International Business Machines Corporation

Justin E Henspeter

Michael Lee Miller

Layne A Berge

Eric B Swenson

Jordan Ross Keuseman

Jordan Keuseman

A discrete VRM card includes a first VRM controller and a second VRM controller. The discrete VRM card also includes a first primary power stage, a second primary power stage, and an adaptable spare stage. The discrete VRM card includes a first switch and a second switch. Closing the first switch connects the adaptable spare converter with an output of the first primary power stage. Closing the second switch connects the adaptable spare converter an output of the second primary power stage.

Adaptive spare stages in configurable VRM card

One or more sampling parameters of an application associated with a downstream voltage regulator may be determined. A power supply rejection ratio ('PSRR') and a switching frequency of an upstream voltage regulator may be dynamically adjusted based on the sampling parameters of the application associated with the downstream voltage regulator. The sampling parameters may include a noise level and a workload of the selected application.

Dynamic adjustment of power supply ripple ratio and frequency in voltage regulators

A discrete VRM card comprises a set of VRM controllers. The set of VRM controllers comprises a VRM controller with two feedback loops. The VRM card comprises a power stage and a power-stage critical-signal multiplexer. The output of the power-stage critical-signal multiplexer determines a feedback loop with which the power stage communicates. The VRM card also comprises a configuration selector. The configuration selector determines a feedback-loop assignment for the power-stage critical-signal multiplexer and provides VRM instructions to the VRM controller.

Configurable VRM card

A semiconductor device with at least one embedded photodetector is disclosed. The at least one photodetector is embedded in a hot carrier injection (HCI) area, and detects a quantity of emitted photons. Further, the photodetector triggers a warning when the photodetector detects a number of photons greater than a threshold number of photons. Additional embodiments are directed to a method of detecting HCI. The method includes embedding a photodetector in a power semiconductor device, setting at least one threshold number of photons, detecting photons, determining a number of photons, determining when the number of photons is above a threshold number of photons, and generating a warning. When the number of photons is above the threshold, the warning is triggered. Further embodiments are directed to an article of manufacture comprising at least one semiconductor device with at least one photodetector embedded in an area predicted to experience HCI.

Embedded photodetector as device health monitor for hot carrier injection (HCI) in power semiconductors

Embodiments generally relate to devices, systems and methods for separating CTCs from blood cells using optical trapping, such as use of optical cogwheel tweezers. Through a pre-filtration process, using optical cogwheel tweezers, desired cells from a cell sample can be filtered from a relatively dilute sample. The filtered sample can then be analyzed by more precise means to determine overall concentrations from the original sample while maintaining cell viability.

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Kasson, MN, United States of America

Justin E Henspeter