Patents by Inventor Michael Peter Kennedy

Michael Peter Kennedy 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: 20230327681
    Abstract: A digital delta-sigma modulator (DDSM) is disclosed with an input signal x[n], an output signal y[n], a quantization error signal e[n] and a dither signal d[n], having an equation described in the z-domain by Y(z)=STF(z)X(z)+DTF(z)D(z)?NTF(z)E(z) wherein Y(z), X(z), D(z) and E(z) are z-transforms of the output signal, the input signal, the dither signal, and the quantization error signal, and wherein STF(z), DTF(z) and NTF(z) correspond to a transfer function of the input signal, a transfer function of the dither signal, and a transfer function of the quantization error signal, and wherein the transfer function of the quantization error signal is of the form: NTF ? ( z ) = Az - Q ( 1 + ? i = 1 K c i ? z - i ) where A, Q and K are constants, coefficients ci are real valued and cK?0 and wherein at least one of the zeroes zj of ( 1 + ? i = 1 K c i ? z - i ) satisfies zj?+1 for j=1, 2, . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Valerio Mazzaro, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20230198547
    Abstract: An apparatus for mitigating nonlinearity-induced spurs and noise in a fractional-N frequency synthesizer A digital delta-sigma modulator (DDSM) is disclosed with an input signal x[n], an output signal y[n], a quantization error signal e[n] and a dither signal d[n], having an equation described in the z-domain by Y(z)=STF(z)X(z)+DTF(z)D(z)?NTF(z)E(z) wherein Y(z), X(z), D(z) andE(z) are z-transforms of the output signal, the input signal, the dither signal, and the quantization error signal, and wherein STF (z), DTF(z) and NTF(z) correspond to a transfer function of the input signal, a transfer function of the dither signal, and a transfer function of the quantization error signal, and wherein the transfer function of the quantization error signal is of the form: NTF ? ( z ) = Az - Q ( 1 - z - 1 ) ? ( 1 + ? i = 1 K c i ? z - i ) where A , Q and K are constants, coefficients ci are real valued and cK?0 and wherein at least one of the zeroes zj of ( 1 + ? i =
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Valerio Mazzaro, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11552645
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fractional-N frequency synthesizer comprising a divider controller comprising a multistage noise Shaping (MASH) digital delta-sigma modulator comprising L error feedback modulator (EFM) stages, wherein the jth EFM stage is configured to receive as an input the sum of the error of the preceding EFM stage and a high amplitude dither signal derived from the error of the kth EFM stage, where 1?j?k?L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: University College Dublin
    Inventors: Dawei Mai, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11216535
    Abstract: The present invention provides a probability mass redistributor device comprising an input port and an output port. The device comprises a mapping block configured to perform a selected mapping function from a plurality of mapping functions on a random bitstream to generate an output signal having a desired probability mass function, at least one difference block, wherein the input to the at least one difference block comprises the output from the mapping block, and the output of the at least one difference block produces a modulation term, and wherein the output of each difference block is the difference between a previous value of the input signal to the block and a current value of the input signal to the block, and a summing block for summing a signal received by the input port and the modulation term to form an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: University College Cork—National University of Ireland, Cork
    Inventors: Yann Donnelly, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20210399734
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fractional-N frequency synthesizer comprising a divider controller comprising a multistage noise Shaping (MASH) digital delta-sigma modulator comprising L stages, wherein the jth stage is configured to receive as an input the sum of the error of the preceding stage and a high amplitude dither signal derived from the error of the kth stage, where 1?j?k?L.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Dawei Mai, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20200250256
    Abstract: The present invention provides a probability mass redistributor device comprising an input port and an output port. The device comprises a mapping block configured to perform a selected mapping function from a plurality of mapping functions on a random bitstream to generate an output signal having a desired probability mass function, at least one difference block, wherein the input to the at least one difference block comprises the output from the mapping block, and the output of the at least one difference block produces a modulation term, and wherein the output of each difference block is the difference between a previous value of the input signal to the block and a current value of the input signal to the block, and a summing block for summing a signal received by the input port and the modulation term to form an output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Yann Donnelly, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Patent number: 10560111
    Abstract: A nested mixed-radix DDSM can guarantee zero systematic frequency error when used as a divider controller in a fractional-N frequency synthesizer is described. This disclosure presents a nested cascaded mixed-radix DDSM architecture which can also guarantee zero systematic frequency error. In addition, the disclosure allows one to use higher order auxiliary modulators and shaped dither signal to eliminate feedthrough spurs completely. By increasing the number of levels in the cascade, the moduli of the individual modulator stages can be reduced, thereby increasing the speed of the synthesizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: University College Cork-National University of Ireland, Cork
    Inventors: Hongjia Mo, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Patent number: 10541707
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fractional-N frequency synthesizer comprising a divider controller comprising a multistage noise Shaping (MASH) digital delta-sigma modulator comprising L stages, wherein the Lth stage is configured to receive as an input a high amplitude dither signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK, NUI, CORK
    Inventors: Hongjia Mo, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20190089368
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fractional-N frequency synthesizer comprising a divider controller comprising a multistage noise Shaping (MASH) digital delta-sigma modulator comprising L stages, wherein the Lth stage is configured to receive as an input a high amplitude dither signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Hongjia Mo, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20190068207
    Abstract: A nested mixed-radix DDSM can guarantee zero systematic frequency error when used as a divider controller in a fractional-N frequency synthesizer is described. This disclosure presents a nested cascaded mixed-radix DDSM architecture which can also guarantee zero systematic frequency error. In addition, the disclosure allows one to use higher order auxiliary modulators and shaped dither signal to eliminate feedthrough spurs completely. By increasing the number of levels in the cascade, the moduli of the individual modulator stages can be reduced, thereby increasing the speed of the synthesizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Hongjia Mo, Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8816724
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that provide a radio frequency synthesizer that generates precise frequencies over a large radio frequency range. The radio frequency synthesizer can provide a high resolution of frequency generation and still provide precise frequencies over a range of radio frequencies. The precision and resolution while maintaining a large operating range come from the ability of the frequency synthesizer to generate frequencies as a product of a plurality of moduli. For example, the frequency can be generated from a reference frequency using a first modulus and a second modulus. The plurality of modulo can be implemented using nested digital delta-sigma modulators in a fractional-N frequency synthesizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: University College Cork—National University of Ireland, Cork
    Inventor: Michael Peter Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20140159782
    Abstract: At least one embodiment of the invention relates to an injection-locked frequency divider adapted to generate a signal at an output frequency from an input frequency over a large range of input frequencies, wherein said input frequency is either an even or an odd integer multiple of the output frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Peter Kennedy, Malik Summair Ashgar, Muhammad Asfandyar Awan, Antonio Buonomo, Alessandro Lo Schiavo
  • Publication number: 20140077843
    Abstract: The invention provides a digital modulator system for use in a fractional-N frequency synthesizer, said system comprising: a first pipelined modulator configured to receive a digital signal via a bus signal; a second pipelined modulator configured to receive a part of said digital signal; and said system is adapted to split the bus signal by passing least significant bits (LSBs) of said digital signal through the second modulator, combining the output of said second modulator with the most significant bits (MSBs) of said digital signal, and adapted to pass the combined signal through said first pipelined modulator. The combination of bus-splitting and pipelining in the modulator system is configured to provide an output signal to maximize the update rate of a multi-modulus divider of said fractional-N frequency synthesizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Peter Kennedy, Brian Patrick Fitzgibbon
  • Publication number: 20040188703
    Abstract: An electrical switch performs multi-polar switching. A HDFET structure has a source (2) at one terminal and two drains (3(a) and 3(b)) providing isolated terminals at the opposite end. The drains (3(a) and 3(b)) are separated by an insulator (8). N+ gates (6, 7) are at each side of a channel (5) linking the source (2) with the drains (3(a), 3(b)). Bias of the gates (6, 7) is controlled to control depletion regions (21, 22) to switch on or off current flow (A, B) between the source (2) and the drains (3(a), 3(b)).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Tongwei Cheng, James Craig Greer, Alan Mathewson, Michael Peter Kennedy