Patents by Inventor Stephen G. Tell

Stephen G. Tell 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: 20150362967
    Abstract: Described are a system and method to control interface timing and/or voltage operations of signals transmitted between devices. A processor may be coupled through one or more bus interfaces of a bus to one or more corresponding interface timing and/or voltage comparison circuits and corresponding interface timing and/or voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 9164134
    Abstract: A method and a system are provided for clock phase detection. A set of delayed versions of a first clock signal is generated. The set of delayed versions of the first clock is used to sample a second clock signal, producing a sequence of samples in a domain corresponding to the first clock signal. At least one edge indication is located within the sequence of samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Dally, Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 9117031
    Abstract: Described are a system and method to control interface timing and/or voltage operations of signals transmitted between devices. A processor may be coupled through one or more bus interfaces of a bus to one or more corresponding interface timing and/or voltage comparison circuits and corresponding interface timing and/or voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 9100094
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for tuning a serial link. The method includes receiving, by a receiver circuit, an offset correction pattern transmitted over a serial link and sampling the received offset correction pattern based on an offset correction parameter to generate a sampled signal. A distribution of the sampled signal is computed and the offset correction parameter is set based on the distribution. The system includes a receiver circuit that is coupled to the serial link and an offset correction unit that is coupled to the receiver circuit. The receiver circuit is configured to receive the offset correction pattern and sample the received offset correction pattern based on the offset correction parameter to generate the sampled signal. The offset correction unit is configured to compute the distribution of the sampled signal and set the offset correction parameter based on the distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen G. Tell, John W. Poulton
  • Patent number: 8964919
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a clock domain. In one embodiment, a phase estimate of a first clock domain is calculated based on a relative frequency estimate between a second clock domain and the first clock domain and, based on the phase estimate, a first time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by the second clock domain is determined to generate a first sampled signal in the second clock domain. Additionally, an updated phase estimate is calculated, and, based on the updated phase estimate, a second time during which the signal from the first clock domain is changing such that the signal is not capable of being safely sampled by the second clock domain is determined. During the second time the first sampled signal in the second clock domain is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 8879681
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a dock domain. In one embodiment, a frequency estimate of a first clock domain is calculated utilizing a frequency estimator. Additionally, a time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging is determined such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by a second clock domain, using the frequency estimate. In another embodiment, a frequency estimate of a first dock domain is calculated utilizing a frequency estimator. Further, a phase estimate of the first clock domain is calculated based on the frequency estimate, utilizing a phase estimator. Moreover, a time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging is determined such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by a second clock domain, using the phase estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Dally, Stephen G. Tell
  • Publication number: 20140325252
    Abstract: Described are a system and method to control interface timing and/or voltage operations of signals transmitted between devices. A processor may be coupled through one or more bus interfaces of a bus to one or more corresponding interface timing and/or voltage comparison circuits and corresponding interface timing and/or voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Publication number: 20140321579
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for tuning a serial link. The method includes receiving, by a receiver circuit, an offset correction pattern transmitted over a serial link and sampling the received offset correction pattern based on an offset correction parameter to generate a sampled signal. A distribution of the sampled signal is computed and the offset correction parameter is set based on the distribution. The system includes a receiver circuit that is coupled to the serial link and an offset correction unit that is coupled to the receiver circuit. The receiver circuit is configured to receive the offset correction pattern and sample the received offset correction pattern based on the offset correction parameter to generate the sampled signal. The offset correction unit is configured to compute the distribution of the sampled signal and set the offset correction parameter based on the distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen G. Tell, John W. Poulton
  • Patent number: 8782578
    Abstract: Described are a system and method to control interface timing and/or voltage operations of signals transmitted between devices. A processor may be coupled through one or more bus interfaces of a bus to one or more corresponding interface timing and/or voltage comparison circuits and corresponding interface timing and/or voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 8760204
    Abstract: A method and a system are provided for variation-tolerant synchronization. A phase value representing a phase of a second clock signal relative to a first clock signal and a period value representing a relative period between the second clock signal and the first clock signal are received. An extrapolated phase value of the second clock signal relative to the first clock signal corresponding to a next transition of the first clock signal is computed based on the phase value and the period value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Dally, Stephen G. Tell
  • Publication number: 20140149780
    Abstract: A method and a system are provided for speculative periodic synchronization. A phase value representing a measured phase of the second clock signal relative to the first clock signal measured at least one cycle earlier is received. A period value representing a period of the second clock signal relative to the first clock signal measured at least one cycle earlier is also received. A reduced timing margin is determined based on the phase value and the period value. A speculatively synchronized output signal is generated based on the reduced timing margin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: William J. Dally, Stephen G. Tell
  • Publication number: 20140139275
    Abstract: A method and a system are provided for variation-tolerant synchronization. A phase value representing a phase of a second clock signal relative to a first clock signal and a period value representing a relative period between the second clock signal and the first clock signal are received. An extrapolated phase value of the second clock signal relative to the first clock signal corresponding to a next transition of the first clock signal is computed based on the phase value and the period value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: William J. Dally, Stephen G. Tell
  • Publication number: 20140132245
    Abstract: A method and a system are provided for clock phase detection. A set of delayed versions of a first clock signal is generated. The set of delayed versions of the first clock is used to sample a second clock signal, producing a sequence of samples in a domain corresponding to the first clock signal. At least one edge indication is located within the sequence of samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: William J. Dally, Stephen G. Tell
  • Publication number: 20130346663
    Abstract: Described are a system and method to control interface timing and/or voltage operations of signals transmitted between devices. A processor may be coupled through one or more bus interfaces of a bus to one or more corresponding interface timing and/or voltage comparison circuits and corresponding interface timing and/or voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 8428207
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a clock domain. In one embodiment, a frequency estimate of a first clock domain is calculated utilizing a frequency estimator. Additionally, a time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging is determined such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by a second clock domain, using the frequency estimate. In another embodiment, a frequency estimate of a first clock domain is calculated utilizing a frequency estimator. Further, a phase estimate of the first clock domain is calculated based on the frequency estimate, utilizing a phase estimator. Moreover, a time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging is determined such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by a second clock domain, using the phase estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: William Dally, Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 8365119
    Abstract: Described are a system and method to control interface timing and/or voltage operations of signals transmitted between devices. A processor may be coupled through one or more bus interfaces of a bus to one or more corresponding interface timing and/or voltage comparison circuits and corresponding interface timing and/or voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 7817767
    Abstract: A processor-controlled clock-data recovery (CDR) system. Phase error signals having either a first state or a second state are generated within the CDR system according to whether a first clock signal leads or lags transitions of a data signal. A difference value is generated based on the phase error signals, the difference value indicating a difference between the number of the phase error signals having the first state and a number of the phase error signals having the second state. The difference value is transferred to a processor which is programmed to determine whether the difference value exceeds a first threshold and, if so, to adjust the phase of the first clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen G. Tell, Thomas H. Greer, III
  • Publication number: 20100205343
    Abstract: Described are a system and method to control interface timing and/or voltage operations of signals transmitted between devices. A processor may be coupled through one or more bus interfaces of a bus to one or more corresponding interface timing and/or voltage comparison circuits and corresponding interface timing and/or voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Rambus, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 7735037
    Abstract: Described are a system and method to control interface timing and/or voltage operations of signals transmitted between devices. A processor may be coupled through one or more bus interfaces of a bus to one or more corresponding interface timing and/or voltage comparison circuits and corresponding interface timing and/or voltage adjustment circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Rambus, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen G. Tell
  • Patent number: 7664166
    Abstract: A pleisiochronous repeater system and components thereof are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, a pleisiochronous repeater system component may be realized as a receiver circuit comprising a clock multiplier that multiplies a reference clock signal by an integer multiple to generate a data clock signal. The receiver circuit may also comprise a divider circuit that generates a timing reference signal having a frequency that is not an integer divisor of a frequency of the reference clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Palmer, Thomas H. Greer, III, Stephen G. Tell