Patents Examined by Kevin L. Ellis
  • Patent number: 7793187
    Abstract: Provided are a method and system checking output from multiple execution units. Execution units concurrently execute test instructions to generate test output, wherein test instructions are transferred to the execution units from a cache coupled to the execution units over a bus. The test output from the execution units is compared to determine whether the output from the execution units indicates the execution units are properly concurrently executing test instructions. The result of the comparing of the test output are forwarded to a design test unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Allan Wong, Lance Cheney
  • Patent number: 7788556
    Abstract: A method for evaluating an erroneous state associated with a target circuit is provided that includes receiving information associated with a target circuit, the information identifying a property within the target circuit to be verified. One or more partitioned ordered binary decision diagram (POBDD) operations are executed using the information in order to identify an erroneous state associated with a sub-space within the target circuit. A path associated with the erroneous state is identified. The path reflects a correlation between an initial state associated with the erroneous state and a point where the erroneous state was encountered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Jawahar Jain, Subramanian K. Iyer, Amit Narayan, Debashis Sahoo
  • Patent number: 7788564
    Abstract: A digital test instrument and a test method provide adjustable results latency. A digital test instrument includes a pattern controller configured to generate a sequence of test patterns, responsive, at least in part, to a pass/fail result, a pattern memory configured to supply the generated sequence of test patterns to a unit under test, a pattern results collection unit configured to receive at least one result value from the unit under test and to determine a pass/fail result for at least one supplied test pattern, and a synchronization unit configured to provide a no-result indication to the pattern controller during a preset number of pattern cycles following the start of a test, the preset number of pattern cycles based on a results latency of the test instrument, and to provide pass/fail results to the pattern controller after the preset number of pattern cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael F. McGoldrick, William T. Borroz, Stephen K. Eng, David A. Milley
  • Patent number: 7788557
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a baseboard testing interface, which comprises: a baseboard, on which a plurality of first electronic components, a plurality of signal lines, and a first connection interface are configured, and the first electronic components are coupled to the signal lines; a slot disposed on the baseboard for an external interface adapter to plug in; and a debugging adapter that is plugged into the slot, and a plurality of second electronic components and a second connection interface are configured thereon; when the debugging adapter is plugged into the slot and fixed on the baseboard, the second connection interface is contacted with the first connection interface, such that the signals can be transmitted between the baseboard and the debugging adapter. In addition, the present invention further provides a baseboard testing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Compal Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chen Kuan-Ting, Tsai Ming-Sheng, Teng Shu-Hsuan, Ling Kuo-Chun
  • Patent number: 7788547
    Abstract: A method is provided for generating fault information associated with a communication channel. In the method, a time-varying error value associated with the communication channel is received. If the error value exceeds a first threshold, a first time value associated with the error value exceeding the first threshold is stored. If the error value then falls and remains below the first threshold for a first minimum time period before the error value exceeds and remains above a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold for a second minimum time period, the first time value is deleted; otherwise, a second time value associated with the error value exceeding the second threshold is stored. The fault information comprises the first time value and the second time value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Oliva, Douglas L. Richards
  • Patent number: 7788552
    Abstract: A multi-chip module (MCM) assembly has two modules interconnected by respective interposers and a printed circuit board, and diagnostic logic within the modules uses the principal of signal reflection to located any open fault in the circuit path across the interposers. A first test signal is sent from module to the other and a determination is made as to whether any reflected signal represents an open fault of the circuit path at either of the interposers. If a reflected signal is received during a predetermined time, the diagnostic logic concludes that a single open fault exists only at the far interposer. If no reflected signal is received then the diagnostic logic concludes that there is at least one open fault at the near interposer, and the second module runs a similar test to check to see if both interposers have failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ghadir R. Gholami, Mark D. McLaughlin, Jorge N. Yanez
  • Patent number: 7783856
    Abstract: To manage physical paths between a server system and a storage system and information about routing between virtual machines and virtual storage systems in an integrated fashion. A computer system of the present invention includes: a computer and a storage system that stores data, in which the computer includes first information for managing the first resource relating to the computer; and the storage system includes second information for managing the second resource provided in the storage system, and in which a relation between the virtual machine and the virtual storage system is defined based on the first information and the second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Hashimoto, Masaaki Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 7783830
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving data at a non-solid state storage device, which includes a store cache and a storage medium. The received data is written to the store cache and transferred from the store cache to the storage medium. In response to receiving a signal at the storage device that is indicative of a power off condition of a data source device from which the data was received, at least a portion of the data remaining in the store cache is transferred to the storage medium prior to powering off the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: YongPeng Chng, ChweeFern Ee, CheeSeng Toh, KwanYin Chow, HuaYuan Chen, Wesley Chan
  • Patent number: 7779314
    Abstract: System and related method for testing a chip with a high-speed bus interface in a low speed testing environment is provided. The testing method for testing input/output functions of a chip includes: establishing an inner loop path between a transmission mechanism and a receiving mechanism of the chip; transmitting a testing data; and receive the testing data via the inner loop path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: VIA Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-Yuan Su
  • Patent number: 7774664
    Abstract: An integrated circuit can have plural core circuits, each having a test access port that is defined in IEEE standard 1149.1. Access to and control of these ports is though a test linking module. The test access ports on an integrated circuit can be arranged in a hierarchy with one test linking module controlling access to plural secondary test linking modules and test access ports. Each secondary test linking module in turn can also control access to tertiary test linking modules and test access ports. The test linking modules can also be used for emulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 7770077
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for using a cache that is embedded in a memory hub device to replace failed memory cells. A memory module comprises an integrated memory hub device. The memory hub device comprises an integrated memory device data interface that communicates with a set of memory devices coupled to the memory hub device and a cache integrated in the memory hub device. The memory hub device also comprises an integrated memory hub controller that controls the data that is read or written by the memory device data interface to the cache based on a determination whether one or more memory cells within the set of memory devices has failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi K. Arimilli, Kevin C. Gower, Warren E. Maule
  • Patent number: 7770085
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transmitting real time-critical data using data messages in a data network. The data messages have an identification, useful data and a transfer status. According to the inventive method, data messages comprising errors are replaced by replacement messages that have the same structure as the data messages. The replacement message has the same identification as the data message to be replaced and is thus forwarded via the switching node, which would have been used to route the error-free data message. The replacement message can contain details of the type of transmission error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dieter Brückner, Dieter Klotz, Karl-Heinz Krause, Jürgen Schimmer
  • Patent number: 7770082
    Abstract: A first path for directly inputting a control signal from the outside to a data signal processor and a second path for inputting a control signal generated by a bus interface to the data signal processor can be selectively switched by a switching portion. At the test time of a timing controller, the first path is selected by the switching portion so that the control signal is directly input to the data signal processor without being passed through the bus interface having a slow operation clock, and thus the timing controller can be reliably tested. At the normal use time, the second path is selected by the switching portion, thereby the control signal is input via the bus interface to various kinds of processors such as the data signal processor, and thus the normal operation can be reliably treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kentaro Teranishi
  • Patent number: 7765080
    Abstract: A system and method for testing multiple smart card devices in parallel and asynchronously are provided. The system includes a smart card module that may be easily inserted in a digital test system. The smart card module includes multiple smart card instrument channels, each one of which testing a separate smart card device independently and asynchronously from the others. The smart card instrument channels employ a novel modulation technique based on palette waveforms that are formed of transitions between two data bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Nextest Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford V. Ludwig, Dan P. Bullard, Michael R. Ferland, Eric N. Parker, James W. St. Jean, David D. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 7765450
    Abstract: As described herein, circuit testing algorithms, or portions thereof, can be executed in a distributed manner so that their execution can be over a network of processors. In one aspect, the results that are obtained by such distributed execution are ensured to be consistent with the results that would be obtained by executing them in a non-distributed manner. Thus, in one aspect, the algorithms, or portions thereof, have to be made distributable. The algorithms, or portions thereof, are made distributable by isolating any random number generation therewith to be independent of each other. This isolation applies to any random number generation associated with different call instances of the same algorithm as well. In one aspect, the isolation is accomplished by ensuring that the calculation of random number sequences for the algorithms, or portions thereof, is not dependent on random number sequences calculated for the others or between call instances of the same algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Inventors: Jon Udell, Chen Wang, Mark Kassab, Janusz Rajski
  • Patent number: 7761763
    Abstract: A system-on-chip (SOC) having built-in-self-test (BIST) circuits and a self-test method of the SOC are provided. The SOC having the BIST circuits includes intellectual property (IP) blocks having BIST logic circuits and a BIST control unit. The BIST logic circuit operates in a normal or a test mode in response to control data received through a system bus, and outputs test result data in the test mode. The BIST control unit tests the IP blocks by transferring the control data, a command signal, test pattern data, and test address signals to the BIST logic circuit through the system bus, and compresses and stores the test result data received through the system bus in the test mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Chul Shin, Jong-Ho Kim, Hae-Young Rha, Kee-Won Joe
  • Patent number: 7761748
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: a plurality of stages of combinational logic, each stage including a full latch circuit operable to transfer data into the given stage of combinational logic and a transparent latch circuit operable transfer output data from the given stage of combinational logic to a next of the stages; in each stage, passing state changes of output data from the given combinational logic irrespective of when such changes occur when a clock signal of the transparent latch circuit is at a first of two logic levels; and in each stage, withholding state changes of the output data until the clock signal of the transparent latch circuit transitions from the second of the two logic levels to the first logic level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Chiaki Takano
  • Patent number: 7761761
    Abstract: A pattern correcting device corrects random test patterns generated by pseudo random number pattern generator (PRPG) into test patterns for a test to be input to shift registers. A pattern correcting device corrects the test patterns in unit of specified group, and individually releases correction of the test patterns when the correction in unit of the group is not appropriate. Furthermore, an unknown value mask device masks shift registers that output unknown values based on a control signal, and individually releases a mask of a shift register that outputs a fault value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tatsuru Matsuo, Takahisa Hiraide
  • Patent number: 7757138
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes plural shift registers that receive plural test patterns randomly generated, respectively, a mask device that masks, among the shift registers, a target shift register specified by a mask pattern randomly generated. When a shift register other than the target shift register outputs an unknown value, the mask device masks the shift register according to a control signal. When the target shift register outputs a fault value, the mask device releases a mask of the target shift register according to a control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tatsuru Matsuo, Takahisa Hiraide
  • Patent number: 7752518
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC), a method of testing an IC and a method of reading test results from an IC containing built-in self-test (BIST) circuitry. In one embodiment, the IC includes: (1) an external test bus interface, (2) read-write memory coupled to the external test bus interface, (3) other circuitry and (4) BIST circuitry, coupled to the external test bus interface, the read-write memory and the other circuitry and configured to test the read-write memory to identify a good data block therein, store in a predetermined data block in the read-write memory multiple instances of a pointer to the good data block, conduct a test of at least the other circuitry and store at least some results of the test in the good data block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Cloves R. Cleavelin, Andrew Marshall, Stephanie W. Butler, Howard L. Tigelaar