Patents by Inventor Ronald F. Alton

Ronald F. Alton 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: 9703336
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for optimizing processing performance in a multi-functional portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. Depending on how the PCD is being used, the temperature limit associated with the touch temperature of the PCD may be variable. As such, a preset and fixed touch temperature limit based on a “worst use case” scenario can unnecessarily limit the quality of service (“QoS”) provided to a user under different use case scenarios. Accordingly, embodiments of the systems and methods define and recognize different device definitions for the PCD which are each associated with certain use cases and each dictate different temperature thresholds or limits subject to which the PCD may run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald F. Alton, Praveen Kumar Chidambaram, Jon J. Anderson, Christopher Lee Medrano, Xin Qi, David Cheuk Wai Ng
  • Patent number: 9360907
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive thermal management techniques implemented in a portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. Notably, in many PCDs, temperature thresholds associated with various components in the PCD such as, but not limited to, die junction temperatures, package on package (“PoP”) memory temperatures and the “touch temperature” of the external surfaces of the device itself limits the extent to which the performance capabilities of the PCD can be exploited. It is an advantage of the various embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive thermal management that, when a temperature threshold is violated, the performance of the PCD is sacrificed only as much and for as long as necessary to clear the violation before authorizing the thermally aggressive processing component(s) to return to a maximum operating power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Paras S. Doshi, Ankur Jain, Unnikrishnan Vadakkanmaruveedu, Vinay Mitter, Anil Vootukuru, Ronald F. Alton, Jon J. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9323296
    Abstract: A system, a method and an apparatus are described. The apparatus includes a modem that responds to a thermal mitigation request by invoking different levels of thermal mitigation for different concurrently active connections. In some instances, the modem may invoke thermal mitigation with respect to a first active connection and refrain from invoking thermal mitigation with respect to a second active connection maintained by the modem. The apparatus determines the first and second active connections based on subscriptions corresponding to subscriber identification modules, an identification of a power amplifier or group of power amplifiers responsible for a thermal issue in the modem. The selection of mitigation levels for each active connection and decisions to invoke mitigation on one connection while refraining from invoking mitigation on another connection may be based on priorities of the active connections, including quality of service related priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Francis M. Ngai, Amy Derbyshire, Ronald F. Alton, Amit Mahajan, Michael L. McCloud, Reza Shahidi, Sridhar Bandaru, Ashish V Gaonekar
  • Publication number: 20150169016
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive thermal management techniques implemented in a portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. Notably, in many PCDs, temperature thresholds associated with various components in the PCD such as, but not limited to, die junction temperatures, package on package (“PoP”) memory temperatures and the “touch temperature” of the external surfaces of the device itself limits the extent to which the performance capabilities of the PCD can be exploited. It is an advantage of the various embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive thermal management that, when a temperature threshold is violated, the performance of the PCD is sacrificed only as much and for as long as necessary to clear the violation before authorizing the thermally aggressive processing component(s) to return to a maximum operating power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: PARAS S. DOSHI, ANKUR JAIN, UNNIKRISHNAN VADAKKANMARUVEEDU, VINJAY MITTER, ANIL VOOTUKURU, RONALD F. ALTON, JON J. ANDERSON
  • Patent number: 8972759
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive thermal management techniques implemented in a portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. Notably, in many PCDs, temperature thresholds associated with various components in the PCD such as, but not limited to, die junction temperatures, package on package (“PoP”) memory temperatures and the “touch temperature” of the external surfaces of the device itself limits the extent to which the performance capabilities of the PCD can be exploited. It is an advantage of the various embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive thermal management that, when a temperature threshold is violated, the performance of the PCD is sacrificed only as much and for as long as necessary to clear the violation before authorizing the thermally aggressive processing component(s) to return to a maximum operating power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Paras S. Doshi, Ankur Jain, Unnikrishnan Vadakkanmaruveedu, Vinay Mitter, Anil Vootukuru, Ronald F. Alton, Jon J. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20140245028
    Abstract: Various methods and systems for minimum supply voltage level selection in a portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. It is an advantage of the various embodiments that PCD designers may close timing at a certain minimum supply voltage and operating temperature threshold that is higher than the lowest end of the main operating temperature range within which the PCD must function. By closing timing at the higher operating temperature threshold, relatively smaller components requiring relatively lower power consumption may be used in the PCD, thereby providing improved overall power consumption when the PCD is operating at operating temperatures above the threshold. To maintain functionality when operating temperatures fall below the threshold, the minimum supply voltage to the components is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Sorin Dobre, Ronald F. Alton, Jon J. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20140236380
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for optimizing processing performance in a multi-functional portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. Depending on how the PCD is being used, the temperature limit associated with the touch temperature of the PCD may be variable. As such, a preset and fixed touch temperature limit based on a “worst use case” scenario can unnecessarily limit the quality of service (“QoS”) provided to a user under different use case scenarios. Accordingly, embodiments of the systems and methods define and recognize different device definitions for the PCD which are each associated with certain use cases and each dictate different temperature thresholds or limits subject to which the PCD may run.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald F. Alton, Praveen Chidambaram, Jon J. Anderson, Christopher Lee Medrano, Xin Qi, David Cheuk Wai Wai Ng
  • Publication number: 20140200685
    Abstract: A system, a method and an apparatus are described. The apparatus includes a modem that responds to a thermal mitigation request by invoking different levels of thermal mitigation for different concurrently active connections. In some instances, the modem may invoke thermal mitigation with respect to a first active connection and refrain from invoking thermal mitigation with respect to a second active connection maintained by the modem. The apparatus determines the first and second active connections based on subscriptions corresponding to subscriber identification modules, an identification of a power amplifier or group of power amplifiers responsible for a thermal issue in the modem. The selection of mitigation levels for each active connection and decisions to invoke mitigation on one connection while refraining from invoking mitigation on another connection may be based on priorities of the active connections, including quality of service related priorities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventors: Francis M. NGAI, Amy DERBYSHIRE, Ronald F. ALTON, Amit MAHAJAN, Michael L. MCCLOUD, Reza SHAHIDI, Sridhar BANDARU, Ashish V. GAONEKAR
  • Publication number: 20140006818
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive thermal management techniques implemented in a portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. Notably, in many PCDs, temperature thresholds associated with various components in the PCD such as, but not limited to, die junction temperatures, package on package (“PoP”) memory temperatures and the “touch temperature” of the external surfaces of the device itself limits the extent to which the performance capabilities of the PCD can be exploited. It is an advantage of the various embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive thermal management that, when a temperature threshold is violated, the performance of the PCD is sacrificed only as much and for as long as necessary to clear the violation before authorizing the thermally aggressive processing component(s) to return to a maximum operating power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Paras S. Doshi, Ankur Jain, Unnikrishnan Vadakkanmaruveedu, Vinay Mitter, Anil Vootukuru, Ronald F. Alton, Jon J. Anderson