Patents by Inventor Pier Francese

Pier Francese 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: 10320332
    Abstract: Octagonal phase rotator includes an I-mixer having an I-DAC for steering current between positive and negative phases of an in-phase signal depending on k I-DAC control bits of a control code, a Q-mixer having a Q-DAC for steering current between the positive/negative phases of a quadrature signal depending on k Q-DAC control bits of the code, and an IQ-mixer having n IQ-mixer units each comprising an IQ-DAC for switching a second current unit between the in-phase and quadrature signals, in dependence on a respective bit of n IQ-DAC control bits, and between the positive/negative phases of the in-phase and quadrature signals via I and Q polarity switches respectively of that component. I and Q polarity switches of some different IQ-DAC components switch depending on different I-DAC control bits and Q-DAC control bits respectively. A summation circuit sums weighted output signals from the mixers to produce an output signal of phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Pier A. Francese
  • Publication number: 20180262161
    Abstract: Octagonal phase rotator includes an I-mixer having an I-DAC for steering current between positive and negative phases of an in-phase signal depending on k I-DAC control bits of a control code, a Q-mixer having a Q-DAC for steering current between the positive/negative phases of a quadrature signal depending on k Q-DAC control bits of the code, and an IQ-mixer having n IQ-mixer units each comprising an IQ-DAC for switching a second current unit between the in-phase and quadrature signals, in dependence on a respective bit of n IQ-DAC control bits, and between the positive/negative phases of the in-phase and quadrature signals via I and Q polarity switches respectively of that component. I and Q polarity switches of some different IQ-DAC components switch depending on different I-DAC control bits and Q-DAC control bits respectively. A summation circuit sums weighted output signals from the mixers to produce an output signal of phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventor: Pier A. Francese
  • Patent number: 10038468
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to peaking inductor array for a peaking control unit of a transceiver. An aspect includes the peaking inductor array comprising a plurality of cells connected in parallel, each cell comprising a respective active inductor. Another aspect includes each of the plurality of cells further comprising a decoupling capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Mangal Prasad, Hung H. Tran, Xiaobin Yuan
  • Patent number: 9991848
    Abstract: Octagonal phase rotator includes an I-mixer having an I-DAC for steering current between positive and negative phases of an in-phase signal depending on k I-DAC control bits of a control code, a Q-mixer having a Q-DAC for steering current between the positive/negative phases of a quadrature signal depending on k Q-DAC control bits of the code, and an IQ-mixer having n IQ-mixer units each comprising an IQ-DAC for switching a second current unit between the in-phase and quadrature signals, in dependence on a respective bit of n IQ-DAC control bits, and between the positive/negative phases of the in-phase and quadrature signals via I and Q polarity switches respectively of that component. I and Q polarity switches of some different IQ-DAC components switch depending on different I-DAC control bits and Q-DAC control bits respectively. A summation circuit sums weighted output signals from the mixers to produce an output signal of phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Pier A. Francese
  • Patent number: 9860087
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention may provide the capability for reducing power consumption in a speculative decision feedback equalizer by powering up the speculative path that is going to take the next decision based on the previous decision, and holding other paths in a reset low-power condition. For example, a Speculative Decision Feedback Equalizer may comprise a plurality of speculative paths, circuitry to provide power to a speculative path that will take the next decision based on the current decision, and circuitry to keep at least one other speculative path in a reset state with low or reduced power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Elisa Sacco
  • Publication number: 20170331510
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to peaking inductor array for a peaking control unit of a transceiver. An aspect includes the peaking inductor array comprising a plurality of cells connected in parallel, each cell comprising a respective active inductor. Another aspect includes each of the plurality of cells further comprising a decoupling capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Mangal Prasad, Hung H. Tran, Xiaobin Yuan
  • Patent number: 9748927
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to peaking inductor array for a peaking control unit of a transceiver. An aspect includes the peaking inductor array comprising a plurality of cells connected in parallel, each cell comprising a respective active inductor. Another aspect includes each of the plurality of cells further comprising a decoupling capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Mangal Prasad, Hung H. Tran, Xiaobin Yuan
  • Publication number: 20170040975
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to peaking inductor array for a peaking control unit of a transceiver. An aspect includes the peaking inductor array comprising a plurality of cells connected in parallel, each cell comprising a respective active inductor. Another aspect includes each of the plurality of cells further comprising a decoupling capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Mangal Prasad, Hung H. Tran, Xiaobin Yuan
  • Patent number: 9509281
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to peaking inductor array for a peaking control unit of a transceiver. An aspect includes the peaking inductor array comprising a plurality of cells connected in parallel, each cell comprising a respective active inductor. Another aspect includes each of the plurality of cells further comprising a decoupling capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Mangal Prasad, Hung H. Tran, Xiaobin Yuan
  • Patent number: 9258109
    Abstract: The invention relates to a phase rotation method for a clock recovery, comprising the steps of: providing a timing estimation value that indicates for each input data symbol at least whether an input data sample has been sampled early or late by a sampling clock signal; generating a phase offset value indicating a phase rotation of the sampling clock signal based on the timing estimation value; modifying the timing function value based on a change of the phase offset value, resulting in the timing estimation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Lukas Kull, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Publication number: 20150180648
    Abstract: The invention relates to a phase rotation method for a clock recovery, comprising the steps of: providing a timing estimation value that indicates for each input data symbol at least whether an input data sample has been sampled early or late by a sampling clock signal; generating a phase offset value indicating a phase rotation of the sampling clock signal based on the timing estimation value; modifying the timing function value based on a change of the phase offset value, resulting in the timing estimation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Lukas Kull, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Patent number: 8917762
    Abstract: A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) slice for a receiver includes a plurality of non-speculative DFE taps; and 3 speculative DFE taps, wherein the 3 speculative DFE taps comprise first and second multiplexer stages, each of the first and second multiplexer stages including 4 comparator latches, each of the 4 comparator latches having a programmable offset; and a multiplexer that receives 4 comparator latch outputs from the 4 comparator latches and outputs a multiplexer stage output, wherein the multiplexer is controlled by previous symbol decisions dn-2 and dn-3; and wherein the 3 speculative taps further comprise a 2:1 decision multiplexer stage that receives the multiplexer stage outputs of the first and second multiplexer stages and is controlled by a previous symbol decision dn-1 to output a slice output signal dn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Christian I. Menolfi, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Publication number: 20130322512
    Abstract: A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) slice for a receiver includes a plurality of non-speculative DFE taps; and 3 speculative DFE taps, wherein the 3 speculative DFE taps comprise first and second multiplexer stages, each of the first and second multiplexer stages including 4 comparator latches, each of the 4 comparator latches having a programmable offset; and a multiplexer that receives 4 comparator latch outputs from the 4 comparator latches and outputs a multiplexer stage output, wherein the multiplexer is controlled by previous symbol decisions dn-2 and dn-3; and wherein the 3 speculative taps further comprise a 2:1 decision multiplexer stage that receives the multiplexer stage outputs of the first and second multiplexer stages and is controlled by a previous symbol decision dn-1 to output a slice output signal dn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Christian I. Menolfi, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Patent number: 7948423
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for continuous synchronization of multiple ADC circuits is described. The ADC circuits can be arranged in a master-slave configuration within the system so that the converter clock is subdivided into slower speeds for the data output clock or for the control of de-multiplexing the outputs onto a wider bus, while maintaining ADC-to-ADC synchronization resilient to perturbations from noise and other upset sources. The configuration of the ADCs in the master-slave configuration can be varied according to overall system requirements in any one of a sequential configuration, a parallel configuration or a tree type of configuration, as well as others. Digital and/or analog timing adjustments can be made to each of the ADC circuits. The master clocking signals can be generated by a master clock generator circuit, which is either internally implemented in an ADC circuit, or externally implemented as a separate master clock generator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Callaghan Taft, Heinz Werker, Pier Francese, David Brian Barkin
  • Publication number: 20100201559
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for continuous synchronization of multiple ADC circuits is described. The ADC circuits can be arranged in a master-slave configuration within the system so that the converter clock is subdivided into slower speeds for the data output clock or for the control of de-multiplexing the outputs onto a wider bus, while maintaining ADC-to-ADC synchronization resilient to perturbations from noise and other upset sources. The configuration of the ADCs in the master-slave configuration can be varied according to overall system requirements in any one of a sequential configuration, a parallel configuration or a tree type of configuration, as well as others. Digital and/or analog timing adjustments can be made to each of the ADC circuits. The master clocking signals can be generated by a master clock generator circuit, which is either internally implemented in an ADC circuit, or externally implemented as a separate master clock generator circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Robert Callaghan Taft, Heinz Werker, Pier Francese, David Brian Barkin
  • Patent number: 7728753
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for continuous synchronization of multiple ADC circuits is described. The ADC circuits can be arranged in a master-slave configuration within the system so that the converter clock is subdivided into slower speeds for the data output clock or for the control of de-multiplexing the outputs onto a wider bus, while maintaining ADC-to-ADC synchronization resilient to perturbations from noise and other upset sources. The configuration of the ADCs in the master-slave configuration can be varied according to overall system requirements in any one of a sequential configuration, a parallel configuration or a tree type of configuration, as well as others. Digital and/or analog timing adjustments can be made to each of the ADC circuits. The master clocking signals can be generated by a master clock generator circuit, which is either internally implemented in an ADC circuit, or externally implemented as a separate master clock generator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Callaghan Taft, Heinz Werker, Pier Francese, David Barkin
  • Publication number: 20100090876
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for continuous synchronization of multiple ADC circuits is described. The ADC circuits can be arranged in a master-slave configuration within the system so that the converter clock is subdivided into slower speeds for the data output clock or for the control of de-multiplexing the outputs onto a wider bus, while maintaining ADC-to-ADC synchronization resilient to perturbations from noise and other upset sources. The configuration of the ADCs in the master-slave configuration can be varied according to overall system requirements in any one of a sequential configuration, a parallel configuration or a tree type of configuration, as well as others. Digital and/or analog timing adjustments can be made to each of the ADC circuits. The master clocking signals can be generated by a master clock generator circuit, which is either internally implemented in an ADC circuit, or externally implemented as a separate master clock generator circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Callaghan Taft, Heinz Werker, Pier Francese, David Brian Barkin