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Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Cary US

Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Cary, NC US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20080285661HIGH SPEED SERIAL LINK OUTPUT STAGE HAVING SELF ADAPTATION FOR VARIOUS IMPAIRMENTS - A high speed serial link structure and method are provided, comprising a data driver and a replica driver structure, the replica driver structure comprising a replica driver, a calibration engine and a peak level detector. The calibration engine compares a peak level detector output to a reference value and responsively performs a data driver adjustment, wherein the data driver adjustment comprises at least one of a driver biasing adjustment, a driver intermediate stage bandwidth adjustment and a driver equalization setting adjustment. In some embodiments, the calibration engine incorporates a comparator and a digital state machine; in other embodiments, it incorporates an analog operational amplifier.11-20-2008
20090004978TRANSMITTER BANDWIDTH OPTIMIZATION CIRCUIT - A method is provided for operating a transmitter integrated in a microelectronic element. In a calibration phase, a plurality of operational parameters are stored for controlling a frequency response of the transmitter under each of a plurality of corresponding operating conditions. Upon detecting an operating condition such as a temperature or power supply voltage level, the corresponding stored operational parameter is applied to the transmitter to control the frequency response.01-01-2009
20090021085DESIGN STRUCTURES, METHOD AND SYSTEMS OF POWERING ON INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - Design structures, method and systems of powering on an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a region in the IC including functional logic, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature in the region when the IC is powered up and a heating element therefor; a processing unit including: a comparator for comparing the temperature against a predetermined temperature value, a controller, which in the case that the temperature is below the predetermined temperature value, delays functional operation of the IC and controls heating of the region of the IC, and a monitor for monitoring the temperature in the region; and wherein the controller, in the case that the temperature rises above the predetermined temperature value, ceases the heating and initiates functional operation of the IC.01-22-2009
20090022203METHOD AND SYSTEMS OF POWERING ON INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - Method and systems of powering on an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a region in the IC including functional logic, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature in the region when the IC is powered up and a heating element therefor; a processing unit including: a comparator for comparing the temperature against a predetermined temperature value, a controller, which in the case that the temperature is below the predetermined temperature value, delays functional operation of the IC and controls heating of the region of the IC, and a monitor for monitoring the temperature in the region; and wherein the controller, in the case that the temperature rises above the predetermined temperature value, ceases the heating and initiates functional operation of the IC.01-22-2009
20090024972STRUCTURES OF POWERING ON INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - Design structures, method and systems of powering on an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a region in the IC including functional logic, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature in the region when the IC is powered up and a heating element therefor; a processing unit including: a comparator for comparing the temperature against a predetermined temperature value, a controller, which in the case that the temperature is below the predetermined temperature value, delays functional operation of the IC and controls heating of the region of the IC, and a monitor for monitoring the temperature in the region; and wherein the controller, in the case that the temperature rises above the predetermined temperature value, ceases the heating and initiates functional operation of the IC.01-22-2009
20090051420INTRINSIC RC POWER DISTRIBUTION FOR NOISE FILTERING OF ANALOG SUPPLIES - Analog supply for an analog circuit and process for supplying an analog signal to an analog circuit. The analog supply includes a noise filter having a variable resistor, and a control device coupled to adjust the variable resistor. The control device is structured and arranged to set the resistance of the variable resistor to maximize noise filtering and optimize performance of the analog circuit.02-26-2009
20090108869Design Structure for a Flexible Multimode Logic Element For Use In A Configurable Mixed-Logic Signal Distribution Path - A design structure for a multimode circuit that is configured to operate in one of multiple operating modes is disclosed. In particular, an exemplary multimode circuit may be configured to operating in one of a full-swing mode, a limited-swing mode, a full-swing to limited-swing converter mode, and a limited-swing to full-swing converter mode. The operating modes of the multimode circuit may be dynamically selectable. One or more multimode circuits may be part of a configurable distribution path for controlling the performance of a signal distribution path or tree of an integrated circuit.04-30-2009
20090110084RECEIVER TERMINATION CIRCUIT FOR A HIGH SPEED DIRECT CURRENT (DC) SERIAL LINK - A method for matching receiver and transmitter common-mode voltages for a high-speed direct current (DC) serial connection between the receiver and the transmitter includes measuring, at the receiver, a common-mode voltage of the transmitter. The common-mode voltage of the transmitter is an average of a voltage signal transmitted by the transmitter and received by the receiver. The method further includes comparing the common-mode voltage of the transmitter with a common-mode voltage of the receiver. The method further includes maintaining the common-mode voltage of the receiver at a first level at which the common-mode voltage of the receiver substantially matches the common-mode voltage of the transmitter.04-30-2009
20090116593CIRCUIT FOR PROVIDING AUTOMATIC ADAPTATION TO FREQUENCY OFFSETS IN HIGH SPEED SERIAL LINKS - Aspects of providing automatic adaptation to frequency offsets in high speed serial links are described. First signals for phase adjusts in a receiver link are adjusted by detecting trends in the first signals to generate second signals, the second signals improving a rate of compensation for the frequency offsets by the phase adjusts. An up/down counter is included for counting signals for phase adjustments by a clock-data-recovery loop of a serial receiver. An adder is coupled to the up/down counter and outputs accumulated data indicative of a trend in the phase adjustments. Combinatorial logic coupled to the adder adapts the signals based on the accumulated data.05-07-2009
20090129485Structure for transmitter bandwidth optimization circuit - A design structure embodied in a machine-readable medium used in a design process provides a transmitter having a frequency response controllable in accordance with an operational parameter, and may include a storage operable to store operational parameters for controlling a frequency response of the transmitter under each of a plurality of corresponding operating conditions. A sensor can be used to detect an operating condition. In response to a change in the detected operating condition, a stored operational parameter corresponding to the detected operating condition can be used to control the frequency response of the transmitter.05-21-2009
20090132985Design structure for on-chip electromigration monitoring system - A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process can include apparatus of a semiconductor chip operable to detect an increase in resistance of a monitored element of the semiconductor chip. The design structure can include, for example, a resistive voltage divider circuit operable to output a plurality of reference voltages having different values. A plurality of comparators in the semiconductor chip may be coupled to receive the reference voltages and a monitored voltage representative of a resistance of the monitored element. Each of the comparators may produce an output indicating whether the monitored voltage exceeds the reference voltages, so that the resistance value of the monitored element may be precisely determined.05-21-2009
20090146722Systems and Arrangements to Provide Input Offset Voltage Compensation - In one embodiment a method is disclosed that includes applying a series of voltages to an input of an offset evaluation latch, detecting an offset voltage from the offset evaluation latch in response to the application of the series of voltages, and applying an offset compensation voltage to the input of a plurality of sampling latch in response to the detected offset voltage. In some embodiments a digital value can be assigned to the applied offset voltage. When the offset voltage is determined, it can be applied to a plurality sampling latches and a data stream can be received and clock and data recovery can be performed.06-11-2009
20090201973APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING DATA AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHIN A WIRE-BASED COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - An apparatus is provided for transmitting data signals and additional information signals having partially overlapping frequency bands simultaneously within a wire based communication system over the same wired medium using a spread spectrum technique for modulating the additional information signals.08-13-2009
20100026376BIAS CIRCUIT FOR A MOS DEVICE - A method and circuit for providing a bias voltage to a MOS device is disclosed. The method and circuit comprise utilizing at least one diode connected circuit to provide a voltage that tracks process, voltage and temperature variations of a semiconductor device. The method and circuit includes utilizing a current mirror circuit coupled to the at least one diode connected circuit to generate a bias voltage for the body of the semiconductor device from the voltage. The bias voltage allows for compensation for the process, voltage and temperature variations.02-04-2010
20100030503SYSTEM AND CIRCUIT FOR DETERMINING DATA SIGNAL JITTER VIA ASYNCHRONOUS SAMPLING - A system and circuit for determining data signal jitter via asynchronous sampling provides a low cost and production-integrable mechanism for measuring data signal jitter. The data signal is edge-detected and sampled by a sampling clock of unrelated frequency the sampled values are collected in a histogram according to a folding of the samples around a timebase. The timebase is determined by sweeping to detect a minimum jitter for the folded data. The histogram for the correct estimated timebase period is representative of the probability density function of the location of data signal edges and the jitter characteristics are determined by the width and shape of the density function peaks. Frequency drift can be corrected by adjusting the timebase used to fold the data across the sample set.02-04-2010
20100031067Adaptive Noise Suppression Using a Noise Look-up Table - A proactive noise suppression system and method for a power supply network of an integrated circuit. The system and method include receiving an IC event sequence to a memory element, correlating the IC event sequence to a storage location in a second memory element, the storage location including an anti-noise response signature, and utilizing the anti-noise response signature to proactively generate an anti-noise response in a power supply network in at least a portion of the integrated circuit at about the time of execution of the first IC event sequence. Anti-noise response signatures may be adaptively updated and/or created based on noise measurements made corresponding to execution of an IC event sequence by the integrated circuit.02-04-2010
20100201377Critical Path Redundant Logic for Mitigation of Hardware Across Chip Variation - Cross-die connection structure and method for a die or chip includes buffer elements having a buffer driver and bypass, and control lines coupled to the buffer elements in order to select one of the buffer driver and bypass for each respective buffer element. A logic network is arranged with the buffer elements to form functional paths, a test unit is structured and arranged to test the functional paths and to be coupled to the control lines, and a configuration storage register to set the selected one of the buffer driver and bypass for each passing functional path.08-12-2010
20100228861ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMPUTING COST REDUCTION WITH IMPROVED RELIABILITY IN WORKLOAD ASSIGNMENT TO DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING NODES - A system and method of allocating a job submission for a computational task to a set of distributed server farms each having at least one processing entity comprising; receiving a workload request from at least one processing entity for submission to at least one of the set of distributed server farms; using at least one or more conditions associated with the computational task for accepting or rejecting at least one of the server farms to which the job submission is to be allocated; determining a server farm that can optimize the one or more conditions; and dispatching the job submission to the server farm which optimizes the at least one of the one or more conditions associated with the computational task and used for selecting the at least one of the server farms.09-09-2010
20110057727ADAPTIVE COMMON MODE BIAS FOR DIFFERENTIAL AMPLIFIER INPUT CIRCUITS - A method and apparatus for extending the common mode range of a differential amplifier. A circuit has a common mode detection circuit, a common mode voltage inversion circuit, and a differential amplifier. The common mode detection circuit receives a differential signal and detects a common mode voltage. The common mode voltage inversion circuit is coupled to the common mode detection circuit. The common mode voltage inversion circuit has an input node that receives the common mode voltage and an output node that outputs body voltage, wherein the common mode voltage inversion circuit creates an inverse relationship between the common mode voltage and the body voltage. The differential amplifier includes a differential pair of transistors that have a pair of body terminals coupled to the output node of the common mode voltage inversion circuit.03-10-2011

Patent applications by Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Cary, NC US