Duty Cycle Control Patents (Class 327/175)
  • Patent number: 10983443
    Abstract: A control device actuates actuator unit to set a position of an optical element of a lithography system. The control device includes an amplifier unit for providing a control signal for the actuator unit via a voltage signal and a PWM signal. The PWM signal has a duty factor and a clock frequency. The control device also includes a modulator unit designed to provide the PWM signal having the duty factor and a defined clock frequency from a plurality of defined clock frequencies. A defined clock frequency of the plurality of defined clock frequencies is an integer multiple of a basic clock frequency. The basic clock frequency is in the range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Krone, Lars Berger, Ralf Kiesel, Paul Wijlaars
  • Patent number: 10972078
    Abstract: Several embodiments of electrical circuit devices and systems with clock distortion calibration circuitry are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an electrical circuit device includes an electrical circuit die having clock distortion calibration circuitry to calibrate a clock signal. The clock distortion calibration circuitry is configured to compare a first duty cycle of a first voltage signal of the clock signal to a second duty cycle of a second voltage signal of the clock signal. Based on the comparison, the clock distortion calibration circuitry is configured to adjust a trim value associated with at least one of the first and the second duty cycles of the first and the second voltage signals, respectively, to calibrate at least one of the first and the second duty cycles and account for duty cycle distortion encountered as the clock signal propagates through a clock tree of the electrical circuit device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Guan Wang, Qiang Tang, Ali Feiz Zarrin Ghalam
  • Patent number: 10958257
    Abstract: A duty cycle adjustment system includes a time-to-digital converter to generate a plurality of time-to-digital codes from an input signal, a duty cycle index generator to compute a duty cycle of the input signal based upon the plurality of time-to-digital codes, and assign a duty cycle index based upon the computed duty cycle, an input phase assignment generator to generate a first output and a second output based upon the duty cycle index, a first delay line to delay the first output to generate a third output, and a duty cycle generator to adjust the duty cycle of the input signal based upon the third output and the second output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ruey-Bin Sheen, Ming Hsien Tsai, Tsung-Hsien Tsai
  • Patent number: 10957367
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for setting a duty cycler adjuster for improving clock duty cycle are disclosed. The duty cycle adjuster may be adjusted by different amounts, at least one smaller than another. Determining when to use the smaller adjustment may be based on duty cycle results. A duty cycle monitor may have an offset. A duty cycle code for the duty cycle adjuster may be set to an intermediate value of a duty cycle monitor offset. The duty cycle monitor offset may be determined by identifying duty cycle codes for an upper and for a lower boundary of the duty cycle monitor offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kang-Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 10951198
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a clock supply circuit, a first output circuit, and a second output circuit. The clock supply circuit outputs a first clock and a second clock, the first clock having a first period, the second clock having a second period that is 1/m times the first period. The m is a natural number of 2 or more. The first output circuit outputs a first signal indicating content of data to an outside when a first operation is performed and outputs a second signal having a toggle pattern based on the first clock to the outside when a second operation is performed. The second output circuit outputs an operation clock based on the first clock to the outside when the first operation is performed and outputs a sampling clock based on the second clock to the outside when the second operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Iijima
  • Patent number: 10944386
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to techniques and apparatus for doubling the frequency of a signal. For example, certain aspects are directed to a phase frequency detector (PFD)-based rising-edge-delay-only frequency doubling circuit. One example frequency doubler circuit generally includes a first delay stage, a second delay stage, a first PFD, a first rising-edge-only adjustable delay cell, a second PFD, a second rising-edge-only adjustable delay cell a logic gate, and a comparator configured to compare a direct-current (DC) voltage value of an output of the logic gate with a reference voltage and control the first and second rising-edge-only adjustable delay cells based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jing Wu, Ying Duan, Zhi Zhu
  • Patent number: 10923175
    Abstract: A memory device includes a clock receiver configured to receive, from a memory controller, a write clock that is used to receive write data during a data write operation, a duty monitor configured to generate first monitoring information by monitoring a duty of the write clock, and a duty adjuster configured to adjust the duty of the write clock in response to a duty control signal and output an adjusted write clock. The memory device provides the first monitoring information to the memory controller, and receives the duty control signal, generated using the first monitoring information, from the memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae-Sik Moon, Gil-Hoon Cha, Ki-Seok Oh, Chang-Kyo Lee, Yeon-Kyu Choi, Jung-Hwan Choi, Kyung-Soo Ha, Seok-Hun Hyun
  • Patent number: 10833656
    Abstract: Several embodiments of electrical circuit devices and systems with clock distortion calibration circuitry are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an electrical circuit device includes clock distortion calibration circuitry to calibrate a clock signal. The clock distortion calibration circuitry is configured to determine when one or more duty cycle calibration (DCC) conditions are met. When the DCC condition(s) are met, the clock distortion calibration circuitry is configured adjust a trim value associated with at least one of first and second duty cycles of first and second voltage signals, respectively. In some embodiments, the clock distortion calibration circuitry is configured to calibrate at least one of the first and the second duty cycles of the first and the second voltage signals using the adjusted trim value to account for duty cycle distortion encountered across various voltages and/or temperatures while the electrical circuit devices and/or systems remain in a powered on state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Qiang Tang
  • Patent number: 10826476
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a differential clock duty cycle correction (DCC) circuit, including: a hybrid current injector including current sources for generating a correction current, wherein the correction current is added to a clock signal of a first polarity at a first correction node and subtracted from a clock signal of an opposite polarity at a second correction node, and wherein a plurality of the current sources in the hybrid current injector are controlled by a first portion of a n-bit DAC code to generate the correction current; and a current DAC for receiving a second, different portion of the n-bit DAC code and for outputting a corresponding reference current to the current sources in the hybrid current injector, wherein the current sources generate the correction current in response to the reference current output by the current DAC for the second portion of the n-bit DAC code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: William L. Bucossi, Barry L. Stakely
  • Patent number: 10826391
    Abstract: A power supply for a smooth power output level transitioning includes an energy storage circuit for temporarily storing electric energy for driving a load, a semiconductor switch for pulse-width modulation (PWM) switching, and a digital PWM controller. The digital PWM controller generates a driving waveform to regulate on and off status of the semiconductor switch. The driving waveform toggles between PWM periods of a first type and PWM periods of a second type, and gradually adjusts a ratio of numbers of the PWM periods of the two types over time. The toggling driving waveform achieves one or more intermediate finer power output level that cannot be realized by a single type of PWM period with an intermediate duty cycle, due to the minimum item unit of the driving waveform limited by a clock rate of the digital PWM controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: LICON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Reed, Andrew Davis, Matthew Whitlock, Brent Dae Hermsmeier
  • Patent number: 10819322
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a frequency doubler circuit and a duty cycle adjusting circuit. The frequency doubler circuit includes a multiplexer, a variable delay circuit and a divide-by-2 circuit. The multiplexer selects one of a first and a second clock signals having opposite phases according to a selection signal to generate a frequency doubled clock signal. The variable delay circuit delays the frequency doubled clock signal. The divide-by-2 circuit divides a frequency of the frequency doubled clock signal to generate the selection signal. The duty cycle adjusting circuit includes an average voltage generation circuit and a comparison circuit. The average voltage generation circuit generates an average voltage value of the frequency doubled clock signal. The comparison circuit generates a control signal according to a comparison result of the average voltage value and a reference voltage to control the duty cycle of the frequency doubled clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: An-Ming Lee, Chia-Liang Lin, Yo-Hao Tu, Yu-Hsiang Chen
  • Patent number: 10802447
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a circuit and method of operation thereof for linearized time amplifier architecture for sub-picosecond resolution. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to an asymmetric edge manipulator whose output is fed to four series of transistors and is operatively coupled to a reset. The disclosure relates to outputting a pair of signals that correspond to a first input and second input of a known and measured clock that may be adjustable with gain to be perceptible to an external device that can then correct for the gain to allow measurement of sub-picosecond resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Grout
  • Patent number: 10784846
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a differential clock duty cycle correction (DCC) circuit, including: a hybrid current injector including current sources for generating a correction current, wherein the correction current is added to a clock signal of a first polarity at a first correction node and subtracted from a clock signal of an opposite polarity at a second correction node, and wherein a plurality of the current sources in the hybrid current injector are controlled by a first portion of a n-bit DAC code to generate the correction current; and a current DAC for receiving a second, different portion of the n-bit DAC code and for outputting a corresponding reference current to the current sources in the hybrid current injector, wherein the current sources generate the correction current in response to the reference current output by the current DAC for the second portion of the n-bit DAC code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: William L. Bucossi, Barry L. Stakely
  • Patent number: 10784847
    Abstract: A duty cycle correction circuit includes a duty cycle adjuster that is configured to receive first and second differential input signals having first and second duty cycles, respectively, that are distorted with respect to a reference duty cycle. The duty cycle adjuster is further configured to iteratively adjust the first and second duty cycles to generate first and second differential output signals having third and fourth duty cycles that are within a predefined range of the reference duty cycle, respectively. During each iteration, the duty cycle adjuster adjusts the first and second duty cycles based on correction bits that are generated based on a duty cycle detection signal that indicates whether the third duty cycle is greater than or less than the fourth duty cycle, and a lock signal that is activated when the duty cycle detection signal toggles from one logic state to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Prakhar Tandon, Shivesh Kumar Dubey
  • Patent number: 10756717
    Abstract: A system and method for calibrating a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal that extends the on time by a higher resolution increment. The system comprises a PWM generator that receives a VDDIO rail to generate first and second PWM signals, the second PWM signal having an on time extended by the higher resolution increment having a commanded length. The system further comprises a VDDIO circuit that receives the VDDIO rail and outputs a VDDIO signal. First and second analog-to-digital converters are configured to generate a first and second sets of PWM samples and first and second sets of VDDIO samples. A microcontroller is configured to calculate an actual increment length based on the samples, and to compensate for a difference between the commanded length and the actual increment length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Eric Patrick Best
  • Patent number: 10749538
    Abstract: An oscillator arrangement having an oscillator configured to generate an oscillation signal having two half-cycles, an input configured to receive a synchronization signal including synchronization triggers, a synchronizer configured to reject a synchronization trigger received during a first part of a half-cycle and to synchronize the oscillator to a synchronization trigger received during a second part of the half-cycle, and a controller configured to prolong the second part of the half-cycle in response to receiving a synchronization trigger during the first part of the half-cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Marco Bucci, Raimondo Luzzi
  • Patent number: 10727816
    Abstract: Several embodiments of electrical circuit devices and systems with clock distortion calibration circuitry are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an electrical circuit device includes an electrical circuit die having clock distortion calibration circuitry to calibrate a clock signal. The clock distortion calibration circuitry is configured to compare a first duty cycle of a first voltage signal of the clock signal to a second duty cycle of a second voltage signal of the clock signal. Based on the comparison, the clock calibration circuitry is configured to adjust a trim value associated with at least one of the first and the second duty cycles of the first and the second voltage signals, respectively, to calibrate at least one of the first and the second duty cycles and account for duty cycle distortion encountered as the clock signal propagates through a clock tree of the electrical circuit device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Guan Wang, Qiang Tang, Ali Feiz Zarrin Ghalam
  • Patent number: 10715127
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for lookahead duty cycle adjustment of a clock signal. Clock signals may be provided to a semiconductor device, such as a memory device, to synchronize one or more operations. A duty cycle adjuster (DCA) of the device may adjust the clock signal(s) based on a duty code determined during an initialization of the device. While the device is in operation, a lookahead DCA (LA DCA) may test a number of different adjustments to the clock signal(s), the results of which may be determined by a duty cycle monitor (DCM). The results of the DCM may be used to select one of the tested adjustments, which may be used to update the duty code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean D. Gans
  • Patent number: 10673328
    Abstract: An amount of charge transferred by a power converter is estimated by developing a signal that is a combination of signals representing an output voltage of a power converter and an inductor current of the power converter, charging a capacitor with a current proportional to that signal and comparing a voltage developed across the capacitor due to that charging to develop a signal for initiating a pulse to control input of power from a voltage source to the power converter. By using a signal developed in this way, response to both step-up and step-down transients can be improved and, in multi-phase embodiments, ripple cancellation problems such as noise susceptibility and loss of pulse generation can be entirely avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Syed Bari, Fred C. Lee, Qiang Li
  • Patent number: 10666234
    Abstract: A transmission circuit includes: a data generating circuit configured to generate data based on a clock signal; a clock generating circuit configured to supply the clock signal to the data generating circuit; and a duty ratio controlling circuit configured to detect a duty cycle distortion of the data output from the data generating circuit, and control a duty ratio of the clock signal based on a result of the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Suzuki, Shigeaki Kawai
  • Patent number: 10641697
    Abstract: A device for counting particles comprises a detector arranged to produce an electrical measurement signal in response to the passage of one or more particles, and a comparator arranged to compare the measurement signal with a threshold signal and to increment a counting value when the measurement signal exceeds the threshold signal, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a threshold-adjusting circuit that applies a lowpass filter to the measurement signal, and that is connected to the comparator in order to use the resulting signal as threshold signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: HORIBA ABX SAS
    Inventor: Guilhem Couderc
  • Patent number: 10644680
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for applying duty cycle correction to a level shifter via a feedback common mode resistor are disclosed. A circuit includes a capacitor, an inverter, and at least one feedback resistor. An input signal is received and coupled through the capacitor to the inverter. To correct for duty cycle distortion on the input signal, a duty cycle correction signal is applied to the at least one feedback resistor in the feedback path. The duty cycle correction signal can be applied as a voltage or as a current. In one implementation, the location of the injection point for applying the duty cycle correction signal within the at least one feedback resistor is programmable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Milam Paraschou, Tracy J. Feist
  • Patent number: 10630272
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for generating, at a plurality of delay stages of a local oscillator, a plurality of phases of a local oscillator signal, generating a loop error signal based on a comparison of one or more phases of the local oscillator signal to one or more phases of a received reference clock, generating a plurality of phase-specific quadrature error signals, each phase-specific quadrature error signal associated with a respective phase of the plurality of phases of the local oscillator signal, each phase-specific quadrature error signal based on a comparison of the respective phase to two or more other phases of the local oscillator signal, and adjusting each delay stage according to a corresponding phase-specific quadrature error signal of the plurality of phase-specific quadrature error signals and the loop error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KANDOU LABS, S.A.
    Inventors: Milad Ataei Ashtiani, Kiarash Gharibdoust
  • Patent number: 10608616
    Abstract: Clock distribution circuitry comprising: a plurality of first buffers and second buffers, the first and second buffers being inverting buffers; and control circuitry configured to generate first, second, third and fourth control signals for bulk-voltage control of transistors of the buffers, the control circuitry configured to control at least one of the first to fourth control signals as a variable signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventor: Charles Joseph Dedic
  • Patent number: 10599481
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling threads on a processor that has at least two different core types, such as an asymmetric multiprocessing system. Each core type can run at a plurality of selectable voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) states. Threads from a plurality of processes can be grouped into thread groups. Execution metrics are accumulated for threads of a thread group and fed into a plurality of tunable controllers for the thread group. A closed loop performance control (CLPC) system determines a control effort for the thread group and maps the control effort to a recommended core type and DVFS state. A closed loop thermal and power management system can limit the control effort determined by the CLPC for a thread group, and limit the power, core type, and DVFS states for the system. Deferred interrupts can be used to increase performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Constantin Pistol, Daniel A. Chimene, Jeremy C. Andrus, Russell A. Blaine, Kushal Dalmia
  • Patent number: 10587247
    Abstract: A correction system is configured to correct for duty cycle distortion and/or cross-point distortion in a pair of sample signals. A slope adjustment circuit is configured to generate a plurality of pairs of intermediate signals according to a plurality of drive strengths. A measurement circuit is configured to measure for duty cycle distortion and/or cross-point distortion, and the slope adjustment circuit is configured to set the plurality of drive strengths based on the measurement. The setting of the drive strengths may reduce certain rising and falling slopes of certain transitions of the plurality of intermediate signals, which in turn may reduce duty cycle distortion and/or cross-point distortion in the sample signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Tianyu Tang, Venkatesh Ramachandra, Srinivas Rajendra
  • Patent number: 10547298
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for correcting a duty cycle of at least one signal. The apparatus may comprise at least one set of inverters configured to receive the at least one signal and correct the duty cycle of the at least one signal at a correction location of a plurality of correction locations based upon, at least in part, a transmission rate mode of a plurality of transmission rate modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rania Hassan Abdellatif Abdelrahim Mekky, Guillaume Fortin, Michael Ben Venditti
  • Patent number: 10529398
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for duty cycle error correction of clock signals are disclosed. An example method includes detecting a clock period error between a first clock signal and a third clock signal and adjusting a timing of the first or third clock signals based on the clock period error therebetween. The method further includes detecting a clock period error between a second clock signal and a fourth clock signal and adjusting a timing of the second or fourth clock signals based on the clock period error therebetween. Additionally, the example method includes detecting a duty cycle error between the first, second, third, and fourth clock signals, and adjusting a timing of the first and third or second and fourth clock signals based on the duty cycle error therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun Yoo Lee, Kang-Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 10530349
    Abstract: In a signal transmission device having a pulse generator, a RS F/F circuit and a detector, the generator generates a set pulse signal and/or a reset pulse signal when a state of a PWM signal is changed. After the generation of the set pulse signal, the generator continuously generates following pulse signals after elapse of a predetermined period of time counted from the generation of the set pulse signal. The generator adjusts, based on a selector signal, the predetermined period of time counted to a time when the following pulse signal is transmitted at a first time. The detector detects the state of the selector signal based on the predetermined period of time counted from a time when the RS F/F circuit receives the set pulse signal or the reset pulse signal to a time when receiving the following pulse signal at a first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akifumi Araragi
  • Patent number: 10530350
    Abstract: A correction circuit includes a first detection unit, a second detection unit, a delay unit, and a waveform shaping unit. The first detection unit is configured to measure a first period of a high level of a first clock. The second detection unit is configured to measure a second period of a high level of a second clock that is complementary to the first clock. The delay unit is configured to generate a first delay clock and a second delay clock according to a difference between the first period and the second period. The waveform shaping unit is configured to generate a third clock having a logic level which is switched based on an edge of the first delay clock and an edge of the second delay clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hirashima, Masaru Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 10511313
    Abstract: A phase-detecting method for testing an under-test circuit under control of a testing station includes the steps of receiving input and output signals of the under-test circuit, combining the input and output signals with each other and accordingly generating a frequency-doubled signal, comparing the frequency-doubled signal with a reference clock signal at a same clock rate and accordingly generating a difference signal, filtering the difference signal and accordingly generating a filtered signal, and determining whether the filtered signal is in an acceptable range and accordingly report a result to the testing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: Goke Taiwan Research Laboratory Ltd., Xinsheng Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Chien Chang, Jung-Chi Wang
  • Patent number: 10505457
    Abstract: A dimmer is provided for controlling power to a load, the dimmer having a ground leakage power supply deriving power from a connection of the dimmer to ground. The power supply may be a switching-mode power supply that can be the sole or primary power supply to power operation of the dimmer, including operation of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Levan Papismedov, Alfred Lombardi, Michael Ostrovsky, Ozgur Keser
  • Patent number: 10505450
    Abstract: A servo block in a Buck, Boost, or switching converter allows a positive offset to be applied to the DAC voltage. In a typical switching converter application, the load will have a positive current, sourced from the switching converter to ground through the load. This will cause the output voltage of the switching converter to fall with the output impedance. The servo block corrects the output voltage by adjusting the DAC voltage upwards. In the case where current is forced back into the switching converter, causing the output voltage to rise, the servo block will have affect. The behavior of the servo block is desirable as it reduces the negative affect the servo block may have on load transients occurring when the switching converter is in over voltage. In particular, the idea of shifting the DAC voltage for several different loops with a single servo block is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Mark Childs, Pietro Gallina, Vincenzo Bisogno
  • Patent number: 10437472
    Abstract: A storage system and method for dynamic duty cycle correction are disclosed. In one embodiment, a controller of a storage system provides a clock signal to the memory, receives the clock signal back from the memory, monitors the duty cycle of the clock signal received back from the memory, and in response to the duty cycle of the clock signal received back from the memory not meeting a target value, adjusts the duty cycle of the clock signal provided to the memory so that the duty cycle of the clock signal received back from the memory better meets the target value. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ekram Bhuiyan, Steve Chi
  • Patent number: 10411675
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a delay circuit comprises a delay loop controller outputting a signal obtained by operating a start signal and a delayed feedback clock signal output from outside the delay loop controller; and a loop counter configured to determine whether a predetermined delay time has elapsed since the start signal was input according to the delayed feedback clock signal and a predetermined loop count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignees: SK hynix Inc., Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Jaewook Kim, Mino Kim, Suhwan Kim, Deog-Kyoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 10395704
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for duty cycle error correction of clock signals are disclosed. An example method includes detecting a clock period error between a first clock signal and a third clock signal and adjusting a timing of the first or third clock signals based on the clock period error therebetween. The method further includes detecting a clock period error between a second clock signal and a fourth clock signal and adjusting a timing of the second or fourth clock signals based on the clock period error therebetween. Additionally, the example method includes detecting a duty cycle error between the first, second, third, and fourth clock signals, and adjusting a timing of the first and third or second and fourth clock signals based on the duty cycle error therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun Yoo Lee, Kang-Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 10396768
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a first set of serially-connected inverters comprising an input port, the first set of serially-connected inverters comprising a first subset of serially-connected inverters, the first subset of serially-connected inverters odd in number and comprising an input port and an output port; a first low-pass filter comprising an input port coupled to the output port of the first subset of serially-connected inverters, and an output port; a second low-pass filter comprising an input port coupled to the input port of the first subset of serially-connected inverters, and an output port; and a first differential amplifier comprising a first input port coupled to output port of the first low-pass filter, a second input port coupled to the output port of the second low-pass filter, and an output port coupled to the input port of the first set of serially-connected inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Michael Schultz, Robert Callaghan Taft
  • Patent number: 10389365
    Abstract: A crystal oscillation circuit includes a crystal oscillator coupled between an input pad node and an output pad node, a current mirror inverting amplifier configured to have a first input terminal coupled to the input pad node and an output terminal coupled to the output pad node, a detection logic circuit configured to detect a signal of the output pad node to generate an output pad node detection signal, and an automatic control logic circuit configured to apply a pull-up driver control signal to a second input terminal of the current mirror inverting amplifier in response to the output pad node detection signal. The current mirror inverting amplifier operates with a first gain or a second gain lower than the first gain according to the pull-up driver control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Gyu Nam Kim
  • Patent number: 10386412
    Abstract: A test circuit measures both the rising edge delay and the falling edge delay associated with a logic cell. The test circuit includes a flip-flop type ring oscillator with two groups of logic cells connected in series in the oscillation path. A first multiplexor switches the ring oscillator between a rising edge and a falling edge mode. A second multiplexer causes the second group of logic cells to be included or excluded from the oscillation path. By measuring the oscillation period in the various modes, the rising edge and falling edge delays can be individually calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Saurabh Kumar Singh, Balwant Singh
  • Patent number: 10382246
    Abstract: A system and method are provided relating generally to data transmission and more particularly to modulation techniques offering increased data transmission rates. To so provide, a first amplitude-time modulated (ATM) signal and a first phase modulated signal are combined at a first combiner to produce a complex wave modulation signal, and the complex wave modulation signal and an additional signal are combined at a second combiner to produce a second complex wave modulation signal. The additional signal may be a second ATM signal or a second phase modulated signal. Optionally, the second complex wave modulation signal and a second additional signal may be combined to produce a third complex wave modulation signal. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a shape of an element of information according to the first ATM signal may be defined programmatically over subportions of less than the duration of the element of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: QuantumSine Acquisitions Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur E. Lee
  • Patent number: 10333527
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for duty cycle correction of clock signals. An input clock signal passes through a pair of output transistors, which provides an output clock signal based on the input clock signal. A duty cycle sensor generates a first correction signal based on the output clock signal. The first correction signal is at least partially opposite of the output clock signal. A duty cycle corrector generates a second correction signal based on the first correction signal. The duty cycle corrector includes two or more transistors for generating the second correction signal. The second correction signal is applied to the output clock signal. There are other embodiments as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: INPHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Simon Forey, Rajasekhar Nagulapalli, Parmanand Mishra
  • Patent number: 10326435
    Abstract: A duty cycle correction device may be provided for correcting a duty cycle of an input signal. The device includes a first duty cycle correction circuit. The first duty cycle correction circuit receives the input signal. The first duty cycle correction circuit generates a first intermediate signal. The device includes a first programmable delay circuit. The first programmable delay circuit is controlled by a first delay control signal. The first programmable delay circuit receives the first intermediate signal. The first programmable delay circuit generates an output signal. The device includes a second duty cycle correction circuit. The second duty cycle correction circuit receives the input signal. The second duty cycle correction circuit generates a second intermediate signal. The device includes a second programmable delay circuit. The second programmable delay circuit generates a reference signal. The device includes a skew control arrangement operable for generating the first delay control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas H. A. Arp, Fatih Cilek, Michael V. Koch, Matthias Ringe
  • Patent number: 10288971
    Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to electrochromic window systems and components thereof. In particular, the disclosed embodiments relate to systems where electrochromic devices are powered and/or controlled using photonic energy. In an exemplary embodiment, a laser is driven by a driver to deliver photonic power and/or control information into an optical fiber. The optical fiber carries the power and control information to a photovoltaic converter and a controller. The photovoltaic converter and controller may be included within an insulated glass unit in some embodiments. The photovoltaic converter converts the light energy into electrical energy used to power a transition in an optical state of an electrochromic layer or layers within the insulated glass unit. The controller may be used to control the power delivered to the electrochromic layer(s), such that a smooth transition occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: View, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger W. Phillips, Stephen C. Brown
  • Patent number: 10256854
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes: a transmit circuit to upconvert a baseband signal to a first differential radio frequency (RF) signal, the transmit circuit to convert the first differential RF signal to a first single-ended RF signal; a duty cycle correction circuit coupled to the transmit circuit to receive the first single-ended RF signal and compensate for a duty cycle variation in the first single-ended RF signal to output a duty cycle-corrected RF signal; a conversion circuit to convert the duty cycle-corrected RF signal to a second differential RF signal; and an interface circuit to transfer the second differential RF signal from a first ground domain to a second ground domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Rangakrishnan Srinivasan, Sriharsha Vasadi, Zhongda Wang, Mustafa H. Koroglu, John M. Khoury, Aslamali A. Rafi, Michael S. Johnson, Francesco Barale, Sherry Xiaohong Wu
  • Patent number: 10230355
    Abstract: Noise introduced in an output signal of a pulse-width modulator (PWM) may be reduced by changing the time duration that a switch is driving the output node. Because the power supplies coupled to the switches are the source of noise in the output signal of the PWM, the time duration that the power supplies are driving the output may be reduced to obtain a subsequent reduction in noise in the output signal. For example, when a small signal is desired to be output by the PWM, the switches may be operated for shorter time durations. Thus, the switches couple the noise sources to ground for a duration of a cycle to reduce contribution of noise to the output. But, when a larger signal is desired to be output by the PWM, the switches may be operated for longer time durations or the conventional time durations described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Melanson, Paul Lesso
  • Patent number: 10218343
    Abstract: A circuit may include control circuitry configured to determine a duty cycle error for a sample clock signal. Based on the duty cycle error the control circuitry may determine a corrective direction by which to alter the duty cycle to correct the duty cycle error. The control circuitry may indicate the corrective direction to selection circuitry via a selection signal. Responsive to the selection signal, the selection circuitry may select a leading phase signal and a lagging phase signal from among a plurality of relative phase signals. Output circuitry may combine the leading phase signal and a lagging phase signal to generate an output clock signal with a duty cycle corresponding the corrective direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Bhawna Tomar, Murali Krishna Balaga, Ajay Kanth Chitturi
  • Patent number: 10211818
    Abstract: An interpolator includes a first delay circuit, a second delay circuit, and a tunable delay circuit. The first delay circuit delays a first input signal for a fixed delay time, so as generate a first output signal. The second delay circuit delays a second input signal for the fixed delay time, so as to generate a second output signal. The tunable delay circuit delays the first input signal for a tunable delay time, so as to generate an output interpolation signal. The tunable delay time is determined according to the first output signal, the second output signal, and the output interpolation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: VIA ALLIANCE SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yeong-Sheng Lee
  • Patent number: 10153753
    Abstract: A driver circuit includes a differential driver and a duty cycle correction circuit. The differential driver includes differential inputs to receive a differential input signal and a first common mode input to receive a first input common mode voltage and a first differential output to output a first differential output voltage with a first output common mode voltage. The duty cycle correction circuit includes a first tunable voltage reference and a first comparison circuitry configured to generate the first input common mode voltage based on reducing a difference determined by the first comparison circuitry between a first reference voltage generated by the first tunable voltage reference and the first output common mode voltage at the first differential output of the first differential driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Sagar Ray, The'Lihn Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10135429
    Abstract: A clock correction device performs skew adjustment and duty correction of an input clock concurrently or in parallel. The clock correction device includes a correction circuit that performs skew adjustment of an input clock by analog control using a skew adjustment signal based on a phase difference between an output clock and a reference clock, receives a duty control signal, and performs duty correction of the input clock by digital control, a skew detection circuit that receives inputs of the output clock and the reference clock and, when only the reference clock is in a predetermined state, outputs a detection signal that changes to the predetermined state, an integration circuit that integrates the detection signal and generates a first voltage signal, and a comparator that compares the first voltage signal and a first reference signal to thereby generate the skew adjustment signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: MegaChips Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Adachi
  • Patent number: 10122368
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for duty cycle correction of clock signals. An input clock signal passes through a pair of output transistors, which provides an output clock signal based on the input clock signal. A duty cycle sensor generates a first correction signal based on the output clock signal. The first correction signal is at least partially opposite of the output clock signal. A duty cycle corrector generates a second correction signal based on the first correction signal. The duty cycle corrector includes two or more transistors for generating the second correction signal. The second correction signal is applied to the output clock signal. There are other embodiments as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: INPHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Simon Forey, Rajasekhar Nagulapalli, Parmanand Mishra