High frequency precision oscillators having stable temperature characteristics
Granted: March 17, 2015
Patent Number:
8981856
An oscillator circuit includes an adjustable frequency oscillator configured to free-run at a first frequency below a desired second target frequency. This adjustable frequency oscillator is configured to modulate a frequency of its periodic output signal upwards from the first frequency to the second frequency in response to a feedback bias current. A divider is also provided, which is configured to convert the periodic output signal to a reduced-frequency control signal. This…
EMI mitigation of power converters by modulation of switch control signals
Granted: February 24, 2015
Patent Number:
8963527
The present invention provides for EMI mitigation in switching circuitry, such as power converters, by implementing a controlled, non-random change in frequency in every cycle of switch control signals based on a static or dynamically changing modulation cycle. This permits frequency spreading across a wide range while avoiding excessive jitter between cycles and voltage dropouts common to randomized EMI control circuitry. Further, since it may be implemented digitally, some embodiments…
Method and apparatus for a configurable packet routing, buffering and scheduling scheme to optimize throughput with deadlock prevention in SRIO-to-PCIe bridges
Granted: February 3, 2015
Patent Number:
8949501
A method and apparatus for a configurable packet routing, buffering and scheduling scheme to optimize throughput with deadlock prevention in SRIO-to-PCIe Bridges have been described. A single level enqueue method with dynamic buffering and dequeuing based on packet re-ordering is disclosed. Single level packet routing and scheduling to meet SRIO and PCIe rules to enqueue packets based on FType/TType is disclosed. Backpressure based on ingress watermarks for different packet types is…
System and method for improving the timestamp precision in a precision time protocol (PTP) device
Granted: February 3, 2015
Patent Number:
8949448
In accordance with the present invention is provided a system and method for improving a timestamp precision in a precision timestamp protocol (PTP) device. The present invention provides for dynamic adjustment of otherwise uncertainty of the latency of a connection between two devices connected together through a gearbox and/or a block sync circuit. The dynamic adjustment is accomplished by identifying the alignment of data within the gearbox and block sync and adjusting the timestamp…
Timing controllers having partitioned pipelined delay chains therein
Granted: January 27, 2015
Patent Number:
8943242
A timing controller includes a pipelined delay chain configured to process commands and control signals associated with the commands between a first device and a plurality of second devices having different timing requirements. The pipelined delay chain includes a cascaded arrangement of a primary delay chain, at least one secondary delay chain and a plurality of control signal sequence generators responsive to signals generated by the at least one secondary delay chain. The primary…
Apparatus, system, and method for back-channel communication in an inductive wireless power transfer system
Granted: January 27, 2015
Patent Number:
8942624
An inductive wireless power transfer device comprises a transmitter that comprises a transmit coil configured to generate a wireless power signal to a coupling region in response to an input voltage, and a modulator configured to modulate the wireless power signal and encode data with the wireless power signal to establish a back-channel communication link from the transmitter to a receiver. An inductive wireless power receiving device comprises a receiver that comprises a receive coil…
Alternating, complementary conductive element pattern for multi-touch sensor
Granted: January 27, 2015
Patent Number:
8941595
A touch sensor includes conductive elements of substantially concave shape to enable detection of multiple simultaneous touches in at least two directions, with reduced noise sensitivity and enhanced accuracy. The shapes of the conductive elements may be similar, or may be alternating, complementary shapes that cover substantially all of the sensor area. The conductive elements physically interact with adjacent elements in such a way that the area covered by a touch changes monotonically…
High accuracy temperature sensor
Granted: December 23, 2014
Patent Number:
8915646
Temperature accuracy is improved, conversion gain is increased without increasing current density and parasitic resistance errors and other problems with conventional bandgap reference temperature sensors are eliminated by generating a signal proportional to temperature from three samples, where the signal is defined as a difference between a first difference and a second difference, the first difference comprising a difference between a second sample and a first sample, the second…
Method and apparatus for congestion and fault management with time-to-live
Granted: December 2, 2014
Patent Number:
8902765
A method and apparatus for congestion and fault management with time-to-live (TTL) have been disclosed. Each time a packet is transferred into an Egress Port's Final Buffer, an associated TTL Timeout Counter will be loaded with a value. If the packet cannot be transferred out of the Egress Port before TTL timeout, it will be purged by removing a memory buffer pointer from the corresponding Virtual Output Queue (VOQ) entry.
Systems and methods for power management in electronic devices
Granted: November 18, 2014
Patent Number:
8892930
Systems and methods are disclosed for managing power consumption in electronic devices. In certain embodiments, an integrated circuit for managing power consumption in an electronic device includes an input/output (I/O) interface, a first circuit block coupled to the I/O interface, and an interface circuit coupled between the I/O interface and the first circuit block, the interface circuit configured to provide a defined logic state to the first circuit block or a second circuit block…
Clock distribution systems for low power applications
Granted: October 7, 2014
Patent Number:
8854086
Integrated circuit devices include first and second periodic signal generators and a power down detection circuit. The first periodic signal generator is configured to generate at least a first periodic signal having a first frequency at an output thereof and the second periodic signal generator is configured to generate a second periodic signal having a second frequency less than the first frequency at an output thereof. The power down detection circuit is configured to selectively…
Method and apparatus for unified final buffer with pointer-based and page-based scheme for traffic optimization
Granted: September 30, 2014
Patent Number:
8850089
A method and apparatus for unified final buffer with pointer-based and page-based scheme for traffic optimization have been disclosed.
Current mode logic circuits with automatic sink current adjustment
Granted: September 30, 2014
Patent Number:
8847628
Integrated circuit devices may utilize automatic methods for adjusting the tail currents of current mode logic (CML) cells, which compensate for variations in process corners and thereby enable reliable operation of high performance circuits, such as frequency synthesizers. An integrated circuit may include a current mode logic (CML) circuit responsive to at least one input signal and a variable current source electrically coupled to the CML circuit. This variable current source can be…
Method and apparatus for channel equalization in high speed S-RIO based communication systems
Granted: September 23, 2014
Patent Number:
8842721
A Method and Apparatus for Channel Equalization in High Speed S-RIO based Communication Systems have been disclosed. By adjusting equalizer coefficients based on 8B10B error counts and an error threshold, a receiver may be dynamically adjusted. By adjusting transmitter pre-emphasis based on 8B10B error counts and an error threshold, a transmitter may be dynamically adjusted. Both the transmitter and receiver may be adjusted dynamically based on 8B10B error counts and different error…
Multiple time domain synchronizer circuits
Granted: September 2, 2014
Patent Number:
8826057
A multiple time domain synchronizer includes a data pipeline containing a plurality of serially-connected delay elements therein. A latency selection circuit is provided, which has a plurality of inputs electrically coupled to outputs of a corresponding plurality of delay elements in the data pipeline. The latency selection circuit is configured to pass a data pipeline signal from an output of a selected one of the plurality of delay elements in response to a latency control signal. A…
Test assembly for verifying heat spreader grounding in a production test
Granted: September 2, 2014
Patent Number:
8823407
A test assembly (12) for testing a device (10) having a heat spreader (20), a package substrate (18) having a substrate ground (18G), and a grounding conductive segment (44A), includes (i) an input conductive segment (38) that is electrically connected to the heat spreader (20), (ii) a test board (28) having a board ground (30), and (iii) a control system (34) that is electrically coupled to the input conductive segment (38) and the board ground (30). During testing, the device (10) is…
Microelectromechanical-based oscillators having adjustable gain amplifiers therein that support Q-factor control
Granted: August 12, 2014
Patent Number:
8803622
Oscillator circuits include a MEMs resonator, a variable impedance circuit (e.g., varistor) and an adjustable gain amplifier. The variable impedance circuit includes a first terminal electrically coupled to a first terminal of the MEMs resonator and the adjustable gain amplifier is electrically coupled to the variable impedance circuit. The adjustable gain amplifier may have an input terminal electrically coupled to the variable impedance circuit and a second terminal of the MEMs…
Methods of forming micro-electromechanical resonators having passive temperature compensation regions therein
Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8785229
Methods of forming micromechanical resonators include forming first and second substrates having first and second semiconductor layers of first and second conductivity type therein, respectively. The first semiconductor layer of first conductivity type is bonded to the second semiconductor layer of second conductivity type to thereby define a first rectifying junction at an interface of the bonded semiconductor layers. A piezoelectric layer is formed on the first rectifying junction and…
Linearizing a power amplifier
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8779851
A circuit for linearizing a power amplifier. The circuit includes a main signal path comprising a digital-to-analog converter, wherein a main signal is transmitted through the main signal path to said power amplifier; and a digital pre-distortion path disposed outside of the main signal path, wherein the digital pre-distortion path includes a digital pre-distorter for digitally pre-distorting the main signal.
Apparatuses and methods responsive to output variations in voltage regulators
Granted: July 8, 2014
Patent Number:
8773096
A voltage regulator includes an amplifier to generate a difference voltage responsive to a comparison of a reference voltage and a feedback voltage. An output driver is coupled to the amplifier and drives a regulated output voltage responsive to the difference voltage. An impedance circuit is coupled between the output driver and a low power source and establishes the feedback voltage responsive to a current through the impedance circuit. A variation detector is operably coupled between…
