Patents by Inventor Pascal Blouin

Pascal Blouin 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: 11804811
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: a low noise amplifier (LNA) to receive and amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal, the LNA having a first controllable gain; a mixer to downconvert the RF signal to a second frequency signal; a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) coupled to the mixer to amplify the second frequency signal, the PGA having a second controllable gain; a digitizer to digitize the second frequency signal to a digitized signal; a demodulator coupled to the digitizer to demodulate the digitized signal; an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit to control one or more of the first controllable gain and the second controllable gain; and an AGC settling circuit to cause the demodulator to begin operation in response to determining that the AGC circuit has settled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Gorday, Guner Arslan, Marc Leroux, Pascal Blouin
  • Publication number: 20220352861
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: a low noise amplifier (LNA) to receive and amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal, the LNA having a first controllable gain; a mixer to downconvert the RF signal to a second frequency signal; a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) coupled to the mixer to amplify the second frequency signal, the PGA having a second controllable gain; a digitizer to digitize the second frequency signal to a digitized signal; a demodulator coupled to the digitizer to demodulate the digitized signal; an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit to control one or more of the first controllable gain and the second controllable gain; and an AGC settling circuit to cause the demodulator to begin operation in response to determining that the AGC circuit has settled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Robert M. Gorday, Guner Arslan, Marc Leroux, Pascal Blouin
  • Patent number: 11316482
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes: a modulator to modulate a first signal; a distortion circuit coupled to the modulator to digitally pre-distort the first signal to compensate for a distortion of an amplifier; a distortion characterization circuit coupled to the distortion circuit to determine the distortion of the amplifier and configure the distortion circuit based on the determined distortion; a mixer coupled to the distortion circuit to upconvert the pre-distorted first signal to a pre-distorted radio frequency (RF) signal; and the amplifier coupled to the mixer to amplify the pre-distorted RF signal and output an amplified RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Luigi Panseri, Mustafa Koroglu, Emmanuel Gautier, Pascal Blouin
  • Publication number: 20210399690
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes: a modulator to modulate a first signal; a distortion circuit coupled to the modulator to digitally pre-distort the first signal to compensate for a distortion of an amplifier; a distortion characterization circuit coupled to the distortion circuit to determine the distortion of the amplifier and configure the distortion circuit based on the determined distortion; a mixer coupled to the distortion circuit to upconvert the pre-distorted first signal to a pre-distorted radio frequency (RF) signal; and the amplifier coupled to the mixer to amplify the pre-distorted RF signal and output an amplified RF signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Luigi PANSERI, Mustafa KOROGLU, Emmanuel GAUTIER, Pascal BLOUIN
  • Patent number: 10523251
    Abstract: A communications receiver with improved blocker performance including multiple gain tables selected based on a number of reductions or back offs from a maximum coarse gain setting. A receiver chain with multiple gain stages converts a received signal to a digital format, determines the power level of the received signal, and provides an overload indication. A first gain table maximizes SNR and SNDR for weak blockers and at least one additional gain table successively improves SNDR for stronger blockers. An AGC circuit initially sets the coarse gain setting to maximum, and backs off a number of coarse gain steps until the receiver chain is not overloaded. The number of back off steps is used to select a gain table, the power level is used to select an entry in the selected table, and the selected entry includes gain settings for the gain stages of the receiver chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Abdulkerim L. Coban, Emmanuel Gautier, Fabrice Portier, Pascal Blouin, Wenhuan Yu
  • Patent number: 9491393
    Abstract: In one form, a multi-chip module for a multi-mode receiver includes an MCM substrate and first and second demodulator die. The MCM substrate has first and second satellite input ports, first and second terrestrial/cable input ports, and first and second transport stream ports. The first demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the first satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the first terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate. The second demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the second satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the second terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: SILICON LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Vitor Pereira, Pascal Blouin, David LeGoff, Frederic Nicolas
  • Publication number: 20160105629
    Abstract: In one form, a multi-chip module for a multi-mode receiver includes an MCM substrate and first and second demodulator die. The MCM substrate has first and second satellite input ports, first and second terrestrial/cable input ports, and first and second transport stream ports. The first demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the first satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the first terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate. The second demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the second satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the second terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: SILICON LABORATORIES INC.
    Inventors: Vitor Pereira, Pascal Blouin, David LeGoff, Frederic Nicolas
  • Patent number: 9258596
    Abstract: In one form, a multi-chip module for a multi-mode receiver includes an MCM substrate and first and second demodulator die. The MCM substrate has first and second satellite input ports, first and second terrestrial/cable input ports, and first and second transport stream ports. The first demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the first satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the first terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate. The second demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the second satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the second terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: SILICON LABORATORIES INC.
    Inventors: Vitor Pereira, Pascal Blouin, David LeGoff, Frederic Nicolas
  • Publication number: 20150249856
    Abstract: In one form, a multi-chip module for a multi-mode receiver includes an MCM substrate and first and second demodulator die. The MCM substrate has first and second satellite input ports, first and second terrestrial/cable input ports, and first and second transport stream ports. The first demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the first satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the first terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate. The second demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the second satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the second terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Vitor Pereira, Pascal Blouin, David LeGoff, Frederic Nicolas
  • Patent number: 9036091
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a tuner, a digital television (DTV) demodulator, an analog television (ATV) demodulator, and a controller. The tuner includes an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal including at least one of an analog television signal and digital television signal, and including a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The DTV demodulator includes a DTV input coupled to the first output terminal of the tuner and includes a DTV output terminal. The ATV demodulator includes an ATV input coupled to the second output terminal of the tuner and includes an ATV output terminal. The controller is coupled to the tuner, the DTV demodulator, and the ATV demodulator to configure the tuner and at least one of the DTV demodulator and the ATV demodulator for receiving television content in a selected television format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Alan F. Hendrickson, Alessandro Piovaccari, Ramin Khoini-Poorfard, Mitchell Reid, Frederick Alan Rush, Jean-Marc Guyot, David Le Goff, Michael Robert May, Henry William Singor, Qi Cai, Peter Jozef Vancorenland, Chunyu Xin, Pascal Blouin
  • Patent number: 8959274
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an interface may include various mechanisms to handle incoming clock and data signals. More specifically, the interface includes a first multiplexer to receive a first data signal via a serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus coupled to a first pin and a second multiplexer to receive a first clock signal via the SPI bus coupled to a second pin of the first IC and a second clock signal via an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus coupled to a third pin. In addition, the interface may include a decoder to receive the second clock signal and a second data signal via the I2C bus coupled to a fourth pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: David Le Goff, Pascal Blouin, Eric Mauger
  • Publication number: 20140063343
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an interface may include various mechanisms to handle incoming clock and data signals. More specifically, the interface includes a first multiplexer to receive a first data signal via a serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus coupled to a first pin and a second multiplexer to receive a first clock signal via the SPI bus coupled to a second pin of the first IC and a second clock signal via an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus coupled to a third pin. In addition, the interface may include a decoder to receive the second clock signal and a second data signal via the I2C bus coupled to a fourth pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: David Le Goff, Pascal Blouin, Eric Mauger
  • Patent number: 8237869
    Abstract: A multi-standard single-chip receiver for digital demodulation of TV signals broadcasted over any of multiple digital television means, e.g., satellite, cable and terrestrial, is provided. The receiver can receive and demodulate a variety of different signal types received from one or more up-front tuners. A demodulator architecture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can be optimized to re-use common demodulation processing blocks for the different incoming signal types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Pascal Blouin, Frederic Nicolas, David Rault, Olivier Souloumiac, Emmanuel Gautier, Stephane Faudeil, Eric Vapillon, Gaetan Guillaume, Laurent Appercel
  • Publication number: 20120176550
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a tuner, a digital television (DTV) demodulator, an analog television (ATV) demodulator, and a controller. The tuner includes an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal including at least one of an analog television signal and digital television signal, and including a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The DTV demodulator includes a DTV input coupled to the first output terminal of the tuner and includes a DTV output terminal. The ATV demodulator includes an ATV input coupled to the second output terminal of the tuner and includes an ATV output terminal. The controller is coupled to the tuner, the DTV demodulator, and the ATV demodulator to configure the tuner and at least one of the DTV demodulator and the ATV demodulator for receiving television content in a selected television format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Alan F. Hendrickson, Alessandro Piovaccari, Ramin Khoini-Poorfard, Mitchell Reid, Frederick Alan Rush, Jean-Marc Guyot, David Le Goff, Michael Robert May, Henry William Singor, Qi Cai, Peter Jozef Vancorenland, Chunyu Xin, Pascal Blouin
  • Publication number: 20110242428
    Abstract: A multi-standard single-chip receiver for digital demodulation of TV signals broadcasted over any of multiple digital television means, e.g., satellite, cable and terrestrial, is provided. The receiver can receive and demodulate a variety of different signal types received from one or more up-front tuners. A demodulator architecture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can be optimized to re-use common demodulation processing blocks for the different incoming signal types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Pascal Blouin, Frederic Nicolas, David Rault, Olivier Souloumiac, Emmanuel Gautier, Stephane Faudeil, Eric Vapillon, Gaetan Guillaume, Laurent Appercel
  • Patent number: 5373258
    Abstract: In the slaving process, a reference signal is sampled by a clock signal of an oscillator and then digitized. The value representative of a phase error is then deduced from the sampled and digitized signal. A correction value is then deduced from this phase error to correct a digital value representing the oscillator control voltage. The device of the invention allows this process to be implemented. The invention also relates to a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator incorporating such a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Guy Gerot, Pascal Blouin