Patents by Inventor Richard Foss

Richard Foss 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).

  • Publication number: 20060028899
    Abstract: A circuit for providing an output voltage for a DRAM word line which can be used to drive memory word lines which can be as high as 2Vdd. Transistors in a boosting circuit are fully switched, eliminating reduction of the boosting voltage by Vtn through the transistors. The boosting capacitors are charge by Vdd. A regulator detects conduction current of a replica of a memory cell access transistor, shutting off the boosting circuit clock oscillator when the correct voltage to operate the access transistor has been reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Applicant: MOSAID Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Foss, Peter Gillingham, Robert Harland, Valerie Lines
  • Publication number: 20050265506
    Abstract: A clock applying circuit for a synchronous memory is comprised or a clock input for receiving a clock input signal, apparatus connected to the synchronous memory for receiving a driving clock signal, and a tapped delay line for receiving the clock input signal and for delivering the clock driving signal to the synchronous memory in synchronism with but delayed from the clock input signal, the delay being a small fraction of the clock period or the clock input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: Mosaid Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Foss, Peter Gillingham, Graham Allan
  • Patent number: 6888730
    Abstract: A content addressable memory (CAM) having a plurality of ternary memory cells, each ternary half cell comprising an equal number of transistors of a p-type and an n-type, the p-type transistors being formed in a first well region and the n-type transistors being formed in a second well region, the wells having at most one p+ to n+ region spacing, the transistors being interconnected to form the half ternary CAM cell and wherein the interconnections for the cell is restricted to a silicon layer and a first metal layer and connections between said cell and external signal lines is restricted to at least a second metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Foss, Charles Taylor, Curtis Richardson
  • Patent number: 6888731
    Abstract: A method for replacing a defective row in a CAM array, the array having a plurality of normal rows of cells and at least one spare row of cells, each the row being enabled by a corresponding word line signal, and having corresponding match line outputs switched to corresponding ones of a plurality of match line inputs in a match line decoder, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating a signal indicative of the location of a defective row in the array; (b) generating a set of word line select signals for selecting ones of the plurality of normal rows; (d) using the defective row signal to switch a word line select signal of the defective row to a row adjacent the defective row and switching the adjacent row word line select signals to subsequent rows upto the at least one spare row, and (e) using the defective row signal to switch the match line input of the row adjacent the defective row to the matchline input of the defective row and switching the subsequent row match line input to the adjacent row
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan Roth, Douglas Perry, Richard Foss
  • Patent number: 6873532
    Abstract: A CAM cell comprises a pair of SRAM cells, each of which comprise a pair of cross coupled inverters for storing a data value and a pair of access devices for accessing a complementary pair of bit lines. The CAM cell ether comprises a pair of compare circuits, each for comparing said data value stored in one of said SRAM cells with a search data value provided on a corresponding search line. The CAM cell has an equivalent number of n-channel and p-channel devices. The CAM cell uses p-channel transistors as access transistors to the SRAM cells in order to improve the efficiency of the layout of the cell array. The implementation ensures a balanced number of p-channel and n-channel devices per cell while still providing excellent functional characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard Foss
  • Publication number: 20040105289
    Abstract: A method for replacing a defective row in a CAM array, the array having a plurality of normal rows of cells and at least one spare row of cells, each the row being enabled by a corresponding word line signal, and having corresponding match line outputs switched to corresponding ones of a plurality of match line inputs in a match line decoder, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating a signal indicative of the location of a defective row in the array; (b) generating a set of word line select signals for selecting ones of the plurality of normal rows; (d) using the defective row signal to switch a word line select signal of the defective row to a row adjacent the defective row and switching the adjacent row word line select signals to subsequent rows upto the at least one spare row, and (e) using the defective row signal to switch the match line input of the row adjacent the defective row to the matchline input of the defective row and switching the subsequent row match line input to the adjacent row
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Alan Roth, Douglas Perry, Richard Foss
  • Publication number: 20040083421
    Abstract: A method and circuit is provided for detecting and correcting errors in an array of content addressable memory (CAM) cells. The array includes wordlines, searchlines, bitlines, and matchlines for reading from, writing to, and searching CAM cells in the array. The method comprises the following steps. A row parity bit corresponding to a parity of a first plurality of bits stored along a row of CAM cells is stored. A column parity bit corresponding to the parity of a second plurality of bits stored along a column of CAM cells is stored. A parity of the first plurality of bits is read and generated and the generated parity is compared to the stored row parity bit. If the generated and stored parity bits do not match, columns of the array are cycled through. A parity of the second plurality of bits is read and generated and the generated parity is compared to the stored column parity bit until a mismatch is indicated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Richard Foss, Alan Roth
  • Publication number: 20030161173
    Abstract: A CAM cell comprises a pair of SRAM cells, each of which comprise a pair of cross coupled inverters for storing a data value and a pair of access devices for accessing a complementary pair of bit lines. The CAM cell ether comprises a pair of compare circuits, each for comparing said data value stored in one of said SRAM cells with a search data value provided on a corresponding search line. The CAM cell has an equivalent number of n-channel and p-channel devices. The CAM cell uses p-channel transistors as access transistors to the SRAM cells in order to improve the efficiency of the layout of the cell array. The implementation ensures a balanced number of p-channel and n-channel devices per cell while still providing excellent functional characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventor: Richard Foss
  • Patent number: 6522562
    Abstract: A CAM cell comprises a pair of SRAM cells, each of which comprise a pair of cross coupled inverters for storing a data value and a pair of access devices for accessing a complementary pair of bit lines. The CAM cell further comprises a pair of compare circuits, each for comparing said data value stored in one of said SRAM cells with a search data value provided on a corresponding search line. The CAM cell has an equivalent number of n-channel and p-channel devices. The CAM cell uses p-channel transistors as access transistors to the SRAM cells in order to improve the efficiency of the layout of the cell array. The implementation ensures a balanced number of p-channel and n-channel devices per cell while still providing excellent functional characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard Foss
  • Publication number: 20020141218
    Abstract: A content addressable memory (CAM) having a plurality of ternary memory cells, each ternary half cell comprising an equal number of transistors of a p-type and an n-type, the p-type transistors being formed in a first well region and the n-type transistors being formed in a second well region, the wells having at most one p+ to n+ region spacing, the transistors being interconnected to form the half ternary CAM cell and wherein the interconnections for the cell is restricted to a silicon layer and a first metal layer and connections between said cell and external signal lines is restricted to at least a second metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Richard Foss, Charles Taylor, Curtis Richardson
  • Publication number: 20020126519
    Abstract: A CAM cell comprises a pair of SRAM cells, each of which comprise a pair of cross coupled inverters for storing a data value and a pair of access devices for accessing a complementary pair of bit lines. The CAM cell further comprises a pair of compare circuits, each for comparing said data value stored in one of said SRAM cells with a search data value provided on a corresponding search line. The CAM cell has an equivalent number of n-channel and p-channel devices. The CAM cell uses p-channel transistors as access transistors to the SRAM cells in order to improve the efficiency of the layout of the cell array. The implementation ensures a balanced number of p-channel and n-channel devices per cell while still providing excellent functional characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Inventor: Richard Foss
  • Patent number: 5103709
    Abstract: A novel device for protecting the finish of stringed instruments is described. The device comprises a soft, pliable material affixed to a rigid support. The device is in a shape which can be applied to various locations on a stringed instrument which needs protection. Advantageously, the device can be easily applied to and removed from the stringed instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Inventor: Richard A. Foss, Jr.