Patents by Inventor Claude Gauthier

Claude Gauthier 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).

  • Publication number: 20030201809
    Abstract: A charge pump design that facilitates post-fabrication control of delay locked loop charge pump current is provided. The charge pump includes an adjustment device responsive to user controlled signals that are varied to achieve a desired amount of charge pump current. Such control of the charge pump current in a delay locked loop allows a designer to achieve a desired DLL performance characteristic after the DLL has been fabricated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030201808
    Abstract: A post-silicon technique for adjusting a current of a charge pump in a phase locked loop is provided. The technique involves use of an adjustment circuit operatively connected to the charge pump, where the adjustment circuit is controllable to facilitate an internal biasing of the charge pump. Such control of the charge pump current in a phase locked loop allows a designer to achieve desired PLL performance characteristics after the PLL has been fabricated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Pradeep Trivedi, Dean Liu
  • Publication number: 20030197430
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing an impedance of a power supply path of an integrated circuit is provided. The power supply path includes a first power supply line and a second power supply line to provide power to the integrated circuit. At least one resistive element connected between the first power supply line and the second power supply line is adjusted to reduce the impedance of the power supply path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick
  • Publication number: 20030193375
    Abstract: A phase locked loop that includes a receiver circuit for matching delays of a system clock and a feedback clock at an input of the phase locked loop is provided. The receiver circuit employs system clock path circuitry to input the system clock and feedback clock path circuitry to input the feedback clock, where current flow and load resistances associated with the system clock path circuitry and current flow and load resistances associated with the feedback clock path circuitry control the generation of substantially delay matched system and feedback clocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Pradeep Trivedi, Brian Amick
  • Publication number: 20030190005
    Abstract: A phase locked loop having a programmable capacitance stage is provided. The programmable capacitance stage facilitates a selective post-silicon adjustment of capacitance amounts between a PLL loop filter capacitance and a power supply noise filter capacitance, thereby allowing a designer to reduce capacitance area space wastage and to obtain an optimal PLL performance level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventors: Brian Amick, Claude Gauthier
  • Patent number: 6614275
    Abstract: A delay locked loop having an adjustable capacitance stage is provided. The adjustable capacitance stage facilitates a selective post-silicon adjustment of capacitance amounts between a DLL loop filter capacitance and a power supply noise filter capacitance, thereby allowing a designer to reduce capacitance area space wastage and to obtain an optimal DLL performance level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Amick, Claude Gauthier
  • Publication number: 20030163277
    Abstract: A method for estimating accuracy of an on-chip temperature sensor is provided. A representative power supply waveform having noise is input into a simulation of the on-chip temperature sensor and the accuracy of the on-chip temperature sensor is estimated from the simulation. A computer system for estimating accuracy of an on-chip temperature sensor is also provided. A computer-readable medium having instructions adapted to input a representative power supply waveform having noise into a simulation of an on-chip temperature sensor and estimate accuracy of the on-chip temperature sensor from the simulation is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Brian Amick, Claude Gauthier, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trived
  • Publication number: 20030155964
    Abstract: An apparatus that uses a linear voltage regulator to reject power supply noise in a temperature sensor is provided. Further, a method for using a linear voltage regulator to reject power supply noise in a temperature sensor is provided. Further, a method and apparatus that uses a differential amplifier with a source-follower output stage as a linear voltage regulator for a temperature sensor is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Spencer Gold, Dean Liu, Kamran Zarrineh, Brian Amick, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030158683
    Abstract: An integrated circuit that uses electrical fuses to store calibration information of a thermal monitoring device residing on the integrated circuit is provided. Such an integrated circuit allows a service processor of a computer system to query the integrated circuit for calibration information so that an accurate actual temperature measurement may be determined. Further, a method for reading and storing temperature calibration information on-chip is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Spencer Gold, Dean Liu, Kamran Zarrineh, Brian Amick, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030155903
    Abstract: A method and apparatus that uses the difference between two nodal voltages, such as a temperature-independent voltage and a temperature-dependent voltage, to determine the actual temperature at a point on an integrated circuit is provided. Further, a method and apparatus that converts a difference between nodal voltages in an integrated circuit from an analog to a digital quantity on the integrated circuit such that the difference in voltage may be used by an on-chip digital system is provided. Further, a method and apparatus for quantifying a difference in voltage between a first node and a second node of a temperature sensor is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Spencer Gold, Dean Liu, Kamran Zarrineh, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030155965
    Abstract: A method for using a low voltage power supply to generate a temperature-independent voltage and temperature-dependent voltage is provided. Further, an apparatus that uses a low voltage power supply to generate a temperature-independent voltage and temperature-dependent voltage is provided. The apparatus generates a temperature-dependent voltage and a temperature-independent voltage using an amplifier stage that generates a feedback signal; a startup stage that generates a startup signal dependent on the feedback signal; and an output stage that outputs the temperature-dependent voltage and the temperature-independent voltage dependent on the feedback and startup signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Spencer Gold, Kamran Zarrineh
  • Publication number: 20030154048
    Abstract: A method for optimizing a decoupling capacitance for an on-chip temperature sensor is provided. A representative power supply waveform having noise is input into a simulation of the on-chip temperature sensor; a difference between a temperature representative input and a temperature dependent output of the on-chip temperature sensor is determined; and an amount of the decoupling capacitance is adjusted until the difference falls below a pre-selected value. A computer system for optimizing a decoupling capacitance for an on-chip temperature sensor is also provided. A computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions executable by a processor for optimizing a decoupling capacitance for an on-chip temperature sensor is further provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Brian Amick, Claude Gauthier, Pradeep Trivedi, Dean Liu
  • Publication number: 20030154064
    Abstract: A method for optimizing decoupling capacitance in a phase locked loop is provided. A representative power supply waveform having noise is input into a simulation of the phase locked loop; an estimate of jitter is determined; and an amount of the decoupling capacitance is adjusted until the jitter falls below a pre-selected value. Further, a computer system for optimizing decoupling capacitance in a phase locked loop is provided. Further, a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions adapted to optimize decoupling capacitance in a phase locked loop is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030154454
    Abstract: A method for estimating jitter in a delay locked loop is provided. The estimation is determined from a simulation that uses a representative power supply waveform having noise as an input. Further, a computer system for estimating jitter in a delay locked loop is provided. Further, a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions adapted to estimate jitter in a delay locked loop is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030154447
    Abstract: A method for optimizing loop bandwidth in a delay locked loop is provided. A representative power supply waveform having noise is input into a simulation of the delay locked loop; an estimate of jitter is determined; and the loop bandwidth of the delay looked loop is adjusted until the jitter falls below a pre-selected value. Further, a computer system for optimizing loop bandwidth in a delay locked loop is provided. Further, a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions adapted to optimize loop bandwidth in a delay locked loop is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030154065
    Abstract: A method for optimizing decoupling capacitance in a delay locked loop is provided. A representative power supply waveform having noise is input into a simulation of the delay locked loop; an estimate of jitter is determined; and an amount of the decoupling capacitance is adjusted until the jitter falls below a pre-selected value. Further, a computer system for optimizing decoupling capacitance in a delay locked loop is provided. Further, a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions adapted to optimize decoupling capacitance in a delay locked loop is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030154453
    Abstract: A method for optimizing loop bandwidth in a phase locked loop is provided. A representative power supply waveform having noise is input into a simulation of the phase locked loop; an estimate of jitter is determined; and the loop bandwidth of the phase looked loop is adjusted until the jitter falls below a pre-selected value. Further, a computer system for optimizing loop bandwidth in a phase locked loop is provided. Further, a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions adapted to optimize loop bandwidth in a phase locked loop is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Publication number: 20030151464
    Abstract: A method for estimating jitter in a phase locked loop is provided. The estimation is determined from a simulation that uses a representative power supply waveform having noise as an input. Further, a computer system for estimating jitter in a phase locked loop is provided. Further, a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions adapted to estimate jitter in a phase locked loop is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trivedi
  • Patent number: 6605988
    Abstract: A method for using a low voltage power supply to generate a temperature-independent voltage and temperature-dependent voltage is provided. Further, an apparatus that uses a low voltage power supply to generate a temperature-independent voltage and temperature-dependent voltage is provided. The apparatus generates a temperature-dependent voltage and a temperature-independent voltage using an amplifier stage that generates a feedback signal; a startup stage that generates a startup signal dependent on the feedback signal; and an output stage that outputs the temperature-dependent voltage and the temperature-independent voltage dependent on the feedback and startup signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Spencer Gold, Kamran Zarrineh
  • Patent number: 6597218
    Abstract: A technique Readjusting a bias-generator in a delay locked loop after fabrication of the delay locked loop. The technique involves use of an adjustment circuit operatively connected to the bias-generator, where the adjustment circuit is controllable to facilitate a modification of a voltage output by the bias-generator. Such control of the voltage output by the bias-generator allows a designer to achieve a desired delay locked loop performance characteristic after the delay locked loop has been fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Claude Gauthier, Brian Amick, Dean Liu, Pradeep Trivedi