Abstract: A method for providing programmable delay read data strobe gating with voltage and temperature compensation. The method includes receiving a training request. The method further includes calibrating programmable delay lines for operating frequency and voltage and temperature variation. The method further includes locking to a first feedback signal. The method further includes storing a first feedback lock setting corresponding to the locked-to first feedback signal. The method further includes granting the training request. Additionally, when training is completed, the method further includes recalibrating the programmable delay lines for operating frequency and voltage and temperature variation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for performing design rule check (DRC) of an integrated circuit. A design layout of the integrated circuit is provided. The integrated circuit includes a complex circuit. A DRC tool is used to compare a portion of the design layout with a reference layout containing an accurate implementation of the complex circuit. The portion of the design layout corresponds to the complex circuit.

Abstract: A method and system for improving aerial image simulation speeds. The method includes receiving a mask; generating a matrix of node values based on the mask, wherein each node value corresponds to a node of a plurality of nodes in a lattice; performing a one-dimensional (1-D) approximation of a plurality of first approximation values at corresponding first approximation points between pairs of nodes of the plurality of nodes; performing a two-dimensional (2-D) approximation of second approximation values at corresponding second approximation points between pairs of first approximation points, wherein Chebyshev polynomials are used to approximate the first approximation values and the second approximation values. According to the method and system disclosed herein, approximating values using Chebyshev polynomials results in high-resolution aerial images that are generated at faster speeds.

Abstract: A pattern of contacts that includes high speed transmitter contacts disposed in a first portion of the pattern, where the high speed transmitter contacts are disposed in first ordered channels of adjacent transmitter differential pairs. High speed receiver contacts are disposed in a second portion of the pattern, where the first portion of the pattern is not interspersed with the second portion of the pattern, and the high speed receiver contacts are disposed in first ordered channels of adjacent receiver differential pairs. At least one unbroken line of other contacts is disposed between the first portion of the pattern and the second portion of the pattern, where the other contacts do not contain any high speed transmitter contacts and high speed receiver contacts. Low speed IO contacts are disposed in a third portion of the pattern.

Abstract: An improvement to an arithmetic unit of a low-density parity-check decoder, where the arithmetic unit has a pipelined architecture of modules. A first module calculates a difference between absolute values of md_R and md_g_in, and passes the result to a first Gallager module. The first Gallager module converts this value from a p0/p1 representation to a 2*p0?1 representation, and passes the result to a second module. The second module selectively adjusts the result of the previous module based on the sign values of md_g_in and md_R, and passes one of its outputs to a third module (the other two outputs, loc_item_out and hard_out, are not a part of the pipeline). The third module calculates a new md_g value by adding the result of the second module and loc_item_in, and passes this result to a fourth module. The fourth module separates a sign and an absolute value of the new md_g, and passes the result to a second Gallager module.

Abstract: During the design of semiconductor products which incorporates a user specification and an application set, the application set being a partially manufactured semiconductor platform and its resources, a template engine is disclosed which uses a simplified computer language having a character whereby data used in commands identified by the character need only be input once, either by a user or by files, and that data, after it has been verified to be correct, is automatically allocated to one or more templates used to generate shells for the specification of a final semiconductor product. Data must be correct and compatible with other data before it can be used within the template engine and the generated shells; indeed the template engine cooperates with a plurality of rules and directives to verify the correctness of the data.

Abstract: A basic cell circuit architecture having plurality of cells with fixed transistors configurable for the formation of logic devices and/or single/dual port memory devices within a structured ASIC is provided. Different configurations of ensuing integrated circuits are achieved by forming variable interconnect layers above the fixed structures. The circuit architecture can achieve interconnection of transistors within a single cell and/or across multiple cells. The interconnection can be configured to form basic logic gates as well as more complex digital and analog subsystems. In addition, each cell contains a layout of transistors that can be variably coupled to achieve a memory device, such as a SRAM device. By having the capability of forming either a logic circuit element, a memory device, or both, the circuit architecture is both memory-centric and logic-centric, and more fully adaptable to modern-day SoCs.

Abstract: A microelectronic switch having a substrate layer, an electrically conductive switching layer formed on the substrate layer, an electrically conductive cavity layer formed on the switching layer, an electrically conductive cap layer formed on the cavity layer, the cap layer forming a first electrode and a second electrode that are physically and electrically separated one from another, and which both at least partially overlie the switching layer, and a cavity disposed between the switching layer and the second electrode, where the switching is layer is flexible to make electrical contact with the second electrode by flexing through the cavity upon selective application of an electrical bias.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for mapping a netlist of an integrated circuit to a design. The method includes steps as follows. Chaos algorithm is used to obtain most favorable places in the design for cells from the netlist. Kuhn's algorithm is utilized to assign each cell of the netlist a cell in a template so that, for each cell of the netlist, its place in the template is as close as possible to its place obtained by the chaos algorithm. Simulating annealing optimization technique is applied to reduce a sum of wire length of the design.

Abstract: A fault tolerant driver circuit includes a data output driver that receives an enable input and that includes a transistor formed on an isolation well. A well bias circuit provides a first well bias to the isolation well. The well bias circuit includes voltage-controlled impedances that are controlled by a voltage of the data output line, the enable input and a supply voltage. The voltage-controlled impedances connect the first well bias alternatively to: a common conductor through a first impedance when the supply voltage is ON and the enable input is ON; and a second impedance when the supply voltage is on and enable is OFF.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a decoded video signal. The second circuit may be configured to generate (i) a first video output signal having a first resolution and (ii) a second video signal having a second video resolution in response to the decoded video signal.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a grouping tool coupled to a processor. The grouping tool groups the stream of instructions such that each group of instructions has a dimensionless signature annotated thereto. An instruction prefetch unit of the processor fetches the stream of grouped instructions from a memory in the processor and an instruction issue logic unit of the processor identifies boundaries between the groups of instructions by executing a signature detection algorithm. In one embodiment, the data processing system includes a pipelined superscalar processor core and is capable of concurrently executing multiple instructions in the same or different pipeline stages.

Abstract: A self-timed memory array is disclosed, in which segmentability and metal-programmability are supported while minimizing layout space. Self-timing row decoder circuits are placed at the top and bottom of the array adjacent to respective I/O blocks. A self-timing signal is routed from the top (resp. bottom) of the array to a point halfway down (resp. up) the memory array and then back to a self-timing row decoder at the top (resp. bottom) of the array. The same approach may also be used to account for the bitline wire delay from the bottom (resp. top) of the array to the sense amplifiers in the I/O block. Further flexibility in wire routing is provided by eliminating metal routing layers from unneeded memory cells, and a programmable gate array may be used to allow an arbitrary word size to be chosen for the memory.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for dividing an integrated circuit design field into a plurality of congestion rectangles having user-selectable sizes. A routing congestion value is estimated for each congestion rectangle prior to routing interconnections within the design field. The congestion values are stored in machine-readable memory and are updated in response to wire changes within the design field.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for optimizing fragmentation of integrated circuit boundaries for optical proximity correction (OPC) purposes. The present invention may balance the number of vertices and the “flexibility” of the boundary and may recover fragmentation according to the process intensity profile along the ideal edge position to obtain the best decision for OPC.

Abstract: Methods and structures within a SAS expander for initiating communication with one or more SAS initiators in a SAS domain to inform the initiators of sensed changes in the domain without the need for a full SAS Discovery process. In one aspect hereof, the expander may transmit a vendor unique BROADCAST primitive to inform SAS initiators that they should initiate a vendor unique SMP or SSP exchange with the expander to determine changes to the SAS domain. In another aspect hereof, the SAS initiator may respond as an SMP or SSP target device in response to initiation of vendor unique SMP or SSP exchanges by the expander. The expander may report to initiators regarding sensed changes in the domain and/or statistics regarding operation of the expander or other elements of the domain.

Abstract: A method and apparatus demodulate pre-formatted information embedded in an optical recording medium. The demodulation includes (a) receiving a wobble signal representing data symbols frequency-modulated on a carrier frequency, (b) generating a phase delta signal representing a phase difference between the wobble signal and a corresponding locked signal having the carrier frequency, (c) first sampling the phase delta signal at a data sampling interval to produce first values, (d) second sampling the phase delta signal at each halfway of the data sampling interval to generate second values, (e) determining, based on a difference between two successive second values, if the first sampling is performed at timing corresponding to an end of each data symbol, and (e) adjusting sampling timing of the first sampling towards the timing corresponding to each end of the data symbols, if the sampling timing does not corresponds to the end of each data symbol.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a plurality of flip-flops and a compare circuit. The flip-flops may each be configured to (i) receive a clock signal and an input signal and (ii) generate an output signal. The flip-flops may be configured in series such that the output signal of a first of the flip-flops is presented as the input signal to a second of the flip-flops. The compare circuit may be configured to generate a reset signal in response to each of the output signals. The reset signal is generated until each of the output signals matches a set of predetermined values stored in the compare circuit.

Abstract: A differential current-mode driver that meets the IEEE 1394 standard employs a wide output range in common-mode voltage, minimizes timing skew over this wide range, and has well-controlled rise/fall times in the edge rates of the digital signals transmitted, within the window specified by the IEEE 1394 standard, without having to resort to full-swing (VDD to VSS) gate drive signals. In a preferred embodiment PMOS and NPOS transistors are used to provide current for a current driver, in the form of a current steering switch switching a pair of current mirrors. The current mirrors output is input to a predriver waveform circuit which divides current between a data source A and data source B, forming the differential signal pair. Certain key transistors in the current driver are kept in saturation to improve performance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for controlling the expander cores of a dual expander using a single test port, such as a J-tag port. Access to and control of each expander core is accomplished by placing one of the cores in a bypass mode and accessing and controlling the other core through data supplied serially through the J-tag port.