Patents by Inventor Paul E. Grimme

Paul E. Grimme has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method and apparatus for post-packaging testing of one-time programmable memories
    Patent number: 4903265
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for post-packaging testing of one-time programmable memories provided means for assuring that each cell of the memory will appear to a customer to be erased and that it is capable of being programmed. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a microcomputer including one-time programmable memory, but the invention also includes memory-only devices. Marginal reading method and apparatus provide for detecting the threshold voltage of memory cells below the level at which the cell appears to the customer to be erased and marginal programming method and apparatus provide for slightly increasing the threshold voltage of cells in order to ensure their programmability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Shannon, Hiroyuki Oka, Paul E. Grimme, Robert W. Sparks
  • Method and apparatus for post-packaging testing of one-time programmable memories
    Patent number: 4809231
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for post-packaging testing of one-time programmable memories provides means for assuring that each cell of the memory will appear to a customer to be erased and that it is capable of being programmed. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a microcomputer including one-time programmable memory, but the invention also includes memory-only devices. Marginal reading method and apparatus provide for detecting the threshold voltage of memory cells below the level at which the cell appears to the customer to be erased and marginal programming method and apparatus provide for slightly increasing the threshold voltage of cells in order to ensure their programmability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Shannon, Hiroyuki Oka, Paul E. Grimme, Robert W. Sparks