Patents by Inventor Merrick Brownlee

Merrick Brownlee 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: 20240039530
    Abstract: A multi-stage driver circuit has a transmission line coupled to an output of the multi-stage driver circuit. The transmission line has inductive elements and programmable capacitive elements selected to shape the transmitted data signal. The programmable capacitive elements have a first capacitor with a first terminal coupled to a first power supply conductor, and a first transistor with a first conduction terminal coupled to a second terminal of the first capacitor, and a second conduction terminal coupled to a second power supply conductor. The programmable capacitive elements have a register with a first output coupled to a control terminal of the first transistor. The programmable capacitive elements are selected to shape the transmitted data signal by observing operational dynamics of the multi-stage driver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David Foley, Merrick Brownlee
  • Patent number: 11838058
    Abstract: A multi-level optical signal is sampled to generate an eye diagram. The signal can be adjusted when eyes in the eye diagram have different heights. More specifically, a first value is determined, and the height of a first eye is adjusted using the first value. The first value is multiplied by a stored factor to produce a second value, and the height of a second eye is adjusted using the second value, and so on for other eyes. As a result, eye heights are the same. Similarly, optical power levels of the signal can be adjusted when the levels are not equally spaced. As a result, the optical power levels are equally spaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Draper, Merrick Brownlee
  • Publication number: 20230239055
    Abstract: A multi-level optical signal is sampled to generate an eye diagram. The signal can be adjusted when eyes in the eye diagram have different heights. More specifically, a first value is determined, and the height of a first eye is adjusted using the first value. The first value is multiplied by a stored factor to produce a second value, and the height of a second eye is adjusted using the second value, and so on for other eyes. As a result, eye heights are the same. Similarly, optical power levels of the signal can be adjusted when the levels are not equally spaced. As a result, the optical power levels are equally spaced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel DRAPER, Merrick BROWNLEE
  • Patent number: 11616578
    Abstract: A multi-level optical signal is sampled to generate an eye diagram. The signal can be adjusted when eyes in the eye diagram have different heights. More specifically, a first value is determined, and the height of a first eye is adjusted using the first value. The first value is multiplied by a stored factor to produce a second value, and the height of a second eye is adjusted using the second value, and so on for other eyes. As a result, eye heights are the same. Similarly, optical power levels of the signal can be adjusted when the levels are not equally spaced. As a result, the optical power levels are equally spaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Draper, Merrick Brownlee
  • Publication number: 20230048659
    Abstract: A configurable optical driver circuit includes an adjustable current source circuit configurable to drive one of a variety of different types of electrical to optical devices, an adjustable back-termination resistance circuit configurable to provide a back-termination resistance to the one of a variety of different electrical to optical devices, and a programmable memory configured to provide configuration information to the adjustable current source circuit and to the adjustable back-termination resistance circuit to configure the adjustable current source circuit and the adjustable back-termination resistance circuit for operation with the one of a variety of different electrical to optical devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventor: Merrick BROWNLEE
  • Publication number: 20230045986
    Abstract: A multi-level optical signal is sampled to generate an eye diagram. The signal can be adjusted when eyes in the eye diagram have different heights. More specifically, a first value is determined, and the height of a first eye is adjusted using the first value. The first value is multiplied by a stored factor to produce a second value, and the height of a second eye is adjusted using the second value, and so on for other eyes. As a result, eye heights are the same. Similarly, optical power levels of the signal can be adjusted when the levels are not equally spaced. As a result, the optical power levels are equally spaced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel DRAPER, Merrick BROWNLEE
  • Patent number: 9472921
    Abstract: An optical transmitter driver is disclosed to drive a load with a drive signal responsive to a first and second input signal. The differential pair includes a first path having a first resistor connected to a first voltage supply and to a first transistor that receives the first input signal. A second path includes a second resistor connected to a second voltage supply and a second transistor. The first voltage supply is less than the second voltage supply. The second transistor has an input configured to receive the second input signal and the first and second input signals define a differential signal. Also part of this embodiment is a load connection node that presents the drive signal to the load. The first voltage supply is less than the second voltage supply. In one configuration cross coupled capacitor are connect between each input and the first path and second path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Macom Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Merrick Brownlee, Atul Gupta, Vasilis Papanikolaou
  • Publication number: 20160211638
    Abstract: An optical transmitter driver is disclosed to drive a load with a drive signal responsive to a first and second input signal. The differential pair includes a first path having a first resistor connected to a first voltage supply and to a first transistor that receives the first input signal. A second path includes a second resistor connected to a second voltage supply and a second transistor. The first voltage supply is less than the second voltage supply. The second transistor has an input configured to receive the second input signal and the first and second input signals define a differential signal. Also part of this embodiment is a load connection node that presents the drive signal to the load. The first voltage supply is less than the second voltage supply. In one configuration cross coupled capacitor are connect between each input and the first path and second path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Merrick Brownlee, Atul Gupta, Vasilis Papanikolaou
  • Patent number: 9356591
    Abstract: A crosspoint switch device has a plurality of input ports each connected to a respective voltage source and a plurality of output ports each connected to a respective voltage source. A switch array selectively provides signal paths between the input ports and the output ports. The voltage sources are separate from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Mindspeed Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Poupak Khodabandeh, Merrick Brownlee
  • Publication number: 20120262219
    Abstract: A crosspoint switch device has a plurality of input ports each connected to a respective voltage source and a plurality of output ports each connected to a respective voltage source. A switch array selectively provides signal paths between the input ports and the output ports. The voltage sources are separate from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Mindspeed Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Poupak Khodabandeh, Merrick Brownlee