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).
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Patent number: 8412918Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 22, 2010Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Timothy P. Allen, Andrew Draper, Aaron Ferrucci, Kerry Veenstra
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Patent number: 8286025Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 13, 2010Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, Paul Norbert Scheidt, Timothy P. Allen
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Patent number: 8237300Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 9, 2009Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventor: Timothy P. Allen
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Patent number: 8219785Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 25, 2006Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Timothy P. Allen, Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, Richard Noble Hill
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Patent number: 7911456Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
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Patent number: 7907127Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
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Patent number: 7822958Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 10, 2006Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Timothy P. Allen, Andrew Draper, Aaron Ferrucci, Kerry Veenstra
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Patent number: 7812829Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 29, 2007Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
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Patent number: 7779286Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 28, 2005Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, Paul Norbert Scheidt, Timothy P. Allen
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Patent number: 7769934Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 7, 2007Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, Timothy P. Allen
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Publication number: 20100156117Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2009Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventor: Timothy P. Allen
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Patent number: 7627784Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 6, 2005Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Timothy P. Allen, Sean R. Atsatt, James Loran Ball
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Patent number: 7532205Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 22, 2006Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
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Patent number: 7472369Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 3, 2004Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Peter Bain, Kerry S. Veenstra, Timothy P. Allen, Aaron Ferrucci
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Patent number: 7450113Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 15, 2005Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
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Patent number: 7346863Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2005Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: Altera CorporationInventors: Jeffrey Orion Pritchard, David James Lau, Timothy P. Allen
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Patent number: 7109978Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 26, 2004Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
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Publication number: 20040178997Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2004Publication date: September 16, 2004Applicant: Synaptics, Inc., a California CorporationInventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
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Patent number: 6750852Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 23, 2003Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day
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Patent number: 6610936Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 12, 1997Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.Inventors: David W. Gillespie, Timothy P. Allen, Ralph C. Wolf, Shawn P. Day