Patents by Inventor Brian K. Straup

Brian K. Straup 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: 7224756
    Abstract: A clock generator system and method for providing and operating a codes with a clock signal at a desired operational rate are disclosed. The clock generator system also has a phase-locked loop circuit. The clock generator system determines whether an available clock signal within a circuit environment of the codec has a desired clock rate. If the available clock signal has the desired clock rate, the clock generator system supplies and operates the codec with the available clock signal. If the available clock signal does not have the desired clock rate, the phase-locked loop circuit generates from the available clock signal a desired clock signal having the desired clock rate and supplies and operates the codec with the desired clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishnan Subramoniam, Jens Puchert, Anand Venkitachalam, Brian K. Straup, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 6642876
    Abstract: A system and method of operating a codec in an operational mode are disclosed. The codec is operated in a digital centric mode. The digital centric mode involves the following: An analog mixer of the codec first mixes analog signals, if any, to produce a mixed analog signal. An analog-to-digital converter converts the mixed analog signal into a converted digital signal. A digital mixer mixes the converted digital signal with digital signals that are otherwise generally unavailable as analog signals to the codec without additional conversions to produce a mixed digital signal. A digital-to-analog converter converts the mixed digital signal into a mixed analog signal. A digital processor may perform digital effects processing on the mixed digital signal to add digital effects to the mixed digital signal. The codec is still able to alternatively operate in an analog centric mode, a host processing mode, or a multi-channel mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishnan Subramoniam, Jens Puchert, Brian K. Straup
  • Publication number: 20030067402
    Abstract: A system and method of operating a codec in an operational mode are disclosed. The codec is operated in a digital centric mode. The digital centric mode involves the following: An analog mixer of the codec first mixes analog signals, if any, to produce a mixed analog signal. An analog-to-digital converter converts the mixed analog signal into a converted digital signal. A digital mixer mixes the converted digital signal with digital signals that are otherwise generally unavailable as analog signals to the codec without additional conversions to produce a mixed digital signal. A digital-to-analog converter converts the mixed digital signal into a mixed analog signal. A digital processor may perform digital effects processing on the mixed digital signal to add digital effects to the mixed digital signal. The codec is still able to alternatively operate in an analog centric mode, a host processing mode, or a multi-channel mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventors: Krishnan Subramoniam, Jens Puchert, Brian K. Straup
  • Patent number: 6023735
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer system and more particularly to a computer system which allows option controller cards for various input/output (I/O) devices to be added on the motherboard at minimum cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Packard Bell, NEC
    Inventors: Jimmy Dean Smith, Mark D. Nicol, Brian K. Straup, Terence Paul O'Brien, Mark Layne Herman
  • Patent number: 5999991
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer system and more particularly to a computer system which allows option controller cards for various input/output (I/O) devices to be added on the motherboard at minimum cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Packard Bell NEC
    Inventors: Jimmy Dean Smith, Mark D. Nicol, Brian K. Straup, Terence Paul O'Brien, Mark Layne Herman
  • Patent number: 5784642
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer system and more particularly to a computer system which allows option controller cards for various input/output (I/O) devices to be added on the motherboard at minimum cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Packard Bell NEC
    Inventors: Jimmy Dean Smith, Mark D. Nicol, Brian K. Straup, Terence Paul O'Brien, Mark Layne Herman
  • Patent number: 5748982
    Abstract: Manual insertion of hardware jumpers to configure I/O device selection and addressing is eliminated through the implementation of specialized hardware which allows for program control over several addressing paths. A register file is utilized within a programmable device to configure demultiplexers and multiplexers which map I/O address control line signals to set up various communication paths for address I/O exchanges. I/O configuration is entirely removed from add-on cards through the use of the programmable device. Accordingly, such add-on cards only require minimum circuitry, thus facilitating the use of miniature or baby cards as option cards which are much smaller than standard add-on cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Packard Bell NEC
    Inventors: Jimmy Dean Smith, Mark D. Nicol, Brian K. Straup, Terence Paul O'Brien, Mark Layne Herman, Terrence A. Hussey
  • Patent number: 5687379
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system for providing programmable configuration protection of a programmable Input/Output device. By configuration protection, it is meant that the programming options of an I/O controller can be set in accordance to a given environment, and then by use of a programming controlled signal, prevent the changing of the programmed environment or remove those programmed options considered unsafe in the now secured environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Packard Bell NEC
    Inventors: Jimmy Dean Smith, Mark D. Nicol, Brian K. Straup, Terence Paul O'Brien, Michael P. Krau, Richard David Ball