Abstract: A communication network is provided for interconnecting a network of digital systems, such as multimedia devices. Each node of the communication network may include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver and transmitter of each node can be an optical receiver and transmitter. The optical receiver is preferably powered by two power supply pins, each providing different supply amounts. An activity detector within the receiver can be powered from a first supply amount, and the signal path of the optical receiver can be supplied from a second supply amount greater than the first supply amount. The first supply amount is provided at all times, and the second supply amount is only provided if activity is detected. A voltage regulator which provides the first supply amount can be beneficially embodied on the same integrated circuit as a network interface to reduce the manufacturing cost of the network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a monitoring device (e.g., a slave device) may be configured to perform a plurality of monitoring functions. For example, the monitoring device may comprise a watchdog timer configured to monitor communications between the processing unit (e.g., a host processor) and the monitoring device. The watchdog timer may cause the monitoring device to enter a failsafe mode of operation if the processing unit fails to communicate with the monitoring device within a predetermined period of time. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to perform thermal management functions via one or more temperature sensors. The monitoring device may enter the failsafe mode of operation if a sensed temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature limit. Furthermore, the monitoring device may also comprise a status unit that is operable to provide the processing unit an indication of a state of the monitoring device.

Abstract: A fan control system in which a sensor selection block having a number of sensor inputs may be combined with an autofan block having a number of zone inputs, where the number of sensor inputs is greater than the number of zone inputs. Each one of the sensor inputs of the sensor selection block may have a corresponding sensor parameter input. The sensor selection block may be configured to map a subset of the sensor inputs with corresponding sensor parameter inputs to the autofan block. Each zone input and corresponding zone parameter input of the autofan block may receive a corresponding one of the subset of the sensor inputs with corresponding sensor parameter inputs, respectively. The autofan block may have a number of pulse width modulated (PWM) outputs that may be calculated according to the autofan block zone inputs and zone parameter inputs.

Abstract: A communication system, network, interface, and port architecture are provided for transporting different types of data across a network. The network can be arranged by connecting the ports in a daisy-chain fashion to achieve a ring architecture or topology. The network forwards data according to a specific network protocol, and nodes among the network can use a recovered clock from the bitstream to drive the transmitter and create a synchronous network even thought the network can receive Ethernet packets which are typically targeted for an asynchronous network. Non-compliant data, such as Ethernet data, can be sent as packets within a frame structure. The frame is synchronized to Ethernet coding violations used to signal the beginning of each frame, and each packet can be immediately followed by a packet coding violation. The frame and packet coding violations are represented as a sequence of 4B/5B codes that are not valid codes and, therefore, not present as Ethernet encoded data.

Abstract: A temperature measurement device may be implemented by coupling a PN-junction, which may be comprised in a diode, to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that comprises an integrator. Different currents may be successively applied to the diode, resulting in different VBE values across the diode. The ?VBE values thus obtained may be successively integrated. Appropriate values for the different currents may be determined based on a set of mathematical equations, each equation relating the VBE value to the temperature of the diode, the current applied to the diode and parasitic series resistance associated with the diode. When the current sources with the appropriate values are sequentially applied to the diode and the resulting diode voltage differences are integrated by the integrator comprised in the ADC, the error in the temperature measurement caused by series resistance is canceled in the ADC, and an accurate temperature reading of the diode is obtained from the output of the ADC.

Abstract: A semiconductor package and method for forming the same is disclosed herein. The semiconductor package includes a package support member, a pair of optoelectronic devices spaced from each other and coupled to the package support member, and an optically transmissive portion for separately encapsulating the pair of optoelectronic devices. A pair of lenses is formed as a unibody structure with the optically transmissive portion. The semiconductor package also includes an optically opaque portion, which extends between and around the separately encapsulated devices to optically isolate encapsulated optical devices. The optically opaque portion also extends outward from portions of the encapsulated devices, thereby forming a pair of fiber optic receptacles as a unibody structure with the optically opaque portion.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring usage of peripheral devices and placing a second peripheral device in a low power state when the usage indicates that a second peripheral device is not being used. For example, if a computer system detects that a user's current typing rate indicates the user probably has both hands on a keyboard, the computer system may generate a signal to the computer mouse to enter a low power state. The computer system may use prior usage for a user to determine when current usage indicates that the second peripheral device is not being used. After the second peripheral device is placed in a low power state, the computer system may generate a signal to the second peripheral device to return to a normal power state when the computer system determines that the user no longer has both hands occupied.

Abstract: In some embodiments, if a card in a card reader has not been accessed in a first specified amount of time, the card may be powered down. The card may be powered back up if an attempt is made to access the card. In some embodiments, if a memory card is in the memory card slot of the card reader, but has not been accessed in a second specified amount of time, the card reader may be electrically disconnected from the host controller if a sideband signal is available to signal the card reader when to electrically reconnect.

Abstract: In one set of embodiments, a temperature measurement system may include an analog to digital converter (ADC) to produce digital temperature readings according to a difference base-emitter voltage (?VBE) developed across a PN-junction. A clock generating circuit may be configured to provide a sampling clock used by the ADC, which in some embodiments may be a delta-sigma ADC, in performing the conversions. The clock generating circuit may be configured to change the frequency of the sampling clock a specified number of times within each one of the one or more conversion cycles to reduce an error component in the temperature measurement, where the error component is produced by an interfering signal, such as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) signal being coherent with the sampling clock, and/or a noise residing on the voltage supply and also being coherent with the sampling clock.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a method and apparatus for implementing multiple transaction translators that share a single memory in a serial hub are disclosed. For example, in one embodiment, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub may include a shared memory device, at least one faster data handler coupled to transfer data between the shared memory device and a faster port, and several slower handlers each coupled to transfer data between the shared memory device and a respective one of several slower ports.

Abstract: A communication system, network interface, and communication port is provided for interconnecting a network of multimedia devices. The multimedia devices can send streaming and/or non-streaming data across the network. The network accommodates all such types of data and assigns data types to time slots or frame segments within each frame to ensure streaming data maintains its temporal relationship at the receiver consistent with the transmitter. A coding violation within a frame segment of one or more frames is used to indicate the absence of isochronous streaming data within the byte locations containing the coding violations. Coding violations can, therefore, be interspersed between isochronous data messages or data transfers to note that a particular portion of a frame segment does not contain isochronous data.

Abstract: If a USB device is turned off or is not active, the device may be electrically disconnected from a USB host controller. The device may be electrically disconnected through a physical interface on the device. In some embodiments, if the device becomes active during a wait period (e.g., 2–3 seconds) prior to electrically disconnecting the device, the device may not be electrically disconnected. In some embodiments, when the device is electrically disconnected from the USB host controller and no system activity of a bus mastering peripheral is occurring, the CPU may enter a low power state if other conditions are met. In some embodiments, if the USB device becomes active after electrically disconnecting, the electrical disconnection may be discontinued.

Abstract: A temperature sensor circuit and system providing accurate readings using a temperature diode whose ideality factor may fall within a determined range. In one set of embodiments a change in diode junction voltage (?VBE) proportional to the temperature of the diode is captured and provided to an ADC, which may perform required signal conditioning functions on ?VBE, and provide a numeric value output corresponding to the temperature of the diode. Errors in the measured temperature that might result from using diodes with ideality factors that differ from an expected ideality factor may be eliminated by programming the system to account for differing ideality factors. The gain of the temperature sensor may be matched to the ideality factor of the temperature diode by using an accurate, highly temperature stable reference voltage of the ADC to set the gain of the temperature measurement system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for handling an interrupt are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor may receive an interrupt request corresponding to a particular interrupt. The particular interrupt may be one of a group of interrupts. Responsive to receiving the interrupt request, the processor may substitute a vector corresponding to the group of interrupts with a vector corresponding to the particular interrupt. Responsive to the substitution, the processor may then jump to a service routine corresponding to the particular interrupt. Execution of the service routine may resolve the condition which initially caused the interrupt request.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a fan is disclosed. In one embodiment, a fan controller is integrated in silicon and uses an embedded microcontroller to implement a digital fan control algorithm. The microcontroller may continually monitor temperature and sample the speed of the controlled fan. The speed of the fan may be compared to RPM values fitted on a desired curve that is representative of the Temperature-versus-RPM function for the given controlled fan. The fan control algorithm may be based on a PID compensator or a Ramp Rate Closed-loop controller (RRCC), which may be operated to drive the fan to the desired speed. The fan may also provide a Fan ID feedback signal to the microcontroller, which may use the Fan ID feedback signal upon system start-up to initialize the PID compensator gain settings or the RRCC parameter settings, and select the appropriate Temperature-versus-RPM function curve based on pre-determined values for the given fan.

Abstract: In various embodiments, icons, specific to a type of memory card (e.g., a flash memory card) inserted into a card reader may be displayed. In some embodiments, the card reader may be electrically connected to the host controller each time a memory card is inserted into the card reader. In various embodiments, different device identifications may be reported as if the card reader were actually several different card readers each dedicated to a different memory card type. A registry of an operating system may be preloaded with a different icon for each of the different card reader types. An icon may be displayed on a display specific to the type of memory card inserted. When the memory card is removed, the card reader may be electrically disconnected and the displayed icon may be removed or replaced.

Abstract: A double buffered flash bank. In one embodiment, a flash interface may be programmed by a register interface with a first set of data while a second set of data is being written to the register interface. In one embodiment, flash banks may be programmed in parallel using latched register interfaces. For example, while data from a first register interface is being written to the first flash bank and data from a second register interface is being written to a second flash bank, new data may be written to the first register interface and to the second register interface. The new data may then be written from the first register interface to the first flash bank and from the second register interface to the second flash bank.

Abstract: An interface chip is disclosed. In one embodiment, an interface chip includes a processor coupled to an internal data bus and an internal address bus. A plurality of interfaces, including at least on serial interface and at least one parallel interface are also coupled to the processor via the internal address bus and the internal data bus. The interface chip also includes data movement circuitry, wherein the data movement circuitry is configured for transmitting data between a first of the plurality of interfaces and a second of the plurality of interfaces using time division multiplexing.

Abstract: A communication system, source and destination ports of the communication system, and methodology is provided for transporting data in one of possibly three different ways. Data is transported across the network at a frame sample rate that can be the same as or different from the sample rate or master clock within the source port or the destination port. If the sample rate of the source port is known, the sample rate of the destination port can be created using a PLL within the destination port and simply employing a phase comparator in the source port. The phase comparator forwards the phase or frequency difference of the network transfer rate and the source sample rate to the destination port, which then generates a local clock equivalent to the source which then compiles audio data being played at the same rate in which it was sampled at the source. Where economically feasible, sample rate conversion can be used at the source.

Abstract: A system may include a PWM (Pulse Width Modulator) configured to generate a PWM signal, a signal modifier configured to generate a modified PWM signal that includes a sampling activation signal having a different frequency than the PWM signal, fan drive circuitry configured to provide power to a fan in response to the modified PWM signal; and a sampling unit configured to sample a fan tachometer signal in response to an indication that the fan is currently powered.