Patents Examined by Shawki Ismail
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Patent number: 8044681Abstract: An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) comprising a plurality of channels, each channel having circuitry for time and energy discrimination, a plurality of programmable registers, each programmable register configured to output at least one configuration parameter for the circuitry, and a channel-select register configured to identify a channel of the plurality of channels to be configured. The ASIC further includes a configuration-select register configured to identify the programmable register to be used for channel configuration, and a communications interface configured to transmit instructions received from a controller to one of the channel-select register, the configuration-select register, and the plurality of programmable registers.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Naresh Kesavan Rao, Brian David Yanoff, Yanfeng Du, Jianjun Guo
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Patent number: 8044679Abstract: On-die termination control circuit of semiconductor memory device includes a counter configured to count an external clock to output a first code, and to count an internal clock to output a second code, a transfer controller configured to determine whether to transfer the first code and the second code in response to a first termination command and a normal termination controller configured to compare the first code and the second code with each other to determine enabling/disabling timings of a termination operation in response to a second termination command.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2008Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.Inventor: Kyung-Whan Kim
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Patent number: 8044684Abstract: A system having an input and output buffer includes a dynamic driver reference generator to generate dynamic driver reference signals based on a data signal and an IO buffer supply voltage, a level shifter to generate level shifted signals based, in part, on the dynamic driver reference signals, and a driver having at least one stress transistor. The driver dynamically adjusts a voltage across the stress transistor based on at least one of dynamic driver reference signals, the level shifted signals, and a current state of an IO pad.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2010Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: STMicroelectronics PVT. Ltd.Inventor: Sushrant Monga
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Patent number: 8044685Abstract: A floating driving circuit according to the present invention comprises an input circuit to receive an input signal. A latch circuit receives a trigger signal for generating a latch signal. The latch signal is used to turn on/off a switch. A coupling capacitor is connected between the input circuit and the latch circuit to generate the trigger signal in response to the input signal. A diode is connected from a voltage source to a floating supply terminal of the latch circuit for charging a capacitor. The capacitor is coupled between the floating supply terminal and a floating ground terminal of the latch circuit to provide a supply voltage to the latch circuit. The latch circuit is controlled by the input signal via the coupling capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2006Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: System General Corp.Inventors: Pei-Sheng Tsu, Ta-Yung Yang
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Patent number: 8044682Abstract: An in-FPGA carry chain is provided that does not exhibit significant leakage current. In particular, parts of the carry chain can be switched on/off when desired. In this manner, carry chain parts can have their leakage currents substantially disabled when they are not in use, thus saving power. Additionally, there is provided a carry chain whose logic is separate from the other parts (e.g., LUTs) of the logic blocks that perform the remaining arithmetic functions, and whose inputs are the input data to be added, rather than data that is output in delayed fashion from the other parts (e.g., LUTs) of the logic blocks. Such a configuration reduces latency by allowing the carry chain to operate directly on the received input data without need to wait on results from the other parts (e.g., LUTs) of the logic blocks.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Siliconblue Technologies CorporationInventors: John Birkner, Andrew Ka Lab Chan
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Patent number: 8044680Abstract: An on-die termination (ODT) circuit including drive signal generators, each drive signal generator configured to generate a corresponding plurality of ODT drive signals; and ODT drive units, each ODT drive unit configured to terminate a corresponding terminal with a termination resistance in response to the ODT drive signals of a corresponding drive signal generator. The drive signal generators are configured to supply the ODT drive signals to the ODT drive units to output a plurality of ODT control signals through the terminals in a test mode.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Dong-Ho Hyun, Jin-Sung Kim
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Patent number: 8040078Abstract: A LED dimming circuit is provided. The LED dimming circuit has an LED driver, an LED dimmer, and at least one LED light source. A resistor is connected between a dimming control output of the LED dimmer and dimming control input of the LED dimmer. The LED dimming circuit may optionally include a fluorescent slide dimmer. The fluorescent slide dimmer may have a first connection to the dimming control input of the LED dimmer and a second connection to a circuit common of the LED dimmer. A method of providing an LED dimming circuit for dimming at least one LED light source using a fluorescent dimmer is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2009Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventors: David W. Knoble, Khosrow Jamasbi
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Patent number: 8040151Abstract: A programmable logic device (PLD) adapted to enter a low-power or sleep mode with programmable wakeup pins in a wakeup group of pins is disclosed. Wake on a single pin change, wake on vector, and wake on a single pin transition are supported. The approach is to select the actively participating pins, enable the desired operation, define the wakeup condition, enter sleep mode, monitor the external signals coupled to the active pins, and exit sleep mode when the wakeup condition is detected.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2008Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Actel CorporationInventor: Theodore Speers
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Patent number: 8040150Abstract: An impedance adjustment circuit according to the present invention includes a first input buffer which detects that an input signal exceeds VREFA, a second input buffer which detects that the input signal exceeds VREFB, VREFB being higher than VREFA, a counter circuit A which performs count based on an output from the first input buffer, a counter circuit B which performs count based on an output from the second input buffer, and a termination resistor control circuit which controls impedance of a termination resistor provided in a termination of a transmission path based on the count in the counter circuit A and the count in the counter circuit B.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2010Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventor: Isao Nakatsu
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Patent number: 8035414Abstract: A family of reconfigurable, charge-conserving asynchronous logic elements that interact with their nearest neighbors permits design and implementation of circuits that are asynchronous at the bit level, rather than at the level of functional blocks. These elements pass information by means of charge packets (tokens), rather than voltages. Each cell is self-timed, and cells that are configured as interconnect perform at propagation delay speeds, so no hardware non-local connections are needed. An asynchronous logic element comprises a set of edges for asynchronous communication with at least one neighboring cell, each edge having an input for receiving tokens from neighboring cells and an output for transferring an output charge packet to at least one neighboring cell, and circuitry configured to perform a logic operation utilizing received charge packets as inputs and to produce an output charge packet reflecting the result of the logic operation.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2009Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Neil Gershenfeld, Kailiang Chen, David Allen Dalrymple
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Patent number: 8035420Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of CML buffering units configured to buffer, in parallel, a plurality of serially applied data signals to CML levels in a sequence responding to multi-phase source clocks; and a CMOS amplification block configured to amplify a plurality of buffered data signals, sequentially outputted from the plurality of CML buffering units, to CMOS levels in response to the multi-phase source clocks, and output amplified data signals in parallel at the same timing.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2010Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.Inventor: Sang-Yeon Byeon
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Patent number: 8035415Abstract: The invention provides a shift register which can operate normally while suppressing a delay of signal and a rounding of waveform. The shift register of the invention includes a plurality of stages of flip-flop circuits each of which includes a clocked inverter. The clocked inverter includes a first transistor and a second transistor which are connected in series, a first compensation circuit including a third transistor and a fourth transistor which are connected in series, and a second compensation circuit including a fifth transistor and a transmission gate. According to the first compensation circuit, a timing at which a signal outputted from the flip-flop circuit rises or falls can be controlled in synchronization with an output of two stages before. The second compensation circuit can control a clock signal input can be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2010Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuaki Osame, Aya Anzai
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Patent number: 8035413Abstract: A system and method of performing off chip drive (OCD) and on-die termination (ODT) are provided. A common pull-up network composed of transistors and a common pull-down network composed of transistors are employed to implement both of these functions. In drive mode, the pull-up network is configured to produce a calibrated drive impedance when an “on” output is to be generated, and the pull-up network is configured to produce a calibrated drive impedance when an “off” output is to be generated. In termination mode, the pull-up network and the pull-down network are configured to produce a calibrated pull-up resistance and pull-down resistance respectively such that together, they form a split termination.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2010Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Mosaid Technologies IncorporatedInventor: Bruce Millar
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Patent number: 8035568Abstract: An electromagnetic reactive edge treatment including an array of capacitively-loaded loops is disposed at or near an edge of a conductive wedge. The axes of the loops are oriented parallel to the edge of the wedge. This edge treatment may enhance or suppress the hard diffraction coefficient, depending on the resonant frequency fo of the array of loaded loops. Diffraction of incident waves that are lower (higher) in frequency than fo may be enhanced (suppressed) due to the increase (decrease) in effective permeability of the volume occupied by the array of loops. Applications include controlling antenna patterns, side lobe levels, and backlobe levels for antennas mounted on conductive surfaces near edges or corners.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2010Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Wemtec, Inc.Inventors: Rodolfo E. Diaz, William E. McKinzie, III
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Patent number: 8030963Abstract: In one embodiment, a cell of an integrated circuit includes a master-slave flip-flop and comparator logic having inputs adapted to receive an input signal of the master-slave flip-flop, an inverted input signal of the master-slave flip-flop, an output signal of the master-slave flip-flop, and an inverted output signal of the master-slave flip-flop. The master-slave flip-flop comprises a master flip-flop and a slave flip-flop. The slave flip-flop includes a first inverting element and a second inverting element. An output of the first inverting element is connectable to an input of the second inverting element and an output of the second inverting element to an input of the first inverting element. To output the output signal and the inverted output signal of the master-slave flip-flop, the output and the input of the second inverting element are connectable to the inputs of the comparator logic.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2010Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Atmel CorporationInventors: Tilo Ferchland, Thorsten Riedel, Matthias Vorwerk
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Patent number: 8030971Abstract: Techniques for employing multi-gate field effect transistors (FETS) in logic circuits formed from logic gates are provided. Double-gate transistors that conduct only when both transistor gates are active can be used to reduce the number of devices hitherto required in series or “stacked” portions of logic gates. Circuit area can be reduced and performance can be enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Meng-Hsueh Chiang, Ching-Te Kent Chuang, Keunwoo Kim
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Patent number: 8030968Abstract: According to various embodiments, a differential transmitter includes a driver and a predriver. In various embodiments, the predriver may include pull-up transistors and pull-down transistors configured in various ways to produce a staged output signal during a pull-up transition, wherein the higher bits of the input signal are switched slower in comparison with the lower bits of the input signal, while at the same time maintaining the simultaneous pull-down transition among all the bits. In various embodiments, the staged output of a predriver may further be dynamically disabled during a deemphasis exit transition. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2010Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Eugene Avner, Ofer Ginzberg, Ziv Shmuely
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Patent number: 8030967Abstract: A circuit has a programmable mode control section, and a receiver section with first and second input terminals and an output terminal. The method and apparatus involve setting the mode control section to one of first and second states in response to user input, and operating the receiver section in first and second operational mode when the mode control section respectively has the first and second states, wherein in the first operational mode the receiver section provides higher performance and consumes more power than in the second operational mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Jian Tan, Matthew H. Klein, Atul V. Ghia
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Patent number: 8030960Abstract: A method for converting a repeater circuit from a dynamic repeater circuit to a static repeater circuit. The method includes disconnecting a feedback path coupled to a first stage of the dynamic repeater circuit and electrically shorting gate terminals of first and second transistors of a second stage to each other, wherein the transistors of the second stage are configured to drive an output signal on an output node. Disconnecting the feedback path and electrically shorting the gate terminals is performed by reconfiguring a plurality of selection devices in the repeater circuit from a first configuration to a second configuration. The repeater circuit includes at least one keeper configured to provide an output signal on the output node.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.Inventor: Robert P. Masleid
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Patent number: 8030962Abstract: Integrated circuits such as programmable logic device integrated circuits are provided that have configuration random-access memory elements. The configuration random-access memory elements are loaded with configuration data to customize programmable logic on the integrated circuits. Each memory element has a capacitor that stores data for that memory element. A pair of cross-coupled inverters are connected to the capacitor. The inverters ensure that the memory elements produce output control signals with voltages than range from one power supply rail to another. Each configuration random-access memory element may have a clear transistor. The capacitor may be formed in a dielectric layer that lies above the transistors of the inverters, the address transistor, and the clear transistor. The inverters may be powered with an elevated power supply voltage.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2010Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Irfan Rahim, Andy L. Lee, Myron Wai Wong, William Bradley Vest, Jeffrey T. Watt