Patents Examined by Joseph Lauture
  • Patent number: 9397681
    Abstract: An analog/digital converter system includes a multiplexer, which includes multiple channels having at least one switch, and an analog/digital converter, the analog input of which is connected to the output portal of the multiplexer. Also described is a method for checking a multiplexer for an analog/digital converter. At least one other switch for testing the multiplexer is provided in at least one channel, this other switch connecting the input portal and/or the output portal of the corresponding channel and/or the corresponding channel to a predefined voltage potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Ruediger Karner
  • Patent number: 9397687
    Abstract: In one implementation, a digital analog converter (DAC) is monotonic because the output moves only in the direction of the input and segmented because a more significant portion of the DAC is separated from a less significant portion. The DAC receives an input binary word that includes multiple most significant bits and multiple least significant bits. The DAC decodes the input binary word to an intermediate signal that includes a bit width equal to or greater than a bit width of the binary word. The intermediate signal sets output switches and current source switches. The DAC provides an analog output signal that represents the input binary word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kadaba Lakshmikumar, Mark Y. Tse
  • Patent number: 9391634
    Abstract: Example embodiments of the systems and methods of low power decimation filter exploit the single bit data input to the filter and the symmetry of the filter response. The input data may be treated as 0 and 1 instead of ?1 and +1. The symmetry of the sinc filter may be exploited since the data across different polyphases are combined. The addition of the symmetric data and coefficient multiplication may be replaced with simple muxing based on two bits and the use of unsigned logic for all adders following coefficient multiplication as both data and coefficient are non-negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Sundarrajan Rangachari
  • Patent number: 9390074
    Abstract: A method, a computer program product, and a computer system for determination of encoding based on received code point classes are provided. The computer implemented method includes transferring data in a text form. The computer implemented method includes, in response to determining that decoding the data in text form passes, transferring some or all of the data in a binary form. The computer implemented method includes calculating code point class proportions for the data in the text form and the data in the binary form and determining a best form for transferring the data, based on comparison of the code point class proportions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Cox, Stewart O. M. Francis
  • Patent number: 9391627
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a successive approximation register analog to digital converter (SAR ADC). The SAR ADC includes a charge sharing DAC that includes an array of MSB (most significant bit) capacitors, an array of LSB (least significant bit) capacitors, and an error correction capacitor. A zero crossing detector is coupled to the charge sharing DAC. The zero crossing detector generates a digital output. A successive approximation register (SAR) state machine is coupled to the zero crossing detector and operates the charge sharing DAC in a sampling mode and a conversion mode. During the sampling mode an input voltage is provided to the array of MSB capacitors and the error correction capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Raghu Nandan Srinivasa, Tharun Nagulu
  • Patent number: 9391629
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for auto-calibration of ADC, comprising acquiring a voltage signal value of a reference voltage source; converting the voltage signal value of the reference voltage source to a digital signal value according to a preset conversion coefficient value; and comparing the digital signal value to a target value and adjusting the conversion coefficient value according to the comparing result so that the difference between the digital signal value and the target value is within an allowed margin of error. The procedure of the method for auto-calibration of ADC of the present invention is executed automatically, no professional operator is needed to calibrate manually. As such, labor cost is reduced and work efficiency is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SKYWORTH-RGB ELECTRONIC CO., LTD
    Inventor: Hongbo Chen
  • Patent number: 9385750
    Abstract: The invention relates to an encoder and a decoder and methods therein for supporting split gain shape vector encoding and decoding. The method performed by an encoder, where the encoding of each vector segment is subjected to a constraint related to a maximum number of bits, BMAX, allowed for encoding a vector segment. The method comprises, determining an initial number, Np—init, of segments for a target vector x; and further determining an average number of bits per segment, BAVG, based on a vector bit budget and Np—init. The method further comprises determining a final number of segments to be used, for the vector x, in the gain shape vector encoding, based on energies of the Np—init segments and a difference between BMAX and BAVG. The performing of the method enables an efficient allocation of the bits of the bit budget over the target vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Erik Norvell, Volodya Grancharov, Tomas Jansson Toftgård
  • Patent number: 9385745
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing spurious noise tones in sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are described. A dither signal may be added to two differential input signals of a pseudo-differential sigma-delta ADC. The dither signal may be generated by a pseudo-random bit sequence generator and applied to two input buffers, which add the dither signal to received differential analog input signals. The dithered signals may be digitized by two independent sigma-delta ADCs and then subtracted to remove the dither signal from an overall digital output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Op 't Eynde, Chi-Lun Lo, Michael A. Ashburn
  • Patent number: 9379445
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a satellite positioning system slot antenna. The slot antenna may include a slot in a metal housing. The slot may be directly fed or indirectly fed. In indirectly fed configurations, the antenna may include a near-field-coupled antenna feed structure that is near-field coupled to the slot. The near-field-coupled antenna feed structure may be formed from a planar metal structure. The planar metal structure may be a metal patch that overlaps the slot and that has a leg that protrudes towards the metal housing. A positive antenna feed terminal may be coupled to the leg and a ground antenna feed terminal may be coupled to the metal housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jiang Zhu, Harish Rajagopalan, Rodney A. Gomez Angulo, Qingxiang Li, Robert W. Schlub
  • Patent number: 9379727
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for attenuating transmit digital to analog converter (DAC) spurs is provided. The method begins when a reference voltage is injected into an amplifier. Next, an output of the ground low drop-out regulator is measured and is them compared with the reference voltage. The output of the amplifier is then adjusted based on the results of the comparison. If the reference voltage is higher then the output of the ground low drop-out regulator the output of the amplifier is adjusted to ground. If the reference voltage is lower than the output of the ground low drop-out regulator then the output of the amplifier is adjusted to match the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Dongwon Seo, Yang You, Honghao Ji, Tongyu Song, Ganesh Saripalli, Shahin Mehdizad Taleie
  • Patent number: 9379725
    Abstract: A digital to analog converter may include a reference voltage generation unit that generates a reference voltage and a plurality of unit conversion units connected through an output node. The plurality of unit conversion units may set a voltage level of the output node in response to digital codes and the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Chang Yong Ahn, Jun Ho Cheon
  • Patent number: 9373408
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory has an ADC that digitizes an analog voltage in a range delimited by V1 and V2 into N intervals, resulting in a digital Vx with x between 1 to N. A ramp voltage Vramp(x) calibrated to rise linearly from V1 to V2 in x=1 to N clock cycles is used to scan the analog voltage. Vx is then given by Vx=Vramp(x). The ramp voltage is provided by a constant current charging a capacitor and has a slope proportional to a DAC resistor, R(x) that is programmable from 1 to N. In a calibration mode, the R(x) is set to N, which results in K clock cycles spanning V1 to V2. In a subsequent normal mode, the DAC resistor is reset to R(K) to result in a calibrated ramp voltage that would rise from V1 to V2 in N clock cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Raul Adrian Cernea
  • Patent number: 9369141
    Abstract: A system includes a clock interconnect network having an input node and a plurality of output nodes. The clock interconnect network receives a clock input at the input node and distributes, based on the clock input, a plurality of clock signals via respective ones of the plurality of output nodes. A propagation delay of each of the plurality of clock signals distributed by the clock interconnect network is approximately equal to respective propagation delays of others of the plurality of clock signals distributed by the clock interconnect network. A digital-to-analog converter includes a plurality of segments, each outputting a respective output, and a plurality of drivers. Each of the plurality of drivers receives a respective one of the plurality of clock signals and provides a driver signal to a respective one of the plurality of segments based on the respective one of the plurality of clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerzy Teterwak, Dan McMahill
  • Patent number: 9368231
    Abstract: A switched capacitor circuit according to the present invention includes: a capacitor including a first terminal to which the input voltage is applied and a second terminal; a capacitor including a third terminal and a fourth terminal; an inverting amplifier including a second output terminal and a second input terminal which is connected to the fourth terminal; a capacitor including a fifth terminal and a sixth terminal; a capacitor including a seventh terminal and an eighth terminal and included in an electrical path between the second output terminal and the fifth terminal; and a capacitor including a ninth terminal and a tenth terminal connected to the second terminal and the sixth terminal, respectively. The third terminal is connected to the second terminal. The sixth terminal is connected to the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yusuke Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 9369146
    Abstract: A circuit may include a comparator having a first input, a second input, and an output. The circuit further may further include a successive approximation register (SAR) circuit coupled to the output of the comparator, the first input, and the second input. The SAR circuit may be configured to program one or more capacitors to selectively bias the first input to provide a single-ended measurement of a voltage at the second input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaodong Wang
  • Patent number: 9369147
    Abstract: An analog to digital converter (ADC) core; a reference voltage generator coupled to an input of the ADC core; a bandgap reference coupled to the reference voltage generator; and a window comparator configured to control a selected reference voltage range generated by the reference voltage generator and received by the ADC core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Peter Spevak
  • Patent number: 9362946
    Abstract: A method, a computer program product, and a computer system for determination of encoding based on received code point classes are provided. The computer implemented method includes transferring data in a text form. The computer implemented method includes, in response to determining that decoding the data in text form passes, transferring some or all of the data in a binary form. The computer implemented method includes calculating code point class proportions for the data in the text form and the data in the binary form and determining a best form for transferring the data, based on comparison of the code point class proportions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin D. Cox, Stewart O. M. Francis
  • Patent number: 9362937
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of self-calibration of a successive approximation register-analog-to-digital converter. The method includes measuring an error value for each thermometer element of a plurality of thermometer elements and determining a mean value of measured error values. The method also includes generating a thermometer scale where each level of the thermometer scale will be an incremental sum of each value of a first subset, and each further level of the thermometer scale will be a sum of all values of a second subset plus the incremental sum of the elements of the first subset in any order. In addition, the method includes generating the output code according to the thermometer scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Carmelo Burgio, Mauro Giacomini
  • Patent number: 9357151
    Abstract: A shared counter circuit for a column-parallel single-slope ADC includes an n-bit counter; n low-voltage (LV) drivers connected to receive respective counter output bits and to provide a logic high or logic low output signal which tracks the received bit, the voltage difference between the logic high and logic low output signals being less than Vdd; and a plurality of sets of regenerative latches powered by a supply voltage Vdd, each of which receives an output from a respective LV driver and latches and regenerates the received output as a rail-to-rail CMOS signal upon the occurrence of a trigger event. One typical trigger event occurs when a periodic ramp voltage exceeds an input voltage provided to the ADC which may originate, for example, from the columns of a photodetector array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: TELEDYNE SCIENTIFIC & IMAGING, LLC
    Inventor: Mihail Milkov
  • Patent number: 9350374
    Abstract: A time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter for conversion of L analog input signals to L corresponding digital output signals comprises an array of N (N>L) constituent analog-to-digital converters each having an analog input and a digital output and each adapted to digitize an analog input sample, and a controller adapted to (for each of the L analog input signals indexed by i=1, 2, . . . , L) select a number Ni, of constituent analog-to-digital converters from the array of N constituent analog-to-digital converters (wherein Ni?1 and ?i=1L Ni?N), and cause each sample of the analog input signal to be digitized in a respective one of the selected Ni, constituent analog-to-digital converters. The analog-to-digital converter also comprises a multiplexer adapted to (for each of the L analog input signals) multiplex the digitized samples of each of the selected Ni constituent analog-to-digital converters to produce the digital output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ANACATUM DESIGN AB
    Inventors: Rolf Sundblad, Robert Hägglund, Staffan Holmbring