Abstract: A system having a memory and a processor is disclosed. The memory may be arranged as (i) a first pipeline to buffer a plurality of full resolution fields and (ii) a second pipeline to buffer a plurality of low resolution fields. The processor is generally configured to (i) receive a particular one or more of the full resolution fields and a particular one or more of the low resolution fields from the memory and (ii) generate a film mode signal based on the particular low resolution fields, the film mode signal indicating a current mode among a plurality of pull-down modes related to a current field being deinterlaced.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a packet classifier of a network processor having a plurality of processing modules. A scheduler generates a thread of contexts for each tasks generated by the network processor corresponding to each received packet. The thread corresponds to an order of instructions applied to the corresponding packet. A multi-thread instruction engine processes the threads of instructions. A function bus interface inspects instructions received from the multi-thread instruction engine for one or more exception conditions. If the function bus interface detects an exception, the function bus interface reports the exception to the scheduler and the multi-thread instruction engine. The scheduler reschedules the thread corresponding to the instruction having the exception for processing in the multi-thread instruction engine. Otherwise, the function bus interface provides the instruction to a corresponding destination processing module of the network processor.

Abstract: A circuit for use with a memory storage device including a magnetic storage medium and a write head operative to subject the magnetic storage medium to a magnetic field in response to an application of current to the write head, includes a write circuit operative to generate a write current supplied to the write head. The write current is characterized by a current waveform that reverses polarity in accordance with data to be stored on the magnetic medium. The circuit for use with the memory storage device further includes a degauss circuit operative to generate a degaussing current supplied to the write head. The degaussing current is characterized by a current waveform that oscillates between opposite polarities with an amplitude and a frequency that change over time.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing overall connection latencies in a SAS expander is disclosed. The SAS expander includes a plurality of ports and a route lookup table configured for providing a central resource for routing information for the ports. The SAS expander also includes a plurality of connection history caches (CHCs) associated with the ports, each CHC is configured for storing at least one successfully established connection record. Upon receiving a connection request at a particular port, that particular port may determine whether a matching connection record for the connection request is stored in its corresponding CHC. If the matching connection record is stored in its corresponding CHC, a connection may be established in response to the connection request based on the matching connection record. However, if no matching connection record is found in its corresponding CHC, the connection may be established utilizing the route lookup table.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically configuring ports of devices within an SAS network domain. A domain control element, such as an SAS initiator, is coupled to a plurality of expander devices. The domain control element configures ports of the expander devices by traversing port connections between the expander devices to determine routing attributes of the ports. The domain control element automatically configures the ports to operate according to the routing attributes. In one aspect hereof, an initiator device of the SAS network domain serves as a control element to perform the automated configuration of routing attributes. In another aspect hereof, an expander device serves as a control element to configure routing attributes of the ports.

Abstract: A design process optimization system and method for designing a circuit, which may be an integrated circuit (IC) employing adaptive voltage and scaling optimization (AVSO). In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a process-voltage-temperature (PVT) libraries database configured to contain PVT libraries of PVT characterizations of devices of cells from which the circuit is to be constructed and (2) a PVT library selector coupled to the PVT libraries database and configured to receive a selection indicating a supplemental objective and respond to the selection by selecting one of the PVT libraries from the PVT libraries database, a timing signoff tool later employing at most two corners from the one of the PVT libraries to perform a timing signoff with respect to the circuit.

Abstract: In described embodiments, a variety of down-sampling techniques are employed to generate a more constrained set of floating-tap positions when compared to floating-tap Decision Feedback Equalization (DFE) architectures that allow unconstrained 1T resolution or separated floating-tap positions. Down-sampling is employed to constrain the floating-tap positions rather than positions occurring with 1T resolution or spacing. Two broad down-sampling techniques, phase pruning and phase amalgamation, are applied to a variety of exemplary DFE implementations. Although the tap positions are more constrained, the architectures select floating-tap positions containing dominant reflection inter-symbol interference (ISI) terms.

Abstract: A system generally including a clock structure analysis tool, a static timing analysis tool and a waveform tool is disclosed. The clock structure analysis tool may be configured to generate a simplified clock structure for a clock signal in a complex clock structure in a design of a circuit. The static timing analysis tool may be configured to generate a plurality of results for a plurality of intermediate signals in the simplified clock structure in response to a static timing analysis of the design. The waveform tool may be configured to generate a first representation in a graphical user interface format of the intermediate signals and the results.

Abstract: A system having an entropy module, a memory module and a main module is disclosed. The entropy module may be configured to generate a plurality of first random numbers. The memory module may be configured to buffer (i) the first random numbers and (ii) a plurality of second random numbers. The main module is generally configured to (i) control a first transfer of the first random numbers from the entropy module to the memory module, (ii) control a second transfer of the first random numbers from the memory module to the main module, (iii) generate the second random numbers by encrypting the first random numbers and (iv) control a third transfer of the second random numbers from the main module to the memory module. The generation of the first random numbers and the generation of the second random numbers may be performed in parallel.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a hash processor for a system having multiple processing modules and a shared memory. The hash processor includes a descriptor table with N entries, each entry corresponding to a hash table of the hash processor. A direct mapped table in the shared memory includes at least one memory block including N hash buckets. The direct mapped table includes a predetermined number of hash buckets for each hash table. Each hash bucket includes one or more hash key and value pairs, and a link value. Memory blocks in the shared memory include dynamic hash buckets available for allocation to a hash table. A dynamic hash bucket is allocated to a hash table when the hash buckets in the direct mapped table are filled beyond a threshold. The link value in the hash bucket is set to the address of the dynamic hash bucket allocated to the hash table.

Abstract: Methods of designing an IC and a hierarchical design flow generator are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) receiving timing and physical constraints for an IC design at an apparatus, (2) establishing a hierarchical design flow for providing an implementation of the IC design employing the apparatus and (3) partitioning the hierarchical design flow into a late design flow portion and an early design flow portion employing the apparatus, wherein the late design flow portion is substantially the same for different design flow methodologies.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values and a selectable output skew value from a plurality of output skew values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are uniform for the plurality of delay values and the plurality of output skew values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The stacked transistors have configurable source-drain connections between a drain and a source of each transistor, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages and an output skew value of the delay cell.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. As an example, a data processing circuit is disclosed that includes a noise injection circuit. The noise injection circuit is operable to: determine a difference between a first data output and a second data output to yield an error; and augment an interim data with a noise value corresponding to the error to yield a noise injected output. The interim data may be either the first data output or the second data output.

Abstract: One embodiment is a method for installing a virtual storage appliance on a host server platform. One such method comprises: providing an installation package to a host server platform, the installation package comprising an installation script for installing an I/O virtual machine (IOVM), an IOVM boot console, and an IOVM management module; running the installation script to create a hidden boot partition on a boot disk and copy the IOVM boot console and the IOVM management module to the hidden boot partition; rebooting the host server platform; loading the IOVM boot console and the IOVM management module from the hidden boot partition; configuring a disk array via the IOVM management module; for each disk in the array, creating a hidden boot partition and replicating the IOVM boot console and the IOVM management module; and installing a virtual storage environment using the IOVM boot console as a storage driver.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to characterize a new process using an improved delay calculation. Multiple derating factors are used for different STA sign off corners that have a base corner with two pairs of off-corners. The approach of the present invention does not add any extra work in cell library characterization, while in the mean it increases the accuracy of the delay calculation and the library generation at corners other than standard corners.

Abstract: In described embodiments, data streams with irregular patterns are processed by transformations defined by recursively changing processor state, or iteration level. The data transformations are applied to an arbitrary long portion of data, instead of small portions, that are defined directly by a current processor state. Embodiments combine small parts of, for example, puncturing/repetition patterns into a pattern of bigger parts and apply these patterns of bigger parts to relatively large portions of input data.

Abstract: A hard disk drive or other disk-based storage device comprises a storage disk, a read/write head configured to read data from and write data to the disk, and control circuitry coupled to or otherwise associated with the read/write head. The control circuitry comprises a write driver configured to generate a write signal for data to be written to the storage disk, and a multiple-slope transition controller associated with the write driver and configured to control a data transition in the write signal such that the data transition comprises at least two different segments each having a different slope, with the transition controller comprising separate slope control mechanisms for each of the segments. By way of example, the data transition may comprise a dual-slope transition having first and second segments arranged sequentially between a start point and an end point of the data transition.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for packing received Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) frames in buffers for transmission to a host system memory. SAS frames are received from another SAS device and stored in a frame buffer memory. User data in the received frames has appended SCSI Data Integrity Fields (DIF information) to enhance reliability. Features and aspects hereof use the DIF information to validate the user data and then strip the DIF information to densely pack the validated user data in a DMA staging buffer for transmission to a host's system buffer memory using DMA features of the SAS device. The DMA circuit is programmed and started when the staging buffer is filled to at least a threshold amount of data to thereby improve efficacy of the DMA transfer performance. Other criteria may also be employed to determine when to start the DMA circuit.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) has a pulse-width encoder that generates a charging pulse having a pulse width proportional to the DAC's digital input value. The charging pulse controls a charging switch that selectively connects a current source to a capacitor for the duration of the charging pulse. At the end of the charging pulse, a voltage corresponding to the charge stored in the capacitor forms the DAC's analog output signal. Such DACs can be configured (1) with negative-gain amplifiers across the capacitor to form a negative feedback loop, (2) with multiple parallel current sources, and/or (3) in differential architectures.

Abstract: Amplifier architectures are provided for current sensing applications. An amplifier includes a load device, an operational amplifier, a current source, and a bipolar transistor. The operational amplifier has a first input terminal connected to a first input node that receives an input current, and a second input terminal connected to a second input node that receives a reference voltage. The current source is connected to an output of the operational amplifier. The operational amplifier, the current source, and the bipolar transistor form a feedback loop that generates and maintains a bias voltage on the first input node based on the reference voltage applied to the second input node. The bipolar transistor amplifies the input current received on the first input node, and generates an amplified input current. The load device converts the amplified input current to an output voltage, wherein the output voltage is used to sense the input current.