Patents by Inventor Eric M. Dowling

Eric M. Dowling 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).

  • Publication number: 20140032878
    Abstract: A processing architecture includes a first CPU core portion coupled to a second embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) portion. These architectural components jointly implement a single processor and instruction set. Advantageously, the embedded logic on the DRAM chip implements the memory intensive processing tasks, thus reducing the amount of traffic that needs to be bussed back and forth between the CPU core and the embedded DRAM chips. The embedded DRAM logic monitors and manipulates the instruction stream into the CPU core. The architecture of the instruction set, data paths, addressing, control, caching, and interfaces are developed to allow the system to operate using a standard programming model. Specialized video and graphics processing systems are developed. Also, an extended very long instruction word (VLIW) architecture implemented as a primary VLIW processor coupled to an embedded DRAM VLIW extension processor efficiently deals with memory intensive tasks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 8489861
    Abstract: A processing architecture includes a first CPU core portion coupled to a second embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) portion. These architectural components jointly implement a single processor and instruction set. Advantageously, the embedded logic on the DRAM chip implements the memory intensive processing tasks, thus reducing the amount of traffic that needs to be bussed back and forth between the CPU core and the embedded DRAM chips. The embedded DRAM logic monitors and manipulates the instruction stream into the CPU core. The architecture of the instruction set, data paths, addressing, control, caching, and interfaces are developed to allow the system to operate using a standard programming model. Specialized video and graphics processing systems are developed. Also, an extended very long instruction word (VLIW) architecture implemented as a primary VLIW processor coupled to an embedded DRAM VLIW extension processor efficiently deals with memory intensive tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Round Rock Research, LLC
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Publication number: 20120036316
    Abstract: An embedded-DRAM processor architecture includes a DRAM array, a set of register files, set of functional units, and a data assembly unit. The data assembly unit includes a set of row-address registers and is responsive to commands to activate and deactivate DRAM rows and to control the movement of data throughout the system. A pipelined data assembly approach allowing the functional units to perform register-to-register operations, and allowing the data assembly unit to perform all load/store operations using wide data busses. Data masking and switching hardware allows individual data words or groups of words to be transferred between the registers and memory. Other aspects of the disclosure include a memory and logic structure and an associated method to extract data blocks from memory to accelerate, for example, operations related to image compression and decompression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 8103745
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and business techniques are disclosed for use in mobile network communication systems. A mobile unit such as a smart phone is preferably equipped with a wireless local area network connection and a wireless wide area network connection. The local area network connection is used to establish a position-dependent ecommerce network connection with a wireless peripheral supplied by a vendor. The mobile unit is then temporarily augmented with the added peripheral services supplied by the negotiated wireless peripheral. Systems and methods allow the mobile unit to communicate securely with a remote server, even when the negotiated wireless peripheral is not fully trusted. Also mobile units, wireless user peripherals, and negotiated wireless peripherals that project a non-area constrained user interface image on a display surface are taught.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: RPX Corporation
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Publication number: 20110044399
    Abstract: Two decoding algorithms are introduced for the decoding of multi-level coded modulation and other types of coded modulation involving component codes and interleaving operations. An improved hard iterative decoding (IHID) algorithm is presented that improves upon a hard iteration decoding technique by adding a stopping criterion. Also, a list Viterbi hard iteration decoding (LV-IHID) algorithm is presented that employs list decoding in conjunction with the IHID algorithm. Both of these decoding algorithms improve upon conventional multi-stage decoding by reducing the effective error multiplicity that is observed at the lowest coding level. It is demonstrated that the LV-IHID algorithm performs close to soft iterative decoding. The computational and delay complexity of the proposed decoding algorithms compare favorably with soft iterative decoding strategies. Also, a novel labeling strategy for MLC design is presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Eric M. Dowling, John P. Fonseka
  • Publication number: 20100262896
    Abstract: An improved mapping policy, signal mapper, transmitter, receiver, and communication system are introduced. The improved signal mapping policy alternates between standard and inverted bit mapping functions at selected phase states to reduce the error coefficient of MSK and other types of CPFSK signals. The proposed policy can more generally be applied to other types of signals with memory as well. Simulations show that the mapping policy can significantly improve performance particularly at lower to moderate SNR values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Eric M. Dowling, John P. Fonseka
  • Publication number: 20100070742
    Abstract: An embedded-DRAM processor architecture includes a DRAM array, a set of register files, set of functional units, and a data assembly unit. The data assembly unit includes a set of row-address registers and is responsive to commands to activate and deactivate DRAM rows and to control the movement of data throughout the system. A pipelined data assembly approach allowing the functional units to perform register-to-register operations, and allowing the data assembly unit to perform all load/store operations using wide data busses. Data masking and switching hardware allows individual data words or groups of words to be transferred between the registers and memory. Other aspects of the disclosure include a memory and logic structure and an associated method to extract data blocks from memory to accelerate, for example, operations related to image compression and decompression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Publication number: 20090316627
    Abstract: The present invention centers upon uplink communication protocols for use primarily with orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication systems. Aspects of the invention relate to narrow band frequency division multiplexed (NBFDM) modulation protocols primarily for uplink usage in asymmetric OFDMA communication systems. In particular, NBFDM uplinks that use quadrature multiplexed continuous phase modulation are detailed and noncoherent detection schemes are developed to process the uplink channel signals without the need to transmit uplink phase reference signals. Other aspects of the invention relate to burst mode uplink communications in OFDMA systems such as those involving opportunistic beamforming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: John P. Fonseka, Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7631170
    Abstract: An efficient embedded-DRAM processor architecture and associated methods. In one exemplary embodiment, the architecture includes a DRAM array, a set of register files, set of functional units, and a data assembly unit. The data assembly unit includes a set of row-address registers and is responsive to commands to activate and deactivate DRAM rows and to control the movement of data throughout the system. A pipelined data assembly approach allowing the functional units to perform register-to-register operations, and allowing the data assembly unit to perform all load/store operations using wide data busses. Data masking and switching hardware allows individual data words or groups of words to be transferred between the registers and memory. Other aspects of the invention include a memory and logic structure and an associated method to extract data blocks from memory to accelerate, for example, operations related to image compression and decompression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Publication number: 20090116576
    Abstract: A reduced complexity precoder provides an efficient method and structure to precode a vector-signal-point sequence for transmission through a band-limited channel. The precoder enables a block-oriented receiver to recover an underlying data stream in the presence of inter-symbol interference and noise. The precoder structure is applicable to multicarrier systems such as DMT (discrete multitone) or related transform domain and vector communication systems. The inventive precoder reduces the cost of precoding by an order of magnitude and eliminates the need for a cyclic prefix in DMT and related communication systems. Related multicarrier transmitter and receiver structures and methods which reduce computation, increase transmission bandwidth and reduce transmission power are also developed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: RPX-NW Acquisition LLC
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7519132
    Abstract: A reduced complexity precoder provides an efficient method and structure to precode a vector-signal-point sequence for transmission through a band-limited channel. The precoder enables a block-oriented receiver to recover an underlying data stream in the presence of inter-symbol interference and noise. The precoder structure is applicable to multicarrier systems such as DMT (discrete multitone) or related transform domain and vector communication systems. The inventive precoder reduces the cost of precoding by an order of magnitude and eliminates the need for a cyclic prefix in DMT and related communication systems. Related multicarrier transmitter and receiver structures and methods which reduce computation, increase transmission bandwidth and reduce transmission power are also developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: RPX-NW Acquisition LLC
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Publication number: 20090073965
    Abstract: A smart card is used with a network based system to providing portable telecommunication and computing services. In an exemplary embodiment the smart card holds user application programs and/or user data such as a calling list, account information, a list of local or remote application programs, and user interface configuration settings. The smart card transfers the user data to one of a plurality of geographically dispersed card readers which are each connected to a local computerized device such as a computer or a telephony device. When the smart card is plugged into a first card reader, the user's customized settings and/or user interface is configured at a first local computerized device. When the smart card is plugged into a second smart card reader, the user's customized settings and/or user interface is configured at a second local computerized device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Eric M Dowling, Robert A Westerlund
  • Publication number: 20080180450
    Abstract: A processing architecture includes a first CPU core portion coupled to a second embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) portion. These architectural components jointly implement a single processor and instruction set. Advantageously, the embedded logic on the DRAM chip implements the memory intensive processing tasks, thus reducing the amount of traffic that needs to be bussed back and forth between the CPU core and the embedded DRAM chips. The embedded DRAM logic monitors and manipulates the instruction stream into the CPU core. The architecture of the instruction set, data paths, addressing, control, caching, and interfaces are developed to allow the system to operate using a standard programming model. Specialized video and graphics processing systems are developed. Also, an extended very long instruction word (VLIW) architecture implemented as a primary VLIW processor coupled to an embedded DRAM VLIW extension processor efficiently deals with memory intensive tasks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7398358
    Abstract: A pipelined processor includes a branch acceleration technique which is based on an improved branch cache. The improved branch cache minimizes or eliminates delays caused by branch instructions, especially data-dependent unpredictable branches. In pipelined and multiply pipelined machines, branches can potentially cause the pipeline to stall because the branch alters the instruction flow, leaving the prefetch buffer and first pipeline stages with discarded instructions. This has the effect of reducing system performance by making the branch instruction appear to require multiple cycles to execute. The improved branch cache differs from conventional branch caches. In particular, the improved cache is not used for branch prediction, but rather, the improved branch cache avoids stalls by providing data that will be inserted into the pipeline stages that would otherwise have stalled when a branch is taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7395409
    Abstract: A processing architecture includes a first CPU core portion coupled to a second embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) portion. These architectural components jointly implement a single processor and instruction set. Advantageously, the embedded logic on the DRAM chip implements the memory intensive processing tasks, thus reducing the amount of traffic that needs to be bussed back and forth between the CPU core and the embedded DRAM chips. The embedded DRAM logic monitors and manipulates the instruction stream into the CPU core. The architecture of the instruction set, data paths, addressing, control, caching, and interfaces are developed to allow the system to operate using a standard programming model. Specialized video and graphics processing systems are developed. Also, an extended very long instruction word (VLIW) architecture implemented as a primary VLIW processor coupled to an embedded DRAM VLIW extension processor efficiently deals with memory intensive tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7388908
    Abstract: A low cost and high speed equalizing receiver structure is provided for improved inter-chip and inter-module communications. The receiver is able to recover data from a corrupted waveform from a signal wire such as one found on data, address or control wires in a microsystem architecture. The receiver can be used with binary as well as m-ary pulse amplitude modulation schemes. The receiver can be used to increase the sustainable data rate between chips or can be used to sustain a given data rate over a poorer quality channel as compared to prior art interconnect technologies. Methods for training and operating the receiver structure are provided. A novel structure called the decision feedback equalizer and cross talk canceller (DFE-CTC) is introduced and methods to compute the coefficients to minimize error in terms of the l2 norm, the l? norm, and statistical probability of error functions are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Nextwave Solutions, L.P.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7277424
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for allowing a packet data connection to be established by sending an indication of a network address through a telephony path. In a first embodiment, a protocol stack initiates the establishment of an Internet connection by sending a data segment through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) telephony path and then operates and maintains the Internet connection on separate packet connection. Dialing digits are used to indicate the address of a remote computer or wireless device via the telephony path. The invention also enables mixed PSTN/internet multimedia telephone calls. In an exemplary embodiment, when a point-to-point telephone PSTN connection is established, a screen of information automatically appears at one or both ends of the connection via the Internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7272703
    Abstract: An efficient embedded-DRAM processor architecture and associated methods. In one exemplary embodiment, the architecture includes a DRAM array, a set of register files, set of functional units, and a data assembly unit. The data assembly unit includes a set of row-address registers and is responsive to commands to activate and deactivate DRAM rows and to control the movement of data throughout the system. A pipelined data assembly approach allowing the functional units to perform register-to-register operations, and allowing the data assembly unit to perform all load/store operations using wide data busses. Data masking and switching hardware allows individual data words or groups of words to be transferred between the registers and memory. Other aspects of the invention include a memory and logic structure and an associated method to extract data blocks from memory to accelerate, for example, operations related to image compression and decompression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7197603
    Abstract: A pipelined processor includes a branch acceleration technique which is based on an improved branch cache. The improved branch cache minimizes or eliminates delays caused by branch instructions, especially data-dependent unpredictable branches. The improved branch cache avoids stalls by providing data that will be inserted into the pipeline stages that would otherwise have stalled when a branch is taken. Special architectural features and control structures are supplied to minimize the amount of information that must be cached by recognizing that only selected types of branches should be cached and by making use of available cycles that would otherwise be wasted. The improved branch cache supplies the missing information to the pipeline in the place of the discarded instructions, completely eliminating the pipeline stall. This technique accelerates performance, especially in real-time code that must evaluate data-dependent conditions and branch accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling
  • Patent number: 7146489
    Abstract: An efficient embedded-DRAM processor architecture and associated methods. In one exemplary embodiment, the architecture includes a DRAM array, a set of register files, set of functional units, and a data assembly unit. The data assembly unit includes a set of row-address registers and is responsive to commands to activate and deactivate DRAM rows and to control the movement of data throughout the system. A pipelined data assembly approach allowing the functional units to perform register-to-register operations, and allowing the data assembly unit to perform all load/store operations using wide data busses. Data masking and switching hardware allows individual data words or groups of words to be transferred between the registers and memory. Other aspects of the invention include a memory and logic structure and an associated method to extract data blocks from memory to accelerate, for example, operations related to image compression and decompression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric M. Dowling