Patents by Inventor Jim Childers

Jim Childers 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: 10129009
    Abstract: An electronic device and method for half duplex data transmission in a long range keyless entry and go system, and more specifically to an RFID transponder, a corresponding read/write (R/W) unit and methods for operating the RFID transponder and the R/W-unit. There is a first coil, a second coil and a third coil, being arranged as a three-dimensional antenna, a first capacitor, a second capacitor and a third capacitor couplable in parallel to the first coil, the second coil and the third coil, respectively, for selectively forming a first, a second and a third parallel-resonant circuit for receiving radio signals, a series-resonant circuit for transmitting radio signals and a control stage configured to either use one of the first, second or third parallel-resonant circuits for receiving radio signals or the series-resonant circuit for transmitting signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Herbert Meier, Andreas Hagl, Jim Childers
  • Patent number: 9672671
    Abstract: A keyfob is disclosed for use in detecting an attack on a vehicle. The keyfob includes a microcontroller, a wake receiver and an accelerometer. The wake receiver is configured to measure received signal strength and save the measured value in received signal strength indicator (RSSI). The accelerometer is used to generate acceleration data. The microcontroller detects an attack based on the RSSI and the acceleration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Klaus Seiberts, Jim Childers
  • Publication number: 20160127116
    Abstract: An electronic device and method for half duplex data transmission in a long range keyless entry and go system, and more specifically to an RFID transponder, a corresponding read/write (R/W) unit and methods for operating the RFID transponder and the R/W-unit. There is a first coil, a second coil and a third coil, being arranged as a three-dimensional antenna, a first capacitor, a second capacitor and a third capacitor couplable in parallel to the first coil, the second coil and the third coil, respectively, for selectively forming a first, a second and a third parallel-resonant circuit for receiving radio signals, a series-resonant circuit for transmitting radio signals and a control stage configured to either use one of the first, second or third parallel-resonant circuits for receiving radio signals or the series-resonant circuit for transmitting signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Herbert Meier, Andreas Hagl, Jim Childers
  • Patent number: 9179492
    Abstract: An electronic device and method for half duplex data transmission in a long range keyless entry and go system, and more specifically to an RFID transponder, a corresponding read/write (R/W) unit and methods for operating the RFID transponder and the R/W-unit. There is a first coil, a second coil and a third coil, being arranged as a three-dimensional antenna, a first capacitor, a second capacitor and a third capacitor couplable in parallel to the first coil, the second coil and the third coil, respectively, for selectively forming a first, a second and a third parallel-resonant circuit for receiving radio signals, a series-resonant circuit for transmitting radio signals and a control stage configured to either use one of the first, second or third parallel-resonant circuits for receiving radio signals or the series-resonant circuit for transmitting signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Herbert Meier, Andreas Hagl, Jim Childers
  • Publication number: 20150302673
    Abstract: A keyfob is disclosed for use in detecting an attack on a vehicle. The keyfob includes a microcontroller, a wake receiver and an accelerometer. The wake receiver is configured to measure received signal strength and save the measured value in received signal strength indicator (RSSI). The accelerometer is used to generate acceleration data. The microcontroller detects an attack based on the RSSI and the acceleration data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Klaus Seiberts, Jim Childers
  • Patent number: 9102296
    Abstract: A keyfob is disclosed for use in detecting an attack on a vehicle. The keyfob includes a microcontroller, a wake receiver and an accelerometer. The wake receiver is configured to measure received signal strength and save the measured value in received signal strength indicator (RSSI). The accelerometer is used to generate acceleration data. The microcontroller detects an attack based on the RSSI and the acceleration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Klaus Seiberts, Jim Childers
  • Publication number: 20140375420
    Abstract: A keyfob is disclosed for use in detecting an attack on a vehicle. The keyfob includes a microcontroller, a wake receiver and an accelerometer. The wake receiver is configured to measure received signal strength and save the measured value in received signal strength indicator (RSSI). The accelerometer is used to generate acceleration data. The microcontroller detects an attack based on the RSSI and the acceleration data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Klaus Seiberts, Jim Childers
  • Publication number: 20130107762
    Abstract: An electronic device and method for half duplex data transmission in a long range keyless entry and go system, and more specifically to an RFID transponder, a corresponding read/write (R/W) unit and methods for operating the RFID transponder and the R/W-unit. There is a first coil, a second coil and a third coil, being arranged as a three-dimensional antenna, a first capacitor, a second capacitor and a third capacitor couplable in parallel to the first coil, the second coil and the third coil, respectively, for selectively forming a first, a second and a third parallel-resonant circuit for receiving radio signals, a series-resonant circuit for transmitting radio signals and a control stage configured to either use one of the first, second or third parallel-resonant circuits for receiving radio signals or the series-resonant circuit for transmitting signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicants: Texas Instruments Incorporated, Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Meier, Andreas Hagl, Jim Childers
  • Publication number: 20060181237
    Abstract: This invention detects a stall in a stepper motor by determining a motor winding current for each stepper pulse and determining if the winding current of a particular stepper pulse meets predetermined criteria. The motor winding current may be determined by measuring a voltage across an ON field effect transistor during a stepper pulse and calculating a winding current using an assumed ON field effect transistor resistance. The predetermined criteria may by a calculated motor winding current greater than a predetermined threshold, greater than prior pulse by more than a predetermined threshold or greater than a prior pulse by more than a predetermined factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Mohammed Arefeen, Jim Childers
  • Publication number: 20060170473
    Abstract: A method and apparatus independently controls the increasing rate and the decreasing rate a P-channel power FET and an N-channel power FET driving an inductive load. Circuits inhibit turning ON the P-channel FET until the voltage on the gate of the N-channel FET falls below its turn-on voltage threshold, and turning ON the N-channel FET until the voltage on the gate of the P-channel FET falls below its turn-on voltage threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventors: Jim Childers, Pravin Patel
  • Publication number: 20060170448
    Abstract: A method and motor controller for sensing motor winding current. An FET drive transistor has its ON resistance periodically increased to about five times the normal ON resistance for short sensing intervals during motor drive. An analog-to-digital converting senses the voltage across this FET during the sensing intervals. The resulting digital signal is used to calculate motor current. The time at high ON resistance is much less than the time at normal. The ON resistance can be changed using two FETs or one FET with gate fingers over differing parts of the channel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventor: Jim Childers
  • Patent number: 5765010
    Abstract: A timing and control circuit and method for a synchronous vector processor (SVP) device having a plurality of one-bit processor elements organized in a linear array. This circuit includes a master controller circuit, a vertical timing generator circuit, a constant generator circuit, a horizontal timing generator circuit and an instruction generator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Moo-Taek Chung, Jim Childers, Hiroshi Miyaguchi, Manfred Becker
  • Patent number: 5680600
    Abstract: An electronic circuit has reduced controller memory requirements for multiple sequential instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jim Childers, Peter Reinecke
  • Patent number: 5628025
    Abstract: A timing and control circuit and method for a synchronous vector processor (SVP) device having a plurality of one-bit processor elements organized in a linear array. This circuit includes a master controller circuit, a vertical timing generator circuit, a constant generator circuit, a horizontal timing generator circuit and an instruction generator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Moo-Taek Chung, Jim Childers, Hiroshi Miyaguchi, Manfred Becker
  • Patent number: 5598545
    Abstract: Circuitry and method for performing a double instruction during a single clock cycle in a synchronous vector processor (SVP) device having a plurality of one-bit processor elements organized in a linear array. The circuitry includes four sense amps per processor element and one ALU to enable reading of four data bits per clock cycle. The method includes reading data from each register file in a processor element and writing the data in one of the register file memory banks; enabling a 2:1 reduction in the amount of required instructions and a substantial reduction in overall cycle time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jim Childers, Peter Reinecke, Yutaka Takahashi, Seiichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5539891
    Abstract: A power drain and noise reduction control circuit and method for a synchronous vector processor (SVP) device having a plurality of one-bit processor elements organized in a linear array. This control circuit substantially reduces the power drain by only powering up the portion of the circuit being written. Also noise which would otherwise be present on the data lines is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jim Childers, Yutaka Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5452425
    Abstract: A constant generator is described which provides a sequence of digital constants in a synchronous vector processor. The constant generator includes a constant loop memory for storing data words organized into a plurality of data constant patterns and an end of loop bit, a constant loop counter for supplying sequential addresses to the constant loop memory, and a constant loop counter controller for loading the counter with one of a set of predetermined starting addresses associated with a desired constant pattern stored in the constant loop memory. Additionally, a method of supplying a sequence of digital constants in said constant generator is disclosed and includes the steps of storing a plurality of data words in a plurality of constant patterns, where each constant pattern includes an end of loop bit, supplying an address to the constant loop memory and supplying sequential addresses to the constant loop memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jim Childers, Hiroshi Miyaguchi, Peter Reinecke
  • Patent number: 5408673
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a dual port data input register, first and second sequential ring counters, first and second register files, first and second data transfer circuits, a dual port data output register and N single bit processing elements. The dual port data input register has an M bit wide input port and an N bit wide output port. The first sequential ring counter cyclically selects one column of the data input register for input. The first data transfer circuit has a plurality of input segments, which are subsets of consecutive columns of the data input register. The first data transfer circuit transfers data from a selected row of the data input register to a selected row of the first register file for all columns of each input segment in a repetitive sequence of consecutive input segments in synchronism with said first sequential ring counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jim Childers, Hiroshi Miyaguchi
  • Patent number: 5293637
    Abstract: A synchronous vector processor SVP device having a plurality of one-bit processor elements organized in a linear array. The processor elements are all controlled in common by a sequencer, a state machine or a control circuit (controller) to enable operation as a parallel processing device. Each processor element includes a set of input registers, two sets of register files, a set of working registers, an arithmetic logic unit including a one-bit full adder/subtractor, and a set of output registers. In video applications each processor element operates on one pixel of a horizontal scan line and the SVP is capable of real-time digital processing of video signals. In video applications a data input control circuit including a master controller circuit, a vertical timing generator circuit, a constant generator circuit, a horizontal timing generator circuit and an instruction generator circuit is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Texas Instruments
    Inventors: Jim Childers, Hiroshi Miyaguchi
  • Patent number: 5210836
    Abstract: A synchronous vector processor (SVP) device having a plurality of one-bit processor elements organized in a linear array. The processor elements are all controlled in common by a sequencer, a state machine or a control circuit (controller) to enable operation as a parallel processing device. Each processor element includes a set of input registers, two sets of register files, a set of working registers, an arithmetic logic unit including a one-bit full adder/subtractor, and a set of output registers. In video applications each processor element operates on one pixel of a horizontal scan line and is capable of real-time digital processing of video signals. In video applications a data input control circuit including a master controller circuit, a vertical timing generator circuit, a constant generator circuit, a horizontal timing generator circuit and an instruction generator circuit is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jim Childers, Peter Reinecke, Moo-Taek Chung, Hiroshi Miyaguchi