Benjamin A Fox

US Patent:

7197818, Apr 3, 2007

Filed:

Aug 31, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/512961

Inventors:

Todd Arthur Cannon - Rochester MN, US
Benjamin Aaron Fox - Rochester MN, US
Roger John Gravrok - Eau Claire WI, US
Mark Kenneth Hoffmeyer - Rochester MN, US
David Lawrence Pease - Rochester MN, US
Ryan James Schlichting - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H05K 3/36

US Classification:

29830, 29846, 174254, 361761

Abstract:

A method and structures are provided for implementing customizable dielectric printed circuit card traces. A void is defined near selected signal traces. The void is then filled with a dielectric material having a predefined dielectric property. The dielectric material is selected to alter at least one predefined electrical property of the selected signal traces, such as, coupling, propagation delay and attenuation. In one embodiment, an outer layer of a printed circuit card includes a plurality of signal traces and a mating circuit card layer including a plurality of matching signal traces is attached to the outer layer of the printed circuit card to create a cavity near selected signal traces. The cavity is filled with the selected dielectric material. In another embodiment, dielectric material is selectively removed near signal traces on an outer layer of the printed circuit card to define a void near selected signal traces.

US Patent:

7532037, May 12, 2009

Filed:

May 5, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/115359

Inventors:

Axel Aguado Granados - Rochester MN, US
Benjamin Aaron Fox - Rochester MN, US
Nathaniel James Gibbs - Rochester MN, US
Andrew Benson Maki - Rochester MN, US
Trevor Joseph Timpane - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H03K 19/094

US Classification:

326115, 326 33, 326 16

Abstract:

A method for enhancing a CML driver circuit to allow efficient, and accurate measurement of the magnitude of the voltage domain noise present near a CML driver in an integrated circuit. The disclosed method for enhancing a CML driver circuit to enable quiet driver measurement includes providing a predetermined low impedance path from the power rail of said CML driver circuit via a first node to the output pins of the circuit and providing a predetermined low impedance path from the ground rail of said CML driver circuit via a second node to the output pins of the circuit. The method also includes disabling the current source causing the pull-up termination circuitry to become high impedance, and the logic driving said inputs of the CML circuit to exist in a low state and performing a low impedance measurement of the power rail noise, ground rail noise and the chip noise in the region of the CML driver.

US Patent:

7848175, Dec 7, 2010

Filed:

Jan 29, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/361976

Inventors:

Benjamin A Fox - Rochester MN, US
William P Hovis - Rochester MN, US
Thomas W Liang - Rochester MN, US
Paul Rudrud - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11C 8/00

US Classification:

36523006, 365201

Abstract:

A method and system are provided for coupling a DRAM and a memory controller during driver training to reduce mismatches by controlling impedances within the system environment. The memory device, which is typically the device initializing a bit level voltage on a data net, is adjusted through altering what appears to be the reference voltage value to the memory device. A current driven to the memory device is varied in small increments while impedance training is rerun until a desired value is achieved to set the 0 level voltage on the data net.

US Patent:

7875987, Jan 25, 2011

Filed:

Sep 26, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/861380

Inventors:

Axel Aguado Granados - Rochester MN, US
Benjamin Aaron Fox - Rochester MN, US
Nathaniel James Gibbs - Rochester MN, US
Andrew Benson Maki - Rochester MN, US
Trevor Joseph Timpane - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H01L 23/544

US Classification:

257797, 257798, 257E21206

Abstract:

A method, structure, system of aligning a substrate to a photomask. The method comprising: directing light through a clear region of the photomask in a photolithography tool, through a lens of the tool and onto a set of at least three diffraction mirror arrays on the substrate, each diffraction mirror array of the set of at least three diffraction mirror arrays comprising a single row of mirrors, all mirrors in any particular diffraction mirror array spaced apart a same distance, mirrors in different diffraction mirror arrays spaced apart different distances; measuring an intensity of light diffracted from the set of at least three diffraction mirror arrays onto an array of photo detectors; and adjusting a temperature of the photomask or photomask and lens based on the measured intensity of light.

US Patent:

7935546, May 3, 2011

Filed:

Feb 6, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/026763

Inventors:

Axel Aguado Granados - Rochester MN, US
Benjamin Aaron Fox - Rochester MN, US
Nathaniel James Gibbs - Rochester MN, US
Andrew Benson Maki - Rochester MN, US
Trevor Joseph Timpane - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H01L 21/66

US Classification:

438 7, 438 16, 430 30, 257E21524

Abstract:

A method, structure, system of aligning a substrate to a photomask. The method includes: directing incident light through a pattern of clear regions transparent to the incident light in an opaque-to-the-incident-light region of a photomask, through a lens and onto a photodiode formed in a substrate, the photodiodes electrically connected to a light emitting diode formed in the substrate, the light emitting diode emitting light of different wavelength than a wavelength of the incident lights; measuring an intensity of emitted light from light emitting diode; and adjusting alignment of the photomask to the substrate based on the measured intensity of emitted light.

US Patent:

7974141, Jul 5, 2011

Filed:

Jan 29, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/361592

Inventors:

Benjamin A Fox - Rochester MN, US
William P Hovis - Rochester MN, US
Thomas W Liang - Rochester MN, US
Paul Rudrud - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11C 5/14
G11C 7/00
G11C 8/16
H03K 17/16
H03K 19/094

US Classification:

36518909, 36518911, 36523313, 326 30, 326 83, 326 86

Abstract:

A memory device is connected through an interface to a memory controller. The memory device's reference voltage is set based on a driver's impedance of the memory device and the controller driver drive strength during driver training. The voltage is applied to a reference resistor pair at the memory device and changed until the voltage level switches. The voltage is then set at the reference resistor pair of the memory device.

US Patent:

7978538, Jul 12, 2011

Filed:

Jan 29, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/361602

Inventors:

Benjamin A Fox - Rochester MN, US
William P Hovis - Rochester MN, US
Thomas W Liang - Rochester MN, US
Paul Rudrud - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11C 5/14
G11C 7/00
G11C 8/16
H03K 17/16
H03K 19/094

US Classification:

36518909, 36518911, 36523313, 326 30, 326 83, 326 86

Abstract:

A memory device and memory controller are coupled during driver training to reduce mismatches. The impedances of the system are controlled through a termination at the memory device to yield improvements in timing margins. The coupling of the components on a shared electrical bus through adjustment of the termination values during training removes known offset issues.

US Patent:

7979824, Jul 12, 2011

Filed:

Sep 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/208469

Inventors:

Axel Aguado Granados - Rochester MN, US
Benjamin Aaron Fox - Rochester MN, US
Nathaniel James Gibbs - Rochester MN, US
Andrew Benson Maki - Rochester MN, US
Trevor Joseph Timpane - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 17/50

US Classification:

716106, 716111, 716113, 716115, 716132

Abstract:

A computer implemented method, apparatus and program product provide automated processes for determining the most cost-effective use of airgaps in a microchip. The performance gains realized by using airgaps for a given net or layer may be calculated. These improvements may be paired to a monetary cost associated with implementing the applicable airgaps at that net/layer. The paired benefit and cost of the airgap scenario may be compared to other possible airgap uses at other layers/nets to determine which airgaps provide the best improvement for the lowest cost.