Texas Instruments Corporation

Edison H Chiu

Jy-Der Tai

Roland H Pang

Jeffrey A Niehaus

Henry M Darley

Michael C Gill

Quang Dieu An

Te-Chuan Hsu

Louis J Izzi

Kevin L Kornher

Chenwei J Yin

Quang-Dieu An

Shigeki Numaga

George J Ehni

Takeshi Honzawa

Chai-Chin Chao

Richard C Nail

Thomas A Carroll

A spatial light modulator (10) with a programmable format pixel array (14). The pixel array (14) has a programmable row address circuit (30), and a partitionable programmable column data loading circuit (32) which permits the array (14) to be operated in multiple formats compatible with NTSC, PAL, SECAM and other broadcasting standards. The pixel array (14) is of the DMD type. The array can be configured as 864.times.576 pixel array, a 768.times.576 pixel array, an 864.times.480 pixel array, or a 640.times.480 pixel array. This format is controlled by hardware (30,32) designed into the DMD chip. A partitionable shift register (32) has a MUXED input to provide testability, permitting some or all of the data input lines (D0-D53) to be utilized, and also allowing pixel data to be loaded back into the shift register (32) for functional verification. A programmable row address circuit (30) automatically addresses a subset of pixel rows as a function of a single input.

Monolithic programmable format pixel array

A spatial light modulator (SLM) (20) having a pixel array (21) and a memory cell array (21a). Drivers (23c, 24b, 26, 27, 28) for the memory cell inputs permit pixels (10) of the SLM (20) to be addressed at a higher voltage than the voltage used for peripheral control circuitry (22, 23, 24). Each driver (23c, 24b, 26, 27, 28) has appropriate logic for providing an input signal to the memory cell array (21a) and a voltage translator (60) for changing the voltage level of that signal.

Memory cell array for digital spatial light modulator

A spatial light modulator (10) of the DMD type having an array of memory cells (16) controlling an array of pixels (12). The memory cell array (16) has several integral, interleaved spare rows of memory cells MR (R1), MR (R2), and MR (R3), which can be selectively utilized to replace a defective row of primary memory cells. A fused row address mapping logic circuit (40) includes a network of fuses (F0-F12) and controls the implementation of memory cells, as well as the mapping of address signals to the memory cells as a function of inputs (R0-R11) received from a row decoder circuit (20). This circuit (40) is transparent to the row address decoder circuit (20). The present invention is suitable for large spatial light modulators compatible with high definition television (HDTV). High yield devices can be obtained with the present invention.

Spatial light modulator having redundant memory cells

A spatial light modulator (SLM) device (30) having a pixel array (31) and an associated memory cell array (36). Each memory cell (10a) receives pixel data from a single bit-line that carries pixel data down columns of the memory cell array (36). Each memory cell (10a) has two latches (21, 25). A first latch (21) receives data from the bit-line. A second latch (25) receives data transferred from the first latch (21) in response to a transfer signal, and is in electrical communication with at least one address electrode (14) of each pixel (10) of the pixel array (31).

Spatial light modulator having single bit-line dual-latch memory cells

A color palette is provided having a plurality input terminals for receiving a plurality of bits of data having an order. A two color path is included which comprises first circuitry coupled to the input terminals for selectively reversing the order of the plurality of bits of data. Second circuitry is coupled to the first circuitry and is operable in a first mode to pass all of the plurality of bits of data received from the first circuitry and in a second mode has at least one word comprising selected ones of the plurality of bits, the selected ones of the bits having a bit order. The third circuitry is provided coupled to the second circuitry and operable to pass all of the bits of data received from the second circuitry in the first mode and operable to selectively reverse the ordering of the selected ones of the bits and pass be at least one word received from the second circuitry in the second mode. The fourth circuitry is further provided coupled to the third circuitry inoperable to receive bits of data passed from the circuitry and select for output as at least one word of true color data at least some of the bits.

Color palette device having big/little endian interfacing, systems and

A NAND gate circuit system that provides for adjustable pulse width that comprises eight transistors arranged so that a signal can propagate through the transistors in series, the transistors consisting of at least one N-channel and at least one P-channel transistor.

Gate circuits in transition detection input buffers

A floating point processor (10) is provided having a multiplier (48) and an ALU (54) for performing arithmetic calculations simultaneously. The output of the multiplier (48) and ALU (54) are stored in a product register (64) and a sum register (66), respectively. Multiplexers (40,42,44,46) are provided at the inputs to the multiplier (48) and the ALU (54). The multiplexers choose between data in input registers (32,34), product and sum registers (64,66), and an output register (76). Since the multiplier (48) and ALU (54) operate simultaneously, and since the outputs of the multiplier (48) and ALU (54) are available to the multiplexers (40-46), product of sums calculations and sum of products calculations may be performed rapidly. An input stage (12) uses a temporary register (18) to store data from a data bus on the first clock edge, and configuration logic (28) for directing data from the data bus and the temporary register (18) to the input registers (32,34) on a second clock edge.

Circuitry for transferring data from a data bus and temporary register

A look-ahead flag generator generates a flag signal corresponding to the occurrence of a predetermined value stored in a counter (10). The output of the counter outputs any of a plurality of values, the values including the predetermined value and at least one boundary value that is one unit of increment or decrement displaced from the predetermined value. A clock signal source (13) is coupled to a first input of the counter (10) to indicate a decrement or an increment to the value stored in the counter (10). An up/down signal source (11) is coupled to a second input of the counter to indicate whether an increment or a decrement of the stored value should be performed. Predetermined states of the up/down signal and the clock signal are operable to cause a boundary value stored in the counter (10) to be changed to the predetermined value. A predecoder (12) is coupled to an output of counter (10) for decoding the boundary value. A latch (132) stores the decoded boundary value. A gate circuit (111, 117, 139) is coupled to the latch (132), a flag signal output, the up/down signal source (11) and the clock signal source (13) and is operable to generate the flag signal in response to the stored decoded boundary value and the predetermined states of the up/down signal and the clock signal.

Look-ahead flag generator

An arbiter (52) is operable to supply an up/down signal (11) and a clock signal (13) to an up/down counter (10) so that the up/down counter (10) can count the difference between read requests (54) and write requests (56) experienced by an associated FIFO memory. The arbiter (52) is operable to receive asynchronous read and write requests (54, 56) that are closely spaced in time or appear simultaneously, and to store the read request in a read latch (104) and the write request in a write latch (92). A decision circuit (62) is operable to determine priority between the read and write requests, and processes the request that is awarded priority. Once the first priority request has been processed, the stored non-priority request is then processed.

Method for assigning priority to read and write requests received

Floating point processor architecture

The disclosure relates to a cache memory formed on a single chip wherein the ability to test the address comparator, cache memory diagnostics are improved, cache memory are capable of being read out. The architecture comprises a parity generator, a parity checker, a comparator and an SRAM memory call array. The cache memory is cascadable for access to an increased address range and to provide increased memory capacity.

Easily cascadable and testable cache memory

A circuit for resetting a multi-bit word in a digital memory at a selected address receives a word reset signal to cause entry into the selected address of a multi-bit word wherein all the bits are set to the same level and a parity bit is set to a value corresponding to parity in the multi-bit word. The circuit includes a parity generator which receives a multi-bit input data word and generates at least one parity bit therefrom. During a normal write operation, the multi-bit input data word and the parity bit are written into the digital memory at the selected address. During a word reset signal, output from the parity generator and the multi-bit input data word are blocked from entry into the memory.

Cache memory reset responsive to change in main memory

A reset circuit for a CMOS memory array is disclosed wherein the voltage supply for the standard six transistor memory cell is replaced by a pair of parallel connected transistors disposed between a fixed voltage source and the memory cell. The transistors are controlled by the reset signal and are complementary in that one is n-channel and the other is p-channel. The n-channel transistor is sized to prevent excess current flow to the memory cells to prevent an excessive charge build up therein for a logical '1' representation. In addition, the n-channel transistor provides a Vtn drop thereacross to prevent current flow in the memory cells during reset.

High speed zero power reset circuit for CMOS memory cells

A solid state memory system is arranged in a plurality of blocks of memory cells, the memory cells in each block arranged in columns and rows. When the memory system is addressed for a memory reference, block selection circuitry selects one block of the plurality of blocks, excluding all of the other blocks. Each block has a set of sense amplifiers, corresponding in number to the number of bits in the output word. Each sense amplifier is connected to an isolation switch. The outputs from the sense amplifiers connected to the non-selected blocks are thereby isolated from the sense amplifier outputs from the selected block to minimize loading of the sense amplifier outputs from the selected block. The memory cells in each block are interconnected by metal row conductors and by metal column conductors.

Architecture for memory multiplexing

The disclosure relates to a cache memory formed on a single chip wherein the ability to test the address comparator, cache memory diagnostics are improved, cache memory are capable of being read out. The architecture comprises a parity generator, a parity checker, a comparator and an SRAM memory cell array. The cache memory is cascadable for access to an increased address range and to provide increased memory capacity.

Growing community of inventors

Richardson, TX, United States of America

Edison H Chiu