Patents by Inventor Christopher L. Schreppel

Christopher L. Schreppel 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: 10007293
    Abstract: Embodiments of a synchronous digital system are disclosed that may include generation of clock and synchronization signals. Any of a plurality of available clock signals may be selected for use as a primary clock, without causing clock-induced errors in the synchronous digital system. A clock signal generated on-chip with the synchronous digital system may be automatically selected in response to detecting a condition indicating that use of a local clock may be necessary. Such conditions may include detection of tampering with the synchronous digital system. If an indication of tampering is detected, security measures may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Coherent Logix, Incorporated
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Publication number: 20160370823
    Abstract: Embodiments of a synchronous digital system are disclosed that may include generation of clock and synchronization signals. Any of a plurality of available clock signals may be selected for use as a primary clock, without causing clock-induced errors in the synchronous digital system. A clock signal generated on-chip with the synchronous digital system may be automatically selected in response to detecting a condition indicating that use of a local clock may be necessary. Such conditions may include detection of tampering with the synchronous digital system. If an indication of tampering is detected, security measures may be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Patent number: 9450590
    Abstract: Embodiments of a synchronous digital system are disclosed that may include generation of clock and synchronization signals. Any of a plurality of available clock signals may be selected for use as a primary clock, without causing clock-induced errors in the synchronous digital system. The clock signals may be selected automatically or programmatically. Clock generation circuitry may generate a clock signal that is initially used as the primary clock. The clock generation circuitry may be dynamically reconfigured without interrupting operation of the synchronous digital system, by first selecting another of the available clock signals for use as the primary clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: COHERENT LOGIX, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Patent number: 9325329
    Abstract: Embodiments of a synchronous digital system are disclosed that may include generation of clock and synchronization signals. Any of a plurality of available clock signals may be selected for use as a primary clock, without causing clock-induced errors in the synchronous digital system. A clock signal generated on-chip with the synchronous digital system may be automatically selected in response to detecting a condition indicating that use of a local clock may be necessary. Such conditions may include detection of tampering with the synchronous digital system. If an indication of tampering is detected, security measures may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Coherent Logix, Incorporated
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Patent number: 9154142
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed of an apparatus capable of performing multi-rate synchronous communication between component chips. Each chip may receive a common clock reference signal, and may generate an internal clock signal dependent on the clock reference signal. A clock distribution tree and phase-locked loop may be used to minimize internal clock skew at I/O circuitry at the chip perimeter. Each chip may also generate an internal synchronizing signal that is phase-aligned to the received clock reference signal. Each chip may use its respective synchronizing signal to synchronize multiple clock dividers that provide software-selectable adjusted-frequency clock signals to the I/O cells of the chip. In this way, the adjusted-frequency clock signals of the multiple chips are edge-aligned to the low-skew internal clock signals, and phase-aligned to the common clock reference signal, allowing the I/O cells of the multiple chips to perform synchronous communication at multiple rates with low clock skew.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Coherent Logix, Incorporated
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Publication number: 20150162920
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed of an apparatus capable of performing multi-rate synchronous communication between component chips. Each chip may receive a common clock reference signal, and may generate an internal clock signal dependent on the clock reference signal. A clock distribution tree and phase-locked loop may be used to minimize internal clock skew at I/O circuitry at the chip perimeter. Each chip may also generate an internal synchronizing signal that is phase-aligned to the received clock reference signal. Each chip may use its respective synchronizing signal to synchronize multiple clock dividers that provide software-selectable adjusted-frequency clock signals to the I/O cells of the chip. In this way, the adjusted-frequency clock signals of the multiple chips are edge-aligned to the low-skew internal clock signals, and phase-aligned to the common clock reference signal, allowing the I/O cells of the multiple chips to perform synchronous communication at multiple rates with low clock skew.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Patent number: 8963599
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed of a multi-chip apparatus capable of performing multi-rate synchronous communication between component chips. Each chip may receive a common clock reference signal, and may generate an internal clock signal dependent on the clock reference signal. A clock distribution tree and phase-locked loop may be used to minimize internal clock skew at I/O circuitry at the chip perimeter. Each chip may also generate an internal synchronizing signal that is phase-aligned to the received clock reference signal. Each chip may use its respective synchronizing signal to synchronize multiple clock dividers that provide software-selectable reduced-frequency clock signals to the I/O cells of the chip. In this way, the reduced-frequency clock signals of the multiple chips are edge-aligned to the low-skew internal clock signals, and phase-aligned to the common clock reference signal, allowing the I/O cells of the multiple chips to perform synchronous communication at multiple rates with low clock skew.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Coherent Logix, Incorporated
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Publication number: 20140173324
    Abstract: Embodiments of a synchronous digital system are disclosed that may include generation of clock and synchronization signals. Any of a plurality of available clock signals may be selected for use as a primary clock, without causing clock-induced errors in the synchronous digital system. A clock signal generated on-chip with the synchronous digital system may be automatically selected in response to detecting a condition indicating that use of a local clock may be necessary. Such conditions may include detection of tampering with the synchronous digital system. If an indication of tampering is detected, security measures may be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: COHERENT LOGIX, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Publication number: 20140167825
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed of a multi-chip apparatus capable of performing multi-rate synchronous communication between component chips. Each chip may receive a common clock reference signal, and may generate an internal clock signal dependent on the clock reference signal. A clock distribution tree and phase-locked loop may be used to minimize internal clock skew at I/O circuitry at the chip perimeter. Each chip may also generate an internal synchronizing signal that is phase-aligned to the received clock reference signal. Each chip may use its respective synchronizing signal to synchronize multiple clock dividers that provide software-selectable reduced-frequency clock signals to the I/O cells of the chip. In this way, the reduced-frequency clock signals of the multiple chips are edge-aligned to the low-skew internal clock signals, and phase-aligned to the common clock reference signal, allowing the I/O cells of the multiple chips to perform synchronous communication at multiple rates with low clock skew.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: COHERENT LOGIX, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Publication number: 20140173321
    Abstract: Embodiments of a synchronous digital system are disclosed that may include generation of clock and synchronization signals. Any of a plurality of available clock signals may be selected for use as a primary clock, without causing clock-induced errors in the synchronous digital system. The clock signals may be selected automatically or programmatically. Clock generation circuitry may generate a clock signal that is initially used as the primary clock. The clock generation circuitry may be dynamically reconfigured without interrupting operation of the synchronous digital system, by first selecting another of the available clock signals for use as the primary clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: COHERENT LOGIX, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Carl S. Dobbs, Michael R. Trocino, Kenneth R. Faulkner, Christopher L. Schreppel
  • Publication number: 20020085493
    Abstract: A method and system for over-advertising buffering resources for buffering packets coming into an Infiniband port. At least two IB data packets worth of flow control credits are advertised to the link partner for each virtual lane configured on the port so that the link partner may transmit packets at essentially full link bandwidth. The number of credits advertised may be greater than actual amount of buffering resources available to receive all the advertised packets. Once the actual amount of buffering resources available is less than a predetermined shutdown latency threshold, the port transmits zero credit flow control packets for each of the virtual lanes in order to shutdown the link partner from transmitting more packets. In one embodiment, an inline spill buffer is coupled between the port and shared buffers. The predetermined shutdown latency threshold is when all the shared buffers are in use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: Rick Pekkala, Christopher J. Pettey, Christopher L. Schreppel