Patents by Inventor Gareth D. Edwards

Gareth D. Edwards 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: 8539326
    Abstract: A method for computing a X-bit cyclical redundancy check (CRC-X) frame value for a data frame transmitted over a N-bit databus is provided. The method includes receiving a N-bit data input with an end-of-frame for the data frame at bit position M on the N-bit databus, performing a bitwise XOR on X most significant bits of the N-bit data input with a CRC-X feedback value to form a first N-bit intermediate data. The method also includes shifting the first N-bit intermediate data by M bit positions to align the end-of-frame of the data frame with a least significant bit (LSB), and padding M number of zero bits to a most significant bit (MSB) of the first N-bit intermediate data to form a second N-bit intermediate data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark R. Nethercot, Martin B. Rhodes, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 8271915
    Abstract: A test environment for performing verification on a parameterizable circuit design can include a test harness specifying a first instance of a device under test characterized by a first parameterization and at least a second instance of the device under test characterized by at least a second parameterization. The test environment further can include a hardware verification language shell configured to randomly generate signals which indicate one of the instances and provide the signals to the test harness. The test harness selects one of the instances according to the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 8032852
    Abstract: A method is provided to incorporate information currently known about an integrated circuit's design, including peripheral components that share the same printed circuit board (PCB) with the integrated circuit, to automate a clock signal instantiation and routing solution to realize a comprehensive design. The information derived from a hardware design synthesis tool includes the existence of PCB resources, such as fixed-frequency oscillators, that may co-exist with a particular integrated circuit, such as a programmable logic device (PLD). Other derived information includes details concerning clock modules and cores that may exist within the PLD in accordance with the PLD's design specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Sinclair, Nathan A. Lindop, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 8015530
    Abstract: A method of enabling the generation of reset signals in an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method comprises receiving information related to reset ports for a plurality of intellectual property cores in a design tool; providing an intellectual property core comprising a reset logic circuit adapted to generate a plurality of reset signals for the plurality of intellectual property cores; and generating, by the design tool, configuration data enabling programmable interconnects to couple a first reset signal of the plurality of reset signals to a first intellectual property core of the plurality of intellectual property cores and a second reset signal of the plurality of reset signals to a second intellectual property core of the plurality of intellectual property cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Sinclair, Gareth D. Edwards, Nathan A. Lindop
  • Patent number: 7991937
    Abstract: A receive-side client interface for a media access controller embedded in an integrated circuit having programmable circuitry is described. A media access controller core includes a receive engine. A receive-side datapath is coupled to the media access controller core. The receive-side datapath is configured to operate at two frequencies to accommodate the programmable circuitry in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Yin, Hamish T. Fallside, Richard P. Burnley, Nicholas McKay, Martin B. Rhodes, Douglas M. Grant, Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7934038
    Abstract: A media access system in an integrated circuit device having programmable resources for interfacing to a network. The media access system has at least one embedded media access controller configured to provide access to and from the network via a physical layer interface, programmable resources coupled to the embedded controller via a client interface, tie-off pin inputs coupled to the embedded controller for receiving a configuration vector for configuring the embedded controller without having to use a microprocessor for such configuration with the client interface being for communication between the embedded controller and the programmable resources for access to and from the network, and the embedded controller including a multi-mode interface coupled to the client interface for coupling to the programmable resources, the multi-mode interface including a plurality of Media Independent Interface modes, the multi-mode interface configured to be coupled to the physical layer interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Ting Yun Kao, Robert Yin, Hamish T. Fallside, Richard P. Burnley, Nicholas McKay, Martin B. Rhodes, Douglas M. Grant, Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards, Allan W. Fyfe
  • Patent number: 7814336
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving enforcement of the time-limited operation of a programmable device. Two random number generators, e.g., linear feedback shift register (LFSR) circuits, are utilized in which a first LFSR provides free-running capability, while a second LFSR provides time-sensitive capability. The states of the two LFSR circuits are compared by various portions of the programmable device at each state transition in order to obtain authorization to continue operation. Authorized operation continues as long as the states of both LFSRs are equivalent, or at least equivalent, within a given phase offset. Once a terminal count of the time-sensitive LFSR is reached, then authorization for continued operation ends and at least a portion of the programmable device is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7761643
    Abstract: A media access controller system embedded in an integrated circuit is described. A platform dependent bridge for communicating with a first processor, where the platform dependent bridge is associated with a platform of the first processor and where the first processor is embedded in an integrated circuit. Host interface circuitry is coupled to the platform dependent bridge and is configured to provide a processor interface, where the processor interface is for communicating with the first processor via the platform dependent bridge and where the processor interface has a platform independent bus for communication with a second processor. At least one media access controller is coupled to the host interface circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Yin, Hamish T. Fallside, Richard P. Burnley, Nicholas McKay, Martin B. Rhodes, Douglas M. Grant, Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7526742
    Abstract: A test environment for performing verification on a parameterizable circuit design can include a test harness specifying a first instance of a device under test characterized by a first parameterization and at least a second instance of the device under test characterized by at least a second parameterization. The test environment further can include a hardware verification language shell configured to randomly generate signals which indicate one of the instances and provide the signals to the test harness. The test harness selects one of the instances according to the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7493511
    Abstract: A transmit-side client interface for a media access controller embedded in an integrated circuit having programmable logic is described. A media access controller core includes a transmit engine. A transmit-side datapath is coupled to the media access controller core. The transmit-side datapath is configured to operate at two frequencies to accommodate the programmable logic in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Yin, Hamish T. Fallside, Richard P. Burnley, Nicholas McKay, Martin B. Rhodes, Douglas M. Grant, Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7484022
    Abstract: A media access controller system embedded in a programmable logic device is described. A platform dependent bridge for communicating with a first processor, where the platform dependent bridge is associated with a platform of the first processor and where the first processor is embedded in a programmable logic device. Host interface circuitry is coupled to the platform dependent bridge and is configured to provide a processor interface, where the processor interface is for communicating with the first processor via the platform dependent bridge and where the processor interface has a platform independent bus for communication with a second processor. At least one media access controller is coupled to the host interface circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Yin, Hamish T. Fallside, Richard P. Burnley, Nicholas McKay, Martin B. Rhodes, Douglas M. Grant, Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7461193
    Abstract: A receive-side client interface for a media access controller embedded in an integrated circuit having programmable logic is described. A media access controller core includes a receive engine. A receive-side datapath is coupled to the media access controller core. The receive-side datapath configured is configured to operate at two frequencies to accommodate the programmable logic in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Yin, Hamish T. Fallside, Richard P. Burnley, Nicholas McKay, Martin B. Rhodes, Douglas M. Grant, Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7366807
    Abstract: A statistics interface for a media access controller is described. The media access controller core includes a receive engine configured to provide a receive statistics vector associated with receive traffic. The receive engine is configured to output the receive statistics vector within an inter-frame gap over a number of receive clock cycles, where a portion of the receive statistics vector is provided with each clock cycle of the receive clock cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Yin, Hamish T. Fallside, Richard P. Burnley, Nicholas McKay, Martin B. Rhodes, Douglas M. Grant, Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7330924
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention is physical layer interface for a network interface including a plurality of input/output pins. The input/output pins are coupled for being multiplexed into a physical layer interface selected from among a Reduced Gigabit Media Independent Interface and a Gigabit Media Independent Interface. The input/output pins internal to a programmable logic device are for access to and from a processor block located in the programmable logic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Ting Yun Kao, Robert Yin, Hamish T. Fallside, Richard P. Burnley, Nicholas McKay, Martin B. Rhodes, Stuart A. Nisbet, Gareth D. Edwards, Allan W. Fyfe
  • Patent number: 7290201
    Abstract: A clock management system receives an input clock signal having rising edges and falling edges, a first set of data values associated with the rising edges of the input clock signal, and a second set of data values associated with the falling edges of the input clock signal. The clock management system provides a first clock and a second clock in response to the input clock signal. The first clock has a first set of edges that are synchronous with the rising edges of the input clock signal. The second clock has a second set of edges that are synchronous with the falling edges of the input clock signal. The first set of data values are latched in response to the first set of edges of the first clock. The second set of data values are latched in response to the second set of edges of the second clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: XILINX, Inc.
    Inventor: Gareth D. Edwards