Patents Assigned to Microsemi SoC Corporation
  • Patent number: 10642601
    Abstract: An architecture disposed in an integrated circuit for in-application programming of flash-based programmable logic devices includes a processor coupled to a processor system bus. An I/O peripheral is coupled to the processor over the system bus and is also coupled to an off-chip data source. A programmable logic device fabric includes flash-based programmable devices. A program controller is coupled to the flash-based programmable devices. An in-application programming controller is coupled to the program controller and is coupled to the processor over the system bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: Venkatesh Narayanan, Kenneth R. Irving, Ming-Hoe Kiu
  • Patent number: 10353638
    Abstract: A method for generating a secure nonce using a one-time programmable (OTP) memory within an integrated circuit to provide persistence, the method including randomly selecting k currently-unprogrammed bits in the OTP memory, creating a data set using data derived from current contents of the OTP memory altered by changing the states of the k currently-unprogrammed bits of the OTP memory, and employing as the secure nonce the data set or data derived from the data set. The selected k bits are programmed in the OTP memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSEMI SOC CORPORATION
    Inventor: G. Richard Newell
  • Patent number: 10270451
    Abstract: A low-leakage resistive random access memory cell includes a complementary pair of bit lines and a switch node. A first ReRAM device is connected to a first one of the bit lines. A p-channel transistor has a source connected to the ReRAM device, a drain connected to the switch node, and a gate connected to a bias potential. A second ReRAM device is connected to a second one of the bit lines. An n-channel transistor has a source connected to the ReRAM device a drain connected to the switch node, and a gate connected to a bias potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: John L. McCollum, Esmat Z. Hamdy
  • Patent number: 10241130
    Abstract: A method for detecting failure of speed measurement of a multi-phase AC motor includes (1) sensing current drawn by the motor, (2) sensing voltage magnitude supplied to the motor, (3) measuring motor speed, (4) calculating motor speed, (5) determining whether the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, if the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is not greater than a predetermined threshold, repeating (1) through (5), if the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, indicating a fault, if a fault is indicated, performing a predetermined number of restart attempts, if the motor is successfully restarted, repeating (1) through (5), if the motor is not successfully restarted, indicating a restart failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: Prakash Reddy, Ashwin Murali, Pinninti Arjun
  • Patent number: 10243572
    Abstract: A digital phased lock loop includes a digital controlled oscillator configured to produce an output signal at an output signal frequency, and a phase comparator configured to compare the output signal or a signal derived from the output signal, with a reference signal at a reference signal frequency or a signal derived from the reference signal to produce a phase error signal. A first loop filter produces a first control signal for the digital controlled oscillator. A frequency error measuring circuit produces a frequency error signal that directly represents a frequency difference between the output signal frequency and the reference signal frequency. A second loop filter produces a second control signal for the digital controlled oscillator from an output of the frequency error measuring circuit. A circuit combines the first and second control signals and providing the combined control signals to the digital controlled oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventor: Prakash Reddy
  • Patent number: 10128852
    Abstract: A low-leakage resistive random access memory cell includes a complementary pair of bit lines and a switch node. A first ReRAM device is connected to a first one of the bit lines. A p-channel transistor has a source connected to the ReRAM device, a drain connected to the switch node, and a gate connected to a bias potential. A second ReRAM device is connected to a second one of the bit lines. An n-channel transistor has a source connected to the ReRAM device a drain connected to the switch node, and a gate connected to a bias potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: John L. McCollum, Esmat Z. Hamdy
  • Patent number: 10127374
    Abstract: A method for controlling the use of intellectual property (IP) in an individual integrated circuit includes loading data including the IP into the individual integrated circuit, loading an IP license certificate into the individual integrated circuit, the certificate including identification of the IP authorized for the individual integrated circuit, determining inside the individual integrated circuit whether the IP is authorized for the individual integrated circuit, enabling operation of the individual integrated circuit if the IP circuit is authorized for use in the individual integrated circuit, and imposing a penalty on operation of the individual integrated circuit if the IP is not authorized for use in the individual integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSEMI SOC CORPORATION
    Inventors: G. Richard Newell, Paul Ekas
  • Patent number: 10114369
    Abstract: A method for determining if an individual integrated circuit was manufactured using an individual instance of tooling includes collecting from the individual integrated circuit first data representing at least one attribute that varies as a function of the tooling used to manufacture the individual integrated circuit and second data identifying the integrated circuit as having been manufactured using the individual instance of tooling. The first data is compared to a signature of the individual instance of tooling identified by the second data. The signature is derived from the at least one attribute measured from a population of integrated circuits that were manufactured using the individual instance of tooling. The individual integrated circuit is identified as having been manufactured using the individual instance of tooling identified in the second data collected from the individual integrated circuit if the first data correlates to the signature by a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSEMI SOC CORPORATION
    Inventors: G. Richard Newell, Russell Robert Garcia
  • Patent number: 9990993
    Abstract: A ReRAM cell array has having at least one row and one column includes first and second complementary bit lines for each row, a word line, a p-word line, and an n-word line for each column. A ReRAM cell at each row and column of the array includes a first ReRAM device, its first end connected to the first complementary bit line of its row, a p-channel transistor, its source connected to a second end of the first ReRAM device, its drain connected to a switch node, its gate connected to the p-channel word line of its column, a second ReRAM device, its first end connected to the second complementary bit line of its row, an n-channel transistor, its source connected to a second end of the second ReRAM device, its drain connected to the switch node, its gate connected to the n-channel word line of its column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: John L. McCollum, Volker Hecht
  • Patent number: 9953166
    Abstract: A method for securely booting a target processor in a target system from a secure root of trust includes computing a message authentication code from boot code to be provided to the target processor, including an obfuscated algorithm for recreating the message authentication code in the target processor, serving the boot code to the target processor, executing the boot code to recreate the message authentication code in the target processor, serving the message authentication code back to the root of trust, comparing the returned message authentication code with the message authentication code generated in the root of trust, continuing execution of the boot code data if the returned message authentication code matches the message authentication code, and applying at least one penalty to the target system if the returned message authentication code does not match the message authentication code generated in the root of trust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventor: G. Richard Newell
  • Publication number: 20180090205
    Abstract: A ReRAM cell array has having at least one row and one column includes first and second complementary bit lines for each row, a word line, a p-word line, and an n-word line for each column. A ReRAM cell at each row and column of the array includes a first ReRAM device, its first end connected to the first complementary bit line of its row, a p-channel transistor, its source connected to a second end of the first ReRAM device, its drain connected to a switch node, its gate connected to the p-channel word line of its column, a second ReRAM device, its first end connected to the second complementary bit line of its row, an n-channel transistor, its source connected to a second end of the second ReRAM device, its drain connected to the switch node, its gate connected to the n-channel word line of its column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: John L. McCollum, Volker Hecht
  • Publication number: 20170346426
    Abstract: A method for detecting a stall condition in a stepper motor includes measuring stepper motor current, computing load angle of the motor, and detecting a stall condition if the load angle is more than 90 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Applicant: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventor: Prakash Reddy
  • Patent number: 9780790
    Abstract: A r a level shifter circuit includes a first p-channel kick transistor connected directly across a first cross-coupled p-channel transistor, a second p-channel kick transistor connected directly across a second cross-coupled p-channel transistor, a first gate drive circuit coupled to the gate of the first p-channel kick transistor and configured to turn on first p-channel kick transistor to pull up the first output node in response to a rising edge of a signal at the input node, and a second gate drive circuit coupled to the gate of the second p-channel kick transistor and configured to turn on second p-channel kick transistor to pull up the second output node in response to a falling edge of a signal at the input node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSEMI SOC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Krishna Chaitanya Potluri
  • Patent number: 9755072
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a high-voltage transistor on a semiconductor substrate includes defining and forming shallow trench isolation regions for all of the transistors, defining and forming well regions for all of the transistors, forming a gate oxide layer in the well regions for all of the transistor, forming gates for all of the transistors over the gate oxide layer, implanting a dopant to form lightly-doped drain regions for all of the transistors, the lightly-doped drain regions for at least drains of the high-voltage transistors being spaced apart from an inner edge of the shallow trench isolation regions, forming gate spacers at sides of the gates of all of the transistors, and implanting a dopant to form sources and drains for all of the transistors, the drains of the high-voltage transistors being formed completely surrounded by the lightly-doped drain regions of the high-voltage transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSEMI SoC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fengliang Xue, Fethi Dhaoui, John L. McCollum
  • Patent number: 9754948
    Abstract: A non-volatile programmable memory cell suitable for use in a programmable logic array includes a non-volatile MOS transistor of a first conductivity type in series with a volatile MOS transistor of a second conductivity type. The non-volatile MOS transistor may be a floating gate transistor, such as a flash transistor, or may be another type of non-volatile transistor such as a floating charge-trapping SONOS, MONOS transistor, or a nano-crystal transistor. A volatile MOS transistor, an inverter, or a buffer may be driven by coupling its gate or input to the common connection between the non-volatile MOS transistor and the volatile MOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSEMI SoC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fethi Dhaoui, John McCollum, Frank Hawley, Leslie Richard Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 9704573
    Abstract: A pair of adjacent ReRAM cells in an array includes a first bit line for a row of the array, a second bit line for the row of the array, a p-channel word line associated with two adjacent columns in the array, and an n-channel word line associated with the two adjacent columns. A pair of ReRAM cells in the adjacent columns in the row each includes a switch node, a first ReRAM device connected between the first bit line and the source of a p-channel transistor. The drain of the p-channel transistor is connected to the switch node, and its gate is connected to the p-channel word line. A second ReRAM device is connected between the second bit line and the source of an n-channel transistor. The drain of the n-channel transistor is connected to the switch node, and its gate is connected to the n-channel word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventor: Volker Hecht
  • Publication number: 20170179959
    Abstract: A low-leakage resistive random access memory cell includes a complementary pair of bit lines and a switch node. A first ReRAM device is connected to a first one of the bit lines. A p-channel transistor has a source connected to the ReRAM device, a drain connected to the switch node, and a gate connected to a bias potential. A second ReRAM device is connected to a second one of the bit lines. An n-channel transistor has a source connected to the ReRAM device a drain connected to the switch node, and a gate connected to a bias potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: John L. McCollum, Esmat Z. Hamdy
  • Publication number: 20170179382
    Abstract: A resistive random access memory device is formed in an integrated circuit between a first metal layer and a second metal layer and includes a first barrier layer disposed over the first metal layer, a tunneling dielectric layer disposed over the first barrier layer, a solid electrolyte layer disposed over the tunneling dielectric layer, an ion source layer disposed over the solid electrolyte layer, and a second barrier layer disposed over the ion source layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: John L. McCollum, Fethi Dhaoui, Frank W. Hawley
  • Publication number: 20170161224
    Abstract: An architecture disposed in an integrated circuit for in-application programming of flash-based programmable logic devices includes a processor coupled to a processor system bus. An I/O peripheral is coupled to the processor over the system bus and is also coupled to an off-chip data source. A programmable logic device fabric includes flash-based programmable devices. A program controller is coupled to the flash-based programmable devices. An in-application programming controller is coupled to the program controller and is coupled to the processor over the system bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: Venkatesh Narayanan, Kenneth R. Irving, Ming-Hoe Kiu
  • Patent number: 9672385
    Abstract: A method for securely programming a population of authorized FPGAs includes defining the population of authorized FPGAs, generating an encrypted configuration bitstream for the population of authorized FPGAs, generating an individual Authorization Code for each FPGA in the population of authorized FPGAs, feeding the individual Authorization Codes into the FPGAs in the population of FPGAs, feeding the encrypted configuration bitstream into all of the FPGAs in the population of FPGAs, and in each FPGA using the Authorization Code to decrypt the encrypted configuration bitstream to program the FPGA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventor: G. Richard Newell