Patents by Inventor Dirk Pfaff

Dirk Pfaff 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: 20240406039
    Abstract: A communication system includes a receiver device having a continuous time linear equalizer circuitry. The continuous time linear equalizer circuitry includes first gain circuitry, second gain circuitry, second gain circuitry a first capacitor, a first resistive element, a first inductor, and a second resistive element. The first gain circuitry and the second gain circuitry receive an input signal. The first capacitor is connected between an output of the first gain circuitry and an output of the second gain circuitry. The first resistive element is connected between the output of the first gain circuitry and the output of the second gain circuitry. The first inductor is connected to the output of the first gain circuitry, the first capacitor, and the first resistive element. The second resistive element is connected in parallel with the first inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Dirk PFAFF, Jingjing XIA, David A. YOKOYAMA-MARTIN
  • Patent number: 12155509
    Abstract: A communication system includes a receiver device having a continuous time linear equalizer circuitry. The continuous time linear equalizer circuitry includes first gain circuitry, second gain circuitry, second gain circuitry a first capacitor, a first resistive element, a first inductor, and a second resistive element. The first gain circuitry and the second gain circuitry receive an input signal. The first capacitor is connected between an output of the first gain circuitry and an output of the second gain circuitry. The first resistive element is connected between the output of the first gain circuitry and the output of the second gain circuitry. The first inductor is connected to the output of the first gain circuitry, the first capacitor, and the first resistive element. The second resistive element is connected in parallel with the first inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Pfaff, Jingjing Xia, David A. Yokoyama-Martin
  • Publication number: 20240372759
    Abstract: An optimized pulse shaping clock data recovery system is provided that includes a slicer configured to receive a signal and provide an initial set of tentative decisions to a decision feedforward equalizer, where the decision feedforward equalizer provides a fully equalized output signal. The slicer may be incorporated as part of decision feedback equalizer to provide better quality tentative decisions. The clock data recovery system also receives the first output signal that is partially equalized in such a way as to optimally shape it for a clock to sample it at an ideal location by providing an adjustment signal to the analog to digital controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Rolando Ramirez, Wei-Li Chen, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh, Fan-ming Kuo
  • Patent number: 12119828
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes circuits (e.g., clock synthesizers) and methods for producing alternating signals. A clock synthesizer includes an oscillator, a voltage control circuit, and a frequency control circuit. The oscillator produces an output signal with a frequency. The voltage control circuit produces a control voltage for the oscillator based on the frequency of the output signal. The frequency control circuit produces a control signal for the oscillator based on (i) an input voltage to the frequency control circuit and (ii) the control voltage. The control signal causes the oscillator to adjust the frequency of the output signal such that the voltage control circuit adjusts the control voltage to be closer to the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Pfaff, Ralph Mason, Robert Abbott, Christopher Falkingham
  • Patent number: 12074737
    Abstract: An optimized pulse shaping clock data recovery system is provided that includes a slicer configured to receive a signal and provide an initial set of tentative decisions to a decision feedforward equalizer, where the decision feedforward equalizer provides a fully equalized output signal. The slicer may be incorporated as part of decision feedback equalizer to provide better quality tentative decisions. The clock data recovery system also receives the first output signal that is partially equalized in such a way as to optimally shape it for a clock to sample it at an ideal location by providing an adjustment signal to the analog to digital controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Rolando Ramirez, Wei-Li Chen, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh, Fan-ming Kuo
  • Publication number: 20240223413
    Abstract: A multi-tap Differential Feedforward Equalizer (DFFE) configuration with both precursor and postcursor taps is provided. The DFFE has reduced noise and/or crosstalk characteristics when compared to a Feedforward Equalizer (FFE) since DFFE uses decision outputs of slicers as inputs to a finite impulse response (FIR) unlike FFE which uses actual analog signal inputs. The digital outputs of the tentative decision slicers are multiplied with tap coefficients to reduce noise. Further, since digital outputs are used as the multiplier inputs, the multipliers effectively work as adders which are less complex to implement. The decisions at the outputs of the tentative decision slicers are tentative and are used in a FIR filter to equalize the signal; the equalized signal may be provided as input to the next stage slicers. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the final stage decisions are lower or better than the BER of the previous stage tentative decisions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Wei-Li Chen, Po-Hsiang Lan, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11962441
    Abstract: A multi-tap Differential Feedforward Equalizer (DFFE) configuration with both precursor and postcursor taps is provided. The DFFE has reduced noise and/or crosstalk characteristics when compared to a Feedforward Equalizer (FFE) since DFFE uses decision outputs of slicers as inputs to a finite impulse response (FIR) unlike FFE which uses actual analog signal inputs. The digital outputs of the tentative decision slicers are multiplied with tap coefficients to reduce noise. Further, since digital outputs are used as the multiplier inputs, the multipliers effectively work as adders which are less complex to implement. The decisions at the outputs of the tentative decision slicers are tentative and are used in a FIR filter to equalize the signal; the equalized signal may be provided as input to the next stage slicers. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the final stage decisions are lower or better than the BER of the previous stage tentative decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Wei-Li Chen, Po-Hsiang Lan, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20220360476
    Abstract: A multi-tap Differential Feedforward Equalizer (DFFE) configuration with both precursor and postcursor taps is provided. The DFFE has reduced noise and/or crosstalk characteristics when compared to a Feedforward Equalizer (FFE) since DFFE uses decision outputs of slicers as inputs to a finite impulse response (FIR) unlike FFE which uses actual analog signal inputs. The digital outputs of the tentative decision slicers are multiplied with tap coefficients to reduce noise. Further, since digital outputs are used as the multiplier inputs, the multipliers effectively work as adders which are less complex to implement. The decisions at the outputs of the tentative decision slicers are tentative and are used in a FIR filter to equalize the signal; the equalized signal may be provided as input to the next stage slicers. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the final stage decisions are lower or better than the BER of the previous stage tentative decisions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Wei-Li Chen, Po-Hsiang Lan, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11398933
    Abstract: A multi-tap Differential Feedforward Equalizer (DFFE) configuration with both precursor and postcursor taps is provided. The DFFE has reduced noise and/or crosstalk characteristics when compared to a Feedforward Equalizer (FFE) since DFFE uses decision outputs of slicers as inputs to a finite impulse response (FIR) unlike FFE which uses actual analog signal inputs. The digital outputs of the tentative decision slicers are multiplied with tap coefficients to reduce noise. Further, since digital outputs are used as the multiplier inputs, the multipliers effectively work as adders which are less complex to implement. The decisions at the outputs of the tentative decision slicers are tentative and are used in a FIR filter to equalize the signal; the equalized signal may be provided as input to the next stage slicers. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the final stage decisions are lower or better than the BER of the previous stage tentative decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Wei-Li Chen, Po-Hsiang Lan, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20220158878
    Abstract: An optimized pulse shaping clock data recovery system is provided that includes a slicer configured to receive a signal and provide an initial set of tentative decisions to a decision feedforward equalizer, where the decision feedforward equalizer provides a fully equalized output signal. The slicer may be incorporated as part of decision feedback equalizer to provide better quality tentative decisions. The clock data recovery system also receives the first output signal that is partially equalized in such a way as to optimally shape it for a clock to sample it at an ideal location by providing an adjustment signal to the analog to digital controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Rolando Ramirez, Wei-Li Chen, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh, Fan-ming Kuo
  • Patent number: 11240075
    Abstract: An optimized pulse shaping clock data recovery system is provided that includes a slicer configured to receive a signal and provide an initial set of tentative decisions to a decision feedforward equalizer, where the decision feedforward equalizer provides a fully equalized output signal. The slicer may be incorporated as part of decision feedback equalizer to provide better quality tentative decisions. The clock data recovery system also receives the first output signal that is partially equalized in such a way as to optimally shape it for a clock to sample it at an ideal location by providing an adjustment signal to the analog to digital controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Rolando Ramirez, Wei-Li Chen, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh, Fan-ming Kuo
  • Publication number: 20210218605
    Abstract: An optimized pulse shaping clock data recovery system is provided that includes a slicer configured to receive a signal and provide an initial set of tentative decisions to a decision feedforward equalizer, where the decision feedforward equalizer provides a fully equalized output signal. The slicer may be incorporated as part of decision feedback equalizer to provide better quality tentative decisions. The clock data recovery system also receives the first output signal that is partially equalized in such a way as to optimally shape it for a clock to sample it at an ideal location by providing an adjustment signal to the analog to digital controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Rolando Ramirez, Wei-Li Chen, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh, Fan-ming Kuo
  • Publication number: 20210160107
    Abstract: A multi-tap Differential Feedforward Equalizer (DFFE) configuration with both precursor and postcursor taps is provided. The DFFE has reduced noise and/or crosstalk characteristics when compared to a Feedforward Equalizer (FFE) since DFFE uses decision outputs of slicers as inputs to a finite impulse response (FIR) unlike FFE which uses actual analog signal inputs. The digital outputs of the tentative decision slicers are multiplied with tap coefficients to reduce noise. Further, since digital outputs are used as the multiplier inputs, the multipliers effectively work as adders which are less complex to implement. The decisions at the outputs of the tentative decision slicers are tentative and are used in a FIR filter to equalize the signal; the equalized signal may be provided as input to the next stage slicers. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the final stage decisions are lower or better than the BER of the previous stage tentative decisions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Wei-Li Chen, Po-Hsiang Lan, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10911272
    Abstract: A multi-tap Differential Feedforward Equalizer (DFFE) configuration with both precursor and postcursor taps is provided. The DFFE has reduced noise and/or crosstalk characteristics when compared to a Feedforward Equalizer (FFE) since DFFE uses decision outputs of slicers as inputs to a finite impulse response (FIR) unlike FFE which uses actual analog signal inputs. The digital outputs of the tentative decision slicers are multiplied with tap coefficients to reduce noise. Further, since digital outputs are used as the multiplier inputs, the multipliers effectively work as adders which are less complex to implement. The decisions at the outputs of the tentative decision slicers are tentative and are used in a FIR filter to equalize the signal; the equalized signal may be provided as input to the next stage slicers. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the final stage decisions are lower or better than the BER of the previous stage tentative decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Wei-Li Chen, Po-Hsiang Lan, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10904044
    Abstract: An optimized pulse shaping clock data recovery system is provided that includes a slicer configured to receive a signal and provide an initial set of tentative decisions to a decision feedforward equalizer, where the decision feedforward equalizer provides a fully equalized output signal. The slicer may be incorporated as part of decision feedback equalizer to provide better quality tentative decisions. The clock data recovery system also receives the first output signal that is partially equalized in such a way as to optimally shape it for a clock to sample it at an ideal location by providing an adjustment signal to the analog to digital controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Rolando Ramirez, Wei-Li Chen, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh, Fan-ming Kuo
  • Patent number: 10868506
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes exemplary line drivers for use in an exemplary wireline transmission device. In some situations, the exemplary line drivers are electrically connected to a wireline communication channel to transmit information. The exemplary line drivers prevent charge sharing with the wireline communication channel. The exemplary line drivers disclosed herein charge various circuit nodes to various logical values, such as a logical zero or a logical one, to prevent charge sharing with the wireline communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventors: Xin Jie Wang, Dirk Pfaff
  • Publication number: 20200252247
    Abstract: A multi-tap Differential Feedforward Equalizer (DFFE) configuration with both precursor and postcursor taps is provided. The DFFE has reduced noise and/or crosstalk characteristics when compared to a Feedforward Equalizer (FFE) since DFFE uses decision outputs of slicers as inputs to a finite impulse response (FIR) unlike FFE which uses actual analog signal inputs. The digital outputs of the tentative decision slicers are multiplied with tap coefficients to reduce noise. Further, since digital outputs are used as the multiplier inputs, the multipliers effectively work as adders which are less complex to implement. The decisions at the outputs of the tentative decision slicers are tentative and are used in a FIR filter to equalize the signal; the equalized signal may be provided as input to the next stage slicers. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the final stage decisions are lower or better than the BER of the previous stage tentative decisions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Wei-Li Chen, Po-Hsiang Lan, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20200252248
    Abstract: An optimized pulse shaping clock data recovery system is provided that includes a slicer configured to receive a signal and provide an initial set of tentative decisions to a decision feedforward equalizer, where the decision feedforward equalizer provides a fully equalized output signal. The slicer may be incorporated as part of decision feedback equalizer to provide better quality tentative decisions. The clock data recovery system also receives the first output signal that is partially equalized in such a way as to optimally shape it for a clock to sample it at an ideal location by providing an adjustment signal to the analog to digital controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Chaitanya Palusa, Rob Abbott, Rolando Ramirez, Wei-Li Chen, Dirk Pfaff, Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh, Fan-ming Kuo
  • Publication number: 20200067470
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes exemplary line drivers for use in an exemplary wireline transmission device. In some situations, the exemplary line drivers are electrically connected to a wireline communication channel to transmit information. The exemplary line drivers prevent charge sharing with the wireline communication channel. The exemplary line drivers disclosed herein charge various circuit nodes to various logical values, such as a logical zero or a logical one, to prevent charge sharing with the wireline communication channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin Jie WANG, Dirk PFAFF
  • Patent number: 10498301
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes exemplary line drivers for use in an exemplary wireline transmission device. In some situations, the exemplary line drivers are electrically connected to a wireline communication channel to transmit information. The exemplary line drivers prevent charge sharing with the wireline communication channel. The exemplary line drivers disclosed herein charge various circuit nodes to various logical values, such as a logical zero or a logical one, to prevent charge sharing with the wireline communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin Jie Wang, Dirk Pfaff