Texas Instruments Corporation

Active-semi, Inc.

Wei-Chung Wu

Lin Chen

Kae Ann Wong

Hong Mao

Yuan Gu

Jonathan S Brodsky

David W Evans

Siew Kuok Hoon

Dening Wang

Degang Xia

Wenliang Chen

Rulong Jiang

Paul Vulpoiu

Norelis Medina

Donald Thomas Pullen

Joseph A Nuniz

A reversible buck or boost converter is operable in a buck mode and in a boost mode. In the buck mode, the converter receives a supply voltage via an input terminal and generates a charging current that is supplied to a battery, thereby charging the battery. The supply voltage is also supplied through the converter to an output terminal. In a boost mode, the converter receives power form the battery and generates a supply current and voltage that is output onto the output terminal. The same single current sense resistor is used both to control the charging current in the buck mode and to control a constant current supplied to the output terminal in the boost mode. The output current is controlled to be constant, regardless of changes in the in the battery voltage and changes in the output voltage.

Reversible buck or boost converter that determines boost output current from sensed boost input current

A switching regulator having fast start-up time and low standby power is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a transistor that generates a charging current at a first current level from a base current received at a base terminal. The apparatus also includes a capacitor that charges in response to the charging current at the first current level to generate a voltage signal that increases at a first rate. The apparatus also includes a charge pump having an output coupled to the base terminal. The charge pump outputs a charge pump current when the voltage signal exceeds a first voltage level. The base current is increased by charge pump current to cause the transistor to generate the charging current at a second current level, and the capacitor charges in response to the charging current at the second current level to generate the voltage signal that increases at a second rate.

Switching regulator having fast startup time and low standby power

A reversible buck or boost converter is operable in a buck mode and in a boost mode. In the buck mode, the converter receives a supply voltage via an input terminal and generates a charging current that is supplied to a battery, thereby charging the battery. The supply voltage is also supplied through the converter to an output terminal. In a boost mode, the converter receives power from the battery and generates a supply current and voltage that is output onto the output terminal. The same single current sense resistor is used both to control the charging current in the buck mode and to control a constant current supplied to the output terminal in the boost mode. The output current is controlled to be constant, regardless of changes in the in the battery voltage and changes in the output voltage.

A multi-rail power-supply system provides power to circuitry requiring at least one additional rail between a high and a low-voltage rail. The system comprises a first power regulator that interconnects the high-voltage rail and an intermediate node and sets a first voltage rail that has a magnitude that is less than the high-voltage rail, wherein current that flows from the high-voltage rail is employed by a first set of peripheral circuitry prior to sinking through the first power regulator to the intermediate node. The system further comprises a second power regulator that interconnects the intermediate node and the low-voltage rail and sets a second voltage rail that has a magnitude that is greater than the low-voltage rail, wherein current that flows from the intermediate node is sourced by the second regulator and is employed by a second set of peripheral circuitry prior to flowing to the low-voltage rail.

Multi-rail power-supply system

An amplifier is provided that includes an output portion that sources and sinks current associated with an output load and an amplification portion that is biased by a relatively small bias current with respect to an output current of the amplifier. The amplification portion provides an amplified output signal to the output portion. The amplifier further comprises at least one impedance component coupled between the output portion and the amplification portion to alter at least one pole associated with the amplifier to mitigate instability of the amplifier related to the relatively small bias current.

Low bias current amplifier

One embodiment of the invention includes a switching power supply system. The system includes a switch network comprising at least one switch configured to provide an output voltage based on switching activity thereof. The system also includes a switching controller configured to control the switch network to maintain the output voltage provided at an output based on a feedback signal associated with the output voltage. A converter pulse detector is configured to detect an output voltage overshoot condition based on the switching activity of the switch network corresponding to a transition in an output load to which the output voltage is provided.

Load-induced voltage overshoot detection and correction in switching power supplies

Various apparatuses, methods and systems for protecting a driver from electrostatic discharge are disclosed herein. For example, some exemplary embodiments provide a driver, including a buffer, a leakage path blocking transistor connected to an output of the buffer, and an output driver connected to an output of the leakage path blocking transistor. Current from the output driver to the buffer is substantially blocked by the leakage path blocking transistor.

Growing community of inventors

Richardson, TX, United States of America

Wei-Chung Wu