Patents by Inventor Alexander Wayne Hietala

Alexander Wayne Hietala 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: 10879852
    Abstract: A power management circuit and related radio frequency (RF) front-end circuit are provided. In examples discussed herein, a power management circuit can be incorporated into an RF front-end circuit to support RF beamforming in millimeter wave spectrum(s). In this regard, the power management circuit is configured to generate multiple output voltages to drive multiple power amplifier subarrays in the RF front-end circuit. More specifically, the power management circuit is configured to generate the output voltages based on a voltage scaling factor(s) such that each of the output voltages corresponds proportionally to a battery voltage received by the power management circuit. As such, the output voltages can be dynamically controlled based on the voltage scaling factor(s) to maximize operating efficiency of the power amplifier subarrays. As a result, it is possible to reduce heat dissipation of the power amplifier subarrays and improve overall thermal performance of the RF front-end circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Nadim Khlat, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Publication number: 20200366248
    Abstract: An envelope tracking (ET) amplifier apparatus is provided. The ET amplifier apparatus includes an ET integrated circuit (ETIC) and a distributed ETIC (DETIC) coupled to a single-wire bus that correspond to a first bus access priority and a second bus access priority, respectively. The ETIC and the DETIC can contend for access to the single-wire bus by asserting a bus contention indication(s) when the single-wire bus is in a defined bus state configured to permit bus contention. In a non-limiting example, a winner for the single-wire bus is a peer device having a highest bus access priority between the ETIC and the DETIC. In this regard, each of the ETIC and the DETIC can have a chance to initiate communications over the single-wire bus, thus making it possible for the single-wire bus to function based on bidirectional peer-to-peer (P2P) bus architecture capable of supporting more application and/or deployment scenarios.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Nadim Khlat, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Publication number: 20200364168
    Abstract: A single-wire peer-to-peer (P2P) bus apparatus is provided. The single-wire P2P bus apparatus includes a first peer device and a second peer device(s) coupled to a single-wire bus that correspond to a first bus access priority and a second bus access priority(s), respectively. Any of the first peer device and the second peer device(s) can contend for access to the single-wire bus by asserting a bus contention indication(s) when the single-wire bus is in a defined bus state. A winner for the single-wire bus may be a peer device having a highest bus access priority among those peer devices asserting the bus contention indication(s). In this regard, any peer device on the single-wire bus can have a chance to initiate communications over the single-wire bus, thus making it possible for the single-wire bus to function based on bidirectional P2P bus architecture capable of supporting more application and/or deployment scenarios.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Nadim Khlat, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Publication number: 20200341939
    Abstract: A single-wire bus (SuBUS) apparatus is provided. The SuBUS apparatus includes a master circuit coupled to a slave circuit(s) by a SuBUS. The master circuit can enable or suspend a SuBUS telegram communication over the SuBUS. When the master circuit suspends the SuBUS telegram communication over the SuBUS, the slave circuit(s) may draw a charging current via the SuBUS to perform a defined slave operation. Notably, the master circuit may not have knowledge about exact completion time of the defined slave operation and thus may be unable to resume the SuBUS telegram communication in a timely manner. The slave circuit(s) can be configured to generate a predefined interruption pulse sequence to cause the master circuit to resume the SuBUS telegram communication over the SuBUS. As such, it may be possible for the master circuit to quickly resume the SuBUS telegram communication, thus helping to improve throughput of the SuBUS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Alexander Wayne Hietala, Christopher Truong Ngo, Praveen Varma Nadimpalli
  • Publication number: 20200334185
    Abstract: A hybrid bus apparatus is provided. The hybrid bus apparatus includes a hybrid bus bridge circuit configured to couple a master(s) with one or more auxiliary slaves via heterogeneous communication buses. The hybrid bus bridge circuit and the auxiliary slaves are associated with respective unique slave identifications (USIDs). The master(s) can only support a fixed number of the USIDs, and thus a fixed number of the auxiliary slaves. The hybrid bus bridge circuit is configured to opportunistically mask some or all of the auxiliary slaves such that the respective USIDs associated with the masked auxiliary slaves can be reused by the master(s) to support additional slaves. As such, it may be possible to extend the capability of the master(s) to support more slaves than the fixed number of USIDs the master(s) can provide, thus enabling flexible heterogeneous bus deployment in an electronic device incorporating the hybrid bus apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Patent number: 10770802
    Abstract: Aspects disclosed in the detailed description include an antenna on a device assembly. A device assembly includes a silicon device layer having at least one antenna. The device assembly also includes a polymer substrate that is formed with insulating material that does not interfere with the at least one antenna in the silicon device layer. As a result, it is unnecessary to shield the at least one antenna from the polymer substrate, thus allowing radio frequency (RF) signals radiating from the at least one antenna to pass through the polymer substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Wayne Hietala, Julio C. Costa
  • Publication number: 20200226089
    Abstract: A single-wire bus (SuBUS) slave circuit is provided. The SuBUS slave circuit is coupled to a SuBUS bridge circuit via a SuBUS and can be configured to perform a slave task that may block communication on the SuBUS. Notably, the SuBUS slave circuit may not be equipped with an accurate timing reference source that can determine a precise timing for terminating the slave task and unblock the SuBUS. Instead, the SuBUS slave circuit is configured to terminate the slave task and unblock the SuBUS based on a self-determined slave free-running-oscillator count derived from a start-of-sequence training sequence that precedes any SuBUS telegram of a predefined SuBUS operation, even though the SuBUS operation is totally unrelated to the slave task. As such, it may be possible to eliminate the accurate timing reference source from the SuBUS slave circuit, thus helping to reduce cost and current drain in the SuBUS slave circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala, Puneet Paresh Nipunage
  • Patent number: 10707911
    Abstract: A radio frequency front-end (RFFE) bus hub circuit and related apparatus are provided. In examples discussed herein, the RFFE bus hub circuit can be configured to bridge an RFFE bus with a number of auxiliary RFFE buses. In a non-limiting example, each of the auxiliary RFFE buses can be configured to support up to fourteen RFFE slaves. Thus, by bridging the RFFE bus with multiple auxiliary RFFE buses using the RFFE bus hub circuit, it may be possible to support more than fifteen RFFE slaves without adding an additional RFFE bus. As a result, it may be possible to reduce pin count requirement for an RFFE master and/or enable flexible RFFE bus deployment in an RFFE apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Patent number: 10698847
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to bus interface systems for mobile user devices. In one embodiment, the bus interface system includes a first bus interface subsystem that operates in accordance with a one wire bus protocol, a second bus interface subsystem that operates in accordance with a Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) radio frequency front end (RFFE) bus protocol, and a translation bus controller that translates commands between the first bus interface subsystem and the second bus interface system. The translation bus controller is configured to implement cross over bus operations between a master bus controller that operates in accordance with in the one wire bus protocol and a slave bus controller in the second bus interface system. In this manner, the translation bus allows the master bus controller to be the master of different bus systems that operate in accordance with different bus protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Publication number: 20200151131
    Abstract: A hybrid bus hub circuit and related apparatus are provided. The bus hub circuit can be configured to bridge a radio frequency front-end (RFFE) bus with a number of auxiliary buses of different types. Each of the auxiliary buses may support a fixed number of slaves identified respectively by a unique slave identification (USID). The hybrid bus hub circuit can be configured to selectively activate an auxiliary bus(es) for communication with the RFFE bus, thus making it possible to reuse a same set of USIDs among the auxiliary buses without causing potential identification conflict. As such, it may be possible to support more slaves in an apparatus with a single RFFE bus. As a result, it may be possible to reduce pin count requirement for an RFFE master and/or enable flexible heterogeneous bus deployment in the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Publication number: 20200153470
    Abstract: A radio frequency front-end (RFFE) bus hub circuit and related apparatus are provided. In examples discussed herein, the RFFE bus hub circuit can be configured to bridge an RFFE bus with a number of auxiliary RFFE buses. In a non-limiting example, each of the auxiliary RFFE buses can be configured to support up to fourteen RFFE slaves. Thus, by bridging the RFFE bus with multiple auxiliary RFFE buses using the RFFE bus hub circuit, it may be possible to support more than fifteen RFFE slaves without adding an additional RFFE bus. As a result, it may be possible to reduce pin count requirement for an RFFE master and/or enable flexible RFFE bus deployment in an RFFE apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Publication number: 20200151125
    Abstract: A heterogeneous bus bridge circuit and related apparatus are provided. The heterogeneous bus bridge circuit is configured to bridge a radio frequency front-end (RFFE) bus with a number of auxiliary buses that are different from the RFFE bus. Each of the auxiliary buses may support a fixed number of slaves identified respectively by a unique slave identification (USID). In examples discussed herein, the heterogeneous bus bridge circuit can be configured to selectively activate an auxiliary bus for communication with the RFFE bus, thus making it possible to reuse a same set of USIDs among the auxiliary buses without causing potential identification conflict. As such, it may be possible to support more slaves in an apparatus with a single RFFE bus. As a result, it may be possible to reduce pin count requirement for an RFFE master and/or enable flexible heterogeneous bus deployment in the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Patent number: 10599539
    Abstract: Embodiments of a bus interface system are disclosed. The bus interface system includes a master bus controller and a slave bus controller coupled to a bus line. The master bus controller and the slave bus controller are configured to perform read operations using error codes and error checks. For example, the error codes may be cyclic redundancy codes (CRC). In this manner, accuracy is ensured during communications between the slave bus controller and the master bus controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Patent number: 10599601
    Abstract: A single-wire bus (SuBUS) slave circuit is provided. The SuBUS slave circuit is coupled to a SuBUS bridge circuit via a SuBUS and can be configured to perform a slave task that may block communication on the SuBUS. Notably, the SuBUS slave circuit may not be equipped with an accurate timing reference source that can determine a precise timing for terminating the slave task and unblock the SuBUS. Instead, the SuBUS slave circuit is configured to terminate the slave task and unblock the SuBUS based on a self-determined slave free-running-oscillator count derived from a start-of-sequence training sequence that precedes any SuBUS telegram of a predefined SuBUS operation, even though the SuBUS operation is totally unrelated to the slave task. As such, it may be possible to eliminate the accurate timing reference source from the SuBUS slave circuit, thus helping to reduce cost and current drain in the SuBUS slave circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala, Puneet Paresh Nipunage
  • Patent number: 10579128
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to digital bus interfaces. In one embodiment, a bus interface system includes a master bus controller and a slave bus controller coupled along a bus line. The master bus controller is configured to generate an input data signal that is received by the slave bus controller along the bus line. The slave bus controller includes power conversion circuitry that includes a power converter configured to convert the input data signal from the master bus controller into a supply voltage. The power conversion circuitry is also configured to generate a charge current from the input data signal. In this manner, the charge current can be used to regulate the supply voltage and maintain the appropriate charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala, Praveen Varma Nadimpalli
  • Patent number: 10579580
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to bus interface systems. In one embodiment, the bus interface system includes a bus line along with a master bus controller and a slave bus controller coupled to the bus line. In order to start a data frame, the master bus controller is configured to generate a sequence of data pulses along the bus line such that the sequence of data pulses is provided in accordance to a start of sequence (SOS) pulse pattern. The slave bus controller is configured to recognize that the sequence of data transmitted along the bus line by the master bus controller has been provided in accordance with the SOS pulse pattern. In this manner, the slave bus controller can detect when the master bus controller has started a new data frame. As such, the exchange of information through data frames can be synchronized along the bus line with requiring an additional bus line for a clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Patent number: 10558607
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a bus interface system including a bus line, master integrated circuitry (IC), and slave IC. The master IC is coupled to the bus line and configured to transmit the data signal to the slave IC through the bus line. The slave IC is coupled to the bus line so as to receive the data signal from the master IC and includes a supply capacitor, which is configured to store power from the data signal and provide a supply voltage to the slave IC. When the bus line is in the low state, the supply capacitor is isolated from the bus line. When the bus line is in the high state, the supply capacitor is allowed to extract power from the data signal on the bus line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Praveen Varma Nadimpalli, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Patent number: 10540226
    Abstract: Embodiments of a bus interface system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the bus interface system includes a master bus controller and a slave bus controller coupled to a bus line. The master bus controller is configured to generate a first set of data pulses along the bus line representing a payload segment. The slave bus controller is configured to decode the first set of data pulses representing the payload segment into a decoded payload segment. The slave bus controller is then configured to perform a first error check on the decoded payload segment. Furthermore, the slave bus controller is configured to generate an acknowledgment signal along the bus line so that the acknowledgement signal indicates that the decoded payload segment passed the first error check. In this manner, the master bus controller can determine that the slave bus controller received an accurate copy of the payload segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala
  • Patent number: 10528502
    Abstract: Embodiments of bus interface systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a bus interface system includes a master bus controller and a slave bus controller coupled along a bus line. The master bus controller is configured to generate an input data signal that is received by the slave bus controller along the bus line. The slave bus controller includes power conversion circuitry configured to convert the input data signal from the master bus controller into a supply voltage. By providing the power conversion circuitry, the slave bus controller is powered using the input data signal and without requiring an additional bus line to transfer a supply voltage to the slave bus controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Truong Ngo, Alexander Wayne Hietala, Christian Rye Iversen, Ruediger Bauder
  • Publication number: 20190326941
    Abstract: A multi-radio access technology (RAT) circuit is provided. The multi-RAT circuit includes a radio frequency (RF) circuit(s) coupled to an interconnect medium(s). The RF circuit(s) includes a power head circuit configured to receive a local oscillation (LO) pilot and an RF signal via the interconnect medium(s). The power head circuit generates an LO signal based on the LO pilot without requiring a synthesizer. Accordingly, the power head circuit modulates the RF signal to a carrier band based on the LO signal for transmission in a millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum. By generating the LO signal and modulating the RF signal to the carrier band in the power head circuit, it may be possible to minimize attenuation and/or interference to the RF signal. Further, it may also be possible to share the interconnect medium(s) with existing RATs, thus helping to reduce size, power, and cost impacts associated with supporting an mmWave RAT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: George Maxim, Dirk Robert Walter Leipold, Alexander Wayne Hietala, Baker Scott