Patents by Inventor Michael A. Sperling

Michael A. Sperling 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: 20100001804
    Abstract: A system to improve a voltage-controlled oscillator may include a voltage-controlled oscillator. The system may also include a switch to control a first voltage passing through the voltage-controlled oscillator based upon a digital tune bit used to control the voltage-controlled oscillator's gain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: David M. Friend, George E. Smith, III, Michael Sperling, James D. Strom
  • Publication number: 20090189591
    Abstract: In temperature sensing circuitry PTAT (Proportional to Absolute Temperature) Voltage References are typically used. By adding a feedback circuit and a source follower into the classic design, the circuit can guarantee that the current is mirrored identically regardless of the value of power supply voltage. This added circuitry is easy to implement and is low in both power and area. The essence of this invention is that the PTAT circuit allows a large range of operation including low voltage (1 Volt) and more accurate temperature readings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Sperling, Paul D. Muench, George E. Smith, III
  • Patent number: 7510518
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making standing folds in a material web and a knife folding machine (1) for producing such standing folds. The knife folding machine has at least two folding knives (2, 3), which are situated one opposite the other with respect to the material web (4). A folding channel (5) extends from the folding knives (2, 3) in the folding direction (F). In order to reduce the costs involved in resetting the knife folding machine (1) to other material webs (4) to be folded or at the end of a material web (4), a work transfer device (14) is provided, which, in an ejection mode, has a stop (24) which juts into the projection area of the standing folds (26) in the folding channel (5) in the folding direction (F). As a result of the work transfer device (14), the standing fold parcel (26) in the folding channel (5) is able to be ejected and to be further processed in normal fashion by following appliances, without waste being incurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Karl Rabofsky GmbH
    Inventors: Arno Heinen, Roland Pietschmann, Peter Rieckhoff, Detlef Rothgänger, Michael Sperling, Frank Matecka
  • Publication number: 20090034144
    Abstract: The on-chip power supply noise sensor detects high frequency overshoots and undershoots of the power supply voltage. By creating two identical current sources and attaching a time constant circuit to only one, the high frequency transient behavior differs while the low frequency behavior is equivalent. By comparing these currents, the magnitude of very high frequency power supply noise cars be sensed and used to either set latches or add to a digital counter. This has the advantage of directly sensing the power supply noise in a matter that does not require calibration. Also, since the sensor requires only one power supply, it can he used anywhere on a chip. Finally, it filters out any lower frequency noise that is not interesting to the circuit designer and can he timed to detect down to whatever frequency is needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel M. Dreps, Seongwon Kim, Michael A. Sperling
  • Publication number: 20090033311
    Abstract: A multipath current source has separate reference current, control current and output current paths. Voltages in the reference current and control current paths are monitored. Any differences between those two voltages are fed to the gates of current control devices in the reference, control and output current paths to maintain the currents in all paths substantially constant with changes in supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael A. Sperling
  • Publication number: 20080129325
    Abstract: On-chip sensor to detect power supply vulnerabilities. The on-chip sensor employs a sensitive delay chain and an insensitive delay chain to detect power supply undershoots and overshoots without requiring external off-chip components. Undershoots and overshoots outside a user-defined threshold are detected. The undershoots and overshoots are indicated by a relative difference in phase of the two delay chains. The two delay chains are programmable to detect various frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frank D. Ferraiolo, Anuja Sehgal, Peilin Song, Michael A. Sperling
  • Patent number: 7355435
    Abstract: On-chip sensor to detect power supply vulnerabilities. The on-chip sensor employs a sensitive delay chain and an insensitive delay chain to detect power supply undershoots and overshoots without requiring external off-chip components. Undershoots and overshoots outside a user-defined threshold are detected. The undershoots and overshoots are indicated by a relative difference in phase of the two delay chains. The two delay chains are programmable to detect various frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank D. Ferraiolo, Anuja Sehgal, Peilin Song, Michael A. Sperling
  • Publication number: 20080007272
    Abstract: On-chip sensor to detect power supply vulnerabilities. The on-chip sensor employs a sensitive delay chain and an insensitive delay chain to detect power supply undershoots and overshoots without requiring external off-chip components. Undershoots and overshoots outside a user-defined threshold are detected. The undershoots and overshoots are indicated by a relative difference in phase of the two delay chains. The two delay chains are programmable to detect various frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Ferraiolo, Anuja Sehgal, Peilin Song, Michael Sperling
  • Patent number: 7301320
    Abstract: The on-chip power supply noise sensor detects high frequency overshoots and undershoots of the power supply voltage. By creating two identical current sources and attaching a time constant circuit to only one, the high frequency transient behavior differs while the low frequency behavior is equivalent. By comparing these currents, the magnitude of very high frequency power supply noise can be sensed and used to either set latches or add to a digital counter. This has the advantage of directly sensing the power supply noise in a manner that does not require calibration. Also, since the sensor requires only one power supply, it can be used anywhere on a chip. Finally, it filters out any lower frequency noise that is not interesting to the circuit designer and can be tuned to detect down to whatever frequency is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel M. Dreps, Seongwon Kim, Michael A. Sperling
  • Patent number: 7279949
    Abstract: Delay elements and delay lines having glitchless operation are disclosed. By way of example, apparatus for delaying an input signal comprises a reference current generator for generating a constant current, wherein the constant current is insensitive to a variation of a power supply voltage, at least one variable bias voltage generator coupled to the reference current generator for generating a set of bias voltages based on the constant current generated by the reference current generator and a digitally programmable delay control input, and at least one delay element coupled to the at least one variable bias voltage generator for delaying the input signal by a constant delay which is determined by the set of bias voltages generated by the at least one variable bias voltage generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel M. Dreps, Frank D. Ferraiolo, Daniel J. Friedman, Seongwon Kim, Hector Saenz, Michael A. Sperling
  • Publication number: 20070164754
    Abstract: The lower power on-chip power supply noise sensor detects high frequency overshoots and undershoots of the power supply voltage. The sensor has two resistor chains that span the full power rail, with a reactive element to form a low pass filter as part of one of the resistor chains. By this expedient the high frequency transient behavior differs between the two chains, while the low frequency behavior is equivalent. This allows a voltage comparison to be made with comparators. The comparator output can be latched or transmitted as a sampling signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George Smith, Michael Sperling
  • Publication number: 20070164753
    Abstract: A power supply history monitor. The monitor receives a short duration anomalous signal, e.g., from a power supply, and produces a digitized signal representing the anomalous signal as an output. The monitor receives a signal from a signal input, and includes an analog delay element in series with the signal input, a sample and hold element receiving a signal from the analog delay element, an analog signal processor receiving an output of the sample and hold element, and an analog to digital converter receiving an analog output of the analog signal processor. The output of the power supply history monitor is a digital output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George Smith, Michael Sperling
  • Patent number: 7212062
    Abstract: CMOS circuitry used to multiplex between data inputs suffers from high sensitivity to power supply noise, resulting in delay variations. By utilizing current controlled inverters in a multiplexer structure, power supply insensitivity can be achieved with either of two multiplexing methods. The first method places switches on the data inputs while the second places the switches on the analog bias voltages inherent to a current controlled inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Sperling, Seongwon Kim, Paul D. Muench, Hector Saenz
  • Publication number: 20060181324
    Abstract: Delay elements and delay lines having glitchless operation are disclosed. By way of example, apparatus for delaying an input signal comprises a reference current generator for generating a constant current, wherein the constant current is insensitive to a variation of a power supply voltage, at least one variable bias voltage generator coupled to the reference current generator for generating a set of bias voltages based on the constant current generated by the reference current generator and a digitally programmable delay control input, and at least one delay element coupled to the at least one variable bias voltage generator for delaying the input signal by a constant delay which is determined by the set of bias voltages generated by the at least one variable bias voltage generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Dreps, Frank Ferraiolo, Daniel Friedman, Seongwon Kim, Hector Saenz, Michael Sperling
  • Publication number: 20060176080
    Abstract: CMOS circuitry used to multiplex between data inputs suffers from high sensitivity to power supply noise, resulting in delay variations. By utilizing current controlled inverters in a multiplexer structure, power supply insensitivity can be achieved with either of two multiplexing methods. The first method places switches on the data inputs while the second places the switches on the analog bias voltages inherent to a current controlled inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Sperling, Seongwon Kim, Paul Muench, Hector Saenz
  • Publication number: 20060176096
    Abstract: A power supply voltage insensitive delay element is provided that enables a digital signal to be delayed without variation due to power supply vulnerabilities. Current is limited through the transistors of the delay element using bias voltages produced by a bias voltage generator coupled to the delay element. The bias voltage generator and the delay element are included in a delay line which facilitates the providing of a delay that is insensitive to voltage fluctuations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Dreps, Frank Ferraiolo, Daniel Friedman, Seongwon Kim, Robert Reese, Hector Saenz, Michael Sperling
  • Publication number: 20060164059
    Abstract: The on-chip power supply noise sensor detects high frequency overshoots and undershoots of the power supply voltage. By creating two identical current sources and attaching a time constant circuit to only one, the high frequency transient behavior differs while the low frequency behavior is equivalent. By comparing these currents, the magnitude of very high frequency power supply noise can be sensed and used to either set latches or add to a digital counter. This has the advantage of directly sensing the power supply noise in a manner that does not require calibration. Also, since the sensor requires only one power supply, it can be used anywhere on a chip. Finally, it filters out any lower frequency noise that is not interesting to the circuit designer and can be tuned to detect down to whatever frequency is needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Dreps, Seongwon Kim, Michael Sperling
  • Publication number: 20050257655
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making standing folds in a material web and a knife folding machine (1) for producing such standing folds. The knife folding machine has at least two folding knives (2, 3), which are situated one opposite the other with respect to the material web (4). A folding channel (5) extends from the folding knives (2, 3) in the folding direction (F). In order to reduce the costs involved in resetting the knife folding machine (1) to other material webs (4) to be folded or at the end of a material web (4), a work transfer device (14) is provided, which, in an ejection mode, has a stop (24) which juts into the projection area of the standing folds (26) in the folding channel (5) in the folding direction (F). As a result of the work transfer device (14), the standing fold parcel (26) in the folding channel (5) is able to be ejected and to be further processed in normal fashion by following appliances, without waste being incurred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Inventors: Arno Heinen, Ronald Pietschmann, Peter Rieckhoff, Detlef Rothganger, Michael Sperling, Frank Matecka
  • Publication number: 20050006529
    Abstract: An aircraft engine nacelle comprises: (a) an inlet lip and a skin having internal and external surfaces; (b) a noise abatement structure such as an acoustic panel located on the internal surface of the nacelle skin; and (c) an electrically powered de-icing system located on the external surface of the nacelle skin and in electrical connection to a power source. A method for de-icing and abating noise from an aircraft nacelle comprises: (a) providing a noise abatement structure such as an acoustic panel located on the internal surface of the nacelle skin; (b) providing an electrically powered de-icing system on the external surface of the nacelle skin; and (c) applying an electric current to the electrically powered de-icing system. The nacelle skin may be a perforated skin, and the de-icing system comprises a wire mesh bonded to the external surface of the perforated skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Jeffrey Moe, John Wunsch, Michael Sperling
  • Patent number: 6548455
    Abstract: The invention relates to a chain lubricant for conveyor and transport systems which is comprised of water, surfactants, disinfecting agents as well as conventional auxiliary agents and additives. According to the invention, an anionic surfactant is used as the surfactant and chlorine dioxide is used as the disinfecting agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Bactria Industriehygiene-Service GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Sperling, Guenter Stroh, Heinrich Hix, Juergen Gutknecht