Patents Assigned to Broadcom Corporation
  • Patent number: 7667710
    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 chip includes a display engine that processes graphics images organized as windows. The system includes plurality of line buffers for receiving the graphics contents. The graphics contents are composited into each of the plurality of line buffers by blending the graphics contents with the existing contents of the line buffer until all of the graphics surfaces for the line have been composited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Xiaodong Xie, James T. Patterson, Greg A. Kranawetter
  • Patent number: 7667715
    Abstract: A video, audio and graphics system uses multiple transport processors to receive in-band and out-of-band MPEG Transport streams, to perform PID and section filtering as well as DVB and DES decryption and to de-multiplex them. The system processes the PES into digital audio, MPEG video and message data. The system is capable of decoding multiple MPEG SLICEs concurrently. Graphics windows are blended in parallel, and blended with video using alpha blending. During graphics processing, a single-port SRAM is used equivalently as a dual-port SRAM. The video may include both analog video, e.g., NTSC/PAL/SECAM/S-video, and digital video, e.g., MPEG-2 video in SDTV or HDTV format. The system has a reduced memory mode in which video images are reduced in half in horizontal direction only during decoding. The system is capable of receiving and processing digital audio signals such as MPEG Layer 1 and Layer 2 audio and Dolby AC-3 audio, as well as PCM audio signals. The system includes a memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Xiaodong Xie, Greg A. Kranawetter, Vivian Hsiun, Francis Cheung, Sandeep Bhatia, Ramanujan Valmiki, Sathish Kumar
  • Patent number: 7668200
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling transmission latency in a communications system, wherein the communications system is subject to a noise signal having at least a first noise phase and a second noise phase. The method includes determining a first bit rate for symbols transmitted during the first noise phase, and a second bit rate for symbols transmitted during the second noise phase, the first bit rate and the second bit rate being constrained such that a transmission latency does not exceed a pre-determined maximum allowed transmission latency; and transmitting symbols at the first bit rate during the first noise phase and at the second bit rate during the second noise phase. In other variants, the invention provides an apparatus, a constrained rate receiver, a transmitter and a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Greenfield, Miguel Peeters
  • Patent number: 7668528
    Abstract: A low power integrated circuit (IC) includes a power supply module, first circuitry, and second circuitry. The power supply module is coupled to receive a power source signal from a source external to the low power IC, derive an electromagnetic signal from the power source signal, and convert the electromagnetic signal into a supply voltage. The first circuitry is coupled to produce a first resultant from a first stimulus, wherein the first circuitry is powered via the supply voltage. The second circuitry is coupled to produce a second resultant from a second stimulus, wherein the second circuitry via powered by the supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 7668521
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for an RF front-end calibration scheme using signals from a fractional-N frequency synthesized and received signal strength indicator (RSSI) are provided. A frequency synthesizer within a wireless receiver may generate a signal for dynamically modifying a gain in an integrated low-noise amplifier (LNA) for each selected receiver channel. The frequency-synthesized signals may be applied to at least one tunable load communicatively coupled to the LNA. The tunable load may be an input load or an output load. The signal generated by the frequency synthesizer may be sequentially applied to the input load and the output load. A logarithmic amplifier may generate an RSSI signal from the LNA output during the calibration process. The RSSI signal may be utilized for controlling a tunable load coupled to the LNA and optimize the tuning of the LNA in a desired channel by adjusting the tunable load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Konstantinos D. Vavelidis, Charalampos P. Kapnistis, Iason F. Vassiliou
  • Patent number: 7668124
    Abstract: Position based WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) management. Based on either the relative position or the specific location of devices within a WPAN, communication between the various devices is managed by grouping the devices into two or more groups. In addition, the communication between theses various devices may be governed by profiles assigned to the groups (or even the actual individual devices) that are assigned based on their locations within the WPAN. The relative locations of the devices may be made using ranging that is performed by transmitting UWB (Ultra Wide Band) pulses between the various devices within the WPAN. Alternatively, each device may include GPS (Global Positioning System) functionality and information corresponding to the specific locations of the devices may be communicated between the devices, and that information may be used to group devices user and/or assign profiles to govern the communication to and from the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Jeyhan Karaoguz
  • Patent number: 7668086
    Abstract: In a network having a first node and a second node, a method of verifying a lane routing between the first node and the second node. The first node and the second node operate according to a protocol in which: (1) a character is converted to code groups, (2) each code group has a corresponding lane, and (3) the code groups are communicated across the lanes in a parallel manner. A first set of code groups is transmitted from the first node. Preferably, the first set of code groups is different from a set of code groups predefined by the protocol. A second set of code groups is received at the second node. The second set of code groups corresponds to the first set of code groups. A determination is made whether the second set of code groups matches the first set of code groups. An identity of the first set of code groups can be preprogrammed within the second node. Preferably, the first set of code groups has a different code group in each lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice Caldwell, Howard Baumer
  • Patent number: 7668514
    Abstract: An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor comprises a receiver front end that further includes a plurality of in-phase and quadrature phase receive processing block operable at first and second frequency bands wherein each of the receive processing blocks defines an ingoing signal path and further includes a plurality of filtering and amplification blocks disposed within the corresponding ingoing signal path, a plurality of RSSI blocks coupled to receive an ingoing analog signal from a corresponding plurality of nodes disposed throughout the ingoing signal path, each of the plurality of received signal strength indicator blocks producing a signal strength indication, and wherein a baseband processor is operable to receive a selected signal strength indication and to produce at least one gain setting to at least one amplification block within the in-phase or quadrature phase receive processing blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Adedayo Ojo, Arya Reza Behzad
  • Patent number: 7667517
    Abstract: A system and method that use a first clock to digitally generate a second clock, wherein the ratio of the frequency of the first clock to the frequency of the second clock is a non-integer. Circuitry may be used to ensure that the first clock, or input clock, has a frequency at least equal to the highest of the desired output frequencies. The input clock may be used to generate several output clocks with different frequencies. If one of the output clocks has the same frequency as the input clock, the circuitry can be bypassed. The different clocks may be used to drive parts of a system, each of which may require a different frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: John Iler
  • Patent number: 7668516
    Abstract: A power amplifier circuit including a first transistor, a second transistor, and a power control circuit. The first transistor includes a first input and a first output. The second transistor includes a second input coupled in series with the first output of the first transistor. The input circuit is coupled to the second input of the second transistor. The control circuit includes a time delay circuit and a variable source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Chris Nilson
  • Publication number: 20100042780
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the invention a multi-mode memory device is provided. The memory device includes at least one content-addressable memory (CAM). The memory device further includes a first match-in bus for receiving input into a first CAM of the at least one CAM, wherein the status of the match-in bus determines a operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the first CAM, and a match-out bus for enabling the first CAM to be coupled to another CAM module and comprises match lines of a memory portion of the first CAM, wherein if the match-in bus is disabled, first CAM is in a first mode, and if the match-in bus is enabled, the first CAM is in a second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Michael H. Lau
  • Publication number: 20100039975
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless systems, and also relating to power control techniques for wireless devices. One disclosed embodiment comprises a wireless receiver that includes a processing circuit. In one example embodiment, at least a portion of the processing circuit may process only a portion of an ID packet. The portion of the ID packet that is received and processed may be less than a full ID packet, which may provide power savings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Steven D. Hall
  • Publication number: 20100040051
    Abstract: A serial packet sync encoder is used to encode a serial packet sync datastream. In an embodiment, the serial packet sync datastream is made up of the packet sync vector and a unique preamble bit sequence that is preselected. In another embodiment, the serial packet sync datastream is made up of a non-unique bit sequence. A serial packet sync transmitter is used to transmit the serial packet sync datastream. A serial packet sync receiver is provided for receiving the serial packet sync datastream. In an embodiment, the serial packet sync transmitter and the serial packet sync receiver are shift registers. In this way, the serial packet sync datastream can be transmitted and received using only a single pin. The serial packet sync datastream is useful for providing an indication that an event, such as a grant arrival, has occurred. A preamble comparator is provided to compare the received serial packet sync datastream and the preselected preamble to determine if the two match.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. LEE
  • Publication number: 20100040060
    Abstract: According to one general aspect, an apparatus may include a plurality of ports, a port forwarding processor, and a queue controller. In some embodiments, the plurality of ports may be configured to receive and forward packets within a communications network. In various embodiments, the port forwarding processor may be configured to determine a destination port associated with a received packet. In one embodiment, the queue controller may be configured to define at least one emulated local area network (ELAN) via a respective service member set that identifies which ports are members of the service member set, determine whether or not the destination port is a permitted member of the service member set, and, if the destination port associated with the received packet is not a permitted member of the service member set, flood the received packet to the permitted members of the service member set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Maurice Gleeson
  • Patent number: 7664036
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dynamic real-time quality management of packetized communications in a network environment. Packetized communications are monitored by and exchanged between wireless Access Points (APs) and wireless terminals or by quality monitoring modules located within network segments or at network vertices. The processing unit analyzes the packetized communications to identify communication signatures associated with the packetized communications. The processor then uses these signatures to identify network impediments to the exchange of the packetized communications. These impediments may take the form of coding problems in which case an appropriate coding scheme is employed by the programmable COder/DECoder (CODEC) to convert incoming packetized communications to incoming user communications, and outgoing user communications to outgoing packetized communications. These impediments may also take the form of communication problems along and between the various network segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Bye
  • Patent number: 7664142
    Abstract: A system for transmitting subchannel data over the same media as high speed data, especially DC balanced high speed data. A digital transmitter receives subchannel data and modulates it onto a subchannel carrier as the host signal in the preferred embodiment using frequency shift keying. The FSK subchannel carrier is added by superposition to the high speed data signal. Because of the ability to have very narrow bandwidths for the passbands of digital IF filters, the receiver is more sensitive and less susceptible to the need for tuning to accommodate manufacturing variations in the rise times of the high speed data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Karl Feldman, Farivar Farzaneh, Michael Timothy Kauffman
  • Patent number: 7664134
    Abstract: In a network having nodes that operate according to a protocol that defines a node as being in an idle mode when the node is not transmitting or receiving a packet, a method of communicating between nodes during the idle mode. A message formatted according to the protocol is generated. The message is different from messages predefined by the protocol for transmission during the idle mode. For example, the message can comprise a first portion that reports a link status condition. The message can further comprise a second portion that reports a cause of the link status condition. The message is transmitted from a first node of the network when the first node is in the idle mode. The message is received at a second node of the network when the second node is in the idle mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice Caldwell, Howard Baumer
  • Patent number: 7663235
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a semiconductor die includes at least one pad ring situated on an active surface of the semiconductor die, where the at least one pad ring includes a number of pads. The semiconductor die further includes a number of bumps including at least one shared bump. The at least one shared bump is shared by at least two pads, thereby causing the number of bumps to be fewer than the number of pads. The at least two pads can be at least two ground pads, at least two power pads, or at least two reference voltage pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Fang Lu, Ali Salem
  • Patent number: 7664200
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for minimizing effects of transmitter impairments in multiple input multiple output (MIMO) beamforming communication systems are presented. In one aspect of a system for minimizing effects of transmitter impairments, a MIMO transmitter may enable nulling of transmitter-induced noise by adjusting at least a portion of a plurality of signals transmitted based on a transmitter error vector magnitude (EVM). The transmitter may enable transmission of the plurality of signals subsequent to the nulling. In another aspect of a system for minimizing effects of transmitter impairments a MIMO receiver may enable nulling of transmitter-induced noise contained in a plurality of received signals based on a transmitter EVM. Each of the plurality of received signals may include information contained in a plurality of spatial streams. The receiver may enable detecting estimated values for the information contained in the plurality of spatial streams based on the nulling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Sirikiat Lek Ariyavisitakul, Eric Ojard, Joonsuk Kim
  • Patent number: 7664461
    Abstract: A highly integrated and low-cost reader for a radio frequency identification (RFID) system is realized by providing a transmitter operable to generate an outbound radio frequency (RF) signal and a receiver operable to receive an inbound RF signal having a frequency similar to a frequency of the outbound RF signal on a single integrated circuit. Since the inbound RF signal may include not only a modulated RF signal produced by an RFID tag responsive to the outbound RF signal, but also a blocking signal corresponding to the outbound RF signal, the receiver additionally includes a block cancellation module operable to substantially cancel the blocking signal from the inbound RF signal using the outbound RF signal and to substantially pass the modulated RF signal before down-conversion of the modulated RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran, Kambiz Shoarinejad