Abstract: A process for forming a photoresist mask over a patternable layer of an integrated circuit structure formed on a semiconductor substrate is described wherein the photoresist mask is initially formed with oversized lateral dimensions over a layer of patternable material of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate. The oversized resist mask is then optionally measured in a vacuum apparatus to determine the size of the critical dimensions; then dry etched, preferably in the same vacuum apparatus, to reduce the size of the resist mask; then measured to determine the size of the critical dimensions (preferably again in the same vacuum apparatus); and then, if necessary, further dry etched to further reduce the size of the critical dimensions. The dry etching and subsequent measurement steps are repeated until the desired critical dimensions of the resist mask are reached.

Abstract: A method for testing refresh operations of a memory array wherein subthreshold leakage current may be set to near worst-case conditions. The memory array includes a first row of memory cells having a first memory cell configured to store a first memory value, and a second row of memory cells having a second memory cell configured to store a second memory value. The method comprises storing a logic high value to the first memory cell as the first memory value, followed by storing a logic low value to the second memory cell as the second memory value. The method further comprises repeatedly driving a write bit line coupled to both the first and second memory cells at a logic low level for a period of a time equal to a refresh interval corresponding to the first memory cell. Additionally, the method includes subsequently reading the first memory value from the first memory cell.

Abstract: The formation of a cobalt silicide layer of uniform thickness over the source/drain regions and the polysilicon gate electrode of an MOS structure, which does not thin out adjacent the edges of the top surface of the polysilicon gate electrode, i.e., adjacent the oxide spacers, is achieved by first forming a titanium capping layer over a cobalt layer deposited over the MOS structure prior to formation of the cobalt silicide, and while excluding oxygen-bearing gases from the cobalt surface prior to the deposition of the titanium capping layer.

Abstract: A method in a data processing system for identifying hazards in a circuit. Signal paths are identified in the circuit. Each signal path within the plurality of signal paths begins at a source and ends at a target and each signal path within the signal paths is one that potentially propagates a hazard. Errors are then identified in signal paths in the circuit by analyzing the timing relationships and hazard characteristics of the signals within the signal paths.

Abstract: A method for mounting an integrated circuit includes a plurality of solder balls arrayed on the bottom surface of a package of the integrated circuit onto to a circuit board. These solder balls provide for surface mounting of the integrated circuit to a circuit board by solder reflow. The array of solder balls can be planarized so that each of the plural solder balls participate in defining a truly planar solder ball contact array for the integrated circuit package. Methods of manufacturing the integrated circuit with a package having planarized solder balls in an array dependent from a bottom surface thereof are set forth. The truly planarized solder ball contact array of the integrated circuit package affords nearly absolute reliability in forming of surface-mount electrical connections between the integrated circuit package and the circuit board on which the package is to mount.

Abstract: A video decoder which uses a dynamic memory allocation scheme having additional buffer read pointers for implementing a freeze mode. The additional buffer read pointers advantageously allow for implementation of a freeze mode on a dynamic memory allocation architecture. In one embodiment, the video decoder includes an MPEG bitstream decoder, FIFO buffer logic, a free segment register, and a display processor. The video decoder decodes an encoded bitstream to obtain image data for storage in an external memory, and the display processor retrieves the image data for display on a monitor. To conserve memory, the bitstream decoder stores only anchor frames as complete images in the external memory, and bi-directional images are stored in dynamically allocated memory segments. Free memory segments are determined by examination of a free segment register, and pointers to the memory segments having image data are passed to the display processor via the FIFO buffers.

Abstract: Systems and methods of verifying the design of the ASIC during design and implementation phases are provided. The ASIC design is verified utilizing information from a system simulation in the customer's system environment. During system simulation, the invention captures "golden" vectors that may be used to test the ASIC during stand-alone simulation. The outputs generated by the ASIC during stand-alone simulation are compared to the outputs generated during the system simulation. Thus, the customer's system simulation is reproduced without having to reproduce the customer's system environment which allows the operation of the ASIC to be verified during various states of synthesis. Additionally, the test bench for testing the ASIC in stand-alone simulation is automatically generated eliminating the need for the user to manually generate a test bench.

Abstract: In a physical design automation system for producing an optimized cell placement for an integrated circuit chip, a placement optimization methodology is decomposed into a plurality of cell placement optimization processes that are performed simultaneously by parallel processors on input data representing the chip. The results of the optimization processes are recomposed to produce an optimized cell placement. The fitness of the optimized cell placement is analyzed, and the parallel processors are controlled to selectively repeat performing the optimization processes for further optimizing the optimized cell placement if the fitness does not satisfy a predetermined criterion. The system can be applied to initial placement, routing, placement improvement and other problems. The processors can perform the same optimization process on different placements, or on areas of a single placement.

Abstract: A menu board for supporting elongated menu strips of varying heights is disclosed having adjustable guide rails supported in a frame. The frame includes side members incorporating guide rail support elements disposed along the length of the side members to releasably engage the guide rails. The guide rails are selectively positionable along the length of the side members to provide adjustable spacing between adjacent pairs of guide rails. The menu strips include descriptive indicia such as product names and pricing information and are disposed between and supported by adjacent pairs of the guide rails.

Abstract: Disclosed is a reusable hardware layout ("core") for performing some, but not all, MPEG-2 video decoding functions. The information content of the core may be stored on a machine readable media and includes a series of hardware layouts specifying the locations and features of various circuit elements comprising the video core architecture. The disclosed video decoder core design specifies that at least the following MPEG-2 functions are performed by the hardware: inverse scan, inverse quantization, inverse discrete cosine transform, half pel compensation, and merge. Other MPEG-2 functions such as motion vector decoding, variable length decoding, and run level decoding are not performed by hardware video cores fabricated in accordance with video core design.

Abstract: A reduced netlist representing only partial netlist information for a logic block such as an ASIC embedded core is generated, such that proprietary information contained within the netlist can be kept confidential. The core is conceptually divided into a first section that can be completely tested using only a serial scan port, and a second section that can be tested in isolation from the first section using both primary inputs to the core as well as scan inputs. Netlist information for the first section is removed from the netlist, and the customer is supplied with serial scan test vectors that test the first section. Additionally, a multiplexing circuit selects either a serial scan chain for the entire logic block, or a scan chain that does not include scan cells within the first section of the logic bloc.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pair of conductive rings and method for making the conductive rings for introducing an integral network of capacitive structures around a semiconductor die of a semiconductor package. The pair of conductive rings include a ground rail ring that is defined around a semiconductor die pad that is configured to receive a semiconductor die. The ground rail ring has a first plurality of extension spokes that extend away from the ground rail ring. The pair of conductive rings further includes a power rail ring that is defined around the semiconductor die pad. The power rail ring has a second plurality of extension spokes that extend away from the power rail ring and toward the ground rail ring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting when a second object touches a digitizing panel while a first object is touching the digitizing panel is disclosed.

Abstract: An output driver for an integrated circuit. The output driver includes a core data terminal, a pad terminal, a pull-down transistor and a pull-up transistor. The pull-down and pull-up transistors are coupled to the pad terminal and have pull-down and pull-up control terminals, respectively. A first inverter circuit coupled between the core data terminal and the pull-down control terminal. First and second voltage level shifting differential amplifiers are coupled in series between the core data terminal and the pull-up control terminal.

Abstract: A fluxless method for fusing preformed solder balls to contact pads on a semiconductor package substrate wherein a masking plate having one or more vertical holes corresponding to the contact pads is placed over the package substrate, oxide-free solder balls are placed in the holes, the assembly is preheated to a temperature less than the melting point of the solder, and an energetic beam is directed onto the preformed solder balls to melt them and fuse them to the contact pads.

Abstract: A reprogrammable address selector is incorporated in an embedded DRAM array which has a plurality of addressable DRAM components. The reprogrammable address selector responds to an address signal defining a unique response address. One of a plurality of selected response addresses may be electrically and selectively programmed into the selector as a substitute for a fixed response address. Thereafter the addressable DRAM component responds to the programmed response address rather than the fixed response address. The programmed response address is programmed from address signals applied on the bus.

Abstract: A stackable heat sink assembly is formed by press-fit assembly of two or more identical fin layers. Each fin layer is formed using powdered metallurgy and has a button-like projection extending from its bottom surface and a recess opening in its top surface. The button-like projection and recess opening are sized and shaped such that an interference fit is formed when the button-like projection of one fin layer is pressed into the recess of another fin layer. The use of an adaptor to increase or decrease the effective size of the button-like projection of the bottommost fin layer is described. Relieving gases that may be entrapped in the recess during assembly is described. Circular, elliptical and polygonal shapes (outlines) for the fin layers are described.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for identifying regions of an integrated circuit layout design where optical proximity correction will be most useful and then performing optical proximity correction on those regions only. More specifically, the method includes the following steps: (a) analyzing an integrated circuit layout design with a design rule checker to locate features of the integrated circuit layout design meeting predefined criteria; and (b) performing optical proximity correction on the features meeting the criteria in order to generate a reticle design. The criteria employed by the design rule checker to select features include outside corners on patterns, inside corners on features, feature size, feature shape, and feature angles.

Abstract: An improved DBS receiver front end architecture having a voltage controlled oscillator for frequency synthesis. The voltage controlled oscillator includes a tank circuit having an adjustable resonance frequency which may be varied over an octave. A tuning oscillator drives the tank circuit and provides a signal having that resonance frequency to a range extender which provides a tuning frequency. When enabled, the range extender doubles the input frequency, and when disabled, simply passes the input frequency through. A feedback path provides a control voltage to the tank circuit to adjust the resonance frequency and thereby cause the tuning frequency to be a multiple of a reference frequency. The range extender extends the tuning frequency range over two octaves without a loss of frequency resolution. Broadly speaking, the present invention contemplates a DBS receiver front end which includes a tuner chip and a demodulator/decoder chip.

Abstract: Rapid Thermal Processing of a semiconductor wafer is performed by scanning a laser beam across a silicon dioxide film in contact with a surface of the wafer. The silicon dioxide film absorbs the energy from the laser beam and converts the energy to heat. The heat, in turn, is transferred to the wafer. Temperature feedback can be obtained to increase control and uniformity of temperatures across the wafer.