Patents by Inventor William Philip Robbins

William Philip Robbins 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: 8077623
    Abstract: There is provided a method for routing a plurality of signals in a processor array, the processor array comprising a plurality of processor elements interconnected by a network of switches, each signal having a respective source processor element and at least one destination processor element in the processor array, the method comprising (i) identifying a signal from the plurality of unrouted signals to route; (ii) identifying a candidate route from the source processor element to the destination processor element, the candidate route using a first plurality of switches; (iii) evaluating the candidate route by determining whether there are offset values that allow the signal to be routed through the first plurality of switches; and (iv) attempting to route the signal using one of the offset values identified in step (iii).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: PicoChip Limited
    Inventors: Andrew William George Duller, William Philip Robbins
  • Patent number: 7987340
    Abstract: Data is transmitted from a sending processor over a network to one or more receiving processor in a forward direction during an allocated slot, and acknowledge signals are sent in a reverse direction during the same allocated slot, to indicate whether the receiving processor is able to receive data If one or more of the receiving processors indicates that it is unable to receive the data, the data is retransmitted during the next allocated slot. This means that the sending processor is able to determine within the slot period whether a retransmission is necessary, but that the slot period only needs to be long enough for one-way communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Inventors: Gajinder Panesar, Anthony Peter John Claydon, William Philip Robbins, Alex Orr, Andrew Duller
  • Publication number: 20090210652
    Abstract: There is provided a method for routing a plurality of signals in a processor array, the processor array comprising a plurality of processor elements interconnected by a network of switches, each signal having a respective source processor element and at least one destination processor element in the processor array, the method comprising (i) identifying a signal from the plurality of unrouted signals to route; (ii) identifying a candidate route from the source processor element to the destination processor element, the candidate route using a first plurality of switches; (iii) evaluating the candidate route by determining whether there are offset values that allow the signal to be routed through the first plurality of switches; and (iv) attempting to route the signal using one of the offset values identified in step (iii).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Andrew William George DULLER, William Philip ROBBINS
  • Patent number: 6799246
    Abstract: A memory interface for connecting a bus to memory comprises an input, a buffer, an address input, a generator, and a writer. The input receives a plurality of data words from the bus. The buffer buffers the data words received from the bus. The address input receives from the bus addresses associated with the plurality of data words. The generator generates a series of addresses in the memory into which the buffered data words may be written. The series of addresses are derived from the received addresses. The writer writes the buffered data words into the memory at the generated addresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Kevin Douglas Dewar, Anthony Mark Jones, Martin William Sotheran, Colin Smith, Helen Rosemary Finch, Anthony Peter J. Claydon, Donald W. Walker Patterson, Mark Barnes, Andrew Peter Kuligowski, William Philip Robbins, Nicholas Birch, David Andrew Barnes
  • Patent number: 6435737
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, Martin William Sotheran, William Philip Robbins
  • Patent number: 6154871
    Abstract: The invention provides a decoder of symbols of received data, the data being encoded according to a convolutional encoding scheme and transmitted through a communications channel. The data is punctuated according to a puncturing matrix, and has a plurality of state values which describe a sequence of state transitions. The decoder has a generation unit that accepts the received data for calculating metrics of the transitions thereof. A selector responsive to the generation unit selects a path of transitions corresponding to the path produced by a transmitter of the data stream. A traceback unit maintains historical information representative of sequential decision operations of the selector. A counter is provided for counting illegal state transitions of the path selected by the selector, and a control unit, responsive to the counter, determines a puncture rate and adjusts a puncture phase of the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony Peter John Claydon, Richard John Gammack, William Philip Robbins, Charles Dunlop MacFarlane, Thomas Foxcroft, Andrew Peter Kuligowski, Richard James Thomas
  • Patent number: 6122726
    Abstract: A pipeline structure processes data in a series of stages, each of which has a data input latch (LDIN) and passes it on to the next stage in the pipeline via a data output latch (LDOUT). The stages are preferably connected to two non-overlapping clock phases (PH0, PH1) Adjacent stages are also connected via a validation line (IN.sub.-- VALID, OUT.sub.-- VALID) and an acceptance line (IN.sub.-- ACCEPT, OUT.sub.-- ACCEPT), and in some embodiments also via an extension bit line (IN.sub.-- EXTN, OUT.sub.-- EXTN). Input data is transferred from any stage to the following device on every complete period of both clock signals only if both the validation and acceptance signals in the respective latch are in an affirmative state, whereby data is transferred between stages regardless of the state of the validation and acceptance signals in other stages. A two-wire interface is thus formed between the stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, William Philip Robbins, Martin William Sotheran
  • Patent number: 6038380
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, Martin William Sotheran, William Philip Robbins
  • Patent number: 6035126
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, Martin William Sotheran, William Philip Robbins
  • Patent number: 5907692
    Abstract: A pipeline structure processes data in a series of stages, each of which has a data input latch (LDIN) and passes it on to the next stage in the pipeline via a data output latch (LDOUT). The stages are preferably connected to two non-overlapping clock phases (PH0, PH1). Adjacent stages are also connected via a validation line (IN.sub.-- VALID, OUT.sub.-- VALID) and an acceptance line (IN.sub.-- ACCEPT, OUT.sub.-- ACCEPT), and in some embodiments also via an extension bit line (IN.sub.-- EXTN, OUT.sub.-- EXTN). Input data is transferred from any stage to the following device on every complete period of both clock signals only if both the validation and acceptance signals in the respective latch are in an affirmative state, whereby data is transferred between stages regardless of the state of the validation and acceptance signals in other stages. A two-wire interface is thus formed between the stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, William Philip Robbins, Martin William Sotheran
  • Patent number: 5881301
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventor: William Philip Robbins
  • Patent number: 5835740
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, Martin William Sotheran, William Philip Robbins
  • Patent number: 5809270
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventor: William Philip Robbins
  • Patent number: 5805914
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, Martin William Sotheran, William Philip Robbins, Anthony Peter John Claydon, Kevin James Boyd, Helen Rosemary Finch
  • Patent number: 5742622
    Abstract: The invention provides a decoder of symbols of received data, the data being encoded according to a convolutional encoding scheme and transmitted through a communications channel. The data is punctuated according to a puncturing matrix, and has a plurality of state values which describe a sequence of state transitions. The decoder has a generation unit that accepts the received data for calculating metrics of the transitions thereof. A selector responsive to the generation unit selects a path of transitions corresponding to the path produced by a transmitter of the data stream. A traceback unit maintains historical information representative of sequential decision operations of the selector. A counter is provided for counting illegal state transitions of the path selected by the selector, and a control unit, responsive to the counter, determines a puncture rate and adjusts a puncture phase of the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony Peter John Claydon, Richard John Gammack, William Philip Robbins, Charles Dunlop MacFarlane, Thomas Foxcroft, Andrew Peter Kuligowski, Richard James Thomas
  • Patent number: 5699544
    Abstract: A method for addressing memory uses a word with a fixed width, having a fixed number of bits, and having a width defining field and address field. The procedure is adapted to addressing variable width data. In one embodiment memory can be addressed using a fixed width word having a fixed number of bits, and having both a substitution field and an address field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: William Philip Robbins, Adrian Philip Wise