Patents Assigned to Broadcom Corporation
  • Patent number: 7752472
    Abstract: A Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) communication system dynamically provides power and data communications over a communications link. In a computing environment made up of one or more personal computing devices (PCD) and/or one or more powered devices (PD), power source equipment (PSE) determines an allocated amount of power to be supplied to each device. The personal computing devices include a unified LAN-On-Motherboard (LOM) that combines the functionality of a powered device (PD) controller of a conventional PD and a LOM of a conventional personal computing device into a single unified subsystem. The unified LOM includes a standard or universal interface between the LOM and PD controller so that different types of PD devices with differing functionality can be easily married to the LOM, without requiring significant hardware or software redesign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wael William Diab, Simon Assouad
  • Patent number: 7750500
    Abstract: An integrated circuit comprising multiple independent power supply zones at substantially the same voltage level and a method for utilizing such power supply zones. An integrated circuit may comprise a first module and may, for example, comprise a second module. A first power supply bus may communicate first electrical power to the first module, where the first electrical power is characterized by a first set of power characteristics comprising a first voltage level. A second power supply bus may communicate second power to the second module, where the second power is characterized by a second set of power characteristics comprising a second voltage level that is substantially similar to the first voltage level. The second set of power characteristics may, for example, be substantially different than the first set of power characteristics. The second power supply bus may also, for example, communicate the second electrical power to the first module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Sumant Ranganathan, Pieter Vorenkamp, Neil Y. Kim, Chun-ying Chen
  • Patent number: 7751516
    Abstract: Inter-device adaptable interfacing clock skewing. The invention is operable in either one of both of a transmit mode and a receive mode to perform skewing of a transmitted and/or a received signal. The operational parameters including frequency and phase may be determined during auto detect/auto negotiation, they may be programmed externally, or they may be user selected in various embodiments. A device may include a clock generator, one or more divider, and one or more delay cells internally to the device. If desired, a high frequency clock is generated within the device and then divided down to generate the appropriate clock signal that supports the communication and interaction between multiple devices. Registers and/or pins may be used to select the clock frequency and phase of output clock signals. The present invention supports multiple Ethernet protocols between multiple devices including 10BaseT, 100BaseT, and 1000BaseT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew J. Castellano, Pieter Vorenkamp, Chun-Ying Chen
  • Patent number: 7752281
    Abstract: A system for managing data in multiple data processing devices using common data paths. Embodiments of the invention comprise a first data processing system comprising a cacheable coherent memory space; and a second data processing system communicatively coupled to the first data processing system with the second data processing system comprising at least one bridge, wherein the bridge is operable to perform an uncacheable remote access to the cacheable coherent memory space of the first data processing system. In some embodiments, the access performed by the bridge comprises a data write to the memory of the first data processing system for incorporation into the cacheable coherent memory space of the first data system. In other embodiments, the access performed by the bridge comprises a data read from the cacheable coherent memory space of the first data system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph B. Rowlands
  • Patent number: 7750692
    Abstract: Digital divider for low voltage LOGEN. LOGEN is a local oscillator generator. One implementation presented herein provides for a pseudo-complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), in that, it is not a true CMOS type circuitry that has no DC current dissipation, but nevertheless does operate well at relatively high frequencies and relatively low power supply voltage levels. Appropriately placed p-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (P-MOSFETs) and n-channel MOSFETs (e.g., N-MOSFETs) are employed to provide for an all digital divider circuitry. In some embodiments, four active circuitry element levels are stacked between a power supply voltage and ground voltage level. In other embodiments, three active circuitry element levels are stacked between a power supply voltage and ground voltage level. The three active circuitry element levels embodiment provides for a greater area savings (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Behnam Mohammadi
  • Patent number: 7751137
    Abstract: A method leverages knowledge of the actual or ideal bit sequence to improve the performance of any sequence detector. This improved performance results by constraining the sequence detector when the sequence detector has knowledge of known patterns within the sample sequence. Embodiments may control or limit the effects of ISI on a readback signal in order to allow higher storage within physical media such as that of a HDD. This method involves reading an analog waveform from the physical media. The phase of this analog waveform is determined and it is sampled at regular intervals using a timing recovery scheme. This sample sequence is equalized (filtered) and sent to a sequence detector which will compare the received sequence to all possible transmitted sequences, generating a path through a trellis that represents the estimated sequence. That trellis path may pass through known states at certain times. This knowledge makes it possible to remove some of the paths under consideration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory L. Silvus
  • Publication number: 20100167683
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for local oscillator calibration compensates for filter passband variation in a mixer circuit, such as a receiver circuit. The receiver includes at least a mixer circuit and a filter coupled to the output of the mixer. During operation, the mixer mixes an RF input signal with a first local oscillator (LO) signal to frequency translate a selected channel in the RF input signal into the passband of the filter. During a calibration mode, the RF input signal is disabled, and the first LO signal is injected into the filter input by leaking the first LO signal through the mixer circuit. The frequency of the LO signal is then swept over a frequency bandwidth that is sufficiently wide so that the actual passband is detected by measuring the signal amplitude at the output of the bandpass filter, thereby determining any variation in the passband of the filter from the expected passband.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Donald G. McMullin, Ramon A. Gomez, Lawrence M. Burns, Myles Wakayama
  • Publication number: 20100166023
    Abstract: An IP network includes a central entity and at least one customer premises equipment (CPE) device. The central entity generates a program clock reference (PCR) clock and provides audio-visual packets to a CPE based on the PCR clock. The CPE sets a first clock based on the PCR clock for decoding operations. The CPE sets a second clock that is independent from the first clock for audio and video output operations. For example, the CPE can process the audio-visual packets using the second clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Fisher, Brian Schoner, Rajesh S. Mamidwar
  • Patent number: 7747811
    Abstract: A disk formatter includes an address module for creating disk block address data corresponding to a disk sector of a disk drive. A sector write module initiates a physical mode write operation to the disk sector that incorporates the corresponding disk block address data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Bob R. Southerland, John Mead, Kevin W. McGinnis
  • Patent number: 7746867
    Abstract: Systems and methods that provide fault tolerant transmission control protocol (TCP) offloading are provided. In one example, a method that provides fault tolerant TCP offloading is provided. The method may include one or more of the following steps: receiving TCP segment via a TCP offload engine (TOE); calculating a TCP sequence number; writing a receive sequence record based upon at least the calculated TCP sequence number to a TCP sequence update queue in a host; and updating a first host variable with a value from the written receive sequence record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Kan Frankie Fan
  • Patent number: 7747234
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) transceiver integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of baseband Tx sections, a plurality of RF Tx sections, a plurality of RF Rx sections, and a plurality of baseband Rx sections. The RF transceiver IC further includes a static digital interface, a dynamic digital interface, and gain control, distribution, and buffering circuitry. Static digital interfaces are operable to receive static gain control commands from a coupled baseband processor. The dynamic digital interface is also operable to receive dynamic gain control commands from the coupled baseband processor. The gain control, distribution, and buffering circuitry is operable to apply the static gain control commands and dynamic gain control commands to at least some of the plurality of baseband Tx sections, the plurality of RF Tx sections, the plurality of RF Rx sections, and the plurality of baseband Rx sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Arya Reza Behzad
  • Patent number: 7746354
    Abstract: A graphics integrated circuit chip is used in a set-top box for controlling a television display. The graphics chip processes analog video input, digital video input, a graphics input and an audio input simultaneously. The system may use anti-aliased text and graphics to provide high quality display of graphical elements, or glyphs, which represent an image of a character of text or graphics, on television and other displays. The graphical elements may be superimposed over live video or arbitrary graphics imagery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Xiaodong Xie, James T. Patterson, Greg A. Kranawetter
  • Patent number: 7746124
    Abstract: A method of providing bias voltages for input output connections on low voltage integrated circuits. As integrated circuit voltages drop generally so does the external voltages that those circuits can handle. By placing input and output devices, in series, external voltages can be divided between the devices thereby reducing junction voltages seen by internal devices. By using external voltages as part of a biasing scheme for integrated circuit devices, stress created by the differential between external voltages and internal voltages can be minimized. Additionally device wells can be biased so that they are at a potential that is dependant on the external voltages seen by the low voltage integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Janardhanan S. Ajit
  • Patent number: 7746956
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for bandwidth calibration for a phase locked loop are presented. Aspects of the method may include generating one or more carrier signals based on one or more corresponding calibration signals. A pre-distortion function may be computed based on the generated one or more carrier signals for the phase locked loop circuit. An output radio frequency (RF) synthesized signal generated by the phase locked loop circuit may be modified based on the computed pre-distortion function and a subsequent output RF synthesized signal generated based on the modified output RF synthesized signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Sofoklis Plevridis
  • Patent number: 7747795
    Abstract: A media access controller to adapt a rate of an output signal to a rate of an output medium is provided. The media access controller includes a register configured to output data to an external device, said register comprising a first input configured to control an output of the register and a second input configured to control an input to said register. The media access controller also includes a receiver configured to accept a signal from an external clock over the output medium and to provide said external clock signal to said first input of said register. An internal clock in the media access controller is configured to provide an internal clock signal from said internal clock to said second input of said register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: David Wong
  • Patent number: 7746854
    Abstract: A method of filtering data packets in a network device is disclosed. An incoming packet is received from a port and the incoming packet is inspected and packet fields are extracted. The incoming packet is classified based on the extracted packet fields and action instructions are generated. The incoming packet is then modified based on the action instructions. Further, the inspection and extraction includes applying inspection mask windows to any portion of the incoming packet to extract programmable packet fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Shekhar Ambe, Shiri Kadambi, Sandeep Relan
  • Patent number: 7747843
    Abstract: A computer system with a processor architecture having more than one execution channel is described. The processor architecture contains at least one load/store unit for loading and storing data objects, and at least one data cache memory associated to the processor holding data objects accessed by the processor. The processor's load/store unit includes a load/store memory directly interfacing the load/store unit to the data cache.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Sophie Wilson, John E. Redford
  • Patent number: 7747847
    Abstract: Certain aspects of a method for iSCSI boot may include loading boot BIOS code from a host bus adapter or a network interface controller (NIC) by an iSCSI client device. A connection may be established to an iSCSI target by the iSCSI client device after loading the boot BIOS code. The boot BIOS code may be chained to at least one interrupt handler over iSCSI protocol. An operating system may be remotely booted from the iSCSI target by the iSCSI client device based on chaining the interrupt handler. An Internet protocol (IP) address and/or location of the iSCSI target may be received. At least one iSCSI connection may be initiated to the iSCSI target based on chaining at least one interrupt handler. The iSCSI target may be booted in real mode if at least one master boot record is located in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Uri El Zur, Kan Frankie Fan, Murali Rajagopal, Kevin Tran
  • Patent number: 7746046
    Abstract: A voltage regulator includes a first stage capable of receiving a reference voltage and capable of having a first current flowing through the first stage. A second stage is capable of having a second current flowing through the second stage. A third stage is capable of outputting an output voltage and capable of having a third current flowing through the second stage. The first, second and third currents are proportional to each other throughout a range of operation of the voltage regulator between substantially zero output current and maximum output current. The first stage drives the second stage as a low input impedance load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Chun-Ying Chen
  • Patent number: 7746408
    Abstract: Herein described is a system and method for improving the appearance of video by generating an improved 4:2:2 chroma. The system comprises a 4:2:2 to 4:2:0 chroma regenerator that regenerates 4:2:0 chroma given a received 4:2:2 chroma, and a 4:2:0 to 4:2:2 chroma generator that weaves and interpolates the regenerated 4:2:0 chroma to yield an adjusted 4:2:2 chroma. The system further comprises a blending system used for blending the adjusted 4:2:2 chroma with the received 4:2:2 chroma based on a control input provided by a motion indication signal. The method comprises regenerating a 4:2:0 chroma from a received 4:2:2 chroma using an algorithm. The method further comprises generating an adjusted 4:2:2 chroma using the regenerated 4:2:0 chroma using another algorithm. The method further comprises blending the adjusted 4:2:2 chroma with the received 4:2:2 chroma to generate an improved 4:2:2 chroma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Hayden Wyman, Darren D. Neuman, Brian F. Schoner