Patents by Inventor Gregg William Baeckler

Gregg William Baeckler 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: 9230047
    Abstract: A method for designing a system on a target device is disclosed. A partition in the system with a plurality of instances from an extraction netlist is identified. Synthesis optimizations are performed on the partition to generate a synthesis optimization solution. The synthesis optimization solution is applied to the plurality of instances in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Babette Van Antwerpen, Gregg William Baeckler
  • Patent number: 9203604
    Abstract: Integrated circuits with high-speed communications capabilities are provided. Such types of integrated circuits may include clock data recovery (CDR) circuitry. The CDR circuitry may receive incoming data and may generate a recovered clock that is phase-aligned to the incoming data. The CDR circuitry may also include data latching circuitry for separately latching even and odd data bits in alternating clock cycles. During a first mode, a first portion of the data latching circuitry may be used to latch even data bits while a second portion of the data latching circuitry may be used to latch odd data bits. During a second mode, the second portion of the data latching circuitry may be used to latch the even data bits while the first portion of the data latching circuitry may be used to latch the odd data bits. The mode that yields the better link performance may be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Mendel, Gregg William Baeckler, Weiqi Ding
  • Patent number: 9172378
    Abstract: A programmable logic device architecture having logic elements with dedicated hardware to configure the look up tables of the logic element to either perform logic functions or to operate as a register for pipelining. The programmable logic device includes a general interconnect and a plurality of logic array blocks interconnected by the general interconnect. Each of the plurality of logic blocks further includes one or more logic elements. The logic elements each include a first look up table, a second look up table, and dedicated hardware within the logic element to configure the first look table and the second look up table as a register without having to use the general interconnect. In one embodiment, the dedicated hardware includes a plurality of dedicated interconnects within the logic element to configure the two look up tables as a pair of cross coupled muxes or latches when configured as a register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Michael D. Hutton, Gregg William Baeckler, Jinyong Yuan, Chris Wysocki, Pouyan Djahani
  • Patent number: 9100031
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, apparatus, and methods for encoding data transmitted in a data line. In various embodiments, a device may include a first input port operative to receive a first data value. In some embodiments, the device may further include a first memory device operative to look up a second data value based on the first data value, where the second data value is a representation of the first data value encoded according to an encoding scheme that allows clock recovery, and where the memory device is operative to be configured according to a plurality of line encoding schemes. In various embodiments, the device may further include a first output port operative to provide an output signal, where the output signal comprises one or more data values including the second data value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg William Baeckler, David W. Mendel
  • Patent number: 9053274
    Abstract: An electronic automation system performs register retiming on a logic design, which may be a logic design for a programmable logic integrated circuit. Register retiming is a moving or rearranging of registers across combinatorial logic in a design in order to improve a maximum operating frequency or fmax. In one implementation, the system includes machine-readable code, which may be stored on a computer-readable medium such as a disk, executing on a computer. The system balances timing in order to trade off delays between critical and noncritical paths. Register retiming may make changes to a design at a gate level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Babette van Antwerpen, Michael D. Hutton, Gregg William Baeckler, Jinyong Yuan
  • Patent number: 9048889
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides physical coding sublayer architectures that enable high-speed serial interfaces capable of operating at data rates ranging from 400 gigabits per second (Gbps) to 1 terabit per second (Tbps). A first embodiment relates to an architecture that provides an aggregated physical coding sublayer (PCS) that provides multiple virtual lanes. A second embodiment relates to an architecture that has a channel-based PCS and provides an aggregation layer above the PCS channels. A third embodiment relates to an architecture that, like the second embodiment, has a channel-based PCS and provides an aggregation layer above the PCS channels. However, each channel-based PCS in the third embodiment provides multiple virtual lanes. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Divya Vijayaraghavan, David W. Mendel, Gregg William Baeckler
  • Patent number: 8954906
    Abstract: A method for designing a system to be implemented on a target device includes performing a first synthesis run on an entire design of a system with a first setting to generate a first cell netlist for the entire design of the system. A second synthesis run is performed on the entire design for the system with a second setting and is performed in parallel with the first synthesis procedure to generate a second cell netlist for the entire design of the system. A merged cell netlist is generated that includes a first section of logic from the first netlist and a second section of logic from the second cell netlist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg William Baeckler, Babette Van Antwerpen
  • Patent number: 8943393
    Abstract: A method of protecting digital words traversing multiple data paths is presented. The method identifies a number of bits for a header of a digital word and determines a number of protection bits for the header. A bit value for each of the protection bits is computed, and the computed bit values of the protection bits are transmitted through one or more data paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Mendel, Gregg William Baeckler
  • Publication number: 20150003477
    Abstract: The implementation of serial transmission protocols typically involves the transmission of data in form of serial data streams over multiple serial communication links in parallel. Upon reception, the serial data streams are aggregated to implement a behavior equivalent to the transmission of the data over a single serial communication link. A high-speed serial communication receiver with a central alignment control circuit is provided that performs the identification of word boundaries within each serial data stream, the alignment of all the serial data streams, and the arrangement of the serial communication links in a given order. Using a single central alignment control circuit reduces the circuit area required for performing these operations, facilitates a reduced latency, and can easily control a simplified switching network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: Gregg William Baeckler
  • Patent number: 8918682
    Abstract: A method of operating a test equipment system that is coupled to network circuitry is described. The method displays only selected information. Furthermore, the method may display the selected information in a manner as to allow a user of the test equipment to easily identify errors in the network circuitry. The method may select the information to be displayed by processing received signals according to a stacked protocol hierarchical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Gregg William Baeckler
  • Patent number: 8810299
    Abstract: Control circuitry and adjustable clock signal generation circuitry is provided to control the signal transmission rate for electronic devices and systems of electronic devices. The control circuitry may receive status signals indicating current clock rates of a signal transmitting and receiving circuit as well as current processing capacity from the signal receiving circuit. The control circuitry may then generate control signals which control adjustable clock signal generation circuitry. The adjustable clock signal generation circuitry may be used to adjust the rate of generated clock signals for the signal transmitting and receiving circuits which can increase or decrease the signal transmission rate between those circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg William Baeckler, David W. Mendel
  • Patent number: 8806399
    Abstract: An electronic automation system performs register retiming on a logic design, which may be a logic design for a programmable logic integrated circuit. Register retiming is a moving or rearranging of registers across combinatorial logic in a design in order to improve a maximum operating frequency or fmax. In one implementation, the system includes machine-readable code, which may be stored on a computer-readable medium such as a disk, executing on a computer. The system balances timing in order to trade off delays between critical and noncritical paths. Register retiming may make changes to a design at a gate level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Babette van Antwerpen, Michael D. Hutton, Gregg William Baeckler, Jinyong Yuan
  • Patent number: 8775894
    Abstract: A method of data validation is provided. In one implementation, the method includes performing a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) on data transmitted over a channel having L lanes. In one implementation, the performing includes performing the CRC using n CRC bits and a CRC polynomial, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one and where L is an integer equal to or greater than one and represents the number of lanes in the channel. Further, in one implementation, the CRC polynomial is selected based on L. In one implementation, the method includes: performing a CRC on data, where the performing includes performing the CRC using n CRC bits, where n is an integer equal to or greater than one; and performing a checksum on the data, where the performing the checksum includes performing the checksum using m checksum bits, where m is an integer equal to or greater than one, where n plus m bits are allocated for validating the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Mendel, Gregg William Baeckler
  • Patent number: 8756540
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for improved circuit synthesis by EDA machinery. Circuit designs are synthesized to a target hardware platform with resulting hardware characteristics correlated back to component types in the synthesis-stage circuit design. The accumulated characteristics samples then contribute to a characteristics value for the component type. The characteristics value can be used in future synthesis runs to condition processing, e.g., choosing between alternative implementation possibilities, using the characteristics value to provide an accurate prediction of a hardware implementation for the component type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg William Baeckler, Barbette Van Antwerpen
  • Publication number: 20140097877
    Abstract: Control circuitry and adjustable clock signal generation circuitry is provided to control the signal transmission rate for electronic devices and systems of electronic devices. The control circuitry may receive status signals indicating current clock rates of a signal transmitting and receiving circuit as well as current processing capacity from the signal receiving circuit. The control circuitry may then generate control signals which control adjustable clock signal generation circuitry. The adjustable clock signal generation circuitry may be used to adjust the rate of generated clock signals for the signal transmitting and receiving circuits which can increase or decrease the signal transmission rate between those circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventors: Gregg William Baeckler, David W. Mendel
  • Patent number: 8661380
    Abstract: A method for designing a system to be implemented on a target device includes performing a first synthesis run on an entire design of a system with a first setting to generate a first cell netlist for the entire design of the system. A second synthesis run is performed on the entire design for the system with a second setting and is performed in parallel with the first synthesis procedure to generate a second cell netlist for the entire design of the system. A merged cell netlist is generated that includes a first section of logic from the first netlist and a second section of logic from the second cell netlist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg William Baeckler, Babette Van Antwerpen
  • Patent number: 8638245
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, apparatus, and methods for encoding data transmitted in a data line. In various embodiments, a device may include a first input port operative to receive a first data value. In some embodiments, the device may further include a first memory device operative to look up a second data value based on the first data value, where the second data value is a representation of the first data value encoded according to an encoding scheme that allows clock recovery, and where the memory device is operative to be configured according to a plurality of line encoding schemes. In various embodiments, the device may further include a first output port operative to provide an output signal, where the output signal comprises one or more data values including the second data value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg William Baeckler, David W. Mendel
  • Patent number: 8601424
    Abstract: A programmable logic device architecture having logic elements with dedicated hardware to configure the look up tables of the logic element to either perform logic functions or to operate as a register for pipelining. The programmable logic device includes a general interconnect and a plurality of logic array blocks interconnected by the general interconnect. Each of the plurality of logic blocks further includes one or more logic elements. The logic elements each include a first look up table, a second look up table, and dedicated hardware within the logic element to configure the first look table and the second look up table as a register without having to use the general interconnect. In one embodiment, the dedicated hardware includes a plurality of dedicated interconnects within the logic element to configure the two look up tables as a pair of cross coupled muxes or latches when configured as a register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Michael D. Hutton, Gregg William Baeckler, Jinyong Yuan, Chris Wysocki, Pouyan Djahani
  • Patent number: 8479143
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for electronic design automation (EDA) that effects the identification, and possibly removal, of certain duplicate circuit components. A signature value representing a circuit component is used to help identify potential duplicates. A signature table stores information about one or more components that share a corresponding signature value. The table is populated during the course of processing the design for duplicate extraction. As each component in the design is encountered, a signature for the component is determined and used to access the signature table information. The current component is compared to any component found by using the signature table and a circuit design modification is indicated to consolidate the components if they are duplicative. The signature table is maintained to reflect the most recent component encountered for a given signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Gregg William Baeckler
  • Patent number: 8429491
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for more efficiently implementing error checking code circuitry on a programmable chip. In one example, Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) exclusive OR (XOR) circuitry is decomposed to allow efficient implementation on lookup tables (LUTs) of various sizes on a device. XOR cancellation factoring is used to break up wide CRC XORs into blocks that fit in various LUTs while maintaining focus on minimizing logic depth and logic area. Simulated annealing is used to further reduce logic area cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg William Baeckler, Babette Van Antwerpen