公开(公告)号：US12081124B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US17661509

申请日：2022-04-29

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jay B. Fletcher ,  Nathan F. Hanagami ,  Sanjay Pant ,  Hao Zhou ,  Shawn Searles

IPC: H02M3/158 ,  G06F1/26

CPC classification number: H02M3/158 ,  G06F1/263

Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit included in a computer system may employ a control circuit and a switch array that includes multiple switch circuits. Different groups of switch circuits that include respective groups of switch devices are coupled between an input power supply node and corresponding regulated power supply nodes. To maintain desired respective voltages on the regulated power supply nodes, the control circuit compares the voltages of the regulated power supply nodes to corresponding reference voltages and, based on results of the comparisons, opens and closes various ones of the switch devices included in the different groups of switch circuits.

公开(公告)号：US11967528B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-23

申请号：US18307554

申请日：2023-04-26

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Vidhya Ramachandran ,  Jun Zhai ,  Chonghua Zhong ,  Kunzhong Hu ,  Shawn Searles ,  Joseph T. DiBene, II ,  Mengzhi Pang

IPC: H01L21/77 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L23/00 ,  H01L25/03 ,  H01L25/16 ,  H01L25/18

CPC classification number: H01L21/77 ,  H01L22/20 ,  H01L24/32 ,  H01L24/73 ,  H01L25/03 ,  H01L25/16 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L24/17 ,  H01L2224/12105 ,  H01L2224/1403 ,  H01L2224/16145 ,  H01L2224/16227 ,  H01L2224/16235 ,  H01L2224/16265 ,  H01L2224/1703 ,  H01L2224/17181 ,  H01L2224/24195 ,  H01L2924/12 ,  H01L2924/1205 ,  H01L2924/1206 ,  H01L2924/1427 ,  H01L2924/1432 ,  H01L2924/1433 ,  H01L2924/1436 ,  H01L2924/15192 ,  H01L2924/15311 ,  H01L2924/18161 ,  H01L2924/18162 ,  H01L2924/19041 ,  H01L2924/19042 ,  H01L2924/19103 ,  H01L2924/19104

Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.

公开(公告)号：US11695336B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-04

申请号：US17343459

申请日：2021-06-09

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Hao Zhou ,  Sarfraz Shaikh ,  Jay B. Fletcher ,  Sanjay Pant ,  Mark A. Yoshimoto ,  Vincenzo Bisogno ,  Shawn Searles

IPC: H02M3/155 ,  G06F1/26 ,  H02M1/08

CPC classification number: H02M3/155 ,  G06F1/26 ,  H02M1/08

Abstract: A power management circuit included in a computer system regulates a voltage level of a power supply node used by other circuits in the computer system. The power management circuit includes a control circuit and multiple phase circuits coupled to the regulated power supply node via corresponding inductors. The control circuit selectively activates particular ones of the multiple phase circuits allowing them source respective currents to the regulated power supply node. The control circuit also selectively activates particular ones of other phase circuits that are external to the power management circuit and coupled to the regulated power supply node via their own corresponding inductors. Once activated, the external phase circuits source respective currents to the regulated power supply node via their corresponding inductors.

公开(公告)号：US11688437B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-27

申请号：US17481867

申请日：2021-09-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Michael A. Dreesen ,  Shawn Searles ,  Jaemyung Lim ,  Jacek R. Wiatrowski

IPC: G11C7/06 ,  G11C7/08

CPC classification number: G11C7/08 ,  G11C7/065

Abstract: An amplifier system includes a differential amplifier and a calibration circuit. In response to a calibration operation, the calibration circuit generates a calibration value based on a test output signal generated by the differential amplifier circuit using a test input signal. The calibration value may be used to adjust loading of internal nodes of the differential amplifier circuit to compensate for imbalance in the differential amplifier circuit resulting from variation in manufacturing. By compensating for the imbalance, the offset of the differential amplifier may be reduced, allowing resolution of smaller differential voltages, thereby improving the performance of circuits employing the differential amplifier circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20220094267A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-24

申请号：US17031764

申请日：2020-09-24

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shawn Searles ,  Fabio Gozzini

IPC: H02M3/158 ,  H02M1/08

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapid discharge of power rails is disclosed. A circuit includes a power converter circuit includes an inductor coupled between a switch node and regulated power supply node. A first device is coupled between an input power supply node and the switch node, while a second device is coupled between the switch node and a ground node. The power converter is configured to generate a particular voltage level on the regulated power supply node by controlling the first and second devices. The circuit also includes a control circuit which, in response to receiving a discharge comment, repeatedly activates and deactivates the second device to discharge, via the switch node and the inductor, the regulated power supply node.

公开(公告)号：US20210043511A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-11

申请号：US17080609

申请日：2020-10-26

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Vidhya Ramachandran ,  Jun Zhai ,  Chonghua Zhong ,  Kunzhong Hu ,  Shawn Searles ,  Joseph T. DiBene, II ,  Mengzhi Pang

IPC: H01L21/77 ,  H01L25/16 ,  H01L25/03 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L23/00

Abstract: Systems that include integrated circuit dies and voltage regulator units are disclosed. Such systems may include a voltage regulator module and an integrated circuit mounted in a common system package. The voltage regulator module may include a voltage regulator circuit and one or more passive devices mounted to a common substrate, and the integrated circuit may include a System-on-a-chip. The system package may include an interconnect region that includes wires fabricated on multiple conductive layers within the interconnect region. At least one power supply terminal of the integrated circuit may be coupled to an output of the voltage regulator module via a wire included in the interconnect region.

公开(公告)号：US20200027881A1

公开(公告)日：2020-01-23

申请号：US16529043

申请日：2019-08-01

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jared L. Zerbe ,  Emerson S. Fang ,  Jun Zhai ,  Shawn Searles

IPC: H01L27/10 ,  H01L23/13 ,  H01L23/64 ,  H01L23/00 ,  H01L25/065 ,  H01L25/16 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L23/498 ,  H01G4/228 ,  H01L49/02 ,  H01L23/48

Abstract: A semiconductor device package is described that includes a power consuming device (such as an SOC device). The power consuming device may include one or more current consuming elements. A passive device may be coupled to the power consuming device. The passive device may include a plurality of passive elements formed on a semiconductor substrate. The passive elements may be arranged in an array of structures on the semiconductor substrate. The power consuming device and the passive device may be coupled using one or more terminals. The passive device and power consuming device coupling may be configured in such a way that the power consuming device determines functionally the way the passive device elements will be used.

公开(公告)号：US20200026345A1

公开(公告)日：2020-01-23

申请号：US16039842

申请日：2018-07-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jay B. Fletcher ,  Karthik Manickam ,  Bo Yang ,  Vincent R. von Kaenel ,  Shawn Searles ,  Hubert Attah ,  Nir Dahan ,  Olivier Girard

IPC: G06F1/32 ,  G01R31/28

Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit included in a computer system may generate a voltage level on a power supply signal using a source power supply signal and based initial values of one or more operation parameters derived from wafer-level test data. One or more operation characteristics of the voltage regulator circuit may be sampled, by a measurement circuit, at multiple time points to generated measurement data. A control circuit may adapt operation of the voltage regulator circuit based on the measurement data.

公开(公告)号：US20190221365A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-18

申请号：US16335075

申请日：2017-08-24

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： David P. Cappabianca ,  Joseph T. DiBene, II ,  Shawn Searles ,  Le Wang ,  Yizhang Yang ,  Sean Cian O'Mathuna ,  Santosh Kulkarni ,  Paul McCloskey ,  Zoran Pavlovic ,  William Lawton ,  Graeme Maxwell ,  Joseph O'Brien ,  Hugh Charles Smiddy

IPC: H01F41/34 ,  H01F17/00 ,  H01F19/00 ,  H01L49/02

CPC classification number: H01F41/34 ,  H01F17/0006 ,  H01F19/00 ,  H01F2017/008 ,  H01L28/10

Abstract: An inductor is disclosed, including a first wire, a non-conductive material, and a shell. The non-conductive material may cover the first wire, with a portion of each end of the first wire uncovered. The shell may include a top portion and a bottom portion and include at least one magnetized layer and at least one gap between the first portion and the second portion. The shell may also surround a portion of the non-conductive material.

公开(公告)号：US20180366466A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-20

申请号：US16042582

申请日：2018-07-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jared L. Zerbe ,  Emerson S. Fang ,  Jun Zhai ,  Shawn Searles

IPC: H01L27/10 ,  H01L23/13 ,  H01L23/48 ,  H01L23/498 ,  H01G4/228 ,  H01L25/16 ,  H01L25/065 ,  H01L23/00 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L49/02 ,  H01L23/64 ,  H01L25/10 ,  H01L23/50

CPC classification number: H01L27/101 ,  H01G4/228 ,  H01L23/13 ,  H01L23/481 ,  H01L23/49816 ,  H01L23/49827 ,  H01L23/50 ,  H01L23/642 ,  H01L24/14 ,  H01L24/16 ,  H01L24/32 ,  H01L24/48 ,  H01L24/73 ,  H01L25/0657 ,  H01L25/105 ,  H01L25/16 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L28/40 ,  H01L2224/0401 ,  H01L2224/13025 ,  H01L2224/1403 ,  H01L2224/14181 ,  H01L2224/16145 ,  H01L2224/16227 ,  H01L2224/16265 ,  H01L2224/32225 ,  H01L2224/45099 ,  H01L2224/48227 ,  H01L2224/73265 ,  H01L2225/06513 ,  H01L2225/06517 ,  H01L2225/1023 ,  H01L2225/1058 ,  H01L2225/1088 ,  H01L2924/00012 ,  H01L2924/00014 ,  H01L2924/1033 ,  H01L2924/12042 ,  H01L2924/1205 ,  H01L2924/1427 ,  H01L2924/1432 ,  H01L2924/1434 ,  H01L2924/1436 ,  H01L2924/15153 ,  H01L2924/15159 ,  H01L2924/15174 ,  H01L2924/15311 ,  H01L2924/15331 ,  H01L2924/157 ,  H01L2924/19011 ,  H01L2924/19041 ,  H01L2924/19042 ,  H01L2924/19103 ,  H01L2924/19104 ,  H01L2924/00 ,  H01L2224/45015 ,  H01L2924/207

Abstract: A semiconductor device package is described that includes a power consuming device (such as an SOC device). The power consuming device may include one or more current consuming elements. A passive device may be coupled to the power consuming device. The passive device may include a plurality of passive elements formed on a semiconductor substrate. The passive elements may be arranged in an array of structures on the semiconductor substrate. The power consuming device and the passive device may be coupled using one or more terminals. The passive device and power consuming device coupling may be configured in such a way that the power consuming device determines functionally the way the passive device elements will be used.