Patents by Inventor Randall Kent Sears

Randall Kent Sears 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).

  • Ethernet controller with excess on-board flash for microcontroller interface
    Patent number: 7624157
    Abstract: A single chip network controller for interfacing between a physical network and a processing system on the media side of the network controller. The network controller includes a physical layer for receiving data for transmission to the network and encoding the received data for transmission thereto and for receiving data from the network, and for receiving data from the network and decoding the received data. A media layer is provided for interfacing with the processing system for receiving data from the processing system for interface with the physical layer for encoding and transmission thereof and for receiving decoded data from the physical layer and providing access thereto by the processing system. An on-chip non-volatile memory is provided having a first portion associated with configuration information for configuring the operation of the physical layer and the media layer, and a second portion thereof that is accessible by the processing system on the media side of the network controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Saroshan David, Paul Kent Highley, Randall Kent Sears
  • System and method for using network interface card reset pin as indication of lock loss of a phase locked loop and brownout condition
    Patent number: 7536608
    Abstract: A method for providing an indication from a network interface controller to a microcontroller is disclosed wherein upon occurrence of a particular condition within the network interface controller, an indication is provided from a reset pin of the network interface controller to the microcontroller unit. Upon receipt of the indication by the microcontroller unit, communications between the network interface controller and the microcontroller unit are inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Saroshan David, Randall Kent Sears
  • System and method for using network interface card reset pin as indication of lock loss of a phase locked loop and brownout condition
    Patent number: 7325167
    Abstract: A method for providing an indication from a network interface controller to a microcontroller is disclosed wherein upon occurrence of a particular condition within the network interface controller, an indication is provided from a reset pin of the network interface controller to the microcontroller unit. Upon receipt of the indication by the microcontroller unit, communications between the network interface controller and the microcontroller unit are inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Saroshan David, Randall Kent Sears