Silicon Image Patent Grants

Elements to counter transmitter circuit performance limitations

Granted: September 8, 2015
Patent Number: 9130794
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to elements to counter transmitter circuit performance limitations. An embodiment of an apparatus for driving data on a differential channel including a first output terminal and a second output terminal includes a differential driver circuit; and a first pre-driver and a second pre-driver, where each pre-driver has an output, wherein the first output terminal of the apparatus is coupled to the output of the first pre-driver, and the…

Transmission of multiple protocol data elements via an interface utilizing a data tunnel

Granted: July 21, 2015
Patent Number: 9087163
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to transmission of multiple protocol data elements via an interface utilizing a data tunnel over a control channel. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a transmitter or receiver for the transmission or reception of data; a processing element for handling the data of the apparatus; and a connector for the transfer of the data, the connector to connect to a data channel and to connect to a control channel. The processing element is to…

Simultaneous transmission of clock and bidirectional data over a communication channel

Granted: June 30, 2015
Patent Number: 9071410
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to simultaneous transmission of clock and bidirectional data over a communication channel. An embodiment of a transmitting device includes a modulator to generate a modulated signal including a clock signal and a data signal, the clock signal being modulated by a first signal edge of the modulated signal and the data signal being modulated by a position of a second signal edge of the modulated signal; a driver to drive the modulated…

Single ended configurable multi-mode driver

Granted: June 30, 2015
Patent Number: 9071243
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a single-ended configurable multi-mode driver. An embodiment of an apparatus includes an input to receive an input signal, an output to transmit a driven signal generated from the input signal on a communication channel, a mechanism for independently configuring a termination resistance of the driver apparatus, and a mechanism for independently configuring a voltage swing of the driven signal without modifying a supply voltage for…

Wireless HD MAC frame format

Granted: June 23, 2015
Patent Number: 9065682
A media access controller (MAC) generates a composite packet having an optimized format for carrying audio, video, and data traffic. A header portion of the composite packet is encoded separately from a data portion of the composite packet. A physical device interface (PHY) is coupled to the MAC. The PHY encodes and decodes between a digital signal and a modulated analog signal. The PHY comprises a high rate physical layer circuit (HRP) and a low rate physical layer circuit (LRP). A…

Signal distribution networks and related methods

Granted: June 23, 2015
Patent Number: 9065453
A signal distribution network has segments that each have a buffer circuit, a transmission line coupled to the buffer circuit, an inductor coupled to the buffer circuit through the transmission line, and a variable capacitance circuit coupled to the inductor and coupled to the buffer circuit through the transmission line. A capacitance of the variable capacitance circuit is set to determine a phase and an amplitude of a signal transmitted through the transmission line. A signal…

Multi-level port expansion for port multipliers

Granted: June 23, 2015
Patent Number: 9063655
A port multiplier dynamically determines and reports its identity based on a number of supported downstream port connections. The number of supported downstream port connections can dynamically change. The port multiplier identifies devices connected to its downstream ports, whether storage devices or other port multipliers. Based on a total number of downstream ports, the port multiplier reports its identity upstream. The upstream reporting can be to another port multiplier, or the host…

Communication using continuous-phase modulated signals

Granted: May 12, 2015
Patent Number: 9031164
Embodiments of a circuit are described. In this circuit, a modulation circuit provides a first modulated electrical signal and a second modulated electrical signal, where a given modulated electrical signal, which can be either the first modulated electrical signal or the second modulated electrical signal, includes minimum-shift keying (MSK) modulated data. Moreover, a first phase-adjustment element, which is coupled to the modulation circuit, sets a relative phase between the first…

Bi-directional digital interface for video and audio (DIVA)

Granted: May 12, 2015
Patent Number: 9030976
A communication system, comprising a first node, a second node, a serial communication link between the first node and the second node, configured to transmit digital video data from the first node to the second node over one or more video channels of the link. The communication system further including a hybrid link between the first node and the second node, wherein the first node and the second node are configured to transmit at least one stream of data to the other through a hybrid…

Tracking system with orthogonal polarizations and a retro-directive array

Granted: May 5, 2015
Patent Number: 9026040
The disclosed embodiments relate to a retro-directive array that facilitates a tracking operation. This retro-directive array includes a first antenna configured to receive an input signal which is substantially circularly polarized from a tracking device. The first antenna separates the input signal into two signal components (e.g., Ex and Ey) associated with different orthogonal polarizations, wherein the two signal components comprise a quadrature signal wherein Ey=j·Ex. The…

Mechanism for low power standby mode control circuit

Granted: April 21, 2015
Patent Number: 9015509
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a low power standby mode control circuit. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a processor, an interface for a connection with a second apparatus, and an operational circuit, wherein the processor is to disable one or more power connections to the operational circuit in a standby mode. The apparatus further includes a standby mode control circuit, the standby control circuit to operate using a standby power source, wherein the…

Identification and handling of data streams using coded preambles

Granted: February 24, 2015
Patent Number: 8964979
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to identification and handling of data streams using coded preambles. An embodiment of an apparatus includes an interface with a communication channel, transmitter coupled with the interface to transmit one or more data streams via the interface, and a processing element, the processing element to receive one or more data streams for transmission. Upon receiving multiple data streams for transmission of a first type of data, including a…

Apparatus, system, and method for a compact symmetrical transition structure for radio frequency applications

Granted: February 24, 2015
Patent Number: 8963656
Described herein are an apparatus, system, and method having a compact symmetrical transition structure for RF applications. The apparatus comprises: first and second ground planes each of which having respective truncated edges, the first and second ground planes being parallel to one another and separated by a multi-layer substrate; a strip line positioned between the first and second ground planes; and a symmetrical transition structure, coupled to the strip line and the first and…

Simultaneous transmission of clock and bidirectional data over a communication channel

Granted: February 17, 2015
Patent Number: 8958497
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to simultaneous transmission of clock and bidirectional data over a communication channel. An embodiment of a transmitting device includes a modulator to generate a modulated signal including a clock signal and a data signal, the clock signal being modulated by a first signal edge of the modulated signal and the data signal being modulated by a position of a second signal edge of the modulated signal; a driver to drive the modulated…

Mechanism for facilitating dynamic phase detection with high jitter tolerance for images of media streams

Granted: January 27, 2015
Patent Number: 8941780
A mechanism for facilitating dynamic phase detection with high jitter tolerance for images of media streams is described. In one embodiment, a method includes calculating stability optimization of an image of a media stream based on a plurality of pixels of two or more consecutive frames relating to a plurality of phases of the image, calculating sharpness optimization of the image, and selecting a best phase of the plurality of phases based on the stability and sharpness optimization of…

Mechanism for internal processing of content through partial authentication on secondary channel

Granted: January 6, 2015
Patent Number: 8930692
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to performing processing of content through partial authentication of secondary channel. An embodiment of a method includes performing a first authentication between a source transmitting device and a sink receiving device for communication of data streams, and performing a second authentication between the source transmitting device and a bridge device such that the second authentication is independent of the first authentication and…

Integration of signal sampling within transistor amplifier stage

Granted: January 6, 2015
Patent Number: 8928411
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to integration of signal sampling within a transistor amplifier stage. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a amplifier stage including a transistor to receive a source signal and produce an output signal, wherein the transistor includes multiple fingers for at least a first electrode of the transistor. The amplifier stage uses connections to some of the fingers of the first electrode for production of the output signal, and uses one…

Automated service discovery and dynamic connection management

Granted: December 30, 2014
Patent Number: 8924509
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes device functional circuitry to perform at least one service; and network interface control circuitry to control interaction between the apparatus and a network. The network interface control circuitry includes a service discovery module to (1) send a presence announcement message to be transmitted outside the device to let other devices outside the device know of services the device may perform and (2) to receive presence announcement messages…

Mechanism for facilitating synchronization of audio and video between multiple media devices

Granted: December 30, 2014
Patent Number: 8925003
A mechanism for facilitating dynamic synchronization of audio and video for multiple media devices is described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes first logic to insert a signature in an audio portion of an audio/video data stream. The signature represents uniquely identifiable data and is to be transmitted to a second media device having a display device. The apparatus may include second logic to detect the signature in the audio portion of the audio/video data stream, third…

Computer memory test structure

Granted: December 30, 2014
Patent Number: 8924805
A method and apparatus for a computer memory test structure. An embodiment of a method for testing of a memory board includes testing a memory of the memory board, where testing the memory including use of a built-in self-test structure to provide a first test pattern for the memory. The method further includes testing an IO (input output) interface of the memory with a host, where testing of the IO interface includes use of the built-in self-test structure to provide a second test…