low-side switch coupled to the motor and a return, a turn ON and turn OFF of the first high-side switch and the first low-side switch provides a phase current for the motor. A system controller configured to receive a phase current sense signal representative of the phase current of the motor and configured to begin an alignment sequence to align the motor to…
Power converter controller with branch switch
Granted: May 7, 2024
Patent Number:
11979090
A first controller for a power converter, the first controller comprising a driver, supply terminal, branch switch and branch control. The driver configured to provide a drive signal to turn ON and turn OFF a power switch. The power switch includes a first switch and a second switch coupled in a cascode configuration. The supply terminal coupled to a bypass capacitor that provides operating power to the first controller, wherein the bypass capacitor has a bypass voltage. The branch…
Protecting semiconductor switches in switched mode power converters
Granted: April 30, 2024
Patent Number:
11973494
Driver circuitry for driving a power semiconductor switch having a control input and main terminals is described. The driver circuitry includes control terminal driver circuitry coupled to the control input and configured to provide a drive signal, a sense terminal coupled to the main terminal, a current mirror coupled to the sense terminal to mirror a current input into the sense terminal during turn-off, a first current comparator configured to compare a current signal received from…
Apparatus and methods for sensing resonant circuit signals to enhance control in a resonant converter
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955899
Apparatus and methods for sensing resonant circuit signals to enhance control in a resonant converter are described herein. A buffer circuit coupled in parallel with or across a resonant component (e.g., a transformer) input port avails a buffered primary port signal for use in resonant conversion. The buffered primary port signal is a comprehensive signal including information relating to both input voltage and input power; and it may be used to advantageously enhance switching and…
Signal compensation with summed error signals
Granted: March 26, 2024
Patent Number:
11942900
A compensated amplifier for use in a power converter controller. The compensated amplifier comprises a first amplifier, a second amplifier, an integrator, and an arithmetic operator. The first amplifier coupled to receive a sensed signal and a reference signal and configured to generate a first error signal in response to the sensed signal and the reference signal. The second amplifier coupled to the first amplifier and configured to generate a second error signal in response to the…
Active discharge of an electric drive system
Granted: March 19, 2024
Patent Number:
11932123
Discharge systems for electric vehicles and electric vehicles having discharge systems. In one implementation, a discharge system for an electric vehicle includes a step-down power converter configured to step down an input voltage to an output voltage; discharge circuitry coupled to the output of the step-down power converter, wherein the discharge circuitry is reversibly driveable to load the step-down power converter; an input component configured to receive input that originated from…
Multi-module system with single terminal error flag input/output
Granted: February 20, 2024
Patent Number:
11907054
The system comprises a plurality of driver modules coupled by a fault condition bus, e.g. single-wire bus. Each driver module includes an Error Flag Interface block coupled between a single terminal error flag input/output (EF I/O) and a Control block. Each driver module may be coupled- to a motor. When a driver module detects a local fault condition, its Error Flag Interface block is configured to lower the voltage at the single terminal EF I/O to communicate the change to the other…
Apparatus and methods for controlling a switch drive signal following mode transitions in a switching power converter
Granted: February 13, 2024
Patent Number:
11901831
A controller for use in a power converter that is configured to operate in a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode includes a frequency monitor module coupled to measure a signal characteristic of a switch drive signal coupled to control switching of a switches block of the power converter. The frequency monitor module includes a memory coupled to store a measured signal characteristic of the switch drive signal measured during the first mode. The frequency monitor…
Apparatus and methods for controlling a switch drive signal following mode transitions in a switching power converter
Granted: February 13, 2024
Patent Number:
11901831
A controller for use in a power converter that is configured to operate in a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode includes a frequency monitor module coupled to measure a signal characteristic of a switch drive signal coupled to control switching of a switches block of the power converter. The frequency monitor module includes a memory coupled to store a measured signal characteristic of the switch drive signal measured during the first mode. The frequency monitor…
Controller for multi-output single magnetic component converter
Granted: January 30, 2024
Patent Number:
11888402
A control system for use in a power converter having a plurality of outputs comprising a primary switching control block, a secondary control block, and a multi-output control block. The primary switching control block is coupled to control switching of a primary switch. The secondary control block is coupled to control switching of a synchronous rectifier switch. The multi-output control block is coupled to control switching of at least one pulse transfer switch coupled to one of the…
