Patents by Inventor Daniel P Mulligan

Daniel P Mulligan 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: 8966155
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for implementing a high-performance data storage device using block-access memory devices are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a storage device includes a block-access memory device configured to stored data in one or more physical sector addresses and a random-access memory device storing a logical-to-physical (L2P) sector address translation data structure. Also, the storage device includes a device manager, coupled to both the block-access memory device and the random-access memory. The device manager is configured to determine a physical sector address in the block-access memory device, in response to a data access request, wherein the data access request includes a logical sector address by mapping the logical sector address to a physical sector address using the L2P sector address translation data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Inventor: Daniel P. Mulligan
  • Publication number: 20120250881
    Abstract: A plurality of microphones are coupled in series to receive a bias current. A plurality of configurable switches may be used to select which ones of the microphones receive the bias current. The current source may be adjustable and the switches may be reconfigurable to dynamically change both the number of microphones being used and the amount of bias current being generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventor: Daniel P. Mulligan
  • Patent number: 7634696
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for testing a memory having a plurality of bits is provided and includes initializing each value in a first register to zero. Next, each value in a second register is initialized to one. Further, each bit in the memory is initialized to zero. A logical OR operation is applied to each bit in the memory with a bit value as the first operand and a corresponding register value in the first register as the second operand. Additionally, the method includes initializing each bit in the memory to one. Also, a logical AND operation is applied to each bit in the memory with the bit value as the first operand and a corresponding register value as the second operand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Sigmatel, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel P. Mulligan
  • Patent number: 7197412
    Abstract: A method for use in a multifunction handheld device includes receiving a first plurality of digitally formatted files from a host device when coupled to the host device via a host interface. A selected one of the first plurality of digitally formatted files is played, the playing includes generating an audio output. The method monitors for a low voltage condition produced by a low battery voltage. When the low voltage condition is detected, a first fail safe algorithm is enabled to disable the audio output, store an audio setting corresponding to the playing of the audio output, and to shutdown the multifunction handheld device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sigmatel, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus W. May, Daniel P Mulligan, Matthew Brady Henson
  • Publication number: 20040104707
    Abstract: A method for efficient battery use begins by monitoring at least one output of the handheld device for an overload condition. The processing continues by monitoring a system voltage produced by a DC-to-DC converter for a system low voltage condition. The process continues by monitoring voltage of the battery for a battery low voltage condition. The processing then continues by enabling one of a plurality of fail-safe algorithms based on when one or more of the overload condition, the system low voltage condition, and/or the battery low voltage condition are detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Marcus W. May, Daniel P. Mulligan, Matthew Brady Henson
  • Patent number: 5812204
    Abstract: A system and method for generating NTSC and PAL formatted composite video signals in a computer. Digital pixel data may be processed by software to form component video pixel data, which may include luminance and chrominance components. A chrominance look-up table is provided in a display memory and is used for modulation of the chrominance components in accordance with NTSC and/or PAL formats. The modulated components are then combined to form digital composite video pixel data which may be stored in a frame buffer in the display memory. Alternatively, a pixel clock frequency equal to an integer multiple of the carrier frequency may be used and modulation in accordance with the NTSC and PAL formats may be accomplished by inverting, setting to zero or leaving unmodified the chrominance components. The architecture of this system greatly reduces hardware complexity and bandwidth requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Brooktree Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Baker, Daniel P. Mulligan, Eric J. Schell
  • Patent number: 5805173
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide a system for selectively processing a video signal in accordance with instructions from application software. The system contains a video decoder for converting an analog video signal to digital video data, and a controller for formatting and routing the digital video data. A list of control structures may be loaded into a memory associated with the controller. The control structures contain formatting and routing information used by the controller to process different portions of the video stream. The number and content of control structures as well as the correlation between the control structures and selected portions of the video stream may be flexibly determined by application software. In particular, the control structures may be configured such that certain portions of the video stream are routed to the CPU for processing, while other portions are routed to a display driver and output on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Brooktree Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen G. Glennon, Daniel P. Mulligan, Paul B. Wood
  • Patent number: 5790110
    Abstract: A system and method for generating composite video signals in a computer. Digital pixel data may be processed by software to form component video pixel data, which may include luminance and chrominance components. A chrominance look-up table is provided in a display memory and is used for modulation of the chrominance components. The modulated components are then combined to form digital composite video pixel data which may be stored in a frame buffer in the display memory. Video control information is precalculated and stored in the display memory in advance. The digital composite video pixel data and video control information are then recovered from the display memory to produce a formatted stream of video data. The architecture of this system greatly reduces hardware complexity and bandwidth requirements. In addition, the process may be controlled by a media stream controller which is also adapted for audio and graphics processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Brooktree Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Baker, Daniel P. Mulligan, Eric J. Schell
  • Patent number: 5777601
    Abstract: A system and method for generating composite video signals in a computer. Digital pixel data may be processed by software to form component video pixel data, which may include luminance and chrominance components. A chrominance look-up table is provided in a display memory and is used for modulation of the chrominance components. The modulated components are then combined to form digital composite video pixel data which may be stored in a frame buffer in the display memory. Video control information is precalculated and stored in the display memory in advance. The digital composite video pixel data and video control information are then recovered from the display memory to produce a formatted stream of video data. The architecture of this system greatly reduces hardware complexity and bandwidth requirements. In addition, the process may be controlled by a media stream controller which is also adapted for audio and graphics processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Brooktree Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Baker, Daniel P. Mulligan, Eric J. Schell