Patents by Inventor Richard Madter

Richard Madter 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).

  • Publication number: 20120021709
    Abstract: A system and method for managing battery slump in a battery-powered communications device including: an input configured for receiving battery voltage level information; an output configured for sending a signal for terminating a transmission; and a controller connected to the input and the output and configured to receive the battery voltage level information from the input; monitor the battery voltage level information; and send a signal via the output to terminate a transmission if the battery voltage level information crosses a predetermined threshold during the transmission. In particular, the system and method may further include an input connected to the controller and configured for receiving a signal indicating when a transmission is beginning or occurring and the controller is further configured to receive and monitor the battery voltage level information only when the transmission is occurring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Martin Guthrie, Richard Madter, Dusan Veselic, Christopher Book, Kent Nickerson
  • Patent number: 8032189
    Abstract: A system and method for managing battery slump in a battery-powered communications device including: an input configured for receiving battery voltage level information; an output configured for sending a signal for terminating a transmission; and a controller connected to the input and the output and configured to receive the battery voltage level information from the input; monitor the battery voltage level information; and send a signal via the output to terminate a transmission if the battery voltage level information crosses a predetermined threshold during the transmission. In particular, the system and method may further include an input connected to the controller and configured for receiving a signal indicating when a transmission is beginning or occurring and the controller is further configured to receive and monitor the battery voltage level information only when the transmission is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Martin Guthrie, Richard Madter, Dusan Veselic, Christopher Book, Kent Nickerson
  • Publication number: 20080028119
    Abstract: A device employs a method for determining the data bus width of a non-volatile memory, such as NAND flash memory. The method performs at least two read operations on the non-volatile memory so as to test the changing of selected data bits. The method may be performed such that weak pull down and pull up operations are performed to test the data outputs of the non-volatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Jerrold RANDELL, Richard MADTER, Wei Yao HUANG
  • Publication number: 20080014997
    Abstract: A system and method for managing battery slump in a battery-powered communications device including: an input configured for receiving battery voltage level information; an output configured for sending a signal for terminating a transmission; and a controller connected to the input and the output and configured to receive the battery voltage level information from the input; monitor the battery voltage level information; and send a signal via the output to terminate a transmission if the battery voltage level information crosses a predetermined threshold during the transmission. In particular, the system and method may further include an input connected to the controller and configured for receiving a signal indicating when a transmission is beginning or occurring and the controller is further configured to receive and monitor the battery voltage level information only when the transmission is occurring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Martin GUTHRIE, Richard Madter, Dusan Veselic, Christopher Book, Kent Nickerson
  • Publication number: 20080016283
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for bypassing cache memory when reading data from system memory particularly when the primary memory could include memory types where the read operation mixes non-data with data. A system and method are provided for bypassing and invalidating cache memory when writing data to system memory particularly when the primary memory could include memory types where the write operation mixes non-data with data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventor: Richard Madter
  • Publication number: 20070094451
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for bypassing cache memory when reading data from system memory particularly when the primary memory could include memory types where the read operation mixes non-data with data. A system and method are provided for bypassing and invalidating cache memory when writing data to system memory particularly when the primary memory could include memory types where the write operation mixes non-data with data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventor: Richard Madter
  • Publication number: 20060152873
    Abstract: An over-voltage protection circuit is disclosed herein for protection against over-voltage of an energy storage device while charging. The circuit operates within the operational limits of a battery-operated device, such as a mobile or handheld device. The over-voltage protection circuit comprises an over-voltage protection device, and an over-voltage protection controller. The controller allows current to flow to the over-voltage protection device only when an energy storage device is experiencing over-voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Andrew Shiner, Carl Schaaff, Richard Madter, Roshy Mathew, Michael Habicher, Quang Luong
  • Publication number: 20060072369
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically saving the contents of volatile memory in a data processing device on power failure. A secondary power supply is provided, which upon failure of the primary power supply supplies power long enough for all modified information stored in volatile memory to be written to a non-volatile memory device such as NAND flash in an AutoSave procedure. In the preferred embodiment modified sectors in volatile memory are flagged, and only modified sectors with a directory list are written to non-volatile memory during the AutoSave procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Richard Madter, Karin Werder, Wei Yao Huang
  • Publication number: 20050232415
    Abstract: A system and method of creating and managing encryption keys in a data processing device generates subsequent encryption keys by combining the existing encryption key with an existing password and seed value. In the preferred embodiment, the initial encryption key is embedded during manufacture and is unknown to the user and manufacturer, thus ensuring that all subsequent encryption keys are derived from an unknown value. When a subsequent encryption key is generated, all data encrypted using the existing encryption key is decrypted using the existing encryption key and re-encrypted using the subsequent encryption key before the existing encryption key is overwritten. In a further aspect, during encryption/decryption the encryption key is combined with the sector address of the data to be encrypted/decrypted in order to generate a unique key for each sector of data to be encrypted/decrypted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Herbert Little, Jerrold Randell, Richard Madter, Ryan Hickey, Andrew Fergusson
  • Publication number: 20050193220
    Abstract: The present invention provides a secure JTAG interface to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In the preferred embodiment the invention operates through the combined efforts of a Security Module (SM) comprising a state machine that controls the security modes for the ASIC, and a Test Control Module (TCM) which contains the JTAG interface. The TCM operates in either a restricted mode or an unrestricted mode, depending on the state of the SM state machine. In a restricted mode, only limited access to memory content is permitted. In an unrestricted mode, full access to memory content is permitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Herbert Little, Jerrold Randell, Richard Madter, Ryan Hickey
  • Publication number: 20050185472
    Abstract: A memory interface controller and method to allow a processor designed and configured to operate with NOR flash and SRAM memory devices to instead operate using NAND flash and SDRAM. The system accomplishes this by caching sectors out of NAND flash into SDRAM, where the data can be randomly accessed by the processor as though it were accessing data from NOR flash/SRAM. Sectors containing data required by the processor are read out of NAND flash and written into SDRAM, where the data can be randomly accessed by the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Jerrold Randell, Richard Madter, Karin Werder
  • Publication number: 20050180206
    Abstract: A device employs a method for determining the data bus width of a non-volatile memory, such as NAND flash memory. The method performs at least two read operations on the non-volatile memory so as to test the changing of selected data bits. The method may be performed such that weak pull down and pull up operations are performed to test the data outputs of the non-volatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Jerrold Randell, Richard Madter, Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 6915442
    Abstract: A clock signal duty cycle control circuit is provided that receives an incoming signal from a clock signal input source and generates an improved output clock signal having an accurately controlled duty cycle. The circuit controls the duty cycle of the output clock signal by comparing the incoming signal to a reference value in a comparator. The reference value is derived from a reference charge stored on a capacitor. The reference charge is built up in the capacitor using the currents from a current source and a current sink, which are controlled using translated output signals from the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: John Wynen, Richard Madter, Andrew Fergusson
  • Publication number: 20050033951
    Abstract: A boot method an apparatus arc described which reduce the likelihood of a security breach in a mobile device, preferably in a situation where a reset has been initiated. A predetermined security value, or password, is stored, for example in BootROM. A value of a security location within FLASH memory is read and the two values are compared. Polling of the serial port is selectively performed, depending on the result of such comparison. In a presently preferred embodiment, if the value in the security location matches the predetermined security value, then polling of the serial port is nut performed. This reduces potential security breaches caused in conventional arrangements where code may be downloaded from the serial port and executed, which allows anyone to access and upload programs and data in the FLASH memory, including confidential and proprietary information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Richard Madter, Ryan Hickey, Christopher Pattenden
  • Publication number: 20030193357
    Abstract: A clock signal duty cycle control circuit is provided that receives an incoming signal from a clock signal input source and generates an improved output clock signal having an accurately controlled duty cycle. The circuit controls the duty cycle of the output clock signal by comparing the incoming signal to a reference value in a comparator. The reference value is derived from a reference charge stored on a capacitor. The reference charge is built up in the capacitor using the currents from a current source and a current sink, which are controlled using translated output signals from the comparator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: John Wynen, Richard Madter, Andrew Fergusson
  • Patent number: 6578154
    Abstract: A clock signal duty cycle control circuit is provided that receives an incoming signal from a clock signal input source and generates an improved output clock signal having an accurately controlled duty cycle. The circuit controls the duty cycle of the output clock signal by comparing the incoming signal to a reference value in a comparator. The reference value is derived from a reference charge stored on a capacitor. The reference charge is built up in the capacitor using the currents from a current source and a current sink, which are controlled using translated output signals from the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: John Wynen, Richard Madter, Andrew Fergusson