Patents by Inventor Thomas M. Cipolla

Thomas M. Cipolla 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: 7402053
    Abstract: A PGA socket including a plurality of sub-socket components, which when used in combination forms a larger effective socket, includes multiple apertures configured to receive corresponding pins of an IC. The PGA socket further includes multiple contact members, each of the contact members corresponding to a respective one of the apertures. The contact members are configured to movably engage corresponding pins of the IC upon respective movement of the apertures so as to provide electrical and mechanical contact thereto. Each of the sub-socket components is configured to mechanically engage at least one of the other sub-socket components such that the contact members in each of the sub-socket components are capable of electrically connecting to corresponding pins of the IC substantially simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Geoffrey Hougham, William Louis Brodsky, Thomas M. Cipolla, Paul William Coteus, Ronald Malfatt
  • Publication number: 20080164059
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment disclosed herein relates to a method of feeding cable through a wall. The method includes, cutting an outer jacket of a cable, and pulling the outer jacket away from the cut thereby exposing an electromagnetic interference shielding layer. The method further includes, clamping a conductor around the shielding layer, securing the clamped conductor to a conductive wall, and electrically connecting the clamped conductor to the conductive wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas M. Cipolla
  • Publication number: 20080026628
    Abstract: A PGA socket including a plurality of sub-socket components, which when used in combination forms a larger effective socket, includes multiple apertures configured to receive corresponding pins of an IC. The PGA socket further includes multiple contact members, each of the contact members corresponding to a respective one of the apertures. The contact members are configured to movably engage corresponding pins of the IC upon respective movement of the apertures so as to provide electrical and mechanical contact thereto. Each of the sub-socket components is configured to mechanically engage at least one of the other sub-socket components such that the contact members in each of the sub-socket components are capable of electrically connecting to corresponding pins of the IC substantially simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Geoffrey Hougham, William Louis Brodsky, Thomas M. Cipolla, Paul William Coteus, Ronald Malfatt
  • Publication number: 20080026627
    Abstract: A PGA socket including a plurality of sub-socket components, which when used in combination forms a larger effective socket, includes multiple apertures configured to receive corresponding pins of an IC. The PGA socket further includes multiple contact members, each of the contact members corresponding to a respective one of the apertures. The contact members are configured to movably engage corresponding pins of the IC upon respective movement of the apertures so as to provide electrical and mechanical contact thereto. Each of the sub-socket components is configured to mechanically engage at least one of the other sub-socket components such that the contact members in each of the sub-socket components are capable of electrically connecting to corresponding pins of the IC substantially simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Geoffrey Hougham, William Louis Brodsky, Thomas M. Cipolla, Paul William Coteus, Ronald Malfatt
  • Patent number: 7322844
    Abstract: A PGA socket including a plurality of sub-socket components, which when used in combination forms a larger effective socket, includes multiple apertures configured to receive corresponding pins of an IC. The PGA socket further includes multiple contact members, each of the contact members corresponding to a respective one of the apertures. The contact members are configured to movably engage corresponding pins of the IC upon respective movement of the apertures so as to provide electrical and mechanical contact thereto. Each of the sub-socket components is configured to mechanically engage at least one of the other sub-socket components such that the contact members in each of the sub-socket components are capable of electrically connecting to corresponding pins of the IC substantially simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Geoffrey Hougham, William Louis Brodsky, Thomas M. Cipolla, Paul William Coteus, Ronald Malfatt
  • Publication number: 20080002357
    Abstract: A fansink arrangement for a laptop computer wherein two distinct patterns of air intake can be employed. Particularly, dual air intakes of the laptop can be managed and controlled depending upon an operating mode of the computer. Thus, when the computer is in a “stand alone” mode, only one air intake is employed while in a “docking” mode of the computer two air intakes are employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Albert V. Makley, Thomas M. Cipolla, Thomas R. Hildner, Vinod Kamath, Fumitoshi Kiyooka, Lawrence S. Mok, Fusanobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7217144
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method of increasing the quantity of input and output connectors, which are available for the attachment to connection cables of electronic equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an arrangement, such as a connector drawer, which is adapted to be installed in a selectively retractable and extendable mode in a laptop computer and which provides for a versatile structure facilitating a elective increase in the quantity of input and output connectors as may be necessitated by specific utilization of the electronic equipment or laptop computers, particularly in conjunction with the connection therewith of auxiliary operating devices or components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Lawrence S. Mok
  • Patent number: 6791836
    Abstract: A fan module including: two or more individual fans, each fan having an air movement means and a motor engaged with the air movement means for accelerating air entering each of the two or more individual fans; a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature associated with the two or more fans and for outputting a first signal corresponding to the temperature; rotational speed sensor for outputting a second signal corresponding to a rotational speed of each of the two or more fans; and a processor for receiving the first and second signals and controlling the two or more individual fans based on the first and second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Richard I. Kaufman, Lawrence S. Mok
  • Patent number: 6752201
    Abstract: A cooling mechanism having a heat sink, a first conduction device, and a convection device is provided. The first conduction device conducts heat from a heat source to the heat sink. The convection device has a first side, a second side, a peripheral dimension. The heat sink is disposed about the peripheral dimension of the convection device. The convection device draws in air through the first and second sides and forces the air radially outward across the heat sink. A cooling mechanism is also provided wherein the cooling mechanism has a ratio of heat removal in watts to volume in cubic centimeters from about 1:1 to about 3:11 at a sound level of between about 20 and 40 decibels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M Cipolla, Tarek J Jamal-Eddine, Lawrence S Mok
  • Publication number: 20040099404
    Abstract: A cooling mechanism having a heat sink, a first conduction device, and a convection device is provided. The first conduction device conducts heat from a heat source to the heat sink. The convection device has a first side, a second side, a peripheral dimension. The heat sink is disposed about the peripheral dimension of the convection device. The convection device draws in air through the first and second sides and forces the air radially outward across the heat sink. A cooling mechanism is also provided wherein the cooling mechanism has a ratio of heat removal in watts to volume in cubic centimeters from about 1:1 to about 3:11 at a sound level of between about 20 and 40 decibels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Tarek J. Jamal-Eddine, Lawrence S. Mok
  • Publication number: 20040103218
    Abstract: A novel massively parallel supercomputer of hundreds of teraOPS-scale includes node architectures based upon System-On-a-Chip technology, i.e., each processing node comprises a single Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Within each ASIC node is a plurality of processing elements each of which consists of a central processing unit (CPU) and plurality of floating point processors to enable optimal balance of computational performance, packaging density, low cost, and power and cooling requirements. The plurality of processors within a single node may be used individually or simultaneously to work on any combination of computation or communication as required by the particular algorithm being solved or executed at any point in time. The system-on-a-chip ASIC nodes are interconnected by multiple independent networks that optimally maximizes packet communications throughput and minimizes latency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventors: Matthias A Blumrich, Dong Chen, George L Chiu, Thomas M Cipolla, Paul W Coteus, Alan G Gara, Mark E Giampapa, Philip Heidelberg, Gerard V Kopcsay, Lawrence S Mok, Todd E Takken
  • Publication number: 20030198018
    Abstract: A fan module including: two or more individual fans, each fan having an air movement means and a motor engaged with the air movement means for accelerating air entering each of the two or more individual fans; a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature associated with the two or more fans and for outputting a first signal corresponding to the temperature; rotational speed sensor for outputting a second signal corresponding to a rotational speed of each of the two or more fans; and a processor for receiving the first and second signals and controlling the two or more individual fans based on the first and second signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Richard I. Kaufman, Lawrence S. Mok
  • Patent number: 6592449
    Abstract: A fan module including: two or more individual fans, each fan having an air movement means and a motor engaged with the air movement means for accelerating air entering each of the two or more individual fans; a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature associated with the two or more fans and for outputting a first signal corresponding to the temperature; rotational speed sensor for outputting a second signal corresponding to a rotational speed of each of the two or more fans; and a processor for receiving the first and second signals and controlling the two or more individual fans based on the first and second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Richard I. Kaufman, Lawrence S. Mok
  • Publication number: 20020121555
    Abstract: A fan module including: two or more individual fans, each fan having an air movement means and a motor engaged with the air movement means for accelerating air entering each of the two or more individual fans; a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature associated with the two or more fans and for outputting a first signal corresponding to the temperature; rotational speed sensor for outputting a second signal corresponding to a rotational speed of each of the two or more fans; and a processor for receiving the first and second signals and controlling the two or more individual fans based on the first and second signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Richard I. Kaufman, Lawrence S. Mok
  • Patent number: 5764314
    Abstract: A liquid crystal element, a packaging structure providing thermal and alignment control, a display device including the same, and methods of fabrication and assembly are provided. The liquid crystal element includes: a semiconductor wafer, having microcircuitry and an array of reflective pixels; a layer of electro-optical responsive liquid crystal medium, of uniform thickness, disposed on the reflective pixels; a transparent conductive layer positioned on the liquid crystal, being substantially parallel to the reflective layers, to ensure a uniform thickness of the liquid crystal; and an insulative transparent layer provided on the conductive layer. The liquid crystal element is laminated to an optically flat substrate to limit the out-of-plane distortions thereof. The structure formed by element and substrate are disposed in a substrate holder which is mounted to a wiring board, and coupled to voltage sources for actuating the liquid crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chandrasekhar Narayan, Evan Colgan, Kei-Hsiung Yang, Robert L. Melcher, Lawrence S. Mok, Leathen Shi, Thomas M. Cipolla
  • Patent number: 5721602
    Abstract: A liquid crystal element, a packaging structure providing thermal and alignment control, a display device including the same, and methods of fabrication and assembly are provided. The liquid crystal element includes: a semiconductor wafer, having microcircuitry and an array of reflective pixels; a layer of electro-optical responsive liquid crystal medium, of uniform thickness, disposed on the reflective pixels; a transparent conductive layer positioned on the liquid crystal, being substantially parallel to the reflective layers, to ensure a uniform thickness of the liquid crystal; and an insulative transparent layer provided on the conductive layer. The liquid crystal element is laminated to an optically flat substrate to limit the out-of-plane distortions thereof. The structure formed by element and substrate are disposed in a substrate holder which is mounted to a wiring board, and coupled to voltage sources for actuating the liquid crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chandrasekhar Narayan, Evan Colgan, Kei-Hsiung Yang, Robert L. Melcher, Lawrence S. Mok, Leathen Shi, Thomas M. Cipolla
  • Patent number: 5586005
    Abstract: The invention employs a post type fastening member that provides, at one end, an insertion friction connection to the circuit card and at the other end, extending through the heat sink, a compression spring means that urges the heat sink toward the circuit card. A plurality of the post type fasteners are positioned around the periphery of the chip package to retain the heat sink parallel to the circuit card and compressing the chip package. The packaging structure of the invention permits larger area heat sinks than the chip package area to be supported by the circuit card with the only relationship with the chip being that of a compression thermal transfer contact and radiation shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Paul W. Coteus
  • Patent number: 5421079
    Abstract: A high density circuit package includes a pair of planar packages, the planar packages exhibiting front and back surfaces and positioned back-to-back in the high density circuit package. Each planar package includes a flexible circuit carrier having a plurality of circuit chips mounted thereon. Front and back planar metallic heat sinks sandwich the circuit carriers, at least one of the heat sinks contacting a surface of the chips mounted on the sandwiched circuit carriers. Each heat sink is provided with air flow apertures formed in its planar surface and adjacent to each circuit chip. A circuit card interconnects with the circuit carriers in an interconnection region and is pluggable into a female connector. The planar metallic heat sinks and circuit carriers are mechanically packaged so as to provide a planar arrangement which aligns the apertures in both the front and rear heat sinks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Paul W. Coteus, Alphonso P. Lanzetta
  • Patent number: 5394121
    Abstract: Wiring topology and hierarchy of transmission line impedances for connecting I/O of semiconductor devices together. This arrangement gives smooth signal shapes for signal rise and fall times as fast as one (1) nsec or faster. The design uses a balanced multi-way branched net with increasing impedance until very close to the end, of the net, where it is a balanced multi-way branched net with unterminated ends. Thus, coming out of the signal driver is a single impedance transmission line. This single impedance transmission line (A) then branches into two impedance transmission lines (B), each having an impedance higher than the single line impedance that feeds it. These lines (B) are used to drive electronic modules. After entering the electronic modules through a connector, each of these lines (B) then branch into two transmission lines (C) having a yet higher impedance value. Each of these lines (C) finally ends in a cluster of four transmission lines (D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Paul W. Coteus, William R. Hardell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5343366
    Abstract: This invention relates to three dimensional packaging of integrated circuit chips into stacks to form cuboid structures. Between adjacent chips in the stack, there is disposed an electrical interconnection means which is a first substrate having a plurality of conductors one end of which is electrically connected to chip contact locations and the other end of which extends to one side of the chip stack to form a plurality of pin-like electrical interconnection assemblies. The pin-like structures can be formed from projections of the first substrate having an electrical conductor on at least one side thereof extending from this side. Alternatively, the pin-like structures can be formed from conductors which cantilever from both sides of an edge of the first substrate and within which corresponding conductors from both sides are aligned and spaced apart by the first substrate thickness. The spaces contain solder and form solder loaded pin-like structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Cipolla, Paul W. Coteus, Ioannis Damianakis, Glen W. Johnson, Peter G. Ledermann, Linda C. Matthew, Lawrence S. Mok