Patents by Inventor Franz Kuttner

Franz Kuttner 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: 11750209
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter is provided. The digital-to-analog converter includes a plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells coupled to an output node of the digital-to-analog converter. At least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells includes a capacitive element configured to provide an analog output signal of the digital-to-analog converter cell to the output node. Further, the at least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells includes an inverter circuit coupled to the capacitive element. The inverter circuit is configured to generate an inverter signal for the capacitive element based on an oscillation signal. The at least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells additionally includes a resistive element coupled to the inverter circuit and the capacitive element. A resistance of the resistive element is at least 50?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner
  • Publication number: 20220190841
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter is provided. The digital-to-analog converter includes a plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells coupled to an output node of the digital-to-analog converter. At least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells includes a capacitive element configured to provide an analog output signal of the digital-to-analog converter cell to the output node. Further, the at least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells includes an inverter circuit coupled to the capacitive element. The inverter circuit is configured to generate an inverter signal for the capacitive element based on an oscillation signal. The at least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells additionally includes a resistive element coupled to the inverter circuit and the capacitive element. A resistance of the resistive element is at least 50?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventor: Franz KUTTNER
  • Patent number: 10855300
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter is provided. The digital-to-analog converter includes a plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells coupled to an output node of the digital-to-analog converter. At least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells includes a capacitive element configured to generate an analog cell output signal based on a drive signal. The at least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells further includes a driver circuit configured to generate the drive signal, and a resistive element exhibiting a resistance of at least 20?. The resistive element is coupled between the driver circuit and the capacitive element or between the capacitive element and the output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MaxLinear, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Gruber, Franz Kuttner, Davide Ponton, Kameran Azadet, Hundo Shin, Martin Clara, Matej Kus
  • Publication number: 20200313684
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter is provided. The digital-to-analog converter includes a plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells coupled to an output node of the digital-to-analog converter. At least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells includes a capacitive element configured to generate an analog cell output signal based on a drive signal. The at least one of the plurality of digital-to-analog converter cells further includes a driver circuit configured to generate the drive signal, and a resistive element exhibiting a resistance of at least 20?. The resistive element is coupled between the driver circuit and the capacitive element or between the capacitive element and the output node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel GRUBER, Franz KUTTNER, Davide PONTON, Kameran AZADET, Hundo SHIN, Martin CLARA, Matej KUS
  • Patent number: 10790849
    Abstract: High efficiency amplitude DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converters) and RFDACs (Radio Frequency DACs) employing such amplitude DACs are discussed. One exemplary embodiment is a DAC comprising a plurality of DAC stages, wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages is associated with a respective predetermined voltage of a plurality of predetermined voltages, wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages can receive a digital signal at the respective predetermined voltage associated with that DAC stage when the respective predetermined voltage of that DAC stage is a selected predetermined voltage, wherein the selected predetermined voltage is based on an amplitude of the digital signal, and wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages can generate a respective analog signal associated with that DAC stage based on the digital signal received at that DAC stage when the respective predetermined voltage of that DAC stage is the selected predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner
  • Publication number: 20200212929
    Abstract: High efficiency amplitude DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converters) and RFDACs (Radio Frequency DACs) employing such amplitude DACs are discussed. One exemplary embodiment is a DAC comprising a plurality of DAC stages, wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages is associated with a respective predetermined voltage of a plurality of predetermined voltages, wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages can receive a digital signal at the respective predetermined voltage associated with that DAC stage when the respective predetermined voltage of that DAC stage is a selected predetermined voltage, wherein the selected predetermined voltage is based on an amplitude of the digital signal, and wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages can generate a respective analog signal associated with that DAC stage based on the digital signal received at that DAC stage when the respective predetermined voltage of that DAC stage is the selected predetermined voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner
  • Patent number: 10673661
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and circuitries enable selected signal components to be isolated in a feedback transmit signal that includes multiple signal components. In one example, a signal component cancellation system for a feedback receiver includes a transmit chain configured to transmit a transmit signal having at least two signal components with offset center frequencies. The system includes measurement circuitry configured to measure a received signal that results from feedback of the transmit signal and cancellation circuitry configured to cancel a selected signal component from the transmit signal to generate a cancellation signal. The system further includes subtraction circuitry configured to combine the cancellation signal with the measured received signal to generate a component signal corresponding to a contribution of the selected signal component to the received signal and provide the component signal to the feedback receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Franz Kuttner, Alexander Belitzer, Florian Mrugalla, Navatouch Deeying
  • Patent number: 10651869
    Abstract: A radio frequency digital-to-analog converter (RFDAC) circuit includes an RFDAC array circuit including an array of cells arranged into a plurality of segments. Each segment of the plurality of segments is configured to process input data signals. The RFDAC array circuit is configured to process an input data based on activating a set of segments of the plurality of segments, forming a set of active segments, and when the sign of the input data is changed, deactivate a partially active segment of the set of active segments and activate a sign change segment within the RFDAC array circuit. The sign change segment includes a segment within the plurality of segments of the RFDAC array circuit that is different from the set of active segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignees: Intel IP Corporation, Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Davide Ponton, Michael Kalcher, Alan Paussa, Edwin Thaller, Franz Kuttner, Daniel Gruber
  • Patent number: 10601437
    Abstract: CDAC (Capacitive DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) unit cells and RFDACs (Radio Frequency DACs) employing such CDAC unit cells are disclosed that can be employed for mmWave (millimeter wave) communication are disclosed. One example CDAC unit cell comprises: four capacitors connected in pairs to two differential outputs of the CDAC unit cell; and four logic gates, wherein each logic gate of the four logic gates is configured to receive an associated clock signal of four different clock signals and an associated enable signal of four different enable signals, and wherein each logic gate of the four logic gates is configured to trigger an associated pulse from an associated capacitor of the four capacitors based on the associated clock signal and the associated enable signal of that logic gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner
  • Patent number: 10591512
    Abstract: Measurement apparatuses and methods are described. A measurement input is coupled with a first terminal of a capacitance via a first switch, and a reference voltage is coupled with the first terminal of the capacitance via a second switch. A measurement circuit is coupled to a second terminal of said capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Peter Bogner, Franz Kuttner
  • Patent number: 10587354
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to provide a data dependent delay for a multi-phase transmitter architectures. These techniques include identifying a current segment occupied by a symbol associated with in-phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) data within a data constellation based upon the number of phases used. Once the segment is identified, vector components are calculated as a function of the segment used to re-map the symbol within the constellation defined in accordance with the number of phases. The data delay may be performed in the baseband or at the RF rate to time-align local oscillator clocks with the delayed data, which is represented as the calculated vector components, for transmission. Further modifications to the RF-DAC operation to facilitate operation with the multi-phase system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Damir Hamidovic, Tobias Buckel, Alexander Klinkan, Franz Kuttner, Jovan Markovic, Peter Preyler
  • Patent number: 10516406
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) linearization system can include a DAC configured to generate an analog output signal based on a digital input signal, a detector configured to detect noise on a supply voltage and generate a noise detection signal based on the detected noise, and a compensator that is configured to generate a compensated analog signal based on the analog output signal and the noise detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner
  • Patent number: 10396815
    Abstract: High efficiency amplitude DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converters) and RFDACs (Radio Frequency DACs) employing such amplitude DACs are discussed. One exemplary embodiment is a DAC comprising a plurality of DAC stages, wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages is associated with a respective predetermined voltage of a plurality of predetermined voltages, wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages can receive a digital signal at the respective predetermined voltage associated with that DAC stage when the respective predetermined voltage of that DAC stage is a selected predetermined voltage, wherein the selected predetermined voltage is based on an amplitude of the digital signal, and wherein each DAC stage of the plurality of DAC stages can generate a respective analog signal associated with that DAC stage based on the digital signal received at that DAC stage when the respective predetermined voltage of that DAC stage is the selected predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner
  • Publication number: 20190250191
    Abstract: Measurement apparatuses and methods are described. A measurement input is coupled with a first terminal of a capacitance via a first switch, and a reference voltage is coupled with the first terminal of the capacitance via a second switch. A measurement circuit is coupled to a second terminal of said capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Peter Bogner, Franz Kuttner
  • Patent number: 10332871
    Abstract: Described is an apparatus which comprises: a pad; a first transistor coupled in series with a second transistor and coupled to the pad; and a self-biasing circuit to bias the first transistor such that the first transistor is to be weakly biased during an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event. Described is also an apparatus which comprises: a first transistor; and a first local ballast resistor formed of a trench contact (TCN) layer, the first local ballast resistor having a first terminal coupled to either the drain or source terminal of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventors: Christian Cornelius Russ, Giuseppe Curello, Tomasz Biedrzycki, Franz Kuttner, Luis F. Giles, Bernhard Stein
  • Patent number: 10309989
    Abstract: Measurement apparatuses and methods are described. A measurement input is coupled with a first terminal of a capacitance via a first switch, and a reference voltage is coupled with the first terminal of the capacitance via a second switch. A measurement circuit is coupled to a second terminal of said capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Peter Bogner, Franz Kuttner
  • Patent number: 10122477
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that includes a transmit chain, a duplexer, a receive chain and a control circuit. The transmit chain is configured to generate a transmit signal at a transmit frequency. The duplexer is configured to pass the transmit signal to an antenna that generates a transmit leakage current into a received signal. The receive chain is configured to obtain the received signal and measure the leakage current from the transmit chain. The control circuit is configured to determine reduced performance parameters for the transmit chain based on the determined leakage signal, wherein the transmit leakage signal is inversely proportional to the reduced performance parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner
  • Patent number: 9985811
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and methodology for reducing peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) for IQ radio frequency digital-to-analog converter (RFDAC). Processing circuitry may be configured to generate a digital signal comprising an in-phase (I) signal component and a quadrature (Q) signal component having a peak-to-average-power-ratio (PAPR). The processing circuitry may determine the I signal component and the Q signal component are higher than a predetermined threshold value, and limit the I signal component and the Q signal component to be less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value. The processing circuitry may rotate the signal components to generate rotated signal components to reduce the PAPR based on the I and Q signal components having less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value, and may generate an output radio frequency (RF) signal based on the rotated signal components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventors: Christian Mayer, Franz Kuttner
  • Publication number: 20180091338
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and methodology for reducing peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) for IQ radio frequency digital-to-analog converter (RFDAC). Processing circuitry may be configured to generate a digital signal comprising an in-phase (I) signal component and a quadrature (Q) signal component having a peak-to-average-power-ratio (PAPR). The processing circuitry may determine the I signal component and the Q signal component are higher than a predetermined threshold value, and limit the I signal component and the Q signal component to be less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value. The processing circuitry may rotate the signal components to generate rotated signal components to reduce the PAPR based on the I and Q signal components having less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value, and may generate an output radio frequency (RF) signal based on the rotated signal components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Christian Mayer, Franz Kuttner
  • Publication number: 20180091241
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that includes a transmit chain, a duplexer, a receive chain and a control circuit. The transmit chain is configured to generate a transmit signal at a transmit frequency. The duplexer is configured to pass the transmit signal to an antenna that generates a transmit leakage current into a received signal. The receive chain is configured to obtain the received signal and measure the leakage current from the transmit chain. The control circuit is configured to determine reduced performance parameters for the transmit chain based on the determined leakage signal, wherein the transmit leakage signal is inversely proportional to the reduced performance parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventor: Franz Kuttner