Patents Assigned to Silicon Laboratories, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11133921
    Abstract: A data synchronizer including an input stage, a driver stage, and a keeper stage. The input stage latches input data to a data node in response to a first clock signal transition. The driver stage has an input coupled to the data node and has an output coupled to a gain node. The keeper stage latches data asserted on the gain node back to the input stage to maintain data on the data node in response to a second transition of the clock signal. The driver stage has an increased drive strength and a reduced loading capacitance to increase the gain-bandwidth product of the latch loop to reduce metastability. A flip-flop may be configured with input and output latches each including driver stages having increased drive strength and reduced loading capacitance to increase the gain-bandwidth product of each of the latch loops to reduce metastability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Linxiao Shen, Thomas Saroshan David
  • Patent number: 11125848
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to simultaneously determine both angle of arrival (AoA) and angle of departure (AoD) of a signal transmitted between two or more radio frequency (RF)-enabled wireless devices (e.g., such as BLE modules). The disclosed systems and methods may be so implemented in one embodiment to determine AoD even in the case where the transmitting wireless device is at the same time operating in a departure (or AoD) transmitting mode by transmitting a RF signal from multiple antenna elements of at least one switched antenna array using a given switching pattern or sequence implemented by an array switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Jere M. Knaappila
  • Patent number: 11129008
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that may be implemented to use resource filtering to provide multiple different device personalities and/or multiple different resources from a radio frequency (RF)-enabled wireless device or apparatus to one or more other connecting RF-enabled wireless devices across one or more wireless connections. In one example, each different given resource of a wireless device may be associated with at least one filter which may be used by the device to determine which connection/s the given resource may be provided, and a given resource may only be provided to a given connecting device only if the given resource passes the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Jere M. Knaappila, Jani K. Knaappila
  • Patent number: 11129098
    Abstract: A transmit/receive signal processor for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Bluetooth has selectable signal processing elements for mixers, Intermediate Frequency (IF) filters, transmit power amplifiers, and clock sources which are suitable for either Bluetooth or WLAN signal processing. The operating mode of the signal processor is selected to be one of Wireless High Performance, Wireless Low Power, Bluetooth High Performance or Bluetooth Low power, and the signal processing modules are selected to provide performance or power requirements using selected modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Venkat Mattela, Partha Sarathy Murali, Ajay Mantha
  • Patent number: 11112849
    Abstract: A communications processor is operative in a plurality of modes including at least a high performance mode, a power savings mode with lower computational capability, and a shutdown mode with a wakeup capability. A memory for the communications processor has a high speed segment and a low speed segment, the high speed segment and low speed segment respectively on a high speed data bus and a low speed data bus, the high speed data bus and low speed data bus coupled by a bidirectional bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Partha Sarathy Murali, Suryanarayana Varma Nallaparaju, Kriyangbhai Vinodbhai Shah, Venkata Rao Gunturu, Subba Reddy Kallam, Mani Kumar Kothamasu
  • Patent number: 11112847
    Abstract: A communications system has a low power connectivity processor and a high performance applications processor. The low power connectivity processor is coupled to a low power front end for wireless packets and the high performance applications processor is coupled to a high performance front end. A power controller is coupled to the low power front end and enables the applications processor and high performance front end when wireless packets which require greater processing capacity are received, and removes power from the applications processor and high performance front end at other times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Partha Sarathy Murali, Subba Reddy Kallam, Venkat Mattela
  • Patent number: 11106235
    Abstract: A configurable clock buffer including first and second buffers and isolation circuitry. The first buffer has an input coupled to a clock input node and has an output coupled to a clock output node. The second buffer has an input coupled to an intermediate input node and has an output coupled to an intermediate output node. The isolation circuitry is responsive to at least one mode signal, in which it electrically couples the intermediate input node to the clock input node and electrically couples the intermediate output node to the clock output node when the at least one mode signal is in a first state, and in which it electrically couples the intermediate input node to a static node and electrically isolates the intermediate output node from the clock output node when the at least one mode signal is in a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Saroshan David
  • Publication number: 20210255678
    Abstract: In one form, an integrated circuit includes a negative voltage detector circuit and a logic circuit. The negative voltage detector circuit has a power supply input coupled to a power supply voltage terminal, a ground input coupled to a ground voltage terminal, a first input coupled to a first signal terminal, a second input coupled to a second signal terminal, and an output for providing an enable signal when a voltage on the first signal terminal is less than a voltage on the ground voltage terminal by at least a predetermined amount when a signal on said second signal terminal is in a first predetermined logic state. The logic circuit has an input for receiving the enable signal. The logic circuit changes an operation of the integrated circuit in response to an activation of the enable signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Rex Tak Ying Wong, Michael R. May, Pio Balmelli
  • Patent number: 11096111
    Abstract: A system and method of allowing a new device to join an existing network are disclosed. The new device comprises a non-RF-based transmitter, such as a light, a speaker or haptic generator, which emits a sequence that can be received by a facilitator device that is already part of the network. The sequence contains the device specific information associated with the new device. This facilitator device may be a mobile phone, a tablet or other component. The facilitator device then provides this device specific information to the gateway. The gateway then uses this device specific information as it performs a joining process with the new device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Jake G. Wood
  • Patent number: 11088819
    Abstract: A line card of a network box receives a SYNC input signal and generates a first time stamp based on receipt of the SYNC input signal. The line card generates a system clock signal in a phase-locked loop and generates a SYNC output signal by dividing the system clock signal in a divider circuit. The SYNC output signal is fed back to an input terminal as a SYNC feedback signal. A time stamp is generated based on receipt of the SYNC feedback signal. The line card determines a time between the SYNC input signal and the SYNC feedback signal based on the first time stamp and the second time stamp. The timing of the SYNC output signal is adjusted based on the time difference using a coarse time adjustment by adjusting a divide ratio of the divider circuit and using a fine time adjustment in the phase-locked loop based on a residue of a remainder of the time difference not accounted for by the coarse time adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Vivek Sarda
  • Patent number: 11088816
    Abstract: A line card receives a SYNC input signal and a first system clock signal. The line card generates a second system clock signal in a PLL and generates a SYNC output signal by dividing the second system clock signal in a divider circuit. The SYNC output signal is fed back as a SYNC feedback signal. The line card determines determining a closest edge of the first system clock signal to a transition of the SYNC input signal and determines a time difference between the closest edge of the first system clock signal and a transition of the SYNC feedback. The SYNC output signal is adjusted based on the time difference using a coarse adjustment by adjusting a divide ratio of the divider circuit and using a fine adjustment in the PLL based on a residue of a remainder of the time difference not accounted for by the coarse time adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Vivek Sarda
  • Patent number: 11087030
    Abstract: Embodiments include cryptographic circuits having isolated operation with respect to embedded sensor operations to mitigate side-channel attacks. A cryptographic circuit, a sensor, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit are integrated into an integrated circuit along with a cryptographic circuit. A sensed signal is output with the sensor, and the sensed signal is converted to digital data using the ADC circuit. Further, cryptographic data is generated using one or more secret keys and the cryptographic circuit. The generation of the cryptographic data has isolated operation with respect to the operation of the sensor and the ADC circuit. The isolated operation mitigates side-channel attacks. The isolated operation can be achieved using power supply, clock, and/or reset circuits for the cryptographic circuit that are electrically isolated from similar circuits for the sensor and ADC circuit. The isolated operation can also be achieved using time-division multiplex operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Javier Elenes
  • Patent number: 11075602
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: a bias circuit having a replica circuit, the bias circuit to generate an oscillator current that is proportional to a variation of the replica circuit; an oscillator circuit coupled to the bias circuit to receive the oscillator current and generate a plurality of signals using the oscillator current; and a waveform shaper circuit coupled to the oscillator circuit to receive the plurality of signals and generate at least one clock signal from the plurality of signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Pio Balmelli
  • Patent number: 11061432
    Abstract: A data handoff controller includes a counter coupled to supply a count value indicative of a skew between a first clock signal and a second clock signal. The first and second clock signal have a fundamental beat frequency. A greatest common factor circuit is used to determine the fundamental beat frequency and the second is reset based on the beat frequency. A sampling circuit samples first clock domain data with the second clock signal. The sampling circuit is controlled to sample, at least in part, based on the count value. The count value can be used to impose a blackout window in which data is not sampled to avoid sampling data around data transitions of the first clock domain data. The count value can also be used to select an edge of the second clock signal to use for sampling the first clock domain data to ensure first clock domain data is not sampled during data transitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Vivek Sarda
  • Patent number: 11061452
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a digital circuit and an energy management circuit. The digital circuit operates with an internal power supply voltage in synchronism with a clock signal and comprises complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. The energy management circuit has an input for receiving an external power supply voltage and an output for providing the internal power supply voltage. The energy management circuit is thermally coupled to the digital circuit and sets the internal power supply voltage to a nominal voltage when a temperature of the digital circuit is greater than a boost temperature. The energy management circuit boosts the internal power supply voltage to a boosted voltage greater than the nominal voltage when the temperature of the digital circuit is less than the boost temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: SILICON LABORATORIES INC.
    Inventors: Brian Taylor Brunn, Rui Deng
  • Patent number: 11057029
    Abstract: A gate driver with an integrated Miller clamp controls a high-power drive device coupled to a terminal of a package that houses an integrated circuit coupled to the terminal. A method includes generating an indication of a level of a signal on the terminal with respect to a predetermined signal level. The method includes configuring a variable strength driver of the integrated circuit to charge, discharge, or clamp the terminal based on a control signal and the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Alan L. Westwick, Peter Onody, András V. Horváth, Tamás Marozsák
  • Patent number: 11057834
    Abstract: A low power wake on radio circuit detects if an RF signal is present on an input to the wake on radio circuit. An RF sense circuit supplies an RF sense signal indicating whether the RF signal is present on the input. The RF sense signal is used to incrementally turn on digital decode logic to determine if a radio transmission that is unique to the wake on radio circuit has been received. If the unique radio transmission have been received, the wake on radio circuit supplies a wakeup signal to the rest of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Pio Balmelli, Praveen Vangala, John M. Khoury
  • Patent number: 11050462
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an integrated circuit interface, a wireless communications circuit, a selection circuit, and a control circuit. The integrated circuit interface includes a plurality of power supply input terminals, a plurality of power delivery terminals, and an energy harvest output terminal. The wireless communications circuit is configured to harvest energy received in a wireless communications signal and to provide harvested energy to the energy harvest output terminal. The selection circuit is coupled to the integrated circuit interface and is configured to selectively provide power to the plurality of power delivery terminals based on power received from the plurality of power supply input terminals in response to a control signal. The control circuit is configured to generate the control signal based on a first level of the harvested energy, any signals received on the plurality of power supply input terminals, and predetermined rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Oeivind Aleksander G. Loe
  • Patent number: 11050450
    Abstract: In one example, a system includes: a circuit board; at least one tuner adapted on the circuit board to receive and process a radio frequency (RF) signal to output a downconverted modulated signal; a processor adapted on the circuit board to demodulate the downconverted modulated signal, process the demodulated downconverted signal and output an audio signal; a location on the circuit board to receive a demodulator circuit; and a shunt element adapted on the circuit board to direct the downconverted modulated signal from the at least one tuner to the processor when the system does not include the demodulator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn Michael Davis, Jan Schnepp, Aaron Scott Blank
  • Patent number: RE48735
    Abstract: The resolution of a time to digital converter (TDC) is improved by using a gain stage at the input of the fine TDC. A delay line receives a pulse corresponding to the time information and recirculates the pulse in the delay line by coupling an output of the delay line to an input of the delay line. An integrating fine TDC receives a number of pulses from the delay line corresponding to the desired gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Raghunandan Kolar Ranganathan