Patents by Inventor Jan Christian Diffenderfer

Jan Christian Diffenderfer 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: 9520864
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delaying a signal are described herein. In one embodiment, a method for delaying a signal comprises receiving a first signal edge, and, in response to receiving the first signal edge, counting a number of oscillations of an oscillator. The method also comprises outputting a second signal edge if the number of oscillations reaches a predetermined number. The second signal edge represents a delayed version of the first signal edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Yuehchun Claire Cheng
  • Publication number: 20160329884
    Abstract: Programmable delay circuits are described herein according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, a delay circuit comprises a plurality of delay stages coupled in series. Each of the delay stages comprises a delay gate on a forward path of the delay circuit, wherein the delay gate is configured to pass or block a signal on the forward path depending on a logic state of a respective select signal. Each of the delay stages also comprises a multiplexer on a return path of the delay circuit, wherein the multiplexer is configured to pass a signal on the return path or route the signal on the forward path to the return path depending on the logic state of the respective select signal. Output logic states of the delay gates and the multiplexers may remain static during a change in the delay setting of the delay circuit to reduce glitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Shraddha Sridhar, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Guneet Singh, Michael Thomas Fertsch
  • Patent number: 9490785
    Abstract: Programmable delay circuits are described herein according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, a delay circuit comprises a plurality of delay stages coupled in series. Each of the delay stages comprises a delay gate on a forward path of the delay circuit, wherein the delay gate is configured to pass or block a signal on the forward path depending on a logic state of a respective select signal. Each of the delay stages also comprises a multiplexer on a return path of the delay circuit, wherein the multiplexer is configured to pass a signal on the return path or route the signal on the forward path to the return path depending on the logic state of the respective select signal. Output logic states of the delay gates and the multiplexers may remain static during a change in the delay setting of the delay circuit to reduce glitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Shraddha Sridhar, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Guneet Singh, Michael Thomas Fertsch
  • Patent number: 9443572
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delay control are described herein. In one embodiment, a delay system comprises a first delay circuit configured to provide a voltage bias to a second delay circuit, wherein the voltage bias controls a delay of the second delay circuit, and to update the voltage bias at an update rate. The delay system also comprises an update controller configured to adjust the update rate of the first delay circuit. For example, the update controller may adjust the update rate based on timing requirements of a memory interface incorporating the delay system. The update rate may be reduced when the timing requirements are more relaxed to reduce power, and may be increased when the timing requirements are tighter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Yuehchun Claire Cheng
  • Patent number: 9397646
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delay control are described herein. In one embodiment, a delay circuit comprises a first delay path and a second delay path. The delay circuit also comprises a plurality of switches, wherein each switch is coupled between different points on the first and second delay paths, and each switch is configured to turn on or off in response to a respective one of a plurality of select signals. The delay circuit further comprises a multiplexer having a first input coupled to an output of the first delay path, a second input coupled to an output of the second delay path, and an output coupled to an output of the delay circuit, wherein the multiplexer is configured to selectively couple one of the outputs of the first and second delay paths to the output of the delay circuit in response to a second select signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Guneet Singh, Yuehchun Claire Cheng, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Vaishnav Srinivas, Robert Won Chol Kim
  • Publication number: 20160079971
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delay control are described herein. In one embodiment, a delay circuit comprises a first delay path and a second delay path. The delay circuit also comprises a plurality of switches, wherein each switch is coupled between different points on the first and second delay paths, and each switch is configured to turn on or off in response to a respective one of a plurality of select signals. The delay circuit further comprises a multiplexer having a first input coupled to an output of the first delay path, a second input coupled to an output of the second delay path, and an output coupled to an output of the delay circuit, wherein the multiplexer is configured to selectively couple one of the outputs of the first and second delay paths to the output of the delay circuit in response to a second select signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Guneet Singh, Yuehchun Claire Cheng, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Vaishnav Srinivas, Robert Won Chol Kim
  • Patent number: 9281934
    Abstract: Systems and methods for recovering clock and data from a data input signal are disclosed that sample a plurality of clock phase signals with the data input signal to determine a timing relationship between the data input signal and the clock phase signals and use the determined to timing relationship to select one of the clock phase signals to use for sampling the data input signal to produce recovered data. The CDR can include a glitch suppression module to suppress glitches on the clock output signal that could be caused by large instantaneous jitter on the data input signal. A clock and data recovery circuit (CDR) using these methods can quickly lock to a new data input signal and can reliably receive data when there is large instantaneous timing jitter on the data input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Yu Song, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Nan Chen, David Ian West, Paul Lawrence Viani
  • Publication number: 20150357017
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delay control are described herein. In one embodiment, a delay system comprises a first delay circuit configured to provide a voltage bias to a second delay circuit, wherein the voltage bias controls a delay of the second delay circuit, and to update the voltage bias at an update rate. The delay system also comprises an update controller configured to adjust the update rate of the first delay circuit. For example, the update controller may adjust the update rate based on timing requirements of a memory interface incorporating the delay system. The update rate may be reduced when the timing requirements are more relaxed to reduce power, and may be increased when the timing requirements are tighter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Yuehchun Claire Cheng
  • Publication number: 20150358007
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delaying a signal are described herein. In one embodiment, a method for delaying a signal comprises receiving a first signal edge, and, in response to receiving the first signal edge, counting a number of oscillations of an oscillator. The method also comprises outputting a second signal edge if the number of oscillations reaches a predetermined number. The second signal edge represents a delayed version of the first signal edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Yuehchun Claire Cheng
  • Publication number: 20150318978
    Abstract: Systems and methods for recovering clock and data from a data input signal are disclosed that sample a plurality of clock phase signals with the data input signal to determine a timing relationship between the data input signal and the clock phase signals and use the determined to timing relationship to select one of the clock phase signals to use for sampling the data input signal to produce recovered data. The CDR can include a glitch suppression module to suppress glitches on the clock output signal that could be caused by large instantaneous jitter on the data input signal. A clock and data recovery circuit (CDR) using these methods can quickly lock to a new data input signal and can reliably receive data when there is large instantaneous timing jitter on the data input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yu Song, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Nan Chen, David Ian West, Paul Lawrence Viani
  • Publication number: 20150277393
    Abstract: An integrated circuit dynamically compensates for circuit aging by measuring the aging with an aging sensor. The aging sensor uses the same circuit to measure circuit speeds in both aged and un-aged conditions. An example aging sensor includes two delay lines. The delay lines are controlled to be in a static aging state or the delay lines are coupled to form a ring oscillator that can operate in an aged state where the frequency is slowed by aging or in an un-aged state where the frequency is not slowed by aging. The integrated circuit uses the aging measurements for dynamic voltage and frequency scaling. The dynamic voltage and frequency scaling uses a table of operating frequencies and corresponding voltage that is periodically updated based on the aging measurements. The integrated circuit use information about the relationship between the aging measurements and circuit performance to update the table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan Liu, Jasmin Smaila Ibrahimovic, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Carlos Auyon
  • Publication number: 20150200588
    Abstract: A charge pump is disclosed herein that includes an output node configured to be coupled to a charge storage device configured to store a charge to produce a control voltage based on the charge stored in the charge storage device; a charging circuit configured to provide charge to the charge storage device; a discharging circuit configured to remove charge from the charge storage device; and an amplifier. The amplifier includes an inverting input configured to receive the control voltage from the output node as a first input signal; and, a non-inverting input configured to receive a second input signal including a bias voltage, wherein the amplifier is configured to attempt to match respective levels of the bias voltage and the control voltage when the charge in the charge storage device is changing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yuehchun Claire Cheng, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Yu Song
  • Patent number: 8957714
    Abstract: A master measure circuit is disclosed that may select from various nodes on a delay path carrying a signal. The master measure circuit measures the delay for propagation of the signal from one selected node to another selected node and controls an adjustable delay circuit in the delay path accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Vaishnav Srinivas, Jan Christian Diffenderfer, Philip Michael Clovis, David Ian West