Patents by Inventor Patrick C. Neil

Patrick C. Neil 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: 8446349
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling deformable micromirror devices are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a display system includes multiple deformable micromirror devices, a buffer, and a controller. Each deformable micromirror device includes a plurality of micromirrors. The buffer is communicatively coupled, at a first interface speed, to each deformable micromirror device. The buffer is operable to communicate in parallel with the deformable micromirror devices. The controller is communicatively coupled, at a second interface speed, to the buffer. The controller is operable to receive a display input and, in response, generate a plurality signals each corresponding to an optical characteristic of the display input. The controller is further operable to sequentially communicate each of the plurality of signals through the buffer to a corresponding one of the deformable micromirror devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sue Hui, Larry D. Dickinson, Gregory R. Basile, James A. Strain, Patrick C. Neil
  • Publication number: 20090135314
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling deformable micromirror devices are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a display system includes multiple deformable micromirror devices, a buffer, and a controller. Each deformable micromirror device includes a plurality of micromirrors. The buffer is communicatively coupled, at a first interface speed, to each deformable micromirror device. The buffer is operable to communicate in parallel with the deformable micromirror devices. The controller is communicatively coupled, at a second interface speed, to the buffer. The controller is operable to receive a display input and, in response, generate a plurality signals each corresponding to an optical characteristic of the display input. The controller is further operable to sequentially communicate each of the plurality of signals through the buffer to a corresponding one of the deformable micromirror devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sue Hui, Larry D. Dickinson, Gregory R. Basile, James A. Strain, Patrick C. Neil
  • Patent number: 6564279
    Abstract: A computer system (10) includes a plurality of hot-plug sockets (30-33), each of which can be selectively uncoupled from a bus (59) during normal system operation, in order to facilitate insertion or removal of module (36). A clock signal (PCLK) is generated at one of two different frequencies, and at system power-up a clock arbitration circuit (47) is responsive to modules which are present for specifying a speed of the clock signal. A hot-plug controller circuit (18) can selectively uncouple one of the hot-plug sockets from the bus during normal operation to facilitate insertion or removal of a module, and also facilitates a determination of whether clock speed requirements of an inserted module are compatible with the current clock speed. The selected socket is recoupled to the bus only if the inserted module is compatible with the current clock speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Patrick C. Neil, Robert Craig Hugus, Ananth S. Vijalapuram
  • Patent number: 6151681
    Abstract: A power management method and system which includes providing a system having a plurality of clock operated circuits, each clock operated circuit being operable in response to the receipt of clock signals. A first subplurality of the clock operated circuits receives an uninterrupted stream of clock signals and thereby is uninterruptably operable and a second plurality of the clock operated circuits receives a normally off interruptable stream of clock signals and is normally inoperable. The system is sampled for the presence of data signals being input thereto. The clock signals are sent to the second plurality of circuits in response to the sampling the presence of data signals being input to the system to cause the second plurality of circuits to be operable. The data signals are transmitted to the second plurality of circuits after a time delay equal to or greater than the expired time from the sampling to the sending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Philip A. Roden, Patrick C. Neil, David W. Rekieta