Texas Instruments Corporation

Charles Michael Campbell

Suzanne Mary Vining

Win Naing Maung

Amit Rane

Mark Edward Wentroble

Anwar Sadat

Kevin Main

Harry W Hartjes

Muhammad Waqar Afzal

Douglas Edward Wente

Sridhar Ramaswamy

Mustafa Ulvi Erdogan

Sreeraman Anantharaman

Richard Edwin Hubbard

A system for selecting an equalizer setting of an equalizer to equalize signals received via a communications link. Starting with a first (e.g., minimum) equalizer setting and a threshold voltage near the mid-eye voltage of the equalized output signal, the system estimates the amplitude of the inner eye of the equalized output signal by comparing the equalized output signal to a series of threshold voltages. If the amplitude of the equalized output signal is less than ideal, the system dynamically increases the equalizer setting. The system quickly converges on the equalizer setting for the communication link because, rather than comparing the output signal at every voltage offset using every equalizer setting, the system only evaluates the equalizer settings necessary to select the equalizer setting for the communications link and uses only the voltage offsets necessary to evaluate each equalizer setting.

Adaptive equalizer for redriver

A redriver system adapted for coupling to a first device and to a second device includes first and second transmitter drivers and a snoop circuit. The first transmitter driver has a first enable input. The second transmitter driver has a second enable input. The snoop circuit is coupled to the first and second enable inputs. The snoop circuit is configured to determine whether the first device and the second device are to operate according to a first protocol. Responsive to the snoop circuit determining that the first and second devices are to operate according to the first protocol, the snoop circuit enables the first transmitter driver and disables the second transmitter driver. Responsive to the snoop circuit determining that the first and second devices are not to operate according to the first protocol, the snoop circuit disables the first transmitter driver and enables the second transmitter driver.

Redriver capable of switching between linear and limited modes

A system includes a downstream facing port (DFP) coupled to a video source, an upstream facing port (UFP) coupled to a video sink, and a cable. The cable includes a first end that is connected to the DFP and a second end that is connected to the UFP. The cable is configured to carry a differential auxiliary transmission signal and detect polarity in the differential auxiliary transmission signal.

Dynamic direction control in active cable

Circuit including a first port to couple to a first device; a second port to couple to a second device; a first channel having an input coupled to first port and an output coupled to second port, the first channel to re-drive a signal and output re-driven signal; a second channel having an input coupled to second port and an output coupled to first port, the second channel to re-drive a signal and output re-driven signal; and a controller to: enable first channel and disable second channel responsive to detecting a signal edge at first port; enable second channel and disable first channel responsive to detecting a signal edge at second port; sample impedance at first port if signal received at first port is de-asserted while first channel is enabled; and sample impedance at second port if signal received at second port is de-asserted while second channel is enabled.

Bidirectional re-driver for half-duplex interfaces

At least some aspects of the present disclosure provide for a method. In at least one example, the method includes applying first equalization to a received data signal to generate an equalizer signal and comparing the equalized signal to each of a plurality of reference voltages for a predetermined period of time per respective reference voltage to generate a comparison result. The method further includes determining a plurality of counts with each count of the plurality of counts uniquely corresponding to a number of rising edges in the comparison result for each of the plurality of reference voltages. The method further includes comparing at least one of the plurality of counts to at least another of the plurality of counts to determine a relationship among the plurality of counts and applying second equalization to the received data signal based on the determined relationship among the plurality of counts.

Bi-level adaptive equalizer

An input/output (I/O) level shifter for a subscriber identification module (SIM) interface includes a controller configured to apply a first enable signal to turn ON a first transmitter when the direction of packet flow is from an interface device to a SIM card, and is configured to apply a second enable signal to turn ON a second transmitter when the direction of packet flow is from the SIM card to the interface device. The controller is configured to not apply the first and the second enable signals concurrently. The controller selectively controls the ON/OFF period of the first and the second transmitter to maintain half-duplex communication on the interface I/O line and the SIM I/O line to prevent undesired positive data feedback.

Input/output (I/O) level shifter for half duplex sim card interface

In a segmented data path, a source is able to 'discover' whether any tunable repeater nodes are present. When one or more tunable repeaters are discovered, the source may adjust its link initialization sequence accordingly to train each 'hop' individually and thereafter individually configure each intermediary repeater.

Signal conditioner discovery and control in a multi-segment data path

An apparatus and method for configuring a serial communication hub are disclosed herein. A serial communication hub includes an upstream port, a plurality of downstream ports, and a port controller. The port controller is configured to: arrange each of a first of the downstream ports and a second of the downstream ports to individually operate as a first type of serial communication interface; and to arrange the first of the downstream ports and the second of the downstream ports to operate in combination as a second type of serial communication interface.

Configurable serial communication hub

The invention provides systems, devices, and methods for using more than one Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) to process graphics for a single computer monitor (). In one embodiment, the invention is a method of providing advanced/high-performance AGP capabilities to a laptop computer by intercepting AGP signals from a laptop having a low-power AGP () and converting the AGP signals to signals for a high-performance AGP ().

System, method, and device for accelerated graphics port linking

A low pin count (LPC) input/output (I/O) bridge device and method for a portable computer having a plurality of legacy ports and a docking connector. The LPC I/O bridge device includes an LPC controller coupled to the legacy ports and docking connector. The LPC controller is adapted to detect whether the portable computer is coupled to a docking station via the docking connector and route data transmissions to the legacy ports, docking connector, or both, based on information received from an LPC interface. Serialization logic coupled to the LPC controller serializes data transmissions routed to the docking connector.

Growing community of inventors

Wylie, TX, United States of America

Charles Michael Campbell