Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080222579 | Moment-Based Method and System for Evaluation of Metal Layer Transient Currents in an Integrated Circuit - A moment-based method and system for evaluation of metal layer transient currents in an integrated circuit provides a computationally efficient evaluation of transient current magnitudes through each interconnect in the metal layer. The determinable magnitudes include peak, rms and average current, which can be used in subsequent reliability analyses. Interconnect path nodes are traversed and circuit moments are either retrieved from a previous interconnect delay analysis or are computed. For each pair of nodes, current moments are computed from the circuit moments. The average current is computed from the zero-order circuit moment and the peak and rms currents are obtained from expressions according to a lognormal or other distribution shape assumption for the current waveform at each node. | 09-11-2008 |
20080258752 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING DEVICE MISMATCHES - A test structure for statistical characterization of local device mismatches contains densely populated SRAM devices arranged in a row/column addressable array that enables resource sharing of many devices. The test structure includes a built-in sensing mechanism to calibrate or null out sources of error, and current steering to avoid negative effects of current leakage along spurious paths. The gate and drain lines of each column are driven from both the top and bottom to minimizes parasitic effects. The system can handle a large number of devices while still providing high spatial resolution of current measurements. | 10-23-2008 |
20080273711 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF INTEGRATING WIRELESS TELEPHONES IN VEHICLES - A system, apparatus and method of integrating a wireless telephone in a vehicle are provided. The system, apparatus and method consist of installing a parabolic speaker in the vehicle that has a focused listening area at a location where an operator of the vehicle may he situated. The parabolic speaker may further have an integrated microphone. When a wireless telephone is placed in a cradle, that may be available in the vehicle for receiving the telephone, the telephone will be integrated in the vehicle. Consequently, the telephone will interact with the vehicle's on-board computer (OBC). The OBC may then route all in-coming signals from the wireless telephone to the parabolic speaker. Further, the OBC may route all out-going signals from the integrated microphone to the wireless telephone. | 11-06-2008 |
20080278182 | Test Structure for Statistical Characterization of Metal and Contact/Via Resistances - A test structure for measuring resistances of a large number of interconnect elements such as metal, contacts and vias includes an array of test cells in rows and columns. Power is selectively supplied to test cells in a given column while current is selectively steered from test cells in a given row. A first voltage near the power input node of a device under test (DUT) is selectively sensed, and a second voltage near the current measurement tap is selectively sensed. The resistance of the DUT is the difference of the first and second voltages divided by the current. Additional voltage taps are provided for test cells having multiple resistive elements. This array of test cells can be used to characterize the statistical distribution of resistance variation and to identify physical location of defects in resistive elements. | 11-13-2008 |
20080281570 | Closed-Loop Modeling of Gate Leakage for Fast Simulators - A method for circuit simulation using a netlist in which a first device having an unmodeled, nonlinear behavior is modified by inserting a second device which has a nonlinear response approximating the unmodeled nonlinear behavior. The first device may be for example a first transistor and the second device may be a variable current source, in particular one whose current is modeled after a floating transistor template which represents gate leakage current of the first transistor (gate-to-source or gate-to-drain). During simulation of the circuit a parameter such as a gate-to-source voltage of the second transistor is controlled to model gate leakage. The model parameters can be a function of an effective quantum mechanical oxide thickness value of a gate of the first transistor technology. | 11-13-2008 |
20080284460 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STATISTICAL CMOS DEVICE CHARACTERIZATION - A unified test structure having a large number of electronic devices under test is used to characterize both capacitance-voltage parameters (C-V) and current-voltage parameters (I-V) of the devices. The devices are arranged in an array of columns and rows, and selected by control logic which gates input/output pins that act variously as current sources, sinks, clamps, measurement ports and sense lines. The capacitance-voltage parameter is measured by taking baseline and excited current measurements for different excitation voltage frequencies, calculating current differences between the baseline and excited current measurements, and generating a linear relationship between the current differences and the different frequencies. The capacitance is then derived by dividing a slope of a line representing the linear relationship by the excitation voltage. Different electronic devices may be so tested, including transistors and interconnect structures. | 11-20-2008 |
20080284461 | ACTIVE CANCELLATION MATRIX FOR PROCESS PARAMETER MEASUREMENTS - An active cancellation matrix for process parameter measurements provides feedback paths for each test location wherein each feedback path is used to sense the applied voltage and the sensed voltage is used to adjust the source voltage for any variations along the input path. The devices under test are arranged in a row and column array, and the feedback and voltage input paths are formed along respective rails which extend generally parallel to a row of devices under test. Selectors are used to selectively route the outputs of the test nodes to a measurement unit such as a current sensor. The input voltages can be varied to establish current-voltage (I-V) curves for the devices under various conditions. In the example where the devices under test are transistors, each source input includes three voltage inputs (rails) for a drain voltage, a source voltage, and a gate voltage. | 11-20-2008 |
20090083769 | COMMUNICATING WITH REMOTE OBJECTS IN A DATA PROCESSING NETWORK - A method and computer program product for invoking remote objects in a data processing system includes generating a serialized byte stream containing the remote object and its arguments, responsive to executing a remote object call. The serialized byte stream is sent to a server containing the object. Responsive to receiving a second serialized byte stream containing a result produced by the remote object and determining the presence of a second remote object, in the second byte stream, for which no reference can be found, using information contained in second serialized byte stream to determine the class type of the second remote object. A proxy compatible with the second remote object's class type, if not already existing, is automatically generated and compiled on the client or, if the proxy does exist, is loaded at run time to call the second remote object. | 03-26-2009 |
20090192776 | CHARGE-BASED CIRCUIT ANALYSIS - A solution for analyzing a circuit using initial charge information is provided. In particular, one or more nodes in a design for the circuit is initialized with an initial charge. The charge can comprise a non-equilibrium charge, thereby simulating the history effect, the impact of a charged particle, electro-static discharge (ESD), and/or the like. Operation of the circuit is then simulated over a set of input cycles based on the initial charge(s). To this extent, the non-equilibrium initial condition solution enables the state of the circuit to be controlled and solves the initial system based on these values. This capability is very useful to condition the circuit at a worst-case, best-case, and/or the like, status. Further, in one embodiment of the invention, a set of equations are provided to implement the non-equilibrium initial charge analysis, which provide a more efficient initialization of the circuit than current solutions. | 07-30-2009 |
20090193414 | Method and System for a Grid-Enabled Virtual Machine with Movable Objects - A method, an apparatus, a computer program product, and a data processing system provide for operation of a virtual machine with embedded functionality for interoperating with other virtual machines in a computational grid. A plurality of virtual machines are run on one or more devices within a data processing system; each virtual machine in the plurality of virtual machines incorporates functionality for interoperating and associating with other virtual machines in a virtual machine cluster in a grid-like manner. Each virtual machine in the virtual machine cluster acts as a node within the virtual machine cluster. A virtual machine manages its objects in association with an object group, and each virtual machine may manage multiple object groups. The virtual machines share information such that the object groups can be moved between virtual machines in the virtual machine cluster, thereby allowing the virtual machine cluster to act as one logical virtual machine. | 07-30-2009 |
20100225348 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STATISTICAL CMOS DEVICE CHARACTERIZATION - A unified test structure having a large number of electronic devices under test is used to characterize both capacitance-voltage parameters (C-V) and current-voltage parameters (I-V) of the devices. The devices are arranged in an array of columns and rows, and selected by control logic which gates input/output pins that act variously as current sources, sinks, clamps, measurement ports and sense lines. The capacitance-voltage parameter is measured by taking baseline and excited current measurements for different excitation voltage frequencies, calculating current differences between the baseline and excited current measurements, and generating a linear relationship between the current differences and the different frequencies. The capacitance is then derived by dividing a slope of a line representing the linear relationship by the excitation voltage. Different electronic devices may be so tested, including transistors and interconnect structures. | 09-09-2010 |
20100327892 | Parallel Array Architecture for Constant Current Electro-Migration Stress Testing - A parallel array architecture for constant current electro-migration stress testing is provided. The parallel array architecture comprises a device under test (DUT) array having a plurality of DUTs coupled in parallel and a plurality of localized heating elements associated with respective ones of the DUTs in the DUT array. The architecture further comprises DUT selection logic that isolates individual DUTs within the array. Moreover, the architecture comprises current source logic that provides a reference current and controls the current through the DUTs in the DUT array such that each DUT in the DUT array has substantially a same current density, and current source enable logic for selectively enabling portions for the current source logic. Electro-migration stress testing is performed on the DUTs of the DUT array using the heating elements, the DUT selection logic, current source logic, and current source enable logic. | 12-30-2010 |
20110035709 | Gradient-Based Search Mechanism for Optimizing Photolithograph Masks - A mechanism is provided for optimizing a photolithograph mask. A given target pattern is received. An initial fictitious mask is generated from the given target pattern and an initial value of α | 02-10-2011 |
20110078641 | Characterization of Long Range Variability - Mechanisms are provided for characterizing long range variability in integrated circuit manufacturing. A model derivation component tests one or more density pattern samples, which are a fabricated integrated circuits having predetermined pattern densities and careful placement of current-voltage (I-V) sensors. The model derivation component generates one or more empirical models to establish range of influence of long range variability effects in the density pattern sample. A variability analysis component receives an integrated circuit design and, using the one or more empirical models, analyzes the integrated circuit design to isolate possible long range variability effects in the integrated circuit design. | 03-31-2011 |
20120036487 | FRACTURING CONTINUOUS PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY MASKS - A method, system, and computer usable program product for fracturing a continuous mask usable in photolithography are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first origin point is selected from a set of points on an edge in the continuous mask. A first end point is identified on the edge such that a separation metric between the first origin point and the first end point is at least equal to a threshold value. Several alternatives are determined for fracturing using the first origin point and the first end point. A cost associated with each of the several alternatives is computed and one of the alternatives is selected as a preferred fracturing. Several pairs of origin points and end points are formed from the set of points. Each pair has a cost of a preferred fracturing between the pair. The continuous mask is fractured using a subset of the several pairs. | 02-09-2012 |
20120065765 | DETECTING DOSE AND FOCUS VARIATIONS DURING PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY - A method, system, and computer usable program product for detecting dose and focus variations during photolithography are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A test shape is formed on a wafer, the wafer being used to manufacture integrated circuits, the test shape being formed using a dose value and a focus value that are predetermined for the manufacturing. A capacitance of the test shape is measured. The capacitance is resolved to a second dosing value and a second focus value using an extraction model. A difference between the dosing value and the second dosing value is computed. A recommendation is made for dosing adjustment in the manufacturing based on the difference. | 03-15-2012 |
20120210281 | FRACTURING CONTINUOUS PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY MASKS - A method, system, and computer usable program product for fracturing a continuous mask usable in photolithography are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first origin point is selected from a set of points on an edge in the continuous mask. A first end point is identified on the edge such that a separation metric between the first origin point and the first end point is at least equal to a threshold value. Several alternatives are determined for fracturing using the first origin point and the first end point. A cost associated with each of the several alternatives is computed and one of the alternatives is selected as a preferred fracturing. Several pairs of origin points and end points are formed from the set of points. Each pair has a cost of a preferred fracturing between the pair. The continuous mask is fractured using a subset of the several pairs. | 08-16-2012 |
20120260221 | Gradient-Based Search Mechanism for Optimizing Photolithograph Masks - A mechanism is provided for optimizing a photolithograph mask. A given target pattern is received. An initial fictitious mask is generated from the given target pattern and an initial value of α | 10-11-2012 |
20120266111 | Gradient-Based Search Mechanism for Optimizing Photolithograph Masks - A mechanism is provided for optimizing a photolithograph mask. A given target pattern is received. An initial fictitious mask is generated from the given target pattern and an initial value of α | 10-18-2012 |
20120266112 | Gradient-Based Search Mechanism for Optimizing Photolithograph Masks - A mechanism is provided for optimizing a photolithograph mask. A given target pattern is received. An initial fictitious mask is generated from the given target pattern and an initial value of α | 10-18-2012 |
20120266113 | Gradient-Based Search Mechanism for Optimizing Photolithograph Masks - A mechanism is provided for optimizing a photolithograph mask. A given target pattern is received. An initial fictitious mask is generated from the given target pattern and an initial value of α | 10-18-2012 |
20120266114 | Gradient-Based Search Mechanism for Optimizing Photolithograph Masks - A mechanism is provided for optimizing a photolithograph mask. A given target pattern is received. An initial fictitious mask is generated from the given target pattern and an initial value of α | 10-18-2012 |
20120278769 | Gradient-Based Search Mechanism for Optimizing Photolithograph Masks - A mechanism is provided for optimizing a photolithograph mask. A given target pattern is received. An initial fictitious mask is generated from the given target pattern and an initial value of α | 11-01-2012 |
20130096976 | COST-EFFECTIVE AND RELIABLE UTILITIES DISTRIBUTION NETWORK - A method, system, and computer program product for designing a cost-effective and reliable distribution network for a utility are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A graph connecting a set of consumers of the utility with a set of suppliers of the utility is reduced to form a plurality of clusters. A first network between a supplier and a subset of consumers in a first cluster in the plurality of clusters is improved, the improving adding a first connection in the first network to provide continuity of supply of the utility to the subset of consumers after a predetermined number of failures in the first network. A design is generated for a second network connecting the set of suppliers to the set of consumers, the second network including the first network after the improving, wherein the second network has a cost that is within a lower threshold and an upper threshold. | 04-18-2013 |
20140297233 | AUTOMATIC CALIBRATION OF A MODEL FOR A COMPLEX FLOW SYSTEM - Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for calibrating a model of a complex flow system. In an embodiment, a comparison is made between the output from the model and a set of observed values for each of a plurality of nodes in the complex flow system. An adjoint sensitivity is computed for each of the nodes based on the comparison. These computed adjoint sensitivities are used to adjust a set of coefficients of the models. This calibration process can be performed multiple times, periodically and/or continuously to maximize the accuracy of the model. | 10-02-2014 |