Patents by Inventor Behnam Amelifard

Behnam Amelifard 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: 9509318
    Abstract: Aspects disclosed in the detailed description include apparatuses, methods, and systems for glitch-free clock switching. In this regard, in one aspect, an electronic circuit is switched from a lower-frequency reference clock to a higher-frequency reference clock. An oscillation detection logic is configured to determine the stability of the higher-frequency reference clock prior to switching the electronic circuit to the higher-frequency reference clock. The oscillation detection logic derives a sampled clock signal from the higher-frequency reference clock, wherein the sampled clock signal has a slower frequency than the lower-frequency reference clock. The oscillation detection logic then compares the sampled clock signal against the lower-frequency reference clock to determine the stability of the higher-frequency reference clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Chad Everett Winemiller, Behnam Amelifard, Kenneth Luis Arcudia, Jon Raymond Boyette, Chia Heng Chang, Russell Coleman Deans, Kevin Wayne Spears
  • Publication number: 20160269034
    Abstract: Aspects disclosed in the detailed description include apparatuses, methods, and systems for glitch-free clock switching. In this regard, in one aspect, an electronic circuit is switched from a lower-frequency reference clock to a higher-frequency reference clock. An oscillation detection logic is configured to determine the stability of the higher-frequency reference clock prior to switching the electronic circuit to the higher-frequency reference clock. The oscillation detection logic derives a sampled clock signal from the higher-frequency reference clock, wherein the sampled clock signal has a slower frequency than the lower-frequency reference clock. The oscillation detection logic then compares the sampled clock signal against the lower-frequency reference clock to determine the stability of the higher-frequency reference clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Chad Everett Winemiller, Behnam Amelifard, Kenneth Luis Arcudia, Jon Raymond Boyette, Chia Heng Chang, Russell Coleman Deans, Kevin Wayne Spears
  • Patent number: 9356614
    Abstract: A code converter is provided. The code converter includes a plurality of serial shift registers arranged to convert an input to a thermometer output. The code converter further includes a plurality of clock control circuits each configured to provide a clock to a corresponding one of the shift registers. A method of generating a signal in thermometer code is provided. The method includes enabling a subset of a plurality of shift registers and converting an input to a thermometer output by the plurality of shift registers. Another code converter is further provided. The code converter includes means for converting an input to a thermometer output. The means for converting includes a plurality of shift registers. The code converter further includes means for enabling a subset of the shift registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Behnam Amelifard, Hadi Goudarzi, Chia Heng Chang
  • Publication number: 20160065235
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first circuit configured to convert a digital signal of a first format, which includes a sampled version of an analog signal, to a digital signal of a second format. A second circuit is configured to output the digital signal of the second format through a digital interface. An electronic system including a circuit configured to output a digital signal of the analog signal as a bitstream is provided. A clock generator generates a clock for clocking the bitstream. In another aspect, a method for operating an integrated circuit includes converting a digital signal of a first format, which includes a sampled version of an analog signal, to a digital signal of a second format. The digital signal of the second format is outputted through a digital interface. A monitoring or observing device receives directly the digital signal of the second format through the digital interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Xiaohua KONG, Thuan LY, Behnam AMELIFARD, Ohjoon KWON
  • Patent number: 8839020
    Abstract: A clock/data recovery circuit includes an edge detector circuit operable to receive a serial data burst and to generate a reset signal in response to a first edge of the serial data burst. The clock/data recovery circuit may also include an oscillator coupled to the edge detector circuit. The oscillator locks onto a target data rate prior to receipt of the serial data burst and locks onto a phase of the serial data burst in response to the reset signal. The clock/data recovery circuit may also include a phase detector circuit that receives the serial data burst. The phase detector circuit is coupled to the oscillator. The phase detector circuit adjusts the oscillator to maintain the lock onto the phase of the serial data burst during the serial data burst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jingcheng Zhuang, Nam V. Dang, Xiaohua Kong, Zhi Zhu, Tirdad Sowlati, Behnam Amelifard
  • Publication number: 20130191679
    Abstract: A clock/data recovery circuit includes an edge detector circuit operable to receive a serial data burst and to generate a reset signal in response to a first edge of the serial data burst. The clock/data recovery circuit may also include an oscillator coupled to the edge detector circuit. The oscillator locks onto a target data rate prior to receipt of the serial data burst and locks onto a phase of the serial data burst in response to the reset signal. The clock/data recovery circuit may also include a phase detector circuit that receives the serial data burst. The phase detector circuit is coupled to the oscillator. The phase detector circuit adjusts the oscillator to maintain the lock onto the phase of the serial data burst during the serial data burst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jingcheng Zhuang, Nam V. Dang, Xiaohua Kong, Zhi Zhu, Tirdad Sowlati, Behnam Amelifard
  • Publication number: 20130120020
    Abstract: An adjustable gain line driver receives an input signal and a gain control signal and outputs a signal with a swing, and the swing is measured to generate a swing measurement signal. A target swing signal is generated having a target swing, and the target swing signal is measured to generate a target swing reference signal. The swing measurement signal is compared to the target swing reference control signal and a counter generating the gain control signal is incremented until the measurement signal meets the target swing reference signal. Optionally a reset signal resets the counter, and the gain control signal, at predetermined events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Miao Li, Behnam Amelifard, Xiaohua Kong, Nam V. Dang
  • Patent number: 7573775
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory block includes one or more bit lines that each include two or more cells. Each cell in each bit line has a distance from a sense amplifier coupled to the bit line, and each of one or more of the cells in each of one or more of the bit lines has a delay particularly set according to the distance of the cell from the sense amplifier coupled to the bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Farzan Fallah, Behnam Amelifard, Massoud Pedram
  • Patent number: 7447101
    Abstract: A method of forming a memory cell includes coupling a first transistor between a supply rail of a memory cell and a node operable to accept a supply voltage. The method further includes coupling a second transistor between a ground rail of the cell and a node operable to accept a ground. In one embodiment, the method includes forming the cell to accept selectively applied external voltages, wherein the external voltages are selected to minimize leakage current in the cell. In another embodiment, the method includes forming at least one of the first and the second transistors to have a channel width and/or a threshold voltage selected to minimize a total leakage current in the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, University of Southern California
    Inventors: Farzan Fallah, Behnam Amelifard, Massoud Pedram
  • Publication number: 20080151673
    Abstract: A method of forming a memory cell includes coupling a first transistor between a supply rail of a memory cell and a node operable to accept a supply voltage. The method further includes coupling a second transistor between a ground rail of the cell and a node operable to accept a ground. In one embodiment, the method includes forming the cell to accept selectively applied external voltages, wherein the external voltages are selected to minimize leakage current in the cell. In another embodiment, the method includes forming at least one of the first and the second transistors to have a channel width and/or a threshold voltage selected to minimize a total leakage current in the cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Farzan Fallah, Behnam Amelifard, Massoud Pedram
  • Publication number: 20070195616
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory block includes one or more bit lines that each include two or more cells. Each cell in each bit line has a distance from a sense amplifier coupled to the bit line, and each of one or more of the cells in each of one or more of the bit lines has a delay particularly set according to the distance of the cell from the sense amplifier coupled to the bit line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Farzan Fallah, Behnam Amelifard, Massoud Pedram