John W Oglesbee, 811101 Fernwood Dr, Bogart, GA 30622

6340878, Jan 22, 2002

Oct 19, 2000

09/692576

John Wendell Oglesbee - Watkinsville GA

Motorola, Inc. - Schaumburg IL

H02J 704

320150, 361103

This invention is a series current regulator with an on-silicon temperature sensing means which forms an improved over current battery protection device. The invention regulates current in a pass element linearly while sensing the junction temperature of the pass element. If the temperature of the pass element reaches a predetermined threshold, the on-silicon temperature sensing means actuates a switch which causes the pass element to go into an open, or high-impedance, mode. The invention offers advantages over positive temperature coefficient (PTC) devices including smaller size, lower manufacturing defect incidents, improved performance, and improved circuit integration characteristics. The temperature response of a PTC can be exactly replicated with the present invention. Further, the invention offers advantages over PTC devices including faster trip time and lower leakage current.

6456186, Sep 24, 2002

Apr 29, 2000

09/562265

John Wendell Oglesbee - Watkinsville GA

Motorola, Inc. - Schaumburg IL

H01H 8546

337161, 337162, 337159, 337181, 337283, 337295, 337297

A fusing device with an adjustable current rating. The fusing device has a common conductive trace, a plurality of individual conductive traces, and a plurality of fusible links. Each fusible link electrically connects the common conductive trace with a corresponding individual conductive trace, and each fusible link has a current rating. The current ratings of the plurality of fusible links are substantially identical to each other or different. Each fusible link can have one or more fusible elements. The fusible elements can be coupled in parallel or in series. Optionally, at least one fusible element can be trimmed through an intermediate terminal. Fusible links can be disposed in a same surface of a substrate or in different surfaces of the substrate.

6492792, Dec 10, 2002

May 26, 2002

10/155790

John Wendell Oglesbee - Watkinsville GA
John Edward Herrmann - Sugar Hill GA

Motorola, Inc - Schaumburg IL

H02J 700

320136, 320135

This invention includes a trickle charging circuit that works with a series charging element to charge battery cells with a low, constant current when the voltage of the cell is below a predetermined operational range. The trickle charging circuit includes a control transistor that is actuated by a current source when both the power supply and undervoltage battery cell are coupled. The trickle charging continues until a minimum operational voltage of the cell is reached. The invention includes a means for rapid charging the cell once the cell voltage is within a preferred operational range. The circuit includes means for charging at other currents, like mid-rate currents, as well.

6583977, Jun 24, 2003

Oct 19, 2000

09/691826

John Wendell Oglesbee - Watkinsville GA

Motorola, Inc. - Schaumburg IL

H02H 500

361104, 361 58, 361103

This invention includes a current limiting circuit comprised of an array of switch-fuse pairs. Switches are coupled in series with fuses to form fuse-switch pairs. The fuse switch pairs are coupled in parallel forming an equivalent fuse. A current censing circuit senses the current flowing in the equivalent fuse. When the current exceeds a predetermined threshold, the current sense circuit actuates a control circuit that clears the fuses by opening all the transistors save one. This forces the entire current through a single fuse, causing it to clear. Each fuse is cleared in similar fashion in much the same way that a zipper is opened one tooth at a time. In other words, under normal conditions, all switches are on and each fuse carries T /n amps, where T is the current rating of the fuse and n is the number of fuses. If all but one transistor is turned off, then T amps would flow through a single fuse. If the fuse were rated for 2T /n, the fuse would clear.

6600641, Jul 29, 2003

Dec 15, 2000

09/738092

John Wendell Oglesbee - Watkinsville GA

Motorola, Inc. - Schaumburg IL

H02H 500

361103, 361 24, 361 931, 361115

This invention includes a circuit that approximates the thermal behavior of a fuse or other electronic device that is coupled in series with the circuit. In one preferred embodiment, the circuit protects a fuse coupled in series with a rechargeable battery from clearing during soft short conditions. Thus, when the instantaneous current is temporarily above the current rating of the fuse, yet the root mean squared current is below the current rating of the fuse, the circuit works to estimate the heating of the fuse element and limit the current to a root mean squared value that is less than the current rating of the fuse. One embodiment includes a programmable comparator that actuates a counter which, in turn, increments to estimate heating of the element when the current exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6608470, Aug 19, 2003

May 25, 2000

09/578311

John Wendell Oglesbee - Watkinsville GA
Arthur G. Burns - Plantation FL
Georgina More - Lakeland FL

Motorola, Inc. - Schaumburg IL

H02J 700

320136, 320135

A protection circuit ( ) and protection device ( ) for protecting a rechargeable (lithium-based) battery cell or cells from overcharging. A voltage regulator element ( ) is connected in parallel with the battery cell or cells ( ) and is thermally coupled to a thermal element ( ) connected in series with the charging current supply. The voltage regulator element ( ) prevents overcharging of the battery ( ) by shunting current away from the battery when a predetermined voltage across the battery is exceeded. Moreover, the thermal element ( ) prevents failure of the voltage regulator element ( ) by open circuiting the current path when the heat dissipated by the voltage regulator element ( ), thermally coupled to the thermal element ( ) causes the thermal element to enter a high resistance state. Additional protection may be provided by fuse bonds ( ) connecting the combination of the shunt voltage regulator and the thermal elements ( ) to the charging current supply and to the battery ( ).

6631066, Oct 7, 2003

May 3, 2001

09/848748

Gregory J. Smith - Tucson AZ
John Wendell Oglesbee - Watkinsville GA

National Semiconductor Corporation - Santa Clara CA

H02H 504

361103

A method and apparatus provide for improved crowbar protection in a shunt regulator circuit including a shunt device. An over-temperature protection circuit may be combined with a fast-crowbar protection circuit such that maximum protection from damaging thermal energy is provided to a shunt device. The fast-crowbar protection circuit estimates the thermal energy in the shunt device based upon an integration method. By integrating a measured power over time the rise in temperature can be estimated such that the crowbar protection is enabled before the thermal energy can damage the shunt device. The integration method can be approximated using a piece-wise linear approximation such that the estimation circuitry can be simplified. A series of comparators and timing/delay circuits are employed to measure a current level in the shunt device over a given duration. The timing/delay circuits have memory such that heat build up and heat dissipation are modeled.

6667606, Dec 23, 2003

Feb 15, 2002

10/077355

John Wendell Oglesbee - Watkinsville GA
Chris Hanchana Thongsouk - Alpharetta GA

Motorola, Inc. - Schaumburg IL

G05F 140

323284, 323274

This invention provides a means of protecting power dissipating pass elements from exceeding their predetermined thermal limits. In one preferred embodiment, the circuit protects a pass element in a battery charging circuit from exceeding its threshold junction temperature by predicting temperature based upon the voltage across the pass element and the current flowing through it. From this predicted temperature, current is reduced to provide charging of a battery at a constant power. The circuit includes a voltage sensing circuit and a plurality of comparators for selecting a predetermined current based upon the output of the voltage sensing circuit. The circuit provides a piecewise linear approximation of proper pass element voltage and current values to maintain a suitable threshold junction temperature.