IP Library Granted Patent US 9,941,793
Granted Patent B2
US 9,941,793 · App. 15/211,545 · Granted Apr 10, 2018

Snubber for voltage regulation

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,941,793
App. No.
15/211,545
Granted
Apr 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A voltage regulator includes circuitry for regulating a voltage output of the voltage regulator and a snubber circuit. The snubber circuit includes a switching device which is controlled to electronically connect or disconnect the snubber circuit with the circuitry of the voltage regulator device. The switching device may be controlled by a controller based on one or more parameters indicating a load of the voltage regulator device.

Claims (25)

1. A voltage regulator comprising:

voltage regulator circuitry;

a snubber circuit including a switching device, the switching device configured to electrically connect or disconnect the snubber circuit with the voltage regulator circuitry based upon a snubber control, and

the snubber controller configured to provide the snubber control based on one or more detected values including a power output of the voltage regulator circuitry or a temperature in the vicinity of the switching circuitry.

2. The voltage regulator of claim 1 , wherein the voltage regulator circuitry includes switching circuitry, and the switching device is configured to electrically connect or disconnect the snubber circuit with the switching circuitry based upon the snubber control.

3. The voltage regulator of claim 2 , wherein the snubber circuit includes a capacitor with a capacitance.

4. The voltage regulator of claim 3 , wherein the switching device is a snubber transistor with a source-drain resistance when the snubber transistor is in an on state.

5. The voltage regulator of claim 4 , wherein the snubber control is provided to a gate of the snubber transistor.

6. The voltage regulator of claim 5 , wherein the snubber controller compares the one or more detected values with one or more thresholds and provides the snubber control based on the comparison of the one or more detected values with the one or more thresholds.

7. The voltage regulator of claim 2 , wherein the snubber circuit is configured to be electrically connected to a voltage output of the switching circuitry.

8. A method comprising:

performing voltage regulation with switching circuitry;

monitoring the switching circuitry; and

comparing data from the monitoring with one or more thresholds at a snubber controller, wherein the snubber controller is configured to control a switching device of a snubber circuit to electrically connect the snubber circuit to a voltage output of the switching based on the comparison of the data with the one or more thresholds, the one or more thresholds including a power output of the switching circuitry or one or more temperature values.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the data indicates a load on the switching circuitry.

10. A semiconductor comprising:

voltage regulator circuitry including switching circuitry;

a snubber circuit including a switching device, the switching device configured to electrically connect or disconnect the snubber circuit with the switching circuitry based upon a snubber control; and

a snubber controller configured to compares data to a threshold and provides the snubber control to the switching device based on the comparison of the data to the threshold, the data including on one or more detected values including a power output of the voltage regulator circuitry or a temperature in the vicinity of the switching circuitry.

11. The semiconductor of claim 10 , wherein the switching device is a snubber transistor with a gate and a source-drain resistance when the snubber transistor is in the on state.

12. The semiconductor of claim 11 , wherein the snubber controller is coupled to the gate of the snubber transistor.

13. The semiconductor of claim 12 , further comprising monitoring circuitry, the monitoring circuitry monitoring a parameter of the switching circuitry, wherein the data from the monitoring is provided to the snubber controller.

14. The semiconductor of claim 13 , wherein the monitoring circuitry is configured to monitor a power output of the switching circuitry.

15. The semiconductor of claim 13 , wherein the monitoring circuitry is configured to monitor a temperature proximate to the switching circuitry.

16. The semiconductor of claim 13 , wherein the snubber transistor is integrated with the switching circuitry.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (046366/0014) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060450/0306 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 046286 FRAME 0653 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058298/0093 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046366/0014 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (CREDIT) Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046286/0653 →
RELEASE OF SEC. INT. IN PATENTS (TL) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040027/0329 →
RELEASE OF SEC. INT. IN PATENTS (NOTES) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040026/0710 →
RELEASE OF SEC. INT. IN PATENTS (ABL) Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040013/0733 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Aug 10, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 039644/0084 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Aug 10, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 039719/0889 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Aug 10, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 039643/0953 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2016
From: LUO, SHIGUO; LI, HANG; ZHANG, KEJIU
To: DELL PRODUCTS, LP
Reel/Frame 039281/0906 →