Patents Assigned to Conexant Systems, Inc.
  • Apparatus and method for a smooth powerup of a reference signal
    Patent number: 8212608
    Abstract: A circuit for providing a reference voltage can be widely used in audio applications. However, at startup an abrupt start in the reference signal can cause undesirable audible artifacts. A circuit employing feedback of a reference voltage to control the charging of a capacitor which provides the reference voltage can be used to provide a smooth startup to the reference voltage. The circuit contains a differential pair for steering a fixed current source from one path to another as the reference voltage increases. The steered current can then be mirrored into one or more current mirrors where the newly mirrored current can be squeezed to zero when the difference between a desired reference voltage and the reference voltage approaches zero. This newly mirrored current can be used to charge a capacitor which is used to provide the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Larsen, Gomathi Komanduru, Lorenzo Crespi
  • Universal systems and methods for determining an incoming carrier frequency and decoding an incoming signal
    Patent number: 8213809
    Abstract: Consumer infrared (CIR) systems typically are used in remote control systems. Most CIR systems expect a known carrier frequency and encoding scheme. However, there are many applications of a universal CIR receiver which can receive and decode CIR signals regardless of the carrier frequency or encoding scheme. A CIR receiver circuit is disclosed which can both decompose a received CIR signal into run length representation and detect the carrier frequency. The result can then be supplied to a host device for further processing, interpretation and/or actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A Eskin
  • Semiconductor packages with reduced solder voiding
    Publication number: 20120119341
    Abstract: An example semiconductor package with reduced solder voiding is described, which has a leadframe having an I/O pad and a thermal pad, a fabricated semiconductor die having a bond pad, where the fabricated semiconductor die is attached to a top surface of the thermal pad, and a wire bond connecting the bond pad to the I/O pad, where a bottom surface of the thermal pad has channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert W. Warren, Hyun Jung Lee, Nic Rossi
  • Systems and methods for improved heat dissipation in semiconductor packages
    Publication number: 20120104591
    Abstract: Today's high speed semiconductor chips offer high performance at the expense of increase heat generation. A heat spreader can be build into a mold compound covering a semiconductor die in a semiconductor package by forming holes in the mold compound and filling the holes with a thermally conductive material such as thermally conductive adhesive. This heat dissipation capability can further be enhanced by a layer of thermally conductive material on the surface of the mold compound and optionally by an external metal layer or heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert W. Warren, Nic Rossi
  • Systems and methods for indicating buffered data at an access point with efficient beacon handling
    Patent number: 8170002
    Abstract: Stations in standby mode periodically wake up to check for buffered data at the access points. Traditionally, the information is available by checking the periodic beacon frame for a traffic indication map (TIM). Unfortunately, the length of beacons has steadily increased with the progression of the various wireless standards requiring stations to wake up for longer periods to merely check for buffered data. Several approaches are disclosed which address this shortcoming, including the broadcast of TIM frames, the partial reception of beacon frames and the use of an embedded TIM frame within a beacon frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Maarten Menzo Wentink
  • Systems and methods for reliable broadcast and multicast transmission over wireless local area network
    Patent number: 8165154
    Abstract: Broadcast and multicast (BM) systems have not been reliable in the wireless local area networks. Higher bandwidth and more reliable BM transmissions are necessitated by video and audio applications. A class of BM reliable frames is transmitted at a higher rate. The access point performs some rudimentary collision avoidance to enhance reliability, and individual stations are given the ability to send feedback to the access point regarding the quality of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Maarten Menzo Wentink
  • Hypothetical reference decoder with low start-up delays for compressed image and video
    Patent number: 8160153
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for encoding pictures is provided. The method is applied to each picture in a sequence of pictures, and the method comprises the steps of assigning a pre-decoder buffer removal time to the picture; selecting, for the picture, a number of bits, wherein the time-equivalent of the number of bits is no greater than a difference based on the pre-decoder buffer removal time of the picture and an initial arrival time of the picture into a pre-decoder buffer; and compressing the picture to generate the number of bits. The method may further include the step of allocating a first number of bits for compressing the picture and one or more number of bits for compressing one or more future pictures, wherein the future pictures are in the pre-decoder buffer at the pre-decoder buffer removal time of the current picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Viscito, Dzung T. Hoang
  • Systems and methods for management of wireless clients
    Patent number: 8155139
    Abstract: Systems and methods for band hopping and power conservation in a wireless network are described. At least one embodiment is directed a method of hopping channels by a device within a wireless network. The method comprises hopping from a first channel to a target channel, resetting a virtual carrier sense after hopping to the target channel to enable service on the target channel, waiting for a pre-determined period of time, and setting a virtual carrier sense on the target channel after expiration of the pre-determined period of time and prior to hopping to a next target channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Menzo Wentink, James Petranovich
  • Network allocation
    Patent number: 8144676
    Abstract: Included are embodiments for network allocation. More specifically, one embodiment of a method includes receiving, at a first communications device, without a prior RTS signal being sent, a first clear to send (CTS) signal from a second communications device, addressed to the first communications device, the CTS signal indicating a data exchange duration and sending a second CTS signal, from the first communications device, to the second communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Maarten Menzo Wentink
  • System and method for selectable mask for LDSL
    Patent number: 8126038
    Abstract: The present invention overcomes various problems by defining two upstream masks (U1, U2) and two downstream masks (D1, D2) and using a mask selectable system for the long reach digital subscriber line (LDSL), in which a unique modem feature is activated during handshake to automatically check for physical layer status in terms of spectral compatibility and, thus, automatically optimize the boosted mode with the use of the mask selectable system choose the best combination of upstream/downstream masks in any physical layer noise scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Duvaut, Ehud Langberg
  • Apparatus and Method for a Smooth Powerup of a Reference Signal
    Publication number: 20120044023
    Abstract: A circuit for providing a reference voltage can be widely used in audio applications. However, at startup an abrupt start in the reference signal can cause undesirable audible artifacts. A circuit employing feedback of a reference voltage to control the charging of a capacitor which provides the reference voltage can be used to provide a smooth startup to the reference voltage. The circuit contains a differential pair for steering a fixed current source from one path to another as the reference voltage increases. The steered current can then be mirrored into one or more current mirrors where the newly mirrored current can be squeezed to zero when the difference between a desired reference voltage and the reference voltage approaches zero. This newly mirrored current can be used to charge a capacitor which is used to provide the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Christian Larsen, Gomathi Komanduru, Lorenzo Crespi
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COLOR DEFRINGING
    Publication number: 20120033275
    Abstract: A system and method for defringing chromatic aberrations that occur in imaging devices such as scanners. The system comprises shift filters to shift lines in the various color planes together. In addition in each color plane, a spread filter is used to compensate for the unequal point spread functions of each color. Furthermore, the results can be enhanced by filtering in the luminance-chrominance space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: RAGNAR H. JONSSON, DEREK T. WALTON, TRAUSTI THORMUNDSSON
  • Systems and Methods for Heat Dissipation Using Thermal Conduits
    Publication number: 20120032350
    Abstract: The addition of thermal conduits by bonding bond wires to bond pads either in a wire loop configuration or a pillar configuration can improve thermal dissipation of a fabricated die. The thermal conduits can be added as part of the normal packaging process of a semiconductor die and are electrically decoupled from the circuitry fabricated on the fabricated die. In an alternative, a dummy die is affixed to the fabricated die and the thermal conduits are affixed to the dummy die. Additionally, thermal conduits can be used in conjunction with a heat spreader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert W. Warren, Jianjun Li, Nic Rossi
  • Systems and methods of combined bluetooth and WLAN signaling
    Patent number: 8111677
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods of combined Bluetooth and WLAN signaling. Such systems and methods may use a Bluetooth connection to signal WLAN capabilities and to exchange WLAN security keys. Once the file transfer has started, the actual data may be transmitted over the WLAN connection rather than over the Bluetooth connection. The WLAN connection may have a much higher throughput than the Bluetooth connection, and WLAN capability has increasingly become present inside Bluetooth enabled devices. The Bluetooth connection may be used as a control channel, while the WLAN connection may be used for data transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Maarten Menzo Wentink
  • Systems and Methods For Reliable Broadcast and Multicast Transmission Over Wireless Local Area Network
    Publication number: 20120026931
    Abstract: Broadcast and multicast (BM) systems have not been reliable in the wireless local area networks. Higher bandwidth and more reliable BM transmissions are necessitated by video and audio applications. A class of BM reliable frames is transmitted at a higher rate. The access point performs some rudimentary collision avoidance to enhance reliability, and individual stations are given the ability to send feedback to the access point regarding the quality of the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Conexant Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Maarten Menzo Wentink
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING PHANTOM BASS
    Publication number: 20120008788
    Abstract: In many audio playback systems, frequencies below a given cut off frequency are suppressed either due to speaker constraints or safety constraints. For example, some speakers are only capable of generating signals above a certain frequency. Prolonged low frequency sound can cause damage to speakers or other components. An audio driver can be equipped with a phantom bass module which by doubling, tripling and/or quadrupling frequencies below a cutoff frequency can simulate the bass experience. The doubling, tripling and quadrupling methods disclosed provide a low complexity formulation of a frequency doubling, tripling and quadrupling. In addition, the frequency doubling, tripling and quadrupling formulations are easily adapted to multi-rate processing, where computational savings can be very high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: RAGNAR H. JONSSON, TRAUSTI THORMUNDSSON, HARRY K. LAU
  • GROUNDING SWITCH METHOD AND APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20120002821
    Abstract: A grounding switch is described which operates properly even in the presence of negative voltages on a signal line. The grounding switch uses isolated field effect transistors that have their substrates tied to different voltages. The isolated field effect transistor has a gate voltage and substrate voltage which can be pulled down to a negative voltage when the signal line has a negative voltage allowing the switch to remain open even with a negative voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: CHRISTIAN LARSEN, LORENZO CRESPI
  • HIGH-BANDWIDTH LINEAR CURRENT MIRROR
    Publication number: 20120001613
    Abstract: High linearity is essential in audio circuitry. As sampling rates for audio applications are needed, high speed and high linearity are needed in analog and mixed signal portions of audio circuitry such as in current mirrors. A current mirror employs two current paths in an output. The first current path is driven by a fast acting transistor through a resistor. The second current path is driven by a differential amplifier coupled to another transistor through another resistor. The second current path is used to maintain linearity by causing the voltage across both transistors to be the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: CHRISTIAN LARSEN, LORENZO CRESPI
  • Systems and methods for indicating buffered data at an access point using a traffic indication map broadcast
    Patent number: 8089908
    Abstract: Stations in standby mode periodically wake up to check for buffered data at the access points. Traditionally, the information is available by checking the periodic beacon frame for a traffic indication map (TIM). Unfortunately, the length of beacons has steadily increased with the progression of the various wireless standards requiring stations to wake up for longer periods to merely check for buffered data. Several approaches are disclosed which address this shortcoming, including the broadcast of TIM frames, the partial reception of beacon frames and the use of an embedded TIM frame within a beacon frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Maarten Menzo Wentink
  • Piggyback acknowledgement
    Patent number: 8085698
    Abstract: Included are embodiments for facilitating communication. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving first communication data from a communications device and creating an acknowledgment indicating receipt of the first communication data. Some embodiments include determining whether second communication data has been received for the communications device and in response to determining that data has been received for the communications device, combining the second communication data with the acknowledgement in a single data packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Menzo Wentink