Patents by Inventor Kevin Donnelly

Kevin Donnelly 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: 20070011426
    Abstract: In a transceiver system a first interface receives data from a first channel using a first clock signal and transmits data to the first channel using a second clock signal. A second interface receives data from a second channel using a third clock signal and transmits data to the second channel using a fourth clock signal. A re-timer re-times data received from the first channel using the first clock signal and retransmits the data to the second channel using the fourth clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Donnelly, Mark Johnson, Chanh Tran, John Dillon, Nancy Dillon
  • Patent number: 7130944
    Abstract: A chip-to-chip communication system and interface technique. A master and at least two devices are interconnected with a signal line of a high speed bus. A capacitive coupling element, for example a diode, is employed to capacitively couple the interface of the device to the signal line. By employing the capacitive coupling element, along with a suitable signaling technique which supports capacitive information transfer, high speed rates of information transfer between the master and device over the signal line are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Donald V. Perino, Haw-Jyh Liaw, Alfredo Moncayo, Kevin Donnelly, Richard M. Barth, Bruno W. Garlepp
  • Patent number: 7124270
    Abstract: A transceiver device comprises a transmitter to transmit signals over a plurality of conductors to a memory device. An interface receives control information from a serial communication path coupled to a controller device. The control information is provided to the memory device as the signals using the transmitter. A register stores a control parameter that specifies a drive strength adjustment to the signals to transmit over the plurality of conductors to the memory device using the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Nancy D. Dillon, legal representative, Kevin Donnelly, Mark Johnson, Chanh Tran, John B. Dillon, deceased
  • Publication number: 20060188043
    Abstract: A signaling system includes a pre-emphasizing transmitter and an equalizing receiver coupled to one another via a high-speed signal path. The receiver measures the quality of data conveyed from the transmitter. A controller uses this information and other information to adaptively establish appropriate transmit pre-emphasis and receive equalization settings, e.g. to select the lowest power setting for which the signaling system provides some minimum communication bandwidth without exceeding a desired bit-error rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Jared Zerbe, Fred Chen, Andrew Ho, Ramin Farjad-Rad, John Poulton, Kevin Donnelly, Brian Leibowitz
  • Publication number: 20060188051
    Abstract: A receiver adapted to be coupled to a data bus and configured to receive data in accordance with a receive clock includes first and second delay-locked loops. The first delay-locked loop is configured to generate a plurality of phase vectors from a first reference clock, and the second delay-locked loop is coupled to the first delay-locked loop and configured to generate the receive clock from at least one phase vector selected from the plurality of phase vectors and a second reference clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Kevin Donnelly, Pak Chau, Mark Horowitz, Thomas Lee, Mark Johnson, Benedict Lau, Leung Yu, Bruno Garlepp, Yiu-Fai Chan, Jun Kim, Chanh Tran, Donald Stark, Nhat Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20060170453
    Abstract: A memory system uses multiple pulse amplitude modulation (multi-PAM) output drivers and receivers to send and receive multi-PAM signals. A multi-PAM signal has more than two voltage levels, with each data interval now transmitting a “symbol” at one of the valid voltage levels. In one embodiment, a symbol represents two or more bits. The multi-PAM output driver drives an output symbol onto a signal line. The output symbol represents at least two bits that include a most significant bit (MSB) and a least significant bit (LSB). The multi-PAM receiver receives the output symbol from the signal line and determines the MSB and the LSB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventors: Jared Zerbe, Bruno Garlepp, Pak Chau, Kevin Donnelly, Mark Horowitz, Stefanos Sidiropoulos, Billy Garrett, Carl Werner
  • Patent number: 7065622
    Abstract: A transceiver comprises a first interface to receive a first signal, through a first channel, from a memory device. A transmitter transmits a second signal that represents the first signal, through a second channel, to a master device. A plurality of registers stores a plurality of values provided by the master device. The plurality of values includes a first value that specifies a transmit timing adjustment to the second signal to transmit to the master device by the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Donnelly, Mark Johnson, Chanh Tran, Nancy D. Dillon, legal representative, John B. Dillon, deceased
  • Publication number: 20060120409
    Abstract: A system includes a first integrated circuit device and a second integrated circuit device. The first device transmits a data sequence to the second integrated circuit device, and the second device samples the data sequence to produce receiver data. The second device then transmits the receiver data back to the first device. Within the first integrated circuit device, a comparison between the data sequence and the receiver data is performed, and based on the comparison, the first device generates information representative of a calibrated timing offset. The first device uses the information representative of the calibrated timing offset to adjust timing associated with transferring write data from the first integrated circuit to the second integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Jared Zerbe, Kevin Donnelly, Stefanos Sidiropoulos, Donald Stark, Mark Horowitz, Leung Yu, Roxanne Vu, Jun Kim, Bruno Garlepp, Tsyr-Chyang Ho, Benedict Lau
  • Patent number: 7010658
    Abstract: In a transceiver system a first interface receives data from a first channel using a first clock signal and transmits data to the first channel using a second clock signal. A second interface receives data from a second channel using a third clock signal and transmits data to the second channel using a fourth clock signal. A re-timer re-times data received from the first channel using the first clock signal and retransmits the data to the second channel using the fourth clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Donnelly, Mark Johnson, Chanh Tran, Nancy D. Dillon, legal representative, John B. Dillon, deceased
  • Publication number: 20050251602
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device is described. The integrated circuit device includes a transmitter circuit having an output driver to output data, and a register to store a value representative of an equalization co-efficient setting of the output driver. The value may be determined based on information stored in a supplemental memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Mark Horowitz, Richard Barth, Craig Hampel, Alfredo Moncayo, Kevin Donnelly, Jared Zerbe
  • Publication number: 20050160247
    Abstract: A transceiver device comprises a transmitter to transmit signals over a plurality of conductors to a memory device. An interface receives control information from a serial communication path coupled to a controller device. The control information is provided to the memory device as the signals using the transmitter. A register stores a control parameter that specifies a drive strength adjustment to the signals to transmit over the plurality of conductors to the memory device using the transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: John Dillon, Nancy Dillon, Kevin Donnelly, Mark Johnson, Chanh Tran
  • Publication number: 20050149659
    Abstract: Bus communications are optimized by adjusting signal characteristics in accordance with one or more topography dependent parameters. In a bus transmitter, a transmit signal characteristic is adjusted in accordance with a topography dependent parameter. A port in the bus transmitter receives the topography dependent parameter for later use by the parameter adjustment circuitry. The parameter adjustment circuitry adjusts a parameter control signal in accordance with the topography dependent parameter, which is coupled to the output driver. Prior to driving an output signal onto a bus, the output driver adjusts the transmit signal characteristic in accordance with the parameter control signal. Similarly, in a bus receiver, a receive signal characteristic is adjusted in response to a topography dependent parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Mark Horowitz, Richard Barth, Craig Hampel, Alfredo Moncayo, Kevin Donnelly, Jared Zerbe
  • Publication number: 20050149685
    Abstract: A transceiver comprises a first interface to receive a first signal, through a first channel, from a memory device. A transmitter transmits a second signal that represents the first signal, through a second channel, to a master device. A plurality of registers stores a plurality of values provided by the master device. The plurality of values includes a first value that specifies a transmit timing adjustment to the second signal to transmit to the master device by the transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Kevin Donnelly, Mark Johnson, Chanh Tran, John Dillon, Nancy Dillon
  • Publication number: 20050135182
    Abstract: A chip-to-chip communication system and interface technique. A master and at least two devices are interconnected with a signal line of a high speed bus. A capacitive coupling element, for example a diode, is employed to capacitively couple the interface of the device to the signal line. By employing the capacitive coupling element, along with a suitable signaling technique which supports capacitive information transfer, high speed rates of information transfer between the master and device over the signal line are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Donald Perino, Haw-Jyh Liaw, Alfredo Moncayo, Kevin Donnelly, Richard Barth, Bruno Garlepp
  • Publication number: 20050069071
    Abstract: A circuit, such as a CDR circuit, includes a sampler to receive a data signal having a variable data bit-rate responsive to a clock signal in an embodiment of the present invention. A clock circuit is coupled to the sampler and generates the clock signal responsive to a selectable update rate and a selectable phase adjust step-size. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the clock circuit includes a Stall logic that is coupled to first, second and third stages and is capable to hold the phase adjust signal responsive to the first and second stage output signals. In a third embodiment of the present invention, an indicator detects the variable data bit-rate and a counter provides the selectable phase adjust step-size for the adjust signal. In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the clock circuit includes the Stall logic, the indicator and the counter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventors: Dennis Kim, Jason Wei, Yohan Frans, Todd Bystrom, Nhat Nguyen, Kevin Donnelly
  • Publication number: 20050063502
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for synchronizing signal transfers between two clock domains, where the clock domains have a gear ratio relationship. A gear ratio means that the clocks are related by a ratio, such that each clock has a different integer number of clock cycles in a common period. Also, in addition to a gear ratio relationship, the clocks may have a synchronized edge at the end of the common period. For each clock, the cycles in the common period are “colored”, i.e., identified by a number (1st, 2nd, etc.). By using the coloring technique, the appropriate clock edge to perform a data or control signal transfer can be identified. The edges are preferably chosen to minimize the latency of the transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Frederick Ware, Kevin Donnelly, Ely Tsern, Srinivas Nimmagadda
  • Patent number: 6854030
    Abstract: An integrated circuit memory device that include an input receiver, an output driver, and a capacitive coupling element. The capacitive coupling element includes a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode. The first capacitor electrode is coupled to the input receiver and the output driver, an the second capacitor electrode couples to an external signal line. Delay modulated data is received by the input receiver from the external signal line via the capacitive coupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Donald V. Perino, Haw-Jyh Liaw, Alfredo Moncayo, Kevin Donnelly, Richard M. Barth, Bruno W. Garlepp
  • Publication number: 20040128460
    Abstract: In a transceiver system a first interface receives data from a first channel using a first clock signal and transmits data to the first channel using a second clock signal. A second interface receives data from a second channel using a third clock signal and transmits data to the second channel using a fourth clock signal. A re-timer re-times data received from the first channel using the first clock signal and retransmits the data to the second channel using the fourth clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Donnelly, Mark Johnson, Chanh Tran
  • Patent number: 6643752
    Abstract: A transceiver system is described. A secondary memory module is coupled to a primary channel for receiving data and signals from a controller. The secondary memory module comprises a memory and a secondary channel for transmitting the data and control signals to the memory. The secondary memory module further comprises a transceiver coupled to the primary channel and the secondary channel. The transceiver is designed to electrically isolate the secondary channel from the primary channel. The transceiver is a low latency repeater to permit the data and the control signals from the controller to reach the memory, such that a latency of a data request from the controller is independent of a distance of the transceiver from the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Donnelly, Mark Johnson, Chanh Tran, John B. Dillon
  • Publication number: 20030105908
    Abstract: A chip-to-chip communication system and interface technique. A master and at least two devices are interconnected with a signal line of a high speed bus. A capacitive coupling element, for example a diode, is employed to capacitively couple the interface of the device to the signal line. By employing the capacitive coupling element, along with a suitable signaling technique which supports capacitive information transfer, high speed rates of information transfer between the master and device over the signal line are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Donald V. Perino, Haw-Jyh Liaw, Alfredo Moncayo, Kevin Donnelly, Richard M. Barth, Bruno W. Garlepp