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.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for communicating data traffic using switch fabric dispersion are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first tier of switch elements; and a second tier of switch elements operationally coupled with the first tier of switch elements. In the example apparatus, the first tier of switch elements is configured to receive a data packet from a source. The first tier of switch elements is also configured to route the data packet to the second tier of switch elements in accordance with a dispersion function, where the dispersion function is based on a dispersion tag associated with the data packet. The first tier of switch elements is still further configured to transmit the data packet to a destination for the data packet after receiving it from the second tier of switch elements.

Abstract: A multi-port SERDES transceiver includes multiple parallel and serial ports, and the flexibility to connect any one of the parallel or serial ports to another parallel or serial port. The ports include programmable pads that are capable of supporting multiple different data protocols, timing protocols, electrical specifications, and input-output functions. A management data IO pad also enables the transceiver to support different electrical requirements and data protocols at the same time. The substrate layout of the transceiver is configured so that the parallel ports and the serial ports are on the outer perimeter. A logic core is at the center, where the logic core operates the serial and parallel data ports, and the bus that connects the data ports. The bus can be described as a “ring” structure (or donut “structure”) around the logic core, and is configured between the logic core and the data ports.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for wide range amplitude detection are provided. In this regard, many electronic systems may require amplitude detection of a variety of signals with widely varying amplitudes. Aspects of the invention may comprise suitable logic, circuitry, and/or code to perform amplitude detection and may be easily configured to accommodate a wide range of amplitudes. In this regard, the configuration of the amplitude detector may be performed via simple design changes and/or may be dynamically configured by suitable logic, circuitry, and/or code. Accordingly, multiplexing a single instance of the wide range amplitude detector and/or multiplexing multiple instances of the wide range amplitude detector may result in reduced design time, reduced circuit size, and/or reduced cost.

Abstract: Data error such as mean square error may be reduced in a system such as a communication receiver using a dithering algorithm that adjusts one or more parameters in the system. The dithering algorithm may be applied to more than one parameter. The dithering algorithm may include a state machine to alter the rate of change dependent on the state of the dithering algorithm.

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.

Abstract: A single chip radio transceiver includes circuitry that enables detection of radar signals to enable the radio transceiver to halt communications in overlapping communication bands to avoid interference with the radar transmitting the radar pulses. The radio transceiver is operable to evaluate a number of most and second most common pulse interval values to determine whether a traditional radar signal is present. The radio transceiver also is operable to FM demodulate an incoming signal to determine whether a non-traditional radar signal, such as a bin-5 radar signal, is present. After. FM demodulation, the signal is averaged wherein a substantially large value is produced for non-traditional radar signals and a value approximately equal to zero is produced for a communication signal that is not FM modulated with a continuously increasing frequency signal. Gain control is used to limit incoming signal magnitude to a specified range of magnitudes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for decoding of digital video standard material during variable length decoding are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method in accordance with the present invention may comprise, for example, receiving a first portion of encoded video data stream and a second portion of encoded video data stream, wherein the first portion and the second portion are parts of one encoded symbol in an encoded video data stream; generating a concatenated video data stream comprising the first portion and the second portion; and decoding the concatenated video data stream.

Abstract: An active diode includes a plurality of transistors and a built-in offset voltage. The built-in offset voltage size can be determined by sizing of at least one of the plurality of transistors to prevent supply current flow from one supply source into another supply source, thereby preventing current flow from a higher voltage source to a lower voltage source.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a network gateway is configured to facilitate on line and off line bi-directional communication between a number of near end data and telephony devices with far end data termination devices via a hybrid fiber coaxial network and a cable modem termination system. The described network gateway combines a QAM receiver, a transmitter, a DOCSIS MAC, a CPU, a voice and audio processor, an Ethernet MAC, and a USB controller to provide high performance and robust operation.

Abstract: A technique to detect defects when reading a defect scan pattern stored on a disk in which the detected defects are processed differently depending on which region of a sector the defect is resident. In one implementation, a mask is used to identify the defects of different regions. By differentiating different regions within the sector for defect scan, sync mark and preamble fields may be treated as critical regions so that different defect scan properties may be attributed when performing the defect scan.

Abstract: A method and system for performing diagnostic tests on a communications system. Diagnostic test signals are generated by a transceiver included within the communications system. Diagnostic data signals generated within the communications system in response to the diagnostic test signals are collected by the transceiver. The communications transceiver may operate alone, with an assisting communications transceiver, or with a non-assisting communications transceiver. The collected diagnostic data signals are stored and made available for later analysis. The method and system are used to generate and store ECHO Crosstalk, Near End Cross Talk (NEXT) and Far End CrossTalk (FEXT) data signals.

Abstract: A high efficiency class-AB amplifier is disclosed. The amplifier comprises a first input stage and a second input stage, both coupled to a class-AB biasing mesh and an output stage, wherein the outputs of the first and second input stages are directly coupled to the output transistors in the output stage. In one embodiment, a first gate of the first input stage and of the second input stage are coupled together to receive the same input and a second gate of the first input stage and of the second input stage are coupled together to receive the same input. In another embodiment, the first input stage and second input stage may further comprise cascode transistors for coupling the two input stages to the class-AB biasing mesh. In yet another embodiment, a 3V supply is used and 1V transistors are used to improve gain and 3V transistors are used to protect the 1V transistors.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a baseband processing module, a disk driver interface, an RF section, and an interface module. The disk drive interface is coupled to the baseband processing module and to an off-IC disk drive, wherein the disk driver interface facilitates transfers between the baseband processing module and the off-IC disk drive.

Abstract: A power management scheme for a wireless communications device substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating first and second clock signals for a wireless communication device, with the first and second clock signals corresponding first and second power levels, depending on the operating mode of the wireless communication unit. In the first operating state, the transceiver in the RF analog module is operational and the clock generator provides a first clock signal having the high-speed, high-accuracy characteristics necessary to maintain efficient operation of the transceiver. In a second operating state, the transceiver in the RF analog module is turned off. In this second operational state, the clock generator provides a second clock signal having a frequency and quality sufficient to maintain efficient operation of the digital modules in the wireless communication device.

Abstract: Various aspects of a system for an adaptive VBLAST receiver for wireless MIMO detection may comprise utilizing log likelihood ratios (LLR) to selectively cancel interference in a received signal when information contained in one or more layers is encoded. Following the selective cancellation of interference, further computations may be performed on the residual received signal. Various aspects of the invention may comprise a linear detector with improved performance in comparison to some conventional VBLAST receivers. Performance may be measured by, for example, a packet error rate (PER) for a given signal to noise ratio (SNR) associated with the received signal.

Abstract: A laptop that interacts with a television system. At least one module may be adapted to receive a user input identifying a video selection. The at least one module may also be adapted to display video information corresponding to the video selection. The at least one module may further be adapted to transmit a control signal adapted to cause the display of video information corresponding to the video selection on the television system. The laptop may, for example, be adapted to receive television system setting information and provide for user control of various television system settings. Also for example, the laptop may be adapted to receive media guide information, present such information to a user, provide for user selection of a media element, and transmit a control signal adapted to cause delivery of the selected media element from a multimedia source to the television system.

Abstract: A single chip radio transceiver includes circuitry that enables detection of radar signals to enable the radio transceiver to halt communications in overlapping communication bands to avoid interference with the radar transmitting the radar pulses. A method in a radio transceiver includes grouping a plurality of pulse data entries, generating a first list of pulse repetition intervals having pulses with a pulse width within a specified range, counting a number of most and second most common pulse interval values and determining whether a radar signal is present. Generally, the method includes determining a radar is present in one of three different ways, namely, determining whether the number of the most common pulse interval values exceeds a specified value, determining a radar signal is present with an extra pulse and finally, determining a radar is present with a missing pulse.

Abstract: Systems and methods that optimize approximation functions are provided. In one example, a method that approximates a particular expression over a sample space of input values is provided. The method may include the steps of splitting the sample space of the input values into sub-regions; associating a polynomial function for each of the sub-regions; optimizing each polynomial function over the respective sub-region; and optimizing all polynomial functions over the sample space.

Abstract: A front end circuit for a television receiver includes a demultiplexer for inputting a multi-band signal from a signal source and separating the multi-band signal into corresponding bands. A plurality of amplifiers adjust gain on signals corresponding to the bands. A multiplexer combines outputs of the amplifiers into a gain-adjusted signal. A plurality of switches direct selected bands to corresponding tuners. The amplifiers are low noise amplifiers. The amplifiers adjust gain between the bands so as to have similar signal strength in the bands. A cable TV input may also be used, wherein the switches also direct signals from the cable TV to the corresponding tuners. Each amplifier can output two (or more) identical signals for its corresponding band, the multiplexer can be a dual multiplexer, and an output of the multiplexer includes only bands selected for direction to the tuners.