Patents Examined by Ryan Stiglic
  • Patent number: 8909833
    Abstract: Systems and methods for streaming data. Systems allow read/write across multiple or N device modules. Device modules on a bus ring configure at power up (during initialization process); this process informs each device module of its associated address values. Each ringed device module analyzes an address indicator word, which identifies an address at which a read/write operation is intended for, and compares the address designated by the address indicator word to its assigned addresses; when the address designated by the address indicator word is an address associated with the device module, the device module read/writes from/to the address designated by the address indicator word. Memory controller (ring controller or master bus) is not required to ‘know’ which memory chip/device module in a daisy chain the address command word is intended for. Therefore, system embodiments allow streaming without consideration of a number of memory chips/device modules on bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Ronald Norman Prusia
  • Patent number: 8904209
    Abstract: Power consumption of computing devices are monitored with performance counters and used to generate a power model for each computing device. The power models are used to estimate the power consumption of each computing device based on the performance counters. Each computing device is assigned a power cap, and a software-based power control at each computing device monitors the performance counters, estimates the power consumption using the performance counters and the model, and compares the estimated power consumption with the power cap. Depending on whether the estimated power consumption violates the power cap, the power control may transition the computing device to a lower power state to prevent a violation of the power cap or a higher power state if the computing device is below the power cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Davis, Moises Goldszmidt, Suzanne M. Rivoire
  • Patent number: 8902902
    Abstract: A hardware trie structure includes a tree of internal node circuits and leaf node circuits. Each internal node is configured by a corresponding multi-bit node control value (NCV). Each leaf node can output a corresponding result value (RV). An input value (IV) supplied onto input leads of the trie causes signals to propagate through the trie such that one of the leaf nodes outputs one of the RVs onto output leads of the trie. In a transactional memory, a memory stores a set of NCVs and RVs. In response to a lookup command, the NCVs and RVs are read out of memory and are used to configure the trie. The IV of the lookup is supplied to the input leads, and the trie looks up an RV. A non-final RV initiates another lookup in a recursive fashion, whereas a final RV is returned as the result of the lookup command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Netronome Systems, Incorporated
    Inventors: Gavin J. Stark, Bruce Alexander Wilford
  • Patent number: 8898361
    Abstract: Methods and systems for advanced interrupt processing and scheduling are provided. The system comprises a memory operable to store interrupt priorities, an interface, and a processor operable to acquire incoming interrupts and to handle the incoming interrupts according to the interrupt priorities. The processor is also operable to receive interrupt processing criteria from the interface (sent, for example, from a device not directly coupled with the system), and to modify the interrupt priorities of the memory based upon the interrupt processing criteria without losing incoming processing requests for the system. Additionally, the processor is operable to process the incoming interrupts according to the modified interrupt priorities responsive to modifying the interrupt priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Sourin Sarkar
  • Patent number: 8880765
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a network device having a plurality of hardware interfaces is disclosed. The network device includes a central processing unit and a main circuit board. The main circuit board has expansion slots that receivably connect corresponding secondary circuit boards to the main circuit board. The main circuit board also has sensors for detecting predetermined parameters. A voltage regulator is operative to regulate one or more particular expansion slots, in response to detection of a predetermined parameter associated with respective slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Itron, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles W. Melvin, Jr., Robert Bryan Seal, Phillip Warren, Edward Glenn Howard
  • Patent number: 8880768
    Abstract: A method of operation of a storage controller system includes: accessing a first controller having a synchronization bus; accessing a second controller, by the first controller, through the synchronization bus; and receiving a first transaction layer packet by the first controller including performing a multi-cast transmission between the first controller and the second controller through the synchronization bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Promise Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Manoj Mathew, Jin-Lon Hon
  • Patent number: 8868816
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a connector of a mobile terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a connector including a plurality of pins, a plug of a peripheral device, a display unit for displaying a menu for setting a connector mode, an input unit for receiving selection of one connector mode from the menu for setting a connector mode, a main processor for connecting with a switch unit through a data line, a sound line, a microphone line, and a control line, for receiving connector mode selection information from the input unit, and for transferring switching information through the control line, and the switch unit for connecting with a subset of the pins of the connector, and selectively connecting the subset of the pins to at least one of the data line, the sound line, and the microphone line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kun Hee Kim
  • Patent number: 8856418
    Abstract: The invention relates to a receiving station (10) comprising a first physical connection port (20) intended for a first host equipment item and at least one second physical connection port (22) intended for at least one second host equipment item, detection means (24, 34) of host equipment connected to the ports, and the means (30) of automatic selection of combined use modes of the resources of the receiving station and/or connected host equipment, controlled by the detection means (24, 34). Application to handheld portable equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC
    Inventors: Olivier L. Seignol, Jean-Marie Vau, Olivier A. Furon, Jason R. Oliver
  • Patent number: 8856392
    Abstract: A given port at a storage controller is used for communication with storage devices. In response to an indication that at least a portion of the given port is to be dedicated to a group of at least one of the storage devices, the storage controller divides the given port into multiple smaller ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael G. Myrah, Balaji Natrajan, Sohail Hameed
  • Patent number: 8856577
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a DLL circuit that generates an internal clock signal based on an external clock signal; a clock dividing circuit that generates two complementary internal clock signals having different phases based on the internal clock signal; and a multiplexer that outputs two internal data signals in synchronization with the two clock signals based on internal data signals, respectively. An internal power supply voltage supplied to the clock dividing circuit and an internal power supply voltage supplied to the multiplexer are generated by respective different power supply circuits and are separated from each other in the semiconductor device. This prevents interaction among noises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Takenori Sato
  • Patent number: 8850097
    Abstract: USB apparatus suitable for interconnection with a USB host having a D? bus coupled to ground via a pull-down resistance, the USB apparatus including a microcontroller having a first port and a second port, the first port being coupled via a resistance to a voltage source and a switch, operated by the microcontroller via the second port, selectably interconnecting the first port and the bus of the USB host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Verifone, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan Fuat Chin, Kian Tiong Yeo, Song Gee Lim
  • Patent number: 8843688
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to perform an operation to facilitate concurrent repair of PCIe switch units in processing environments such as a tightly coupled, multi-switch, multi-adapter, multi-host distributed system. The operation, for an identified switch unit to be repaired, reconfigures all switch unit hardware in the switch fabric by removing all upstream to downstream connections utilizing the identified switch unit. Connections to hosts via the upstream ports are also removed by the operation. Once the switch unit is powered back on, the operation reconfigures all switch unit hardware in the switch fabric by adding all upstream to downstream connections utilizing the identified switch unit. The operation further restores connections to hosts via the upstream ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Engebretsen, Brian G. Holthaus, Jonathan L. Kaus, Eric G. Thiemann, Robert W. Todd
  • Patent number: 8843689
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to perform an operation to facilitate concurrent repair of PCIe switch units in processing environments such as a tightly coupled, multi-switch, multi-adapter, multi-host distributed system. The operation, for an identified switch unit to be repaired, reconfigures all switch unit hardware in the switch fabric by removing all upstream to downstream connections utilizing the identified switch unit. Connections to hosts via the upstream ports are also removed by the operation. Once the switch unit is powered back on, the operation reconfigures all switch unit hardware in the switch fabric by adding all upstream to downstream connections utilizing the identified switch unit. The operation further restores connections to hosts via the upstream ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Engebretsen, Brian G. Holthaus, Jonathan L. Kaus, Eric G. Thiemann, Robert W. Todd
  • Patent number: 8832485
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically controlling a cache size is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes changing an operating point of a processor from a first operating point to a second operating point, and selectively removing power from one or more ways of a cache memory responsive to changing the operating point. The method further includes processing one or more instructions in the processor subsequent to removing power from the one or more ways of the cache memory, wherein said processing includes accessing one or more ways of the cache memory from which power was not removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Branover, Norman M. Hack, Maurice B. Steinman, John Kalamatianos, Jonathan M. Owen
  • Patent number: 8832343
    Abstract: An I2C system comprises an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) master device coupled to an I2C multiplexer via a master I2C bus. A plurality of slave I2C busses emanating from the I2C multiplexer couple the I2C multiplexer to a plurality of I2C slave devices. Each of the slave I2C busses comprises a serial data (SDA) line and serial clock (SCL) line. Each of the slave I2C busses, which is coupled to two I2C slave devices, has a first channel and a second channel. The first channel puts bidirectional serial data on the SDA line and clock signals on the SCL line, and the second channel puts bidirectional serial data on the SCL line and clock signals on the SDA line. A channel selector, associated with the I2C multiplexer, selectively couples the I2C master device to one of the two I2C slave devices via the first channel or the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Decesaris, Jeffrey M. Franke, Luke D. Remis, John K. Whetzel
  • Patent number: 8819310
    Abstract: A system-on-a-chip semiconductor device comprises a first master device configured to issue a request having a transaction ID, a plurality of slave devices configured to provide data in response to the request, and an interconnector configured to include a slave interface for providing the request to one or more master interfaces and for supplying response data to the first master device based on operation characteristics of the first master. An arbitration method of an interconnector transferring a plurality of response data provided from a plurality of slave devices to a master device comprises selecting one of a plurality of arbitration modes based on operation characteristics of the master device; and transferring the response data in the order determined by transfer priority corresponding to the selected arbitration mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bub-chul Jeong, Jaegeun Yun, Junhyung Um, Jung-Sik Lee, Hyun-Joon Kang, Sung-Min Hong, Ling Ling Liao
  • Patent number: 8819470
    Abstract: A switching device is comprising connectors and switching part, which is connected via the connectors to a working power supply unit, a redundant power supply unit, a battery unit and a power supply output terminal, and, in an initial state, connects the power supply output terminal and the working power supply unit, and connects the battery unit and the redundant power supply unit is connected, and in a spare state, cuts a connection between the battery unit and the redundant power supply unit, and connects the power supply output terminal and the redundant power supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Daiki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8819319
    Abstract: A PCI card's HBA identifier table held in an IODC in an IO slot expansion unit is read and recorded on a PCIe switch register of a PCIe switch. After a server blade is powered on so that an EFI is activated, the EFI reads the HBA identifier table recorded on the PCIe switch register and updates an HBA identifier of an HBA mounted in each PCI card. The HBA mounted in the PCI card operates with the updated HBA identifier of the PCI card. Thus, even when the PCI card is replaced by a new PCI card because of failure or the like, the new PCI card can operate with the same HBA identifier as that before the replacement. Therefore, a user does not have to register the HBA identifier of the PCI card newly in a device connected to the PCI card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Shirai, Mitsuaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8812760
    Abstract: An example method is provided and includes receiving a first signal transmitted to an address on a two-wire bus from a master device, where the two-wire bus couples the master device with a first slave and a second slave that share the address such that the first slave and the second slave receive the first signal. The method includes blocking a second signal from the second slave to the master device using digital isolation buffers. In particular embodiments, the digital isolation buffers are configured between the master device and the second slave. In addition, the two-wire bus may include a clock line and a data line. The digital isolation buffers may include a first digital isolation buffer located on the clock line between the master device and the second slave, and a second digital isolation buffer located on the data line between the master device and the second slave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold E. Bamford, Ted R. Mila
  • Patent number: 8812892
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing high-performance clock training. One clock training sweep operation is performed to determine phase relationships for two write clocks with respect to a command clock. The phase relationships are generated to satisfy timing requirements for two different client devices, such as GDDR5 DRAM components. A second clock training sweep operation is performed to better align local clocks operating on the client devices. A voting tally is maintained during the second clock training sweep to record phase agreement at each step in the clock training sweep. The voting tally then determines whether one of the local clocks should be inverted to better align the two local clocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lyell Hill, Russell R. Newcomb, Shu-Yi Yu