Patents by Inventor Vernon Roberts Norman

Vernon Roberts Norman 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: 8130887
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements to determine phase adjustments for a sampling clock of a clock and data recovery (CDR) loop based upon subsets of data samples, or values, derived from an incoming data signal are disclosed. In particular, embodiments extend the CDR loop by slowing the clock rate with respect to the sampling clock. For instance, the slower clock rate may be implemented by dividing the frequency of the sampling clock by a number such as 128, slowing a sampling clock frequency designed to handle multiple gigabits per second (Gbps) to a frequency of less than one kilohertz (Khz). In addition to the reduced power consumption realized by operating at a lower frequency, the slower clock rate allows components of the CDR loop circuitry to operate a lower operating voltage reducing power consumption by the CDR loop even more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Gareth John Nicholls, Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz, Karl David Selander, Michael Anthony Sorna
  • Patent number: 7646839
    Abstract: A unified, unidirectional serial link is described for providing data across wired media, such as a chip-to chip or a card-to-card interconnect. It consists of a transmit section and a receive section that are operated as pairs to allow the serial data communication. The serial link is implemented as part of a VLSI ASIC module and derives its power, data and clocking requirements from the host modules. The logic transmitter portion contains a phase locked loop (PLL), a dibit data register, a finite impulse response (FIR) filter and a transmit data register. The phase locked loop comprises both a digital coarse loop and an analog fine loop. The digital receiver portion contains a PLL, an FIR phase rotator, a phase rotator control state machine, and a clock buffer. The transmitter and the receiver each preferably utilize a pseudo-random bit stream (PRBS) generator and checker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz
  • Patent number: 7567614
    Abstract: A method, circuit and system for altering the power consumption in communication links. A type of noise and an amount of jitter in a signal transmitted across a communication link is measured. Upon determining the contribution of the measured noise to the measured jitter in the signal, the measured noise is classified based on such contribution and the intensity of the measured jitter. The power consumption in a component(s) of the communication link may be adjusted based on the classification of the measured noise. For example, if the measured noise is classified as being a low amount of noise, then the power consumption of the component(s) may be reduced such as by lowering the voltage of the power supply and/or reducing the complexity of the circuitry. By reducing the power consumption when the communication link is not subject to the worst-case condition, a savings in power consumption may be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Juan Antonio Carballo, Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Gareth John Nicholls, Vernon Roberts Norman, Brian Joel Schuh
  • Publication number: 20080285695
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements to determine phase adjustments for a sampling clock of a clock and data recovery (CDR) loop based upon subsets of data samples, or values, derived from an incoming data signal are disclosed. In particular, embodiments extend the CDR loop by slowing the clock rate with respect to the sampling clock. For instance, the slower clock rate may be implemented by dividing the frequency of the sampling clock by a number such as 128, slowing a sampling clock frequency designed to handle multiple gigabits per second (Gbps) to a frequency of less than one kilohertz (Khz). In addition to the reduced power consumption realized by operating at a lower frequency, the slower clock rate allows components of the CDR loop circuitry to operate a lower operating voltage reducing power consumption by the CDR loop even more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, JR., Gareth John Nicholls, Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz, Karl David Selander, Michael Anthony Sorna
  • Publication number: 20080232530
    Abstract: A method, circuit and system for altering the power consumption in communication links. A type of noise and an amount of jitter in a signal transmitted across a communication link is measured. Upon determining the contribution of the measured noise to the measured jitter in the signal, the measured noise is classified based on such contribution and the intensity of the measured jitter. The power consumption in a component(s) of the communication link may be adjusted based on the classification of the measured noise. For example, if the measured noise is classified as being a low amount of noise, then the power consumption of the component(s) may be reduced such as by lowering the voltage of the power supply and/or reducing the complexity of the circuitry. By reducing the power consumption when the communication link is not subject to the worst-case condition, a savings in power consumption may be made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Juan Antonio Carballo, Hayden Clavie Cranford, Gareth John Nicholls, Vernon Roberts Norman, Brian Joel Schuh
  • Patent number: 7418032
    Abstract: A method, circuit and system for altering the power consumption in communication links. A type of noise and an amount of jitter in a signal transmitted across a communication link is measured. Upon determining the contribution of the measured noise to the measured jitter in the signal, the measured noise is classified based on such contribution and the intensity of the measured jitter. The power consumption in a component(s) of the communication link may be adjusted based on the classification of the measured noise. For example, if the measured noise is classified as being a low amount of noise, then the power consumption of the component(s) may be reduced such as by lowering the voltage of the power supply and/or reducing the complexity of the circuitry. By reducing the power consumption when the communication link is not subject to the worst-case condition, a savings in power consumption may be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Juan Antonio Carballo, Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Gareth John Nicholls, Vernon Roberts Norman, Brian Joel Schuh
  • Patent number: 7397876
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements to determine phase adjustments for a sampling clock of a clock and data recovery (CDR) loop based upon subsets of data samples, or values, derived from an incoming data signal are disclosed. In particular, embodiments extend the CDR loop by slowing the clock rate with respect to the sampling clock. For instance, the slower clock rate may be implemented by dividing the frequency of the sampling clock by a number such as 128, slowing a sampling clock frequency designed to handle multiple gigabits per second (Gbps) to a frequency of less than one kilohertz (Khz). In addition to the reduced power consumption realized by operating at a lower frequency, the slower clock rate allows components of the CDR loop circuitry to operate a lower operating voltage reducing power consumption by the CDR loop even more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Gareth John Nicholls, Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz, Karl David Selander, Michael Anthony Sorna
  • Patent number: 7142624
    Abstract: The present analog invention is related to a unified digital architecture comprising logic transmitter portions and logic receiver portions. A unified serial link system and method for transmitting digital data across wired media including a transmitter and a receiver portion is provided, one of the transmitter portion and receiver portion comprising a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit. The PLL circuit comprises a voltage control oscillator, a frequency divider, a phase-frequency detector, a charge pump and a multi-pole loop filter. One embodiment comprises a dual loop PLL having a digital coarse loop and an analog fine loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Stacy Jean Garvin, Vernon Roberts Norman, Paul Alan Owczarski, Martin Leo Schmatz, Joseph Marsh Stevens
  • Patent number: 7082484
    Abstract: A global architecture for a serial link connection between two cards which must transmit data across wired media is provided. The architecture comprises a transmitter portion and a receiver portion. The transmitter portion includes a structure and circuitry to take digital bits from a first bit register, such as for example, an eight-bit register or a ten-bit register, and convert these bits into serial analog transmission to the receiver portion. The receiver portion includes a structure and circuitry to sample the analog transmission of the original digital bits and reconvert the analog serial signal of the digital bits corresponding to the original digital bits and store them in a second bit register comparable to the data stored in the original register from which they were selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz
  • Patent number: 6999544
    Abstract: The architecture and the method of operation of a receiver core are described. The core performs clock and data recovery on an incoming serial data stream transmitted across a wired media, such as a chip-to-chip or card-to-card interconnect. The bit error rate and accuracy of the recovery are optimized without centering of oversampling. Further, random errors due to edge mis-tracking are minimized. The receiver utilizes a phase rotator to detect the edge position of the bits of the data stream, select the optimum data sample and generate early and late signals if the detected edge is not in the expected position. A phase locked loop provides a frequency source for the phase rotator. At least three evenly spaced samples are detected for each bit. A sample processing algorithm, preferably an adaptive behavior algorithm, is used for centering the bit edge between two of the samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz
  • Patent number: 6993107
    Abstract: A unified serial link system and method for transmitting digital data across wired media including a transmitter and a receiver. The system comprises a phase locked loop (PLL) control circuit, a phase rotator circuit, a phase buffer circuit, and an equalization driver circuit. The phase rotator circuit is configured to acquire a clock phase from the phase locked loop control circuit and modulo shift the clock phase into a desired phase angle. One embodiment comprises a dual loop PLL having a digital coarse loop and an analog fine loop, a multi-stage voltage controlled oscillator, a voltage comparator, a PLL control logic, a digital to analog counter and a low pass filter. The fine loop includes the oscillator, a frequency divider, a phase-frequency detector, a charge pump and a loop filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Stacy Jean Garvin, Vernon Roberts Norman, Paul Alan Owczarski, Martin Leo Schmatz, Joseph Marsh Stevens
  • Patent number: 6970529
    Abstract: A unified, unidirectional serial link is described for providing data across wired media, such as a chip-to chip or a card-to-card interconnect. It consists of a transmit section and a receive section that are operated as pairs to allow the serial data communication. The serial link is implemented as part of a VLSI ASIC module and derives its power, data and clocking requirements from the host modules. The logic transmitter portion contains a phase locked loop (PLL), a dibit data register, a finite impulse response (FIR) filter and a transmit data register. The phase locked loop comprises both a digital coarse loop and an analog fine loop. The digital receiver portion contains a PLL, an FIR phase rotator, a phase rotator control state machine, and a clock buffer. The transmitter and the receiver each preferably utilize a pseudo-random bit stream (PRBS) generator and checker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Jr., Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz
  • Publication number: 20020146084
    Abstract: The architecture and the method of operation of a receiver core are described. The core performs clock and data recovery on an incoming serial data stream transmitted across a wired media, such as a chip-to-chip or card-to-card interconnect. The bit error rate and accuracy of the recovery are optimized without centering of oversampling. Further, random errors due to edge mis-tracking are minimized. The receiver utilizes a phase rotator to detect the edge position of the bits of the data stream, select the optimum data sample and generate early and late signals if the detected edge is not in the expected position. A phase locked loop provides a frequency source for the phase rotator. At least three evenly spaced samples are detected for each bit. A sample processing algorithm, preferably an adaptive behavior algorithm, is used for centering the bit edge between two of the samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz
  • Publication number: 20020136343
    Abstract: A unified serial link system and method for transmitting digital data across wired media including a transmitter and a receiver. The system comprises a phase locked loop (PLL) control circuit, a phase rotator circuit, a phase buffer circuit, and an equalization driver circuit. The phase rotator circuit is configured to acquire a clock phase from the phase locked loop control circuit and modulo shift the clock phase into a desired phase angle. One embodiment comprises a dual loop PLL having a digital coarse loop and an analog fine loop, a multi-stage voltage controlled oscillator, a voltage comparator, a PLL control logic, a digital to analog counter and a low pass filter. The fine loop includes the oscillator, a frequency divider, a phase-frequency detector, a charge pump and a loop filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Stacy Jean Garvin, Vernon Roberts Norman, Paul Alan Owczarski, Martin Leo Schmatz, Joseph Marsh Stevens
  • Publication number: 20020094055
    Abstract: A unified, unidirectional serial link is described for providing data across wired media, such as a chip-to chip or a card-to-card interconnect. It consists of a transmit section and a receive section that are operated as pairs to allow the serial data communication. The serial link is implemented as part of a VLSI ASIC module and derives its power, data and clocking requirements from the host modules. The logic transmitter portion contains a phase locked loop (PLL), a dibit data register, a finite impulse response (FIR) filter and a transmit data register. The phase locked loop comprises both a digital coarse loop and an analog fine loop. The digital receiver portion contains a PLL, an FIR phase rotator, a phase rotator control state machine, and a clock buffer. The transmitter and the receiver each preferably utilize a pseudo-random bit stream (PRBS) generator and checker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz
  • Publication number: 20020095541
    Abstract: A global architecture for a serial link connection between two cards which must transmit data across wired media is provided. The architecture comprises a transmitter portion and a receiver portion. The transmitter portion includes a structure and circuitry to take digital bits from a first bit register, such as for example, an eight-bit register or a ten-bit register, and convert these bits into serial analog transmission to the receiver portion. The receiver portion includes a structure and circuitry to sample the analog transmission of the original digital bits and reconvert the analog serial signal of the digital bits corresponding to the original digital bits and store them in a second bit register comparable to the data stored in the original register from which they were selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden Clavie Cranford, Vernon Roberts Norman, Martin Leo Schmatz
  • Patent number: 5719864
    Abstract: An asynchronous transmission mode data cell header includes virtual channel and virtual path identifiers which are resolved into logical channel identifiers at the user interface by two table lookup operations. The virtual path identifier is used to access a virtual path table entry having a variable length pointer value buffered out to a fixed length field by zeros with a binary one at the boundary position. Using the binary one as a marker, the pointer field is extracted and concatenated with a base register value and the lower order bits of the virtual channel identifier, corresponding to the bit position of the binary one marker, to provide an index into a logical channel identifier table. The logical channel identifier is used to associate the data cell attached to that header with the appropriate user data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Ryan Lance Badger, Vernon Roberts Norman, Brian Alan Youngman
  • Patent number: 5717855
    Abstract: A data transfer device for use in a communications highway includes an integrated bus for transmitting data signals and command signals, an address bus and a control line for transmitting control signals which indicate the presence of command signals and/or data signals on the integrated bus. A bus control point (BCF) allows entities to use the integrated bus based upon request signals received from the entities. In addition, devices are provided to generate commands or data on the integrated bus. The data transfer device in combination with a Network Interface Unit (NIU) and a Machine Interface Unit (MIU) provides an adapter which couples work stations, computers or the like to a local area network (LAN).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vernon Roberts Norman, Sidney Brower Schrum, Jr.