Patents by Inventor Alain Vergnes

Alain Vergnes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8190956
    Abstract: The disclosed quadrature decoder filtering circuitry for motor control uses one quadrature signal to correct an error in the other quadrature signal, thus allowing a noisy signal due to large dust particles or scratches to be recovered. In some implementations, a system processing for quadrature signals comprises a first circuitry triggered by edges of a first quadrature signal to detect inactivity of a second quadrature signal during consecutive edges of the first quadrature signal. A second circuitry is operable to count the number of consecutive edges of the first quadrature signal during inactivity of the second quadrature signal. A third circuitry is operable to combine transitions of the first quadrature signal with the second quadrature signal during a period of time determined by the count value of the second circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Renaud Tiennot
  • Publication number: 20120124261
    Abstract: A microcontroller includes a system bus matrix to connect various modules. The microcontroller also includes direct connections between modules. For example, the microcontroller may include a direct connection between a data processing module and a memory controller module to improve the transfer rate for data that is processed by the data processing module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Renaud Tiennot, Guillaume Pean
  • Patent number: 8131789
    Abstract: True random number generation circuitry utilizes a pair of oscillators driving a pair of linear feedback shift registers, with their output being combined to generate random numbers. At least one of the oscillators is programmable with a variable frequency. One embodiment controls the variable frequency of oscillators with output from one or more sets of oscillators and linear feedback shift registers. In other embodiments, linear feedback shift register output is captured and used to control the frequency of oscillators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Frederic Schumacher
  • Patent number: 8102401
    Abstract: A display controller unit for controlling a display on a display panel comprises a first set of registers to hold data to be displayed and a second set of registers loadable from the first set of registers. A set of multiplexers has first data inputs coupled to the first set of registers, second data inputs coupled to the second set of registers, and select inputs. Logic circuitry is coupled to the output of the set of multiplexers and to the control inputs of the multiplexers, the control circuitry providing select information to the set of multiplexers and providing waveforms to the display panel to selectively display data from the first set of registers and the second set of registers in accordance with the select information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Sebastien Younes, Jerome Alingry
  • Patent number: 7907110
    Abstract: A display controller for providing signals to a discrete display panel unit comprising: a set of registers configured to hold data to be displayed; a first logic circuitry connected to the set of registers and configured to receive the data from the set of registers, generate the signal waveforms required by the display panel according to the data, and provide the signal waveforms to the display panel; a second logic circuitry connected to the first logic circuitry, the second logic circuitry configured to generate timing signals for timing the first logic circuitry providing the waveforms to the display panel; and a resistor ladder connected to the second logic circuitry, the resistor ladder configured to generate intermediate voltages required to drive the display panel, and configured to receive the timing signals, wherein the controller is configured to automatically and periodically disable the resistor ladder according to one of the timing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Sebastien Younes, Jerome Alingry
  • Publication number: 20100262880
    Abstract: The disclosed quadrature decoder filtering circuitry for motor control uses one quadrature signal to correct an error in the other quadrature signal, thus allowing a noisy signal due to large dust particles or scratches to be recovered. In some implementations, a system processing for quadrature signals comprises a first circuitry triggered by edges of a first quadrature signal to detect inactivity of a second quadrature signal during consecutive edges of the first quadrature signal. A second circuitry is operable to count the number of consecutive edges of the first quadrature signal during inactivity of the second quadrature signal. A third circuitry is operable to combine transitions of the first quadrature signal with the second quadrature signal during a period of time determined by the count value of the second circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Renaud Tiennot
  • Publication number: 20100241874
    Abstract: A scrambler/descrambler module included in an integrated circuit device is operable for receiving a scrambling key and constant data that is unique to the integrated circuit device. The scrambler/descrambler module includes a first layer or circuit arrangement that uses a scrambling key to generate first scrambled data. The scrambler/descrambler module includes a second layer or second circuit arrangement that uses data that is unique to the integrated circuit device, and that is constant over the life of the integrated circuit device, to scramble the first scrambled data to generate second scrambled data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Renaud Tiennot
  • Patent number: 7739539
    Abstract: A circuit for sampling data from a memory device comprises a circuit for providing a clock signal to the memory device, a data bus carrying data at twice the rate of the clock signal, a circuit for providing a control signal to indicate the period of time where data are valid, and a set of registers whose content is triggered by both edges of a signal resulting from the delay of the control signal. The set of registers is divided into several sub-parts, each sub-part loading the value of the data bus carrying data provided by the memory device at a period being an integer multiple of the clock signal where the sampling point is different for each sub-part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Eric Matulik
  • Patent number: 7701802
    Abstract: A method for delaying a control signal, includes receiving a clock signal, determining a number of delay elements required to generate a first delay equal to a target amount of the period of the clock signal, receiving a data signal having an edge generated at the same time as an edge of the control signal, determining a fraction number equal to the number of delay elements needed to generate a second delay for the data signal or the control signal to align their edges, divided by the number of cascaded delay elements necessary to provide a delay equal to the target amount of the period of the clock signal, multiplied by the number of delay elements to generate the first delay, and delaying the control signal by the number of cascaded delay elements to realize said first delay altered by the fraction number of delay elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Eric Matullk, Frederic Schumacher
  • Patent number: 7679987
    Abstract: A circuit for providing a delayed clock signal to a synchronous memory controller controlling a synchronous memory device comprises logic delay circuitry for performing synchronous memory device read access, the logic delay circuitry generating delay interval information. A programmable delay line receives a clock signal and the delay interval information, the programmable delay line delaying the clock signal by the delay interval. A 2-input XOR gate receives both the clock signal and the output of the programmable delay line, an output of the XOR gate providing a delayed 2× clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Eric Matulik, Frederic Schumacher
  • Patent number: 7669072
    Abstract: A system comprises a central processing unit and a set of peripheral units accessible by the CPU and being able to be driven by the same clock source. At least one programmable delay line is located in the clock branch of one of the peripheral units and has a delay selection input that is accessible by software running on the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Ludovic Dupre, David Dumas
  • Patent number: 7661011
    Abstract: The invention is a system for modifying the processing period in a digital logic module. The invention comprises the following. A processing circuit is configured to receive an input in order to create an output. A controller is coupled to the processing circuit and is configured to track L manipulations, wherein L is an integer. The controller is further configured to send a select signal to the processing circuit and to cause the processing circuit to manipulate the input over N clock cycles. N is an integer and N is less than or equal to L. N varies over the plurality of processing time periods. An output port is coupled to the processing circuit and is configured to convey the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Alain Vergnes
  • Publication number: 20090248771
    Abstract: True random number generation circuitry utilizes a pair of oscillators driving a pair of linear feedback shift registers, with their output being combined to generate random numbers. At least one of the oscillators is programmable with a variable frequency. One embodiment controls the variable frequency of oscillators with output from one or more sets of oscillators and linear feedback shift registers. In other embodiments, linear feedback shift register output is captured and used to control the frequency of oscillators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Frederic Schumacher
  • Publication number: 20090238016
    Abstract: Various embodiments include method and apparatus for receiving a clock signal, determining a number of delay elements based on a relationship between the clock signal and a delayed feedback signal generated based on the clock signal, calculating an amount of time corresponding to the number of delay elements, and delaying a control signal by the amount of time to generate an additional clock signal, the control signal having a frequency higher than a frequency of the clock signal. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Matulik, Alain Vergnes, Frederic Schumacher
  • Patent number: 7539078
    Abstract: Various apparatus and methods include a clock circuit to receive a first clock signal to generate a second clock signal having a frequency different from a frequency of the first clock signal. A clock capturing circuit receives the second clock signal for determining a number of delay elements corresponding to an amount of a period of the second clock signal. A delay calculation circuit calculates an amount of time corresponding to the number of delay elements. And a delay circuit delays an input control signal by the amount of time provided by the delay calculation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Matulik, Alain Vergnes, Frederic Schumacher
  • Publication number: 20090077409
    Abstract: A circuit for delaying an input control signal, comprises a clock circuit to generate a clock signal having a frequency different from an input clock signal to delay and including a clock signal input, a derivative clock signal output, an input to program a frequency ratio between its input clock frequency and its output clock frequency. A clock capturing circuit provides a determined number of delay elements required to provide a delay of an amount of the period of the signal provided by the clock circuit. A delay calculation circuit receives the determined number of delay elements and calculates a number of delay elements needed to delay the input control signal by an amount of time. A delay circuit includes a control signal input, a select input for receiving the number of delay elements provided by the delay calculation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Matulik, Alain Vergnes, Frederic Schumacher
  • Publication number: 20090033391
    Abstract: A method for delaying a control signal, includes receiving a clock signal, determining a number of delay elements required to generate a first delay equal to a target amount of the period of the clock signal, receiving a data signal having an edge generated at the same time as an edge of the control signal, determining a fraction number equal to the number of delay elements needed to generate a second delay for the data signal or the control signal to align their edges, divided by the number of cascaded delay elements necessary to provide a delay equal to the target amount of the period of the clock signal, multiplied by the number of delay elements to generate the first delay, and delaying the control signal by the number of cascaded delay elements to realize said first delay altered by the fraction number of delay elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Eric Matullk, Frederic Schumacher
  • Publication number: 20090010083
    Abstract: A circuit for providing a delayed clock signal to a synchronous memory controller controlling a synchronous memory device comprises logic delay circuitry for performing synchronous memory device read access, the logic delay circuitry generating delay interval information. A programmable delay line receives a clock signal and the delay interval information, the programmable delay line delaying the clock signal by the delay interval. A 2-input XOR gate receives both the clock signal and the output of the programmable delay line, an output of the XOR gate providing a delayed 2× clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Eric Matulik, Frederic Schumacher
  • Publication number: 20080266301
    Abstract: A display controller unit for controlling a display on a display panel comprises a first set of registers to hold data to be displayed and a second set of registers loadable from the first set of registers. A set of multiplexers has first data inputs coupled to the first set of registers, second data inputs coupled to the second set of registers, and select inputs. Logic circuitry is coupled to the output of the set of multiplexers and to the control inputs of the multiplexers, the control circuitry providing select information to the set of multiplexers and providing waveforms to the display panel to selectively display data from the first set of registers and the second set of registers in accordance with the select information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Sebastien Younes, Jerome Alingry
  • Publication number: 20080246746
    Abstract: A display controller for providing signals to a discrete display panel unit comprising: a set of registers configured to hold data to be displayed; a first logic circuitry connected to the set of registers and configured to receive the data from the set of registers, generate the signal waveforms required by the display panel according to the data, and provide the signal waveforms to the display panel; a second logic circuitry connected to the first logic circuitry, the second logic circuitry configured to generate timing signals for timing the first logic circuitry providing the waveforms to the display panel; and a resistor ladder connected to the second logic circuitry, the resistor ladder configured to generate intermediate voltages required to drive the display panel, and configured to receive the timing signals, wherein the controller is configured to automatically and periodically disable the resistor ladder according to one of the timing signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alain Vergnes, Sebastien Younes, Jerome Alingry