Brett L Smith

US Patent:

7035071, Apr 25, 2006

Filed:

Dec 29, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/025706

Inventors:

Kee Chee Tiew - Richardson TX, US
Thomas A. Schmidt - Murphy TX, US
Brett E. Smith - McKinney TX, US
John C. Vogt - Denton TX, US
Abidur Rahman - Allen TX, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

H02H 9/08

US Classification:

361 939, 700 33

Abstract:

A switching regulator having a current limit with adaptive cycle skipping. A buck type switching regulator circuit is provided, including an energy storage component, such as an inductor or capacitor, and a switch for controllably providing an input current to the energy storage component. A control unit controls the on time and the off time of the switch by providing cyclically recurring control pulses to the switch that cause the switch to be on during the pulses and off otherwise. A current monitor circuit monitors a current corresponding to the input current applied to the energy storage component during the periodic control pulses. An overcurrent signal generator generates an overcurrent signal pulse upon detection of the monitored current at a level above a predetermined level corresponding to an overcurrent condition. A state machine responds to the overcurrent signal pulse and suppresses a number of the cyclically recurring control pulses, thereby controlling the period between the recurring control pulses that are not suppressed, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm that increases the number each time an overcurrent signal pulse is detected in successive periods.

US Patent:

7236003, Jun 26, 2007

Filed:

Sep 29, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/239021

Inventors:

Shanmuganand Chellamuthu - Richardson TX, US
Brett E. Smith - McKinney TX, US
Thomas A. Schmidt - Murphy TX, US
Abidur Rahman - Allen TX, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

H03K 19/007

US Classification:

326 14, 326 27, 363 50

Abstract:

The H-bridge circuit with shoot through current prevention during power-up includes: a high side transistor; a low side transistor coupled in series with the high side transistor; pull down devices coupled to a control node of the high side transistor and to a control node of the low side transistor; and wherein the pull down devices are controlled by a pull down circuit including a Power On Reset circuit, monitoring the digital power supply such that the high side and low side transistors are OFF until the digital power supply has settled to a desired operating voltage.

US Patent:

7511527, Mar 31, 2009

Filed:

Jan 29, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/021931

Inventors:

Kee Chee Tiew - Richardson TX, US
Brett Smith - McKinney TX, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G01R 31/26

US Classification:

324769, 324763, 324765

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus to test power transistors of integrated circuits on a wafer are disclosed. An example method comprises measuring a drain-source on resistance of a first transistor, measuring a drain-source on resistance of a second transistor, computing a scaling ratio between the transistors based on the drain-source on resistances of the transistors, measuring a first current indicative of an over-current condition of the first transistor, and computing a second current of the second transistor based on the current of the second transistor and the scaling ratio.

US Patent:

7560972, Jul 14, 2009

Filed:

Jan 29, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/021939

Inventors:

Kee Chee Tiew - Richardson TX, US
Brett Smith - McKinney TX, US
Abidur Rahman - Allen TX, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

H03L 5/00

US Classification:

327333, 326 81

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus to reduce propagation delay of circuits are disclosed. A disclosed apparatus to reduce propagation delay of a circuit comprises a level shifter to selectively turn a first circuit on and off; a first switch to couple the first circuit to a second circuit when the first circuit is on, wherein the second circuit is to selectively receive a first current from the first circuit based on a signal the second circuit receives from the level shifter; and a second switch to couple the first circuit to a reference signal based on the first current, the second switch causing the first circuit to start to turn off.

US Patent:

7719245, May 18, 2010

Filed:

Nov 8, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/937282

Inventors:

Huijuan Li - Plano TX, US
Md Abidur Rahman - Allen TX, US
Brett E. Smith - McKinney TX, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G05F 1/44
G05F 1/56

US Classification:

323282, 323284, 323285, 323351

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for a self-tracking high-side pre-driver control are described. In an example, a method is described comprising charging a first terminal associated with a first capacitive element to a first voltage with respect to ground and a second terminal associated with a second capacitive element to a second voltage with respect to ground, changing the first voltage and the second voltage with respect to ground by changing a swing voltage, selecting one of the first voltage or the second voltage based on a first switched-mode power supply topology or a second switched-mode power supply topology and driving a transistor using the selected voltage.

US Patent:

8004248, Aug 23, 2011

Filed:

May 14, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/748008

Inventors:

Valerian Mayega - Irving TX, US
Percy E. Neyra - Fort Collins CO, US
Brett E. Smith - McKinney TX, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

H02J 7/04

US Classification:

320145, 320141, 320143, 320162

Abstract:

Various systems and methods for battery charging are disclosed herein. As just one example, a battery charger is disclosed that includes a current feedback loop that has a pulse width modulated current control output, and a voltage feedback loop that has a pulse width modulated voltage control output. In addition, the battery charger includes a transition circuit with a digital phase/frequency detector. The digital phase/frequency detector is operable to detect a duty cycle difference between the pulse width modulated current control output and the pulse width modulated voltage control output. Further, the transition circuit is operable to transition between application of a substantially current charge control to a charging node to application of a substantially constant voltage to the charging node based at least in part on the difference in duty cycle.

US Patent:

8102713, Jan 24, 2012

Filed:

Jun 25, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/492091

Inventors:

Ross E. Teggatz - Richardson TX, US
Wayne T. Chen - Plano TX, US
Brett Smith - McKinney TX, US

Assignee:

Triune IP LLC - Richardson TX

International Classification:

G11C 16/04

US Classification:

36518518, 36518501, 3651852, 36518907, 3652101

Abstract:

The invention provides circuits, systems, and methods for monitoring a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell, or an array of NVM cells. The monitor is capable of switching from a normal operating state to an evaluation state, monitoring for one or more particular characteristics, and returning to the normal operating state. Alternative embodiments of the invention are disclosed using various triggers and producing outputs capable of reporting or feeding back to influence the operation of the monitoring systems and methods, the NVM circuitry, or an external system. The invention includes an energy conservation feature, in that no power is consumed in the normal operating state, and low power in the evaluation state.

US Patent:

20100315158, Dec 16, 2010

Filed:

Jun 13, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/814457

Inventors:

Amer Atrash - Richardson TX, US
Ross Teggatz - McKinney TX, US
Brett Smith - McKinney TX, US

Assignee:

TRIUNE IP LLC - Richardson TX

International Classification:

G05F 1/10

US Classification:

327541, 327540

Abstract:

The disclosed invention provides apparatus and methods for dynamic biasing in electronic systems and circuits. The apparatus and methods disclosed provide non-linear biasing responsive to monitored load conditions.