Patents Examined by Chad Erdman
  • Patent number: 9582393
    Abstract: An information handling system includes a processor, a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) boot volume, and a memory including UEFI code and a setup module. The UEFI code is executable by the processor to boot the information handling system, determine if the UEFI boot volume includes a setup data file, and launch the setup module in response to determining that the UEFI boot volume includes the setup data file. The setup module is executable by the processor to read first information from the setup data file, and set a first configuration setting of the information handling system based upon the first information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS, LP
    Inventor: Allen C. Wynn
  • Patent number: 9558329
    Abstract: Methods and systems for license management using a basic input/output system (BIOS) may involve performing license activation, monitoring, and enforcement. The BIOS may store license information to manage licenses for hardware and/or software components of an information handling system. License management by the BIOS may include monitoring a system clock of the information handling system for changes to avoid tampering with license durations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Richard M. Tonry, Balasingh Ponraj Samuel
  • Patent number: 9557802
    Abstract: Described in embodiments herein are techniques for placing a secure digital input output (SDIO) device in a sleep mode and waking up the SDIO device from the sleep mode. In accordance with an embodiment, a method of controlling the SDIO device comprising: writing a control value into a register of the SDIO device; allowing the SDIO device to switch to a first operation mode based on the control value written into the register; sending a first signal to the SDIO device through a first data terminal of the SDIO device; and allowing the SDIO device to switch to a second operation mode based on the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventor: Chih-Pin Wu
  • Patent number: 9552310
    Abstract: An EVEN component selecting unit and an ODD component selecting unit acquire a first signal from a DQ signal based on a rising edge of a DQS signal and a second signal from the DQ signal based on a falling edge of the DQS signal. Variable delay adding units give the first signal a first delay based on a phase difference between an internal clock signal and the rising edge of the DQS signal and give the second signal a second delay based on a phase difference between the internal clock signal and the falling edge of the DQS signal. Data capturing units capture, based on the internal clock signal, data from the first signal to which the first delay is given and the second signal to which the second delay is given.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryo Mizutani, Noriyuki Tokuhiro, Michitaka Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9542267
    Abstract: Aspects of enhanced recovery mechanisms are described. A predetermined operating parameter for a power rail is set at the outset of system start. Afterwards, a processor is released to start with a power management circuit. In turn, the power management circuit receives a default operating parameter for the power rail from the processor, and stores the default operating parameter. The power management circuit also receives a runtime operating parameter for the power rail from the processor and modifies the operating parameter for the power rail according to the runtime operating parameter. If an error condition in the processor is encountered, the power management circuit may modify the operating parameter for the power rail according to the default operating parameter in response to a reset control signal from the processor. Use of the default operating parameter for the power rail may assist the processor to recover from the error condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Walid Nabhane, Veronica Alarcon, Mark Norman Fullerton, Ajmal A. Godil, Zhongmin Zhang
  • Patent number: 9543965
    Abstract: An integrated circuit package includes an interposer with an embedded clock network formed by multiple clock trees. A die with first and second clock circuits is disposed over the interposer. At least one of the first and second clock trees is a resonant clock tree and both the first and second clock circuits may provide clock signals at different frequencies. The first clock circuit may provide clock signals at one frequency to a clock tree in the embedded clock network while the second clock circuit may provide clock signals at another frequency to another clock tree in the embedded clock tree network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Weiqi Ding
  • Patent number: 9535485
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus of one aspect of the present invention determines, upon receipt of a packet in a power saving state at a second communication rate slower than a first communication rate, whether or not to change the communication rate, on the basis of a communication protocol type and a port number, and an attribute of the packet represented by a data section of the packet. If the communication protocol type, the port number, and the attribute of the received packet indicate a request for a service predetermined as a network service that corresponds to the first communication rate, the image processing apparatus changes the communication rate from the second communication rate to the first communication rate at the time of shifting from the power saving state to the normal power state so as to provide the service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 9524216
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for information backup, comprising: an information backup device detects a battery volume of a mobile terminal and determines whether or not the battery volume reaches a preset low-battery alarming threshold; and the information backup device stores contact information stored in the mobile terminal into a backup memory card when the battery volume reduces the low-battery alarming threshold. The present disclosure also discloses a device and a mobile terminal for information backup. The present disclosure enables the user of a mobile terminal to timely view contact information when the mobile terminal runs out of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Cuihua Zhao, Tao Li
  • Patent number: 9519560
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for detecting if a remote device is associated with a power supply. The system may have a controller having machine readable, non-transitory executable code running thereon for varying a characteristic of a signal being applied to the power supply. The controller further may be configured to compare a measurement obtained from a measurement subsystem relating to a measured signal present at the remote device. The controller may also be configured to make a comparison between the signal being applied to the power supply and the measured signal obtained at the remote device, and to determine whether the remote device is electrically associated with the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventor: Richard J. Zajkowski
  • Patent number: 9519307
    Abstract: A technique for detecting full-system idle state in an adaptive-tick kernel includes detecting non-timekeeping CPU idle state, initiating a hysteresis period, waiting for the hysteresis period to end, manipulating a data structure whose state indicates whether a scheduling clock tick may be disabled on all CPUs, and disabling the scheduling clock tick if the data structure is in an appropriate state. In a first embodiment, non-timekeeping CPUs manipulate a global counter when entering an idle state, but add hysteresis to avoid thrashing the counter. Timekeeping is turned off based on the count maintained on the global counter. In a second embodiment, a Read-Copy Update (RCU) dynticks-idle subsystem running on a timekeeping CPU manipulates a global state variable whose states indicate whether all non-timekeeping CPUs are in an idle state, and if so, for how long. Timekeeping is turned off based on the state of the global state variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventor: Paul E. McKenney
  • Patent number: 9519490
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an application module 114 may adjust a synchronization scheme 306 based on the operational state of a computing device 110. An operating system 112 may determine an operational state for a computing device 110. The operating system 112 may assign a synchronization allotment 304 to the application module 114 based on the operational state. A synchronization engine 116 of the application module 114 may implement a synchronization scheme 306 based on the synchronization allotment 304.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jeroen Vanturennout, Jason Wadsworth, Yuanquan Zhang, Ranjib Singh Badh, Hari Pulapaka, Alain Gefflaut, Eyal Axelrod
  • Patent number: 9507406
    Abstract: A microcontroller system is organized into power domains. A power manager of the microcontroller system can change the power configuration of a power domain in response to event from an event generating module without activating a processor of the microcontroller system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Frode Milch Pedersen, Ronan Barzic, Patrice Menard, Mickael Le Dily, Thierry Gourbilleau, Morten Werner Lund
  • Patent number: 9507405
    Abstract: A system includes a power management unit that may monitor the power consumed by a processor including a plurality of processor core. The power management unit may throttle or reduce the operating frequency of the processor cores by applying a number of throttle events in response to determining that the plurality of cores is operating above a predetermined power threshold during a given monitoring cycle. The number of throttle events may be based upon a relative priority of each of the plurality of processor cores to one another and an amount that the processor is operating above the predetermined power threshold. The number of throttle events may correspond to a portion of a total number of throttle events, and which may be dynamically determined during operation based upon a proportionality constant and the difference between the total power consumed by the processor and a predetermined power threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Venkatram Krishnaswamy, Georgios K Konstadinidis, Sebastian Turullols, Yifan YangGong
  • Patent number: 9471088
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a processor includes a core to execute instructions, where the core includes a clock generation logic to receive and distribute a first clock signal to a plurality of units of the core, a restriction logic to receive a restriction command and to reduce delivery of the first clock signal to at least one of the plurality of units. The restriction logic may cause the first clock signal to be distributed to the plurality of units at a lower frequency than a frequency of the first clock signal. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Gendler, Efraim Rotem, Julius Mandelblat, Alexander Lyakhov, Larisa Novakovsky, George Leifman, Lev Makovsky, Ariel Sabba, Niv Tokman
  • Patent number: 9473130
    Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosure are directed to methods and apparatuses involving providing a clock signal. As consistent with one or more embodiments herein, a sawtooth waveform signal is generated in a manner that facilitates low power operation. In some implementations, the sawtooth waveform signal is generated using an oscillator that operates without necessarily employing R-C circuits and/or without rail-to-rail voltage supply, such as via a nonlinear oscillator. The sawtooth waveform signal is used to generate a trapezoidal waveform signal, and a clock signal is generated using the trapeziodal waveform signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Chiahung Su, Madan Mohan Reddy Vemula
  • Patent number: 9465420
    Abstract: Methods and devices for power cycling an electronic device are provided. Also provided are systems and kits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander G. Ghesquiere, Christopher Myles, Scott D. Dalton
  • Patent number: 9465421
    Abstract: A single-wire interface of an application processor that communicates with another single-wire interface of a power management unit (PMU) via a control signal line. The control signal line can be a single signal path. Further, the single-wire interfaces can communicate with each other only via the control signal line. The single-wire interfaces can be utilized for the communication of pulse width modulation (PWM) control signals, current sensing, and Zero-I detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Eric Martin Hayes
  • Patent number: 9430323
    Abstract: Aspects of power mode register reduction and power rail bring up enhancements are described. In one embodiment, an operating parameter for a first power rail is set by power management circuit according to a predetermined programmed setting. In connection with a wait time, the power rail is enabled, and a processor is released to start. In turn, at least one of a command to modify the operating parameter for the first power rail or a command to set an operating parameter for a second power rail is received from the processor over a high speed interface. By accessing a grouped operating register for a group of power rails, the processor can update or modify settings of an entire group of power rails at one time. In connection with the processor, the power management circuit can power up a plurality of power rails in a flexible and efficient manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Hsieh, Hao-zheng Lee, Walid Nabhane, Veronica Alarcon, Mark Norman Fullerton
  • Patent number: 9424127
    Abstract: Aspects of charger detection and optimization prior to host control are described herein. In various embodiments, a condition of whether reverse current is present on a system bus is detected. When the condition for reverse current is present, reverse current is sunk by one or more of various reverse current sink circuits. By relying upon one or more of the reverse current sink circuits, for safety, to address or mitigate the condition for reverse current, a detector may be able to identify or distinguish among several different types of charger or charging ports coupled to a system bus allowing a charger to be selected optimally. Further, an indicator of the type of charger or charging port coupled to the system bus is communicated over a single pin interface, for backwards compatibility with circuits capable of identifying between only two different types of chargers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Walid Nabhane, Mark D Rutherford, Narayan Prasad Ramachandran, David Chang, Yi Ting Chen, Chenmin Zhang, Ajmal A. Godil
  • Patent number: 9423855
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a chip, a memory and a switch unit. The chip works in a boot state. The memory coupled to the chip stores firmware and has a write-protection control end connected to the chip through a write-protection control path. In a standby state, when receiving an electric potential signal through the write-protection control end, the memory disables a write-protection function, so as to update the firmware. The switch unit is located on the write-protection control path and is controlled by a power-on signal related to the boot state. In the standby state, the switch unit is turned-off and the delivery of the electric potential signal to the chip through the write-protection control path is disabled. In the boot state, the switch unit is turned-on and the write-protection control way is conducted by the power-on signal so that the chip controls the write-protection function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignees: INVENTEC (PUDONG) TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, INVENTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Lanlan Fang