Abstract: A system and method is provided for providing integrated over-current protection in a switching power supply. In one embodiment, a switching power supply could comprise a gate drive circuit operative to receive a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal and to drive at least one power field effect transistor (FET) between alternating activated and deactivated states based on a pulse-width of the PWM signal. The switching power supply could also comprise a current sense circuit operative to measure a current associated with the at least one power FET during the activated state. The switching power supply could also comprise a first over-current protection circuit providing a first adjustment to the PWM signal in response to the current being substantially between a first threshold and a second threshold. The second threshold could be greater than the first threshold.

Abstract: A high resolution pulse width modulation (PWM) or voltage controlled output (DCO) generator is disclosed. The resolution is increased over that of the circuit clock by delaying the generated signal through a series of delays, all of which are controlled by a delay locked loop. The delays are a small fraction of the clock period, thus providing resolution greater than that of the circuit clock.

Abstract: A so-called “Virtual Clock” with varying frequency is provided for used by a multimedia streaming server to adapt its transmission rate dynamically to changing network conditions. The “Virtual Clock” system and method of the present invention compensates for a potential limitation of the Internet Real-time Transmission Protocol (RTP), that stamps every packet it delivers with a timestamp and expects the server using this timestamp to schedule the transmission of this particular packet accordingly. Consequently, the transmission rate is pre-determined by the encoded multimedia content when RPT is used. Using the “Virtual Clock” of the present invention, the streaming server has a mechanism to overcome this RTP limitation and can conduct transmission rate adaptation in a way that can balance the bandwidth requirement of the content with the bandwidth availability of the network.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for switching between multiple description coding and scalable coding that is dependent on the network characteristics and uses forward error correction (FEC) and scalable or prioritized video.

Abstract: A circular buffer, i.e., a chain of buffers forming a circle, is provided for managing packet loss detection in Internet streaming. The detection latency is determined by the size of the buffer chain, which can be dynamically adapted to network conditions and application requirements. The present invention can achieve reasonable detection accuracy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to generate a pulse-width modulated (PWM) with enhanced features in accordance with a pre-determined protocol using a standard microprocessor. The method and apparatus is able to handle both variable on/off-timing control and multiple-event interrupts. The PWM functions of the present invention are implemented by software in the microprocessor that handles not only on/off events controlled by external pins, but is programmable on/off timing as well.

Abstract: A system and method provides a realistic architecture and specifies the protocols that are necessary for carrying out adaptive and efficient protection, thereby allowing applications to dynamically switch between different protection strategies. Protection is uniquely achieved by providing the protection track (206, 208, 210) as a separate stream from the media data stream (202, 204). In this manner, changing the protection data can change the protection level or strategy, but the protection procedures remain the same. Further, the method uses Real-time Transport protocol (RTSP) instead of Internet Group Management protocol (IGMP) which can achieve faster protection and provide more flexibility to applications.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to facilitate the transmission of scalable coded video over IP networks. A proposed pre-processing method is disclosed, referred to as multi-track hinting, efficiently structures layered video into a flexible format so that it can be easily streamed over packet-switching networks in accordance with changing network conditions, complexity constraints and user preferences. A general purpose MPEG server, without major modification, is capable of automatically using multiple channels (i.e., RTP connections), thereby providing the streaming system the flexibility to adapt to changing network conditions, complexity constraints and user preferences by adjusting the number of scalable layers to be transmitted. Accordingly, the multi-track hinting method extends the functions of standard Internet streaming protocols (RTSP, SDP) to enable flexible adaptation.

Abstract: A method of operating a timer (30, 110) involves a generation of a first clock signal indicative of a time shifting of a second clock signal, a generation of a first timing signal having a first pulse, and a generation of a second timing signal having a second pulse indicative of a mixture of the first clock signal and the first pulse of the first timing signal. A method of operating a PWM (70, 150, 190) involves a generation of a first clock signal indicative of a time shifting of a second clock signal, a generation of a first pulse width modulated signal having a first pulse width, and a generation of a second pulse width modulated signal having a second pulse width indicative of a mixture of the first clock signal and the first pulse width of the first pulse width modulated signal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for delivery of encoding video data over a data network such as an IP network. In addition to having a server capable of sending multiple layers of data into the data network, the system comprises adaptive nodes located intermediate the server and clients located downstream of the adaptive node where these clients may be receivers and/or other adaptive nodes. Receivers and adaptive nodes may be capable of analyzing network capacity by perceiving network congestion conditions of the data network at that device and dynamically changing the channel subscriptions to which the receiver and/or the adaptive node have subscribed based on the perceived network congestion conditions. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.

Abstract: A power supply comprising a flyback converter and a controller is disclosed. The flyback converter drives a load when electrically coupled to an alternating current power source. The controller controls a soft switching during each switching time period of the flyback converter. Upon an initial switching time period, the controller determines each acceptable switching frequency for the subsequent switching time periods and selects one of the acceptable switching frequencies for soft switching the flyback converter over one or more switching time periods during a constant load.

Abstract: A digital controller comprises two control paths each having an A/D converter. One of the two converters has a substantially higher sampling speed and lower resolution than the other. Thus, one is suitable to deal with the fast responses while the other is suitable to deal with the slow responses, and can replace high-speed high-resolution A/D converter which is high in both cost and power consumption.

Abstract: A power transforming apparatus comprises at least two transformers connected parallel to each other between a common power source and a common output, each of said transformers including a primary and a secondary for transforming power from said same power source to said same output. The resistive loss is substantially decreased because the current is split among multiple transformers, and therefore the temperature of the transformer is kept low as less heat is produced from the transformer loss.

Abstract: An intermetal dielectric structure for integrated circuits is provided having a premetal dielectric and a metal line thereon, with a SRO liner on the premetal dielectric layer and the metal lines, a FGS dielectric layer over the SRO liner, a SRO film over the FGS dielectric layer, and a TEOS dielectric layer over the SRO film. Vias through the FGS dielectric layer are treated to have fluorine-free regions around the vias. The structure is not subject to fluorine attack on the metal lines or vias while having a stable FGS dielectric layer with less fluorine out-gassing and out-diffusion.

Abstract: A switch mode power supply (SMPS) and method are provided. In particular, the present invention provides an SMPS in which data is encoded by manipulating voltage pulses on a primary side. The manipulated voltage pulses are then transferred over a transformer to a secondary side. Secondary side pulses generated in response to the primary side pulses are sensed and decoded by a detector. The present invention allows data to be transferred from the primary side to the secondary side without affecting output voltages.

Abstract: A switch mode power supply (SMPS) and method are provided. In particular, the present invention provides an SMPS in which data is encoded by manipulating voltage pulses on a primary side. The manipulated voltage pulses are then transferred over a transformer to a secondary side. Secondary side pulses generated in response to the primary side pulses are sensed and decoded by a detector. The present invention allows data to be transferred from the primary side to the secondary side without affecting output voltages.

Abstract: An intermetal dielectric structure for integrated circuits and a manufacturing method therefore is provided having a premetal dielectric and a metal line thereon, with a SRO liner on the premetal dielectric layer and the metal lines, a FGS dielectric layer over the SRO liner, a SRO film over the FGS dielectric layer, and a TEOS dielectric layer over the SRO film. Vias through the FGS dielectric layer are treated to have fluorine-free regions around the vias. The structure is not subject to fluorine attack on the metal lines or vias while having a stable FGS dielectric layer with less fluorine out-gassing and out-diffusion.

Abstract: An intermetal dielectric structure for integrated circuits and a manufacturing method therefore is provided having a premetal dielectric and a metal line thereon, with a SRO liner on the premetal dielectric layer and the metal lines, a FGS dielectric layer over the SRO liner, a SRO film over the FGS dielectric layer, and a TEOS dielectric layer over the SRO film. Vias through the FGS dielectric layer are treated to have fluorine-free regions around the vias. The structure is not subject to fluorine attack on the metal lines or vias while having a stable FGS dielectric layer with less fluorine out-gassing and out-diffusion.

Abstract: A method for reducing harmonic distortions and switching losses in a power factor correction circuit of a quasi-resonant voltage converter, wherein using data derived from the sensing a voltage impressed on the switching device in the power converter, a multitude of event times can be calculated that will align the timings of the drive circuitry of the power converter to those of the natural resonance transitions of reactive elements of the converter. An over-sampling of the voltage impressed on the switching device voltage allows accurate sensing of a “zero-current” cross-over condition in an inductance of the converter.

Abstract: A power supply comprising a flyback converter and a controller is disclosed. The flyback converter drives a load when electrically coupled to an alternating current power source. The controller controls a soft switching during each switching time period of the flyback converter. Upon an initial switching time period, the controller determines each acceptable switching frequency for the subsequent switching time periods and selects one of the acceptable switching frequencies for soft switching the flyback converter over one or more switching time periods during a constant load.