Patents by Inventor Frank Carr

Frank Carr 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: 20090115458
    Abstract: A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) comparator circuit includes a plurality of p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) transistors receiving an input voltage signal, a plurality of n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistors operatively connected to the PMOS transistors and adapted to receive the input voltage signal, and an inverter adapted to invert the input voltage signal into an output voltage signal. An effective aspect ratio of the PMOS and NMOS transistors may be dependent on the level of the output voltage signal from the inverter. When a digital output of the inverter is “1”, the effective aspect ratio of the NMOS transistor is increased by turning on a second NMOS transistor, and a threshold voltage of the inverter is decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Frank Carr, Ahmed A. Emira
  • Publication number: 20090102592
    Abstract: An integrated power combiner is disclosed. The power combiner includes a first circular geometry primary winding having one or more inductive elements, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A circular geometry secondary winding is disposed adjacent to the first primary winding, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A second circular geometry primary winding is disposed adjacent to the secondary winding and has one or more inductive elements. One or more connections are provided between one or more of the inductive elements of the first circular geometry primary winding and one or more of the inductive elements of the second circular geometry primary winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki, Hui Wu, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Frank Carr, Rahul Magoon, Alexandre Kral, Afshin Mellati, Florian Bohn, Donald McGlymont
  • Patent number: 7515895
    Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programable attenuation and a programable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Klaas Bult, Frank Carr
  • Publication number: 20090021228
    Abstract: An electrical circuit and method of power management of a cellular telephone includes a battery adapted to produce a battery voltage; a LDO regulator operatively connected to the battery and adapted to provide a constant supply voltage from the battery voltage; and a DC-DC converter operatively connected to the LDO regulator, wherein the DC-DC converter is adapted to step down the constant supply voltage to a lower voltage level, wherein the LDO regulator and the DC-DC converter are embedded on a single integrated circuit chip. The constant supply voltage equals 3.6V at an output of the LDO, and the constant supply voltage is applied to an input of the DC-DC converter. Moreover, the battery voltage equals at most 5.5V.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Frank Carr, Ahmed A. Emira, Hassan Elwan
  • Patent number: 7471934
    Abstract: A translational-loop transmitter includes a local oscillator (LO) generator for generating first and second LO signals, a modulator for generating a modulated reference signal using the second LO signal, and an offset phase-locked-loop (PLL) for phase-locking an output signal to the reference signal, and for tuning the output signal in accordance with the first LO signal. The PLL includes an offset mixer in a feedback path of the PLL, and operates in accordance with a frequency plan that minimizes the effects of on- and off-channel spurs at the output of the offset mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Hong Shi, Frank Carr
  • Patent number: 7471153
    Abstract: An integrated power combiner is disclosed. The power combiner includes a first circular geometry primary winding having one or more inductive elements, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A circular geometry secondary winding is disposed adjacent to the first primary winding, such as an active winding with one or more driver stages. A second circular geometry primary winding is disposed adjacent to the secondary winding and has one or more inductive elements. One or more connections are provided between one or more of the inductive elements of the first circular geometry primary winding and one or more of the inductive elements of the second circular geometry primary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Axiom Microdevices, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki, Hui Wu, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Frank Carr, Rabul Magoon, Alexandre Kral, Afshin Mellati, Florian Bohn, Donald McClymont
  • Publication number: 20080284919
    Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programmable attenuation and a programmable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Klaas Bult, Frank Carr, Christopher M. Ward, Ralph Duncan, Tom W. Kwan, James Y.C. Chang, Haideh Khorramabadi
  • Publication number: 20080259219
    Abstract: A tuner for use in mobile television devices comprises at least one RF front end component comprising a LNA adapted to amplify mobile television signals; a PLL circuit to generate signals; and a pair of mixers to receive the signals from the LNA and the PLL circuit and downconvert the signals; an analog baseband component connected to the RF front end component, wherein the analog baseband component comprises I and Q channel signal paths each comprising a tunable high order impedance filter; at least one signal amplification stage; and a signal filter stage connected to the signal amplification stage, wherein the analog baseband component further comprises a plurality of switches operatively connected to the I and Q channel signal paths, and wherein the plurality of switches are selectively opened and closed in multiple configurations in order to allow the tuner to receive mobile TV signals for all mobile TV standards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Mohy Abdelgany, Frank Carr, Hassan Elwan, Amr Fahim, Edward Youssoufian
  • Patent number: 7423699
    Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programable attenuation and a programable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Klaas Bult, Frank Carr, Christopher M. Ward, Ralph Duncan, Tom W. Kwan, James Y. C. Chang, Haideh Khorramabadi
  • Patent number: 7366486
    Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programable attenuation and a programable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Klaas Bult, Frank Carr
  • Publication number: 20070248598
    Abstract: The present invention disclosed recombinant anti-VLA-4 antibody molecules, including humanized recombinant anti-VLA-4 antibody molecules. These antibodies are useful in the treatment of specific and non-specific inflammation, including asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, the humanized recombinant anti-VLA-4 antibodies disclosed can be useful in methods of diagnosing and localizing sites of inflammation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: Biogen Idec MA Inc.
    Inventors: Roy Lobb, Frank Carr, Philip Tempest
  • Publication number: 20070218855
    Abstract: A method of filtering and a RF filtering circuit comprising a LO adapted to generate in-phase and quadrature LO baseband signals; a quadrature passive mixer operatively connected to the LO; a filtering impedance operatively connected to the quadrature passive mixer, wherein the voltage at an input node of the quadrature passive mixer comprises the voltage across the filtering impedance up-converted to a frequency of a LO baseband signal received by the quadrature passive mixer. Preferably, the voltage across the filtering impedance comprises a frequency of an input signal of the quadrature passive mixer down-converted by a frequency of the in-phase and quadrature LO baseband signals and filtered by the filtering impedance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Aly Ismail, Edward Youssoufian, Hassan Elwan, Frank Carr
  • Publication number: 20070218857
    Abstract: A technique for downconverting a RF signal comprises an antenna adapted to receive an RF signal; a transconductance amplifier connected to the antenna and adapted to amplify the RF signal; a passive mixer connected to the transconductance amplifier and adapted for current domain mixing of electrical current transferred from the transconductance amplifier; and a load impedance connected to the passive mixer. The load impedance may comprise a parallel combination of a frequency dependent negative resistance component, a capacitor, and a resistor. The load impedance may comprise a pair of complex poles, a pair of imaginary zeros, and a real pole. Voltages at an input and an output of the passive mixer are related such that the input voltage of the passive mixer is an upconverted version of the output voltage of the passive mixer, wherein the input voltage of the passive mixer is at an output of the transconductance amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Aly Ismail, Edward Youssoufian, Hassan Elwan, Frank Carr
  • Publication number: 20070213018
    Abstract: Digital autonomous AGC for a DVB-H receiver comprises detecting a plurality of RF signals entering a LNA in the DVB-H receiver; detecting a RF transmitter blocker signal occurring at the LNA; and differentiating between a desired RF signal and an undesired RF transmitter blocker signal by varying a differential gain of current through the LNA. A RF servo loop is used for detecting the RF transmitter blocker signal. Logic circuitry of the RF servo loop is integrated with a baseband AGC loop to step control the differential gain of current through the LNA. A RF wideband detector is used for detecting the plurality of RF signals entering the LNA; and sending a voltage output corresponding to voltage levels of the RF signals to a plurality of comparators, wherein each of the plurality of comparators are set at a different programmable voltage threshold level compared with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Aly Ismail, Janakan Sivasubramaniam, Edward Youssoufian, Nabil Yousef, Frank Carr
  • Patent number: 7256573
    Abstract: A distributed active transformer on a semiconducting substrate is provided. The distributed active transformer includes an outer primary, a secondary disposed adjacent to the outer primary, and an inner primary disposed adjacent to the outer primary and the secondary. A plurality of first three terminal devices is coupled to the outer primary at a plurality of locations. A plurality of second three terminal devices coupled to the inner primary at a plurality of locations, and each second three terminal device is disposed opposite from and coupled to one of the plurality of first three terminal devices. A plurality of power control actuation circuits is also provided, where each power control actuation circuit is coupled to one of the first three terminal devices and the second three terminal devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Axiom Microdevices, Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Magoon, Scott Kee, Ichiro Aoki, Frank Carr, Hui Wu, Jerry Twomey, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri
  • Patent number: 7236212
    Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programable attenuation and a programable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Carr, Pieter Vorenkamp
  • Publication number: 20070117507
    Abstract: A direct conversion satellite tuner is fully integrated on a common substrate. The integrated tuner receives an RF signal having a plurality of channels and down-converts a selected channel directly to baseband for further processing. The integrated tuner includes on-chip local oscillator generation, tunable baseband filters, and DC Offset cancellation. The integrated tuner can be implemented in a completely differential I/Q configuration for improved electrical performance. The entire direct conversion satellite tuner can be fabricated on a single semiconductor substrate using standard CMOS processing, with minimal off-chip components. The tuner configuration described herein is not limited to processing TV signals, and can be utilized to down-convert other RF signals to an IF frequency or baseband.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Myles Wakayama, Dana Laub, Frank Carr, Afshin Mellati, David Ho, Hsiang-Bin Lee, Chun-Ying Chen, James Chang, Lawrence Burns, Young Shin, Patrick Pai, Iconomos Koullias, Ron Lipka, Luke Steigerwald, Alexandre Kral
  • Publication number: 20070105504
    Abstract: An integrated communications system. A substrate having a receiver disposed on the substrate for converting a received signal to an IF signal, a digital IF demodulator disposed on the substrate and coupled to the receiver for converting the IF signal to a demodulated baseband signal, and a transmitter disposed on the substrate operating in cooperation with the receiver to establish a two way communications path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Myles Wakayama, Steven Jaffe, Frank Carr, Arnoldus Venes, Peter Kinget, Daniel Marz, Thinh Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20070077908
    Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programable attenuation and a programable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Klaas Bult, Frank Carr, Christopher Ward, Ralph Duncan, Tom Kwan, James Chang, Haideh Khorramabadi
  • Publication number: 20070013433
    Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programable attenuation and a programable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Vorenkamp, Klaas Bult, Frank Carr