Robert N Hawley

US Patent:

6344871, Feb 5, 2002

Filed:

Oct 10, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/685476

Inventors:

Tian-Min Liu - Dana Point CA
Loke Kun Tan - Laguna Niguel CA
Steven T. Jaffe - Irvine CA
Robert A. Hawley - Tustin CA

Assignee:

Broadcom Corporation - Irvine CA

International Classification:

H04N 538

US Classification:

348 21, 348607, 455295, 455296

Abstract:

An electronic, programmable filter is disclosed which selectively removes interference, noise or distortion components from a frequency band without perturbing any of the other signals of the band. An input frequency band such as a television channel spectrum is initially demodulated to baseband and applied to the input of the filter. The baseband spectrum is combined in a complex mixer with a synthesized frequency signal that shifts the spectrum a characteristic amount, in the frequency domain, so as to position an interference component in the region about DC. Once shifted, the frequency components about DC are removed by DC canceler circuit and the resulting spectrum is mixed with a subsequent synthesized frequency signal which shifts the spectrum back to its original representation and baseband. The frequency signals are developed by a programmable frequency synthesizer which a user may program with an intelligence signal that defines the frequency location of an interference signal within the spectrum. Filter blocks may be added or subtracted in order to optimize the filter response for any number of interference components for which rejection is desired.

US Patent:

6421396, Jul 16, 2002

Filed:

Apr 16, 1997

Appl. No.:

08/843518

Inventors:

Robert A. Hawley - Tustin CA
Robindra B. Joshi - Torrance CA
Huan-Chang Liu - Irvine CA

Assignee:

Broadcom Corporation - Irvine CA

International Classification:

H04L 2720

US Classification:

375308, 375295, 332103

Abstract:

Clock signals and digital data signals at a variable frequency are introduced to the input of a FIFO and are passed from the FIFO at a second (or intermediate) frequency controlled by a numerically controlled oscillator. To regulate the frequency of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator, the phases of the clock signals at the variable frequency are compared in a phase detector with the phases of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator to generate an error signal. The error signals and the signals at a fixed sampling frequency higher than the intermediate frequency regulate the frequency of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator and thus the frequency of the digital data signals from the FIFO. The digital data signals from the FIFO are converted to a pair of signals at the second frequency. The pair of signals at the second frequency have individual ones of a plurality of analog levels dependent upon a code indicated by successive pairs of the digital data signals.

US Patent:

6611568, Aug 26, 2003

Filed:

Apr 5, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/116975

Inventors:

Robert A. Hawley - Tustin CA
Robindra B. Joshi - Torrance CA
Huan-Chang Liu - Irvine CA

Assignee:

Broadcom Corporation - Irvine CA

International Classification:

H04L 2720

US Classification:

375308, 375298, 332103

Abstract:

Clock signals and digital data signals at a variable frequency are introduced to the input of a FIFO and are passed from the FIFO at a second (or intermediate) frequency controlled by a numerically controlled oscillator. To regulate the frequency of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator, the phases of the clock signals at the variable frequency are compared in a phase detector with the phases of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator to generate an error signal. The error signals and the signals at a fixed sampling frequency higher than the intermediate frequency regulate the frequency of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator and thus the frequency of the digital data signals from the FIFO. The digital data signals from the FIFO are converted to a pair of signals at the second frequency. The pair of signals at the second frequency have individual ones of a plurality of analog levels dependent upon a code indicated by successive pairs of the digital data signals.

US Patent:

6727936, Apr 27, 2004

Filed:

Nov 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/004515

Inventors:

Tian-Min Liu - Dana Point CA
Loke Kun Tan - Laguna Niguel CA
Steven T. Jaffe - Irvine CA
Robert A. Hawley - Tustin CA

Assignee:

Broadcom Corporation - Irvine CA

International Classification:

H04N 538

US Classification:

348 21, 348607, 455295, 455296

Abstract:

An electronic, programmable filter is disclosed which selectively removes interference, noise or distortion components from a frequency band without perturbing any of the other signals of the band. An input frequency band such as a television channel spectrum is initially demodulated to baseband and applied to the input of the filter. The baseband spectrum is combined in a complex mixer with a synthesized frequency signal that shifts the spectrum a characteristic amount, in the frequency domain, so as to position an interference component in the region about DC. Once shifted, the frequency components about DC are removed by DC canceler circuit and the resulting spectrum is mixed with a subsequent synthesized frequency signal which shifts the spectrum back to its original representation and baseband. The frequency signals are developed by a programmable frequency synthesizer which a user may program with an intelligence signal that defines the frequency location of an interference signal within the spectrum. Filter blocks may be added or subtracted in order to optimize the filter response for any number of interference components for which rejection is desired.

US Patent:

6870429, Mar 22, 2005

Filed:

Jun 25, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/603362

Inventors:

Robert A. Hawley - Tustin CA, US
Robindra B. Joshi - Torrance CA, US
Huan-Chang Liu - Irvine CA, US

Assignee:

Broadcom Corporation - Irvine CA

International Classification:

H03L007/00

US Classification:

331 16, 331 47, 331 48

Abstract:

Clock signals and digital data signals at a variable frequency are introduced to the input of a FIFO and are passed from the FIFO at a second (or intermediate) frequency controlled by a numerically controlled oscillator. To regulate the frequency of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator, the phases of the clock signals at the variable frequency are compared in a phase detector with the phases of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator to generate an error signal. The error signals and the signals at a fixed sampling frequency higher than the intermediate frequency regulate the frequency of the signals from the numerically controlled oscillator and thus the frequency of the digital data signals from the FIFO. The digital data signals from the FIFO are converted to a pair of signals at the second frequency. The pair of signals at the second frequency have individual ones of a plurality of analog levels dependent upon a code indicated by successive pairs of the digital data signals.

US Patent:

7161613, Jan 9, 2007

Filed:

Apr 16, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/826491

Inventors:

Tian-Min Liu - Dana Point CA, US
Loke Kun Tan - Laguna Niguel CA, US
Steven T. Jaffe - Irvine CA, US
Robert A. Hawley - Tustin CA, US

Assignee:

Broadcom Corporation - Irvine CA

International Classification:

H04N 5/38

US Classification:

348 21, 348607, 455295, 455296

Abstract:

An electronic, programmable filter is disclosed which selectively removes interference, noise or distortion components from a frequency band without perturbing any of the other signals of the band. An input frequency band such as a television channel spectrum is initially demodulated to baseband and applied to the input of the filter. The baseband spectrum is combined in a complex mixer with a synthesized frequency signal that shifts the spectrum a characteristic amount, in the frequency domain, so as to position an interference component in the region about DC. Once shifted, the frequency components about DC are removed by DC canceler circuit and the resulting spectrum is mixed with a subsequent synthesized frequency signal which shifts the spectrum back to its original representation and baseband. The frequency signals are developed by a programmable frequency synthesizer which a user may program with an intelligence signal that defines the frequency location of an interference signal within the spectrum. Filter blocks may be added or subtracted in order to optimize the filter response for any number of interference components for which rejection is desired.

US Patent:

20020038458, Mar 28, 2002

Filed:

Mar 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/808373

Inventors:

Frederik Staal - Brea CA, US
Robert Hawley - Tustin CA, US
Kelly Cameron - Irvine CA, US

Assignee:

Broadcom Corporation

International Classification:

H04N007/20
H04N007/18

US Classification:

725/078000, 725/071000, 725/063000

Abstract:

Digital packets, defined by a sync byte and then 130 MPEG2 compressed QPSK signal bytes, from a satellite transponder are reformatted prior to transmission to television receivers in apartments in a building wired to distribute video signals. A side byte between such sync and signal bytes in each packet indicates (a) any QPSK packet uncorrectable error and (b) processing information which allows automatic reconfiguration at the settop box. Additional FEC bytes correct to 8 errors within a MPEG2packet. The system removes the FEC bytes and reframes the MPEG2packets into a superpacket by converting a first number of the MPEG2packets to a second number of MPEG2packets. An added sync byte indicates the beginning of each such MPEG2packet. The system adds side data bytes including any uncorrectable errors in each MPEG2packet and adds a new, less complicated FEC to each MPEG2packet. The system modulates and upconverts the bytes in each MPEG2packet and passes them through a cable plant constructed to receive modulated QAM bytes (or NTSC signals) which are demodulated at the settop box. The additional FEC bytes correct to 8 errors within a MPEG2packet and are then removed. The superpacket is deframed to obtain the MPEG2packets. After finding a television channel, the side bytes are processed to determine the frequency location of the other channels in the apartment receivers and the existence of uncorrectable errors. The MPEG2bytes are decompressed and encoded to reproduce the television images in the apartment receivers.

US Patent:

20060271966, Nov 30, 2006

Filed:

Nov 21, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/284098

Inventors:

Frederik Staal - Brea CA, US
Robert Hawley - Tustin CA, US
Kelly Cameron - Irvine CA, US

International Classification:

H04N 7/20
H04N 7/18

US Classification:

725068000, 725063000, 725078000, 725080000

Abstract:

Digital packets, defined by a sync byte and then 130 MPEG2 compressed QPSK signal bytes, from a satellite transponder are reformatted prior to transmission to television receivers in apartments in a building wired to distribute video signals. A side byte between such sync and signal bytes in each packet indicates (a) any QPSK packet uncorrectable error and (b) processing information which allows automatic reconfiguration at the settop box. Additional FEC bytes correct to 8 errors within a MPEG2packet. The system removes the FEC bytes and reframes the MPEG2packets into a superpacket by converting a first number of the MPEG2packets to a second number of MPEG2packets. An added sync byte indicates the beginning of each such MPEG2packet. The system adds side data bytes including any uncorrectable errors in each MPEG2packet and adds a new, less complicated FEC to each MPEG2packet. The system modulates and upconverts the bytes in each MPEG2packet and passes them through a cable plant constructed to receive modulated QAM bytes (or NTSC signals) which are demodulated at the settop box. The additional FEC bytes correct to 8 errors within a MPEG2packet and are then removed. The superpacket is deframed to obtain the MPEG2packets. After finding a television channel, the side bytes are processed to determine the frequency location of the other channels in the apartment receivers and the existence of uncorrectable errors. The MPEG2bytes are decompressed and encoded to reproduce the television images in the apartment receivers.