Patents by Inventor Timothy P. Allen

Timothy P. Allen 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: 8412918
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a programmable device assembly includes an FPGA coupled to a nonvolatile serial configuration memory (e.g., serial flash memory) and a volatile fast bulk memory (e.g., SRAM or SDRAM). The nonvolatile serial configuration memory contains both the FPGA configuration data and CPU instructions. When a predetermined condition occurs, a serial memory access component that is hard coded on the FPGA automatically reads the configuration data from the nonvolatile serial configuration memory. The configuration data is used to configure the FPGA with various components, including a CPU, a boot ROM with code for a boot copier, and a bus structure. When the CPU boots, code for the boot copier is executed so that the CPU instructions are copied from the nonvolatile serial configuration memory to the volatile fast bulk memory. The CPU then executes the CPU instructions stored in the volatile fast bulk memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy P. Allen, Andrew Draper, Aaron Ferrucci, Kerry Veenstra
  • Patent number: 8286025
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing efficient clock domain crossing management in programmable chip systems. Components associated with different clock domains can be analyzed. Clock domain crossing components are automatically selected from a library of clock domain crossing components to allow connection between disparate clock domains. Clock domain crossing components can be shared, chained, and intelligently selected for increased efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, Paul Norbert Scheidt, Timothy P. Allen
  • Patent number: 8237300
    Abstract: A power system is disclosed. The power system may have an engine, a generator, a monitoring device configured to monitor the generator and to generate a signal, and a performance module configured to provide an alarm and a shutdown command to the engine based on the signal. The power system may further have a switching device with a first condition and a second condition. When the first condition of the switching device is active, the performance module may be overridden, the engine may be operated at a reduced speed and load output, and the generator may be inhibited from producing electrical power. When the second condition of the switching device is active, the performance module may affect operation of the power system, the engine may be operated at an elevated speed and load output, and the generator may be allowed to produce electrical power directed to the external load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy P. Allen
  • Patent number: 8219785
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing a master component such as a processor on a programmable chip to access memory using unaligned addresses. An adapter connected to a master component determines if a master component memory access request is aligned. If the access request is aligned, the request is forwarded to memory and a response is provided to the master component. If the access request is unaligned, the adapter sends multiple access requests to memory and processes the responses in order to provide a correct response to the master component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy P. Allen, Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, Richard Noble Hill
  • Patent number: 7911456
    Abstract: A method of generating a signal comprising providing a capacitive touch sensor pad including a matrix of X and Y conductors, developing capacitance profiles in one of an X direction and a Y direction from the matrix of X and Y conductors, determining an occurrence of a single gesture through an examination of the capacitance profiles, the single gesture including an application of at least two objects on the capacitive touch sensor pad, and generating a signal indicating the occurrence of the single gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
  • Patent number: 7907127
    Abstract: A method of generating a signal comprising providing a capacitive touch sensor pad including a matrix of X and Y conductors, developing capacitance profiles in one of an X direction and a Y direction from the matrix of X and Y conductors, determining an occurrence of a single gesture through an examination of the capacitance profiles, the single gesture including an application of at least two objects on the capacitive touch sensor pad, and generating a signal indicating the occurrence of the single gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
  • Patent number: 7822958
    Abstract: According to various embodiments of the present invention, a programmable device assembly includes an FPGA coupled to a nonvolatile serial configuration memory (e.g., serial flash memory) and a volatile fast bulk memory (e.g., SRAM or SDRAM). The nonvolatile serial configuration memory contains both the FPGA configuration data and CPU instructions. When a predetermined condition occurs, a serial memory access component that is hard coded on the FPGA automatically reads the configuration data from the nonvolatile serial configuration memory. The configuration data is used to configure the FPGA with various components, including a CPU, a boot ROM with code for a boot copier, and a bus structure. When the CPU boots, code for the boot copier is executed so that the CPU instructions are copied from the nonvolatile serial configuration memory to the volatile fast bulk memory. The CPU then executes the CPU instructions stored in the volatile fast bulk memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy P. Allen, Andrew Draper, Aaron Ferrucci, Kerry Veenstra
  • Patent number: 7812829
    Abstract: A method of generating a signal comprising providing a capacitive touch sensor pad including a matrix of X and Y conductors, developing capacitance profiles in one of an X direction and a Y direction from the matrix of X and Y conductors, determining an occurrence of a single gesture through an examination of the capacitance profiles, the single gesture including an application of at least two objects on the capacitive touch sensor pad, and generating a signal indicating the occurrence of the single gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
  • Patent number: 7779286
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing efficient clock domain crossing management in programmable chip systems. Components associated with different clock domains can be analyzed. Clock domain crossing components are automatically selected from a library of clock domain crossing components to allow connection between disparate clock domains. Clock domain crossing components can be shared, chained, and intelligently selected for increased efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, Paul Norbert Scheidt, Timothy P. Allen
  • Patent number: 7769934
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for providing a first master component with access to a first slave component while a second master component is accessing a second slave component in a system. The system may include a processor core and peripherals implemented on an integrated circuit. A slave side arbitrator corresponding to a single slave component and coupled to multiple master components can be used to provide a master component access to a slave component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, Timothy P. Allen
  • Publication number: 20100156117
    Abstract: A power system is disclosed. The power system may have an engine, a generator, a monitoring device configured to monitor the generator and to generate a signal, and a performance module configured to provide an alarm and a shutdown command to the engine based on the signal. The power system may further have a switching device with a first condition and a second condition. When the first condition of the switching device is active, the performance module may be overridden, the engine may be operated at a reduced speed and load output, and the generator may be inhibited from producing electrical power. When the second condition of the switching device is active, the performance module may affect operation of the power system, the engine may be operated at an elevated speed and load output, and the generator may be allowed to produce electrical power directed to the external load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventor: Timothy P. Allen
  • Patent number: 7627784
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for implementing a semiconductor device with a debug core separate from a processor core. The user configurable debug core can be customized to include one or more debug core submodules. Each debug core submodule is generally associated with a particular debug feature such as trace generation, performance counters, or hardware triggers. The debug core can be driven through a variety of interfaces to allow debugging, monitoring, and control of processor operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy P. Allen, Sean R. Atsatt, James Loran Ball
  • Patent number: 7532205
    Abstract: A method of generating cursor motion signals for improved usability is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises detecting object motion in a sensing region and providing cursor motion signals in accordance with cursor motion values generated responsive to continuation of the object motion in the inner region. This embodiment further comprises providing cursor motion signals configured to generate cursor motion that combines incremental cursor motion with additional cursor motion responsive to the object moving from the inner region into the outer region, where the incremental cursor motion comprises motion toward an edge of the display correlating to an edge of the sensing region proximate the object, and where the additional cursor motion comprises cursor motion indicated by cursor motion values generated responsive to continuation of the object motion in the outer region of the sensing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
  • Patent number: 7472369
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for embedding identification information on a programmable chip. Parameterizable components are selected for implementation on a programmable chip. Information relating to the parameterizable components is embedded on the programmable chip by storing the information using mechanisms such as look up tables associated with logic elements. Information can be used to identify types of components, versions of components, parameter sets, and other data associated with components implemented on the programmable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Bain, Kerry S. Veenstra, Timothy P. Allen, Aaron Ferrucci
  • Patent number: 7450113
    Abstract: A method of indicating a gesture proximate a touch-sensor pad is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises detecting a first presence of a conductive object proximate to the touch-sensor pad, and initiating a gesture signal if the first presence lasts a first duration of time that is less than a first reference amount of time. In this embodiment, the method further comprises detecting a second presence occurring a first elapsed time after an end of the first presence, and terminating the gesture signal if the first elapsed time is greater than a second reference amount of time, otherwise maintaining the gesture signal at least until an end of the first elapsed time and at least until an occurrence of a terminating event. This and other embodiments can be used to initiate virtual-button signals in response to specific gestures by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
  • Patent number: 7346863
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for implementing a programmable device including a processor core, a hardware accelerator, and secondary components such as memory. A designer efficiently selects one or more code sequences for acceleration. A hardware accelerator is generated with multiple master ports to allow efficient access to memory. Profiling information can be provided to allow efficient selection of code sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, David James Lau, Timothy P. Allen
  • Patent number: 7109978
    Abstract: A method of generating a signal comprising providing a capacitive touch sensor pad including a matrix of X and Y conductors, developing capacitance profiles in one of an X direction and a Y direction from the matrix of X and Y conductors, determining an occurrence of a single gesture through an examination of the capacitance profiles, the single gesture including an application of at least two objects on the capacitive touch sensor pad, and generating a signal indicating the occurrence of the single gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
  • Publication number: 20040178997
    Abstract: A method of generating a signal comprising providing a capacitive touch sensor pad including a matrix of X and Y conductors, developing capacitance profiles in one of an X direction and a Y direction from the matrix of X and Y conductors, determining an occurrence of a single gesture through an examination of the capacitance profiles, the single gesture including an application of at least two objects on the capacitive touch sensor pad, and generating a signal indicating the occurrence of the single gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Applicant: Synaptics, Inc., a California Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
  • Patent number: 6750852
    Abstract: The disclosed device is directed towards a method for recognizing a gesture made on a touch-sensor pad in a touch-sensing system providing X and Y position information to a host comprising detecting a first presence of a conductive object on the touch-sensor pad. The method includes comparing the duration of the first presence with a first reference amount of time, and initiating a first gesture signal to the host if the duration of the first presence is less than the first reference amount of time. The method also includes detecting a second presence of the conductive object on the touch-sensor pad and comparing the duration between the first presence and the second presence with a second reference amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
  • Patent number: 6610936
    Abstract: Methods for recognizing gestures made by a conductive object on a touch-sensor pad and for cursor motion are disclosed. Tapping, drags, pushes, extended drags and variable drags gestures are recognized by analyzing the position, pressure, and movement of the conductive object on the sensor pad during the time of a suspected gesture, and signals are sent to a host indicating the occurrence of these gestures. Signals indicating the position of a conductive object and distinguishing between the peripheral portion and an inner portion of the touch-sensor pad are also sent to the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day