Company Filing History:
Years Active: 2002-2004
Title: The Innovations of Karl Rapp
Introduction
Karl Rapp is a notable inventor based in Los Gatos, CA. He has made significant contributions to the field of electronics, particularly in memory modules and charge pump systems. With a total of 7 patents to his name, Rapp's work has had a considerable impact on the industry.
Latest Patents
Rapp's latest patents include a current integrating sense amplifier for memory modules in RFID systems. This low read current, low power consumption sense amplifier is designed for low frequency RFID systems. It utilizes an MOS transistor to receive the read current from a memory cell, typically an EEPROM. A current mirror is formed by a parallel MOS transistor, and the mirror current is integrated on a capacitor after the charge on the capacitor is cleared via a reset pulse. A defined time period allows for the voltage on the capacitor to be compared to a second voltage, which is formed from a reference voltage or from dummy cells. The output state of the comparator indicates the binary contents of the memory cell.
Another significant patent is the low voltage charge pump employing distributed charge boosting. This charge pump system generates high voltages from a low initial voltage, which is essential for applications such as erasing and programming electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) arrays. The system includes a first phase bootstrapping circuit, an inverter, and a two-stage charge pump. The two-phase bootstrapping circuits respond to a clock and use a distributed bootstrapping scheme to provide clock signals with fixed multiples of the power supply voltage. This innovation increases efficiency and allows for charge boosting in a limited number of stages.
Career Highlights
Karl Rapp is currently employed at Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation, where he continues to innovate and develop new technologies. His work has been instrumental in advancing the capabilities of memory systems and charge pumps.
Collaborations
Rapp has collaborated with notable colleagues such as Bob Roohparvar and K Z Mahouti, contributing to various projects and innovations in the field.
Conclusion
Karl Rapp's contributions to the field of electronics through his patents and innovations have made a lasting impact. His work continues to influence the development of memory technologies and charge pump systems.