Abstract: A method and apparatus for fast PLL initialization have been disclosed where control of a VCO is based on a selected control signal which is based upon either a comparison signal or a prespecified signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ground bounce and power supply bounce detection in devices have been disclosed. In one case one input to a differential amplifier is coupled to a reference voltage and another input to the differential amplifier is coupled to a measurement point and the output of the differential amplifier is coupled to a flip flop. The flip flop has an output indicating when a bounce threshold is exceeded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting PLL and/or DLL timing offsets have been disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cross-point detection in devices have been disclosed where each leg of a differential signal is compared to a reference voltage and time lags for each are noted in crossing the reference voltage and this information is used to identify characteristics of the differential signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ground bounce and power supply bounce detection in devices have been disclosed. In one case one input to a differential amplifier is coupled to a reference voltage and another input to the differential amplifier is coupled to a measurement point and the output of the differential amplifier is coupled through a diode to a sample and hold circuit which is coupled to an analog to digital converter.

Abstract: A system and method for using a doorbell command to allow sRIO devices to operate as bus masters to retrieve data packets stored in a serial buffer, without requiring the SRIO devices to specify the sizes of the data packets. The serial buffer includes a plurality of queues that store data packets. A doorbell frame request packet identifies the queue to be accessed within the serial buffer, but does not specify the size of the data packet(s) to be retrieved. Upon detecting a doorbell frame request packet, the serial buffer operates as a bus master to transfer the requested data packets out of the selected queue. The selected queue can be configured to operate in a flush mode or a non-flush mode. The serial buffer may also indicate that a received doorbell frame request has attempted to access an empty queue.

Abstract: A serial buffer is provided having a parallel port configured to couple the serial buffer to a first system via a parallel interface protocol. The serial buffer also includes a serial port configured to couple the serial buffer to a second system via a serial interface protocol and control logic that enables data to be transferred between the parallel port and the serial port in an efficient manner. In one embodiment, the parallel interface protocol is substantially identical to a quad-data rate burst of two (QDRII-B2) interface protocol.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for parameter monitoring, adjustment, testing, and/or configuration of devices have been disclosed.

Abstract: A random access memory architecture and method of handling data packets is described. According to embodiments of the invention, an apparatus includes a first processing unit for receiving serial data input, a switch, and a plurality of serially connected random access memory devices. The random access memory devices transmit data packets and commands via write input ports, write output ports, read input ports, and read output ports. A method for routing data includes receiving serial data input in a first processing unit, generating a data packet based on the serial data input, transmitting the data packet to a first random access memory device via a write input port, decoding the data packet, determining whether to perform a command in the first random access memory device based on information in the data packet, and transmitting the data packet to a second random access memory device.

Abstract: A synchronous memory circuit is capable of double data transfer rate per clock cycle, 100% bus utilization (i.e., no idle clock cycles in bus turn arounds), and has only one clock cycle of latency in each of read and write burst operations.

Abstract: A random access memory architecture and method of handling data packets is described. According to embodiments of the invention, an apparatus includes a first processing unit for receiving serial data input, a switch, and a plurality of serially connected random access memory devices. The random access memory devices transmit data packets and commands via write input ports, write output ports, read input ports, and read output ports. A method for routing data includes receiving serial data input in a first processing unit, generating a data packet based on the serial data input, transmitting the data packet to a first random access memory device via a write input port, decoding the data packet, determining whether to perform a command in the first random access memory device based on information in the data packet, and transmitting the data packet to a second random access memory device.

Abstract: A random access memory architecture and method of handling data packets is described. According to embodiments of the invention, an apparatus includes a first processing unit for receiving serial data input, a switch, and a plurality of serially connected random access memory devices. The random access memory devices transmit data packets and commands via write input ports, write output ports, read input ports, and read output ports. A method for routing data includes receiving serial data input in a first processing unit, generating a data packet based on the serial data input, transmitting the data packet to a first random access memory device via a write input port, decoding the data packet, determining whether to perform a command in the first random access memory device based on information in the data packet, and transmitting the data packet to a second random access memory device.

Abstract: A synchronous memory circuit is capable of double data transfer rate per clock cycle, 100% bus utilization (i.e., no idle clock cycles in bus turn arounds), and has only one clock cycle of latency in each of read and write burst operations.

Abstract: A quad data rate RAM (100) in accordance with the invention is a burst synchronous RAM with separate data buses (Data-In, Data-Out) for read and write data. Data can be transferred on both buses and on both the rising and the falling edge of the clock (CLK). Operating at the maximum throughput, four data items are transferred per clock cycle. In one embodiment, data is written to or read from the RAM in bursts of four data items. The RAM includes four independent internal RAM blocks (44-47). in a write burst, (i) a write address, (ii) control signal(s), and (iii) four write data items are sequentially presented to the respective four internal RAM blocks at the respective four clock edges of two consecutive clock cycles. A read burst is carried out similar to a write burst except that there is a one clock cycle latency between the four read data items and the burst address.