Patents by Inventor Wen-Hwa Chou

Wen-Hwa Chou 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: 7466786
    Abstract: A rational number frequency multiplier circuit and a method for generating rational number multiple frequency are disclosed. The circuit receives a plurality of input signals having the same frequency and different phase, and outputs at least one multiple frequency signal. The rational number frequency multiplier circuit includes a frequency divider module, for receiving and dividing the input signals to output frequency-divided signals having the same frequency and different phase; a first phase synthesis module and a second phase synthesis module for receiving and synthesizing the frequency-divided and input signals respectively into a plurality of first pulse period signals and second pulse period signals; and an adder for receiving and combining the first pulse period signals and the second pulse period signals into the multiple frequency signal according to the desired multiplication of the frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Prolific Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Hwa Chou, Yu-Kuo Chen, Kuo-Jen Kuo
  • Patent number: 7310739
    Abstract: A universal serial bus (USB) with a power-saving mode and an operating method thereof are provided. When the USB peripheral is coupled to the USB host, the USB host core logic of the USB host transmits an inquiry request via a USB transceiver to inquire whether or not the USB peripheral supports the power-saving mode. The core logic of the USB peripheral responds via the USB transceiver that the power-saving mode is supported. Then the USB peripheral is off-line and then is shifted to be on-line for operating the power-saving mode. The USB host is also switched to the power-saving mode. Under the power-saving mode, the data are respectively transceived by the serial transceivers. The clock frequency of the serial transceiver can be adjusted according to the request of data transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Prolific Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Wu, Wen-Hwa Chou
  • Patent number: 7240369
    Abstract: A plug and play device and an access control method, in which the plug and play device includes an access control device and a main function device. When the plug and play device is connected to a host, the access control device is first connected to the host to execute an authorization procedure. The user is not authorized if the authentication procedure rejects the user. In this case, the plug and play device denies the host control. Conversely, the user is authorized if the authentication procedure approves the user. In this case, the plug and play device connects the main function device to the host and accepts control by the host. After the host loads a proper driver, it may control the plug and play device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Prolific Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Hwa Chou, Yun-Kuo Lee
  • Publication number: 20060280275
    Abstract: A rational number frequency multiplier circuit and a method for generating rational number multiple frequency are disclosed. The circuit receives a plurality of input signals having the same frequency and different phase, and outputs at least one multiple frequency signal. The rational number frequency multiplier circuit includes a frequency divider module, for receiving and dividing the input signals to output frequency-divided signals having the same frequency and different phase; a first phase synthesis module and a second phase synthesis module for receiving and synthesizing the frequency-divided and input signals respectively into a plurality of first pulse period signals and second pulse period signals; and an adder for receiving and combining the first pulse period signals and the second pulse period signals into the multiple frequency signal according to the desired multiplication of the frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Wen-Hwa Chou, Yu-Kuo Chen, Kuo-Jen Kuo
  • Publication number: 20060265869
    Abstract: A method of installing a driver and software for a plug and play device is provided, wherein the plug and play device includes a main function device and a storage device meeting a standard specification. The storage device stores a driver and software required by the main function device. The main function device and storage device may be connected to the host in two different ways after the plug and play device is installed to the host. The first way is to connect the two devices to the host simultaneously. The host loads a built-in standard driver for the storage device from the host to access the storage device, and then loads the driver and software required by the main function device from the storage device to gain freely access to the main function device. The second way is to connect the storage device to the host, and to cause the host to copy the main function device driver and software from the storage device to the host's storage device (e.g., a disk drive).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Wen-Hwa Chou, Yun-Kuo Lee
  • Patent number: 7117589
    Abstract: A method of installing a driver for a plug and play device is provided, wherein the plug and play device includes a main function device and a storage device meeting a standard specification. The storage device stores a driver required by the main function device. The main function device and storage device may be connected to the host in two different ways after the plug and play device is installed to the host. The first way is to connect the two devices to the host simultaneously. The host loads a built-in standard driver for the storage device from the host to access the storage device, and then loads the driver required by the main function device from the storage device to gain freely access to the main function device. The second way is to connect the storage device to the host, and to cause the host to copy the main function device driver from the storage device to the host's storage device (e.g., a disk drive). Next, the main function device is connected to the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Prolific Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Hwa Chou, Yun-Kuo Lee
  • Publication number: 20050091549
    Abstract: A universal serial bus (USB) with a power-saving mode and an operating method thereof are provided. When the USB peripheral is coupled to the USB host, the USB host core logic of the USB host transmits an inquiry request via a USB transceiver to inquire whether or not the USB peripheral supports the power-saving mode. The core logic of the USB peripheral responds via the USB transceiver that the power-saving mode is supported. Then the USB peripheral is off-line and then is shifted to be on-line for operating the power-saving mode. The USB host is also switched to the power-saving mode. Under the power-saving mode, the data are respectively transceived by the serial transceivers. The clock frequency of the serial transceiver can be adjusted according to the request of data transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Arthur Wu, Wen-Hwa Chou
  • Patent number: 6862643
    Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus (USB) compound device and the method for implementation thereof are disclosed. The USB compound device does not include an embedded hub but simulates a hub by a circuit or firmware. Therefore, a set of independent function devices are able to connect to a USB bus via the same set of USB logic, and the production cost can be reduced without affecting the function of the device and the facility of expansion and plug-and-play function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Prolific Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Jen Wu, Wen-Hwa Chou
  • Publication number: 20030208698
    Abstract: A plug and play device and an access control method, in which the plug and play device includes an access control device and a main function device. When the plug and play device is connected to a host, the access control device is first connected to the host to execute an authorization procedure. The user is not authorized if the authentication procedure rejects the user. In this case, the plug and play device denies the host control. Conversely, the user is authorized if the authentication procedure approves the user. In this case, the plug and play device connects the main function device to the host and accepts control by the host. After the host loads a proper driver, it may control the plug and play device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Wen-Hwa Chou, Yun-Kuo Lee
  • Publication number: 20030204950
    Abstract: A method of installing a driver for a plug and play device is provided, wherein the plug and play device includes a main function device and a storage device meeting a standard specification. The storage device stores a driver required by the main function device. The main function device and storage device may be connected to the host in two different ways after the plug and play device is installed to the host. The first way is to connect the two devices to the host simultaneously. The host loads a built-in standard driver for the storage device from the host to access the storage device, and then loads the driver required by the main function device from the storage device to gain freely access to the main function device. The second way is to connect the storage device to the host, and to cause the host to copy the main function device driver from the storage device to the host's storage device (e.g., a disk drive). Next, the main function device is connected to the host.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Wen-Hwa Chou, Yun-Kuo Lee
  • Patent number: 6631098
    Abstract: “A portable MP3 player has two operation modes. In a first mode, the portable MP3 player operates independently. A controller in the MP3 player reads first MP3 files from internal memory and a MP3 decoder is utilized for decoding the MP3 files. In addition, the audio data are output to an earphone or a speaker. In a second mode, a ducking station is provided for placing the portable MP3 player, which has an extended memory device, e.g. CD-ROM, for storing second MP3 files. The controller of the portable MP3 player accesses the second MP3 files via interfaces that are connected when the portable MP3 player is placed on the ducking station. The MP3 decoder of the portable player is also utilized to decode the second MP3 files and the corresponding audio data are output through the ducking station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Prolific Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Chin-Yao Chang, Wen-Hwa Chou
  • Publication number: 20030041205
    Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus (USB) compound device and the method for implementation thereof are disclosed. The USB compound device does not include an embedded hub but simulates a hub by a circuit or firmware. Therefore, a set of independent function devices are able to connect to a USB bus via the same set of USB logic, and the production cost can be reduced without affecting the function of the device and the facility of expansion and plug-and-play function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Inventors: Wen-Jen Wu, Wen-Hwa Chou
  • Publication number: 20030002395
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an MP3 player with large storage. In the proposed MP3 player, a traditional MP3 player is located on a ducking station, wherein the ducking station is provided with a power supply. The traditional MP3 reads audio data from the ducking station through the interface between them, and then decodes the audio data and feeds them into an audio signal generator. The output of the audio signal generator is fed to an earphone or a speaker. When the MP3 player is programmed, the interface of the traditional MP3 player is locked and bypassed to the interface of the ducking station. Similarly, when the MP3 player plays, the output of the audio signal generator in the traditional MP3 player is locked, and bypassed to the earphone or the speaker of the ducking station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Chin-Yao Chang, Wen-Hwa Chou
  • Patent number: 5813031
    Abstract: A computer system cache memory has a caching tag which stores a subset of the L2 cache memory tag store. The caching tag is smaller, faster memory device than the L2 cache memory. The cache memory latency is reduced because the tag access time and tag comparison time are improved due to the caching tag. The caching tag may be manufactured to be located on the same chip as the cache controller, which allows faster data access than if the caching tag is located on a separate chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Wen-Hwa Chou, Yueh-Yao Nain, Hsin Hsia Wei, Chi-Fang Ma