Patents Assigned to Broadcom
  • Patent number: 7840379
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling performance and/or power based on monitored performance characteristics. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise an integrated circuit comprising a first circuit module that receives electrical power. A second circuit module may monitor one or more performance characteristics of the first circuit module and/or the integrated circuit. A third circuit module may, for example, determine power control information based at least in part on the monitored performance characteristic(s). The power control information may be communicated to power supply circuitry to control various characteristics of the electrical power. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise an integrated circuit comprising a first module that monitors at least one performance characteristic of a first electrical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Y. Kim, Pieter Vorenkamp
  • Patent number: 7839872
    Abstract: Optical signals may be communicated with A/V Bridging services between an upstream link partner and a down stream link partner, each comprising an asymmetric Ethernet optical physical layer (PHY). High bandwidth A/V optical signals may be transmitted from the upstream link partner and low bandwidth optical signals may be transmitted from the downstream link partner. One or more of a time stamp, a traffic class and/or a destination address may be utilized in generating PDUs and managing communications via the asymmetric Ethernet optical PHY. The receiving link partner may register for delivery of the PDUs. An aggregate communication rate may be distributed evenly or unevenly among one or more optical links for transmission and aggregated upon reception via asymmetric Ethernet optical PHY operations. Compressed, uncompressed, encrypted and/or unencrypted optical signals may be handled. Signal processing may comprise forward error checking and clock recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wael William Diab, Yongbum Kim
  • Patent number: 7840184
    Abstract: Wireless devices may utilize a Bluetooth stack to setup a data transmission session between the devices. The data transmission session may comprise a Bluetooth PHY and/or MAC/PHY layer that enables the wireless devices to perform discovery, pairing, and security setup operations. A secondary physical layer may be utilized to perform high speed data transmission. The secondary physical layer may comprise a 60 GHz PHY and/or MAC/PHY. The secondary physical layer may be integrated via the Bluetooth stack, and applications running on top of the Bluetooth stack may utilize the secondary physical layer transparently. A portion of the transmitted data may be multiplexed onto other secondary physical layers that may be available in the wireless devices. Alternatively, transmission of data may comprise switching among available secondary physical layers. The Bluetooth PHY and/or MAC/PHY layer may be utilized during data transmission to continually monitor and/or manage the data transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Hansen, Jeyhan Karaoguz
  • Patent number: 7840134
    Abstract: A system (50) includes a communication path (170) and transmits data on a network (103, 106). A transmitter (101) transmits data on the network and a receiver (112) receives data from the network. A component (102, 114) in the communication path has a transfer characteristic (C1, C2, C3) adjusted in response to errors in data transmitted over and received from the network in order to reduce the error rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Nong Fan, Tuan Hoang, Hongtao Jiang, Keh-Chee Jen
  • Patent number: 7839922
    Abstract: An equalization circuit adjusts (e.g., equalizes) an input signal according to the value of one or more adjustment signals (e.g., equalization coefficients) without a multiplication operation. For example, the circuit may add or subtract a value of a coefficient signal to the amplitude of an input signal. Here, whether the coefficient is added or subtracted may depend on the sign of a control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: David Kyong-Sik Chung, Afshin Momtaz
  • Patent number: 7839454
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for preventing and eliminating undesirable effects in displayed video. The method may include receiving video information and decoding the video information. The method may also include processing the number of illuminable lines associated with a video frame and blanking a remainder of the illuminable lines. Blanking the remainder of the illuminable lines may prevent and eliminate undesirable effects in the displayed video. The illuminable lines may be processed, such that each field may comprise an even number of corresponding, illuminable lines 530. The fields, however, are not required to have the same number of lines. In an embodiment according to the present invention, no active lines in one field may be below a blanked line in a corresponding field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Landis Rogers
  • Patent number: 7840696
    Abstract: A method for classifying an incoming packet. The method includes maintaining a database associated with patterns of fields, where the fields can be network addresses. The database can be developed by mapping each pattern to a unique numeric identifier. The number of unique numeric identifiers is equal to the number of patterns, and the size of each unique numeric identifier is substantially smaller than the field of each pattern. The database can be further developed by determining a range of one or more of the unique numeric identifiers to be associated with each pattern. The range for each pattern can be bounded by a minimum unique numeric identifier and a maximum unique numeric identifier. The method also includes using a field of the incoming packet to determine an associated identifier for that field, where the associated identifier is equal to one of the unique numeric identifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Nick Horgan
  • Patent number: 7840198
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for processing signals in a high performance receive chain may include amplifying radio frequency signals in amplifier chains in a multistandard radio frequency front-end, comprising one or more shared processing stages, and combining, with substantially equal gain, a number of phase-shifted radio frequency signals of the radio frequency signals into substantially equal-gain-combined radio frequency signals. The substantially equal-gain-combined radio frequency signals may be demodulated to obtain inphase channels and quadrature channels. A number of inphase channels and quadrature channels may be processed in I-channel processing blocks and Q-channel processing blocks to generate an output analog baseband signal. The multistandard radio frequency front-end may be capable of processing Bluetooth® signals and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corp.
    Inventors: Arya Behzad, Adedayo Ojo, Yuyu Chang, Hung-Ming Chien, Kishore Rama Rao, Guruprasad Seetharam
  • Patent number: 7839154
    Abstract: A system and method of classifying a high powered device (PD) with an increased current limit includes: connecting a voltage to the PD, measuring current through a classification resistor connected to the PD, and determining a PD classification signature based on the current according to classification steps such that a minimum classification step includes a minimum current of 0 mA and a maximum classification step includes a maximum current beyond a predetermined current limit. The system includes a PSE, voltage source, PD classification resistor, and PD voltage, connected to the P. An alternative embodiment further includes a discrete classification circuit and discrete classification resistor to be used to measure the current for classification purposes instead of the PD classification resistor when the PD and PD classification resistor do not support power classification under the classification scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Asif Hussain, Manisha Pandya
  • Patent number: 7840197
    Abstract: A highly linear and very low-noise down-conversion mixer for extracting weak signals in the presence of very strong unwanted signals is disclosed. Aspects of an embodiment may include a source follower circuit in a transmitter front end of a mobile terminal. The source follower circuit may receive RF signals prior to the RF signals being amplified by a power amplifier for transmission. The RF signals may comprise in-phase and quadrature components. The source follower circuit may generate output RF voltage signals, and communicate the output RF voltage signals to a switching circuit via a coupling capacitor. The switching circuit may down-convert the communicated output RF voltage signals to generate differential baseband signals. The capacitance of the coupling capacitor may be changed to change gain and/or linearity of the differential baseband signals. Each of the differential baseband signals may be low-pass filtered to attenuate higher frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmad Mirzaei, Hooman Darabi
  • Publication number: 20100293377
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for performing authentication and decryption operations. A record including multiple encrypted blocks is received. An encrypted block in the record is extracted and decrypted first in order to obtain context information for performing authentication operations. Each remaining block is then decrypted and authenticated by using the available context information. Authentication operations can be performed without having to wait for the decryption of all of the blocks in the record.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph Tardo
  • Publication number: 20100290624
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for providing secured data transmission and for managing cryptographic keys. One embodiment of the invention provides secure key management when separate devices are used for generating and utilizing the keys. One embodiment of the invention provides secure storage of keys stored in an unsecured database. One embodiment of the invention provides key security in conjunction with high speed decryption and encryption, without degrading the performance of the data network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark L. BUER, Joseph J. Tardo
  • Publication number: 20100290755
    Abstract: In the current invention, a method and apparatus for efficiently deleting large files is described. This is done by having a special inode for pointing to data blocks to be freed, and subsequently freeing the data blocks from the special inode in a controlled manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Yasantha Nirmal RAJAKARUNANAYAKE
  • Publication number: 20100293404
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamic energy efficient Ethernet (EEE) control policy based on user or device profiles and usage parameters. The analysis by an EEE control policy can consider user or device related EEE profile information that is either network propagated or retrieved from a network database. This EEE profile information can be used in combination with static settings established by an IT manager and the properties of the traffic on the link itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Wael William Diab
  • Publication number: 20100291886
    Abstract: Polar feedback architecture. A polar modulator, as may be implemented within a transmitter module, of a communication device includes feedback. This feedback involves monitoring of phase information and magnitude/amplitude information of an output signal generated by the polar modulator. The output signal can be a radio frequency (RF) signal such as may be transmitted via a communication channel within a communication system. A baseband processing module processes the monitored phase information and magnitude/amplitude information to perform adjustment of a phase modulator and/or other components within the polar modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sofoklis Plevridis
  • Publication number: 20100290457
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for swapping functionality modes of a network data link are disclosed. An example method includes, in a network device, supporting a plurality of active network data links that includes a given network data link, where the given network data link is operated in accordance with a first mode of functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Kiran Dasoju, Jeff Dull
  • Publication number: 20100290571
    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: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew J. Castellano, Pieter Vorenkamp, Chun-Ying Chen
  • Publication number: 20100290756
    Abstract: Overlay to augment quality of currently playing media. The overlay operates to enhance the quality format of media so that it is output in a different quality format. As one example, when playing media content encoded in accordance with a standard definition television (SDTV) quality format, an appropriate overlay would operate to upgrade the quality format thereof to enhanced definition television (EDTV) quality format, high definition television (HDTV) quality format (or some other quality format). An appropriate overlay may also operate in accordance with audio content (e.g., upgrading a quality format of the audio content). With the advent of Blu-Ray discs (and other higher quality format discs), many individuals presently have libraries of media that are encoded with legacy/previous quality formats. An appropriate overlay that operates in conjunction with media encoded with a legacy/previous quality format allows the same content to be enjoyed in accordance with a newer/improved quality format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeyhan Karaoguz, James D. Bennett
  • Publication number: 20100290450
    Abstract: A wireless access point and multiple wireless terminals exchange utilization, status, mobility and reception characteristics. Each wireless terminal generates reception characteristics based on transmissions received from the wireless access point and from other devices in the network. In one operating mode, the characteristics gathered by the wireless devices are forwarded to the wireless access point, and, based on all received characteristics, the wireless access point selects its own transmission power for different types of the transmission. In another mode, all characteristics are exchanged between every wireless terminal and the access point so that each can independently or cooperatively make transmission power control decisions. In a further mode, the wireless access point adjusts protocol parameters based on an assessment of the characteristics received from the client devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventor: JAMES D. BENNETT
  • Publication number: 20100290451
    Abstract: Synchronized UWB piconets for SOP (Simultaneously Operating Piconet) performance. A common backbone (either wired or wireless) is employed that provides a common CLK (clock signal) to all of the various PNCs (piconet coordinators) of various piconets that may operate within a sufficiently close region such that interference could undesirably occur. By providing a very reliable CLK signal from a common backbone to all of the PNCs of the various piconets operating within a substantially close proximity to one another, very precise synchronization may be ensured for all of the communications performed therein. The various piconets may then even operate using TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)—whose performance would be substantially compromised without effective synchronization. In addition, combined TFC (time frequency code) and TDMA may also be employed to support the communications therein thereby providing even another degree of orthogonality that provided by TDMA alone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeyhan Karaoguz, Eric J. Ojard, Edward H. Frank