The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 16, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 29, 2000
Ivan E. Sutherland, Santa Monica, CA (US);
Scott M. Fairbanks, Mountain View, CA (US);
Josephus C. Ebergen, San Francisco, CA (US);
Sun Microsystems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for asynchronously controlling state information within a circuit. This system includes a first conductor that carries a voltage indicating a state of the circuit, as well as a first drive circuit coupled to the first conductor that is configured to drive the first conductor to a first voltage level to indicate a first state. The system also includes a second drive circuit coupled to the first conductor that is configured to drive the first conductor to a second voltage level to indicate a second state. The system additionally includes a condition input that indicates a condition. The system is configured so that the first drive circuit drives the first conductor to the first voltage level based upon the condition indicated by the condition input. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first drive circuit is additionally configured to drive the first conductor to the first voltage level based upon the state indicated by the voltage carried on the first conductor. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system additionally includes a keeper circuit coupled to the first conductor that is configured to hold the voltage on the first conductor at a stable value, unless the voltage is changed by a drive circuit. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system additionally includes a pulse generation circuit coupled to the first drive circuit, wherein the pulse generation circuit is configured to cause the first drive circuit to drive the first conductor to the first voltage level using a pulse of limited duration.