Michael Jason Houston

US Patent:

7791324, Sep 7, 2010

Filed:

Mar 31, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/080263

Inventors:

Gustavo James Mehas - Sunnyvale CA, US
Naveen Jain - Panipat, IN
Jayant Vivrekar - San Jose CA, US
Michael Jason Houston - Cary NC, US

Assignee:

Intersil Americas Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G05F 1/00

US Classification:

323283, 323224

Abstract:

A synchronous regulator includes a controller coupled to receive a reference signal and a feedback signal from the regulator operable to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal at its output. The regulator includes at least one gate driver coupled to receive the PWM signal, and a synchronous output switch having a phase node there between controlled by the gate driver, and regulator input current measurement circuitry. The regulator input current measurement circuitry comprises a circuit operable for providing a signal representative of at least one phase node timing parameter, a sensing circuit operable for sensing inductor or output current provided by the regulator, and a calculation circuit coupled to receive the signal representative of the phase node timing parameters and the inductor or output current and is operable to determine the input current.

US Patent:

7898236, Mar 1, 2011

Filed:

Aug 15, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/192234

Inventors:

Michael J. Houston - Cary NC, US
Christopher S. Saunders - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

Intersil Americas Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G05F 1/40

US Classification:

323284, 323271

Abstract:

A method for operating a voltage regulator controller, for use in a voltage regulator including coupled inductors, is provided as follows. A first signal is generated for driving a first switch of the voltage regulator. A second signal is generated driving a first switch of the voltage regulator. The voltage regulator determines whether a light-load condition exists. Upon determining the existence of a light-load condition, adjusting the phase difference between said first and second signals so that the first and second signals are approximately in-phase.

US Patent:

8076922, Dec 13, 2011

Filed:

Jun 9, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/136023

Inventors:

Jia Wei - Cary NC, US
Michael Jason Houston - Cary NC, US

Assignee:

Intersil Americas Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

H01F 29/14

US Classification:

323331, 323224, 323272

Abstract:

An embodiment of an inductor assembly includes a core, a first conductor, and a second conductor. The core includes first and second members, a first group of one or more forms extending between the members, a second group of one or more forms extending between the members, and an isolating region that magnetically isolates the first group of forms from the second group of forms. The first conductor is wound about a first one of the forms in the first group, and the second conductor is wound about a second one of the forms in the second group. Such an inductor assembly may allow both coupled and uncoupled inductors to be disposed on a common core, thus potentially reducing the cost and size of the inductors as compared to the coupled inductors being disposed on one core and the uncoupled inductors being disposed on another core.

US Patent:

8120336, Feb 21, 2012

Filed:

Sep 3, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/875938

Inventors:

Gustavo James Mehas - Sunnyvale CA, US
Naveen Jain - Panipat, IN
Jayant Vivrekar - San Jose CA, US
Michael Jason Houston - Cary NC, US

Assignee:

Intersil Americas Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G05F 1/613

US Classification:

323224, 323283

Abstract:

A synchronous regulator includes a controller coupled to receive a reference signal and a feedback signal from the regulator and being operable to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal at its output. The regulator includes at least one gate driver coupled to receive the PWM signal and includes a synchronous output switch having a phase node therebetween controlled by the gate driver, and also including regulator input current measurement circuitry. The regulator input current measurement circuitry includes a circuit that provides a signal representative of at least one phase node timing parameter. A sensing circuit is operable to sense inductor or output current provided by the regulator. A calculation circuit is coupled to receive the signal representative of the phase node timing parameters and the inductor or output current and is operable to determine the input current from the phase node timing parameters and the inductor or output current.

US Patent:

8125207, Feb 28, 2012

Filed:

Nov 23, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/952954

Inventors:

Michael J. Houston - Cary NC, US
Christopher S. Saunders - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

Intersil Americas Inc. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G05F 1/40
G05F 1/575

US Classification:

323284, 323212, 323237, 323271

Abstract:

A method for operating a voltage regulator controller, for use in a voltage regulator including coupled inductors, is provided as follows. A first signal is generated for driving a first switch of the voltage regulator. A second signal is generated driving a first switch of the voltage regulator. The voltage regulator determines whether a light-load condition exists. Upon determining the existence of a light-load condition, adjusting the phase difference between said first and second signals so that the first and second signals are approximately in-phase.

US Patent:

8179116, May 15, 2012

Filed:

Jun 9, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/136023

Inventors:

Jia Wei - Cary NC, US
Michael Jason Houston - Cary NC, US

Assignee:

Intersil Americas LLC - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

H01F 29/14

US Classification:

323331, 323224, 323272

Abstract:

An embodiment of an inductor assembly includes a core, a first conductor, and a second conductor. The core includes first and second members, a first group of one or more forms extending between the members, a second group of one or more forms extending between the members, and an isolating region that magnetically isolates the first group of forms from the second group of forms. The first conductor is wound about a first one of the forms in the first group, and the second conductor is wound about a second one of the forms in the second group. Such an inductor assembly may allow both coupled and uncoupled inductors to be disposed on a common core, thus potentially reducing the cost and size of the inductors as compared to the coupled inductors being disposed on one core and the uncoupled inductors being disposed on another core.

US Patent:

8228049, Jul 24, 2012

Filed:

Jul 10, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/501204

Inventors:

Weihong Qiu - San Jose CA, US
Bogdan Duduman - Raleigh NC, US
Jason Lin - San Chun, TW
Michael Jason Houston - Cary NC, US
Doug Mattingly - Bahama NC, US

Assignee:

Intersil Americas LLC - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G05F 1/575
G05F 1/59

US Classification:

323272, 323284

Abstract:

A control circuit for generating a control signal to add phases to a multiphase voltage regulator. The control circuit includes an input for receiving an error correction voltage from an error amplifier of the multiphase voltage regulator and at least one output for providing a PWM control signal. Control circuitry generates at least one PWM control signal to add a phase to the multiphase voltage regulator responsive to a determination that the error correction voltage has exceeded a threshold level.

US Patent:

8319484, Nov 27, 2012

Filed:

Dec 12, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/334440

Inventors:

Michael Jason Houston - Cary NC, US

Assignee:

Intersil Americas Inc. - Malpitas CA

International Classification:

G05F 1/00

US Classification:

323272, 323283, 323285

Abstract:

A method and system control the adding or dropping of phases in a multiphase voltage regulator. The regulator has an efficiency and this efficiency of the regulator is calculated for a given number of phases being activated from an output voltage, input voltage, output current, and duty cycle of the regulator. The efficiency of the regulator is also calculated if a phase is added using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. The efficiency of the regulator is further calculated if a phase is dropped using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. From these operations of calculating, a phase is either added, dropped, or the phase is maintained at its current value to thereby optimize the efficiency of the regulator.