Patents by Inventor Khai Q. Nguyen

Khai Q. Nguyen 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: 20170005662
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing either high-speed, Or lower-speed, flexible inputs and outputs. An input and output structure having a high-speed input, a high-speed output, a low or moderate speed input, and an low or moderate speed output is provided. One of the input and output circuits are selected and the others are deselected. The high-speed input and output circuits are comparatively simple, in one example having only a clear signal for a control line input, and are able to interface to lower speed circuitry inside the core of an integrated circuit. The low or moderate speed input and output circuits are more flexible, for example, having preset, enable, and clear as control line inputs, and are able to support JTAG boundary testing. These parallel high and lower speed circuits are user selectable such that the input Output structure is optimized between speed and functionality depending on the requirements of the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Joseph Huang, Khai Q. Nguyen, Philip Y. Pan
  • Publication number: 20170005661
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing either high-speed, Or lower-speed, flexible inputs and outputs. An input and output structure having a high-speed input, a high-speed output, a low or moderate speed input, and an low or moderate speed output is provided. One of the input and output circuits are selected and the others are deselected. The high-speed input and output circuits are comparatively simple, in one example having only a clear signal for a control line input, and are able to interface to lower speed circuitry inside the core of an integrated circuit. The low or moderate speed input and output circuits are more flexible, for example, having preset, enable, and clear as control line inputs, and are able to support JTAG boundary testing. These parallel high and lower speed circuits are user selectable such that the input Output structure is optimized between speed and functionality depending on the requirements of the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Joseph Huang, Khai Q. Nguyen, Philip Y. Pan
  • Patent number: 9473145
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing either high-speed, or lower-speed, flexible inputs and outputs. An input and output structure having a high-speed input, a high-speed output, a low or moderate speed input, and an low or moderate speed output is provided. One of the input and output circuits are selected and the others are deselected. The high-speed input and output circuits are comparatively simple, in one example having only a clear signal for a control line input, and are able to interface to lower speed circuitry inside the core of an integrated circuit. The low or moderate speed input and output circuits are more flexible, for example, having preset, enable, and clear as control line inputs, and are able to support JTAG boundary testing. These parallel high and lower speed circuits are user selectable such that the input output structure is optimized between speed and functionality depending on the requirements of the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Joseph Huang, Khai Q. Nguyen, Philip Y. Pan
  • Publication number: 20140340125
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing either high-speed, Or lower-speed, flexible inputs and outputs. An input and output structure having a high-speed input, a high-speed output, a low or moderate speed input, and an low or moderate speed output is provided. One of the input and output circuits are selected and the others are deselected. The high-speed input and output circuits are comparatively simple, in one example having only a clear signal for a control line input, and are able to interface to lower speed circuitry inside the core of an integrated circuit. The low or moderate speed input and output circuits are more flexible, for example, having preset, enable, and clear as control line inputs, and are able to support JTAG boundary testing. These parallel high and lower speed circuits are user selectable such that the input Output structure is optimized between speed and functionality depending on the requirements of the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Joseph Huang, Khai Q. Nguyen, Philip Y. Pan
  • Patent number: 8854078
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus for dynamic control of source and termination impedances. One output stage provides a series termination when transmitting and a parallel termination when receiving data. A pull-up device has a nominal impedance of 50 ohms when the output stage pulls a pin from a low voltage to a high voltage, while a pull-down device has a nominal impedance of 50 ohms when the pin is pulled from a high voltage to a low voltage. Both the pull-up and pull-down devices are turned on when receiving data. Due to their non-linear current-voltage characteristics, the pull-up device appears as 50 ohms when the pin voltage is higher than one half the supply voltage, while the pull-down device appears as 50 ohms when the pin voltage is lower than one half the supply voltage. The pull-up and pull-down devices can be calibrated to provide a nominal 50 ohm impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaobao Wang, Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Khai Q. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8829948
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing either high-speed, or lower-speed, flexible inputs and outputs. An input and output structure having a high-speed input, a high-speed output, a low or moderate speed input, and an low or moderate speed output is provided. One of the input and output circuits are selected and the others are deselected. The high-speed input and output circuits are comparatively simple, in one example having only a clear signal for a control line input, and are able to interface to lower speed circuitry inside the core of an integrated circuit. The low or moderate speed input and output circuits are more flexible, for example, having preset, enable, and clear as control line inputs, and are able to support JTAG boundary testing. These parallel high and lower speed circuits are user selectable such that the input output structure is optimized between speed and functionality depending on the requirements of the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Joseph Huang, Khai Q. Nguyen, Philip Y. Pan
  • Publication number: 20130278290
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing either high-speed, or lower-speed, flexible inputs and outputs. An input and output structure having a high-speed input, a high-speed output, a low or moderate speed input, and an low or moderate speed output is provided. One of the input and output circuits are selected and the others are deselected. The high-speed input and output circuits are comparatively simple, in one example having only a clear signal for a control line input, and are able to interface to lower speed circuitry inside the core of an integrated circuit. The low or moderate speed input and output circuits are more flexible, for example, having preset, enable, and clear as control line inputs, and are able to support JTAG boundary testing. These parallel high and lower speed circuits are user selectable such that the input output structure is optimized between speed and functionality depending on the requirements of the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Joseph Huang, Khai Q. Nguyen, Philip Y. Pan
  • Patent number: 8022723
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus for dynamic control of source and termination impedances. One output stage provides a series termination when transmitting and a parallel termination when receiving data. A pull-up device has a nominal impedance of 50 ohms when the output stage pulls a pin from a low voltage to a high voltage, while a pull-down device has a nominal impedance of 50 ohms when the pin is pulled from a high voltage to a low voltage. Both the pull-up and pull-down devices are turned on when receiving data. Due to their non-linear current-voltage characteristics, the pull-up device appears as 50 ohms when the pin voltage is higher than one half the supply voltage, while the pull-down device appears as 50 ohms when the pin voltage is lower than one half the supply voltage. The pull-up and pull-down devices can be calibrated to provide a nominal 50 ohm impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaobao Wang, Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Khai Q. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7825682
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for individually adjusting the on-chip termination impedance that is generated by input and output (IO) buffers in an input/output (IO) bank on an integrated circuit. The IO buffers in an IO bank can generate different on-chip termination impedances. And as a result, an IO bank can support more than one class of memory interfaces. An OCT calibration block generates a digital on-chip termination (OCT) calibration code. In some embodiments, circuitry in the IO banks can be configured to shift the OCT calibration code by one or more bits to adjust the series and/or parallel on-chip termination impedance in one or more IO buffers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaobao Wang, Chiakang Sung, Khai Q. Nguyen, Sanjay K. Charagulla
  • Patent number: 7506296
    Abstract: A logic design system is provided for designing programmable logic device integrated circuits with minimized predriver power consumption. The logic design system identifies predriver circuits that can operate satisfactorily at reduced predriver power supply levels. One or more reduced predriver power supply levels for powering the predriver circuits are identified by the logic design system. The predriver power supply levels that are identified can be different than a maximum allowable power supply voltage used for powering input-output circuitry on the programmable logic device integrated circuit. There may be multiple blocks of predriver circuitry, each of which is powered using a potentially different predriver power supply voltage. The logic design system uses on-screen options to accept user-supplied settings related to minimizing predriver power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Zahir Parpia, Khai Q. Nguyen, Xiaobao Wang
  • Patent number: 7420386
    Abstract: On-chip termination (OCT) calibration techniques are provided that support input/output (IO) banks on an integrated circuit (IC) using OCT controllers. The OCT controllers calibrate the on-chip termination impedance in the IO banks using a shared parallel bus or separate parallel buses. Multiplexers or select logic in each IO bank select control signals from the OCT controllers in response to select signals. According to some embodiments, each of the IO banks on an IC can receive OCT control signals from any of the OCT controllers on the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaobao Wang, Chiakang Sung, Khai Q. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7417452
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for individually adjusting the on-chip termination impedance that is generated by input and output (IO) buffers in an input/output (IO) bank on an integrated circuit. The IO buffers in an IO bank can generate different on-chip termination impedances. And as a result, an IO bank can support more than one class of memory interfaces. An OCT calibration block generates a digital on-chip termination (OCT) calibration code. In some embodiments, circuitry in the IO banks can be configured to shift the OCT calibration code by one or more bits to adjust the series and/or parallel on-chip termination impedance in one or more IO buffers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaobao Wang, Chiakang Sung, Khai Q. Nguyen, Sanjay K. Charagulla
  • Patent number: 7304501
    Abstract: The hot socket detect circuit of the present invention includes a well bias circuit and three hot socket detect blocks. If the output of any of the three hot socket detect blocks is a digital high signal then the output of the hot socket detect circuit is a digital high signal. The digital high signal indicates that a hot socket condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaobao Wang, Khai Q. Nguyen, Chiakang Sung, Bonnie I. Wang
  • Patent number: 7221193
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for controlling an on-chip termination resistance in an input or output (IO) buffer using calibration circuits. Each calibration circuit monitors the voltage between an external resistor and a group of on-chip transistors. When the effective resistance of the group of transistors matches the external resistance, the calibration circuit causes the effective resistance of drive transistors in the IO buffer to match the effective resistance of the group of on-chip transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaobao Wang, Tzung-Chin Chang, Chiakang Sung, Khai Q. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7218155
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for controlling an on-chip termination resistance in an input or output (IO) buffer using a calibration circuit. The calibration circuit monitors the voltage between an external resistor and a group of on-chip transistors. When voltage between the external resistor and the group of transistors is within a selected range, the calibration circuit causes the effective resistance of the transistors to match the resistance of the external resistor as closely as possible. The calibration circuit enables another set of transistors in the IO buffer so that the effective on resistance of the transistors in the IO buffer closely match the resistance of the external resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Tzung-Chin Chang, Xiaobao Wang, Henry Kim, Chiakang Sung, Khai Q. Nguyen, Bonnie Wang, Jeffrey Tyhach, Gopinath Rangan
  • Patent number: 7026847
    Abstract: An AC current booster for high speed, high frequency applications having a single-ended output embodiment and a differential output embodiment. The embodiments of the present invention allow bifurcated control of the AC switching rate and the DC state of a given output signal, in order to achieve faster rising and falling edge rates without an undesirable increase in output voltage swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Khai Q. Nguyen, Xiaobao Wang