Patents by Inventor Theodore W. Houston

Theodore W. Houston 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).

  • Patent number: 8324665
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the logic transistors are formed in semiconductor material with one crystal orientation and the SRAM cells are formed in a second semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the logic transistors are formed in a top semiconductor layer with one crystal orientation and the SRAM cells are formed in an epitaxial semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the SRAM cells are formed in a top semiconductor layer with one crystal orientation and the logic transistors are formed in an epitaxial semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Publication number: 20120300538
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an SRAM array having a strap row. The strap row has a well tap active area that partially overlaps adjacent first polarity wells and a second polarity well that is located between the adjacent first polarity wells. A well contact plug is disposed on a top surface of a tap layer located within the well tap active area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Publication number: 20120302013
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the logic transistors are formed in semiconductor material with one crystal orientation and the SRAM cells are formed in a second semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the logic transistors are formed in a top semiconductor layer with one crystal orientation and the SRAM cells are formed in an epitaxial semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing logic transistors and an array of SRAM cells in which the SRAM cells are formed in a top semiconductor layer with one crystal orientation and the logic transistors are formed in an epitaxial semiconductor layer with another crystal orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Publication number: 20120300536
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an SRAM array having a strap row and an SRAM cell row. The strap row includes a tap connecting region that connects two columnar regions of a first polarity well. The strap row also includes a well tap active area in a tap connecting well region. The well tap active area includes a tap layer and a well contact plug that is disposed on the top surface of the tap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Publication number: 20120300537
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an SRAM array having a strap row. The strap row has a substrate contact structure that includes a substrate contact plug and a tap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert R. Garcia, Theodore W. Houston
  • Patent number: 8320165
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an SRAM array having a strap row. The strap row has a substrate contact structure that includes a substrate contact plug and a tap layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instrument Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert R. Garcia, Theodore W. Houston
  • Patent number: 8315086
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an SRAM array having a strap row and an SRAM cell row. The strap row includes a tap connecting region that connects two columnar regions of a first polarity well. The strap row also includes a well tap active area in a tap connecting well region. The well tap active area includes a tap layer and a well contact plug that is disposed on the top surface of the tap layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Patent number: 8310860
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an SRAM array having a strap row. The strap row has a well tap active area that partially overlaps adjacent first polarity wells and a second polarity well that is located between the adjacent first polarity wells. A well contact plug is disposed on a top surface of a tap layer located within the well tap active area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Publication number: 20120275207
    Abstract: An integrated circuit having an SRAM cell includes a pair of cross-coupled inverters with first driver and load transistors connected to provide a first storage node and second driver and load transistors connected to provide a second storage node. The SRAM cell also includes first and second pass gate transistors controlled by at least one word line and respectively connected between a first bit line and the first storage node and a second bit line and the second storage node; wherein a first driver transistor threshold voltage is different than a second driver transistor threshold voltage and one of the first and second driver threshold voltages is different than a pass gate transistor threshold voltage. Alternately, a threshold voltage of the first and second driver transistors is different than a symmetrical pass gate transistor threshold voltage. Additionally, methods of manufacturing an integrated circuit having an SRAM cell are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Theodore W. Houston, Puneet Kohli, Amitava Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 8300451
    Abstract: An integrated circuit having a static random access memory (SRAM) includes an array of SRAM cells arranged in rows and columns having a write word line and a read/write word line connected to provide row access to the array of SRAM cells. The SRAM also includes a coupling capacitance connected between the write word line and a detachable allocation of the read/write word line as well as an overdrive module connected to charge the coupling capacitance and provide an overdrive voltage on the detachable allocation of the read/write word line during activation of the write word line. A method of operating an integrated circuit having an SRAM includes providing an overdrive voltage on the detachable allocation of the read/write word line corresponding to a charge redistribution across the coupling capacitance during part of a write cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Hugh T. Mair, Theodore W. Houston
  • Patent number: 8301431
    Abstract: A method of accelerating a Monte Carlo (MC) simulation for a system including a first component having a first input parameter and a second component having a second input parameter. The simulation model provided includes a first component model including a first model parameter corresponding to the first input parameter and a second component model having a second model parameter corresponding to the second input parameter. A first acceleration factor for the first component and a second acceleration factor for the second component are calculated based on at least the respective number of instances. A first scaled distribution is computed from the first distribution and a second scaled distribution is computed from the second distribution based on the respective acceleration factors. The MC simulation for the system is run, wherein values for the first model parameter value and second model parameter value are obtained based on the respective scaled distributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Keerthinarayan P. Heragu, Theodore W. Houston, Anand Seshadri, Hugh T. Mair
  • Publication number: 20120261768
    Abstract: A method of controlling gate induced drain leakage current of a transistor is disclosed. The method includes forming a dielectric region (516) on a surface of a substrate having a first concentration of a first conductivity type (P-well). A gate region (500) having a length and a width is formed on the dielectric region. Source (512) and drain (504) regions having a second conductivity type (N+) are formed in the substrate on opposite sides of the gate region. A first impurity region (508) having the first conductivity type (P+) is formed adjacent the source. The first impurity region has a second concentration greater than the first concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
  • Publication number: 20120264294
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an array of SRAM cells with T-shaped contacts in the inverters, in which drain connecting segments may extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than 10 percent of a separation distance between ends of opposite drain connecting segments. The drain connecting segments may also extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than one-third of the width of the gate connecting segments. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing an array of SRAM cells with T-shaped contacts in which drain connecting segments may extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than 10 percent of a separation distance between ends of opposite drain connecting segments. A process may also form the drain connecting segments to extend beyond gate connecting segments by greater than one-third of the width of the gate connecting segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Theodore W. Houston, Thomas J. Aton, Scott W. Jessen
  • Publication number: 20120264293
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an array of SRAM cells with T-shaped contacts in the inverters, in which drain connecting segments may extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than 10 percent of a separation distance between ends of opposite drain connecting segments. The drain connecting segments may also extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than one-third of the width of the gate connecting segments. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing an array of SRAM cells with T-shaped contacts in which drain connecting segments may extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than 10 percent of a separation distance between ends of opposite drain connecting segments. A process may also form the drain connecting segments to extend beyond gate connecting segments by greater than one-third of the width of the gate connecting segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Theodore W. Houston, Thomas J. Aton, Scott W. Jessen
  • Publication number: 20120258593
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an array of SRAM cells with T-shaped contacts in the inverters, in which drain connecting segments may extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than 10 percent of a separation distance between ends of opposite drain connecting segments. The drain connecting segments may also extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than one-third of the width of the gate connecting segments. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing an array of SRAM cells with T-shaped contacts in which drain connecting segments may extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than 10 percent of a separation distance between ends of opposite drain connecting segments. A process may also form the drain connecting segments to extend beyond gate connecting segments by greater than one-third of the width of the gate connecting segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Theodore W. Houston, Thomas J. Aton, Scott W. Jessen
  • Publication number: 20120228722
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an array of SRAM cells with T-shaped contacts in the inverters, in which drain connecting segments may extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than 10 percent of a separation distance between ends of opposite drain connecting segments. The drain connecting segments may also extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than one-third of the width of the gate connecting segments. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing an array of SRAM cells with T-shaped contacts in which drain connecting segments may extend beyond gate connecting segments by a distance greater than 10 percent of a separation distance between ends of opposite drain connecting segments. A process may also form the drain connecting segments to extend beyond gate connecting segments by greater than one-third of the width of the gate connecting segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Theodore W. Houston, Thomas J. Aton, Scott W. Jessen
  • Publication number: 20120230088
    Abstract: An integrated circuit with SRAM cells containing dual passgate transistors and a read buffer, all connected to one word line is disclosed. The read buffer and one passgate transistor may be variously configured to a separate read data line and write data line, or a combined data line, in different embodiments. The read buffer in addressed SRAM cells may be biased during read operations. The read buffer in half-addressed SRAM cells may be biased or floated, depending on the configuration of the read data line and the write data line. The read buffer in addressed and half-addressed SRAM cells may be biased or floated, depending on the configuration of the read data line and the write data line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Theodore W. Houston
  • Patent number: 8248867
    Abstract: A memory array is provided having a memory cell coupled to a read word line and a write word line of the memory array and peripheral circuits for reading and writing to the memory cell. The memory cell comprises a storage element for storing a logical state of the memory cell powered at a reduced voltage during at least one functional operation and a write access circuit configured to connect the storage element to at least a first write bit line in the memory array in response to a write signal on the write word line for writing the logical state to the memory cell. The memory cell further comprises a read access circuit including an input node connected to the storage element and an output node connected to a read bit line of the memory array. The read access circuit is enabled and configured to read the logic state of the storage element in response to a read signal on the read word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Donald George Mikan, Jr., Hugh Mair, Theodore W. Houston, Michael Patrick Clinton
  • Publication number: 20120201072
    Abstract: An integrated circuit containing SRAM cells. Each SRAM cell has a PMOS driver transistor, a PMOS passgate transistor, and at least two separate n-wells. The integrated circuit also has an n-well bias control circuit that is configured to independently bias the n-wells of an addressed SRAM cell. Moreover, a process of operating an integrated circuit that contains SRAM cells. The process includes writing a low data bit value, writing a high data bit value, and reading a data bit value of an addressed SRAM cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Anand Seshadri, Theodore W. Houston
  • Publication number: 20120195108
    Abstract: A process of performing an SRAM single sided write operation including applying a positive bias increment to an isolated p-well containing a passgate in an addressed SRAM cell. A process of performing an SRAM single sided read operation including applying a negative bias increment to an isolated p-well containing a driver in an addressed SRAM cell. A process of performing an SRAM double sided write operation including applying a positive bias increment to an isolated p-well containing a passgate connected to a low data line in an addressed SRAM cell. A process of performing an SRAM double sided read operation including applying a negative bias increment to an isolated p-well containing a bit driver and applying a negative bias increment to an isolated p-well containing a bit-bar driver in an addressed SRAM cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Anand Seshadri, Theodore W. Houston