Patents Examined by Daniel Rojas
  • Patent number: 8648636
    Abstract: In one embodiment, multiple (serializer-deserializer) SERDES channels are aligned by selectively slipping one or more of the incoming serial data streams one bit at a time prior to deserialization. Within each SERDES channel, a slip circuit slips the corresponding serial data stream by one bit (i.e., one unit interval (UI)) by extending the high portion of the duty cycle of a corresponding clock signal. The high portion of the clock signal is extended using a 3-to-1 mux that selects a fixed high signal, such as the high power supply rail, as an intermediate mux output signal whenever transitioning between two different applied clock signals that are offset from one another by one UI. In this way, the slip circuit avoids glitches that might otherwise result from switching directly between the two clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip Johnson, Richard Booth, Paulius Mosinkis
  • Patent number: 8648631
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a controller includes a comparator, a delay element, and a timer. The delay element is connected to an input terminal of the comparator and the timer is connected to an output terminal of the comparator. The delay element may include a switch having a control electrode coupled for receiving a control signal. In accordance with another embodiment, a detection signal is generated in response to a comparison signal transitioning to a first level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Pavel Latal, Petr Papica, Radim Mlcousek
  • Patent number: 8644784
    Abstract: A terminal apparatus adapted to receive a wireless signal by antenna diversity, wherein provisions are made to reduce the number of receive circuits while also reducing the time required for antenna selection. The a terminal apparatus is adapted to receive a wireless signal by antenna diversity, and includes: a mode-of-use detection unit for detecting the mode of use of the terminal apparatus as set up by a user; a storage unit for storing priority information that predefines an antenna to be selected for use by prioritizing the plurality of antennas according to the mode of use that can be detected by the mode-of-use detection unit; and a comparator for outputting selection control information specifying at least one antenna from among the plurality of antennas by comparing the mode of use detected by the mode-of-use detection unit with the priority information stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Koichi Yokota, Isamu Yamada, Shinichi Shiotsu, Akira Itasaki
  • Patent number: 8643417
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for scaling a DLL code for a slave DLL operating at a different frequency than a master DLL is disclosed. An apparatus includes a master DLL coupled to receive a first clock signal and a group of series-coupled slave DLLs coupled to receive a second clock signal. The master DLL may provide a specified fraction of a cycle of the first clock signal. Scaling circuitry coupled between the master DLL and the group of slave DLLs may determine a ratio of frequencies of the first clock signal to the second clock signal. Based on the ratio and a delay code from the first DLL, the scaling circuitry may generate an adjusted delay code received by the group of slave DLLs to set a delay for the second clock signal to the specified fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Diarmuid P. Ross, Douglas C. Lee, David S. Warren
  • Patent number: 8643409
    Abstract: A variable-frequency input clock signal and a reference clock signal are compared during a frequency-compare interval to generate a value that indicates a ratio of their frequencies. The frequency-ratio value is then applied to configure a wide-range frequency-locking oscillator for operation with a narrowed input frequency range. Because the narrowed input frequency range is targeted to the input clock frequency, the wide-range oscillator is able to rapidly lock to a frequency multiple of the input clock frequency. Because the frequency-compare interval is also brief, an extremely fast-locking, clock-multiplying operation may be effected over a relatively wide range of input clock frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Lu, Jared L. Zerbe
  • Patent number: 8644879
    Abstract: A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) sending a first data signal via an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) is provided. The WTRU may reconfigure physical channel parameters based on a reconfiguration message. The WTRU may subsequently send a second data signal without performing a synchronization procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Diana Pani, Benoit Pelletier, Christopher R. Cave, Paul Marinier, Rocco DiGirolamo
  • Patent number: 8638141
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop for generating an output signal including a signal generator arranged to generate an output, a comparison unit arranged to compare the output with a reference signal so as to provide a digital signal, and a loop filter arranged to generate a control signal for controlling the signal generator in dependence on the digital signal. The loop filter includes a proportional path having a digital filter arranged to generate a first component of the control signal for controlling the phase of the output generated by the signal generator, and an analogue integral path arranged to generate a second component of the control signal for controlling the frequency of the output generated by the signal generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited
    Inventors: Pasquale Lamanna, Nicolas Sornin, Davide Orifiamma, Cristian Pavao Moreira
  • Patent number: 8638136
    Abstract: A switching voltage regulator system and method for providing a start-up mode. An on-chip voltage regulator can be integrated with an on-chip digital logic circuit to provide a core supply voltage to the on-chip digital logic circuit along with an off-chip inductor and capacitor. A clock less start-up circuit automatically operates the on-chip voltage regulator in a start-up mode in order to maintain an equilibrium voltage supply with respect to the on-chip digital logic circuit. Such clock less start-up circuit provides soft start-up operation with respect to the on-chip voltage regulator without a clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Prasad Sawarkar, Srinivas Reddy Chokka
  • Patent number: 8633742
    Abstract: A power-up signal generation circuit includes a power-up signal generator configured to enable a power-up signal when a level of an external power voltage is higher than a target level, and a target level controller configured to change the target level in response to a current consumption signal indicating a current consumption of a system including the power-up signal generation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Mook Oh, Jae-Hyuk Im
  • Patent number: 8633750
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a delay control circuit and a method of controlling delay of an output signal generating based on an input signal, wherein a plurality of delayed replicas of a reference signal are generated with dedicated time delays with respect to the reference signal and are sampled at a predetermined timing defined by the input signal. One of the delayed replicas is selected based on the output of the sampling means, and the output signal is generated based on the selected replica. Thereby, a predetermined phase relationship can be generated even in cases where no strict phase relation is given between data and reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Bernardus M. Kup
  • Patent number: 8604843
    Abstract: An output driver includes, inter alia: a code generation unit disposed between a first node and a second node and configured to generate pull-up codes, according to a voltage difference between the first node and an output node, pull-down codes, according to a voltage difference between the output node and the second node, and a driving unit configured to drive the output node in response to a pull-up signal and a pull-down signal to generate output data, wherein a voltage level of the output data is controlled by a driving force which is set according to a combination of the pull-up and pull-down codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Kwang Soon Kim
  • Patent number: 8604861
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a circuit includes a forward path circuit having an auto-zero switch coupled between an input of an amplifier and an output of the amplifier, a first chopping circuit having an input coupled to an input of the forward path circuit and an output coupled to the input of the amplifier, and a second chopping circuit having an input coupled to the output of the amplifier and an output coupled to an output of the forward path circuit. The circuit further includes a feedback circuit that has a feedback switch, a feedback capacitor including a first end coupled to an output of the amplifier, a third chopping circuit coupled between the input of the forward path circuit and a first end of a feedback switch, and a fourth chopping circuit coupled between a second end of the feedback switch and a second end of the feedback capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jose Luis Ceballos, Christian Reindl, Jonathan Paca
  • Patent number: 8598916
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a first level shifting circuit. The level shifting circuit comprises a first and second latching differential pairs. The first latching differential pair has first and second inputs for receiving first and second input signals, first and second outputs, and first and second power supply voltage terminals for receiving a first power supply voltage. The second latching differential pair has first and second inputs coupled to the first and second outputs of the first latching differential pair, an output, and first and second power supply voltage terminals for receiving a second power supply voltage, the second power supply voltage being different from the first power supply voltage. In one embodiment, the level shifting circuit protects transistor gates of the circuit from an overvoltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Ira G. Miller, Ricardo Takase Goncalves, Geoffrey W. Perkins
  • Patent number: 8598912
    Abstract: Sense amplifiers and methods for precharging are disclosed, including a sense amplifier having a pair of cross-coupled complementary transistor inverters, and a pair of transistors, each one of the pair of transistors coupled to a respective one of the complementary transistor inverters and a voltage. The sense amplifier further includes a capacitance coupled between the pair of transistors. One method for precharging includes coupling input nodes of the sense amplifier to a precharge voltage, coupling the input nodes of the sense amplifier together, and coupling a resistance to each transistor of a cross-coupled pair to set a voltage threshold (VT) mismatch compensation voltage for each transistor. The voltage difference between the VT mismatch compensation voltage of each transistor is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Wayne Thompson, Howard C. Kirsch, Charles L. Ingalls
  • Patent number: 8570081
    Abstract: Systems and methods for synchronization of clock signals are disclosed. In a feedback system such as a delay-lock loop circuit, delays to be applied can be determined adaptively based on a phase difference between a reference signal and a clock signal being delayed. Such adaptive decisions can be made during each feedback cycle, thereby making it possible to achieve a phase lock faster and more efficiently. In some embodiments, such adaptive functionality can be incorporated into existing circuits with minimal impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yantao Ma
  • Patent number: 8564338
    Abstract: A conductive transistor switch has a collector that applies a reset pulse to an electronic circuit. A pull-up resistor is coupled between the collector of the transistor switch and a power supply voltage developed in a filter capacitor that energizes the electronic circuit. Proper reset operation requires the output supply voltage not to exceed, for example, 0.2 volts, during at least a portion of the reset operation. The user initiates the reset pulse that momentarily disables a power supply for ceasing the generation of the output supply voltage when the reset operation is performed. The value of the resistor is selected to be sufficiently low such that when the transistor switch is conductive, the discharge of the filter capacitor via the pull-up resistor is speeded up for completing the discharge of the filter capacitor in no more than, for example, 2 seconds to provide a maximum level of the output supply voltage that is no more than 5% of its normal operation voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: William Vincent Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 8564333
    Abstract: There is provided a circuit and method for detecting a bad clock condition on a clock signal that includes sampling the value of the clock signal at a first plurality of time delays following a rising edge on the clock signal. This method also includes sampling the value of the clock signal at a second plurality of time delays following a falling edge on the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Limited
    Inventor: Mark Trimmer
  • Patent number: 8564349
    Abstract: A data signal generation device comprising a microprocessor and a digital potential divider, in which the microprocessor is adapted to generate a square wave output signal, and in which the digital potential divider is adapted to receive said square wave output signal, and to ramp up and down an output signal voltage and/or current according to state transitions in said square wave output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH
    Inventor: Steffen Graber
  • Patent number: 8558604
    Abstract: An in-phase, quadrature phase (IQ) mixer for a near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that includes a signal provider that provides an in-phase (I) mixing signal and a quadrature phase (Q) mixing signal so that the period of the I mixing signal is equal to a period for the Q mixing signal. A controller is configured to control the signal provider so that the average of the I mixing signal over two periods is minimized and the average of the Q mixing signal over two periods is also minimized. The controller is also configured to control the signal provider so that the average propagation delay for the I mixing signal and the Q mixing signal is minimized individually and relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Innovision Limited
    Inventor: Alastair Lefley
  • Patent number: 8552787
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a gray-coded phase rotating frequency divider. A phase selector is provided that includes two or more selectors, each selector configured to receive multiple clock phases and output a respective clock phase based on one or more selection bits that are part of a selection input, and a gray code generator configured to generate a gray coded output that forms the selection input so that when the gray coded output changes state only selection bits associated with a single selector change. A method includes grouping a plurality of clock phases into two or more groups, for each group, selecting a respective clock phase based on one or more selection bits that are part of a selection input, and generating a gray coded output that forms the selection input so that when the gray coded output changes state only selection bits associated with a single group change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Koushik Krishnan, Jafar Savoj