Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs

Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs 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: 20240097873
    Abstract: A phase interpolator includes a sampling circuit configured to capture samples of an output of the phase interpolator, a delay circuit configured to delay sampling by the sampling circuit, a comparator configured to provide a comparison signal that indicates whether voltage of the samples exceed a reference voltage, and a counter responsive to the comparison signal and configured to provide an output that controls an operating point of the phase interpolator. The phase interpolator my further include a pair of driver circuits configured to concurrently drive the output of the phase interpolator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Anand MERUVA, Jeffrey Mark HINRICHS
  • Patent number: 11916558
    Abstract: A method for clock switching includes propagating a first clock signal through a first clock path, propagating a second clock signal through a second clock path, generating a first delay control signal based on the first clock signal, and generating a second delay control signal based on the second clock signal. The method also includes, in a first mode, coupling the first clock path to a delay circuit and inputting the first delay control signal to a control input of the delay circuit. The method also includes, in a second mode, coupling the second clock path to the delay circuit and inputting the second delay control signal to the control input of the delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yong Xu, Boris Dimitrov Andreev, Vikas Mahendiyan, Yuxin Li, Anand Meruva, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Patent number: 11616500
    Abstract: A delay interpolator includes pull-up devices coupled between a supply rail and a node, pull-down devices coupled between the node and a ground, and a first control circuit coupled to the pull-up devices, wherein the first control circuit is configured to receive a first signal, a second signal, and a first delay code, input the first signal to a programmable number of the pull-up devices based on the first delay code, and input the second signal to remaining ones of the pull-up devices. The delay interpolator also includes a second control circuit coupled to the pull-down devices, wherein the second control circuit is configured to receive the first signal, the second signal, and a second delay code, input the first signal to a programmable number of the pull-down devices based on the second delay code, and input the second signal to remaining ones of the pull-down devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Publication number: 20220345122
    Abstract: A delay interpolator includes pull-up devices coupled between a supply rail and a node, pull-down devices coupled between the node and a ground, and a first control circuit coupled to the pull-up devices, wherein the first control circuit is configured to receive a first signal, a second signal, and a first delay code, input the first signal to a programmable number of the pull-up devices based on the first delay code, and input the second signal to remaining ones of the pull-up devices. The delay interpolator also includes a second control circuit coupled to the pull-down devices, wherein the second control circuit is configured to receive the first signal, the second signal, and a second delay code, input the first signal to a programmable number of the pull-down devices based on the second delay code, and input the second signal to remaining ones of the pull-down devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventor: Jeffrey Mark HINRICHS
  • Patent number: 11190174
    Abstract: A delay interpolator includes pull-up devices, wherein each of the pull-up devices is coupled between a supply rail and a node, and pull-down devices, wherein each of the pull-down devices is coupled between the node and a ground. The delay interpolator also includes a first control circuit coupled to the pull-up devices, wherein the first control circuit has a first input configured to receive a first signal, a second input configured to receive a second signal that is delayed with respect to the first signal, and a control input configured to receive a first delay code; and. The delay interpolator further includes a second control circuit coupled to the pull-down devices, wherein the second control circuit has a first input configured to receive the first signal, a second input configured to receive the second signal, and a control input configured to receive a second delay code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Patent number: 11171654
    Abstract: A system includes delay locked loop (DLL) including a phase detector having a first input coupled to an input of the DLL, and a first delay circuit and a second delay circuit coupled in series between the input of the DLL and a second input of the phase detector. The DLL further includes a first control circuit, wherein an input of the first control circuit is coupled to an output of the phase detector, a first output of the first control circuit is coupled to a control input of the first delay circuit, and a second output of the first control circuit is coupled to a control input of the second delay circuit. The system also includes a second control circuit having an input coupled to the first control circuit, and a slave delay circuit having a control input coupled to an output of the second control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Patent number: 10958279
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatus and techniques for digital-to-analog conversion. One example apparatus generally includes a first digital-to-analog converter (DAC) having an input coupled to a digital input node of the apparatus, a second DAC, a digital processor coupled between the digital input node and an input of the second DAC, and a combiner coupled to the first DAC and the second DAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Debesh Bhatta, Kevin Jia-Nong Wang, Karthik Nagarajan, John Abcarius, Andrew Weil, Christian Venerus, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Publication number: 20210075434
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatus and techniques for digital-to-analog conversion. One example apparatus generally includes a first digital-to-analog converter (DAC) having an input coupled to a digital input node of the apparatus, a second DAC, a digital processor coupled between the digital input node and an input of the second DAC, and a combiner coupled to the first DAC and the second DAC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Debesh BHATTA, Kevin Jia-Nong WANG, Karthik NAGARAJAN, John ABCARIUS, Andrew WEIL, Christian VENERUS, Jeffrey Mark HINRICHS
  • Patent number: 10707854
    Abstract: A sub-ranging time-to-digital converter (TDC) is disclosed that includes two ring oscillators for determining a time difference between two clock edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhengzheng Wu, Deping Huang, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs, Marzio Pedrali-Noy
  • Patent number: 10663993
    Abstract: A voltage regulator includes a band limited reference voltage. The band limited reference voltage is generated from a supply voltage combined with a feedback path to provide a band reject power supply rejection ratio (PSRR). The voltage regulator also includes a feedforward path to extend the band reject PSRR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tongyu Song, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Publication number: 20200083873
    Abstract: A sub-ranging time-to-digital converter (TDC) is disclosed that includes two ring oscillators for determining a time difference between two clock edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Zhengzheng WU, Deping HUANG, Jeffrey Mark HINRICHS, Marzio PEDRALI-NOY
  • Patent number: 10520901
    Abstract: A subranging time-to-digital converter (TDC) is disclosed that includes two ring oscillators for determining a time difference between two clock edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhengzheng Wu, Deping Huang, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs, Marzio Pedrali-Noy
  • Patent number: 10484027
    Abstract: In some aspects, a method for phase multiplexing includes receiving a plurality of phases, selecting one of the plurality of phases based on a select signal using a multiplexer, and outputting the selected one of the plurality of phases at an output of the multiplexer. The method also includes gating the output of the multiplexer during a glitch at the output of the multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Debesh Bhatta, Deping Huang, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Publication number: 20190268010
    Abstract: A subranging time-to-digital converter (TDC) is disclosed that includes two ring oscillators for determining a time difference between two clock edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Zhengzheng Wu, Deping Huang, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs, Marzio Pedrali-Noy
  • Patent number: 10340922
    Abstract: A bias circuit is provided that is configure to control the bias for a diode-connected transistor operating in the sub-threshold region to produce a gate-to-source voltage. A differential tuning voltage derived from the gate-to-source voltage tunes a plurality of varactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Luis Chen, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Patent number: 10122370
    Abstract: A switched capacitor circuit includes a first capacitor coupled in series with a second capacitor in a first mode of operation across differential output terminals of a circuit. The first capacitor and the second capacitor are coupled in an anti-parallel layout in a second mode of operation. The switched capacitor circuit also includes a third capacitor coupled on a first side to a common node of the first capacitor and the second capacitor. The third capacitor is further coupled on a second side to a current source control voltage in the first mode of operation, and coupled between a bias reference voltage and a common mode reference voltage in the second mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Debesh Bhatta, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs, Wenjing Yin
  • Publication number: 20180138934
    Abstract: In some aspects, a method for phase multiplexing includes receiving a plurality of phases, selecting one of the plurality of phases based on a select signal using a multiplexer, and outputting the selected one of the plurality of phases at an output of the multiplexer. The method also includes gating the output of the multiplexer during a glitch at the output of the multiplexer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Debesh Bhatta, Deping Huang, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs
  • Publication number: 20180123602
    Abstract: A switched capacitor circuit includes a first capacitor coupled in series with a second capacitor in a first mode of operation across differential output terminals of a circuit. The first capacitor and the second capacitor are coupled in an anti-parallel layout in a second mode of operation. The switched capacitor circuit also includes a third capacitor coupled on a first side to a common node of the first capacitor and the second capacitor. The third capacitor is further coupled on a second side to a current source control voltage in the first mode of operation, and coupled between a bias reference voltage and a common mode reference voltage in the second mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Debesh BHATTA, Jeffrey Mark HINRICHS, Wenjing YIN
  • Publication number: 20180017982
    Abstract: A voltage regulator includes a band limited reference voltage. The band limited reference voltage is generated from a supply voltage combined with a feedback path to provide a band reject power supply rejection ratio (PSRR). The voltage regulator also includes a feedforward path to extend the band reject PSRR.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Tongyu SONG, Jeffrey Mark HINRICHS
  • Patent number: 9496880
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for implementing a fully differential charge pump circuit that eliminates a source of noise and power consumption by using a low-noise switched-capacitor common-mode feedback (CMFB) circuit, rather than a continuous-time amplifier-based CMFB circuit. The fully differential charge pump circuit presented in this disclosure includes the switched-capacitor CMFB (SC-CMFB) unit connected to differential output nodes of the charge pump and provides a feedback signal to the charge pump to control a common-mode voltage of the differential signals based on a reference common-mode voltage. In certain aspects, a replica phase-frequency detector (PFD), a frequency divider, and a non-overlapping clock generator provides control signals for the SC-CMFB circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Wenjing Yin, Jeffrey Mark Hinrichs