Patents by Inventor Gregory Bakker

Gregory Bakker 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: 7501872
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device comprises at least one of a crystal oscillator circuit, an RC oscillator circuit, and an external oscillator input. A clock conditioning circuit is selectively coupleable to one of the programmable logic block, the crystal oscillator circuit, the RC oscillator circuit, and the external oscillator input. A real-time clock is selectively coupleable to one of the programmable logic block, the crystal oscillator circuit, the RC oscillator circuit, and the external oscillator input. A programmable logic block is coupled to the clock conditioning circuit and the real-time clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-Nan Sun, Limin Zhu, Theodore Speers, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7499360
    Abstract: A circuit for selectively interconnecting two nodes in an integrated circuit device includes a memory array having a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of bitlines. A refresh transistor has a source coupled to one of the plurality of bitlines, a control gate coupled to a dynamic random access memory wordline and a drain. A switching transistor has a gate coupled to the drain of the refresh transistor, a source coupled to a first one of the nodes and a drain coupled to a second one of the nodes. An address decoder for supplies periodic signals to the wordlines and the dynamic random access memory wordline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: John McCollum, Vidya Bellippady, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7495473
    Abstract: A non-volatile-memory-transistor based lookup table for an FPGA includes a n:1 multiplexer. A non-volatile memory transistor is coupled to each of the n inputs of the multiplexer. The multiplexer has x address inputs wherein 2x=n as is known in the art. The output of the multiplexer is coupled to Vcc through a pullup transistor. The gate of the pullup transistor is coupled to the output of an address transition detector circuit that has inputs coupled to the address inputs of the multiplexer. A sense amplifier is coupled to the output of the multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: John McCollum, Gregory Bakker, Jonathan Greene
  • Patent number: 7492183
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block, at least one user non-volatile memory block, and voltage-measuring and control analog and digital circuits on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip or a flip chip, face-to-face, or other multiple die configuration. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit with voltage-measuring, current-measuring and control circuitry performs voltage measurement and control functions and can be used to control and monitor external power supplies connected to external loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Rabindranth Balasubramanian, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7493506
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block, at least one user non-volatile memory block, and voltage-measuring and control analog and digital circuits on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip or a flip chip, face-to-face, or other multiple die configuration. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit with voltage-measuring, current-measuring and control circuitry performs voltage measurement and control functions and can be used to control and monitor external power supplies connected to external loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Rabindranth Balasubramanian, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7492182
    Abstract: A non-volatile-memory-transistor based lookup table for an FPGA includes a n:1 multiplexer. A non-volatile memory transistor is coupled to each of the n inputs of the multiplexer. The multiplexer has x address inputs wherein 2x=n as is known in the art. The output of the multiplexer is coupled to VCC through a pullup transistor. The gate of the pullup transistor is coupled to the output of an address transition detector circuit that has inputs coupled to the address inputs of the multiplexer. A sense amplifier is coupled to the output of the multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: John McCollum, Gregory Bakker, Jonathan Greene
  • Publication number: 20090031194
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for an error-correcting FPGA. ECC data for configuration is generated and programmed into the ECC rows in the configuration memory. While booting, it is determined whether an integrity-check bit is set. If so, an integrity check is performed. If a single-bit error is detected, if the bit error is an erroneous “0” value, the memory location containing the erroneous “0” value is reprogrammed to a “1” value. If the bit error is an erroneous “1,” value, the memory block data is saved in a non-volatile memory block, the configuration memory block containing the error is erased and reprogrammed using the corrected bit. If there is more than one error, an error flag is set. The user reads the status of the error flag through the JTAG port. If the error flag is set then a full reprogramming cycle is initiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Vidyadhara Bellipaddy, Gregory Bakker
  • Publication number: 20080309393
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device comprises at least one of a crystal oscillator circuit, an RC oscillator circuit, and an external oscillator input. A clock conditioning circuit is selectively coupleable to one of the programmable logic block, the crystal oscillator circuit, the RC oscillator circuit, and the external oscillator input. A real-time clock is selectively coupleable to one of the programmable logic block, the crystal oscillator circuit, the RC oscillator circuit, and the external oscillator input. A programmable logic block is coupled to the clock conditioning circuit and the real-time clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shin-Nan Sun, Limin Zhu, Theodore Speers, Gregory Bakker
  • Publication number: 20080303547
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block, at least one user non-volatile memory block, and temperature sensing and control analog and digital circuits on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip or a flip chip, face-to-face, or other multiple die configuration. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit with temperature measuring and control circuitry performs temperature measurement and control functions and can be used to create an on-chip temperature log.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Limin Zhu, Gregory Bakker
  • Publication number: 20080296688
    Abstract: An ESD protection circuit is disclosed for an n-channel MOS transistor formed in an inner p-well of a triple-well process and connected to an I/O pad that may experience both positive and negative voltages according to the present invention. A first switch connects the p-well containing the n-channel MOS transistor to ground if the voltage at the I/O pad is positive and a second switch connects the p-well containing the n-channel MOS transistor to the I/O pad if the voltage at the I/O pad is negative. A third switch connects the gate of the n-channel MOS transistor to the p-well if it is turned off and a fourth switch connects the gate of the n-channel MOS transistor to Vcc if it is turned on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gregory Bakker
  • Publication number: 20080284532
    Abstract: An integrated temperature-compensated RC oscillator circuit includes an inverter having an input and an output. An RC network is coupled between the inverter and a pair of comparators. A first comparator has an inverting input coupled to a first reference voltage, a non-inverting input coupled to the RC network, and an output. A second comparator has an inverting input coupled to the RC network, a non-inverting input coupled to a second reference voltage, and an output. A set-reset flip-flop has a set input coupled to the output of the first comparator, a reset input coupled to the output of the second comparator, and an output coupled to the input of the inverter. Differential amplifiers in the comparators each have a diode-connected p-channel MOS transistor controlling a mirrored p-channel MOS transistor whose channel width is less than that of the diode-connected p-channel current mirror transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gregory Bakker
  • Publication number: 20080279028
    Abstract: A circuit for selectively interconnecting two nodes in an integrated circuit device includes a memory array having a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of bitlines. A refresh transistor has a source coupled to one of the plurality of bitlines, a control gate coupled to a dynamic random access memory wordline and a drain. A switching transistor has a gate coupled to the drain of the refresh transistor, a source coupled to a first one of the nodes and a drain coupled to a second one of the nodes. An address decoder for supplies periodic signals to the wordlines and the dynamic random access memory wordline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: John McCollum, Vidya Bellippady, Gregory Bakker
  • Publication number: 20080272803
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of inputs, a plurality of output pads, a programmable logic block, an analog circuit block, an analog-to-digital converter programmably coupleable to individual analog circuits in the analog circuit block, and an interconnect architecture programmably coupling selected ones of the plurality of inputs, the plurality of outputs, the programmable logic block, the analog circuit block, and the analog-to-digital converter. At least one of the inputs may be programmably configured as one of a digital input programmably coupleable to elements in the programmable logic block or as an analog input to an analog circuit in the analog circuit block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Limin Zhu, Theodore Speers, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7446560
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block, at least one user non-volatile memory block, and temperature sensing and control analog and digital circuits on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip or a flip chip, face-to-face, or other multiple die configuration. The programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit with temperature measuring and control circuitry performs temperature measurement and control functions and can be used to create an on-chip temperature log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Limin Zhu, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7446378
    Abstract: An ESD protection circuit is disclosed for an n-channel MOS transistor formed in an inner p-well of a triple-well process and connected to an I/O pad that may experience both positive and negative voltages according to the present invention. A first switch connects the p-well containing the n-channel MOS transistor to ground if the voltage at the I/O pad is positive and a second switch connects the p-well containing the n-channel MOS transistor to the I/O pad if the voltage at the I/O pad is negative. A third switch connects the gate of the n-channel MOS transistor to the p-well if it is turned off and a fourth switch connects the gate of the n-channel MOS transistor to VCC if it is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory Bakker
  • Publication number: 20080265935
    Abstract: An integrated multi-function analog circuit includes at least one MOSFET gate-drive circuit coupled to a first I/O pad. At least one voltage-sensing circuit is coupled to a second I/O pad. At least one current-sensing circuit is coupled to the second I/O pad and a third I/O pad. At least one temperature-sensing circuit is coupled to a fourth I/O pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Acetel Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Bakker, Rabindranath Balasubramanian
  • Patent number: 7443198
    Abstract: A non-volatile-memory-transistor based lookup table for an FPGA includes a n:1 multiplexer. A one input non-volatile-memory-transistor based lookup table is coupled to each of the n data inputs of the multiplexer. The multiplexer has X inputs wherein n=2X as is known in the art. A sense amplifier is coupled to the output of the multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Actal Corporation
    Inventors: John McCollum, Gregory Bakker, Jonathan Greene
  • Patent number: 7439818
    Abstract: An integrated temperature-compensated RC oscillator circuit includes an inverter having an input and an output. An RC network is coupled between the inverter and a pair of comparators. A first comparator has an inverting input coupled to a first reference voltage, a non-inverting input coupled to the RC network, and an output. A second comparator has an inverting input coupled to the RC network, a non-inverting input coupled to a second reference voltage, and an output. A set-reset flip-flop has a set input coupled to the output of the first comparator, a reset input coupled to the output of the second comparator, and an output coupled to the input of the inverter. Differential amplifiers in the comparators each have a diode-connected p-channel MOS transistor controlling a mirrored p-channel MOS transistor whose channel width is less than that of the diode-connected p-channel current mirror transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory Bakker
  • Publication number: 20080224731
    Abstract: A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device includes a programmable logic block. A digital input/output circuit block is coupled to the programmable logic block. A SRAM block is coupled to the programmable logic block. At least one non-volatile memory block is coupled to the programmable logic block. A JTAG port is coupled to the programmable logic block. An analog circuit block including an analog-to-digital converter may be coupled to the programmable logic block and an analog input/output circuit block may be coupled to the analog circuit block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: ACTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Theodore Speers, Limin Zhu, Kurt Kolkind, Gregory Bakker
  • Patent number: 7423451
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of inputs, a plurality of output pads, a programmable logic block, an analog circuit block, an analog-to-digital converter programmably coupleable to individual analog circuits in the analog circuit block, and an interconnect architecture programmably coupling selected ones of the plurality of inputs, the plurality of outputs, the programmable logic block, the analog circuit block, and the analog-to-digital converter. At least one of the inputs may be programmably configured as one of a digital input programmably coupleable to elements in the programmable logic block or as an analog input to an analog circuit in the analog circuit block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Actel Corporation
    Inventors: Rabindranath Balasubramanian, Limin Zhu, Theodore Speers, Gregory Bakker