Patents by Inventor Alan Devine
Alan Devine 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).
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Patent number: 11683369Abstract: A system, method, apparatus and electronic control unit are provided for centralized data collection at a single controller device (110) in a distributed service-oriented system (100) by applying one or more classifiers (102-104, 114) to a message traffic packet (1) received at the Ethernet switch (101) of the single controller device to selectively identify service update information from service-oriented traffic messages in the message traffic packet without generating additional message traffic packets on the network system bus, and by mirroring each message traffic packet (3) containing service update information to a processing element (111) in the single controller to identify and extract specified data from the identified service update information for storage in a centralized database which is updated as services publish new information on the network system bus.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2019Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Robert Freddie Linn-Moran, Alan Devine, Michael Johnston
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Patent number: 11295036Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for processing packets received over Controller Area Network (CAN) interface where a CAN protocol controller computes a CRC value from header and payload values in a received CAN data frame to verify frame integrity of the received CAN data frame across a physical media layer, and then stores the header and payload values and the CRC value in a memory buffer of the CAN protocol controller so that a host core can compute a reconstructed CRC value from the header and payload values retrieved from the memory buffer, and then compare the reconstructed CRC value to the CRC value retrieved from the memory buffer to verify frame integrity of the received CAN data frame at a transaction layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Alison Young, Alan Devine, Andrew Edward Birnie
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Publication number: 20210173961Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for processing packets received over Controller Area Network (CAN) interface where a CAN protocol controller computes a CRC value from header and payload values in a received CAN data frame to verify frame integrity of the received CAN data frame across a physical media layer, and then stores the header and payload values and the CRC value in a memory buffer of the CAN protocol controller so that a host core can compute a reconstructed CRC value from the header and payload values retrieved from the memory buffer, and then compare the reconstructed CRC value to the CRC value retrieved from the memory buffer to verify frame integrity of the received CAN data frame at a transaction layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2019Publication date: June 10, 2021Applicant: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Alison Young, Alan Devine, Andrew Edward Birnie
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Publication number: 20210160315Abstract: A system, method, apparatus and electronic control unit are provided for centralized data collection at a single controller device (110) in a distributed service-oriented system (100) by applying one or more classifiers (102-104, 114) to a message traffic packet (1) received at the Ethernet switch (101) of the single controller device to selectively identify service update information from service-oriented traffic messages in the message traffic packet without generating additional message traffic packets on the network system bus, and by mirroring each message traffic packet (3) containing service update information to a processing element (111) in the single controller to identify and extract specified data from the identified service update information for storage in a centralized database which is updated as services publish new information on the network system bus.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2019Publication date: May 27, 2021Applicant: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Robert Freddie Linn-Moran, Alan Devine, Michael Johnston
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Patent number: 10496554Abstract: A system on chip, comprising a processing unit for executing processes, a memory unit, and a memory control unit connected between the processing unit and the memory unit, is described. The memory control unit allocates a memory region to a process. The memory control unit comprises a process activity counter which counts a duration of the process or transactions by the process to or from the memory region and which maintains a process activity count representing the counted duration of the process or the counted transactions to or from the memory region. The memory control unit disables the memory region in response to the process activity count exceeding a maximum process activity count. Notably, it blocks the memory region against further transactions by the process and against transactions by any other processes. A method of operating a system on chip is also described.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2014Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: NXP USA, INC.Inventors: Michael Johnston, Alan Devine, Alistair Paul Robertson, Manfred Thanner
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Patent number: 9959172Abstract: A data processing device, comprising a processing unit and a test control unit connected to the processing unit, is described. The processing unit and the test control unit are arranged to: start a logic test of the processing unit; detect a test abort event; and, in response to the test abort event, perform an event response action which comprises aborting the logic test and booting the processing unit, said booting including executing an event handling routine. The event response action may comprise setting a reset vector to an address of the event handling routine. System availability may thus be improved. In particular, the delay between capturing an asynchronous signal and responding to it may be reduced. The test abort event may, for example, be an asynchronous event having certain pre-defined characteristics. A method of operating a data processing device is also described.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2013Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Steven McLaughlin, Alan Devine, Alistair James Gorman, Alistair Paul Roberston
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Patent number: 9952922Abstract: Apparatus suitable for detecting a fault in a processor comprises a monitor which receives input and output signals from the processor and generates a hash index key which is used to access entries in a hash table. The entries may include actions such as setting a timer so that the response of an output to a change of state of an input may be confirmed as valid within a specified time interval.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Graham Edmiston, Alan Devine, David McMenamin, Andrew Roberston, James Andrew Collier Scobie
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Patent number: 9946669Abstract: A method of controlling access by a master to a peripheral includes receiving an interrupt priority level from an interrupt controller associated with the peripheral, comparing the interrupt priority level with respective a pre-established interrupt access level to obtain an interrupt level comparison result, establishing whether an access condition is satisfied in dependence on the interrupt level comparison result, and if the access condition is satisfied, granting access. If the access condition is not satisfied, access is denied. Further, a circuitry is described including a master, a peripheral, and an access control circuitry including an interrupt controller associated with the peripheral. The access control circuitry is arranged to perform a method of controlling access by the master to the peripheral.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2013Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Alistair Robertson, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine, Andrei Kovalev
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Patent number: 9846663Abstract: A method of controlling direct memory access of a peripheral memory of a peripheral by a master is described. The method includes checking whether there is a pending request from the peripheral for a direct memory access service, establishing whether an access condition is satisfied in dependence on at least whether there is a pending request, and, if the access condition is satisfied, granting access to the master. Also, an associated device and an associated computer program product are described.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2013Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Alistair Roberston, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine
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Patent number: 9785508Abstract: A peripheral integrated circuit (IC) device for providing support to a data processing IC device. The peripheral IC device comprises a fault detection component arranged to detect an occurrence of fault conditions within the data processing IC device. The peripheral IC device further comprises a safe state control component. Upon detection of a fault condition occurring within the data processing IC device by the fault detection component, the safe state control component is arranged to cause at least one I/O cell of the data processing IC device to be configured into at least one scan-chain, and cause at least one predefined control signal to be scanned into the at least one scan-chain to configure the at least one I/O cell into a state corresponding to the predefined control signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.Inventors: Robert F. Moran, Alan Devine, Alistair Paul Robertson
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Patent number: 9395797Abstract: A microcontroller operable in a high power mode and a low power unit (LPU) run mode includes primary and LPU domains, primary and LPU mode controllers, and primary and LPU clock generator modules. The primary domain includes a first set of circuits and a first set of cores. The LPU domain includes second and third sets of circuits, a second set of cores, and a switching module. In the high power mode, the switching module connects the first and second sets of cores to at least one of the first, second and third sets of circuits, while in the LPU run mode, the switching module isolates the LPU domain from the primary domain and activates a small microcontroller system (SMS) that includes the LPU domain, the LPU mode controller and the LPU clock generator module. The SMS has further low power modes within the LPU run mode.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2014Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventors: Garima Sharda, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine, Akshay K. Pathak, Alistair P. Robertson
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Publication number: 20160004292Abstract: A microcontroller operable in a high power mode and a low power unit (LPU) run mode includes primary and LPU domains, primary and LPU mode controllers, and primary and LPU clock generator modules. The primary domain includes a first set of circuits and a first set of cores. The LPU domain includes second and third sets of circuits, a second set of cores, and a switching module. In the high power mode, the switching module connects the first and second sets of cores to at least one of the first, second and third sets of circuits, while in the LPU run mode, the switching module isolates the LPU domain from the primary domain and activates a small microcontroller system (SMS) that includes the LPU domain, the LPU mode controller and the LPU clock generator module. The SMS has further low power modes within the LPU run mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2014Publication date: January 7, 2016Applicant: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Garima Sharda, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine, Akshay K. Pathak, Alistair P. Robertson
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Patent number: 9190989Abstract: A power management system permits a small microcontroller subsystem or low power domain to continuously operate while a main subsystem domain is cycling from power on to off. The power management system supports asynchronous domains with common shared peripherals. The asynchronous domains operate as a single entity while in a full power mode with the peripheral and system resources being shared. The system can be used in automotive systems where most of the system is power-gated leaving just a power regulator controller, some counters and an input/output segment alive for wakeup purposes.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2014Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventors: Garima Sharda, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine, Akshay K. Pathak, Alistair P. Robertson
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Patent number: 9118179Abstract: An integrated circuit device comprising at least one analog to digital converter. The at least one ADC comprises at least one input operably coupled to at least one external contact of the integrated circuit device. The integrated circuit device further comprises detection circuitry comprising at least one detection module. The at least one detection module being arranged to receive at a first input thereof an indication of a voltage level at the at least one input of the at least one ADC, compare the received indication to a threshold value, and if the received indication exceeds the threshold value, output an indication that an excessive voltage state at the at least one input of the at least one ADC has been detected.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2010Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Alistair Robertson, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine
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Patent number: 8543860Abstract: A clocking system, comprises a plurality of clocked data processing devices and a clock control circuit controlling a generation of a plurality of clock signals and an application of the clock signals to the plurality of data processing devices, allowing to clock at least one of the data processing devices while freezing all but the at least one of the data processing devices. A method for clocking a plurality of clocked data processing devices comprises controlling a generation of a plurality of clock signals and controlling an application of the clock signals to the plurality of data processing devices, allowing to clock at least one of the data processing devices while freezing all but the at least one of the data processing devices.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2008Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Derek Beattie, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine, James Andrew Collier Scobie
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Publication number: 20130229737Abstract: An integrated circuit device comprising at least one analogue to digital converter. The at least one ADC comprises at least one input operably coupled to at least one external contact of the integrated circuit device. The integrated circuit device further comprises detection circuitry comprising at least one detection module. The at least one detection module being arranged to receive at a first input thereof an indication of a voltage level at the at least one input of the at least one ADC, compare the received indication to a threshold value, and if the received indication exceeds the threshold value, output an indication that an excessive voltage state at the at least one input of the at least one ADC has been detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2010Publication date: September 5, 2013Applicant: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Alistair Robertson, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine
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Patent number: 8242815Abstract: A microcontroller unit comprises a reset controller operably coupled to a plurality of logic elements of the microcontroller unit. Low voltage detection logic is operably coupled to the reset controller and arranged to provide a plurality of low voltage interrupt signals to a number of respective logic elements of the microcontroller unit via the reset controller. A method of operating a microcontroller unit is also described.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2007Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: James Andrew Collier Scobie, Derek Beattie, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine, James Feddeler
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Publication number: 20110145625Abstract: A clocking system, comprises a plurality of clocked data processing devices and a clock control circuit controlling a generation of a plurality of clock signals and an application of the clock signals to the plurality of data processing devices, allowing to clock at least one of the data processing devices while freezing all but the at least one of the data processing devices. A method for clocking a plurality of clocked data processing devices comprises controlling a generation of a plurality of clock signals and controlling an application of the clock signals to the plurality of data processing devices, allowing to clock at least one of the data processing devices while freezing all but the at least one of the data processing devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2008Publication date: June 16, 2011Inventors: Derek Beattie, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine, James Andrew Collier Scobie
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Publication number: 20110012650Abstract: A microcontroller unit comprises a reset controller operably coupled to a plurality of logic elements of the microcontroller unit. Low voltage detection logic is operably coupled to the reset controller and arranged to provide a plurality of low voltage interrupt signals to a number of respective logic elements of the microcontroller unit via the reset controller. A method of operating a microcontroller unit is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2007Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: Freescale Seminconductor, Inc.Inventors: James Andrew Collier Scobie, Derek Beattie, Carl Culshaw, Alan Devine, James Feddeler