Method of fabricating a lateral double-diffused mosfet (LDMOS) transistor and a conventional CMOS transistor
Granted: January 16, 2007
Patent Number:
7163856
A method of fabricating an LDMOS transistor and a conventional CMOS transistor together on a substrate. A P-body is implanted into a source region of the LDMOS transistor. A gate oxide for the conventional CMOS transistor is formed after implanting the P-body into the source region of the LDMOS transistor. A fixed thermal cycle associated with forming the gate oxide of the conventional CMOS transistor is not substantially affected by the implanting of the P-body into the source region of…
Method and apparatus for selecting multiple settings for an integrated circuit function
Granted: August 15, 2006
Patent Number:
7091736
A method and apparatus for determining a setting specified from a plurality of the settings for a function provided in an integrated circuit, wherein the setting is specified by connecting an external measurement resistor to a measurement terminal of the integrated circuit, comprises applying a direct current to the measurement terminal of the integrated circuit, thereby producing a measurement voltage at the measurement terminal; applying the direct current to a reference terminal of…
Method of fabricating a lateral double-diffused MOSFET (LDMOS) transistor
Granted: July 11, 2006
Patent Number:
7074659
A method of monolithically fabricating a lateral double-diffused MOSFET (LDMOS) transistor having a source, drain, and a gate on a substrate, with a process flow that is compatible with a CMOS process flow.
Switching regulator with high-side p-type device
Granted: May 2, 2006
Patent Number:
7038274
A voltage regulator having an input terminal and an output terminal. A PMOS transistor connects the input terminal to an intermediate terminal. The PMOS transistor includes a first gate oxide layer. An LDMOS transistor connects the intermediate terminal to ground. The LDMOS transistor includes a second gate oxide layer. A controller drives the PMOS transistor and the LDMOS transistor to alternately couple the intermediate terminal between the input terminal and ground, to generate an…
Heatsinking and packaging of integrated circuit chips
Granted: November 8, 2005
Patent Number:
6963130
A semiconductor package has a printed circuit board, an integrated circuit chip on the printed circuit board with an exposed semiconductor die, and a rigid structure secured to the printed circuit board and enclosing the exposed semiconductor die. The exposed surface of the semiconductor die placed is in thermal contact with an inner surface of the rigid structure with a compressible material.
Method and apparatus for operating a field-effect transistor (FET) pair
Granted: August 30, 2005
Patent Number:
6937086
A power switch, and a method, for use with a power switch having a field-effect transistor (FET) including source, drain and gate terminals. The power switch includes a first field-effect transistor (FET) having a first drain coupled to the drain terminal, a first source coupled to the source terminal, and a first gate; and, a second FET having a second drain coupled to the drain terminal, a second source coupled to the source terminal, and a second gate. The second FET has a gate length…
Selecting multiple settings for an integrated circuit function using a single integrated circuit terminal
Granted: May 17, 2005
Patent Number:
6894501
A method and apparatus for determining a setting specified from a plurality of the settings for a function provided in an integrated circuit, wherein the setting is specified by connecting an external measurement resistor to a measurement terminal of the integrated circuit, comprises applying a direct current to the measurement terminal of the integrated circuit, thereby producing a measurement voltage at the measurement terminal; applying the direct current to a reference terminal of…
Heatsinking and packaging of integrated circuit chips
Granted: February 8, 2005
Patent Number:
6853068
A semiconductor package has a printed circuit board, an integrated circuit chip on the printed circuit board with an exposed semiconductor die, and a rigid structure secured to the printed circuit board and enclosing the exposed semiconductor die. The exposed surface of the semiconductor die placed is in thermal contact with an inner surface of the rigid structure with a compressible material.
Digital voltage regulator using current control
Granted: February 8, 2005
Patent Number:
6853169
A digitally implemented voltage regulator having including a plurality of slaves coupled in parallel. Each slave includes a switching circuit that intermittently couples an input terminal and an output terminal of the voltage regulator in response to a digital control signal for the corresponding slave. A current sensor in each slave generates a digital first feedback signal derived from the current passing through the corresponding switching circuit. A digital controller receives and…
Method and computer program product for improved transient response
Granted: December 7, 2004
Patent Number:
6828765
A method and computer program product for use in a control system. The controller includes a first gain element configured to provide a first predetermined gain to an output error signal describing an error in the output of the control system; a compensator including a control loop including a storage element, the control loop receiving the output error signal, a second gain element configured to provide a second predetermined gain to the output of the control loop, and a detector…
Testing integrated circuits and integrated power transistors
Granted: July 6, 2004
Patent Number:
6759856
A switching regulator that has first, second, third and fourth terminals, a first power transistor disposed between the first terminal and a first node, a second power transistor disposed between the first node and a second node, a filter including a capacitor and an inductor, and a controller. The first power transistor is partitioned into a plurality of individually-addressable first transistor segments. The second node couples the second and fourth terminals. The second power…
Conductive routings in integrated circuits
Granted: March 30, 2004
Patent Number:
6713823
An integrated circuit structure with a first layer that has a first conductive area and a second conductive area that is electrically isolated from the first area, and a second layer that has a third conductive area and a fourth conductive area that is electrically isolated from the third area. An edge of the first conductive area has an extended region that protrudes into the second conductive area. An edge of the fourth conductive area has an extended region that protrudes into the…
Method of operating circuit with FET transistor pair
Granted: March 9, 2004
Patent Number:
6703888
A method for use with a switch having a field-effect transistor (FET). The method includes restricting the drain-source voltage of the FET to a predetermined range, and then switching the FET. In general, in one aspect, the invention features a circuit having source, drain and gate terminals. The circuit includes a first FET having a first drain coupled to the drain terminal and a first source coupled to the source terminal, a second FET having a second drain coupled to the drain…
Switching regulator with multiple power transistor driving voltages
Granted: November 4, 2003
Patent Number:
6642697
A voltage regulator has an input terminal, an output terminal, a first transistor connecting the input terminal to an intermediate terminal, a second transistor connecting the intermediate terminal to ground, a controller that drives the first and second transistors to alternately couple the intermediate terminal between the input terminal and ground, and a filter disposed between the input terminal and the output terminal to provide a substantially DC voltage at the output terminal. The…
Testing integrated circuits with integrated power transistors
Granted: August 5, 2003
Patent Number:
6603326
A switching regulator that has first, second, third and fourth terminals, a first power transistor disposed between the first terminal and a first node, a second power transistor disposed between the first node and a second node, a filter including a capacitor and an inductor, and a controller. The first power transistor is partitioned into a plurality of individually-addressable first transistor segments. The second node couples the second and fourth terminals. The second power…
Digital voltage regulator using current control
Granted: July 8, 2003
Patent Number:
6590369
A digitally implemented voltage regulator in which a switching circuit intermittently couples the input terminal and the output terminal in response to a digital control signal. A current sensor generates a digital first feedback signal derived from the current passing through the switching circuit, and a voltage sensor generates a digital second feedback signal derived from the output voltage. A digital controller receives and uses the digital feedback signals to generate the digital…
Circuit with FET transistor pair
Granted: March 4, 2003
Patent Number:
6529056
A circuit, and a method and computer program product for use with a switch having a field-effect transistor (FET). The method and computer program product include restricting the drain-source voltage of the FET to a predetermined range; and then switching the FET. In general, in one aspect, the invention features a circuit having source, drain and gate terminals. The circuit includes a first FET having a first drain coupled to the drain terminal and a first source coupled to the source…
Switching regulator with capacitance near load
Granted: February 25, 2003
Patent Number:
6525516
A voltage regulator has an input terminal, an output terminal, a first transistor to intermittently form an electrical circuit between the input terminal and the output terminal, a rectifier connecting an intermediate terminal in the electrical circuit between the input terminal and the output terminal to ground, a controller that drives the first transistor, and a capacitorless filter. Capacitance for the filter function can be provided by a capacitor, e.g., the input capacitor of the…
Ultra-low-power mode for a voltage regulator
Granted: December 24, 2002
Patent Number:
6498467
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method, apparatus, and computer program product for use within a voltage regulator. It includes deactivating the voltage regulator; and periodically activating the voltage regulator to monitor and selectively refresh the output of the voltage regulator.
Transistor pattern for voltage regulator
Granted: October 8, 2002
Patent Number:
6462522
A voltage regulator with an input terminal and an output terminal has a printed circuit board, a substrate mounted on the printed circuit board, and a first flip-chip type integrated circuit chip mounted on the substrate. The first integrated circuit chip includes a first power switch fabricated therein to alternately couple and decouple the input terminal to the output terminal. A filter is disposed to provide a substantially DC voltage at the output terminal, and a control circuit…
