Abstract: According to one embodiment, a voltage regulator system is disclosed. The system includes a load, a voltage regulator circuit coupled to the load, and control logic coupled to the voltage regulator circuit. The control logic controls the voltage regulator circuit so that the voltage regulator circuit supplies power to the load if activated by the control logic and a core voltage power supply supplies power to the load if the voltage regulator circuit is de-activated by the control logic.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a circuit includes an oscillator circuit and a control circuit. The oscillator circuit generates a clock signal and includes a plurality of selectable delay circuits. The control circuit receives the clock signal from the oscillator and a reference signal. The control circuit provides a control signal to the oscillator circuit to activate one or more of the plurality of selectable delay circuits to change the frequency of the clock signal. In some embodiments, a method includes generating a clock signal in an oscillator circuit, processing the clock signal to generate a control signal, and activating one or more of a plurality of selectable delay circuits in the oscillator circuit, in response to the control signal.

Abstract: An electronic device such as a processor receives a master clock signal from a system clock generator. The clock signal may be single-ended or differential. The disclosure presents methods and devices for automatically producing a clock signal that follows the master clock signal, regardless of whether the master clock signal is single-ended or differential.

Abstract: A bus in which a transmission line is excited by a pMOSFET having a drain connected to the transmission line and having a source at a core voltage VCC, and in which the transmission line is terminated by a device connected to ground.

Abstract: A clock oscillator circuit that includes an inverting amplifier and a resonator configured to generate an oscillating signal. The clock oscillator includes a bias circuit having a relatively constant current source configured to create a bias voltage to bias the amplifier in an operating state that can sustain the oscillating signal. The inverting amplifier and the bias circuit are configured to operate in a low power state.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for low latency power management on a serial data link are described. In one embodiment, the method includes the detection of an electrical idle exit condition during receiver operation in an electrical idle state. Once detected, data synchronization is performed according to one or more received data synchronization training patterns. Finally, when the synchronization is performed within a determined synchronization re-establishment period, the receiver will resume operation according to a normal power state. Accordingly, the embodiment described illustrates an open loop, low latency power resumption operation for power management within 3GIO links.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a phase detector receives a set of sampling clock signals and a data signal and compares each of the clock signals to the data signal. A clock selector selects an optimal sampling clock signal from the set of sampling clock signals based on a trend of a relationship between the clock signals and the data signal. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A CMOS circuit for low leakage battery operation connects the real time clock to the power supply when available or to a low leakage source when the power supply is not available.

Abstract: The disclosure presents a device comprising a driver configured to transmit a signal on a bus line, including a driver element configured to pull against termination impedance. The impedance of the driver element is dynamically adjustable. The disclosure also presents a method of electronically adjusting the impedance of the driver element to regulate the swing voltage on the bus line.

Abstract: A current mode digital to analog converter (DAC) that can provide an output signal having reduced glitch energy over a wide range of manufacturing tolerances and operating conditions includes a cross-over voltage controller with feedback, disposed between the current switch and the input data source. In a further aspect of the present invention, circuitry operable to generate a synchronized differential pair of digital signals as input to the cross-over voltage controller is included. In a still further aspect of the present invention, load matching circuitry is coupled to the cross-over voltage controller output terminals to reduce timing differences between various stages of the DAC.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a memory control hub (MCH) clock master of an MCH. Typically, in a computer system, a processor is coupled to the MCH by a front-side bus (FSB). Further, an input/output control hub (ICH) is typically coupled to the MCH by a back-side bus or Hub Link. In one embodiment, a host phase locked loop (HPLL) of the MCH clock master receives an FSB clock signal transmitted on the FSB and generates a local synchronous clock signal based upon the FSB clock signal. A delayed lock loop (DLL) of the MCH clock master also receives the FSB clock signal and generates a system clock signal. Particularly, the DLL synchronizes the system clock signal to the local synchronous clock and drives the system clock signal to many different devices on the board.

Abstract: A compensating buffer providing both course tuning on initialization and fine-tuning during operation is disclosed. The course tuning is provided by a plurality of binary-weighted driver legs which are selected during initialization. The fine-tuning which is selectable during both initialization and during operation is provided through linear-weighted biasing. The linear-weighted biasing is simplified through the use of a digital-to-analog converter.

Abstract: The invention provides a low voltage differential signaling driver (LVDS) which can operate with a lower supply voltage than conventional LVDS drivers. The common-mode voltage of the driver circuit is set to a certain level, or maintained within a certain range, by adjusting the driver current, the pull-up resistance, or both. In one implementation, the common-mode voltage of a differential driver circuit is regulated via a feedback signal.

Abstract: A method for automatically detecting signal levels for buffer configuration. The method of one embodiment first samples a first signal. The first signal is compared with a second signal to determine whether the first signal has a higher voltage potential than the second signal. The result of the comparison is latched. The result of the comparison is used to program buffer characteristics.

Abstract: A first-in first-out buffer (FIFO) with multiple outputs. The FIFO has an input for writing data into the FIFO. The FIFO has multiple outputs for reading the data out of the FIFO. Each output is independent from the other outputs, and can be used to read data from a different address at a different time using a different clock signal. In one embodiment, the FIFO is implemented as a storage array with circular pointers to repeatedly loop through the addressable locations. It includes a write pointer to indicate which address represents the input. It includes multiple read pointers to indicate which addresses represent the outputs. Overrun prevention logic is used to assure that the write pointer will not cause new data to be written into any address that has not been read by all outputs, and to assure that data will not be read from any address that has not been written into.

Abstract: A clock oscillator circuit that includes an inverting amplifier and a resonator configured to generate an oscillating signal. The clock oscillator includes a bias circuit having a relatively constant current source configured to create a bias voltage to bias the amplifier in an operating state that can sustain the oscillating signal. The inverting amplifier and the bias circuit are configured to operate in a low power state.

Abstract: The invention provides a low voltage differential signaling driver (LVDS) which can operate with a lower supply voltage than conventional LVDS drivers. The common-mode voltage of the driver circuit is set to a certain level, or maintained within a certain range, by adjusting the driver current, the pull-up resistance, or both. In one implementation, the common-mode voltage of a differential driver circuit is regulated via a feedback signal.

Abstract: A voltage mirroring circuit to output a voltage that is derived from a reference voltage. A reference voltage is applied to the positive input of an operational amplifier, which is used as a unity gain amplifier to generate a feedback voltage. The feedback voltage is applied across a resistor to form a current. The current is directed through a load resistor to form the output voltage. The output voltage is a function of the resistance ratio of the load resistor to the current-setting resistor. Also, a multiple-output voltage mirroring circuit in which the current formed by the use of the operational amplifier and the current-settings resistor is mirrored to generate a plurality of currents. These currents are directed through respective load resistors to form output voltages. The output voltages are a function of the resistance ratios of the respective load resistors to the current-setting resistor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of performing impedance compensation on signals on interfaces between chipset components is disclosed. In one embodiment, a present impedance adjustment value is generated, and a controlled impedance adjustment value is also established based on the present impedance adjustment value. Then a special cycle with a deterministic amount of time is generated to stabilize the interfaces. With the interfaces in a known state, the signals on the interfaces are updated with the controlled impedance adjustment value during the special cycle, where embodiment ensures the signals to be glitch-free.

Abstract: In order to detect performance parameter variations at different locations, local parameter detectors are located at the various local locations. One of the local locations is selected as the reference location while the other local locations are selected as destination locations. The reference location is utilized to determine a reference parameter value, while each destination location compares its local parameter value to the reference parameter value. The parameter values are current encoded and the reference parameter value is sent to the other locations for the comparisons. The comparison at the destination locations each generates a corrective signal to compensate for the difference in the parameter value between the locations. Parameter compensation is provided to reduce performance skew among the distributed locations.