Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090177899 | MULTI-REGULATOR POWER SUPPLY CHIP WITH COMMON CONTROL BUS - A system and method for implementing a common control bus in a multi-regulator power supply integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may, for example, comprise first and second power regulator modules that control at least one characteristic of respective power signals. The integrated circuit may also, for example, comprise a communication interface module that receives power control information related to operation of the first and second power regulator modules over a shared data bus. An exemplary method may, for example, comprise receiving power control information over a data bus. The method may also, for example, comprise determining which of a plurality of power regulators corresponds to the received power control information. The method may further, for example, comprise determining a regulator control signal, based at least in part on the received power control information, and provide the regulator control signal to the determined regulator(s) to control operation of the determined regulator(s). | 07-09-2009 |
20090179629 | On-chip current sensing methods and systems - A switch regulator module includes a switch and a current sensing module. The switch has an input port and an output port. The current sensing module senses a first voltage at the input port of the switch and a second voltage at the output port of the switch. The current sensing module generates a sense signal that is proportional to a current that flows through the switch based on the first and second voltages. | 07-16-2009 |
20090251326 | LOW POWER WARNING IN A PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE BASED ON PREDICTED DEVICE UTILIZATION - A system and method for providing a low power warning in a portable communication device based on predicted device utilization. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise monitoring power utilization for a portable communication device. A power utilization profile may be determined based, at least in part, on the results of the power utilization monitoring. Power availability for the portable communication device may be determined. Future power need for the portable communication device may be predicted based, at least in part, on the determined power utilization profile. The predicted future power need and the determined power availability may be analyzed to determine whether to generate a warning indicating a potential future power shortage. If it is determined that a potential future power shortage warning should be generated, such a warning may be generated. Such a warning may, for example, be generated in accordance with user specifications. | 10-08-2009 |
20090262791 | MULTIMODE DSL LINE DRIVER - A multimode DSL (digital subscriber line) line driver circuit is disclosed. The line driver circuit includes a switch network that enables the line driver circuit to be switched between multiple DSL communication configurations. Upon receipt of a mode control signal, the line driver circuit switches from a first DSL communication configuration to a second communication configuration. A DSL communication signal configured according to the second DSL communication configuration is received at the line driver circuit. The received DSL communication signal is amplified and/or filtered by the line driver circuit. The received DSL communication signal is transmitted from the line driver circuit. In one example implementation, the line driver circuit may be switched from an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) configuration to a very high speed digital subscriber line (VDSL) configuration, and may be switched from the VDSL configuration to the ADSL configuration. | 10-22-2009 |
20090268646 | Line Driver For An Adaptive Hybrid Circuit - A second output transmission signal (“TX | 10-29-2009 |
20090290283 | Scalable Integrated Circuit High Density Capacitors - The present invention provides several scalable integrated circuit high density capacitors and their layout techniques. The capacitors are scaled, for example, by varying the number of metal layers and/or the area of the metal layers used to from the capacitors. The capacitors use different metallization patterns to form the metal layers, and different via patterns to couple adjacent metal layers. In embodiments, optional shields are included as the top-most and/or bottom-most layers of the capacitors, and/or as side shields, to reduce unwanted parasitic capacitance. | 11-26-2009 |
20100174927 | POWER CONTROL BUS - A circuit and method utilizing a power control data bus for implementing power control. Various aspects of the present invention provide an electrical circuit that comprises a power supply circuit that outputs electrical power. The electrical circuit may also comprise an integrated circuit that receives electrical power from the power supply circuit. The electrical circuit may also comprise a power control data bus, which communicatively couples a power control data bus interface of the power supply circuit and a power control data bus interface of the integrated circuit. The power control data bus may, for example, carry power control data between the integrated circuit and the power supply circuit. Various aspects of the present invention also provide a method that comprises communicating power control data over a power control data bus and utilizing the power control data to control characteristics of electrical power provided to an integrated circuit or module. | 07-08-2010 |
20100176977 | Area-Efficient Analog-to-Digital Converter - The present invention relates generally to analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Embodiments of the present invention provide novel ADC architectures directed at reducing the overall ADC area and power consumption. Embodiments of the present invention may be used in pipelined ADCs, cyclic ADCs, and successive approximation (SAR) ADCs, for example. Further, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented using both single-ended and differential configurations. | 07-15-2010 |
20100271113 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT POWER SUPPLY ZONES - An integrated circuit comprising multiple independent power supply zones at substantially the same voltage level and a method for utilizing such power supply zones. An integrated circuit may comprise a first module and may, for example, comprise a second module. A first power supply bus may communicate first electrical power to the first module, where the first electrical power is characterized by a first set of power characteristics comprising a first voltage level. A second power supply bus may communicate second power to the second module, where the second power is characterized by a second set of power characteristics comprising a second voltage level that is substantially similar to the first voltage level. The second set of power characteristics may, for example, be substantially different than the first set of power characteristics. The second power supply bus may also, for example, communicate the second electrical power to the first module. | 10-28-2010 |
20110191736 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH ON-BOARD POWER UTILIZATION INFORMATION - A system and method for storing power utilization information in an integrated circuit and utilizing such information. Various aspects of the present invention provide an integrated circuit that comprises a first module, which stores power utilization information for at least a portion of the integrated circuit. A second module of the integrated circuit may communicate the power utilization information with an electrical device external to the integrated circuit. Various aspects of the present invention provide a method for storing power utilization information in an integrated circuit. For example, a performance characteristic and/or a power supply characteristic may be monitored as the integrated circuit is utilized. Power utilization information may be determined from the monitored characteristic(s), and the power utilization information may be stored in the integrated circuit. Various aspects of the present invention also provide a system and method for utilizing an integrated circuit having on-board power utilization information. | 08-04-2011 |
20120329533 | Portable Communication Device with Multi-Tiered Power Save Operation - A system for operating a portable communication device includes a module to operate the portable communication device in a first mode. The system may provide telephony service to a user at a first performance level. The system may determine to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode that is different from the first mode. The system may operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode and provide telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level. | 12-27-2012 |