Patents Examined by Arnold Kinkead
  • Patent number: 10027312
    Abstract: A relaxation oscillator for generating a low temperature coefficient (LTC) clock signal includes a reference voltage generator and an oscillator. The reference voltage generator generates an LTC current and a bandgap reference voltage. The reference voltage generator includes positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors to compensate for the effects of temperature variations. The oscillator receives the LTC current and the bandgap reference voltage, and generates a clock signal. In another embodiment, the reference voltage generator generates a charge current that varies with temperature. The oscillator receives the charge current and generates first and second output signals. Set and reset comparators include PTC resistors that determine the gains of the set and reset comparators. The PTC resistors compensate for variation in the first and second output signals due to the temperature variations by varying the gains of the set and reset comparators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Wang, Jianzhou Wu, Yizhong Zhang, Hao Zhi, Bin Zhang, Zhengxiang Wang, Yan Huang
  • Patent number: 10027331
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a resonator; an oscillation circuit which oscillates the resonator; a D/A conversion circuit which receives digital data for controlling a frequency of the oscillation circuit; a first temperature sensor; and a temperature compensation circuit which is connected to the first temperature sensor. The oscillation circuit includes a first variable capacitor element and a second variable capacitor element. An output voltage of the D/A conversion circuit is applied to the first variable capacitor element. An output voltage of the temperature compensation circuit is applied to the second variable capacitor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takemi Yonezawa, Masaaki Okubo, Kenji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10020777
    Abstract: A voltage-controlled oscillator for generating oscillation signals at two output terminals includes an inductor coupled between the two output terminals, a capacitor coupled between the two output terminals, two P-type transistors, coupled between a supply voltage and the two output terminals, two N-type transistors coupled between a ground voltage and the two output terminals, and a control circuit. The control circuit is coupled to the inductor, and is arranged to control a current flowing through the two P-type transistors and the inductor by controlling a voltage of the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chao-Ching Hung, Po-Chun Huang, Yu-Li Hsueh
  • Patent number: 10008981
    Abstract: An integrated clock generator includes a tunable LC oscillator, a tunable frequency synthesizer, and a processor. The tunable LC oscillator has an input for receiving an oscillator control signal, and an output for providing an oscillator clock signal. The tunable frequency synthesizer has a clock input coupled to the output of the tunable LC oscillator, a control input for receiving a synthesizer control signal, and an output for providing a clock output signal. The processor has an input for receiving a data input signal, a first output for providing the oscillator control signal, and a second output for providing the synthesizer control signal. The processor provides the oscillator control signal and the synthesizer control signal such that the tunable frequency synthesizer generates the output clock signal at a frequency indicated by the data input signal, and provides the synthesizer control signal further in response to a dynamic condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron J. Caffee, Brian G. Drost, Hendricus de Ruijter
  • Patent number: 10008982
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) wave generator includes a nonlinear transmission line and a pulse generator. The nonlinear transmission line has in order an input section, a magnetic section, and an output section. The magnetic section includes a nonlinear magnetic material. The pulse generator is configured to provide an input pulse to the input section which is converted to an RF wave by the nonlinear transmission line. A waveform of the input pulse is such that the generated RF wave is parametrically amplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventor: Alexander B. Kozyrev
  • Patent number: 10003301
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a drive circuit for driving an oscillator. The drive circuit comprises a first inductor comprising a first terminal and a second terminal; an electrical energy source connected to the first terminal; and a switching circuit connected to the second terminal and to the oscillator. The switching circuit is configured to operate at least in an off state, where it is configured not to feed electrical energy to the oscillator, and in an on state, where it is configured to feed electrical energy to the oscillator. The first inductor is arranged to store energy in its magnetic field when the switching circuit is in the off state, and, when the switching circuit is in the on state, the switching circuit is arranged to use at least some of the energy stored in the magnetic field to deliver a surge of current from the electrical energy source to the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventor: Massimiliano Bracco
  • Patent number: 9995800
    Abstract: An atomic magnetometer includes an atomic vapor cell, an optical system conformed to transmit pump radiation and probe radiation through the vapor cell, and an optical detection system arranged to receive and detect probe radiation after it exits the vapor cell. Improvements in the separation of spatial channels are achieved by using a a diffractive optical element arranged to divide at least the pump radiation into a plurality of separate diffracted beams that traverse the vapor cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Schwindt, Cort N. Johnson, Yuan-Yu Jau
  • Patent number: 9998128
    Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide reduced jitter for a controlled oscillator. An edge of a reference signal is injected at various points within the oscillator, and is replaced for an edge of the generated oscillation signal at the injection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Werner Grollitsch
  • Patent number: 9998130
    Abstract: A method to perform convolutions between arbitrary vectors includes estimating a first degree of match for a difference between a first vector having a plurality of first elements and a second vector having a plurality of second elements using a first cluster of coupled oscillators, estimating a second degree of match for the first vector using a second cluster of coupled oscillators, estimating a third degree of match for the second vector using a third cluster of coupled oscillators, deriving a first squared L2 norm from the first degree of match, deriving a second squared L2 norm from the second degree of match, deriving a third squared L2 norm from the third degree of match, adding the second squared L2 norm and the third squared L2 norm, and subtracting the first squared L2 norm to form a sum, and dividing the sum by two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignees: HRL Laboratories, LLC, University of Pittsburg—Of The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education
    Inventors: Praveen K. Pilly, Jose Cruz-Albrecht, Narayan Srinivasa, Steven P. Levitan, Donald M. Chiarulli
  • Patent number: 9998074
    Abstract: An element which oscillates or detects terahertz waves includes a resonance unit including a differential negative resistance element, a first conductor, a second conductor, and a dielectric body, a bias circuit configured to supply a bias voltage to the differential negative resistance element, and a line configured to connect the resonance unit and the bias circuit to each other. The differential negative resistance element and the dielectric body are disposed between the first and second conductors. The line is a low impedance line in a frequency fLC of resonance caused by inductance of the line and capacitance of the resonance unit using an absolute value of a differential negative resistance of the differential negative resistance element as a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Koyama
  • Patent number: 9991879
    Abstract: A ring oscillator includes a plurality of inverters. A closed loop structure is formed by cascading the inverters. The inverter includes at least one sensitive inverter with a diode-connected transistor. A variation in an MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) threshold voltage of the ring oscillator is detected by analyzing the oscillation frequency of the ring oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventor: Bo-Jr Huang
  • Patent number: 9985639
    Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide non-linearity detection and mitigation for a phase interpolator of a controlled oscillator circuit, such as a PLL. A bit stream output of a phase detector of the oscillator circuit is segmented according to multiple phase positions of the phase interpolator, forming a bit stream for each of the multiple phase positions. Each bit stream of each phase position is analyzed, and phase position errors may be detected and mitigated based on the contents of the bit streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Roberto Nonis, Peter Thurner, Thomas Santa
  • Patent number: 9979406
    Abstract: System and methods for a clock system disciplined to an external reference. In one embodiment, the clock includes a flywheel oscillator controlled by the external reference and a free running holdover oscillator. The holdover oscillator provides increased accuracy during periods of holdover when the external reference is not available. In a further embodiment, the flywheel oscillator is additionally controlled by a phase-locked loop with the holdover oscillator frequency as input, and a control switch for switching the flywheel oscillator to analog control if the phase-locked loop exhibits a fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Arbiter Systems, Incorporated
    Inventors: William J. Dickerson, Robert T. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 9977453
    Abstract: An apparatus for temperature sensing may include: a bias generator suitable for generating a complementary-to-absolute-temperature (CTAT) bias voltage; a regulator suitable for regulating a bias voltage by using CTAT bias voltage and outputting a regulated bias voltage; and a ring oscillator suitable for receiving the regulated bias voltage and generating an oscillation signal based on the regulated bias voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jenn-Gang Chern
  • Patent number: 9979407
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a current sensor configured to couple to a power source and to sense a present current draw on the power source by a powered device. A voltage converter is coupled to the current sensor. The voltage converter includes an output line configured to couple to the powered device to provide an output charge to the powered device. The voltage converter is configured to adjust the output charge in relation to the sensed present current draw on the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Ramos Carneiro, Pavel Novoselov
  • Patent number: 9979409
    Abstract: A timing signal generation device includes a GPS receiver, an atomic oscillator, a phase comparator, a frequency abnormality determination unit, a sensor unit, and a determination unit. The GPS receiver outputs 1 PPS. The atomic oscillator 30 outputs a clock signal for synchronization with 1 PPS. The phase comparator compares 1 PPS and the clock signal in phase. The frequency abnormality determination unit determines whether or not the frequency of the clock signal is abnormal, by using a comparison result of the phase comparator, and outputs frequency abnormality information including a determination result. The sensor unit detects environment information which has an influence on the comparison result. The determination unit determines a cause of the abnormality by using the frequency abnormality information and the environment information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Maki
  • Patent number: 9973176
    Abstract: A circuit may comprise a first node, a ring oscillator, a regulator, and a Kvcc compensation circuit. The first node may be a supply node to provide a supply voltage for the circuit. The ring oscillator may be formed from inverters. The regulator may use a single transistor between the first node and a second node for powering the oscillator. The K compensation circuit may be used to provide to the oscillator a variable capacitive load that is dependent on the supply at the first supply node, and it may drag oscillator frequency down when the first node supply goes up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shenggao Li, Sujatha B. Gowder
  • Patent number: 9966901
    Abstract: A spin-torque oscillator includes: a driving reference layer having a fixed magnetization; a nonmagnetic spacer layer; and a free layer having a changeable magnetization exhibiting an easy-cone magnetic anisotropy, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being between the driving reference layer and the free layer, a magnetic anisotropy energy of the free layer having a local maximum along an axis, a local minimum at an angle from the axis, and a global maximum different from the local maximum, the angle being greater than zero degrees, wherein the spin-torque oscillator is configured such that the changeable magnetization of the free layer precesses around the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dmytro Apalkov, Roman Chepulskyy, Vladimir Nikitin
  • Patent number: 9966900
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first oscillator to generate an output signal that has a first frequency. The apparatus further includes a second oscillator to generate an output signal that has a second frequency. The second frequency varies as a function of temperature. The apparatus further includes a controller that counts a number of cycles of the output signal of the second oscillator in order to determine whether to calibrate the first oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Marty Pflum, Arup Mukherji, John M. Khoury
  • Patent number: 9966962
    Abstract: An oscillation signal generation circuit includes an oscillator and a calibration circuit. The oscillator includes a reference signal source circuit that has a reference signal source outputting a reference signal and converts the output reference signal into a control voltage, a filter that includes a variable resistance and a capacitance and removes noise in the control voltage, a transistor that converts the control voltage which has passed through the filter into a control current and outputs the control current, a core circuit that is driven by the control current and generates an output signal, and an output terminal that outputs the generated output signal. The calibration circuit is connected to the output terminal of the oscillator, detects whether or not the generated output signal is oscillating, and adjusts the current value of the control current by controlling the resistance value of the variable resistance in accordance with the detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Abe, Junji Sato