Patents by Inventor Martin Woodhead

Martin Woodhead 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: 11287843
    Abstract: A first device operates synchronously with a second device, and includes a hardware clock having an adjustable clock frequency and a software clock configured to derive time in dependence on the hardware clock. A controller determines a synchronisation error between the software clock and a clock of the second device, and adjusts the clock frequency of the hardware clock in dependence on the synchronisation error so as to synchronise the hardware clock to a hardware clock of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Martin Woodhead, Arnold Mark Bilstad
  • Publication number: 20210004045
    Abstract: A first device operates synchronously with a second device, and includes a hardware clock having an adjustable clock frequency and a software clock configured to derive time in dependence on the hardware clock. A controller determines a synchronisation error between the software clock and a clock of the second device, and adjusts the clock frequency of the hardware clock in dependence on the synchronisation error so as to synchronise the hardware clock to a hardware clock of the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Martin Woodhead, Arnold Mark Bilstad
  • Patent number: 10782730
    Abstract: A first device operates synchronously with a second device, and includes a hardware clock having an adjustable clock frequency and a software clock configured to derive time in dependence on the hardware clock. A controller determines a synchronisation error between the software clock and a clock of the second device, and adjusts the clock frequency of the hardware clock in dependence on the synchronisation error so as to synchronise the hardware clock to a hardware clock of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Martin Woodhead, Arnold Mark Bilstad
  • Publication number: 20190286188
    Abstract: A first device operates synchronously with a second device, and includes a hardware clock having an adjustable clock frequency and a software clock configured to derive time in dependence on the hardware clock. A controller determines a synchronisation error between the software clock and a clock of the second device, and adjusts the clock frequency of the hardware clock in dependence on the synchronisation error so as to synchronise the hardware clock to a hardware clock of the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Martin Woodhead, Arnold Mark Bilstad
  • Patent number: 10353424
    Abstract: A first device for playing media synchronously with a second device, includes a hardware clock having an adjustable clock frequency; a software clock configured to derive time in dependence on the hardware clock; a controller configured to: determine a synchronization error between the software clock and a clock of the second device; and adjust the clock frequency of the hardware clock in dependence on the synchronization error; and a media playout device for playing media and configured to be clocked by the hardware clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Martin Woodhead, Arnold Mark Bilstad
  • Publication number: 20180004244
    Abstract: A first device for playing media synchronously with a second device, includes a hardware clock having an adjustable clock frequency; a software clock configured to derive time in dependence on the hardware clock; a controller configured to: determine a synchronisation error between the software clock and a clock of the second device; and adjust the clock frequency of the hardware clock in dependence on the synchronisation error; and a media playout device for playing media and configured to be clocked by the hardware clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Martin Woodhead, Arnold Mark Bilstad
  • Publication number: 20070168649
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling issue rate of instructions for an instruction thread to be executed by a processor is provided. The rate at which instructions are to be executed for an instruction thread are stored and requests are issued to cause instructions to execute in response to the stored rate. The rate at which instruction requests are issued is reduced in response to instruction executions and is increased in the absence of instruction executions. In a multi-threaded processor, instruction rate is controlled by storing the average rate at which each thread should execute instructions. A value representative of the number of instructions available and not yet issued is monitored and is decreased in response to instruction executions. Execution of instructions is prevented on a thread if the number of instructions available but not yet issued falls below a defined value. A ranking order is assigned to a plurality of instructions threads for execution on a multi-threaded processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Adrian Anderson, Martin Woodhead
  • Publication number: 20070016757
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling issue rate of instructions for an instruction thread to be executed by a processor is provided. The rate at which instructions are to be executed for an instruction thread are stored and requests are issued to cause instructions to execute in response to the stored rate. The rate at which instruction requests are issued is reduced in response to instruction executions and is increased in the absence of instruction executions. In a multi-threaded processor, instruction rate is controlled by storing the average rate at which each thread should execute instructions. A value representative of the number of instructions available and not yet issued is monitored and is decreased in response to instruction executions. Execution of instructions is prevented on a thread if the number of instructions available but not yet issued falls below a defined value. A ranking order is assigned to a plurality of instructions threads for execution on a multi-threaded processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Adrian Anderson, Martin Woodhead
  • Publication number: 20050021931
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling issue rate of instructions for an instruction thread to be executed by a processor is provided. The rate at which instructions are to be executed for an instruction thread are stored (46) and requests are issued (44) to cause instructions to execute in response to the stored rate. The rate at which instruction requests are issued is reduced in response to instruction executions and is increased in the absence of instruction executions. In a multi-threaded processor, instruction rate is controlled by storing the average rate at which each thread should execute instructions (48). A value representative of the number of instructions available and not yet issued is monitored and is decreased in response to instruction executions (42). Execution of instructions is prevented on a thread if the number of instructions available but not yet issued falls below a defined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Adrian Anderson, Martin Woodhead