Patents Assigned to Texas Instruments
  • Publication number: 20040120797
    Abstract: A system for eliminating wafer protrusion includes one or more shelves stacked vertically in a stocker system. The system also includes one or more cassettes disposed on the shelves. The shelves support the one or more cassettes such that the cassettes are stacked vertically in the stocker system. Each cassette stores a plurality of wafers. One or more sensors are associated with the one or more cassettes. A wafer press is activated by the one or more sensors associated with the one or more cassettes. The wafer press is operable to apply a force to reposition one or more wafers protruding from the one or more cassettes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorpprated
    Inventors: Scott David Paul, Mark Edgar Montgomery, Mark Steven Johnson
  • Publication number: 20040120603
    Abstract: Two scales having unequal pitches are used to measure lengths with a greater resolution than that offered by an image capturing system operating alone. In an embodiment, the different pitches are attained by having bands of unequal width in the two scales. Images representing the overlapping patterns of the two bands are captured in a digital format before and after a move. The bit patterns resulting from such capturing are examined to determine the length of the move with a high resolution according to Vernier principles. The length of the move can in turn be used to measure the length of an object with high resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Ajay Gupta
  • Patent number: 6753913
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for charge coupled device (CCD) and video inputs in a digital camera or for a digital camcorder is disclosed which provides optical black and offset correction for CCD inputs. A sampling circuit, including correlated double sampler (CDS) (402) and programmable gain amplifier (450), samples the image input signal and the video input signal. CDS (402) includes a single-ended amplifier (404) and a differential amplifier (406). The single-ended amplifier (404) functions such that it is only operable during an CCD signal input; otherwise, the single-ended amplifier (404) is bypassed such that a video signal is only sampled by the differential amplifier (406). For CCD signals, the single-ended amplifier (404) samples the reference level of the pixel and holds it during the video interval. The differential amplifier (404) samples both the output of the single ended amplifier (404) and the video level of the same pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Haydar Bilhan, Gary E. Lee, Ramesh Chandrasekaran, Feng Ying, Ching-Yuh Tsay, Xucheng Wang
  • Patent number: 6754251
    Abstract: The present application discloses an improved mobile communications architecture, in which each base station broadcasts not only data which has been spread by that station's long code word, but also (intermittently) code identification data which has not been spread. The code identification data is a block code which includes multiple symbols, so that multiple intermittent transmissions are required to complete the transmission of the code identification data. This transmission lets the mobile station shorten the search for the base station's long code word in two ways: the code identification data gives at least some information about the long code itself; and the phase of the block code gives at least some information about the phase of the long code word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sundararajan Sriram, Srinath Hosur
  • Patent number: 6753927
    Abstract: An interface (10) for connecting a calculator (12) to a standard television (11), so that the calculator's display can be re-displayed on the television (1). The interface also receives input from a pointing device (10a) such as a mouse, which permits the areas of the television display to be pointed to, highlighted, or otherwise manipulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Mikhail Y. Shtyrenkov
  • Patent number: 6753563
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a method for forming an integrated circuit having an at least substantially doped porous dielectric includes forming a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes at least a portion of a semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric layer disposed outwardly from the semiconductor substrate and surrounding at least a portion of the semiconductor device. The dielectric layer includes an at least substantially porous dielectric material doped with at least one dopant. In addition, the method includes forming a contact layer disposed outwardly from the dielectric layer and operable to provide electrical connection to the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert H. Havemann
  • Patent number: 6753616
    Abstract: A robust, low inductance electronic package for small area semiconductor chips is provided which includes a flexible polymer film having electronic circuitry on one or more major surfaces, a bumped flip chip integrated circuit attached to the first surface, an array of solder balls to the second surface, and the device encapsulated in a plastic molding compound. An assembly and packaging method is disclosed wherein multiple devices are encapsulated simultaneously on a continuous polymer film, thereby providing a method compatible with high volume and low cost manufacturing processes and equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Anthony L. Coyle
  • Patent number: 6753559
    Abstract: A gate structure which includes a semiconductor substrate having a channel region, a gate insulator adjacent the channel region of the semiconductor substrate and a conductible gate adjacent the gate insulator. A primary insulation layer is adjacent the semiconductor substrate, the primary insulation layer having an opening where the gate insulator contacts the semiconductor substrate and an isolation dielectric layer adjacent the primary insulation layer, the isolation dielectric layer having an opening where the conductible gate is located and the isolation dielectric layer having a silicon oxynitride material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Amitava Chatterjee, Wei William Lee, Greg A. Hames, Qizhi He, Maureen Hanratty, Iqbal Ali
  • Patent number: 6754503
    Abstract: A method of selecting a soft symbol for a subsequent operation in a communication device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a signal is received at the communication device. Next, the signal is demodulated. Then, a strength level such as a signal to noise ration Eb/Nt is determined. Based upon the strength level determined for the signal, a location of bits of the signal is determined for a subsequent operation. The strength level and the location of bits is adaptively updated for the signal over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignees: Koninklijke Philips Electronics, Texas Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Aldaz, Daniel Jeng Hsia
  • Patent number: 6752931
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a wafer having a multiplicity of MEMS devices such as mirrors with gimbals formed thereon is disclosed. A silicon wafer having a thickness less than about 300 &mgr;m is attached to a carrier or support wafer by a layer of bonding agent such as a layer or coating of photo-resist. The MEMS devices such as a gimbal mirror are formed on the silicon wafer by providing a mask and etching through the wafer with a DRIE process. Undesired lateral etching at the bottom of the wafer caused by the formation of an electrical charge at the bonding layer is eliminated or substantially reduced by patterning the layer of photo-resist used as the bonding agent such that areas of the support wafer not covered by the bonding layer are aligned with selected etch lines which etch completely through the silicon wafer to form devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Andrew S. Dewa
  • Patent number: 6753202
    Abstract: A method for the fabrication of a light-sensing diode in a high-resistivity semiconductor substrate. A high-energy implant of ions into the substrate is patterned to form an annular well of the same conductivity type as the substrate; followed by a second high-energy implant of the opposite conductivity type, within the center of the annulus; followed by a third implant, of lower energy and high dosage, to form a region of the first conductivity type extending laterally near the substrate surface. The resulting diode junction is thereby patterned to include two planes near the substrate surface, allowing incident light to traverse the junction twice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhiliang J. Chen, Kuok Y. Ling, Hisashi Shichijo, Katsuo Komatsuzaki, Chin-Yu Tsai
  • Patent number: 6753714
    Abstract: A master latch implemented to receive feedback from a slave latch on a different input terminal than a input terminal on which data bits are received. Due to such receiving, the number of transistors/area and/or power consumption requirements (efficiently) may be minimized in implementing a flip-flop. The feedback path may be implemented using a single pass-gate, further enhancing the efficiency of implementation. In addition, clock enable/disable signals may be generated efficiently taking into account an externally received flip-flop disable signal and absence of transitions in the data input bits. When the flip-flop is implemented to support ATPG type sequential scanning testing, a multiplexor may be implemented efficiently to select either the data bits or scan bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Sushil Kumar Gupta
  • Patent number: 6754599
    Abstract: An intergrated circuit constructed for easy debug and emulation includes a function clock circuit and an operation circuit operating in synchronism with a function clock. A trace trigger circuit triggers trace operation upon detection of a predetermined condition within the operation circuit. A FIFO buffer receives the trace data which is exported via a trace port. The integrated circuit includes an oscillator clock circuit which may be synchronized with the function clock or a reference clock. The trace trigger circuit and the FIFO input operate on the function clock. The FIFO output and the trace port operate on the oscillator clock. Thus the trace may operate all on the function clock or be split between the function clock and the reference clock. Accordingly, the trace export can operate at a frequency independent of the operation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary L. Swoboda, Robert A. McGowan
  • Patent number: 6754279
    Abstract: A digital still camera with capability for playback of audio and video with synchronization of video by a circular buffer containing frame buffers a with presentation time and display ready register for each frame buffer; a frame in a video sequence is decoded and stored in the next frame buffer when estimated decoding time precedes presentation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Minhua Zhou, Rajendra K. Talluri
  • Patent number: 6752962
    Abstract: A miniaturized integrated sensor (50) useful for indicating the presence of a sample analyte is disclosed. The sensor (50) has a platform (52) with an upper surface (53) and a detector (62), light source (60), waveguide (58), and reflective fixtures (60, 62) embedded in the platform (52). The light source (60) is preferably a light emitting diode and sits in a cup-shaped dimple (68) that directs light from the light source (60) toward one of the reflective fixtures (64) to uniformly distribute light across the waveguide (58). The waveguide (58) is coupled to an upper surface (53) of the sensor platform (52) and is coated with a thin film of indicator chemistry (70) which interacts with the sample analyte to produce optic signal changes that are measurable by the detector (62). A lead frame (51) in the platform (52) has pins (54, 55, 56) which provide the interface to the outside world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard A. Carr, Jose L. Melendez, Kirk S. Laney
  • Patent number: 6753575
    Abstract: A tank-isolated drain extended power device (50, 60, 70, 80) having an added laterally extending heavily doped p-type region (56, 62, 72) in combination with a p-type Dwell (32) which reduces minority carrier buildup. The p-doped regions are defined in a P-epi layer surrounded by a buried NBL region (14) connected with a deep low resistance drain region (16) forming a guardring. This additional laterally extending p-doped region (56,62,72) reduces minority carrier build up such that recovery time is significantly reduced, and power loss is also significantly reduced due to reduced collection time of the minority carriers. The device may be formed as an LDMOS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Taylor R. Efland, Chin-Yu Tsai
  • Patent number: 6753037
    Abstract: A method for coating free-standing micromechanical devices using spin-coating. A solution with high solids loading but low viscosity can penetrate the free areas of a micromachined structure. Spinning this solution off the wafer or die results in film formation over the devices without the expected damage from capillary action. If an organic polymer is used as the solid component, the structures may be re-released by a traditional ash process. This method may be used as a process in the manufacture of micromechanical devices to protect released and tested structures, and to overcome stiction-related deformation of micromechanical devices associated with wet release processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Seth Miller, Vincent C. Lopes, Michael F. Brenner
  • Patent number: 6754277
    Abstract: Provides error protection coding for video data which has been partitioned into motion data and texture data with error protection for the motion data greater than the error protection for the texture data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Wendi B. Heinzelman, Rajendra K. Talluri, Madhukar Budagavi
  • Patent number: 6754852
    Abstract: A trigger signal TRIG[0] is produced for use in debugging data processor (14) operations. The trigger signal can be generated in response to event information indicative of events associated with operations of the data processor and further in response to past behavior of a trigger signal. A plurality of intermediate terms index into a look up table loaded from a trigger builder control register. The look up table output is ANDed with output enable signals to produce plural trigger output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary L. Swoboda
  • Patent number: 6754733
    Abstract: A printer controller for processing print data includes a data processor, direct memory access controller, first and second memories with corresponding first and second transfer data busses. A bus switch selectively connects the first and second data transfer busses. When uncoupled, the data processor accessed the said first memory via the first data transfer bus and the direct memory access controller may independently accesses the second memory via the second data transfer bus. When connected, either the data processor or the direct memory access controller may access either memory to the exclusion of the other. This permits better allocation of data transfer bandwidth in the memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Eric R. Hansen