IP Library Granted Patent US 11,668,737
Granted Patent B2
US 11,668,737 · App. 17/197,457 · Granted Jun 6, 2023

Self-calibrating transmission line resonator oscillating driver apparatus

Inventor: Steven Jay Lash (Leander, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G01R27/06G01R27/2664G01R27/32H04B17/103H04B17/11H04B17/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,668,737
App. No.
17/197,457
Filed
Mar 10, 2021
Granted
Jun 6, 2023
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2896
USPC
324/646
Abstract

A self-calibrating transmission line resonator oscillating driver apparatus, including: a first output driver module configured to transmit a first forward signal along a transmission line; a second output driver module configured to transmit a second forward signal along the transmission line; a first reflection detection module configured to detect a first return signal of the first forward signal reflected along the transmission line; and a second reflection detection module configured to detect a second return signal of the second forward signal reflected along the transmission line; wherein, when the first reflection detection module detects the first return signal of the first forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line, providing a signal to i) change a power state of the first output driver module to an off-power state and to ii) change a power state of the second output driver module to an on-power state.

Claims (44)

1. A self-calibrating transmission line resonator oscillating driver apparatus, comprising:

a first output driver module configured to transmit a first forward signal of a first magnitude along a first direction of a transmission line;

a second output driver module configured to transmit a second forward signal of a second magnitude along the first direction of the transmission line;

a first reflection detection module configured to detect a first return signal of the first forward signal reflected along a second direction of the transmission line; and

a second reflection detection module configured to detect a second return signal of the second forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line;

wherein, when the first reflection detection module detects the first return signal of the first forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line, providing a signal to i) change a power state of the first output driver module to an off-power state and to ii) change a power state of the second output driver module to an on-power state,

wherein, when the second reflection detection module detects the second return signal of the second forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line, providing a signal to i) change the power state of the first output driver module to an on-power state and to ii) change the power state of the second output driver module to an off-power state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an amplitude of the second forward signal is twice an amplitude of the first forward signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the amplitude of the first forward signal is one-third of a supply voltage to the transmission line, and the amplitude of the second forward signal is two-thirds of the supply voltage to the transmission line.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second forward signal is 180 degrees out of phase with the first forward signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first forward signal and the first return signal are in-phase.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an amplitude of the first return signal is twice an amplitude of the first forward signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transmission line is an unterminated transmission line having infinite impedance at the end of the line.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein only one of the first output driver module and the second output driver module are in a powered-on state at a time.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein only one of the first output driver module and the second output driver module are transmitting the first forward signal and the second forward signal, respectively, at a time.

10. A method of matching a resonant frequency of a transmission line, including:

transmitting, by a first output driver module, a first forward signal of a first magnitude along a first direction of the transmission line;

detecting, by a first reflection detection module, a first return signal of the first forward signal reflected along a second direction of the transmission line;

in response to detecting the first return signal of the first forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line, providing, by the first reflection detection module, a signal to i) change a power state of the first output driver module to an off-power state and to ii) change a power state of a second output driver module to an on-power state;

in response to the change in the power state of the second output driver module to the on-power state:

transmitting, by the second output driver module, a second forward signal of a second magnitude along the first direction of the transmission line;

detecting, by a second reflection detection module, a second return signal of the second forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line; and

in response to detecting the second return signal of the second forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line, providing, by the second reflection detection module, a signal to i) change the power state of the first output driver module to an on-power state and to ii) change the power state of the second output driver module to an off-power state.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

in response to the change in the power state of the first output driver module to the on-power state:

transmitting, by the first output driver module, an additional first forward signal of the first magnitude along the first direction of the transmission line;

detecting, by the first reflection detection module, an additional first return signal of the additional first forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line; and

in response to detecting the additional first return signal of the additional first forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line, providing, by the first reflection detection module, an additional signal to i) change the power state of the first output driver module to an off-power state and to ii) change the power state of a second output driver module to an on-power state.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein an amplitude of the second forward signal is twice an amplitude of the first forward signal.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the amplitude of the first forward signal is one-third of a supply voltage to the transmission line, and the amplitude of the second forward signal is two-thirds of the supply voltage to the transmission line.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second forward signal is 180 degrees out of phase with the first forward signal.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first forward signal and the first return signal are in-phase.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein an amplitude of the first return signal is twice an amplitude of the first forward signal.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the transmission line is an unterminated transmission line having infinite impedance at the end of the line.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein only one of the first output driver module and the second output driver module are in a powered-on state at a time.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein only one of the first output driver module and the second output driver module are transmitting the first forward signal and the second forward signal, respectively, at a time.

20. A self-calibrating transmission line resonator oscillating driver apparatus, comprising:

a first output driver module configured to transmit a first forward signal of a first magnitude along a first direction of a transmission line;

a second output driver module configured to transmit a second forward signal of a second magnitude along the first direction of the transmission line, wherein the second magnitude of the second forward signal is twice an amplitude of the first forward signal and the second forward signal is 180 degrees out of phase with the first forward signal;

a first reflection detection module configured to detect a first return signal of the first forward signal reflected along a second direction of the transmission line; and

a second reflection detection module configured to detect a second return signal of the second forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line;

wherein, when the first reflection detection module detects the first return signal of the first forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line, providing a signal to i) change a power state of the first output driver module to an off-power state and to ii) change a power state of the second output driver module to an on-power state,

wherein, when the second reflection detection module detects the second return signal of the second forward signal reflected along the second direction of the transmission line, providing a signal to i) change the power state of the first output driver module to an on-power state and to ii) change the power state of the second output driver module to an off-power state,

wherein only one of the first output driver module and the second output driver module are in a powered-on state at a time.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0001) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062021/0844 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0124) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0012 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0280) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0255 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058297/0332 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0124 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0280 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISSING PATENTS THAT WERE ON THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED SUBMITTED BUT NOT ENTERED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056250 FRAME: 0541. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 17, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056311/0781 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 14, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056250/0541 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2021
From: LASH, STEVEN JAY
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 055549/0281 →
Continuity (1)
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