Patents by Inventor Kenneth S. Stevens

Kenneth S. Stevens 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: 10310994
    Abstract: A sequential asynchronous system and a method for operating the same. The method includes operating a first asynchronous finite state machine at a first clock rate and operating a second asynchronous finite state machine at a second clock rate. The method also includes generating, with fork logic, a fork request based on a first state of the first asynchronous finite state machine and receiving, with join logic, the fork request from the fork logic. The method further includes receiving, with the join logic, a communication request from the second asynchronous finite state machine based on a second state of the second asynchronous finite state machine and initiating, with the join logic, a state transition of the second asynchronous finite state machine. The method also includes providing, with the join logic, a join acknowledgement to the fork logic upon completion of the state transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Dipanjan Bhadra
  • Patent number: 10084434
    Abstract: Technology is described for a relative timed clock gated cell. In one example, the relative timed clock gated cell includes a trigger latch and a data clock latch. The trigger latch includes a clock input coupled to a trigger line for transmitting a trigger signal. The trigger latch is configured to generate a data clock signal on an output. The trigger signal is based on a clock signal. The data clock latch includes a clock input coupled to the output of the trigger latch that latches a data input of the data clock latch based on the data clock signal. Various other computing circuitries and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF UTAH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, William Lee
  • Publication number: 20180246819
    Abstract: A sequential asynchronous system and a method for operating the same. The method includes operating a first asynchronous finite state machine at a first clock rate and operating a second asynchronous finite state machine at a second clock rate. The method also includes generating, with fork logic, a fork request based on a first state of the first asynchronous finite state machine and receiving, with join logic, the fork request from the fork logic. The method further includes receiving, with the join logic, a communication request from the second asynchronous finite state machine based on a second state of the second asynchronous finite state machine and initiating, with the join logic, a state transition of the second asynchronous finite state machine. The method also includes providing, with the join logic, a join acknowledgement to the fork logic upon completion of the state transition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Dipanjan Bhadra
  • Patent number: 9953120
    Abstract: Technology for relative timing characterization enabling use of clocked electronic design automation (EDA) tool flows is disclosed. In an example, a method can include a EDA tool identifying a relative timing constraint (RTC) of a cell in a circuit model between a point of divergence (pod) event and two point of convergence (poc) events, wherein the two poc events include a first poc event (poc0) and a second poc event (poc1). The EDA tool can generate a maximum target delay for a first poc event path between the pod event and the first poc event. The EDA tool can generate a minimum target delay for a second poc event path between the pod event and the second poc event. The EDA tool can then optimize the circuit model using the maximum target delay and the minimum target delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventor: Kenneth S. Stevens
  • Patent number: 9753486
    Abstract: Technology is described for an asynchronous wrapper circuit for a clock gating cell (CGC). In one example, the asynchronous wrapper cell for CGC includes circuitry configured to (1) sample a data channel via sampling circuitry for a communication start signal to enable the CGC to start a gated clock for a data message on the data channel, and (2) reset an enable of the CGC to an idle mode via idle mode control circuitry after the data message has been clocked via the CGC through function cell circuitry. The idle mode control circuitry generates an output for the sampling circuitry from the function cell. Various other computing circuitries are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Dipanjan Bhadra
  • Publication number: 20170244392
    Abstract: Technology is described for a relative timed clock gated cell. In one example, the relative timed clock gated cell includes a trigger latch and a data clock latch. The trigger latch includes a clock input coupled to a trigger line for transmitting a trigger signal. The trigger latch is configured to generate a data clock signal on an output. The trigger signal is based on a clock signal. The data clock latch includes a clock input coupled to the output of the trigger latch that latches a data input of the data clock latch based on the data clock signal. Various other computing circuitries and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, William Lee
  • Patent number: 9548736
    Abstract: Technology is described for a relative timed clock gated cell. In one example, the relative timed clock gated cell includes a trigger latch and a data clock latch. The trigger latch includes a clock input coupled to a trigger line for transmitting a trigger signal. The trigger latch is configured to generate a data clock signal on an output. The trigger signal is based on a clock signal. The data clock latch includes a clock input coupled to the output of the trigger latch that latches a data input of the data clock latch based on the data clock signal. Various other computing circuitries and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: The University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, William Lee
  • Publication number: 20160365857
    Abstract: Technology is described for a relative timed clock gated cell. In one example, the relative timed clock gated cell includes a trigger latch and a data clock latch. The trigger latch includes a clock input coupled to a trigger line for transmitting a trigger signal. The trigger latch is configured to generate a data clock signal on an output. The trigger signal is based on a clock signal. The data clock latch includes a clock input coupled to the output of the trigger latch that latches a data input of the data clock latch based on the data clock signal. Various other computing circuitries and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, William Lee
  • Publication number: 20160363955
    Abstract: Technology is described for an asynchronous wrapper circuit for a clock gating cell (CGC). In one example, the asynchronous wrapper cell for CGC includes circuitry configured to (1) sample a data channel via sampling circuitry for a communication start signal to enable the CGC to start a gated clock for a data message on the data channel, and (2) reset an enable of the CGC to an idle mode via idle mode control circuitry after the data message has been clocked via the CGC through function cell circuitry. The idle mode control circuitry generates an output for the sampling circuitry from the function cell. Various other computing circuitries are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Dipanjan Bhadra
  • Publication number: 20150026653
    Abstract: Technology for relative timing characterization enabling use of clocked electronic design automation (EDA) tool flows is disclosed. In an example, a method can include a EDA tool identifying a relative timing constraint (RTC) of a cell in a circuit model between a point of divergence (pod) event and two point of convergence (poc) events, wherein the two poc events include a first poc event (poc0) and a second poc event (poc1). The EDA tool can generate a maximum target delay for a first poc event path between the pod event and the first poc event. The EDA tool can generate a minimum target delay for a second poc event path between the pod event and the second poc event. The EDA tool can then optimize the circuit model using the maximum target delay and the minimum target delay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: KENNETH S. STEVENS
  • Publication number: 20140165022
    Abstract: Technology for generating a relative timing architecture using a relative timed module is disclosed. In an example, an electronic design automation (EDA) tool enabled for clocked tool flows can include computer circuitry configured to: Generate a hardware description language (HDL) integrated circuit (IC) architecture using the relative timed module; map a relative timing constraint on to a relative timed instance of the relative timed module; and generate a timing target for each relative timing constraint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventor: KENNETH S. STEVENS
  • Publication number: 20130097567
    Abstract: The timing cycles in a circuit design are identified and cut such that timing constraint paths in the circuit design are preserved. Timing cycles in the circuit design may be identified by traversing an adjacency list data structure, in which elements of the circuit design are represented as vertices interconnected by edges. Timing constraint paths may be distinguished from false timing paths using timing analysis, such as a greatest common path heuristic. Timing constraint paths may be marked as “constrained” to prevent these paths from being cut. With the cycles and timing constraint paths identified, cuts may be selected that cut the identified timing cycles while preserving the timing constraint paths. The cycle cuts allow the circuit design to be correctly processed within a conventional CAD tool design flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Vikas Vij
  • Patent number: 8365116
    Abstract: The timing cycles in a circuit design are identified and cut such that timing constraint paths in the circuit design are preserved. Timing cycles in the circuit design may be identified by traversing an adjacency list data structure, in which elements of the circuit design are represented as vertices interconnected by edges. Timing constraint paths may be distinguished from false timing paths using timing analysis, such as a greatest common path heuristic. Timing constraint paths may be marked as “constrained” to prevent these paths from being cut. With the cycles and timing constraint paths identified, cuts may be selected that cut the identified timing cycles while preserving the timing constraint paths. The cycle cuts allow the circuit design to be correctly processed within a conventional CAD tool design flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Vikas Vij
  • Patent number: 8321825
    Abstract: A method for synthesizing relative timing (RT) constraints on an integrated circuit design is disclosed. Initially, multiple trace status tables are received, each containing a trace error identified by a formal verification engine that was utilized to perform a RT verification on an integrated circuit design. An error causing signal is then recognized for each of the trace errors. For each of error causing signals, two associating signals are identified, and the two associating signals are then utilized to locate a common point of convergence (POC). The POC is further utilized to locate a common point of divergence (POD), and an RT constraint can be generated based on the identified POC and POD. All the generated RT constraints are applied to constrain the integrated circuit design such that the integrated circuit design is able to pass RT verifications in the future without any timing violations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: University of Utah
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Yang Xu
  • Publication number: 20120254815
    Abstract: A method for synthesizing relative timing (RT) constraints on an integrated circuit design is disclosed. Initially, multiple trace status tables are received, each containing a trace error identified by a formal verification engine that was utilized to perform a RT verification on an integrated circuit design. An error causing signal is then recognized for each of the trace errors. For each of error causing signals, two associating signals are identified, and the two associating signals are then utilized to locate a common point of convergence (POC). The POC is further utilized to locate a common point of divergence (POD), and an RT constraint can be generated based on the identified POC and POD. All the generated RT constraints are applied to constrain the integrated circuit design such that the integrated circuit design is able to pass RT verifications in the future without any timing violations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Yang Xu
  • Patent number: 8239796
    Abstract: A method for synthesizing relative timing (RT) constraints on an integrated circuit design is disclosed. Initially, multiple trace status tables are received, and each of the trace status tables contains a trace error identified by a formal verification engine that was utilized to perform a relative timing (RT) verification on an integrated circuit design. An error causing signal is then recognized for each of the trace errors. For each of error causing signals, two associating signals are identified, and the two associating signals are then utilized to locate a common point of convergence (POC). The POC is further utilized to locate a common point of divergence (POD), and an RT constraint can be generated based on the identified POC and POD. All the generated RT constraints are applied to constrain the integrated circuit design such that the integrated circuit design is able to pass RT verifications in the future without any timing violations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: University of Utah
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Yang Xu
  • Publication number: 20120144359
    Abstract: The timing cycles in a circuit design are identified and cut such that timing constraint paths in the circuit design are preserved. Timing cycles in the circuit design may be identified by traversing an adjacency list data structure, in which elements of the circuit design are represented as vertices interconnected by edges. Timing constraint paths may be distinguished from false timing paths using timing analysis, such as a greatest common path heuristic. Timing constraint paths may be marked as “constrained” to prevent these paths from being cut. With the cycles and timing constraint paths identified, cuts may be selected that cut the identified timing cycles while preserving the timing constraint paths. The cycle cuts allow the circuit design to be correctly processed within a conventional CAD tool design flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Vikas Vij
  • Patent number: 8065647
    Abstract: A method of designing an asynchronous integrated circuit is provided. A global clock network of a synchronous circuit is replaced with a plurality of handshaking circuits. Data validity is encoded into a communication path between a first pipeline stage and a second pipeline stage of the synchronous circuit. A control logic for the first pipeline stage is implemented using a template that contains characterization information for timing to generate an asynchronous circuit design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventor: Kenneth S. Stevens
  • Publication number: 20110161902
    Abstract: A method for synthesizing relative timing (RT) constraints on an integrated circuit design is disclosed. Initially, mulitple trace status tables are received, and each of the trace status tables contains a trace error identified by a formal verification engine that was utilized to perform a relative timing (RT) verification on an integrated circuit design. An error causing signal is then recognized for each of the trace errors. For each of error causing signals, two associating signals are identified, and the two associating signals are then utilized to locate a common point of convergence (POC). The POC is further utilized to locate a common point of divergence (POD), and an RT constraint can be generated based on the identified POC and POD. All the generated RT constraints are applied to constrain the integrated circuit design such that the integrated circuit design is able to pass RT verifications in the future without any timing violations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Stevens, Yang Yu
  • Publication number: 20090106719
    Abstract: A method of designing an asynchronous integrated circuit is provided. A global clock network of a synchronous circuit is replaced with a plurality of handshaking circuits. Data validity is encoded into a communication path between a first pipeline stage and a second pipeline stage of the synchronous circuit. A control logic for the first pipeline stage is implemented using a template that contains characterization information for timing to generate an asynchronous circuit design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventor: Kenneth S. Stevens