Patents by Inventor Timothy Martin Dobson

Timothy Martin Dobson 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: 8176398
    Abstract: A method is used that substantially simultaneously trellis encodes data to be modulated onto multiple tones. The embodiments of the present invention comprise the steps of: (a) using a first input operand comprising state bits for a first trellis stage; (b) using a second input operand comprising a plurality of input data bits; and (c) generating an output comprising output data bits and output state bits from a first or later trellis stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 7987347
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a zero overhead loop in a microprocessor or microprocessor based system/chip are disclosed. The systems and methods include the use of a breakpoint mechanism which is additionally used in debugging in order to provide some of the looping functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Sophie Mary Wilson, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 7903810
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for efficiently scrambling one or more bytes of data according to DSL standards on a processor. This is achieved by providing an instruction for scrambling one or more bytes of data according to the DSL standards. Accordingly, the invention advantageously provides a processor with the ability to scramble data with a single instruction thus allowing for more efficient and faster scrambling operations for subsequent modulation and transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 7756273
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for efficiently bit-reversing and scrambling one or more bytes of payload data according to DSL standards on a processor. In one embodiment, this is achieved by providing an instruction for bit reversing and scrambling one or more bytes of data according to the DSL standards. Accordingly, the invention advantageously provides a processor with the ability to bit reverse and scramble data with a single instruction thus allowing for more efficient and faster scrambling operations for subsequent modulation and transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 7751557
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for efficiently de-scrambling one or more bytes of data according to DSL standards on a processor. This is achieved by providing an instruction for de-scrambling one or more bytes of data according to the DSL standards. Accordingly, the invention advantageously provides a processor with the ability to de-scramble data with a single instruction thus allowing for more efficient and faster de-scrambling operations for subsequent processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 7734041
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for efficiently de-scrambling and bit-order-reversing one or more bytes of data according to DSL standards on a processor. In a preferred embodiment, this is achieved by providing an instruction for de-scrambling and bit-order-reversing one or more bytes of data according to DSL standards. Accordingly, the invention advantageously provides a processor with the ability to de-scramble and bit-order-reverse data with a single instruction thus allowing for more efficient and faster de-scrambling operations for subsequent processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 7580412
    Abstract: In an Asynchronous Transfer Mode cell, a method and apparatus are disclosed for producing a cell header having bytes with bits in reverse order. Address and control data bytes are received, and a value for a reverse bit Header Error Control byte is generated from the address and control data bytes. Additionally, the order of bits within each address and control data byte is reversed. The produced cell header comprises the reverse bit Header Error Control byte and the address and control data bytes with each address and control data byte having its bits in reversed order. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a processor instruction for producing the cell header having bytes with bits in reverse order. The instruction receives as input address and control data bytes. The instruction then computes a Header Error Control byte and formats the Header Error Control byte in reverse bit order for subsequent processing within the modem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Publication number: 20080155237
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a zero overhead loop in a microprocessor or microprocessor based system/chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Martin Dobson, Mark Taunton
  • Publication number: 20080155236
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a zero overhead loop in a microprocessor or microprocessor based system/chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Sophie Mary Wilson, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Publication number: 20080147760
    Abstract: A system and method for accelerating the performance of finite impulse response (FIR) filtering operations in a processor system. The system and method accelerates FIR filtering operations by using a holding register to provide additional input samples to an instruction beyond those normally accommodated by source registers, and by using a large number of multipliers that can operate in parallel on the input samples in order to generate output sample of a FIR filter, such as a non-decimating FIR filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Broadcom Comporation
    Inventor: Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Publication number: 20080137771
    Abstract: A method is used that substantially simultaneously trellis encodes data to be modulated onto multiple tones. The embodiments of the present invention comprise the steps of: (a) using a first input operand comprising state bits for a first trellis stage; (b) using a second input operand comprising a plurality of input data bits; and (c) generating an output comprising output data bits and output state bits from a first or later trellis stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 7305608
    Abstract: A method is used that substantially simultaneously trellis encodes data to be modulated onto multiple tones. The embodiments of the present invention comprise the steps of: (a) using a first input operand comprising state bits for a first trellis stage; (b) using a second input operand comprising a plurality of input data bits; and (c) generating an output comprising output data bits and output state bits from a first or later trellis stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 7266671
    Abstract: There is disclosed a technique for accessing a register file which comprises defining a first register address as a plurality of bits and using said first register address to access said register file generating a second register address by using a sequence of said plurality of bits with at least one of said plurality of bits supplied via a unitary operator, the unitary operator being effective to selectively alter the logical value of said bit depending on its logical value in the first register address, and using said second register address to access said register file. A computer system for carrying out such a technique is also enclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Sophie Wilson, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Publication number: 20050094551
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and processing instruction for performing DMT encoding substantially simultaneously on one tone or multiple tones comprises the steps of: (a) using a first input operand comprising one or more bit-group data values, each to be encoded for one or more tones; (b) using a second input operand comprising one or more bit-group size values corresponding to the bit-group data values in the first input operand; and (c) generating an output comprising a result of encoding the bit-group data value or values from the first input operand by mapping each of the bit-group data values from the first input operand onto a location in a constellation as determined by the corresponding bit-group size value or values from the second input operand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 6836837
    Abstract: There is disclosed a technique for accessing a register file which comprises defining a first register address as a plurality of bits and using said first register address to access said register file generating a second register address by using a sequence of said plurality of bits with at least one of said plurality of bits supplied via a unitary operator, the unitary operator being effective to selectively alter the logical value of said bit depending on its logical value in the first register address, and using said second register address to access said register file. A computer system for carrying out such a technique is also enclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Sophie Wilson, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Publication number: 20040068639
    Abstract: There is disclosed a technique for accessing a register file which comprises defining a first register address as a plurality of bits and using said first register address to access said register file generating a second register address by using a sequence of said plurality of bits with at least one of said plurality of bits supplied via a unitary operator, the unitary operator being effective to selectively alter the logical value of said bit depending on its logical value in the first register address, and using said second register address to access said register file. A computer system for carrying out such a technique is also enclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Sophie Wilson, Timothy Martin Dobson
  • Patent number: 6601157
    Abstract: There is disclosed a technique for accessing a register file which comprises defining a first register address as a plurality of bits and using said first register address to access said register file generating a second register address by using a sequence of said plurality of bits with at least one of said plurality of bits supplied via a unitary operator, the unitary operator being effective to selectively alter the logical value of said bit depending on its logical value in the first register address, and using said second register address to access said register file. A computer system for carrying out such a technique is also enclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taunton, Sophie Wilson, Timothy Martin Dobson