Abstract: The present invention is a method for reconfiguring a RAM into a ROM. First a RAM is fabricated on a platform ASIC in which the memory is patterned with first and second metal layers that intersect over each cell, wherein the first metal layer comprises local core cell nodes and the second metal layer comprises power/ground. The RAM is also fabricated with metal junction points on the first metal layer in at least a portion of the intersections. Thereafter, the RAM is reconfigured to a ROM by forming vias between the intersections of the first and second metal layers over the junction points to connect the first metal layer to the second metal layer.

Abstract: A method for producing a chip is disclosed. A first step of the method may involve first fabricating the chip only up to and including a first metal layer such that a core region of the chip has an array of cells, each of the cells having a plurality of transistors. A second step of the method may be to design a plurality of upper metal layers above the first metal layer in response to a custom design created after the first fabricating has started, the upper metal layers interconnecting a plurality of the cells to form an electrostatic discharge clamp at a power domain crossing. A third step may include second fabricating the chip to add the upper metal layers.

Abstract: A system and method for mapping Intellectual Property (IP) components onto a pre-fabricated chip slice allows a user to select a target location for placement of an IP component onto a slice. A slice definition of the pre-fabricated chip slice is searched for a legal location for the IP component that is near to the target location. The IP component is mapped to the legal location.

Abstract: A disclosed memory, such as a random access memory (RAM) has multiple banks including a first bank and a second bank each having multiple latch cells configured to store data. The first bank has a first bit line, and the second bank has a second bit line. A first tri-state buffer has an input node coupled to the first bit line, an enable node coupled to receive a first enable signal, and an output node coupled to a tri-state output bit line. A second tri-state buffer has an input node coupled to the second bit line, an enable node coupled to receive a second enable signal, and an output node coupled to the tri-state output bit line. Enable signal generation logic uses a portion of an address signal to generate the first and second enable signals. The memory produces an output signal dependent upon the enable signal generation logic output, and thus upon a logic level of the tri-state output bit line.

Abstract: A method and system of optimizing the illumination of a mask in a photolithography process. A specific, preferred method includes the steps of: loading minimum design rules of a layout, loading exposure latitude constraints, loading mask error constraints, loading initial illumination conditions, simulating current illumination conditions, obtaining dose-to-print threshold from the minimum design rules (i.e., lines-and-space feature), applying OPC on the layout using the dose-to-print threshold, calculating DOF using the exposure latitude and mask error constraints, changing the illumination conditions in order to attempt to maximize common DOF with the exposure latitude and mask error constraints, and continuing the process until maximum common DOF is obtained.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor wafer includes fabricating a gate electrode on a silicon substrate of the semiconductor device and incorporating germanium into the silicon substrate thereafter.

Abstract: A method for retroactively recording from a circular buffer comprising the steps of (A) determining a starting point in the circular buffer, (B) generating a linear buffer by breaking the circular buffer before the starting point and (C) appending to an ending point of the linear buffer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for identifying a potential floorplan problem in an integrated circuit layout pattern. The method and apparatus identify a critical timing path in the layout pattern and identify a start point and one or more end points along the timing path. It is then determined whether any of the one or more end points are floor-planned objects. For each end point that is a floor-planned object, the method and apparatus compare a distance between that end point and the start point with a distance threshold to produce a comparison result. A potential floorplan problem can be identified if the distance exceeds the distance threshold.

Abstract: A Gaussian noise is simulated by discrete analogue ri,j. A first parameter ? and pluralities of first and second integers i and j are selected. A plurality of points i,j are identified and a magnitude si,j is calculated for each point based on ?, i and j. The discrete analogue ri,j is based on a respective si,j. Examples are given of ? = 2 B - A 2 B and D>i?0 and 2c>j?0, where B?0, 2B>A>0, C?1 and D?1, and magnitude s i , j = 1 - ? i + ? i · 1 - ? 2 C · j ? ? or ? ? s D - 1 , j = 1 - ? D - 1 + ? D - 1 · 1 2 C · j . In some embodiments, a segment is defined based on ? and i. The segment is divided into points based on respective values of j, and the magnitude is calculated for each point of the segment. The defining and dividing segments and calculating the magnitude is iteratively repeated for each value of i.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of fabricating a local interconnect. A disclosed method involves forming two separate cavities in the ILD above two electrical contacts of a transistor. A first cavity extend down to an underlying etch stop layer. The first cavity is then filled with a protective layer. The second cavity is then formed adjacent to the first cavity and extends down to expose the underlying etch stop layer. The protective layer is removed to form an expanded cavity including the first and second cavities which expose the underlying etch stop layer in the expanded cavity. The etch stop material in the expanded cavity is also removed to expose an underlying gate contact and expose one of a source or drain contact. The gate contact is then electrically connected with one of the exposed source or drain contacts to form a local interconnect.

Abstract: A digital cross connect comprises plural switching stages. Each stage has plural switches which receive plural frames of time multiplexed input data and which switch the data in time and space. Configurations of the switches change in frame synchronization at the start of a synchronized data frame. Both the configuration data and a frame clock may be propagated through the plural stages from a master switch. First and last stages of the digital cross connect may be implemented on common chips having two framing time bases. Data may be aligned to a global frame clock and interchanged using a single random access memory in a time slot interchanger. The write address to the random access memory is generated from a local frame counter keyed to the input data frame while a read address is transformed from a global frame counter.

Abstract: A circuit providing a wireless connection for receipt and/or transmission of electronic signals between a storage device and an external device such as a host system, a storage subsystem controller, or a storage subsystem. The wireless connection circuit may include a wireless data connection to provide wireless exchange of data signals between the storage device and the external device. The wireless connection circuit may also provide an inductive coupling for power supplied to the storage device. In one aspect hereof the wireless connectivity (data, power or both) may be provided as enhanced circuits on a controller circuit integrated with the storage device. In another aspect hereof, the wireless connectivity may be provided as an adapter or interface circuit coupled to an existing storage device interface to adapt wired connections of the storage device to an external device through a wireless signal exchange protocol.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for performing edge correction on a mask design. Aspects of the invention include initially fragmenting boundaries of the mask design for optical proximity correction, whereby edge segments of the boundaries are moved by a distance value; interpreting the moved edge segments by defining a new endpoint for respective pairs of neighboring edge segments that meet at an angle, the endpoint being a location of where lines on which the edge segments lie intersect, wherein the new endpoint is used to create a smoothed feature, resulting in a smoothed OPC mask; calculating distances between all pairs of comparable edge segments of the smoothed OPC mask; comparing the distances to a design rule limit; for each edge segment having a distance that exceeds the design rule limit, decreasing the segment's distance value; and optimizing the mask design by repeating the above steps until no distance violations are found.

Abstract: An efficient filter circuit and method for filtering a loss of receiver signal prevents false signals caused by glitches. The short glitches that happen at the positive edge of the clock signal may be prevented from affecting the whole clock cycle. The false signal removal circuitry is effective against both false active high and false active low signals. A selectable majority determination block also measures the number of glitches or average signal strength to determine that a valid signal is present. A mininum pulse width of a glitch is settable.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for selectively allowing and disallowing changes to an impedance control signal applied to bus driver circuits coupling a device or system to a common, shared bus where impedance of the bus may vary over time. Well known impedance sensing circuits may be coupled to a common bus, such as a PCI bus, and may be used to generate an impedance control signal to be applied to well-known bus driver circuits, including, for example, PCI bus driver circuits, to vary the drive level of such bus driver circuits in accordance with the present electrical impedance sensed on the bus. Features and aspects hereof permit selectively allowing and disallowing changes to such impedance control signals as applied to the driver circuits based upon the present state of the bus and/or the present state of signals driven on the bus by the system embodying the features and aspects hereof.

Abstract: A method and system for performing dummy metal insertion in design data for an integrated circuit is disclosed, wherein the design data includes dummy metal objects inserted by a dummy fill tool. After a portion of the design data is changed, a check is performed to determine whether any dummy metal objects intersect with any other objects in the design data. If so, the intersecting dummy metal objects are deleted from the design data, thereby avoiding having to rerun the dummy fill tool.

Abstract: A storage enterprise comprising multiple storage enterprise components coupled to exchange signals via respective wireless interfaces. The signals exchanged may include power signals and/or information signals. Power signals may be exchanged by an inductive coupling (wireless) between a first component and a second component. Information signals may include command/status and data signals exchanged between a first component and a second component. Any of several hierarchies of the connections in a storage enterprise may utilize such wireless connections. Exemplary wireless connection may include: storage controller to storage device or storage enclosure, storage enclosure to storage device, SAN appliance to storage device or storage enclosure or storage controller, computing node to storage device or storage enclosure or storage controller or SAN appliance.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an integrated circuit and a logic portion. The integrated circuit may have a plurality of regions each (i) pre-diffused and configured to be metal-programmed and (ii) configured to connect the integrated circuit to a socket. The logic portion may be implemented on the integrated circuit. The plurality of metal programmable regions are each (i) independently programmable and (ii) located in one of said pre-diffused regions. Each of the metal programmable regions comprises (a) a regulator section configured to generate an operating voltage from a common supply voltage, (b) a logic section configured to implement integrated circuit functions and operate at the operating voltage, and (c) a level shifter configured to shift the operating voltage to an external voltage level.

Abstract: A test system includes a built-in self-test (BIST) circuit and a stress applicator for use in analyzing a memory array. The stress applicator applies a selective set of stress factors to the memory array, such as temperature and voltage conditions. The BIST circuit executes a test routine on the memory array to detect the presence of any faulty memory address locations that may arise under the prevailing stress condition. A full testing cycle involves iterative repetition of the functions performed by the stress applicator and BIST circuit, with variations in the stress factors across the testing iterations. An accumulator cumulatively stores the fault information generated by the BIST circuit during each testing iteration. Following completion of the testing cycle, a repair operation is performed by a built-in self-repair (BISR) circuit to remap the faulty memory address locations indicated by the accumulator to redundant memory address locations.

Abstract: A method for allowing native, functional, and test configurations of a memory to be independent of one another includes steps as follows. A memory is first provided. The memory has a native configuration including k words and n data output pins, k and n being positive integers. Each of the k words has a width of n bits. Then the n data output pins are connected to a programmable multiplexer for multiplexing the n data output pins into at least one group of data output pins of the programmable multiplexer. Each of the at least one group of data output pins has no more than n data output pins and is suitable for enabling the memory to have at least one of a test configuration or a functional configuration. At user's discretion, the test configuration may or may not have a width of n bits, the functional configuration may or may not have a width of n bits, and the test configuration and the functional configuration may or may not have the same width.