Patents by Inventor Jim Mergard

Jim Mergard 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: 6530050
    Abstract: A microcontroller has many internal peripheral devices. The peripheral devices have many registers that can be used to configure the peripheral devices for a particular application. The configuration registers are coupled to a scan path where configuration scan data can be inputted or outputted from an external memory. A utility program is used to precalculate and display appropriate configuration scan data. The utility program can also create an output. The output can be loaded into the external memory or can be a data file. Further, the utility program can extract configuration scan data from the external memory, for debug and test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    Inventor: Jim Mergard
  • Patent number: 6480929
    Abstract: A system provides pseudo-concurrency for a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory on a same data bus. In one system embodiment, the volatile memory is coupled to its own address bus, and the non-volatile memory is coupled to its own address bus. In another system embodiment, the volatile memory and non-volatile memory are coupled to a multiplexed address bus. Concurrent with an access cycle to the volatile memory, the non-volatile memory may be precharged. After the access cycle to the volatile memory, a data cycle to a non-volatile memory may be executed. Concurrent with an access cycle to the non-volatile memory, the volatile memory may be precharged. After the access cycle to the non-volatile memory, a data cycle to the volatile memory may be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd W. Gauthier, Jim Mergard, Gary M. Godfrey, Richard G. Russell
  • Patent number: 6327508
    Abstract: A programmable state machine provides a capability of dynamically changing state-machine functions. State machine programming may be accomplished dynamically by a processor through a plurality of mask registers. The plurality of mask registers provide for selective enabling and disabling of input values and transition values of the programmable state machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Jim Mergard