Patents Represented by Attorney Farjami & Farjami LLP
  • Patent number: 8174250
    Abstract: A ripple regulator for providing a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for regulating an output voltage of a power converter switching stage. The regulator including a ripple circuit for providing a ripple voltage; a comparison circuit for comparing the ripple voltage to an output of an error amplifier; and a PWM circuit producing the PWM signal and receiving an output of the comparison circuit and a clock signal input, the clock signal input determining a first edge of the PWM signal and the output of said comparison circuit determining a second edge of the PWM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Wenkai Wu, Ken Boyden, Rami Hamze
  • Patent number: 8175002
    Abstract: There is provided a method of managing power utilization for use by a first communication system having a first communication mode and a second communication mode, for communication over a PHY connection through a cable connecting the two systems. The method comprises establishing the PHY connection with the second communication system, detecting interoperability of the two systems in the first communication mode, determining a length of the cable connecting the first communication system to the second communication system, selecting a mode based on the length of the cable, if the detecting detects interoperability of the first communication system and the second communication system in the first communication mode, selecting the second communication mode as the mode, if the detecting does not detect interoperability of the first communication system and the second communication system in the first communication mode, communicating data using the PHY connection through the cable in the mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: James Muth
  • Patent number: 8174048
    Abstract: A III-nitride device includes a recessed electrode to produce a nominally off, or an enhancement mode, device. By providing a recessed electrode, a conduction channel formed at the interface of two III-nitride materials is interrupted when the electrode contact is inactive to prevent current flow in the device. The electrode can be a schottky contact or an insulated metal contact. Two ohmic contacts can be provided to form a rectifier device with nominally off characteristics. The recesses formed with the electrode can have sloped sides. The electrode can be formed in a number of geometries in conjunction with current carrying electrodes of the device. A nominally on device, or pinch resistor, is formed when the electrode is not recessed. A diode is also formed by providing non-recessed ohmic and schottky contacts through an insulator to an AlGaN layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Beach
  • Patent number: 8175876
    Abstract: According to a disclosed embodiment, an endpointer determines the background energy of a first portion of a speech signal, and a cepstral computing module extracts one or more features of the first portion. The endpointer calculates an average distance of the first portion based on the features. Subsequently, an energy computing module measures the energy of a second portion of the speech signal, and the cepstral computing module extracts one or more features of the second portion. Based on the features of the second portion, the endpointer calculates a distance of the second portion. Thereafter, the endpointer contrasts the energy of the second portion with the background energy of the first portion, and compares the distance of the second portion with the distance of the first portion. The second portion of the speech signal is classified by the endpointer as speech or non-speech based on the contrast and the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Wiav Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Sahar E. Bou-Ghazale, Ayman O. Asadi, Khaled Assaleh
  • Patent number: 8168000
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a III-nitride power semiconductor device which includes selective prevention of the growth of III-nitride semiconductor bodies to selected areas on a substrate in order to reduce stresses and prevent cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Mike Briere, Robert Beach
  • Patent number: 8170002
    Abstract: Stations in standby mode periodically wake up to check for buffered data at the access points. Traditionally, the information is available by checking the periodic beacon frame for a traffic indication map (TIM). Unfortunately, the length of beacons has steadily increased with the progression of the various wireless standards requiring stations to wake up for longer periods to merely check for buffered data. Several approaches are disclosed which address this shortcoming, including the broadcast of TIM frames, the partial reception of beacon frames and the use of an embedded TIM frame within a beacon frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Maarten Menzo Wentink
  • Patent number: 8164272
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fluorescent ballast control integrated circuit (IC) with power factor correction (PFC), and more particularly to a ballast control IC with a low pin count and improved programmability. The invention relates further to control methods performed by the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas J. Ribarich
  • Patent number: 8165154
    Abstract: Broadcast and multicast (BM) systems have not been reliable in the wireless local area networks. Higher bandwidth and more reliable BM transmissions are necessitated by video and audio applications. A class of BM reliable frames is transmitted at a higher rate. The access point performs some rudimentary collision avoidance to enhance reliability, and individual stations are given the ability to send feedback to the access point regarding the quality of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Maarten Menzo Wentink
  • Patent number: 8165552
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for identifying a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag location using a switchable coil are presented. Aspects of the systems may include one or more processors that enable selection of an inductor coil from a plurality of inductor coils. The selection of the inductor coil may be based on a change in an electromagnetic field, with respect to an initial electromagnetic field, as detected by the selected inductor coil. The processors may enable transmission of a signal, having a transmitter frequency in the UHF frequency band, via the selected inductor coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Amin Shameli
  • Patent number: 8165162
    Abstract: Aspects of a system for optimizing fragment size for aggregation at the physical layer may include one more switch ICs and/or physical (PHY) layer ICs that enable reception of data packets via a medium access control layer protocol entity. Each received data packet may be fragmented into a plurality of fragment payloads, wherein a length of each of the plurality of fragment payloads is selected from a plurality of candidate lengths. Each of the plurality of fragment payloads may be sent via a PHY layer protocol entity instance selected from a plurality of PHY layer protocol entity instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Howard Frazier
  • Patent number: 8160168
    Abstract: A first oscillating signal may be generated via a first direct digital frequency synthesizer of a communication device. One or more second oscillating signals may be generated via one or more second direct digital frequency synthesizers of the communication device. Signals received via a plurality of antennas may be processed utilizing the first oscillating signal. Signals to be transmitted via the plurality of antennas may be processed utilizing the first oscillating signal and the one or more second oscillating signals. The communication device may comprise a plurality of receive channels, a plurality of transmit channels, and a multiplexer. The first oscillating signal may be coupled, via the multiplexer, to the plurality of receive paths and one of the transmit paths. During time intervals in which the communication device is configured to receive signals via the plurality of antennas, the multiplexer may route the first oscillating signal to the first one or more direct digital frequency synthesizers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8159408
    Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing AM/PM and AM/AM distortion are disclosed and may comprise selectively coupling and impedance matching one of a plurality of tunable antennas to a single programmable output stage comprising a single power amplifier in a transmitter. A programmable matching circuit comprising adjustable inductance and capacitance may be used to impedance match the antenna to the output stage. The selected tunable antenna may be coupled to the output stage utilizing a programmable switch array, which may comprise at least one transistor integrated on an integrated circuit including the output stage, for example. The tunable antennas may be designed to operate in different frequency bands and to be tuned within one or more frequency bands. The programmable matching circuit may be integrated on the chip or external to the chip. The matching circuit capacitance may be integrated on-chip, and the inductance may be located off-chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8160506
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for transmission and/or reception of signals up to EHF utilizing a delay circuit are provided. In this regard, a transceiver may comprise at least one delay circuit which may, in turn, comprise a plurality of delay elements and a variable capacitance. The delay circuit may be enabled to delay a first signal, via at least a portion of the delay elements and via the variable capacitance, to generate a second signal that is 90° phase shifted relative to said first signal. Additionally, the delay circuit may be enabled to mix the first signal with the second signal to generate a third signal that is twice a frequency of the first signal. The third signal may be utilized for up-conversion and/or down-conversion of signals to and/or from baseband, intermediate frequencies, and/or RF frequencies of up to EHF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8160498
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for portable data storage with an integrated 60 GHz radio may include establishing a microwave communication link between a wireless portable storage device and a wireless transmitter and/or wireless receiver. Beamforming parameters of a first antenna array coupled to said wireless portable storage device and a second antenna array coupled to said wireless transmitter and/or wireless receiver may be adjusted automatically and/or dynamically. The wireless portable storage and the wireless transmitter and/or wireless receiver may exchange data via said first antenna array and said second antenna array. A secondary wireless communication link may be established to initialize the establishing of the microwave communication link. The secondary wireless communication link may be established via Bluetooth protocol. The wireless portable storage and the wireless transmitter and/or wireless receiver may receive and transmit in the 60 GHz frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8159003
    Abstract: A III-nitride device having a support substrate that may include a first silicon body, a second silicon body, an insulation body interposed between the first and second silicon bodies, and a III-nitride body formed over the second silicon body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Briere
  • Patent number: 8160153
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for encoding pictures is provided. The method is applied to each picture in a sequence of pictures, and the method comprises the steps of assigning a pre-decoder buffer removal time to the picture; selecting, for the picture, a number of bits, wherein the time-equivalent of the number of bits is no greater than a difference based on the pre-decoder buffer removal time of the picture and an initial arrival time of the picture into a pre-decoder buffer; and compressing the picture to generate the number of bits. The method may further include the step of allocating a first number of bits for compressing the picture and one or more number of bits for compressing one or more future pictures, wherein the future pictures are in the pre-decoder buffer at the pre-decoder buffer removal time of the current picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Viscito, Dzung T. Hoang
  • Patent number: 8160525
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for compensating for using a transmitter to calibrate a receiver for channel equalization are provided. Various embodiments of the invention may be applicable wireless devices in TDM systems, Bluetooth, and/or WLAN applications, for example. Transmit tones may be generated by a transmitter PLL and the baseband response may be measured for each of the injected tones. The tones may be swept over a frequency range and a corresponding oscillator signal may be mixed with the received signal to determine the response of, for example, the receiver filters. Adjusting any of a plurality of receiver and/or transmitter parameters based on baseband measurements may provide appropriate channel compensation or calibration. Accordingly, the baseband circuitry may generate equalization signals, which may be utilized to adjust receiver and/or transmitter circuitry. This approach may be provide I/Q balancing and transmit filtering calibration after receiver calibration is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8154874
    Abstract: A power module includes a power switching device and a flexible circuit with first and second traces electrically connected to the switching device, the first and second traces serving as an input signal carrier and an output signal carrier for the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Weidong Zhuang
  • Patent number: 8155604
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for power supply adjustment for polar modulation of an RF signal are provided. In an RF transmitter, a signal representative of an amplitude of a pair of phase-quadrature baseband signals may be generated, and a voltage and/or current supplied to one or more components of said RF transmitter may be controlled based on said generated signal. Additionally, aspects of the invention may enable dividing each signal of said pair of baseband signals by said generated signal, up-converting the divided signals, and combining the up-converted signals to generate a phase modulated RF signal. The one or more components may comprise, for example, one or more amplifiers, and/or one or more mixers. The generated signal may result from squaring each signal of the pair of baseband signals and calculating a square root of a sum of the squared signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8154324
    Abstract: A driver integrated circuit for driving at least one high voltage half bridge stage. The driver including a filter circuit for filtering a signal provided to the half bridge stage, a minimum pulse width of the signal being near a constant time of the filter, wherein the filter circuit prevents distortions introduced when the signal is at its minimum pulse width from being passed to the half bridge stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Christian Locatelli, Giovanni Galli