Patents Assigned to Texas Instruments
  • Publication number: 20130241872
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises touch screen interface and signal processing circuit. Within touch screen interface, there are switching circuits configured to be coupled to at least one of a plurality of column electrodes, and there are touch detection circuits configured to be coupled to at least one of a plurality of row electrodes. The signal processing circuit is coupled to each switching circuit and each touch detection circuit so as to be able to selectively activate the plurality of switching circuits and touch detection circuits to identify a zone for a touch event. The signal processing circuit determines first, second, third, and fourth resistances for the zone for the touch event and determines a set of coordinates and pressure for the touch event from its first, second, third, and fourth resistances wherein an aperture filter register is in a host interface that also stores the first digital representation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ing-Yih J. Wang, Herbert Braisz, Tony Chang
  • Publication number: 20130246983
    Abstract: A method of forming an IC including MOS transistors includes using a gate mask to form a first active gate feature having a line width W1 over an active area and a neighboring dummy feature having a line width 0.8 W1 to 1.3 W1. The neighboring dummy feature has a first side adjacent to the first active gate feature, and a nearest gate level feature on a second side opposite the first side. The neighboring dummy feature defines a gate pitch based on a distance to the first active gate feature or the neighboring dummy feature maintains a gate pitch in a gate array including the first active gate feature. The spacing between the neighboring dummy feature and the nearest gate level feature (i) maintains the gate pitch or (ii) provides a SRAF enabling distance that is ?2 times the gate pitch and the gate mask includes a SRAF over the SRAF distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James Walter BLATCHFORD, Yong Seok CHOI, Thomas J. ATON
  • Publication number: 20130246872
    Abstract: A process of selecting alternative test circuitry within an integrated circuit enables a test access port. Scan test instruction data is loaded into an instruction register of a test access port TAP, the instruction data including information for selecting the alternative test circuitry. An Update-IR instruction update operation is performed at the end of the loading to output scan test control signals from the instruction register. A lockout signal is changed to an active state to disable the test access port and enable scan test circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20130246874
    Abstract: Scan distributor, collector, and controller circuitry connect to the functional inputs and outputs of core circuitry on integrated circuits to provide testing through those functional inputs and outputs. Multiplexer and demultiplexer circuits select between the scan circuitry and the functional inputs and outputs. The core circuitry can also be provided with built-in scan distributor, collector, and controller circuitry to avoid having to add it external of the core circuitry. With appropriately placed built-in scan distributor and collector circuits, connecting together the functional inputs and outputs of the core circuitry also connects together the scan distributor and collector circuitry in each core. This can provide a hierarchy of scan circuitry and reduce the need for separate test interconnects and multiplexers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20130246830
    Abstract: A method comprises a system comprising a host device coupled to a first remote device actively operating according to a state diagram that the host device and all remote devices follow during operation of the system. The method further comprises powering up a second remote device while the host device and first remote device are actively operating according to the state diagram. The second remote device waits for a synchronization point sequence. Upon detecting the synchronization point sequence, the second remote device implements a predetermined feature set and synchronizes itself to the state diagram at a common point as the host device and first remote device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary L. Swoboda
  • Publication number: 20130240980
    Abstract: In an LDMOS device leakage and forward conduction parameters are adjusted by integrating an Schottky diode into the LDMOS by blocking the formation of one or more n+ source regions and providing a metalized region adjacent to an underlying n-epitaxial region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Venkat Raghavan, Andrew D. Strachan
  • Publication number: 20130246873
    Abstract: A TAP linking module (21, 51) permits plural TAPs (TAPs 1-4) to be controlled and accessed from a test bus (13) via a single TAP interface (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20130246871
    Abstract: A Scan-BIST architecture is adapted into a low power Scan-BIST architecture. A generator 102, compactor 106, and controller 110 remain the same as in the known art. The changes between the known art Scan-BIST architecture and the low power Scan-BIST architecture involve modification of the known scan path into scan path 502, to insert scan paths A 506, B 508 and C 510, and the insertion of an adaptor circuit 504 in the control path 114 between controller 110 and scan path 502.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20130246870
    Abstract: A device test architecture and a reduced device test interface are provided to enable efficient testing of embedded cores and other circuits within devices. The reduced device test interface is achieved using a double data rate (DDR) signaling technique between the tester and the device. The DDR test interface allows the tester to interface to test circuits within the device, such as IEEE 1500 and/or IEEE 1149.1 test circuits, to provide high test data bandwidth to the test circuits using a minimum of test interface signals. The test architecture includes compare circuits that allow for comparison of test response data to be performed within the device. The test architecture further includes a memory for storing the results of the test response comparisons. The test architecture includes a programmable test controller to allow for various test control operations by simply inputting an instruction to the programmable test controller from the external tester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20130241663
    Abstract: A method is provided. An input signal is received, and a noise-shaped signal is generated from the input signal. The noise-shaped signal is formed from a plurality of noise-shaping levels. A pulse stream is generated from the noise-shaped signal over a plurality of periods, where each period has a plurality of frames. The pulse stream also includes a plurality of pulse sets, where each pulse set is associated with at least one of the noise-shaping levels, and, for each pulse set having a total pulse width for its period that is less than its period and greater than zero, each pulse set includes at least one pulse in each frame for its period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lei Ding, Rahmi Hezar, Joonhoi Hur, Baher S. Haroun
  • Publication number: 20130241453
    Abstract: A quiet motor control system is described. This system digitally determines modulated voltages applied to motor phases in a manner that compensates for winding torque distortions, which reduces acoustic emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: John K. Rote
  • Patent number: 8539290
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is described that has a substrate with a memory array with dedicated support hardware formed on the substrate. An access wrapper circuit is coupled to address and data lines of the memory array and to control lines of the dedicated support hardware. The wrapper circuit is configured to provide an access port to the memory array. A test controller is formed on the substrate and coupled in parallel with the access wrapper circuit to the address and data lines of the memory array and to the control lines of the dedicated support hardware, wherein the test controller is operable to perform a test of the memory array by manipulating control signals to the support hardware in addition to those required to write data patterns into the memory array and to read the contents of the memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel Robert Burggraf, III, Hari Pendurty
  • Patent number: 8539602
    Abstract: Multiple secure environments are established within a system on a chip (SoC) by defining a first secure region within a non-volatile memory in the SoC with a first set of parameters written into a predefined parameter region of the non-volatile memory. A second secure region within the non-volatile memory may be defined at a later time by a second set of parameters written into another predefined parameter region of the non-volatile memory. A security module is initialized each time the SoC is powered on by transferring the first set of parameters and the second set of parameters from the parameter region to the security module in a manner that does not expose the first set of parameters or the second set of parameters to a program being executed by the processor. The multiple secure regions of the SoC are enforced by the security module according to the parameter data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Prohor Chowdhury, Alexander Tessarolo, David Peter Foley
  • Patent number: 8538558
    Abstract: A multi-chip module includes a first die having a control processor to generate a signal to control an industrial process and an input/output interface. The multi-chip module also includes a second die having a supervisory processor and an input/output interface. A processor failure of one of the control processor and the supervisory processor is detected by the other of the control processor and the supervisory processor, and the processor that detects the failure is configured to assert a signal through its input/output interface to cause the industrial process to transition to a safe state in response to the failure. Additionally, the first and second dies are created using different process technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sam Gnana Sabapathy, Alexander Tessarolo
  • Patent number: 8539159
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for managing memory write back. In some embodiments, the method may include examining current and future instructions operating on a stack that exists in memory, determining stack trend information from the instructions, and utilizing the trend information to reduce data traffic between various levels of the memory. As stacked data are written to a cache line in a first level of memory, if future instructions indicate that additional cache lines are required for subsequent write operations within the stack, then the cache line may be written back to a second level of memory. If however, the future instructions indicate that no additional cache lines are required for subsequent write operations within the stack, then the first level of memory may avoid writing back the cache line and also may keep it marked as dirty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard Chauvel, Serge Lasserre, Dominique D'Inverno
  • Patent number: 8539294
    Abstract: Scan architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present invention describes a method of adapting conventional scan architectures into a low power scan architecture. The low power scan architecture maintains the test time of conventional scan architectures, while requiring significantly less operational power than conventional scan architectures. The low power scan architecture is advantageous to IC/die manufacturers since it allows a larger number of circuits (such as DSP or CPU core circuits) embedded in an IC/die to be tested in parallel without consuming too much power within the IC/die. Since the low power scan architecture reduces test power consumption, it is possible to simultaneously test more die on a wafer than previously possible using conventional scan architectures. This allows wafer test times to be reduced which reduces the manufacturing cost of each die on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jayashree Saxena, Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 8537868
    Abstract: An optical disk drive system associated with a laser diode is described. The optical disk drive system comprises a current generator for receiving input signals; a current switch coupled to receive timing signals; a current driver coupled to receive output signals from the current switch and the current generator, the current driver further comprising a driver with wave shape control selected from the group consisting of a laser diode read driver and a laser diode write driver, wherein the driver with shape control is operative for transmitting at least one output signal that is a scaled version of at least one of the output signals received from the current generator, wherein the current driver is operative for transmitting at least one output signal driving the laser diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas Warren Dean, Shengyuan Li, Indumini Ranmuthu
  • Patent number: 8539295
    Abstract: An integrated circuit carries an intellectual property core. The intellectual property core includes a test access port 39 with test data input leads 15, test data output leads 13, control leads 17 and an external register present, ERP lead 37. A scan register 25 encompasses the intellectual property core and ERP lead 37 carries a signal indicating the presence of the scan register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 8536654
    Abstract: A CMOS device having an NMOS transistor with a metal gate electrode comprising a mid-gap metal with a low work function/high oxygen affinity cap and a PMOS transistor with a metal gate electrode comprising a mid gap metal with a high work function/low oxygen affinity cap and method of forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James Joseph Chambers, Hiroaki Niimi
  • Patent number: 8536910
    Abstract: A phased-locked loop (PLL) circuit which comprises a phase-frequency detector (PFD) configured to receive a reference signal, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) configured to produce a VCO signal, and a divider configured to divide the VCO signal thereby producing a feedback signal based on the feedback signal not being locked to the reference signal. Based on the feedback signal not being locked to the reference signal, the PFD is configured to compare an edge of the reference signal with an edge of the feedback signal to produce an error signal. Based on the feedback signal being locked to the reference signal, the PFD is configured to compare the edge of the reference signal to an edge of the VCO signal to produce an error signal and the divider is configured to be disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Krishnasawamy Nagaraj, Ajay Kumar