Patents Assigned to Broadcom Corporation
  • Patent number: 7112853
    Abstract: An ESD protection system providing extra headroom at an integrated circuit (IC) terminal pad. The system includes an ESD protection circuit having one or more first diodes coupled in series between the supply voltage and terminal pad, and a second diode coupled to ground. One or more third diodes are coupled in series between the terminal pad and second diode, and are configured to permit a voltage on the interconnection nodes between the one or more third diodes and second diode different from ground. The one or more third diodes include an n+ on an area of P-substrate. A deep N-well separates the area of P-substrate from a common area of P-substrate, which is coupled to ground. The allowable signal swing at the terminal pad is increased to greater than supply voltage plus 1.4 V. The ESD protection circuit is useful for, among other things, relatively low supply voltage ICs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Hung-Sung Li, Laurentiu Vasiliu
  • Patent number: 7112855
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a transistor driver circuit with a plurality of transistors, each having source and drain regions formed in a substrate. At least first and second interconnect layers are formed on top of the substrate. A first plurality of contacts connect the source regions to one of the first or second interconnect layers. A second plurality of contacts connect the drain regions to the other of the first or second interconnect layers. The first and second interconnect layers cover a region above the substrate area in which the plurality of transistors reside so as to achieve a low ohmic result. The second interconnect layer has openings therein for one of the respective first or second plurality of contacts to pass therethrough and couple to the at least one first interconnect layer. Either the first or second interconnect layers can function as an input or output for the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Victor Fong
  • Patent number: 7112998
    Abstract: A system and method for level shifting a core, lower voltage in a one-stage level shift device to produce a higher, driving voltage. The system includes a first device that optimally functions with a first voltage and that outputs the first voltage. The system also includes a one-stage level shift device that receives the first voltage and shifts the first voltage to a second voltage without an intermediate voltage, the second voltage being higher than the first voltage. The system also includes a second device that receives the second voltage to optimally function. In some cases, the first voltage can be a periodic wave such that the higher voltage is produced with one portion of the level shift device during a first portion of the wave and another portion of the level shift device during a second portion of the wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Janardhanan S. Ajit
  • Patent number: 7114024
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing defects in a memory, wherein the method includes the steps of testing a plurality of memory locations to determine an inoperable memory location and moving a memory address corresponding to the inoperable memory location to a first position in a list of available memory addresses. The method further includes the steps of incrementing an address pointer to a second position in the list of available addresses indicating a next available memory address in the list of available addresses, wherein said step of incrementing an address pointer to a second position operates to remove the memory address stored in the first position from the list of available memory addresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph Herbst
  • Patent number: 7113498
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating between devices is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises running two or more instances of a switch MAC sublayer on a switch and managing the two or more instances of the switch MAC sublayer as multiple logical access points inside the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Zeljko Bajic
  • Patent number: 7113754
    Abstract: A signal power detector includes an input coupling circuit a rectifying operational amplifier, and a charge pump. The input coupling circuit is operably coupled to receive a signal and to convert the signal into a first input and a rectifying input. The rectifying operational amplifier is operably coupled to receive the first input and the rectifying input and to produce therefrom a rectified output signal that represents a peak of the received signal. The charge pump converts the rectified output into a corresponding current, wherein the corresponding current represents power of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Hung-Ming (Ed) Chien
  • Patent number: 7113744
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings is a transceiver with a receiver, a transmitter, a local oscillator (LO) generator, a controller, and a self-testing unit. All of these components can be packaged for integration into a single IC including components such as filters and inductors. The controller for adaptive programming and calibration of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. The self-testing unit generates is used to determine the gain, frequency characteristics, selectivity, noise floor, and distortion behavior of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Shervin Moloudi, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 7113540
    Abstract: Multi-Input-Multi-Output (MIMO) Optimal Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) coefficients are determined from a channel estimate h by casting the MIMO DFE coefficient problem as a standard recursive least squares (RLS) problem and solving the RLS problem. In one embodiment, a fast recursive method, e.g., fast transversal filter (FTF) technique, then used to compute the Kalman gain of the RLS problem, which is then directly used to compute MIMO Feed Forward Equalizer (FFE) coefficients gopt. The complexity of a conventional FTF algorithm is reduced to one third of its original complexity by choosing the length of a MIMO Feed Back Equalizer (FBE) coefficients bopt (of the DFE) to force the FTF algorithm to use a lower triangular matrix. The MIMO FBE coefficients bop are computed by convolving the MIMO FFE coefficients gopt with the channel impulse response h. In performing this operation, a convolution matrix that characterizes the channel impulse response h extended to a bigger circulant matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Nabil R. Yousef, Ricardo Merched
  • Publication number: 20060209903
    Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining synchronization with a plurality of asynchronous communication links includes a first counter that generates a first local network clock, and a second counter that generates a second local network clock. The apparatus also includes an offset controller coupled with the first counter and coupled with the second counter, the offset controller configured to load a current network clock value of a first network clock of a first communication link into the first counter, and to load a current network clock value of a second network clock of a second communication link into the second counter. The apparatus further includes a drift controller coupled with the first counter and with the second counter, the drift controller configured to correct a drift between the first local network clock and the first network clock and to correct a drift between the second local network clock and the second network clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ayse Findikli
  • Patent number: 7110742
    Abstract: A low noise amplifier includes an input transistor, an inductor, and a current sink. The input transistor includes a gate, a drain, and a source, wherein the gate of the input transistor is operably coupled to receive an input radio frequency (RF) signal. The inductor includes a first node and a second node, wherein the first node of the inductor is operably coupled to a power supply and the second node of the inductor is operably coupled to the drain of the input transistor to provide an output of the low noise amplifier. The current sink includes a first node and a second node, wherein the first node of the current sink is operably coupled to the source of the input transistor and the second node of the current sink is operably coupled to a circuit ground, wherein a real component of input impedance of the low noise amplifier is substantially constant when the low noise amplifier is in the off mode as when the low noise amplifier is in the on mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Razieh Roufoogaran
  • Patent number: 7111127
    Abstract: One or more methods and systems of improving the performance of consecutive data stores into a cache memory are presented. In one embodiment, the method comprises writing data into a data array associated with at least a first store instruction while accessing a tag in a tag array associated with at least a second store instruction. In one embodiment, the method of processing consecutive data stores into a cache memory comprises updating a first data in a cache memory while concurrently looking up or identifying a second data in the cache memory. In one embodiment, a system for improving the execution of data store instructions of a CPU comprises a pipelined buffer using a minimal number of data entries, a data array used for updating data associated with a first store instruction, and a tag array used for looking up data associated with a second store instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Kimming So, Chia-Cheng Choung, BaoBinh Truong, Yook-Khai Cheok
  • Patent number: 7109781
    Abstract: A compensation circuit compensates for the variation in the internal resistance of a multi-track inductor over temperature. The compensation circuit includes a dummy inductor that has the same temperature dependent resistance as that of the multi-track inductor that is to be compensated. A first field effect transistor is placed in series with the multi-track inductor that is to be compensated, and a second field effect transistor is placed in series with the dummy inductor, where the gates of the FETs are tied together. A control circuit provides a constant current for the dummy inductor and detects any changes in voltage of the dummy inductor over temperature. The control circuit includes a feedback loop that controls the gate voltage of both first and second FETs so as to compensate for the temperature dependent inductor resistance variations of both the dummy inductor and the multi-track inductor that is to be compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Klaas Bult, Frank Carr
  • Patent number: 7110736
    Abstract: A receiver portion of a radio includes an analog circuit for determining a peak amplitude in a way that eliminates or reduces the effects of frequency errors that are introduced by crystals within filters and other devices. A voltage follower and a current mirror in which a MOSFET coupled to an output node produces a voltage across its gate to source terminals whose value is a function of a sum of the gate to source voltages of two MOSFET devices that receive a logarithm of an I modulated channel and a logarithm of a Q modulated channel, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Hooman Darabi
  • Patent number: 7110006
    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: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    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: 7111111
    Abstract: Methods of optimizing a plurality of numerically controlled delay lines (NCDLS) in a DDR memory controller are presented herein. In one embodiment, a method may comprise, for example, one or more of the following: acquiring a plurality of statistics, the plurality of statistics defining an operating region for the DDR memory controller; and calculating optimal values for the plurality of NCDLs, the optimal values calculated using the plurality of statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Darren Neuman, Sathish Kumar Radhakrishnan, Jeffrey Fisher, Joshua Stults, Nitin Borle, Kaushik Bhattacharya
  • Patent number: 7110942
    Abstract: A method of performing an excitation Vector Quantization (VQ) in a Noise Feedback Coding environment involves reorganizing a calculation of an energy of an error vector for each of a plurality of candidate excitation vectors of a codebook. The energy of the error vector is a cost function that is minimized during a search of the codebook for a best candidate excitation VQ vector. The reorganization includes expanding a Mean Squared Error (MSE) term of the error vector, excluding an energy term that is invariant to the candidate excitation vector, and pre-computing energy terms of ZERO-STATE responses of the candidate excitation vectors that are invariant to sub-vectors of a subframe. Another method searches a signed codebook. Both methods use correlation techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jes Thyssen, Juin-Hwey Chen
  • Patent number: 7110135
    Abstract: Systems and methods of printer resource sharing in a communication network are provided. In one embodiment, the system may comprise, for example, at least one communication device, a communication network, print server software, and at least one personal printer resource. The communication device may be deployed at a location. The communication network may be communicatively coupled to that communication device. The print server software may receive from the communication device via the communication network a request for printing of information content. The print server software may respond by coordinating the printing of the information content. The at least one personal printer resource may be communicatively coupled to the at least one communication device. The print server software may reside outside of the at least one personal printer resource, and the at least one personal printer resource may be accessed for printing by the communication device via the communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jeyhan Karaoguz, James D. Bennett
  • Patent number: 7109801
    Abstract: A power amplifier includes an input transistor, an output transistor, and circuitry. The input transistor includes an input, a first node, and a second node, wherein the second node of the input transistor is coupled to a supply voltage return and the input of the input transistor operably coupled to receive an outbound radio frequency (RF) signal. The output transistor includes an input, a first node, and a second node, wherein the first node of the output transistor is coupled to provide an output of the power amplifier, the second node of the output transistor is coupled to the first node of the input transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Qiang (Thomas) Li
  • Patent number: 7109813
    Abstract: A fast starting on-chip crystal oscillation circuit includes a power supply (Vdd) integrated circuit pad, a power return (Vss) integrated circuit pad, a 1st crystal integrated circuit pad, a 2nd crystal integrated circuit pad, a 1st transistor, a 2nd transistor, an inverter, a resistor, and two capacitors. The 1st and 2nd crystal IC pads couple a 1st and 2nd node of an external crystal oscillator to the fast starting on-chip crystal oscillation circuit. The 1st transistor, when activated, couples a power source connection of the inverter to the Vdd IC pad. The 2nd transistor, when activated, couples a power return connection of the inverter to the Vss IC pad. The input of the inverter is coupled to the 1st crystal IC pad and the output of the inverter is coupled to the 2nd crystal IC pad. The resistor is coupled in parallel with the inverter while the 1st capacitor is coupled to the input of the inverter and to the Vss IC pad. The 2nd capacitor is coupled to the output of the inverter and to the Vss IC pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Meng-An (Michael) Pan
  • Patent number: 7110434
    Abstract: A relatively straight-forward implemented, and computationally efficient approach of selecting a predetermined number of unused codes is used to perform weighted linear combination selectively with each of the input spread signals in a multiple access communication system. If desired, the predetermined number of unused codes is always the same in each implementation. Alternatively, the predetermined number of unused codes are selected from within a reordered code matrix using knowledge that is shared between the two ends of a communication system, such as between the CMs and a CMTS. While the context of an S-CDMA communication system having CMs and a CMTS is used, the solution is generally applicable to any communication system that seeks to cancel narrowband interference. Several embodiments are also described that show the generic applicability of the solution across a wide variety of systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce J. Currivan, Thomas J. Kolze, Gottfried Ungerboeck, Nabil R. Yousef