Synchronization Of Plural Processors Patents (Class 713/375)
  • Patent number: 8219796
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a computer system having at least two execution units, switchover operations being carried out between at least two operating modes, and a first operating mode corresponding to a comparison mode and a second operating mode corresponding to a performance mode. At least one set of runtime objects is defined; at least one identifier is assigned to each runtime object of the defined set; and the identifier assigns at least the two operating modes to the runtime object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Weiberle, Bernd Mueller, Eberhard Boehl, Yorck von Collani, Rainer Gmehlich
  • Publication number: 20120173913
    Abstract: In a computer system, a standby master processor is configured to serve as a backup processor for an active master processor. A third party replica processor is configured to monitor and record changes on the active master processor when the active master processor is executing, and is further configured to synchronize itself with the standby master processor when the standby master processor takes over execution from the active master processor. Logs of changes are maintained. A negotiation occurs between the standby master processor and the third party replica processor to determine the status of the logs of the standby master processor and the third party replica processor, and logs are applied or paused relating to one or more of the standby master processor and the third party replica processor to synchronize the standby master processor and the third party replica processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Computer Associates Think, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenghua Xu, Ran Shuai, Min Yan, Guodong Li
  • Publication number: 20120166845
    Abstract: A multi-core processor includes microcode distributed in each core enabling each core to participate in a de-centralized inter-core state discovery process. In a related microcode-implemented method, states of a multi-core processor are discovered by at least two cores participating in a de-centralized inter-core state discovery process. The inter-core state discovery process is carried out through a combination of microcode executing on each participating core and signals exchanged between the cores through sideband non-system-bus communication wires. The discovery process is unmediated by any centralized non-core logic. Applicable discoverable states include target and composite power states, whether and how many cores are enabled, the availability and distribution of various resources, and hierarchical structures and coordination systems for the cores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: VIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: G. Glenn Henry, Darius D. Gaskins
  • Patent number: 8205110
    Abstract: A system may be employed for allowing the synchronous operation of an asynchronous system. The system may be a system that may include multiple clusters. The clusters may include asynchronous clock domains and may also receive a global clock signal through a global clock grid that may overlay the system. Furthermore, a method may be employed for synchronizing asynchronous clock domains within a cluster. The method of synchronizing may include providing a global clock that corresponds to a global clock grid to each cluster. Additionally, the method of synchronizing may include accounting for the mismatch between the asynchronous clock domains by employing logic in a block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce Petrick
  • Patent number: 8200873
    Abstract: An editing system in which a personal computer is easily configured as an editing apparatus that performs editing processing in synchronization with predetermined timing. According to the invention, a personal computer 2 transmits an acquisition command C1 to a timing notice apparatus 4 over a USB cable 3, as a result, the personal computer 2 receives a timing notice signal S2 transmitted from the timing notice apparatus 4 under frame timing over the USB cable 3. Thus, it becomes possible to notify the personal computer 2 of the frame timing as reception timing of the timing notice signal S2 by connecting the timing notice apparatus 4 to the personal computer 2 over the USB cable 3 without the need of troublesome works such as installing a PCI board in a main body of the personal computer 2, thereby realizing an editing system 1 in which the personal computer 2 is easily configured as an editing apparatus that performs editing processing in synchronization with predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Tsukimori, Keiji Hirai
  • Patent number: 8195954
    Abstract: A memory controller for a smart card including a non-volatile memory can include an internal circuit that is configured to perform cryptographic key processing responsive to a first clock and a non-volatile memory interface circuit for transferring/receiving a signal to/from the internal circuit in synchronization with the first clock and transferring/receiving the signal to/from an external device in synchronization with a second clock that is asynchronous relative to the first clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keon-Han Sohn
  • Patent number: 8194264
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing using a synchronization signal are provided. Printing processes are performed in the apparatus by determining points in time for performing the printing processes based on a synchronization signal so that it is possible to reduce a waiting time for printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-ha Kim, Doo-hyo Moon
  • Patent number: 8190722
    Abstract: Protocol analyzer systems enable synchronization of timestamps and the capture of data across serially chained boxes that are used together to monitor and capture network data. Through experiment, it can be determined how long it takes to propagate a signal to each box in the chain. These values are then recorded in each box in a delay register so that each box has a recorded delay value corresponding to the time required to propagate a signal to or receive a signal from every other box. Each box applies a control signal, such as a run signal or a trigger signal, to the ports in the box only after the expiration of the delay value indicated in the delay register. The box initiating the signal has the largest delay since the other boxes need to get the signal before the boxes can begin to operate with a common counter, with successive boxes having smaller delays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Inventors: Randy Oyadomari, Arthur Michael Lawson
  • Patent number: 8190941
    Abstract: The field control system includes: a field device; a field controller which is connected to a control network and which executes a computation processing for controlling the field device according to a given control cycle while executing a data communication between the field controller and the field device, the field controller including a communication unit configured to execute the data communication with the field device, and a control computation unit configured to execute the computation processing independently from the communication unit; and an operation monitor which is connected to the control network and which operates and monitors the field device, the operation monitor including a network clock which provides a common network time to the control network. The control computation unit and the communication unit execute the computation processing and the data communication in synchronism with each other in accordance with a timer clock based on the network time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kitamura, Senji Watanabe, Hideharu Yajima, Masafumi Kisa, Kazushi Sakamoto, Hiroyuki Takizawa, Kuniharu Akabane, Yoshinori Kobayashi, Kenji Habaguchi, Kiyotaka Kozakai, Mitsuhiro Kurono, Hiroaki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8180007
    Abstract: An input bit stream including a clock signal and data bits is oversampled to obtain one or more sets of data samples. One or more sets of non-transitioning phases corresponding to data samples that do not switch between zero and one are then identified. Center phases corresponding to the one or more sets of non-transitioning phases are identified and then a final center phase that accurately represents the bits belonging to the input bit stream is selected. The data samples corresponding to the final center phase are extracted, thereby recovering the clock signal and data bits from the input bit stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Asif Iqbal, Girraj K. Agrawal, Ankit Pal
  • Patent number: 8181058
    Abstract: A receiver circuit is described. In the receiver circuit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) generates first samples of a data signal based on a first clock signal, and a clock-data-recovery (CDR) error-detection circuit generates second samples of the data signal based on a second clock signal. In addition, the CDR error-detection circuit estimates intersymbol interference (ISI) at a current sample in the second samples from an adjacent, subsequent sample in the second samples. Based on the second samples and the estimated ISI, a CDR circuit generates the first clock signal and the second clock signal, which involves modifying the skews of either or both of these clock signals so that the current sample is associated with a zero crossing of a pulse response of a communication channel from which the data signal was received, thereby reducing or eliminating the ISI from the adjacent, subsequent sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianghui Su, Deqiang Song, Dawei Huang, Muthukumar Vairavan
  • Patent number: 8171328
    Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for synchronizing redundant processors using state history are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes two processors, state storage for each processor, and control logic. Each processor is to execute the same instructions. The state storage is to store compressed processor state information for each instruction executed by the processors. The control logic is to synchronize the two processors based on entries from the state storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shubhendu S. Mukherjee, Arijit Biswas, Paul B. Racunas, Steven E. Raasch
  • Patent number: 8166323
    Abstract: A method and system to selectively move one or more of a plurality threads which are executing in parallel by a plurality of processing cores. In one embodiment, a thread may be moved from executing in one of the plurality of processing cores to executing in another of the plurality of processing cores, the moving based on a performance characteristic associated with the plurality of threads. In another embodiment of the invention, a power state of the plurality of processing cores may be changed to improve a power efficiency associated with the executing of the multiple threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Qiong Cai, José González, Pedro Chaparro Monferrer, Grigorios Magklis, Antonio González
  • Publication number: 20120096300
    Abstract: Provided is a communication circuit (10) connected with a plurality of function blocks (A, B) that perform processing based on a first clock signal, and mediates communication between the function blocks (A, B). The communication circuit (10) includes N number of communication means, where N is a positive integer, having the same data width as communication data output from the function blocks, and each of the N number of communication means performs communication processing based on N number of second clock signals specified by 1/N of a frequency of the first clock signal, respectively corresponding to the N number of communication means and having a phase difference of 360/N degrees from each other. This makes it possible to provide a communication circuit between function blocks in which the amount of necessary hardware and power consumption is small, the timing design is easy, and the communication latency is low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventor: Atsufumi Shibayama
  • Publication number: 20120096292
    Abstract: A Multi-Level Processor 200 for reducing the cost of synchronization overhead including an upper level processor 201 for taking control and issuing the right to use shared data and to enter critical sections directly to each of a plurality of lower level processors 202, 203 . . . 20n at processor speed. In one embodiment the instruction registers of lower level parallel processors are mapped to the data memory of upper level processor 201. Another embodiment 1300 incorporates three levels of processors. The method includes mapping the instructions of lower level processors into the memory of an upper level processor and controlling the operation of lower level processors. A variant of the method and apparatus facilitates the execution of Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) and single to multiple instruction and multiple data (SI>MIMD). The processor includes the ability to stretch the clock frequency to reduce power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Nagi MEKHIEL
  • Patent number: 8156364
    Abstract: A method (which can be computer implemented) for processing a plurality of adjacent rows of data units, using a plurality of parallel processors, given (i) a predetermined processing order, and (ii) a specified inter-row dependency structure, includes the steps of determining starting times for each individual one of the processors, and maintaining synchronization across the processors, while ensuring that the dependency structure is not violated. Not all the starting times are the same, and a sum of absolute differences between (i) starting times of any given processor, and (ii) that one of the processors having an earliest starting time, is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Krishna Ratakonda, Deepak S. Turaga
  • Patent number: 8151131
    Abstract: There is provided a signal synchronization method of performing signal synchronization between a device which operates in synchronization with a first clock signal and a processor which operates in synchronization with a second clock signal with a different cycle from that of the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuichi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8145247
    Abstract: Clock synchronization for a wireless communication system is described. The communication system utilizes a server with a radio coupled to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and a clock interface to receive a reference clock signal. The server includes a network interface configured to receive, from a base station, a time that the RF signal was received at the base station. The server further includes a processing device configured to determine when the RF signal was transmitted and a location of the base station, and configured to calculate clock offset value representative of a time to delay a local clock signal at the base station to synchronize the local clock signal at the base station with the reference clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: 2Wire, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Fullam
  • Patent number: 8144689
    Abstract: A mechanism for controlling asynchronous clock domains to perform synchronous operations is provided. With the mechanism, when a synchronous operation is to be performed on a chip, the latches of the functional elements of the chip are controlled by a synchronous clock so that the latches are controlled synchronously even across asynchronous boundaries of the chip. The synchronous operation may then be performed and the chip's functional elements returned to being controlled by a local clock in an asynchronous manner after completion of the synchronous operation. This synchronous operation may be, for example, a power on reset (POR) operation, a manufacturing test sequence, debug operation, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan P. Chelstrom, Mack W. Riley
  • Publication number: 20120072757
    Abstract: A mechanism for synchronizing states of components in a first routing engine to corresponding components in a second routing engine is provided. In order to reduce the amount of data required to synchronize the state of the components and the time and resources required to perform the synchronization, the state-related information transmitted from the first routing engine to the second routing engine is limited to information used to build states of a subset of the components associated with the first routing engine. That subset of components is limited to those components that receive stimuli (e.g., data streams or data packets) from sources external to the routing engine. Other components on the second routing engine synchronize state by receiving information from those components on the second routing engine that received the external stimuli information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Jeffrey David Haag, Gary Lee Harris, Samuel G. Henderson, Richard Foltak
  • Patent number: 8134391
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices are disclosed providing synchronization circuits for synchronized signal distribution for a plurality of devices in a semiconductor device. The synchronization apparatus includes an independent synchronization circuit and a dependent synchronization circuit. The independent synchronization circuit may be configured to receive a source signal and to generate a first destination signal substantially synchronized with the source signal. The dependent synchronization circuit may be coupled to the independent synchronization circuit and configured to receive the source signal and to generate a second destination signal substantially synchronized with the source signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Seong-hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 8135977
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for digital, bidirectional data transmission between a processing unit and a position encoder, as based on the transmission of frames of a predetermined bit length, such that each frame is provided with at least an initial bit length for the transmission of data from the processing unit to the position encoder and at least a second bit length for the transmission of data from the position encoder to the processing unit; and such that the frame is provided with a time slot in which data is neither transmitted from the processing unit to the position encoder nor from the position encoder to the processing unit. In the time slot a triggering signal (external sync signal) is transmitted from the processing unit to the position encoder and this triggers the acquisition of position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sick Stegmann GmbH
    Inventors: Massimo Francescon, Ulrich Armbruster, Simon Stein
  • Patent number: 8131985
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device for use in a multiprocessor system includes a shared memory area and a reset signal generator. The shared memory area is accessible by the processors of the multiprocessor system through different ports, and is assigned to a portion of a memory cell array. The reset signal generator is configured to provide a reset enable signal to a processor, predetermined as a slave processor among the multiple processors, for a predetermined time after an initial booting of the multiprocessor system. The reset signal generator also provides a reset disable signal to the slave processor after the predetermined time lapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Hyoung Kwon, Han-Gu Sohn
  • Patent number: 8122275
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus for memory interfaces that compensate for skew between a clock signal and DQ/DQS signals that may be caused by a fly-by routing topology. The skew is compensated by clocking the DQ/DQS signals with a phase delayed clock signal, where the phase delay has been calibrated. In one example calibration routine, a clock signal is provided to a receiving device. A DQ/DQS signal is also provided and the timing of their reception compared. A delay of the DQ/DQS signal is changed incrementally until the DQ/DQS signal is aligned with the clock signal at the receiving device. This delay is then used during device operation to delay a signal that clocks registers providing the DQ/DQS signals. Each DQ/DQS group can be aligned to the clock, or the DQS and DQ signals in a group may be independently aligned to the clock at the receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Yan Chong, Bonnie I. Wang, Chiakang Sung, Joseph Huang, Michael H. M. Chu
  • Patent number: 8116321
    Abstract: A router, for routing at least one input signal to at least one output, comprises at least one input module and at least one output module. Each of the input and output modules includes at least one clock selector circuit for selecting from among a first and second clock signal, and an oscillator signal, as a common output clock signal for the at least first router, based in part on whether at least one of the first and second clock signals has toggled. The clock selector circuit provides redundancy as well as distribution of clock signals among elements within each module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Carl Christensen, David Lynn Bytheway, Lynn Howard Arbuckle, Randall Geovanny Redondo
  • Patent number: 8117481
    Abstract: An electronic device (12) for processing information wirelessly received from another electronic device (14) or to be wirelessly sent to the another electronic device (14) may include a first processor (20) that controls only wireless communications with the another electronic device (14) and excluding operations associated only with the electronic device (12), a second processor (16) that controls the operations associated only with the electronic device (12) and excluding the wireless communications with the another device (14), and a clock circuit (24, 190) that is separate and independent from the first and second processors (20, 16) and that produces at least one timing signal that regulates synchronous exchange of the information between the first and second processors (20, 16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG
    Inventors: Bruno Anselmi, Marcel Frikart, Jean-Noel Fehr, Urs Anliker, Thomas Von Buren, Urban Schnell, Christoph Rickert
  • Patent number: 8112550
    Abstract: Methods and systems for preserving user attribute data by way of managing and synchronizing redundant storage locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Tacoda LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Wilson
  • Patent number: 8103791
    Abstract: A data processing system includes a plurality of processing units, including at least a local master and a local hub, which are coupled for communication via a communication link. The local master includes a master capable of initiating an operation, a snooper capable of receiving an operation, and interconnect logic coupled to a communication link coupling the local master to the local hub. The interconnect logic includes request logic that synchronizes internal transmission of a request of the master to the snooper with transmission, via the communication link, of the request to the local hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjiman L. Goodman, Guy L. Guthrie, Praveen S. Reddy, William J. Starke, Jeffrey A. Stuecheli
  • Patent number: 8099731
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method that increases the utilization by processors on shared resources. It provides the minimum latency in a multiprocessor system during usage right exchange between multi-processors on a shared resource. The apparatus provides a timed mailbox including a timer. The timed mailbox is at least associated with a first processor and a second processor. The second processor starts to utilize a shared resource to perform a task. According to a predetermined clock cycle number, the timed mailbox issues a signal in advance to notify the first processor of the availability of the shared resource to be utilized by the first processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Li, Chung-Chou Shen
  • Publication number: 20120005516
    Abstract: A computer system is provided which includes a plurality of nodes, which include chips of different types. In each node, one of the chips is configured as a master chip, which is connected to one or more slave chips via two or more multi-drop nets (e.g., checkstop, clockrun). The master chip and the slave chips are connected to a reference clock, and event triggering information is transmitted via the multi-drop nets (checkstop, clockrun) to the slave chips. Event trigger commands are submitted by the master chip when it receives a request, and internal offset counters are used to adjust both the receiving cycle and the cycle when the command is propagated to the units on the chips. In operation, the offset counters are synchronized by a reference clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tobias BERGMANN, Ralf LUDEWIG, Tobias WEBEL, Ulrich WEISS
  • Patent number: 8087020
    Abstract: An information processing system performs a real-time operation periodically at specific time intervals. The system includes a unit for performing a scheduling operation of assigning the real-time operation to a processor to perform the real-time operation periodically at the specific time intervals by the processor, a unit for computing a ratio of an execution time of the real-time operation to be performed by the processor at a first operating speed, based on the specific time intervals and cost information concerning a time required to perform the real-time operation by the processor at the first operating speed, and a unit for performing an operating speed control operation to operate the processor at a second operating speed that is lower than the first operating speed, the second operating speed being determined based on the computed ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tatsunori Kanai, Seiji Maeda, Hirokuni Yano, Kenichiro Yoshii
  • Publication number: 20110314321
    Abstract: As part of the protocol for Common Public Radio Interface/Open Base Station Architecture Initiative (CPRI/OBSAI) systems, multiple data rates are support, which are each supported by one or more reference clock frequencies. Traditionally, timing circuits present used for the physical layer (PHY) paths to determine the data rates for the serial data have been plagued with numerous problems. Here, however, a circuit that performs an automatic rate sense (ARS) of high speed serial signals in a low speed digital domain is provided, which is also relatively easy to implement and robust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary F. Chard, T-Pinn R. Koh
  • Patent number: 8082438
    Abstract: Systems and methods for booting a programmable processor such as a DSP that is incorporated into an HDA codec. The codec and a system memory containing boot program instructions are connected to an HDA bus. In a first mode, the DSP receives boot program instructions via the HDA bus and boots using these instructions. In a second mode, the DSP boots from instructions that are contained in a memory that is connected to the DSP. In one embodiment, the memory connected to the DSP is a component of a plug-in card, and the DSP is configured to determine whether the plug-in card is present, then boot from the memory on the plug-in card if it is present or boot from the system memory via the HDA bus if the plug-in card is not present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: D2Audio Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel L. Chieng, Douglas D. Gephardt, Jeffrey M. Klaas, Adam Zaharias
  • Patent number: 8078898
    Abstract: A method comprises a system comprising a host device coupled to a first remote device actively operating according to a state diagram that the host device and all remote devices follow during operation of the system. The method further comprises powering up a second remote device while the host device and first remote device are actively operating according to the state diagram. The second remote device waits for a synchronization point sequence. Upon detecting the synchronization point sequence, the second remote device implements a predetermined feature set and synchronizes itself to the state diagram at a common point as the host device and first remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary Swoboda
  • Patent number: 8078899
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods operate to receive a sufficient number of asynchronous input tokens at the inputs of an asynchronous apparatus to conduct a specified processing operation, some of the tokens decoded to determine an operation type associated with the specified processing operation; to receive an indication that outputs of the asynchronous apparatus are ready to conduct the specified processing operation; to signal a synchronous circuit to process data included in the tokens according to the specified processing operation; and to convert synchronous outputs from the synchronous circuit into asynchronous output tokens to be provided to outputs of the asynchronous apparatus when the synchronous outputs result from the specified processing operation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Achronix Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Rajit Manohar, Clinton W. Kelly, Virantha Ekanayake, Christopher LaFrieda, Hong Tam, Ilya Ganusov, Raymond Nijssen, Marcel Van der Goot
  • Patent number: 8074094
    Abstract: A mechanism for synchronizing states of components in a first routing engine to corresponding components in a second routing engine is provided. In order to reduce the amount of data required to synchronize the state of the components and the time and resources required to perform the synchronization, the state-related information transmitted from the first routing engine to the second routing engine is limited to information used to build states of a subset of the components associated with the first routing engine. That subset of components is limited to those components that receive stimuli (e.g., data streams or data packets) from sources external to the routing engine. Other components on the second routing engine synchronize state by receiving information from those components on the second routing engine that received the external stimuli information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey David Haag, Gary Lee Harris, Samuel G. Henderson, Richard Foltak
  • Patent number: 8067955
    Abstract: This invention is a method of operating a system having multiple finite state machines where each finite state machine generating a ready signal when its operation is complete. This invention senses the multiple ready signals and waits until all the finite state machines generate the ready signal. This waiting can be accomplished with a precharge-conditional discharge circuit used for voting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary L. Swoboda
  • Patent number: 8064485
    Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes providing a time protocol assistant associated with a time-synchronized domain (TSD). The TSD includes a set of nodes that are synchronized to a same time source. The TSD has defined egress and ingress edge points where bidirectional measurements can be made and the egress and ingress edge points are coupled to the time protocol assistant. The method also includes synchronizing one or more packets flowing through a network that includes the TSD through the same time source. In more specific embodiments, the nodes are synchronized to the same time source via the network and the same time source is a grandmaster clock that synchronizes one or more transparent clocks. In yet other embodiments, the transparent clocks manipulate precision time protocol (PTP) packets sent by the grandmaster clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Montini, William M. Townsley
  • Patent number: 8060769
    Abstract: There is provided a duplexed field controller. The duplexed field controller includes: first and second control units between which a control authority is switchable; a first application clock that is updated based on a reference clock so as to define a timing of an application operation of the first control unit; a second application clock that is updated based on the reference clock so as to define a timing of an application operation of the second control unit; and an update control unit that bypasses the first update of the second application clock after switching of the control authority, if the first application clock is ahead of the second application clock when the control authority is switched from the first control unit to the second control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hideharu Yajima, Satoshi Kitamura, Senji Watanabe, Masafumi Kisa, Kazushi Sakamoto, Hiroyuki Takizawa, Kuniharu Akabane, Yoshinori Kobayashi, Kenji Habaguchi, Kiyotaka Kozakai, Mitsuhiro Kurono, Hiroaki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8054859
    Abstract: A reception device is able to receive packets in a communication network comprising at least two stations. The device is capable of receiving packets containing samples of the network which originate from data sampled every period Tsmp, where Tsmp emanates from a time base synchronized on all the stations of the said network; regenerating a counting ramp with the aid of a loop receiving the samples and furthermore delivering local samples every period Tsmp and a clock. The phase-locked loop comprises: a samples comparator comparing the samples and the local samples and delivering an error signal; a corrector receiving the signal and delivering a corrected error signal, the corrector having a static gain equal to 1; a digital oscillator receiving the corrected error signal and delivering the clock, which has a frequency dependent on the signal and is proportional to a gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Serge Defrance, Thierry Tapie, Ingrid Autier
  • Patent number: 8055929
    Abstract: A computer system is arranged with a circular buffer that includes a piecewise linear map from a high-resolution counter arranged to maintain International Atomic Time. The piecewise linear map includes a current leg that is currently being used and also a future leg that will be used in the future. The future leg is computed while the current leg is still being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Froehlich, Michel H. T. Hack, Xiaoqiao Meng, Li Zhang
  • Patent number: 8051223
    Abstract: In an embodiment, buffer constructs may be generated to be associated with any one of multiple mutually exclusive states, including an open state and a closed state. When the buffer construct is in the closed state, the region of memory represented by the buffer construct is made accessible to one or more direct memory access (DMA) operations. Upon completion of the one or more DMA operations, the buffer construct transitions from the closed state to the open state. The region of memory represented by the buffer construct is made accessible for use with one or more cache operations when the buffer construct is in the open state, so that the one or more cache operations are not in conflict with the one or more DMA operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Calos Fund Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Peter Mattson, David Goodwin
  • Patent number: 8046137
    Abstract: Two data processing units having the same function, one of which is used for a master and the other for comparison, are provided, control of a circuit unit is performed by the master, the master data processing unit and the circuit unit are operated in synchronization with a first clock signal, the second data processing unit is operated in synchronization with a second clock signal having the same cycle and different phase from the first clock signal, and processing results of both the data processing units are compared in a comparison circuit. Flip flops are disposed on a signal path from the circuit unit to the comparison data processing unit and on a signal path from the master data processing unit to the comparator, and both the first and second clock signals are used for latch clocks of the flip flops in accordance with input signals thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromichi Yamada, Nobuyasu Kanekawa, Teruaki Sakata
  • Patent number: 8041978
    Abstract: A recording medium, method and apparatus for managing data are discussed. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of reproducing main data and additional data. The method includes receiving the additional data associated with the main data, the additional data being divided into a plurality of segment units; and reproducing the additional data in a synchronous manner with the main data using time information if indication information indicates a presence of the time information. The time information indicates a presentation time of the additional data with respect to the main data. The main data and the additional data are reproduced according to management data, the management data including link information for linking the main data and the additional data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyung Sun Kim, Kang Soo Seo, Byung Jin Kim, Soung Hyun Um
  • Publication number: 20110252262
    Abstract: In a storage system which includes a plurality of microprocessors, it is desired to prevent delay in I/O responses due to synchronous' processing waiting for asynchronous processing, while still ensuring the throughput of asynchronous processing. In a plurality of microprocessors possessed by a controller, synchronous processors and asynchronous processors are mixed together. The synchronous processors are microprocessors whose duty is to perform synchronous processing and not to perform asynchronous processing. And the asynchronous processors are microprocessors whose duty is to perform asynchronous processing and not to perform synchronous processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Tomohiro Yoshihara, Sadahiro Sugimoto, Norio Shimozono, Noboru Morishita, Masayuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8036873
    Abstract: Methods simulating a system of devices are described. A model that simulates the system is executed. The system model includes a plurality of modules. A clock object for a module can be disabled when it is not needed or not being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Vermeersch, Karl Van Rompay
  • Patent number: 8037355
    Abstract: A method comprises a system comprising a host device coupled to a first remote device actively operating according to a state diagram that the host device and all remote devices follow during operation of the system. The method further comprises powering up a second remote device while the host device and first remote device are actively operating according to the state diagram. The second remote device determines whether to initialize to a standard protocol or to an advanced protocol. Upon determining to initialize to the advanced protocol, the second remote device then waits for a synchronization point sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary L. Swoboda
  • Patent number: 8028183
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computer implemented method, computer program product, and apparatus for determining a safe lower bound for a commonly powered data processing system. A power management module operates the data processing system using at least one nominal operating parameter during an exploration periodicity, with the at least one nominal operating parameter being clock speed. The power management module determines whether a calibration period is occurring. The power management module calibrates the data processing system up to a measurement interval duration expiration. The power management module may repeat operating the data processing system using the at least one nominal operating parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Bieswanger, Thomas M. Brey, Ajay Dholakia, Andrew Geissler, Hye-Young McCreary, Freeman L. Rawson, III, Malcolm S. Ware
  • Publication number: 20110231691
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus is provided having a hierarchy of layers comprising at least two data processing layers, each data processing layer configured to receive data and to generate processed data for passing to a next lower layer in said hierarchy, according to a protocol specific to that data processing layer. Each data processing layer is configured intermittently to add synchronization information to its processed data, the synchronization information providing semantic information required to interpret the processed data. Each data processing layer is further configured to output its synchronization information in response to a synchronization request signal received from a lower layer in said hierarchy, and at least one data processing layer is configured, when outputting its synchronization information, to issue its synchronization request signal to a higher layer in the hierarchy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: ARM Limited
    Inventors: John Michael Horley, Nebojsa Makljenovic, Katherine Elizabeth Kneebone, Michael John Williams, Ian William Spray
  • Patent number: 8020021
    Abstract: Method of controlling a wind power system comprising a plurality of system elements, the wind power system including a plurality of data processors distributed in the system elements, the method includes the steps of: synchronizing at least a part of the data processors to at least one reference signal distributed to the data processors from a time synchronization arrangement, associating the data processors with local clock generation circuitries, wherein the local clock generation circuitries associated with data processors of a first subset of the data processors have a peak-to-peak tracking jitter higher than or equal to a predetermined threshold value and wherein a second subset of the data processors have a peak-to-peak tracking jitter less than the predetermined threshold value, controlling at least one of said system elements at least partly by mechanism of a data processor from said first or second subset of data processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: John Bengtson