Patents by Inventor Martin L. Schmatz

Martin L. Schmatz 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: 20080218229
    Abstract: Jitter method and control circuit for a circuit block in a transceiver system having a phase lock loop circuit which includes an oscillator, a charge pump connected to the oscillator to add or subtract charge to or from said oscillator, and a low pass filter connected to said charge pump are provided. Circuitry is connected to the output of the oscillator and the input of the charge pump to control the amount of charge added to or subtracted from the charge pump to control the bandwidth output by the oscillator and thereby reduce jitter in the phase lock circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Ram Kelkar, Anjali R. Malladi, Martin L. Schmatz, Nina A. Shah
  • Publication number: 20080209296
    Abstract: The forward error correction based clock and data recovery system includes a data latch for intermediately storing received data, which is triggered by a sampling clock. The system further includes an error determination unit for determining whether which of the sampled received data is wrong, and for generating out of it a phase/frequency correction signal. Furthermore, the system includes a clock generator for generating the sampling clock depending on the correction signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Crandford, Martin L. Schmatz, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Patent number: 7403073
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) which includes a phase frequency detector coupled with a time to digital converter capable of comparing a reference signal with an oscillator signal and generating a digital value representing the phase difference between the reference signal and the oscillator signal. The PLL further includes a state machine for phase acquisition that is capable of generating a control value depending on the digital value, and a controllable oscillator that is capable of generating the oscillator signal depending on the control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marcel A. Kossel, Thomas E. Morf, Martin L. Schmatz, Silvan Wehrli
  • Publication number: 20080150599
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods comprise a phase shifter, an adjustable capacitance configured to adjust a phase shift of said phase shifter, an arbitrary waveform generator configured to adjust the adjustable capacitance, and a pulse pattern generator coupled to the phase shifter, the phase shifter is configured to control the pulse pattern generator. In one aspect, an adjustable capacitance is at least one varactor diode. In another, a pair of varactor diodes are separated by ?/4 lines, an input and an output of the adjustable capacitance is AC-coupled, and the arbitrary waveform generator is configured to adjust the adjustable capacitance through a gaussian noise signal input to the pair of varactor diodes. A deterministic jitter generator may be coupled to the pulse pattern generator. An open-circuited stub line may be input to the pattern generator, a deterministic jitter content number adjustable varying stub line length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Marcel A. Kossel, Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 7391271
    Abstract: Jitter method and control circuit for a circuit block in a transceiver system having a phase lock loop circuit which includes an oscillator, a charge pump connected to the oscillator to add or subtract charge to or from said oscillator, and a low pass filter connected to said charge pump are provided. Circuitry is connected to the output of the oscillator and the input of the charge pump to control the amount of charge added to or subtracted from the charge pump to control the bandwidth output by the oscillator and thereby reduce jitter in the phase lock circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C Cranford, Jr., Ram Kelkar, Anjali R Malladi, Martin L Schmatz, Nina A Shah
  • Publication number: 20080133164
    Abstract: A method and system for testing a high-speed circuit is disclosed. The method and system include obtaining a high-speed statistical signature of the high-speed circuit using a conventional tester. The method and system further include comparing the high-speed statistical signature of the high-speed circuit to an expected signature. Consequently, it can be determined whether the high-speed circuit functions within the desired parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Publication number: 20080123771
    Abstract: Systems for making impedance adjustments that will auto-tune a communication path is disclosed. The method can utilize time domain reflectometry (TDR) to acquire data about impedance mismatches and can adjust the termination impedances based on the acquired data. A system is also disclosed that has an isolator to decouple a first adjustable resistor from a transmission path in a first mode and couple the first adjustable resistor to the path in a second mode. The system can have a test transmitter to create a first current on the path in the first mode and to create a second current having twice the current in a second mode, wherein a detector can detect a first voltage during the first mode and a second voltage in the second mode as the first adjustable resistive load is adjusted in the second mode until it reaches a value matching the first voltage detected in the first mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Daniel J. Friedman, James S. Mason, Martin L. Schmatz, Michael A. Sorna, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Patent number: 7349498
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for evaluating a data group of oversampled bits to detect edge transitions and for improving use of information available from a sampled data while maintaining acceptable noise rejection. An edge detection system for receiving a serial data stream includes a sampler for collecting a sample pattern from the serial data stream, the sample pattern including a succession of a plurality of data samples from the data stream with the plurality of data samples including multiple samples during a bit time associated with the data stream; a memory, coupled to the sampler, for storing one or more successive sample patterns; and a correlator, coupled to the memory, for producing a sample condition signal using a set of predefined patterns by comparing the stored sampled patterns to the predefined patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C Cranford, Jr., Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 7340660
    Abstract: A method and system for testing a high-speed circuit is disclosed. The method and system include obtaining a high-speed statistical signature of the high-speed circuit using a conventional tester. The method and system further include comparing the high-speed statistical signature of the high-speed circuit to an expected signature. Consequently, it can be determined whether the high-speed circuit functions within the desired parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Publication number: 20080007345
    Abstract: Jitter method and control circuit for a circuit block in a transceiver system having a phase lock loop circuit which includes an oscillator, a charge pump connected to the oscillator to add or subtract charge to or from said oscillator, and a low pass filter connected to said charge pump are provided. Circuitry is connected to the output of the oscillator and the input of the charge pump to control the amount of charge added to or subtracted from the charge pump to control the bandwidth output by the oscillator and thereby reduce jitter in the phase lock circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Ram Kelkar, Anjali R Malladi, Martin L. Schmatz, Nina A. Shah
  • Patent number: 7317777
    Abstract: A system and method for tracking/adapting phase or frequency changes in an incoming serial data stream that may contain significant amounts of noise and/or jitter and may contain relatively long periods of successive univalue data bits. The method includes digitally sampling a received data stream at predefined intervals to produce a data set; estimating when logic transitions occur in the data set; detecting a timing trend represented by the estimated logic transitions; and adjusting a frequency of the first clock so that the timing trend averages approximately zero over a plurality of logic transitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C Cranford, Jr., Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 7295604
    Abstract: The method for determining jitter of a signal in a serial link according to the invention comprising the following steps: First, a section of the signal transmitted via a transmission channel is sampled at different sampling times. The total number of edges in the section is determined. The neighboring sample values are analyzed and from that a statistical value is formed. From the statistical value and the total number of edges a figure of merit is determined. Finally, by means of a look-up table or a jitter-versus-figure of merit curve, the total jitter corresponding to the figure of merit is derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Marcel A. Kossel, Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 7106104
    Abstract: The present invention provides integrated line drivers useable for driving data signals with high data rates wherein the area consumption of the line driver is minimized and wherein the influence of electrostatic discharge devices and process tolerances are minimized too. An example of an integrated line driver according to the invention comprises a first driver stage followed by a second driver stage, and a feedback unit forming with the second driver stage a control loop. The integrated line drivers are useable for driving data signals with high data rates wherein the area consumption of the line driver is minimized and wherein the influence of ESD devices and process tolerances are minimized. Advantageously, the integrated line driver according to the invention complies with chip design methodologies, where 10 or more routing metal layers are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christian I. Menolfi, Thomas H. Toifl, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 7088170
    Abstract: The multiplexer according to the invention comprises a first data input line (TL1) for incoming data (Data 1), a second data input line (TL2) for incoming data (Data 2), and a data output line (TL3) for outgoing data (Data out). The multiplexer further comprises a control line (20, 21, 22) for applying a control signal (clk) to a first switching means (T1, T3, T5; SR1, SR3, SR5) and a second switching means (T2, T4, T6; SR2, SR4, SR6) for alternatively connecting the first data input line (TL1) over the first switching means (T1, T3, T5; SR1, SR3, SR5) and the second input line (TL2) over the second switching means (T2, T4, T6; SR2, SR4, SR6) to the data output line (TL3), wherein the first and second switching means (T1–T6; SR1–SR6) are spatially arranged in such a way, that the control signal (clk) applied to the first switching means (T1, T3, T5; SR1, SR3, SR5) compared with the control signal (clk) applied to the second switching means (T2, T4, T6; SR2, SR4, SR6) shows a phase shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Morf, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 7088766
    Abstract: A DSSS system determines transmission reliability of a communication channel in real time. A DSSS transmitter (f0=1/T) generates a Pseudo Noise (PN) code and modulates a carrier source [cos. (2??c)] with a selected chip rate. The transmitter bandwidth is a direct function of the chip rate. The PN coded carrier signal is further modulated by a data signal [m(t)] to provide an output signal [s(t)] to a correlator via a communication channel for purposes of determining the transmission characteristic of the channel. The correlator running a variable length pseudo noise code combines the code and the carrier which relates the incoming data signal to a correlation value for detecting the data signal. The correlation value is compared to a threshold value based upon experience of reliable transmission of data through the communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carrie E. Aust, Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 7085970
    Abstract: A method, in an oversampling clock and data recovery system, for detecting that sampling is stuck taking place at a data edge, by detecting a data edge in an early or a late region relative to a good region and incrementing a stuck early or stuck late counter; and if one counter reaching a maximum, setting a condition indicating that sampling is stuck taking place at a data edge. If a data edge is detected in the good region, or in each of an early and a late region in a single data period, the stuck counters are reset to zero. The detection of which stuck counter has reached a maximum can cause the moving of a sampling clock forward or backward, ending when a data edge occurs in a good region, or in each of an early region and a late region in a single data period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth J. Nicholls, Alexander H. Ainscow, Jon D. Garlett, Bobak Modaress-Razavi, Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Publication number: 20040263236
    Abstract: The multiplexer according to the invention comprises a first data input line (TL1) for incoming data (Data 1), a second data input line (TL2) for incoming data (Data 2), and a data output line (TL3) for outgoing data (Data out). The multiplexer further comprises a control line (20, 21, 22) for applying a control signal (clk) to a first switching means (T1, T3, T5; SR1, SR3, SR5) and a second switching means (T2, T4, T6; SR2, SR4, SR6) for alternatively connecting the first data input line (TL1) over the first switching means (T1, T3, T5; SR1, SR3, SR5) and the second input line (TL2) over the second switching means (T2, T4, T6; SR2, SR4, SR6) to the data output line (TL3), wherein the first and second switching means (T1-T6; SR1-SR6) are spatially arranged in such a way, that the control signal (clk) applied to the first switching means (T1, T3, T5; SR1, SR3, SR5) compared with the control signal (clk) applied to the second switching means (T2, T4, T6; SR2, SR4, SR6) shows a phase shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas E. Morf, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 6819813
    Abstract: An apparatus for integrating optical devices between a module and a circuit board comprising a carrier having optical waveguides, a module having optical ports on a surface of the module, the surface of the module connected to the carrier such that the optical waveguides are in communication with the optical ports; and a circuit board having optical ports on a surface of the circuit board, the surface of the circuit board connected to the carrier such that the optical waveguides are in communication with the optical ports. The apparatus may also integrate electrical ports on the surface of the module, the surface of the circuit board, and electrical connections on the carrier. The apparatus may also integrate circuit chips having optical ports for communication with the optical waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen R. Howland, John U. Knickerbocker, Steven P. Ostrander, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Publication number: 20040066864
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for evaluating a data group of oversampled bits to detect edge transitions and for improving use of information available from a sampled data while maintaining acceptable noise rejection. An edge detection system for receiving a serial data stream includes a sampler for collecting a sample pattern from the serial data stream, the sample pattern including a succession of a plurality of data samples from the data stream with the plurality of data samples including multiple samples during a bit time associated with the data stream; a memory, coupled to the sampler, for storing one or more successive sample patterns; and a correlator, coupled to the memory, for producing a sample condition signal using a set of predefined patterns by comparing the stored sampled patterns to the predefined patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Publication number: 20040066871
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for tracking/adapting phase or frequency changes in an incoming serial data stream that may contain significant amounts of noise and/or jitter and may contain relatively long periods of successive univalue data bits. The method includes a process for adapting a clock control loop, including the steps of: digitally sampling a received data stream at predefined intervals to produce a data set; estimating when logic transitions occur in the data set; detecting a timing trend represented by the estimated logic transitions; and adjusting a frequency of the first clock so that the timing trend averages approximately zero over a plurality of logic transitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Vernon R. Norman, Martin L. Schmatz
  • Patent number: 5161815
    Abstract: A self aligning trailer hitch, used by a driver alone without creating any personal lifting force, to couple and decouple a towing vehicle and a trailer, has a multiple piece assembly of a socket for securement to a towing vehicle, having a rotatable claw, which has a spherical recessed surface adapted to receive a portion of a lower ball of a vertical dual ball assembly, which is secured to a towed vehicle. Upon hitching the vehicles together, the rotatable claw contacts the lower ball, when this socket is moving horizontally, during movement of a towing vehicle toward the towed vehicle, causing the lower ball to be repositioned upwardly and over center, while being guided in a vertical plane, and then held in the radially upwardly repositioned spherical recessed surface of the rotatable claw. A three dimensional ramp guides the lower ball to fully contact the spherical recessed surface of the rotatable claw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Inventor: Earl L. Penor, Jr.