Patents by Inventor Steven T. Sprouse

Steven T. Sprouse 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: 20080238565
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit may be used with controller circuits that are designed to operate with crystals, with no modifications to the pinout or firmware of the controller circuit. In some embodiments, the oscillator circuit includes an enable input that is responsive to low-amplitude transitions, which may be coupled to and driven by the crystal output signal of the controller circuit. When transitions are present on the crystal output signal, the oscillator circuit enables its clock output signal. When the controller circuit disables its crystal output signal, the oscillator circuit no longer detects transitions on the crystal output signal coupled to the oscillator circuit enable input, and disables the clock output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Steven T. Sprouse
  • Publication number: 20080238564
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit may be used with controller circuits that are designed to operate with crystals, with no modifications to the pinout or firmware of the controller circuit. In some embodiments, the oscillator circuit includes an enable input that is responsive to low-amplitude transitions, which may be coupled to and driven by the crystal output signal of the controller circuit. When transitions are present on the crystal output signal, the oscillator circuit enables its clock output signal. When the controller circuit disables its crystal output signal, the oscillator circuit no longer detects transitions on the crystal output signal coupled to the oscillator circuit enable input, and disables the clock output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Steven T. Sprouse
  • Patent number: 7416419
    Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus flash memory unit having an electrically conductive housing includes a spring that provides an electrically conductive, low-resistance pathway between the housing and the metal shell of the Universal Serial Bus connector so that electrostatic charge can directly discharge from the housing to the metal shell instead of discharging through electronic components within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sandisk Corporation
    Inventors: Patricio Collantes, Jr., Robert C. Miller, Steven T. Sprouse, Dhaval Parikh
  • Publication number: 20080045056
    Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus flash memory unit having an electrically conductive housing includes a spring that provides an electrically conductive, low-resistance pathway between the housing and the metal shell of the Universal Serial Bus connector so that electrostatic charge can directly discharge from the housing to the metal shell instead of discharging through electronic components within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Inventors: Patricio Collantes,, Robert C. Miller, Steven T. Sprouse, Dhaval Parikh
  • Publication number: 20080045049
    Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus flash memory unit having an electrically conductive housing includes a spring that provides an electrically conductive, low-resistance pathway between the housing and the metal shell of the Universal Serial Bus connector so that electrostatic charge can directly discharge from the housing to the metal shell instead of discharging through electronic components within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Inventors: Patricio Collantes, Robert C. Miller, Steven T. Sprouse, Dhaval Parikh
  • Patent number: 6794997
    Abstract: An embedded system comprising a CPU and non-volatile memory is adapted to extend the endurance of the non-volatile memory through the use of an encoding of information stored in the non-volatile memory. One or more data bits are encoded into a larger number of non-volatile memory bit patterns such that changes to the data bits are distributed across fewer changes per non-volatile memory bit. Non-volatile memory endurance is extended since more changes to the data values are possible than can be supported by underlying changes to individual non-volatile memory bits. Word pre-erase, if present, can be accommodated as well as memory bit failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven T. Sprouse
  • Publication number: 20040160343
    Abstract: An embedded system comprising a CPU and non-volatile memory is adapted to extend the endurance of the non-volatile memory through the use of an encoding of information stored in the non-volatile memory. One or more data bits are encoded into a larger number of non-volatile memory bit patterns such that changes to the data bits are distributed across fewer changes per non-volatile memory bit. Non-volatile memory endurance is extended since more changes to the data values are possible than can be supported by underlying changes to individual non-volatile memory bits. Word pre-erase, if present, can be accommodated as well as memory bit failures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Steven T. Sprouse