Patents Assigned to Broadcom
  • Publication number: 20100203831
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention enable energy transfer via short-range RF communication between a main device and an associated device, thereby allowing the main device to energy charge the associated device. Accordingly, the need for a separate charger for the associated device can be eliminated. Embodiments of the present invention are suitable for applications in which the main device and the associated device operate in close proximity to each other. Further, embodiments of the present invention are suitable for applications in which the associated device is more energy-constrained than the main device. According to embodiments, energy transfer applications can be supported using near field communication (NFC). In an embodiment, energy transfer via NFC is enabled between a Bluetooth enabled cellular phone and a Bluetooth headset. In another embodiment, energy transfer via NFC is enabled between a Bluetooth enabled digital camera and a Bluetooth enabled digital frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: James Michael MUTH
  • Publication number: 20100201313
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of increasing efficiency of wireless power transfer. A wireless power transfer system includes features that allow the system to be deployed in public spaces such as airports or in commercial establishments such as restaurants or hotels to allow a user to recharge one or more portable electronic devices while away from home. To accommodate wireless recharging of a variety of device types and states, the system may receive parameters and/or state information associated with a portable electronic device to be recharged and may control the wireless power transfer in accordance with such parameters and/or state information. For instance, the system may increase efficiency of the wireless power transfer based on such parameters and/or state information. The system may also provide a secure and efficient means for obtaining required payment information from the user prior to the wireless power transfer, thereby facilitating fee-based recharging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Reinier Van Der Lee, Insun Van Loo
  • Publication number: 20100201513
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of using an efficiency indicator for increasing efficiency of a wireless power transfer. A wireless power transfer system includes features that allow the system to be deployed in public spaces such as airports or in commercial establishments such as restaurants or hotels to allow a user to recharge one or more portable electronic devices while away from home. The system may provide an efficiency indicator to a portable electronic device that specifies a recommended position of the portable electronic device. The recommended position may correspond to an efficiency with respect to the wireless power transfer that is greater than an efficiency with respect to the wireless power transfer that corresponds to a position of the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device may generate a sensory signal that indicates the recommended position with reference to the position of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Reinier Van Der Lee, InSun Van Loo
  • Publication number: 20100202505
    Abstract: An update algorithm for equalizer coefficients in a communications system using phase correction symbols. Instead of using a traditional all symbols slicer update algorithm, the equalizer is updated during phase correction symbols for optimal performance in low signal-to-noise ratio conditions. In lower signal-to-noise ratio conditions, the equalizer uses a phase correction circuit to compensate for distortion caused by a communication channel when a demodulated data stream contains an unknown phase offsets resulting from a fast dynamic distortion. More specifically, the phase correction circuit uses a phase correction signal to correct for the unknown phase offsets in a demodulated data stream in lower signal-to-noise ratio conditions. The equalizer then corrects for distortion caused by the communication channel based upon the phase corrected demodulated data stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Tommy Yu, Amy Gayle Hundhausen
  • Publication number: 20100202295
    Abstract: A network device for processing data on a data network including a plurality of ports, configured to receive data from a data network and to send processed data to the data network via an egress port, a controller interface, configured to communicate with an external controller, a memory management unit, configured store data on and retrieve data from the memory and a metering unit, configured to police a flow of the processed data to be sent to the egress port. The metering unit further includes programmable registers, in communication with the controller interface, configured to be programmed through controller signals sent through the controller interface from the external controller, such at all aspects of the flow of the processed data may be controlled by the external controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon Carl Smith, Jun Cao
  • Publication number: 20100201310
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system is described that includes features that allow the system to be deployed in public spaces such as airports or in commercial establishments such as restaurants or hotels to allow a user to recharge one or more portable electronic devices while away from home. In one embodiment, the system provides a secure and efficient means for obtaining required payment information from the user prior to the wireless power transfer, thereby facilitating fee-based recharging. In a further embodiment, to accommodate wireless recharging of a variety of device types and states, the system receives parameters and/or state information associated with a portable electronic device to be recharged and controls the wireless power transfer in accordance with such parameters and/or state information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Reinier Van Der Lee, InSun Van Loo, Adam C. Spice
  • Publication number: 20100201587
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) antenna structure includes a micro-electromechanical (MEM) area, a feed point, and a transmission line. The micro-electromechanical (MEM) area includes a three-dimensional shape, wherein the three dimensional-shape provides an antenna structure. The feed point is coupled to provide an outbound radio frequency (RF) signal to the antenna structure for transmission and to receive an inbound RF signal from the antenna structure. The transmission line electrically coupled to the feed point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran
  • Publication number: 20100205466
    Abstract: A system and method for power over Ethernet (PoE) power mode policy and network management. Various power modes or configurations can be defined for a powered device. An IT manager at a network management station can remotely configure a power mode or configuration of a powered device using a network management protocol such as SNMP. This network management protocol can instruct a software agent at a powered device to change a power mode or configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wael William Diab, Andy Fung
  • Patent number: 7773754
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark L. Buer, Joseph J. Tardo
  • Patent number: 7773690
    Abstract: Angle estimation for modulated signal. A novel compensation technique is presented by which angle estimation may be performed for a modulated signal. More specifically, the angle between a constellation corresponding to a received signal and a constellation corresponding to a received signal may be very efficiently estimated using any one of the possible embodiments corresponding to various aspects of the invention. After this angle has been estimated, the received signal or the expected constellation may be rotated (or de-rotated) to compensate for this angular difference. In doing so, better estimates of the information bits that are demodulated and decoded from the received signal may be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Min Chuin Hoo, Rajendra Tushar Moorti
  • Patent number: 7773511
    Abstract: Details of media encoding and decoding devices which support generic homing sequences, and methods for operating such devices are disclosed. The use of generic homing sequences may permit an embodiment of the disclosed invention to support real-time, bit-exact testing of existing and future media encoding and decoding devices. An embodiment of the present invention may permit the initialization of encoding and decoding algorithms to a known state, enabling bit-exact testing of a large group of devices using these algorithms, including those whose specifications do not support such functionality. This capability may permit the full-speed, bit-exact, testing, of both locally and remotely situated media encoders and decoders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Darwin Rambo, Phil Houghton
  • Patent number: 7773021
    Abstract: High speed, low power all CMOS thermometer-to-binary demultiplexer. A received signal undergoes digital sampling (e.g., as within an ADC) to generate a signal that subsequently undergoes encoding (e.g., transformation from thermometer encoded data to binary encoded data) and de-multiplexing. Two separate de-multiplexing stages are employed when performing combined encoding and de-multiplexing. In addition, the individual DEMUXs of the two stages are clocked using a distributed clock generation architecture, such that, reset and time-interleaving is controlled on the ADC clock generator. The thermometer-to-binary encoders are placed very close to the input stage which facilitates very fast data rates while consuming relatively lower power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Adesh Garg
  • Patent number: 7773631
    Abstract: A wireless communication system and method is provided for the transfer and processing of data in accordance with specialized data transfer protocols while utilizing conventional base station equipment. For example, the wireless communication system may include a subscriber station that provides for the modification of data packets in accordance with a proprietary protocol and the addressing of the modified data packets to a server. The server is adapted to reconstruct the data packets for transmission to other local subscriber stations or to a packet-switched network. In additional embodiments, the base station itself rather than a server operates to reconstruct the data packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Fred Bunn, Tom Johnson
  • Patent number: 7773546
    Abstract: A method of receiving data from a first computing device to a second computing device through a network is disclosed. The transfer adheres to a packet-based network protocol. A connection between the first and second computing devices is established according to the protocol. A data packet is received from the first device at the second device, where the data packet includes payload data and a header. A packet header template is defined for acknowledging receipt of the data packet, and the template has static fields filled with static values and variable fields that can acquire packet-dependent values. The header template is stored in a memory device of the second device. Packet-dependent values of the variable fields of the template are updated. An ACK packet that includes a copy of the updated packet header is sent from the first computing device to the second computing device to acknowledge the receipt of the packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Yasantha Rajakarunanayake, Lars Severin
  • Patent number: 7773565
    Abstract: A method for multiple input multiple output wireless communication begins by determining protocols of wireless communication devices within a proximal region. The method continues by determining whether the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are of a like protocol. The method continues by determining the number of transmit antennas. The method continues, when the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are of the like protocol, formatting a preamble of a frame of the wireless communication utilizing at least one of cyclic shifting of symbols, cyclic shifting of tones, sparse tone allocation, and sparse symbol allocation based on the number of transmit antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Hansen, Jason A. Trachewsky, Rajendra Tushar Moorti, Matthew James Fischer, Christopher Young
  • Patent number: 7774634
    Abstract: A Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) communication system dynamically provides power and data communications over a communications link. In an enterprise environment made up of one or more personal computing devices (e.g., personal or laptop computers), a switch determines a power classification for each device via a PoE control module that can be part of, for example, a Power Source Equipment/Powered Device (PSE/PD) system or a LAN-On-Motherboard/Powered Device (LOM/PD) system. A method of classifying power for each device includes detecting a device, polling it for power requirement information using a Layer 2 data link layer, receiving power requirement information from the device, and determining a power classification for the device. Power requirement information can include battery charge status, power load, power mode, etc., of the device. Various types of data packets can be used. The method can be repeated on a periodic basis, allowing power classification to be dynamic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Wael William Diab
  • Patent number: 7774497
    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: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Nick Horgan
  • Patent number: 7772930
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to calibration techniques for a phase-locked loop (PLL) bandwidth. According to an example embodiment, a calibration technique may include calibrating a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) of a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit, and calibrating a bandwidth of the PLL circuit based on the calibrating the VCO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Francesco Gatta
  • Patent number: 7774619
    Abstract: New code routines for a secure system (e.g., a TPM) are stored in a memory (e.g., a flash memory) that is located external to the secure system. For example, a chip may include a TPM and an external flash memory may be connected to the chip. New routines for the TPM may then be stored in the flash. A function table may be used to determine whether a given function to be executed by the TPM is stored in on-chip memory (e.g., ROM) or in the flash. New function tables may be stored in the flash. For example, when a new set of functions is loaded into the flash, a new function table that references the new functions also may be loaded into the flash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Paaske, Jeffrey C. Glover
  • Patent number: 7772936
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Sofoklis Plevridis