Duty Cycle Control Patents (Class 327/175)
  • Publication number: 20100289547
    Abstract: A pulse width modulation circuit may generate an adjustable output signal that periodically transitions between a first and a second state with an adjustable duty cycle. A first pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate a first pulse signal that periodically transitions at an adjustable delay with respect to a periodic reference signal. A second pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate a second pulse signal that periodically transitions at an adjustable delay with respect to the periodic reference signal. A logic circuit may be configured to generate the adjustable output signal based on both the first and the second pulse signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Andrew Harvey Crofts
  • Publication number: 20100289542
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a frequency determining unit configured to determine an operational speed of the semiconductor integrated circuit and to generate a frequency region signal; a duty cycle control unit configured to detect a duty cycle of a DLL clock and to generate a duty cycle control signal; a duty cycle correcting unit configured to generate a corrected clock by correcting a duty cycle of an input clock in response to the frequency region signal and in response to the duty cycle control signal; and a DLL (Delay Locked Loop) circuit configured to generate the DLL clock by controlling a phase of the corrected clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Won Joo YUN, Hyun Woo LEE, Ki Han KIM
  • Publication number: 20100283522
    Abstract: All-digital techniques for generating periodic digital signals having selectable duty cycles. In one aspect, a computation block is provided for computing the product of a selected duty cycle and a discrete ratio between a reference clock period and a high-frequency oscillator period. The computation block may be coupled to a pulse width generator for generating signals having pulse widths that are integer multiples of the high-frequency oscillator period. In another aspect, a pulse width generator may also accommodate mixed fractional multiples of high-frequency oscillator periods by tapping the individual inverter stages of a delay line matched to the individual inverter stages of a ring oscillator exemplary embodiment of the high-frequency oscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Xiaohong Quan, Lennart K. Mathe, Liang Dai, Dinesh J. Alladi
  • Patent number: 7830185
    Abstract: A duty cycle correction (DCC) circuit and a delayed locked loop (DLL) circuit using the same are disclosed. The DCC circuit is operated by an enable signal which is enabled when the DLL is locked. The duty cycle correction (DCC) circuit includes a clock input unit and a duty cycle mixing unit. The clock input unit receives the enable signal and first and second clock input signals having opposite phases, generates an inverting signal of the first clock input signal, and when the enable signal is enabled, generates first and second internal clock signals, based on the first and second clock input signals and the inverting signal. The duty cycle mixing unit mixes a phase of the first internal clock signal with a phase of the second internal clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Su Hyun Kim, Min Young Yoo
  • Patent number: 7830999
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a clock signal of a semiconductor memory includes a first shifting unit that outputs first shifting signals using at least one periodic signal, a control signal generating unit that outputs multiplexing control signals using an inverted clock signal, a second shifting unit that outputs second shifting signals using at least one of the periodic signals, a correcting unit that outputs correction signals having an intermediate phase between the phase of the first shifting signals and the phase of the second shifting signals on the basis of a bias signal applied thereto, a combination unit that combines the first shifting signals and the correction signals to output combined signals, a multiplexing unit that selectively outputs the combined signals on the basis of multiplexing control signals, and a driving unit that drives the clock signal and the inverted clock signal based on the output of the multiplexing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Inventor: Young-Do Hur
  • Patent number: 7830186
    Abstract: A delay locked loop (DLL) apparatus includes a first delay unit converting a reference clock into a rising clock. A second delay unit converts the reference clock into a falling clock, and a replica delay unit replica-delays the rising clock. A first phase detector compares the phases of the reference clock and the delayed rising clock to output a first detection signal corresponding to the compared phases. A controller synchronizes the rising edge of the rising clock with the rising edge of the reference clock according to the first detection signal of the first phase detector. A second phase detector compares the phases of the synchronized rising clock and the synchronization clock to output a second detection signal corresponding to the compared phases. The DLL apparatus compensates for a skew between an external clock and data and between external and internal clocks by employing a single replica delay unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Won Joo Yun, Hyun Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20100277214
    Abstract: A signal generator and a method thereof for generating signals are provided. The signal generator includes a pulse width signal generation module and a signal generating module. The pulse width signal generation module generates a first pulse width signal according to a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal. A first signal with a first duty ratio is generated by the signal generating module based on the first pulse width signal. The first duty ratio is equal to a product of a duty ratio of the first pulse signal and a duty ratio of the second pulse signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: NOVATEK MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Tsung-Hau Chang, Kuo-Ching Hsu
  • Patent number: 7823383
    Abstract: An actuator driving device includes: an actuator made of a shape metal alloy having a property that a predetermined shape is memorized in advance, and that the predetermined memorized shape is recovered when the actuator is heated to a predetermined temperature; an applier for applying, to the actuator, a pulse current or a pulse voltage at least having a predetermined current value or a predetermined voltage, and a predetermined duty ratio to heat the actuator; and a determiner for determining the current value or the voltage value, and the duty ratio of the pulse current or the pulse voltage to be applied to the actuator by the applier, wherein the determiner is operative to determine the pulse current or the pulse voltage having: the current value larger than a current value of a constant current required for displacing the actuator by a predetermined targeted displacement amount, or the voltage value corresponding thereto; and the duty ratio of making an applied current amount smaller than an applied curr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Noda, Shigeru Wada
  • Publication number: 20100271098
    Abstract: A charge pump circuit can include a first pair of transistors having connected sources and gates configured to receive a first pump signal and an inverse first pump signal and a second pair of transistors having connected drains and gates configured to receive a second pump signal and an inverse second pump signal, sources of the second pair of transistors being connected to drains of the first pair of transistors at first and second connection nodes, wherein the first and second pair of transistors are all of the same transistor type and provide an output current in response to the first and second pump signals. The charge pump circuit can also include a voltage stabilizer circuit connected to the second connection node and configured to regulate the second connection node to have a voltage within a predetermined range about a selectable voltage. Duty cycle stabilizers and control loops such as delay locked loops can include the charge pump circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Brad JEFFRIES, Michael ELLIOTT
  • Patent number: 7821315
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for adjusting and programming the duty cycle of a signal generated by a circuit. In an embodiment, parallel transistors are coupled between a NAND gate and a supply voltage. Selectively enabling the parallel transistors adjusts the switching point of the NAND gate, thereby allowing control of the pulse width of the output signal. In an alternative embodiment, the size of the PMOS versus the NMOS transistors in the NAND gate is selectively varied to achieve the same effect. Further disclosed are applications of the techniques to calibrating the receiver to minimize measured second-order inter-modulation products and/or residual sideband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Frederic Bossu, Anthony Francis Segoria
  • Publication number: 20100259308
    Abstract: Circuits and methods for providing a pulsed clock signal for use with pulsed latch circuits are described. A variable pulse generator is coupled to form a pulsed clock output responsive to a control signal and a clock input signal. A feedback loop is provided with a pulse monitor and a pulse control circuit. Samples of the pulsed clock signal are taken by the pulse monitor and an output is formed in the form of a pattern. The pulse control circuit receives the output of the monitor and determines whether it matches a predetermined pattern. Adjustments are made to the control signal to adaptively adjust the pulsed clock signal. The feedback loop may operate continuously. In alternative embodiments the feedback loop may be powered down. Methods for adaptively controlling a pulsed clock signal are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Hsing Wang, Chih-Chieh Chen, Chih Sheng Tsai, Shu Yi Ying
  • Publication number: 20100253407
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a reference clock for a DLL circuit includes a buffering unit configured to buffer an external clock so as to generate a first reference clock and a second reference clock, and to invert the second reference clock so as to generate a negative second reference clock. A duty cycle compensating unit generates a reference clock from the first reference clock and the negative second reference clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: NAM PYO HONG
  • Patent number: 7804378
    Abstract: There is described a method and an apparatus for pulse width modulation with a predefined switching period having an adjustable ratio of the switch-on duration to the switch-off duration, in which a quantized signal is converted into a pulse-width-modulated signal and is generated in the form of a discrete pulse sequence of switch-on operations and switch-off operations with the predefined switching period, the switching edge for the switch-on duration and/or the switch-off duration being determined on the basis of the ratio of the switch-on duration to the switch-off duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Uwe Krause, Uwe Nolte, Jan Spannberger
  • Publication number: 20100237917
    Abstract: To provide a duty detection circuit including: a plurality of duty detectors that detect a duty ratio of internal clocks; a controller that controls the plurality of duty detectors so that the plurality of duty detectors operates in different phases from one another; and an output selecting unit that selects one of duty detection signals from the plurality of duty detectors. According to the present invention, since the duty detectors operate in the different phases from one another, the output selecting unit can output a duty detection signal with a higher frequency than a generation frequency with which each duty detector generates the duty detection signal. Accordingly, when the duty detection circuit according to the present invention is used to adjust a clock of the DLL circuit, a control period of the DLL circuit can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Atsuko Monma
  • Patent number: 7802160
    Abstract: A test apparatus that tests a device under test is provided, including a driver section that supplies a test signal to a corresponding pin of the device under test, a judgment section that makes a judgment concerning pass/fail of the device under test based on the response signal output by the device under test in response to the test signal, a voltage measuring section that detects a DC voltage of the signal output by the driver section, and an output side adjusting section that adjusts a duty ratio of the signal output by the driver section according to the DC voltage detected by the voltage measuring section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 7800423
    Abstract: A duty correction circuit includes a duty ratio sensor for controlling a duty ratio sensing speed by a sensing speed control signal and outputting a correction signal by sensing a duty ratio of a clock, and a duty ratio corrector for controlling the duty ratio of the clock in response to the correction signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kyung-Hoon Kim, Bo-Kyeom Kim
  • Patent number: 7795938
    Abstract: An apparatus, including: a circuit which operates according to a clock signal, the circuit operating with a delay, and a clock generator which generates the clock signal with a duty ratio, the duty ratio being adapted to the delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kohei Uchida
  • Patent number: 7795940
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a programmable phase adjusting circuit, a programmable phase adjusting mixer circuit and design structures for these circuits. These circuits comprise a variable delay device connected between input and output nodes. The device includes multiple FETs with input diffusion regions that are connected to a voltage rail via switches so that they can be selectively biased, gates that are connected in series to the input node so that a periodic input signal can be propagated sequentially through each of the gates and output diffusion regions that are connected in parallel to the output node. A current source is connected between the output node and another voltage rail for biasing the output node when the variable delay device is off. The variable delay device enables a circuit in which small increments of selectable phase adjustments can be made to the periodic input signal as a function of propagation delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wagdi W. Abadeer, Anthony R. Bonaccio, Joseph A. Iadanza
  • Publication number: 20100225369
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a device comprising at least one delay line for applying a variable delay to a clock signal and a controller for controlling the variable delay of the delay line. Each delay line comprises a plurality of concatenated delay banks which provide different delay values with respect to each other, a bypass parallel over each of said the delay banks, and switching elements associated with each of the delay banks for selecting either the respective delay bank or the respective bypass. Each of the delay banks is provided with a delay bank status indicator for indicating propagation of the clock signal through the delay bank towards the controller. The controller is provided for taking the indicated propagation of the clock signal into account upon setting said switching elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICROELEKTRONICA CENTRUM (IMEC)
    Inventor: Mustafa Badaroglu
  • Publication number: 20100226196
    Abstract: Provided is a duty cycle corrector including a low frequency detector detecting whether an input clock signal frequency is less than or greater than a predetermined frequency. If less than, a common mode control circuit controlling a common mode of a duty cycle correction amplifier amplifying the input clock signal is disabled. The duty cycle corrector may include a column address strobe (CAS) latency determination unit that determines whether a CAS latency is greater than or less than a predetermined value instead of the low frequency detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Won-hwa SHIN
  • Publication number: 20100225372
    Abstract: Duty cycle correction systems and methods of adjusting duty cycles are provided. One such duty cycle correction system includes a duty cycle adjustor and a variable delay line coupled to the output of the duty cycle adjustor. First and second phase detectors have first inputs coupled to the output of the duty cycle adjustor through an inverter and second inputs coupled to the output of the variable delay line. The phase detectors cause the delay line to align rising or falling edges of signals at the output of the delay line with rising or falling edges, respectively, of signals at the output of the inverter. The controller simultaneously causes the duty cycle adjustor to adjust the duty cycle of the output clock signal until the rising and falling edges of signals at the output of the delay line are aligned with rising and falling edges, respectively, of signals at the output of the inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo Satoh, Eric Booth
  • Patent number: 7791388
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a correction signal for correcting duty cycle error of a first clock signal relative to a second complementary clock signal. Changes to a time difference between high- and low-portions of the first clock signal are detected and the correction signal is generated in response to and accordance with the detected changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tyler Gomm
  • Patent number: 7791584
    Abstract: A system for powering and controlling an LED backlight, the system comprising: a control circuitry; a plurality of LED strings; a pulse width modulation functionality associated with the control circuitry and arranged to pulse width modulate a current flow through each of the plurality of LED strings; and a plurality of current limiters responsive to the control circuitry, each of the plurality of current limiters being associated with a particular one of the plurality of LED strings and operative to limit current flow of the pulse width modulated current there-through, the control circuitry being operative in the event of a thermal condition of one of the plurality of current limiters to reduce a duty cycle of the pulse width modulation functionality of the current flow through the one of the plurality of current limiters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Microsemi Corp.-Analog Mixed Signal Group Ltd.
    Inventors: Dror Korcharz, Arkadiy Peker
  • Publication number: 20100219870
    Abstract: A duty ratio correction circuit includes a clock input buffer that receives a first clock signal, a clock duty adjuster that adjusts a duty ratio of a second clock signal output from the clock input buffer based on a correction signal and generates a third clock signal, a data input buffer that receives a first data signal, a data duty adjuster that adjusts a duty ratio of a second data signal output from the data input buffer based on the correction signal and generates a third data signal, and a duty comparator that generates the correction signal based on the third clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventor: Kazutaka KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 7786780
    Abstract: Apparatus for producing a signal, comprising a capacitor; a first current source for one of charging and discharging the capacitor over a first time period; a second current source for one of discharging and charging the capacitor over a first portion of a second time period; a detector for detecting when the voltage across the capacitor is substantially a first voltage and controlling the second current source for a second portion of the second time period to substantially maintain the voltage across the capacitor; and an apparatus output for indicating when the voltage across the capacitor is one of above and below the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Jennic Limited
    Inventor: Timothy L. Farnsworth
  • Patent number: 7786783
    Abstract: A duty cycle correction circuit includes a signal generating unit including a first signal generating unit coupled to a power supply voltage terminal and configured to output a complementary output signal of an output signal in response to a clock signal, and a second signal generating unit coupled to the power supply voltage terminal and configured to output the output signal in response to a complementary clock signal of the clock signal; a variable resistor unit coupled between the first and second signal generating units configured to vary an amount of current flowing into the signal generating unit according to a duty correction control signal, the duty correction control signal having a voltage level determined based on a voltage level of the output signal; and a current source coupled between the variable resistor unit and a ground voltage terminal configured to supply current to the signal generating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Hee-Woong Song, Yong-Ju Kim, Sung-Woo Han, Jae-Min Jang, Hyung-Soo Kim, Ji-Wang Lee, Chang-Kun Park, Ic-Su Oh, Hae-Rang Choi, Tae-Jin Hwang
  • Patent number: 7786782
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to implement clock signal adaptation is provided to characterize an input clock signal that is to be adapted and in response, generate adaptation updates at each subsequent clock cycle of the input clock signal. In a first embodiment, clock signal adaptation occurs through duty cycle correction (DCC) to substantially achieve a 50% duty cycle. In an alternate embodiment, clock signal adaptation occurs through a multiplication operation that is applied to the clock signal to be adapted, whereby the multiplication operation is parameterizable to allow odd/even multiplication. In an alternate embodiment, clock signal adaptation occurs through a phase-shift operation that is applied to the clock signal to be adapted, whereby the phase-shift operation is parameterizable to allow all possible fractions and percentages of phase shifts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Te-Sheng Lien, Mark Men Bon Ng, Jesse H. Jenkins, IV
  • Patent number: 7786781
    Abstract: A pulse width modulation (PWM) device, system and method for high resolution fan control are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining a target duty cycle of a PWM signal, determining the number of PWM cycles in the period of the PWM signal, pseudo-randomly selecting a duty cycle for each PWM cycle using one or more look-up tables and generating the PWM signal based on the duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Chungwai Benedict Ng, Eric Tam, Eugene Quan
  • Patent number: 7782106
    Abstract: A circuit configured to correct a duty cycle includes a clock dividing unit configured to delay an input clock signal by a specified delay amount and to generate a plurality of delayed clock signals, a clock selection unit configured to output any one among the plurality of delayed clock signals as a selected delayed clock signal in response to duty ratio information of the input clock signal, an edge control unit configured to generate a falling clock signal by controlling a falling edge of the selected delayed clock signal and to generate a rising clock signal by controlling a falling edge of the input clock signal based on information regarding a difference between lengths of a high duration and a low duration of the input clock signal, and a phase mixing unit for mixing phases of the falling clock signal and the rising clock signal and generating an output clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Suk Shin, Hyun Woo Lee, Won Joo Yun
  • Publication number: 20100207675
    Abstract: A device includes a first circuit unit performing a detecting operation to detect a ratio of a first time period in which an input signal takes a first logic level to a second time period in which the input signal takes a second logic level. The first circuit unit includes a storing unit and storing a detection result of a detection thereby to the storing unit thereof. The device includes a first control circuit controlling the first circuit unit in response to the input signal. The device includes a current source circuit coupled to the first control circuit at a first circuit node thereof. The device includes an initialization circuit performing an initializing operation to initialize the detection result of the storing unit of the first circuit unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Kazutaka Miyano
  • Patent number: 7777543
    Abstract: A duty cycle correction circuit apparatus includes a flip-flop, a feedback unit connected between an input node and an output node of the flip-flop to invert an output signal of the flip-flop and to output the inverted signal as an output signal of the feedback unit, and a selection unit to select and output one of a first clock signal and a second clock signal to the flip-flop in response to the output signal of the feedback unit, wherein the first clock signal has a half-period phase difference with respect to the second clock signal. Using clock signals with a half-period phase difference therebetween and a simple digital circuit, the duty cycle correction circuit can correct a duty ratio to 50:50 regardless of an initial condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-uk Park
  • Patent number: 7772902
    Abstract: A PWM buffer circuit includes a duty cycle converting circuit and a frequency-fixed PWM signal generating circuit. The duty cycle converting circuit is used for receiving a first PWM signal and then generating a duty cycle reference voltage on the basis of the first PWM signal. The duty cycle reference voltage is a one-to-one mapping function of the first duty cycle. The frequency-fixed PWM signal generating circuit is used for receiving the duty cycle reference voltage and then outputting a second PWM signal with a fixed frequency. The second PWM signal has a second duty cycle, which is determined in accordance with the duty cycle reference voltage. In addition, the second duty cycle is a one-to-one mapping function of the duty cycle reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-lung Chiu, Wen-shi Huang
  • Patent number: 7772903
    Abstract: A pulse width modulation circuit capable of linearly adjusting duty cycle with voltage, which comprises an input voltage source for generating an input voltage, a regulator for generating a regulated voltage, a first voltage-dividing unit for providing a first divided voltage, a second voltage-dividing unit for providing a second divided voltage, a third voltage-dividing unit for providing a third divided voltage, a voltage adder for adding the first divided voltage and the third divided voltage for generating a high level voltage, a waveform generator for generating an oscillating signal according to the high level voltage and the third divided voltage, and a comparator having a first input terminal coupled to the second voltage-dividing unit, a second terminal coupled to the waveform generator, and an output terminal for comparing the second divided voltage with the oscillating signal to output a pulse width modulation signal through the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Anpec Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shiue-Shr Jiang, Kun-Min Chen, Ming-Jung Tsai, Ching-Sheng Li
  • Patent number: 7772904
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a mixed signal controller includes a fine controller, a coarse controller and a digital controller. The fine controller is operable to output an analog modulation signal responsive to an analog control signal and a voltage signal input to the fine controller. The coarse controller is operable to output a digital pulse width modulation (PWM) signal responsive to the analog modulation signal and an analog PWM reference signal input to the coarse controller. The digital controller is operable to program the analog control signal and the analog PWM reference signal responsive to the digital PWM signal so that the fine and coarse controllers together regulate the voltage signal at a predetermined voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Philip Cooke
  • Patent number: 7774626
    Abstract: A processor starting a duty cycle timer with a specified duty cycle period and a specified power state, and if the duty cycle timer expires, placing the processor in the specified power state in response to the expiry of the timer, if the timer has not expired and if an interrupt other than a timer tick interrupt is received, canceling the duty cycle timer in response to the interrupt other than a timer tick interrupt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Bruce L. Fleming
  • Patent number: 7769110
    Abstract: An adaptive algorithm is implemented that optimizes the slicer threshold by optimizing the tail distribution of a “+1” and “?1” histogram. Through the use of a low resolution and under-sampled ADC, a histogram of received bit may be created. The difference between the y-intersects of lines derived from the “+1” and “?1” histogram is used to determine an error function. The algorithm iteratively updates the threshold value based on this error function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Afshin Momtaz
  • Patent number: 7768328
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuit according to the present invention includes: a differential input section to receive input differential signals; a load resistance section to output a voltage according to a current output by the differential input section; differential signal output terminals to output a differential signal corresponding to the voltage output from the load resistance section; a low-pass filter to extract a direct-current component of the differential signal output from the differential signal output terminals; and a load adjustment section to feed back the direct-current component extracted by the low-pass filter to adjust a resistance value of the load resistance section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Aoki
  • Patent number: 7768327
    Abstract: A delay locked loop (DLL) of a semiconductor device includes: a first delay line for delaying a first clock signal in synchronization with a first edge of an external clock signal to output a first delayed clock signal; a second delay line for delaying a second clock signal in synchronization with a second edge of the external clock to output a second delayed clock signal; a duty cycle corrector (DCC) for mixing phases of the first and second delayed clock signals to output a DLL clock signal with a corrected duty cycle; and a DCC controller for disabling the duty cycle corrector in a section during which a phase difference between the first and second delayed clock signals is greater than a preset time after a delay locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Hye-Young Lee
  • Patent number: 7768319
    Abstract: A clock input filter uses a first programmable low-pass delay element to filter during a low period of an input clock signal and to output a SET signal. The clock input filter uses a second programmable low-pass delay element to filter during a high period of the input clock signal and to output a RESET signal. A latch is set and reset by the SET and RESET signals. The latch outputs a filtered version of the input signal that has the same approximate duty cycle as the input signal. A pair of gates generates a corresponding pair of duty cycle adjusted versions of the input signal. Output multiplexing circuitry is provided to output either the output of the latch, or an increased duty cycle version of the input signal, or a decreased duty cycle version of the input signal, or an unfiltered version of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: ZiLOG, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven K. Fong
  • Publication number: 20100188126
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for controlling the duty cycle of a clock to optimize duty cycle correction and non over-lapping clock generation. The first system generates a reference voltage and one or more clock signals. A comparison is made between the DC level of an output clock and the reference voltage. A correct duty cycle of the clock signal is equal to a predetermined ratio of high time to low time, within an acceptable margin, wherein the ratio of high time to low time is derived from a first resistor and a second resistor. A second system is developed to generate non-overlap clock signals with non-overlap gap control, wherein a reference voltage of a first circuit network is the reference voltage of a second circuit network; thereby generating a single reference signal for the non-overlap circuit network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sharon W. Cheung, Chad B. McBride, Cheng-Fu Frank Tsai, Jianguo Yao
  • Patent number: 7764734
    Abstract: Digital pulse width modulation with variable period and error distribution that improves the tradeoff between resolution and clock speed in pulse width modulation circuits so that a higher resolution can be achieved with a lower clock speed. A preferred method includes, for a signal sample S and each value of P in a range Pmin to Pmax of pulse periods P, determining a pulse width V=round(P*S), where round(P*S) is the closest integer value of P*S, and the magnitude of the error |E|=|S?V/P|, for the value of V (Vopt) and P (Popt) associated with the lowest value of the magnitude of the error |E|, providing an output pulse of a pulse width Vopt during the pulse period Popt, and successively repeating a) and b). Other aspects of the invention may include error distribution, error squelching to prevent idle-tone, idle-noise artifacts, 2-samples-per-pulse and non-uniform sampling and pulsing. Other features are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Samuel Chi Hong Yau
  • Patent number: 7764097
    Abstract: A duty detector includes a clock converter, a hold pulse generator, a first logic operator, and an up/down counter. The clock converter receives a clock signal to generate an up clock signal and a down clock signal having phases opposite to each other. The hold pulse generator generates a hold pulse signal that is deactivated during a counting interval corresponding to first through (N?1)-th period intervals of the clock signal and is activated during a holding interval corresponding to an N-th period interval. The first logic operator outputs a counting clock signal by performing a first logic operation on the hold pulse signal and a sampling clock signal. The up/down counter determines a logic level of the up clock signal and a logic level of the down clock signal at an edge timing of the counting clock signal, increases or decreases a counting value in response to the determination result, and outputs duty information of the clock signal, based on a final counting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-don Choi
  • Publication number: 20100181846
    Abstract: Each of the rising edges of PWM outputs is arranged for radiation noise reduction, by the assignment of suffix of output priority, by setting the rising edge of the first output at a start time of a cycle time, by evaluating an output margin at the falling edge of the first output relative to a current of the second output, by setting the rising edge of the second output in sync with the falling edge of the first output if the output margin is smaller than the current size of the second output. The same arrangement is used for subsequent outputs to totally reduce the current size in a simplified manner, thereby preventing the power loss and heat dissipation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Yonehara
  • Patent number: 7760120
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a generation method of a variation form of an analogue signal generated by a PWM signal whose cyclic ratio and period are programmable. A signal can thus be generated whose evolution is linear over time. A succession of generation steps of a PWM signal during which different period and cyclic ratio values are applied, as well as pairs have different periods with the same cyclic ratio, thus enabling the analogue signal to be varied with great precision. According to an improvement, each generation step of a new PWM signal with different period and cyclic ratio values is applied over time slots of equal time. The present invention also relates to a generation system of a variable analogue signal implementing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Philippe Mace, Xavier Guitton, Philippe Benezeth
  • Publication number: 20100176851
    Abstract: A pulse width modulation circuit capable of linearly adjusting duty cycle with voltage, which comprises an input voltage source for generating an input voltage, a regulator for generating a regulated voltage, a first voltage-dividing unit for providing a first divided voltage, a second voltage-dividing unit for providing a second divided voltage, a third voltage-dividing unit for providing a third divided voltage, a voltage adder for adding the first divided voltage and the third divided voltage for generating a high level voltage, a waveform generator for generating an oscillating signal according to the high level voltage and the third divided voltage, and a comparator having a first input terminal coupled to the second voltage-dividing unit, a second terminal coupled to the waveform generator, and an output terminal for comparing the second divided voltage with the oscillating signal to output a pulse width modulation signal through the output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Shiue-Shr Jiang, Kun-Min Chen, Ming-Jung Tsai, Ching-Sheng Li
  • Patent number: 7755406
    Abstract: A duty cycle correction circuit with wide-frequency working range utilizes a pulse generator having adjustable pulse width function to adjust the width of the pulse and outputs a clock signal with the duty cycle of 50%. The pulse generator includes a NAND gate, a modulation device, and an inverter. The inverter is coupled between the second input end of the NAND gate and the modulation device. The modulation device modulates the low-level status of the input clock signal and accordingly outputs to the inverter. The first input end of the NAND gate receives the input clock signal. The NAND gate operates NAND calculation to the signals received on the input ends of the NAND gate and accordingly outputs a periodic low-level pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Etron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsien-Sheng Huang, Chun Shiah
  • Patent number: 7750703
    Abstract: A duty cycle correcting circuit includes a duty ratio control signal generating block that detects a duty ratio of input clock signals and generates a duty ratio control signal comprising a plurality of bits, a power supply block that supplies a voltage to output nodes, and a signal processing block that controls voltage levels of the output nodes to correspond to voltage levels of the input clock signals in response to the plurality of bits of duty ratio control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Won Joo Yun, Hyun Woo Lee, Dong Suk Shin
  • Publication number: 20100164566
    Abstract: A delay locked loop circuit includes a clock buffering block to generate first and second internal clocks corresponding to first and second edges of a source clock in response to a clock buffering control signal, respectively, wherein generation of the second internal clock is controlled by a duty correcting operation terminating signal and a delay locking signal, a delay locking block to compare phases of the first and second internal clocks with those of first and second feedback clocks, respectively, to enable the delay locking signal according to a delay locking and delay the first and second internal clocks as many as times corresponding to the comparison results, respectively, thereby outputting first and second delay locking clocks, a duty correcting block to mix phases of the first and second delay locking clocks, and a first signal generating block to generate the duty correcting operation terminating signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventor: Young-Jun KU
  • Publication number: 20100164581
    Abstract: A pulse width modulated (PWM) controller has an input terminal for receiving a pulsed input signal having a first duty cycle, a power supply terminal for receiving a power supply voltage. a minimum duty cycle reference voltage signal, and a control circuit for providing a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) output signal having a second duty cycle related to the first duty cycle of the pulsed input signal. The PWM output control signal having a minimum duty cycle that is adjustable in response to a change in the power supply voltage. In an embodiment, the second duty cycle and the first duty cycle are correlated in a substantially linear relationship. In an embodiment, the PWM control circuit also has a triangle wave generation circuit for generating a triangle wave signal configured to oscillate between an upper limit voltage and a lower limit voltage, which are adjustable in response to a change in the power supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: BCD Semiconductor Manufacturing Limited
    Inventors: Zhihong Zhang, Xujiang Huang
  • Patent number: RE41791
    Abstract: In a pulse generator, a sawtooth-shaped wave generator circuit generates a sawtooth-shaped wave by charging and discharging a capacitor. The sawtooth-shaped wave is fed to a comparator that performs pulse-width modulation on it in accordance with the voltage it receives via a terminal and thereby produces pulses. The comparator has its output grounded through a transistor that is turned on with appropriate timing by the sawtooth-shaped wave generator circuit. Thus, the maximum duty factor of the output pulses is made equal to the duty factor of the sawtooth-shaped wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michiaki Yama