Signal Level Or Switching Threshold Stabilization Patents (Class 326/31)
  • Patent number: 11949539
    Abstract: A first sequence of data bits is shifted into storage elements of a signal receiver during a first sequence of bit-time intervals, and a memory access command indicates that a second sequence of data bits is to be received within the signal receiver during a second sequence of bit-time intervals. Contents of the shift-register storage elements are conditionally overwritten with a predetermined set of seed bits, depending on whether one or more bit-time intervals will transpire between the first and second sequences of bit-time intervals. Equalization signals generated based, at least in part, on contents of the shift-register storage elements are used to adjust respective signal levels representative of one or more bits of the second sequence of data bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Giovannini, Abhijit Abhyankar
  • Patent number: 11742856
    Abstract: A digital buffer device with self-calibration includes a first buffer circuit, detection circuit, and calibration circuit. The first buffer circuit has a buffer input terminal for receiving an input signal and a buffer output terminal as output of the digital buffer device. The detection circuit includes at least one second buffer circuit for receiving at least one reference signal and generating at least one detection signal to indicate circuit characteristic variations of the at least one second buffer circuit. The at least one second buffer circuit is of a same type of buffer as the first buffer circuit. The calibration circuit has a calibration input terminal for receiving the input signal, and a calibration output terminal coupled to the buffer output terminal. The calibration circuit is for calibrating the first buffer circuit to generate an output signal according to the input signal and the at least one detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR MICROELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Shu-Han Nien
  • Patent number: 11736835
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes M pixel units to and a correction unit. The pixel unit includes a main amplifier, a capacitive element, a first switch, a second switch, a photodiode, a feedback capacitive element, and an initialization switch. The correction unit includes a null amplifier, a capacitive element, a first switch, and a second switch. An effective offset voltage of the main amplifier is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Makoto Kobayashi, Chihiro Suzuki, Sho Morita, Hiroo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11601151
    Abstract: An integrated circuit that includes a feedback loop to adapt receiver parameters. The feedback loop includes a receiver to sample a signal and produce a sampled signal sequence. The feedback loop also includes a first pattern counter to detect and count occurrences of a first pattern in the sampled signal sequence, and a second pattern counter to detect and count occurrences of a second pattern in the sampled signal sequence. Control circuitry coupled to the receiver adapts a parameter value of the receiver to minimize a difference between a first ratio and a second ratio. The first ratio is a target ratio. The second ratio is between a first counted number of occurrences of the first pattern in the sampled signal sequence and a second counted number of occurrences of the second pattern in the sample signal sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Nanyan Wang, Marcus Van Ierssel
  • Patent number: 11309936
    Abstract: A signal transmission device includes a transmission line. The transmission line is configured to receive a signal transmitted from a transmission device, and output the signal to a receiving device. The transmission line includes a signal suppression device. The signal suppression device is coupled to the receiving device, and is configured to suppress a reflection signal reflected from the receiving device. The signal suppression device includes a pull-up element and a compensation element. The pull-up element is configured to decrease an equivalent impedance from the signal suppression device to the receiving device. The compensation element is configured to compensate for the equivalent impedance from the signal suppression device to the receiving device. A first terminal of the pull-up element is coupled to a first terminal of the compensation element, and a second terminal of the compensation element is coupled to the receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: GLOBAL UNICHIP CORPORATION, TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Cheng Sun, Sheng-Fan Yang, Yuan-Hung Lin, Yung-Yang Liang
  • Patent number: 11196595
    Abstract: A hybrid voltage mode (VM) and current mode (CM) four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) transmitter circuits (a.k.a. drivers) is calibrated using a configurable replica circuit and calibration control circuitry. The replica circuit includes an on-chip termination impedance to mimic a receiver's termination impedance. The amount of level enhancement provided by the current mode circuitry is calibrated by adjusting the current provided to the output node and sunk from the output node by the replica current mode circuitry while the replica voltage mode circuitry is driving an intermediate PAM-4 level. After the level enhancement has been set, the non-linearity between levels is calibrated by adjusting the amount of current provided to the output node by the replica current mode circuitry while the replica voltage mode circuitry is driving a maximum output voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Kamran Farzan, Aaron Ali
  • Patent number: 11189345
    Abstract: An operation method for integrating logic calculations and data storage based on a crossbar array structure of resistive switching devices. The calculation and storage functions of the method are based on the same hardware architecture, and the data storage is completed while performing calculation, thereby realizing the fusion of calculation and storage. The method includes applying a pulse sequence to a specified word line or bit line by a controller, configuring basic units of resistive switching devices to form different serial-parallel structures, such that three basic logic operations, i.e. NAND, OR, and COPY, are implemented and mutually combined on this basis, thereby implementing 16 types of binary Boolean logic and full addition operations, and on this basis, a method for implementing a parallel logic and full addition operations is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF MICROELECTRONICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Qi Liu, Wei Wang, Sen Liu, Feng Zhang, Hangbing Lv, Shibing Long, Ming Liu
  • Patent number: 11057021
    Abstract: A fixed latency configurable tap or fixed-tap digital filter may filter a signal in a fixed amount of time, regardless of the number of taps. The filter may include one or more of a clock, a plurality of registers in a shift register, an adder, an accumulator, and/or a scaler. In at least one embodiment, a running average may be maintained as samples are received such that the latency remains fixed with a constant number of clock cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Srinivas Achanta
  • Patent number: 11018904
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for equalizing a transmitter circuit for use in high-speed data links, such as in a serializer/deserializer (SerDes) scheme. One example transmitter circuit generally includes at least one driver stage, a first equalization circuit coupled to an output of the transmitter circuit, and a second equalization circuit coupled to an input of the at least one driver stage. One example method of transmitting data generally includes operating a transmit circuit comprising: at least one driver stage, a first equalization circuit coupled to an output of the transmitter circuit, and a second equalization circuit coupled to an input of the at least one driver stage; and selectively enabling at least one of the first equalization circuit or the second equalization circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Prince Mathew, Ashwin Sethuram, Patrick Isakanian
  • Patent number: 10868536
    Abstract: A high-voltage level shifter circuit that is capable of level shifting a signal from a low-voltage rail to a high-voltage rail for effective gate driving of a top power switch, with a short propagation delay and a high common-mode transient immunity (CMTI). The high CMTI high-voltage level shifter circuit can include a differential input and isolation stage, a high dv/dt sensor and cancellation stage, at least one differential and common-mode gain stage, and an output buffer stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Xugang Ke, Min Chen
  • Patent number: 10835665
    Abstract: A manually openable clamping holder for releasably fixing a single-use medical device to a medical treatment apparatus has a sensor for detecting the position of the clamping jaws of the clamping holder. With the clamping holder, the correct equipping of a medical treatment apparatus with the appropriate single-use device can be monitored economically and with simple operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventor: Nicolas Beisser
  • Patent number: 10841138
    Abstract: A hybrid voltage mode (VM) and current mode (CM) four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) transmitter circuits (a.k.a. drivers) is calibrated using a configurable replica circuit and calibration control circuitry. The replica circuit includes an on-chip termination impedance to mimic a receiver's termination impedance. The amount of level enhancement provided by the current mode circuitry is calibrated by adjusting the current provided to the output node and sunk from the output node by the replica current mode circuitry while the replica voltage mode circuitry is driving an intermediate PAM-4 level. After the level enhancement has been set, the non-linearity between levels is calibrated by adjusting the amount of current provided to the output node by the replica current mode circuitry while the replica voltage mode circuitry is driving a maximum output voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Kamran Farzan, Aaron Ali
  • Patent number: 10833672
    Abstract: A driving circuit for an N-channel or NPN-type high-side transistor includes: a level shift circuit configured to level-shift an input signal; and a buffer configured to drive the N-channel or NPN-type high-side transistor according to an output of the level shift circuit, wherein the level shift circuit includes: a differential conversion circuit of an open drain type configured to convert the input signal into a differential signal; a latch circuit configured to perform a state transition with a differential output of the differential conversion circuit as a trigger; and an assist circuit configured to inject an assist current into the latch circuit in synchronization with the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Niikura
  • Patent number: 10770161
    Abstract: A sense amplifier for reading a via Read-Only Memory (Via-ROM) is provided. The sense amplifier includes a read circuit, an adaptive keeper circuit and a leakage monitor circuit. The read circuit is connected to the via-ROM. The adaptive keeper circuit is connected to the read circuit. The leakage monitor circuit is connected to the adaptive keeper circuit for forming a current mirror, such that the adaptive keeper circuit compensates a read voltage of a memory cell whose via is opened when a bit-line leakage is happened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chia-Wei Wang, Shu-Lin Lai, Yi-Te Chiu
  • Patent number: 10580463
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the field of power supply wiring in a semiconductor device. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device is disclosed that includes, an uppermost metal layer including a power supply enhancing wiring, power supply wiring coupled to the power supply enhancing wiring through a via between the uppermost metal layer and a metal layer underlying the uppermost metal layer, and at least one memory device component disposed in vertical alignment with the via between the uppermost metal layer and the metal layer underlying the uppermost metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mamoru Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 10502806
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided where switches associated with a magnetic field sensor are used to provide error information. In particular, a device is provided that includes a magnetic field sensor, a plurality of switches associated with the magnetic field sensor, and a control circuit configured to control the plurality of switches and to provide at least one signal indicative of a fault based on operation of the switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Mario Motz, Wolfgang Scherr
  • Patent number: 10505532
    Abstract: An output buffer and an operation method thereof are provided. The output buffer includes an input stage circuit, an output stage circuit, a rising control circuit, and a falling control circuit. The input stage circuit correspondingly generates a first gate control voltage and a second gate control voltage according to an input voltage of the output buffer. The output stage circuit correspondingly generates an output voltage of the output buffer according to the first gate control voltage and a second gate control voltage. When the output voltage is to be pulled up, the rising control circuit pulls down the first gate control voltage and the second gate control voltage during a first transient period. When the output voltage is to be pulled down, the falling control circuit pulls up the first gate control voltage and the second gate control voltage during a second transient period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventor: Chia-Chu Chien
  • Patent number: 10491436
    Abstract: A driver circuit includes a driver array configured to generate, at a first output, a multi-bit output signal including a first bit associated with a predetermined first-bit amplitude and a second bit associated with a predetermined second-bit amplitude. The driver array includes first-bit driver slices coupled in parallel between a first input of first data associated with the first bit and the first output, and second-bit driver slices coupled in parallel between a second input of second data associated with the second bit and the first output. A first ratio between a first number of enabled first-bit driver slices and a second number of enabled second-bit driver slices is different from a second ratio between the predetermined first-bit amplitude and the predetermined second-bit amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: XILINX, INC.
    Inventors: Siok Wei Lim, Kee Hian Tan
  • Patent number: 10461738
    Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes a first stage configured to receive VIN and VREF, the first stage including an input transistor pair, wherein the input voltage is coupled to the input transistor pair, the input transistor pair is coupled to ground, and the input transistor pair includes at a common drain a high-gain node having a voltage VHGN. The system further include a second stage coupled to the high-gain node and configured to generate VOUT based on a difference between VIN and VREF, the second stage comprising a resistor and an inverter transistor pair, wherein the gates of the inverter transistor pair are coupled to the high-gain node of the first stage and the resistor couples the high-gain node of first stage to a common drain of the inverter transistor pair and is configured to provide and/or draw current to and/or from the high-gain node of first stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Burt Lee Price, Dhaval Shah
  • Patent number: 10404265
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes a first transistor coupled between a supply node and a first node, a current mirror having a first side and a second side, and a second transistor coupled between the first node and the first side of the current mirror. The input buffer further includes a third transistor coupled between the first node and the second side of the current mirror, and a first capacitor coupled between a source and a drain of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: XILINX, INC.
    Inventors: Brendan Farley, Bruno Miguel Vaz, Darragh Walsh
  • Patent number: 10378967
    Abstract: During operation of an IC component within a first range of temperatures, a first bias voltage is applied to a first substrate region disposed adjacent a first plurality of transistors to effect a first threshold voltage for the first plurality of transistors. During operation of the IC component within a second range of temperatures that is distinct from and lower than the first range of temperatures, a second bias voltage is applied to the first substrate region to effect a second threshold voltage for the first plurality of transistors that is at least as low as the first threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Vogelsang, Frederick A. Ware
  • Patent number: 10320370
    Abstract: Methods and circuits for analyzing a signal and adjusting parameters of an equalizer for a signal. The signal is received at a receiver over a channel wherein the signal has a wave form. The signal is equalized at an equalizer using an adjustable parameter for the equalization. Data points from the signal are sampled between upper and lower limits of a threshold at an error sampler. A performance metric of the signal is computed based on a statistical density of the data points from the signal between the upper and lower limits of the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: MoSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant Choudhary, Haidang Lin, Alvin Wang, Saman Behtash, Shaishav Desai
  • Patent number: 10270444
    Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus may include a field effect transistor (FET), a driver to receive an input signal and to output a driver output signal, and a gate to receive the input signal. The apparatus may also include a delay element to receive the driver output signal and to output a delayed signal to the gate after a delay from receipt of the driver output signal, in which the gate is to output a gate output signal to the FET in response to receipt of the input signal and the delayed signal, and in which receipt of the gate output signal by the FET drives the FET to provide a boost to the driver output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Edward James Luckett, Christopher Allan Poirier
  • Patent number: 10218492
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may include a clock recovery circuit having a plurality of input latches configured to assume a first state when a first pulse is received in one or more of a plurality of input signals, combinational logic configured to provide a second pulse response to the first pulse, a delay circuit configured to produce a third pulse on a receive clock that is delayed with respect to the second pulse, a plurality of output flip-flops configured to capture the first state when triggered by the third pulse. The first state may identify which of the plurality of input signals received input pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Shoichiro Sengoku
  • Patent number: 10014850
    Abstract: The present invention provides a driving stage circuit, including a driving switch circuit and a conduction resistance adjusting circuit. The driving switch circuit generates an output signal according to a switch control signal. The conduction resistance adjusting circuit clamps the switch control signal to a first clamping level according to a current flowing through the driving switch circuit when the current is higher than a first current threshold, such that the conduction resistance of the driving switch circuit is not smaller than a first resistance so that a short circuit current of the driving switch circuit is not larger than a short circuit current limit, wherein a lowest level of the conduction resistance of the driving switch circuit is smaller than a second resistance and the output voltage level does not exceeds a output voltage limit when the current is lower than the first current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hsinlun Li
  • Patent number: 9874457
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating lifestyle metrics with a wearable electronic device are disclosed herein. One disclosed system may include the wearable electronic device comprising a processor and a sensor system providing inputs to the processor. The sensor system may include a high power sensor and a low power sensor. The processor may operate in a high power mode in which both sensors are operational and a low power mode in which the high power sensor is not operational. In the high power mode, the processor may compute a lifestyle metric about a user for a first time period based on first data from the high power sensor. In the low power mode, the processor may compute the lifestyle metric for a second time period based on second data from the low power sensor and the first data and/or a derivative of the first data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Han Yee Mimi Fung, Haithem Albadawi
  • Patent number: 9800244
    Abstract: An inverter circuit includes a pull-up control circuit and a pull-up drive circuit. The pull-up control circuit generates a drive signal which is enabled during a first time period in response to an input signal and an output signal. The pull-up drive circuit drives the output signal to a power supply voltage in response to the input signal and the drive signal. The pull-up drive unit drives the output signal with a first drivability during the first time period and drives the output signal with a second drivability during a second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Ho Lim, Jung Hwan Ji
  • Patent number: 9621136
    Abstract: A data sampler circuit comprises a transconductance amplifier, a latch circuit, a current-to-voltage converter, and a negative resistance circuit. The transconductance amplifier has an input and an output. The latch circuit is coupled to the output of the transconductance amplifier. The current-to-voltage converter has an input coupled to the output of the transconductance amplifier, and an output for providing a feedback signal to the latch circuit. The negative resistance circuit is coupled to the output of the transconductance amplifier and provides equalization during both a sampling mode and a data latching mode. In one embodiment, the negative resistance circuit comprises a pair of cross-coupled transistors. A gain of the negative resistance circuit can be adjusted based on a pulse width of an input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventor: Kevin Yi Cheng Chang
  • Patent number: 9584222
    Abstract: A driving circuit for an optical modulator is disclosed. The driving circuit includes a differential amplifier and a DC-level equalizer. The differential amplifier amplifies a differential input signal consisting of a positive-phase signal and a negative-phase signal, and outputs a driving signal to the optical modulator. The DC-level equalizer superposes two bias levels to the positive-phase and negative-phase signals respectively, and adjusts the bias levels thereof to equalize respective peak or bottom levels of the positive-phase and negative-phase signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Taizo Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 9559588
    Abstract: A power managing apparatus, a DC-DC control circuit, and a method for enabling a chip are disclosed. The power managing apparatus has an enable pin and the enable pin is used to couple a first level control circuit. The power managing apparatus includes a second level control circuit and a level detecting circuit. The second level control circuit is coupled to the enable pin. The level detecting circuit is coupled to the enable pin and used to detect a control signal on the enable pin. The control signal is transmitted from the first level control circuit. The control signal has at least three levels according to operations of the first level control circuit and the second level control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: UPI SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cheng-Ching Hsu, Yen-Hsun Wang
  • Patent number: 9461624
    Abstract: In one example, a method includes, in response to a voltage level of an input signal satisfying an input voltage threshold, activating a first driver of a plurality of drivers configured to collectively generate an output signal. In this example, the method also include, in response to the voltage level of the input signal satisfying the input voltage threshold and a voltage level of the output signal satisfying an output voltage threshold, toggling activation of a second driver of the plurality of drivers, wherein the second driver is configured to switch more current when activated than the first driver, and wherein the first driver has a faster slew rate than the second driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Soujanya Ravula Lakshmi, Madesh Umashankar
  • Patent number: 9412145
    Abstract: This system for processing digital data may include a set of slave processing units for the execution of elementary functions, an interconnection module, which is designed to communicate with a data transfer network and to transfer data between the processing units, on the one hand, and the data transfer network, on the other hand, and a controller controlling the interconnection module to control the data transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
    Inventors: Xavier Cauchy, Anthony Philippe, Isabelle Faugeras, Didier Siron
  • Patent number: 9379694
    Abstract: A pass-gate has a passageway between an input node and an output node. The pass-gate selectively opens or closes the passageway for a signal at the input node under control of a voltage. The pass-gate has a field-effect transistor with a gate electrode and a current channel. The current channel is arranged between the input node and the output node. The gate electrode receives the voltage. The pass-gate is configured so as to have the voltage at the control electrode substantially follow the signal at the input node when the passageway is open to the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Gerrit Willem den Besten
  • Patent number: 9342126
    Abstract: Disclosed is a switching voltage regulator circuitry controlled to supply a voltage to at least a portion of an integrated circuit (IC). Information corresponding to a current load for a different power state of at least a portion of the IC is received. The switching voltage regulator circuitry is controlled to adjust the voltage to a different value based at least in part on the received information. Disclosed is a voltage received for a power state of at least a portion of an IC having first logic to perform one or more functions and second logic integrated with the first logic. Information corresponding to a current load for a different power state of at least a portion of the IC is sent from the second logic to voltage regulator control logic to adjust the voltage to a different value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Son H. Lam, Joseph T. Dibene, II, Henry W. Koertzen, Steven D. Patzer
  • Patent number: 9213667
    Abstract: Methods for detecting one or more signals at a PCI Express interface includes receiving, a signal by a receiver at the PCI Express interface. The methods further include identifying one or more data sampling points to set an amplitude threshold. Further, the method includes comparing an amplitude of the received signal with the amplitude threshold. The method also includes confirming that the received signal is a valid signal when the amplitude of the signal is at least one of greater than or equal to the amplitude threshold over a predefined period of time. The method also includes disabling a signal detector of the PCI Express interface to save power. The signal detector is configured to detect one or more low frequency signals; and testing whether the detected signal is correct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C Cranford, Jr., Daniel M Dreps, William R Kelly
  • Publication number: 20150145557
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a serial transmission driving method, wherein a serial transmission driving device (STD) is connected with a first terminal (FT) and a second terminal (ST) of an equivalent load capacitor through a first differential bus (FDB) and a second differential bus (SDB). FDB and SDB are respectively connected with a high-potential terminal (HPT) and a low-potential terminal (LPT) through a first equivalent resistor and a second equivalent resistor. STD receives a trigger signal (TS) appearing during the transition between a turn-on signal (Ton) and a turn-off signal (Toff), generates a first potential (FP) and a second potential (SP) greater than FP according to TS, and respectively applies FP and SP to SDB and FDB. FP and SP fast change the potential of FT to be greater than that of ST. HPT and LPT maintain potentials of FDB and SDB until Toff ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Amazing Microelectronic Corp.
    Inventors: Tang-Kuei TSENG, Chih-Hao CHEN, Szu-Hsien WU, Ryan Hsin-Chin JIANG
  • Patent number: 9007090
    Abstract: A programming element including a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor between a logic circuit using a semiconductor element and a power supply is provided. In the programming element, a node where a drain electrode of the first transistor, a gate electrode of the second transistor, and one of electrodes of the capacitor are electrically connected to each other is formed. A potential can be supplied to each of a source electrode of the first transistor and the other of the electrodes of the capacitor. The power supply and the logic circuit are electrically connected to each other through a source electrode and a drain electrode of the second transistor. A connection state between the power supply and the logic circuit is controlled in accordance with the state of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Patent number: 8970283
    Abstract: There is disclosed a switching arrangement comprising a switch with a plurality of individually controllable elementary switches connected in parallel between a first supply rail and a second supply rail. Each of the elementary switches can be in either one of a closed state and an open state independently of the others. A controller is adapted to dynamically control the closing or opening of the elementary switches, depending on the intensity of a current flowing through the switch. The number of elementary switches in the closed state is variable. The higher is the intensity of the current, the higher the number of elementary switches in the closed state. Thus, the impedance of the switch decreases when the current increases, and vice versa, and the voltage drop across the switch may be kept substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Priel, Anton Rozen, Yaakov Seidenwar
  • Patent number: 8947119
    Abstract: An impedance calibration circuit includes a first calibration voltage driver configured to operate in response to a first enable signal, compare a first calibration voltage signal with a first reference voltage signal, and drive the first calibration voltage signal, a first control code generator configured to operate in response to a second enable signal, compare the first calibration voltage signal with a first target voltage signal, and generate a first control code signal, and a first reference voltage generator configured to generate the first reference voltage signal in response to the first control code signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Wook Jang
  • Publication number: 20150022235
    Abstract: The disclosed invention provides a semiconductor device capable of suitably controlling the level of an enable signal to resolve NBTI in a PMOS transistor. An input node receives an input signal alternating between high and low levels during normal operation and fixed to a high level during standby. A detection unit receives a signal through the input node and outputs an enable signal. The detection unit sets the enable signal to a low level upon detecting that the input node remains at a high level for a predetermined period. A signal transmission unit includes a P-channel MOS transistor and transmits a signal input to the input node according to control by the enable signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Hideki UCHIKI, Satoru KISHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8890566
    Abstract: Described herein is a low-voltage circuit with an inductor tail and a common mode feedback loop for amplitude and current control. A first transistor pair can receive clock inputs, and a second transistor pair can receive data inputs and output the data to a logic gate. A tail inductor can be coupled to the first transistor pair to suppress high frequency common mode bounce induced by clock transitions in independent common emitter branches. A common mode feedback loop can be provided to maintain a constant average current. The common mode feedback loop and the tail inductor can together function in the same way as a tail current source at low frequencies and high frequencies respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Semtech Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel Kurcharski
  • Patent number: 8887120
    Abstract: An on-chip timing slack monitor that measures timing slack at the end of a critical path includes a master-slave flip-flop having a tap on the Q output of the master and a logic module coupled to the flip-flop for producing a pulse whose width is a function of the slack. A pulse width shrinking delay line removes glitches on the flip-flop output and, in combination with a digital integrator and counter, also performs a time to digital conversion operation for determining a value for timing path slack. The determined value is used by a decision module for yield analysis. The monitor can discriminate a glitch from a slack pulse at the flip-flop output for any width of glitch up to one-half of a clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Chetan Verma, Amit Kumar Dey, Amit Roy, Vijay Tayal
  • Patent number: 8884645
    Abstract: An internal voltage generation circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes: an active driver configured to output an internal voltage to an output node; a standby driver configured to output the internal voltage to the output node; and a voltage stabilizer connected to the output node. The voltage stabilizer starts a voltage stabilization operation of supplying or receiving electric charges to or from the output node when an active enable signal is disabled, and stops the voltage stabilization operation in a predetermined time after to the active enable signal is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jong Sam Kim
  • Patent number: 8861621
    Abstract: In a receiver circuit, a binary signal is generated based on a signal level of a received signal that has been received via a transmission line from a driver of a transmitter circuit. Then, a first stable state and a second stable state are detected based on a reference signal whose signal level changes in accordance with the received signal. In the first stable state, the received signal is stable at a first signal level. In the second stable state, the received signal is stable at a second signal level. When the first stable state is detected and the received signal is changed from the first signal level into the second signal level, the generated binary signal is retained at a signal level corresponding to the second signal level, until the second stable state is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Mori, Naoki Kamikawa, Masayoshi Satake, Tomohisa Kishigami, Tomoyuki Koike
  • Patent number: 8856712
    Abstract: A flip-flop operating with standard threshold voltage MOS devices as compared with high threshold voltage MOS devices may have improved speed performance, but greater leakage current. Likewise, a flip-flop operating with high threshold voltage MOS devices may reduce the leakage current and have better power efficiency, but decreased speed and performance. An optimized flip-flop may include a combination of standard threshold voltage MOS devices and high threshold voltage MOS devices. The optimized flip-flop may have less leakage during stand-by mode as compared to a flip-flop with standard threshold voltage MOS devices. In addition, the optimized flip-flop may have better performance and speed as compared to a flip-flop with high threshold voltage MOS devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak Pancholi, Srikanth Bojja, Bhavin Odedara
  • Patent number: 8823413
    Abstract: A device for sensing a binary signal includes a device configured to measure a signal level of the signal, a device configured to determine whether the measured signal level is “low” or “high”, a device configured to provide a variable input impedance, and a device configured to control the input impedance in response to the measured signal level. The variable input impedance may be provided by way of a transistor and a resistor, and by controlling the duty ratio of the transistor using pulse width modulation. Preferably, the input impedance is controlled to be low for low signal levels and to be high for high signal levels, which results in a more reliable sensing of binary signals. The device may be used for detecting the state of contact transducers suffering from parasitic resistances caused by moist and/or polluted environments. Further, a method of sensing a binary signal is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Hans Björklund, Krister Nyberg, Tommy Segerbäck
  • Publication number: 20140091833
    Abstract: A driver circuit for a digital signal transmitting bus includes a main switch. The main switch is connected to the bus, is controllable by the digital signal to be transmitted, and has one on-switching state in which it has maximum electrical conductivity, one off-switching state in which it has minimum electrical conductivity and at least one intermediate switching state with an electrical conductivity between the minimum and maximum conductivity. The digital signal has a first logic state and a second logic state, the first logic state controls the main switch to be in the on-switching state and the second logic state controls the main switch to be in the off-switching state. The main switch is in the intermediate switching state during switching from the on-switching state to the off-switching state and/or vice versa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: David Astrom, Daniel Mandler
  • Publication number: 20140084958
    Abstract: Described herein is a low-voltage circuit with an inductor tail and a common mode feedback loop for amplitude and current control. A first transistor pair can receive clock inputs, and a second transistor pair can receive data inputs and output the data to a logic gate. A tail inductor can be coupled to the first transistor pair to suppress high frequency common mode bounce induced by clock transitions in independent common emitter branches. A common mode feedback loop can be provided to maintain a constant average current. The common mode feedback loop and the tail inductor can together function in the same way as a tail current source at low frequencies and high frequencies respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: SEMTECH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daniel Kucharski
  • Patent number: 8680885
    Abstract: A low leakage logic circuit. The low leakage logic circuit includes a control circuit for logic circuit. The control circuit has a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a first diode, a first resistor and a second resistor. When the control circuit is ON, a first circuit path in the logic circuit is supplied with a first voltage from the source terminal of the third transistor. This voltage acts as a logic output and has the ability to source current at output terminal of the logic circuit. When the control circuit is OFF, a second circuit path in the logic circuit is supplied with a second voltage from the control circuit which is lower than the turn-on voltage of the second circuit path. This voltage is insufficient to turn ON the logic circuit, hence no current flows into the logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Anadigics, Inc.
    Inventors: Valter Karavanic, Gary Hau
  • Publication number: 20140028346
    Abstract: A low supply voltage logic circuit includes a first current source operable to generate a first current dependent on a first control signal and to generate a first leakage current. A second current source is operable to generate a second current dependent on a second control signal and to generate a second leakage current. A third current source has a third current path between the output terminal and the first supply voltage terminal and is operable to generate a third current through the third current path to compensate for the second leakage current. A fourth current source has a fourth current path between the output terminal and the second supply voltage terminal and is operable to generate a fourth current through the fourth current path to compensate for the first leakage current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventor: Robert Kappel