Abstract: The method of the present invention decodes a received symbol that represents data bits including message bits and parity-check bits. The method comprises (a) mapping the symbol onto a received signal point in a signal space, the signal point having an in-phase component (I) and a quadrature phase component (Q) in the signal space; (b) computing reliability information for each data bit, the reliability information associated with a distance di={square root over ((I−Ii)2+(Q−Qi)2)} between the received signal point (I, Q) and a reference constellation point (Ii, Qi) in the signal space, where i=0, 1, . . .

Abstract: A method for estimating decoupling capacitance during an ASIC design flow is disclosed. The method includes precharacterizing a set of power grid structures to model their respective noise behaviors, and storing the respective noise behaviors as noise factors in a table. During the ASIC design flow for a current design that includes at least one of the precharacterized power grid structures, the corresponding noise factor from the table is used to calculate decoupling capacitance for the current design.

Abstract: A method for composing a dielectric layer within an interconnect structure of a multilayer semiconductor device is disclosed. A layer of silica precursor material is first deposited on a silicon substrate. Without affecting its structure and porosity, the layer of silica precursor material is then dried; and the layer of silica precursor material becomes porous silica film. Subsequently, a protective layer, such as parylene, is deposited on top of the dried porous silica film. The thickness of the protective layer should be greater than the peak-valley planarization requirements of the silicon substrate surface. As a result, a composite porous silica film, which services as a dielectric layer within an interconnect structure, is formed. This composite porous silica film has a relatively low dielectric constant and is able to withstand damage from a standard CMP procedure.

Abstract: An electronic bus architecture for supporting posting of read requests by multiple master devices to multiple slave devices. Sideband signals added to the underlying master bus architecture permit slave devices to receive posted read requests from one or more master devices. The sideband signals are used by the slave devices and associated arbitration logic to enable the slave devices with varying latencies to return requested data to the originating masters when the data becomes available. The sideband slave bus architecture may be applied to enhance performance of AMBA based bus architectures as well as other well-known bus architectures supporting one or more master devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor device wherein Si-Ge is the base of a bipolar transistor and a Silicon layer is the emitter. A method of making such a semiconductor device including steps of forming a Silicon dioxide layer on a Silicon substrate, using a photo resist application and exposure to define where a HBT device will be placed. Plasma etching the Silicon dioxide layer to define an undercut, epitaxially growing an Si-Ge layer and a Silicon layer, and continuing manufacture to form one or more bipolar and CMOS devices and define interconnect and passivation.

Abstract: A level shifter circuit configured for use between a core of a chip and input/output transistor of the chip in order to shield low voltage devices residing on the core. The level shifter circuit includes voltage tolerant native devices which have VDDCORE on their gates, and each voltage tolerant native device is cascoded with a low voltage transistor on the core.

Abstract: A memory module is formed on an integrated circuit by arranging memory cells in columns, and routing signal wires from module pins at an edge of the module to respective memory cells. The module pins are optimally positioned relative to the memory cells, and routing wires extend from the pins along routing lines to the cells. Buffer channels are defined between memory cells and orthogonal to the columns, and buffers are selectively inserted into the routing wires in the buffer channels by placing a plurality of buffers in each buffer channel. Signal wires to be buffered at a buffer channel are identified, and the signal wires are routed through each buffer channel so that (i) a signal wire to be buffered is re-routed to an input and output of a buffer, and (ii) all other signal wires are routed along their respective routing lines.

Abstract: An intelligent host adapter for coupling a host PC to peripheral I/O devices through I/O channels wherein the host adapter has a master/slave architecture. A master I/O processor includes circuits for coupling the host adapter to a slot in an I/O interface bus of the host PC such as a PCI bus. The master I/O processor also includes circuits for a relatively small fixed number of I/O channels for connection to associated I/O peripheral busses such as SCSI, Fiber Channel and networks (i.e., Ethernet, token ring, etc.). A slave I/O processor is coupled to the master I/O processor via a dedicated master/slave interface bus. The slave I/O processor provides for addition of I/O channels to the host adapter without requiring use of additional slots of the I/O interface bus of the host PC and without using associated I/O computing resources within the host PC.

Abstract: A variational method is used for calculating resistance of a conductor layer for an integrated circuit design, the conductor layer having a geometric shape defined by boundary edges. The method includes (a) partitioning the geometric shape into a plurality of rectangular regions, (b) determining at least one source edge and at least one sink edge from among the boundary edges, a current entering the conductor layer through the source edge(s) and leaving the conductor layer through the sink edge(s), (c) setting boundary conditions with respect to the current for each of the rectangular regions, (d) calculating power for each of the rectangular regions with the boundary conditions, (e) calculating power for the conductor layer based on the power and the boundary conditions of each of the rectangular regions, and (f) obtaining the resistance of the conductor layer by minimizing the power dissipation of the conductor layer.

Abstract: A slave device receives commands from a master device for execution on a first-in, first-out basis. A status register is responsive to a queue of commands to provide a COMMAND_STATUS_FULL signal when the queue is full of commands. A configuration register provides a SHUT_DOWN signal identifying a shutdown status of the slave device. A bus control is responsive to the command and to either the COMMAND_STATUS_FULL or SHUT_DOWN signal to idle the data bus and deny the requesting master device access to the data bus if the command is for a non-locked transfer, or to stall the data bus if the command is for a locked transfer request.

Abstract: A method of forming electrically conductive elements on a base layer of an electronic substrate without the use of solder mask. A layer of electrically conductive material is deposited on the base layer, and a first layer of photo imageable ink is applied over the electrically conductive material layer. The first layer of photo imageable ink is patterned to expose portions of the electrically conductive material layer, which are then etched to resolve traces in the electrically conductive material layer. The first layer of photo imageable ink is removed, and a second layer of photo imageable ink is applied over the traces and channels between the traces. The second layer of photo imageable ink is then patterned to expose the traces, and a third layer of photo imageable ink is applied over the traces and the second layer of photo imageable ink. The third layer of photo imageable ink is patterned to expose deposition sites on the traces, within which are formed electrically conductive fingers.

Abstract: A circuit for reducing the number of bits in a K bit value from K to N bits. The circuit generally comprises a first summing circuit, a control circuit, an error feedback circuit, a second summing circuit, and a processor. The first summing circuit may add an error offset value and the N+m MSB's of the K bit value to produce a result data value. The control circuit may generate a dither offset value. The error feedback circuit may receive m LSBs of the result data value and generate an error value in dependence on the m LSBs. The second summing circuit may add the dither offset value and the error value to provide the error offset value. The processor may selectively control generation of the dither offset value and the error value.

Abstract: The inter-symbol interference problem is reduced by detecting a data sequence indicating when a boost is needed on a ‘short pulse’, usually the first data pulse of the opposite polarity after a string of data pulses of the same value. A data decoder that detects when current compensation is required and an output driver that has the variable drive capability to change the drive current on the short pulse is used to boost the amplitude. The output driver is regulated by a phase locked loop which includes a voltage variable delay digitally controlled voltage variable reference capacitors in the phase locked loop circuit for receiving data from memory that contains the proper capacitor control voltage needed. The time required to charge the capacitor is constant and the delay is slaved to the clock period.

Abstract: A composite layer of low k silicon oxide dielectric material is formed on an oxide layer of an integrated circuit structure on a semiconductor substrate having closely spaced apart metal lines thereon. The composite layer of low k silicon oxide dielectric material exhibits void-free deposition properties in high aspect ratio regions between the closely spaced apart metal lines, deposition rates in other regions comparable to standard k silicon oxide, and reduced via poisoning characteristics. The composite layer of low k silicon oxide dielectric material is formed by depositing, in high aspect ratio regions between closely spaced apart metal lines, a first layer of low k silicon oxide dielectric material exhibiting void-free deposition properties until the resulting deposition of low k silicon oxide dielectric material reaches the level of the top of the metal lines on the oxide layer.

Abstract: A gate array integrated circuit is provided, which includes first and second voltage supply rails and a row of P-channel type transistors and adjacent N-channel type transistors located between first and second voltage supply rails. Adjacent ones of the P-channel and N-channel transistors have common control terminals. A multiple-bit memory cell is fabricated in the row and includes first and second latches, a read output, a first pass gate coupled between the first latch and the read output, and a second pass gate coupled between the second latch and the read output. The first pass gate includes a first one of the P-channel or N-channel transistors. The second pass gate includes a second one of the same type of the P-channel or N-channel transistors. The first and second same type transistors share a common diffusion region.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a transmit data path, a receive data path, a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to transfer data between a first interface and the transmit and receive data paths. The second circuit may be configured (i) to transfer the data between the transmit and receive data paths and a second interface and (ii) to control a configuration update of the first and second circuits in response to a plurality of control signals. The configuration of the first and second circuits is generally dynamically updated.

Abstract: A circuit controls an oscillation amplitude of a crystal oscillator including a crystal resonator, a current source supplying a bias current, and an output transistor coupled to the crystal resonator and the current source. The circuit includes a peak detector for detecting a peak voltage of an output signal of the crystal oscillator, and a controller coupled to the peak detector and to the current source for controlling the current source in accordance with a difference between the peak voltage and a target voltage, the target voltage being set to be substantially equal to 2Vth, where Vth is a threshold voltage of the output transistor. A frequency control circuit controls a first switched-capacitor array and a second switched-capacitor array coupled to the crystal resonator, and alternately switches a unit capacitor in the first switched-capacitor array and a unit capacitor in the second switched-capacitor array based on a frequency control signal.

Abstract: A circuit generally comprising an interface circuit and an arbitration circuit is disclosed. The interface circuit may be couplable between a peripheral device and a plurality of ports. The arbitration circuit may be coupled to the interface circuit. The arbitration circuit may be configured to (i) store a plurality of associations between a plurality of time slots and the ports, (ii) check the associations in a subset comprising at least two of the time slots in response to receiving an arbitration request from a first requesting port of the ports, and (iii) generate a grant for the first requesting port to communicate with the peripheral device in response to the first requesting port matching at least one of the associations in the subset.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for testing linearity of two or more programmable delay chains in an integrated circuit. A first delay chain is successively programmed to a first sequence of delay settings and, for each delay setting in the first sequence, a second delay chain is successively programmed to a second sequence of delay settings. The second sequence sweeps a propagation delay through the second delay chain from a delay value less than a present propagation delay through the first delay chain to a delay value greater than the present propagation delay. For each delay setting of the second delay chain, a logic transition is applied to inputs of the first and second delay chains and the output of one of the first and second delay chains is latched as a function of the output of the other of the first and second delay chains to produce a sample value.

Abstract: A bonding pad structure having an electrically conductive capping layer. An electrically conductive first supporting layer is disposed immediately under the electrically conductive capping layer, without any intervening layers between the electrically conductive capping layer and the electrically conductive first supporting layer. The electrically conductive first supporting layer is configured as one of a sheet having no voids and a sheet having slotted voids in a first direction. An electrically conductive second supporting layer is disposed under the electrically conductive first supporting layer. The electrically conductive second supporting layer is configured as one of a sheet having slotted voids in the first direction, a sheet having slotted voids in a second direction, and a sheet having checkerboard voids.