Patents by Inventor Yung-Chin Hou

Yung-Chin Hou 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: 7932566
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including type-1 cells and a type-2 cell is presented. The type-1 cells have poly lines with a default poly pitch. The type-2 cell has poly lines with a non-default poly pitch. A first boundary region has at least one isolation area that lies between the type-1 cells and the type-2 cell in the X-direction. The first boundary region includes at least one merged dummy poly line, wherein the at least one merged dummy poly line has a first portion that complies with the default poly pitch of the type-1 cells and a second portion that complies with the non-default poly pitch of the type-2 cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Chin Hou, Li-Chun Tien, Lee-Chung Lu, Ping Chung Li, Ta-Pen Guo
  • Patent number: 7913141
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for reducing current leakages in an integrated circuit (IC), the system comprises one or more separated power supply lines connecting between one or more power sources and an isolated circuitry, one or more switches on the separated power supply lines for controlling the connections between the power sources and the isolated circuitry, and one or more controllers for turning the switches on or off according to one or more predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lee-Chung Yu, Chung-Hsing Wang, Yung-Chin Hou
  • Publication number: 20100281446
    Abstract: Integrated circuit libraries include a first standard cell having a first left boundary and a first right boundary, and a second standard cell having a second left boundary and a second right boundary. The first standard cell and the second standard cell are of a same cell variant. A first active region in the first standard cell has a different length of diffusion than a second active region in the second standard cell. The first active region and the second active region are corresponding active regions represented by a same component of a same circuit diagram representing both the first standard cell and the second standard cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Chin Hou, Lee-Chung Lu, Li-Chun Tien, Yi-Kan Cheng, Chun-Hui Tai, Ta-Pen Guo, Yuan-Te Hou
  • Patent number: 7821039
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes an integrated circuit structure including a PMOS transistor including a first gate electrode; a first source region; and a first drain region; an NMOS transistor including a second gate electrode, wherein the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode are portions of a gate electrode strip; a second source region; and a second drain region. No additional transistors are formed between the PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor. The integrated circuit further includes a VDD power rail connected to the first source region; a VSS power rail connected to the second source region; and an interconnection port electrically connected to the gate electrode strip. The interconnection port is on an outer side of a MOS pair region including the PMOS transistor, the NMOS transistor, and the region between the PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor. The portion of the gate electrode strip in the MOS pair region is substantially straight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Li-Chun Tien, Lee-Chung Lu, Yung-Chin Hou, Chun-Hui Tai, Ta-Pen Guo, Sheng-Hsin Chen, Ping Chung Li
  • Publication number: 20100269081
    Abstract: An integrated circuit layout includes a standard cell, which includes a first gate strip and a second gate strip parallel to each other and having a gate pitch; a first boundary and a second boundary on opposite ends of the first standard cell; and a third boundary and a fourth boundary on opposite ends of the first standard cell and parallel to the first gate strip and the second gate strip. A cell pitch between the third boundary and the fourth boundary is not equal to integer times the gate pitch. A PMOS transistor is formed of the first gate strip and a first active region. An NMOS transistor is formed of the first gate strip and a second active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Chin Hou, David Barry Scott, Lee-Chung Lu, Li-Chun Tien
  • Patent number: 7808051
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a first active region in the semiconductor substrate; and a second active region in the semiconductor substrate and of an opposite conductivity type than the first active region. A gate electrode strip is over the first and the second active regions and forms a first MOS device and a second MOS device with the first active region and the second active region, respectively. A first spacer bar is in the semiconductor substrate and connected to the first active region. At least a portion of the first spacer bar is adjacent to and spaced apart from a portion of the first active region. A second spacer bar is in the semiconductor substrate and connected to the second active region. At least a portion of the second spacer bar is adjacent to and spaced apart from a portion of the second active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Chin Hou, Lee-Chung Lu, Ta-Pen Guo, Li-Chun Tien, Ping Chung Li, Chun-Hui Tai, Shu-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 7797668
    Abstract: A method for converting a circuit design into a semiconductor device includes the following steps. A first set of deign information is provided for representing the circuit design. Priority design information, which represents a priority portion of the circuit design, is extracted from the first set of design information. The priority design information is processed for generating a second set of design information. The semiconductor device is fabricated based on the first and second sets of design information. The second set of design information contains enhanced fabrication conditions as opposed to those of the first set of design information for optimizing the conversion of the circuit design into the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gwan Sin Chang, Ru-Gun Liu, Chih-Ming Lai, Yung-Chin Hou
  • Publication number: 20100196803
    Abstract: A method of designing a double patterning mask set for a layout of a chip includes designing standard cells. In each of the standard cells, all left-boundary patterns are assigned with one of a first indicator and a second indicator, and all right-boundary patterns are assigned with an additional one of the first indicator and the second indicator. The method further includes placing the standard cells in a row of the layout of the chip. Starting from one of the standard cells in the row, indicator changes to the standard cells are propagated throughout the row. All patterns in the standard cells having the first indicator are transferred to a first mask of the double patterning mask set. All patterns in the standard cells having the second indicator are transferred to a second mask of the double patterning mask set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Lee-Chung Lu, Yi-Kan Cheng, Yuan-Te Hou, Yung-Chin Hou, Li-Chun Tien
  • Publication number: 20100164614
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including type-1 cells and a type-2 cell is presented. The type-1 cells have poly lines with a default poly pitch. The type-2 cell has poly lines with a non-default poly pitch. A first boundary region has at least one isolation area that lies between the type-1 cells and the type-2 cell in the X-direction. The first boundary region includes at least one merged dummy poly line, wherein the at least one merged dummy poly line has a first portion that complies with the default poly pitch of the type-1 cells and a second portion that complies with the non-default poly pitch of the type-2 cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Yung-Chin Hou, Li-Chun Tien, Lee-Chung Lu, Ping Chung Li, Ta-Pen Guo
  • Publication number: 20100127333
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes an active region in a semiconductor substrate; a first field effect transistor (FET) disposed in the active region; and an isolation structure disposed in the active region. The FET includes a first gate; a first source formed in the active region and disposed on a first region adjacent the first gate from a first side; and a first drain formed in the active region and disposed on a second region adjacent the first gate from a second side. The isolation structure includes an isolation gate disposed adjacent the first drain; and an isolation source formed in the active region and disposed adjacent the isolation gate such that the isolation source and the first drain are on different sides of the isolation gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yung-Chin Hou, Ta-Pen Guo, Harry Chuang, Carlos H. Diaz, Lee-Chung Lu, Li-Chun Tien, Oscar M. K. Law, Chih-Chiang Chang, Chun-Hui Tai, Jonathan Lee
  • Publication number: 20100095253
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for integrated circuit designs and post layout analysis. The integrated circuit design method includes providing a plurality of IC devices with various design dimensions; collecting electrical performance data of the IC devices; extracting equivalent dimensions of the IC devices; generating a shape related model to relate the equivalent dimensions to the electrical performance data of the IC devices; and creating a data refinement table using the equivalent dimensions and the electrical performance data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yung-Chin HOU, Ying-Chou CHENG, Ru-Gun LIU, Chih-Ming LAI, Yi-Kan CHENG, Chung-Kai LIN, Hsiao-Shu CHAO, Ping-Heng YEH, Min-Hong WU, Yao-Ching KU, Tsong-Hua OU
  • Publication number: 20100078725
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a first active region in the semiconductor substrate; and a second active region in the semiconductor substrate and of an opposite conductivity type than the first active region. A gate electrode strip is over the first and the second active regions and forms a first MOS device and a second MOS device with the first active region and the second active region, respectively. A first spacer bar is in the semiconductor substrate and connected to the first active region. At least a portion of the first spacer bar is adjacent to and spaced apart from a portion of the first active region. A second spacer bar is in the semiconductor substrate and connected to the second active region. At least a portion of the second spacer bar is adjacent to and spaced apart from a portion of the second active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Yung-Chin Hou, Lee-Chung Lu, Ta-Pen Guo, Li-Chun Tien, Ping Chung Li, Chun-Hui Tai, Shu-Min Chen
  • Publication number: 20090326873
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system, method, and computer-readable medium for designing a circuit and/or IC chip to be provided using an optical shrink technology node. Initial design data may be provided in a first technology node and through the use of embedding scaling factors in one or more EDA tools of the design flow, a design (e.g., mask data) can be generated for the circuit in an optical shrink technology node. Examples of EDA tools in which embedded scaling factors may be provided are simulation models and extraction tools including LPE decks and RC extraction technology files.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chung-Hsing Wang, Lee-Chung Lu, Yung-Chin Hou, Lie-Szu Juang
  • Publication number: 20090315079
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes an integrated circuit structure including a PMOS transistor including a first gate electrode; a first source region; and a first drain region; an NMOS transistor including a second gate electrode, wherein the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode are portions of a gate electrode strip; a second source region; and a second drain region. No additional transistors are formed between the PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor. The integrated circuit further includes a VDD power rail connected to the first source region; a VSS power rail connected to the second source region; and an interconnection port electrically connected to the gate electrode strip. The interconnection port is on an outer side of a MOS pair region including the PMOS transistor, the NMOS transistor, and the region between the PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor. The portion of the gate electrode strip in the MOS pair region is substantially straight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Li-Chun Tien, Lee-Chung Lu, Yung-Chin Hou, Chun-Hui Tai, Ta-Pen Guo, Sheng-Hsin Chen, Ping Chung Li
  • Patent number: 7467365
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method for sanity checking integrated circuit (IC) designs based on one or more predefined sub-circuits with at least one predefined checking criteria, the method comprising automatically reading one or more netlists, identifying one or more sub-circuits in the netlists isomorphic to at least one of predefined sub-circuits, identifying one or more device parameters for sanity checking the identified sub-circuits, and comparing the identified device parameters against the predefined checking criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: George H. Chang, Yi-Kan Cheng, Chen-Teng Fan, Chen-Lin Yang, Yung-Chin Hou, Chu-Ping James Wang
  • Patent number: 7458051
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure including at least one spare cell is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a first conductive line coupled to a power supply, and a second conductive line coupled to a complementary power supply. At least one spare cell is decoupled from the first or second conductive line for being selectively connected to at least one normally functioning electronic components, the first conductive line and the second conductive line only during a rerouting process for reducing leakage power of the semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Chin Hou, Lee-Chung Lu, Chu-Ping Wang, Li-Chun Tien
  • Publication number: 20080235635
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for designing a semiconductor circuit on a multi-project wafer (MPW). One or more standard modules designed by one or more vendors with verified functions are first identified. Some of the standard modules are charged based on usage. At least one reconfigurable module of the MPW is programmed by making one or more connections through one or more connection layers. The standard modules are further connected with the programmed reconfigurable module according to the predetermined design of the circuit. The completed circuit is then verified for final uses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Kun-Lung Chen, Shine Chien Chung, Yung-Chin Hou, Yu-Chun Wu
  • Patent number: 7401302
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for designing a semiconductor circuit on a multi-project wafer (MPW). One or more standard modules designed by one or more vendors with verified functions are first identified. Some of the standard modules are charged based on usage. At least one reconfigurable module of the MPW is programmed by making one or more connections through one or more connection layers. The standard modules are further connected with the programmed reconfigurable module according to the predetermined design of the circuit. The completed circuit is then verified for final uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Kun-Lung Chen, Shine Chien Chung, Yung-Chin Hou, Yu-Chun Wu
  • Publication number: 20080082876
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for reducing current leakages in an integrated circuit (IC), the system comprises one or more separated power supply lines connecting between one or more power sources and an isolated circuitry, one or more switches on the separated power supply lines for controlling the connections between the power sources and the isolated circuitry, and one or more controllers for turning the switches on or off according to one or more predetermined conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Lee-Chung Yu, Chung-Hsing Wang, Yung-Chin Hou
  • Patent number: 7350177
    Abstract: A configurable logic and memory block (CLMB) and a configurable logic device are disclosed. The CLMB includes one or more static random access memory (SRAM) cells, a first output module for generating a first output by reading at least one SRAM cell when the CLMB functions as an SRAM, a second output module for generating a second output by reading at least one SRAM cell when the CLMB functions as a program logic device (PLD), wherein data on one or more bitlines coupled to the SRAM cells are controllably feeding into the first and second output modules. The configurable logic device can provide various Boolean logic functions using pass gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shine Chien Chung, Yung-Chin Hou, Kun Lung Chen, Yu-Chun Wu