Vladislav Y Potanin

6919811, Jul 19, 2005

May 30, 2003

10/448603

Vladislav Potanin - San Jose CA, US
Elena Potanina - San Jose CA, US

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

G08B021/00

340657, 340660, 323304, 323311

A detection circuit is configured to detect the presence of a power source by comparing two input voltages (VIN, VIN). An example detection circuit is arranged, such that the first input voltage (VIN) may operate above the process limit for transistor breakdown, while the second input voltage (VIN) should be maintained below the transistor breakdown voltage. The detection circuit includes a built-in offset voltage (VOS) for hysteresis such that the detection signal is activated when VIN>VIN+VOS. The detection circuit is useful for providing an enable signal in a battery charger application. It is envisioned that the detection circuit is also useful in other applications where detection of a power source is required, and where detection of one voltage relative to another may be desired.

7019581, Mar 28, 2006

Jun 3, 2004

10/859627

Vladislav Potanin - San Jose CA, US
Elena Potanina - San Jose CA, US

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

H03K 17/687

327427, 327543, 327 51

A method and circuit for tracking a load current and a load voltage to provide an output signal that is proportional to the load current. The circuit enables employment of high gate area (W/L) ratio for a current mirror type current sense circuit, while maintaining accuracy of a sense current. A tracking circuit tracks the load current and the load voltage providing equal biasing to a power pass transistor and a power sense transistor. The tracking circuit further supplies a gate voltage to a cascode transistor, which provides the output signal proportional to the load current. A trimming circuit allows adjustment of a current flowing through the cascode transistor enabling calibration of the circuit for variations of W/L ratio between the power pass transistor and power sense transistor due to manufacturing tolerances. Calibration may be performed during initial power-on and selected trimming transistors may be turned on or off.

7030678, Apr 18, 2006

Feb 11, 2004

10/776834

Alexander Burinskiy - San Jose CA, US
Vladislav Potanin - San Jose CA, US
Elena Potanina - San Jose CA, US

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

H03L 5/00

327333

The speed of a level shifter, which translates a first voltage in a first power domain to a second voltage in a second power domain, is increased by utilizing a first bipolar transistor to assist a first MOS transistor in pulling down the voltage on a first output node, and a second bipolar transistor to assist a second MOS transistor in pulling down the voltage on a second output node.

7061210, Jun 13, 2006

Apr 21, 2003

10/421004

Vladislav Potanin - San Jose CA, US
Elena Potanina - San Jose CA, US

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

H02J 7/00

320160

A current trip point detection circuit includes a transistor, a series of resistors, an amplifier, a comparator, and a series of switching circuits. The first transistor and the resistors are configured as an inverting gain stage. The amplifier cooperates with the first transistor to operate in a negative feedback arrangement. The gain in the feedback loop is adjusted by selective activation of additional transistors, where each additional transistor lowers the overall loop gain. The comparator is selectively coupled to a tap point in a voltage divider that is formed by resistors. The voltage divider tap point is selected to set a threshold for detection. The trip point is detected by the comparator, and may be adjusted between high and low trip points through the various configurations of the gain and voltage divider tap points via the switching circuits.

7102415, Sep 5, 2006

Mar 26, 2004

10/810120

Vladislav Potanin - San Jose CA, US
Elena Potanina - San Jose CA, US

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

H03K 17/687

327427, 327434, 320162, 320164, 320165, 323284

A current is provided from a power source to a load through a pass circuit that is series coupled to a sense resistor. A current trip-point detection circuit is arranged to detect a change in the current that is provided to a load. The current trip-point detection circuit includes at least two resistors that are series coupled from the sense resistor to a current source. A comparator compares a sense voltage to a tap-point between the two resistors such that the comparator asserts a trip-point detection signal when the current to the load reaches a predetermined threshold. The sense voltage can correspond to the voltage across the load or some other voltage that is proportional to the voltage across the load. The circuit arrangement has a simplified design that sets the trip-point as a percentage of the maximum output current. The current level trip-point can be temperature compensated.

7161393, Jan 9, 2007

Jun 3, 2004

10/860447

Vladislav Potanin - San Jose CA, US
Elena Potanina - San Jose CA, US

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

H03B 1/00

327108, 327427, 361 79, 361 86, 361 92

A method and circuit for providing a regulated current to a load stabilized with respect to the load current, a load voltage, and a circuit temperature. The circuit includes a power pass device, a current sense device, a voltage sense amplifier, a reference device, a temperature sense device, and a current control device. In one embodiment, the current control device receives a first signal based on the sensed load current, a second signal based on the sensed load voltage, a third signal based on the circuit temperature, and a reference signal. A lesser of the second, third, and reference signals is selected and differentially combined with the first signal. A control signal is derived from the combination to control a regulation of the load current. In a further embodiment, an external signal may be provided to the current control device for stabilization with respect to an external parameter.

7176664, Feb 13, 2007

Apr 7, 2005

11/100826

Vladislav Potanin - San Jose CA, US
Elena Potanina - San Jose CA, US

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

G05F 1/40

323280, 323281

A method for providing precise current regulation and limitation for a power supply is provided. The method includes amplifying any difference between a load current signal and a current setting reference signal with a feedback loop amplifier to generate a feedback signal. A power output signal is generated based on the feedback signal. An output signal for the power supply is generated based on the power output signal. The load current signal and the current setting reference signal are generated based on the power output signal. An offset error signal is generated based on the load current signal and the current setting reference signal. A differential bias for the feedback loop amplifier is adjusted based on the offset error signal.

7253589, Aug 7, 2007

Jul 9, 2004

10/888299

Vladislav Potanin - San Jose CA, US
Elena Potanina - San Jose CA, US
Khosrow Vijeh - Sunnyvale CA, US
Richard Dye - San Mateo CA, US

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

H02J 7/00
H02J 7/04
H02J 1/00

320138, 307 80, 320144

A circuit for charging a battery by selecting among two available power sources while providing overcharging and temperature protection to the battery and managing a charging current is described. A power pass and sense circuit is arranged to provide charge voltage from either power source based on control voltages from a current/voltage control circuit, which receives control signals from a logic control and timer circuit, a sensed voltage from a current setting circuit and reference and temperature voltages from a voltage reference and thermo-sense circuit. Differential amplifiers controlling power pass transistors are turned on and off depending on a power source availability and selection. A power supply circuit provides global supply voltages to all subcircuits preventing reverse current to power sources and stable supply independent of a power source availability. A pair of transistors arranged to operate as body-switcher protect power pass and sense transistors against reverse bias current.