Patents by Inventor Alan J. Baker

Alan J. Baker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5978417
    Abstract: An adaptive cable equalizer is provided with a simple architecture, wherein a single control structure: controls the adaptation of the filter for compensating for cable length while simultaneously compensating for process and temperature variations; optimizes the SNR at any cable length by controlling biasing current sources; and uses a two-stage architecture which eliminates start-up problems and optimizes output levels to obtain optimal dc restoration while simultaneously allowing for independent optimization of the output levels of the recovered data in accordance with other requirements as desired. An analog adaptive equalizing filter is used for accurately synthesizing the inverse transfer function of cables of variable lengths. Data rates up to and beyond 400 Mbps are supported and the adaptive behavior automatically compensates for different cable lengths as well as process variations (with respect to the process(es) used for fabricating the equalizer in a monolithic form) and temperature variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Alan J. Baker, Marc H. Ryat
  • Patent number: 5973512
    Abstract: A buffer having an output slew rate which is relatively insensitive to loading and supply voltage. The output buffer includes an output node, a first half-circuit and a second half-circuit. The first half-circuit is for slewing the output node from a first voltage to a second voltage. The first half-circuit includes a first output transistor connected between the output node and a second voltage reference node, a first switching device connected from a gate of the first output transistor to the second voltage reference node, a second switching device connected from the gate of the output transistor to a first node, a first current source connected from a first voltage reference node to the first node, and a first capacitor connected from the output node to the first node. The second half-circuit is for slewing the output node from the second voltage to the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Alan J. Baker
  • Patent number: 4766367
    Abstract: An improved current mirror is described which has utility as either a stand alone current source or as a gain block whenever current gain or transimpedance gain is required. When used as a current source the current mirror exhibits higher output impedance, and when used as a gain block, the current mirror exhibits improved higher frequency performance and high transimpedance gain than prior art current mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: Comlinear Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Saller, Alan J. Baker, Steven O. Smith
  • Patent number: 4697168
    Abstract: An angle transducer includes input rotor and reference rotor assemblies that are mounted for rotation upon a common shaft and that cooperate with respective moveable input stator and fixed reference stator assemblies to produce signals whose phase difference represents an input angle. Diametrically opposed sensors in each stator assembly achieve enhanced eccentricity error reduction by producing separate signals whose phases are averaged after the phase of each is individually measured. A phase measurement technique does not rely upon the mechanical accuracy of the angular placement of the poles for the rotor assemblies. A phase measurement between two signals is performed by beginning on an arbitrary zero crossing of the signal from the reference stator and forming, for each rotor, the sum of the times for the zero crossings for one complete revolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Inventor: Alan J. Baker
  • Patent number: 4691192
    Abstract: An angle transducer includes input rotor and reference rotor assemblies that are mounted for rotation upon a common shaft and that cooperate with respective moveable input stator and fixed reference stator assemblies to produce signals whose phase difference represents an input angle. Diametrically opposed sensors in each stator assembly achieve enhanced eccentricity error reduction by producing separate signals whose phases are averaged after the phase of each is individually measured. A phase measurement technique does not rely upon the mechanical accuracy of the angular placement of the poles for the rotor assemblies. A phase measurement between two signals is performed by beginning on an arbitrary zero crossing of the signal from the reference stator and forming, for each rotor, the sum of the times for the zero crossings for one complete revolution. To avoid the effects of crosstalk the rotors may have different numbers of poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1987
    Inventor: Alan J. Baker
  • Patent number: 4686510
    Abstract: A method of averaging a plurality of measured modulo values respectively produced by a corresponding plurality of measuring devices and each corresponding to the same input parameter applied thereto, the method comprising the steps of:applying a convenient same value of the input parameter to each of the measuring devices;selecting one of the plurality of measuring devices as a reference;measuring the offset between the measured modulo values of the measuring device selected as a reference and each of the remaining measuring devices;applying an arbitrary same value of the input parameter to each of the measuring devices;measuring the respective modulo values from the plurality of measuring devices;diminishing each of the measured modulo values from a non-reference measuring device by the offset associated with that measuring device; andaveraging the measured modulo value from the reference measuring device and the diminished measured modulo values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Inventor: Alan J. Baker
  • Patent number: 4630033
    Abstract: An angle transducer includes input rotor and reference rotor assemblies that are mounted for rotation upon a common shaft and that cooperate with respective moveable input stator and fixed reference stator assemblies to produce signals whose phase difference represents an input angle. Diametrically opposed sensors in each stator assembly achieve enhanced eccentricity error reduction by producing separate signals whose phases are averaged after the phase of each is individually measured. A phase measurement technique does not rely upon the mechanical accuracy of the angular placement of the poles for the rotor assemblies. A phase measurement between two signals is performed by beginning on an arbitrary zero crossing of the signal from the reference stator and forming, for each rotor, the sum of the times for the zero crossings for one complete revolution. To avoid the effects of crosstalk the rotors may have different numbers of poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1986
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Alan J. Baker
  • Patent number: 4533902
    Abstract: An angle transducer includes input rotor and reference rotor assemblies that are mounted for rotation upon a common shaft and that cooperate with respective moveable input stator and fixed reference stator assemblies to produce signals whose phase difference represents an input angle. Diametrically opposed sensors in each stator assembly achieve enhanced eccentricity error reduction by producing separate signals whose phases are averaged after the phase of each is individually measured. A phase measurement technique does not rely upon the mechanical accuracy of the angular placement of the poles for the rotor assemblies. A phase measurement between two signals is performed by beginning on an arbitrary zero crossing of the signal from the reference stator and forming, for each rotor, the sum of the times for the zero crossings for one complete revolution. To avoid the effects of crosstalk the rotors may have different numbers of poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1985
    Inventors: Alan J. Baker, Robert W. Leiby
  • Patent number: 4495670
    Abstract: A plate-like structure features a pair of relatively opposing, equilateral, predominantly smooth faces, each of which is bordered completely by its own set of rigid working edges. A hand guard is also provided to removably receive any of the side surfaces extending between the opposing faces and the working edges adjacent to the selected side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Inventor: Alan J. Baker