Patents by Inventor Kevin Somervill

Kevin Somervill 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: 20050216647
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a system for changing a bus configuration of a computing device. The system includes a first bus of the computing device, a second bus, and a third bus. Additionally, a multiplexing module is coupled with the first, second, and third buses. As such, the multiplexing module can selectively couple the first bus with the second bus or the third bus. A configuration module is coupled with the multiplexing module and controls its operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Kevin Somervill, Robert Dobbs, Loren Koehler
  • Publication number: 20050177757
    Abstract: A power distribution system provides power source redundancy. The system includes a bank of loads and first and second groups of power sources. An interconnect arrangement includes a plurality of interconnects that connect each load to one or more sources of both the first and second groups of sources so as to be fully powered by sources of both the first and second groups of sources and such that if any one source or all sources of one of the groups of sources fails, all of the loads remain fully powered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Robert Dobbs, Kevin Somervill, Sachin Chheda
  • Publication number: 20050177756
    Abstract: A power distribution system includes a plurality of loads and a plurality of power sources. The power distribution system also includes an interconnect arrangement including a plurality of interconnects. The interconnects connect each load to a given number of different ones of the sources so that each load is fully powered notwithstanding failure of any one of the sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Robert Dobbs, Kevin Somervill, Sachin Chheda
  • Publication number: 20050060594
    Abstract: A frequency manager automatically selects a clock frequency for each device or bus, or for a plurality of devices or buses, in a system, based on various factors and objectives. These factors and objectives can include optimizing performance of the devices without exceeding the system's power/thermal budget. The frequency manager can then control circuits that generate and provide clock signals having the selected frequency(ies) to these devices or buses. For example, in a system that is less than fully populated with devices, embodiments of the invention can select higher clock frequencies than a fully populated system would utilize. Some embodiments of the invention select higher clock frequencies for high-bandwidth devices than for low-bandwidth devices. Other embodiments use information about application programs that will be executed by systems, such as which devices these application programs will frequently access, to select higher clock frequencies for the frequently accessed devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: Andrew Barr, Ricardo Espinoza-Ibarra, Kevin Somervill
  • Publication number: 20050044442
    Abstract: A frequency manager automatically selects a clock frequency for each device or bus, or for a plurality of devices or buses, in a system, based on various factors and objectives. These factors and objectives can include optimizing performance of the devices without exceeding the system's power/thermal budget. The frequency manager can then control circuits that generate and provide clock signals having the selected frequency(ies) to these devices or buses. For example, in a system that is less than fully populated with devices, embodiments of the invention can select higher clock frequencies than a fully populated system would utilize. Some embodiments of the invention select higher clock frequencies for high-bandwidth devices than for low-bandwidth devices. Other embodiments use information about application programs that will be executed by systems, such as which devices these application programs will frequently access, to select higher clock frequencies for the frequently accessed devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventors: Andrew Barr, Ricardo Espinoza-Ibarra, Kevin Somervill
  • Publication number: 20050015213
    Abstract: A method of testing an electronic device. A test pattern is transferred between a first data controller coupled to a first data interface and a second data controller coupled to a second data interface via an element coupling the first and second data interfaces. The test pattern is received and examined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Kevin Somervill, Andrew Chau, Robert Dobbs