The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 25, 2011
Filed:
Mar. 05, 2007
Peter J. Hopper, San Jose, CA (US);
Peter Johnson, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Kyuwoon Hwang, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Philipp Lindorfer, San Jose, CA (US);
Peter J. Hopper, San Jose, CA (US);
Peter Johnson, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Kyuwoon Hwang, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Philipp Lindorfer, San Jose, CA (US);
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
An on-chip inductor structure for a DC-DC power regulator circuit merges the switching transistor metallization with the inductor. Thick top level conductor metal that is used to strap the transistor array and to lower its on-state resistance is also used to extend the power inductor into the transistor array. Thus, the structure includes three basic components: a power inductor that spirals around the transistor array, the transistor array itself, and the transistor array metallization that is used to form a distributed inductance situated over the transistor array.