Patents by Inventor Paul D. Bassett

Paul D. Bassett 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: 9785601
    Abstract: A device includes a first driver circuit coupled to a first bus line, where the first driver circuit includes a first delay element. The first delay element is configured to receive a first input signal and generate a first output signal. The first output signal transitions logic levels after a first delay period when the first input signal transitions from a logic high level to a logic low level. The first output signal transitions logic levels after a second delay period when the first input signal transitions from the logic low level to the logic high level. The first delay element includes a sense amplifier. The first driver circuit is configured to transmit the first output signal over the first bus line. The device also includes a second driver circuit configured to transmit a second output signal over a second bus line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Baker S. Mohammad, Paul D. Bassett, Martin Saint-Laurent
  • Publication number: 20160162432
    Abstract: A device includes a first driver circuit coupled to a first bus line, where the first driver circuit includes a first delay element. The first delay element is configured to receive a first input signal and generate a first output signal. The first output signal transitions logic levels after a first delay period when the first input signal transitions from a logic high level to a logic low level. The first output signal transitions logic levels after a second delay period when the first input signal transitions from the logic low level to the logic high level. The first delay element includes a sense amplifier. The first driver circuit is configured to transmit the first output signal over the first bus line. The device also includes a second driver circuit configured to transmit a second output signal over a second bus line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Baker S. Mohammad, Paul D. Bassett, Martin Saint-Laurent
  • Patent number: 9142268
    Abstract: Dual-voltage domain memory buffers, and related systems and methods are disclosed. To reduce area needed for voltage level shifters for voltage level shifting, latch banks are provided in a voltage domain of memory buffer read circuitry, separate from the voltage domain of a write data input to the latch banks. A write data input voltage level shifter is disposed between the write data input and the latch banks to voltage level shift write data on the write data input to the voltage domain of the latch banks. In this manner, voltage level shifters are not required to voltage level shill the latch bank outputs, because the latch banks are in the voltage domain of the memory buffer read circuitry. In this manner, semiconductor area that would otherwise be needed for the voltage level shifters to voltage level shift latch bank outputs is not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jentsung Lin, Paul D. Bassett, Manojkumar Pyla, Robert A. Lester, Christopher E. Koob
  • Patent number: 9124276
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a sense amplifier that has a sense amplifier differential output. The sense amplifier may be in a first power domain. The apparatus may include level shifting circuitry that has a level shifter differential output. The level shifting circuitry may be coupled to the sense amplifier differential output. The level shifting circuitry may include a first transistor and a second transistor. A first sense amplifier output of the sense amplifier differential output may be coupled to the first transistor, and a second sense amplifier output of the sense amplifier differential output may be coupled to the second transistor. The apparatus may further include a latch to store data. The latch may be coupled to the level shifter differential output. The latch is in a second power domain that is different from the first power domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jentsung Lin, Paul D. Bassett
  • Patent number: 8984217
    Abstract: A system is disclosed that includes a content addressable memory and an input register coupled to the content addressable memory. The input register can store a data word and the content addressable memory determines if the data word exists in the content addressable memory. The system also includes a power control circuit coupled to the content addressable memory for selectively providing power to at least a portion of the content addressable memory. The system includes power control logic coupled to the power control circuit to selectively reduce power to the at least a portion of the content addressable memory when valid data does not exist in the at least a portion of the content addressable memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jian Shen, Dang D. Hoang, Paul D. Bassett
  • Patent number: 8884637
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving a testing activation signal at a controller coupled to a semiconductor device. The method further includes biasing a well of at least one transistor of the semiconductor device in response to the received testing activation signal. The bias is provided by a biasing circuit that is responsive to the controller. While the well is biased, a test of the semiconductor device is performed to generate testing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Baker S. Mohammad, Hong S. Kim, Paul D. Bassett
  • Publication number: 20140176221
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a sense amplifier that has a sense amplifier differential output. The sense amplifier may be in a first power domain. The apparatus may include level shifting circuitry that has a level shifter differential output. The level shifting circuitry may be coupled to the sense amplifier differential output. The level shifting circuitry may include a first transistor and a second transistor. A first sense amplifier output of the sense amplifier differential output may be coupled to the first transistor, and a second sense amplifier output of the sense amplifier differential output may be coupled to the second transistor. The apparatus may further include a latch to store data. The latch may be coupled to the level shifter differential output. The latch is in a second power domain that is different from the first power domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jentsung Lin, Paul D. Bassett
  • Publication number: 20140068225
    Abstract: A particular method includes receiving at least one translation lookaside buffer (TLB) configuration indicator. The at least one TLB configuration indicator indicates a specific number of entries to be enabled at a TLB. The method further includes modifying a number of searchable entries of the TLB in response to the at least one TLB configuration indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Erich James Plondke, Ajay Anant Ingle, Lucian Codrescu, Paul D. Bassett
  • Publication number: 20130257466
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving a testing activation signal at a controller coupled to a semiconductor device. The method further includes biasing a well of at least one transistor of the semiconductor device in response to the received testing activation signal. The bias is provided by a biasing circuit that is responsive to the controller. While the well is biased, a test of the semiconductor device is performed to generate testing data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Baker S. Mohammad, Hong S. Kim, Paul D. Bassett
  • Publication number: 20130076424
    Abstract: A device includes a plurality of driver circuits coupled to a plurality of bus lines. A first driver circuit of the plurality of driver circuits is coupled to a first bus line of the plurality of bus lines. The first driver circuit includes one of a skewed inverter, a level shifter, a latch, and a sense amplifier configured to produce an output signal that transitions after a first delay in response to a first digital value transition of an input signal from high to low and transitions after a second delay in response to a second digital value transition of the input signal from low to high. The first delay is different from the second delay by an amount sufficient to reduce power related to transmission of signals over the first bus line and over a second bus line in close physical proximity to the first bus line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Baker S. Mohammad, Paul D. Bassett, Martin Saint-Laurent
  • Publication number: 20120054426
    Abstract: A system is disclosed that includes a content addressable memory and an input register coupled to the content addressable memory. The input register can store a data word and the content addressable memory determines if the data word exists in the content addressable memory. The system also includes a power control circuit coupled to the content addressable memory for selectively providing power to at least a portion of the content addressable memory. The system includes power control logic coupled to the power control circuit to selectively reduce power to the at least a portion of the content addressable memory when valid data does not exist in the at least a portion of the content addressable memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jian Shen, Dang D. Hoang, Paul D. Bassett
  • Publication number: 20110215827
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving a testing activation signal at a controller coupled to a semiconductor device. The method further includes biasing a well of at least one transistor of the semiconductor device in response to the received testing activation signal. The bias is provided by a biasing circuit that is responsive to the controller. While the well is biased, a test of the semiconductor device is performed to generate testing data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Baker S. Mohammad, Hong S. Kim, Paul D. Bassett