Patents Examined by Leigh M. Garbowski
  • Patent number: 12216975
    Abstract: An aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a method for printed circuit board (PCB) component placement comprising: graphically displaying, on a display device, PCB design features of a PCB design; and providing a user interface control for designating one or more of the PCB design features as electrical contacts for a first selected electrical component. Other aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Boardera Software 1nc.
    Inventors: Curtis Hunter, David Workman
  • Patent number: 12216979
    Abstract: A method for correcting a mask patter includes: acquiring an initial pattern of a mask, the initial pattern including a scribe line area and die areas which are spaced, and the scribe line area is located between two adjacent die areas, each of the die areas includes at least one die sub-area and at least one first sub-test element group (TEG) area, and the scribe line area includes scribe line sub-areas and second sub-TEG areas, the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area are adjacent to each other, and the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area constitute a TEG area; performing an optical proximity correction (OPC) on an area of the initial pattern excluding TEG areas, so as to acquire a final pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Shuping Li
  • Patent number: 12210809
    Abstract: An aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a method for printed circuit board (PCB) component placement comprising: graphically displaying, on a display device, PCB design features of a PCB design; and providing a user interface control for designating one or more of the PCB design features as electrical contacts for a first selected electrical component. Other aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Boardera Software Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Hunter, David Workman
  • Patent number: 12202183
    Abstract: An apparatus for instantaneous generation of a pin placement quote in an injection molding process, the apparatus comprising at least a processor and a memory containing instructions configuring the at least a processor to receive part data related to at least a part from an entity, generate a pin placement schema as a function of the part data, provide a pin placement quote based on the pin placement schema, wherein providing the pin placement quote includes generating a projected part data by overlaying the pin placement schema onto the part data, determining a list of quote parameters, and formulating the pin placement quote by associating the list of quote parameters with the projected part data, and display the pin placement quote to the entity using a user interface at a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Proto Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuji Usui, Jack Allan Rulander
  • Patent number: 12204842
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for determining wafer inspection parameters. The method includes identifying an area of interest in an IC design layout, performing an inspection simulation on the area of interest by generating a plurality of simulated optical images from the area of interest using a plurality of optical modes, and selecting, based on the simulated optical images, at least one of the optical modes to use for inspecting an area of a wafer that is fabricated based on the area of interest in the IC design layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bing-Siang Chao
  • Patent number: 12204839
    Abstract: A method is disclosed herein. The method includes: providing, by an electronic design automation (EDA), a trigger signal to an application programming interface (API); providing, by the API, first parameters associated with parameterized cells in a netlist of an integrated circuit (IC); adjusting, by the API, the first parameters to generate second parameters associated with the parameterized cells in the netlist of the IC; updating, by the API, the netlist of the IC according to the second parameters; and performing, by the EDA, a simulation according to the netlist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsun-Yu Yang, Ren-Hong Fu, Chin-Cheng Kuo, Jui-Feng Kuan
  • Patent number: 12197138
    Abstract: The current disclosure describes techniques for managing vertical alignment or overlay in semiconductor manufacturing using machine learning. Alignments of interconnection features in a fan-out WLP process are evaluated and managed through the disclosed techniques. Big data and machine learning are used to train a classification that correlates the overlay error source factors with overlay metrology categories. The overlay error source factors include tool signals. The trained classification includes a base classification and a Meta classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tzu-Cheng Lin, Chien Rhone Wang, Kewei Zuo, Ming-Tan Lee, Zi-Jheng Liu
  • Patent number: 12174529
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes the following operations. A first layout including a plurality of first features is provided. A modified second layout is determined. The modified second layout includes a plurality of modified features separated from each other, and each of the plurality of modified features respectively overlaps each of the plurality of first features. The modified second layout is outputted to a photomask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Chung Hu, Chi-Ta Lu, Chi-Ming Tsai
  • Patent number: 12169676
    Abstract: A physically unclonable function (PUF) cell array includes a first PUF cell in a first column in a first direction, a second PUF cell in a second column, and a first power rail. The first PUF cell includes a first set of conductive structures that include a first conductive structure extending in the second direction and a second conductive structure extending in the first direction. The second PUF cell includes a second set of conductive structures that include a third conductive structure extending in the second direction and a fourth conductive structure extending in the first direction. The first power rail overlapping a first boundary of the first and second PUF cell. At least the first and third conductive structure, or the second and the fourth conductive structure are symmetric to each other with respect to a central line of at least the first or second PUF cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-En Lee, Shih-Lien Linus Lu
  • Patent number: 12169671
    Abstract: A method and system for migrating an existing ASIC design from one semiconductor fabrication process to another are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method for migrating the existing ASIC design comprises parsing the gate-level netlist one row at a time into one or more standard cells forming the ASIC design, forming a plurality of mapping tables having mapping rules for mapping the parsed one or more standard cells into equivalent target standard cells implemented in the second semiconductor fabrication process, mapping the parsed one or more standard cells into the equivalent target standard cells using the plurality of mapping tables, and generating a target gate-level netlist describing the ASIC design in terms of the equivalent target standard cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan Stephen Yu, Boh-Yi Huang, Chao-Chun Lo, Xiang Guo
  • Patent number: 12149092
    Abstract: A portable information handling system glass ceramic housing integrates plural wireless charging coils on one side and plural coil interface traces on an opposing side that interface with conductive material disposed in through glass via openings. Conductive contacts interfaced with the coil interface traces and exposed at the glass ceramic housing interior couple to a printed circuit board assembly through pogo pins that bias against the conductive contacts to communicate power from the wireless charging coils to the charger of the information handling system. The conductive contacts co-locate with a logo etched into the glass ceramic housing to provide an aesthetically pleasing wireless charging solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Duck-Soo Choi, Peng Lip Goh, Deeder M. Aurongzeb
  • Patent number: 12147750
    Abstract: A multiplexer circuit includes first and second fins each extending in an X-axis direction. First, second, third and fourth gates extend in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and contact the first and second fins. The first, second, third and fourth gates are configured to receive first, second, third and fourth data signals, respectively. Fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth gates extend in the Y-axis direction and contact the first and second fins, the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth gates, and are configured to receive the first, second, third and fourth select signals, respectively. An input logic circuit is configured to provide an output at an intermediate node. A ninth gate extends in the Y-axis direction and contacts the first and second fins. An output logic circuit is configured to provide a selected one of the first, second, third and fourth data signals at an output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Lin Liu, Shang-Chih Hsieh, Jian-Sing Li, Wei-Hsiang Ma, Yi-Hsun Chen, Cheok-Kei Lei
  • Patent number: 12141517
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a system, software, and a method of using the system to edit a design to be printed by a lithography system. The system and methods utilize a server of a maskless lithography device. The server includes a memory. The memory includes a virtual mask file. The virtual mask file includes cells and the cells include sub-cells that form one or more polygons. The server further includes a controller coupled to the memory. The controller is configured to receive a replacement table. The replacement table includes instructions to replace the cells of the virtual mask file. The controller is further configured to replace the cells with replacement cells according to the replacement table to create an edited virtual mask file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Aravind Inumpudi, Thomas L. Laidig
  • Patent number: 12135928
    Abstract: A tool for executing performance-aware topology synthesis of a network, such as a network-on-chip (NoC). The tool is provided with network information. The tool uses the network information to automatically stabilizes data width and clock speed for each element in the network that meet the network's constraints and performance requirements. The tool is able to provide the performance-aware topology synthesis rapidly, while honoring the objectives and the network's constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: ARTERIS, INC.
    Inventors: Benoit de Lescure, Moez Cherif
  • Patent number: 12128772
    Abstract: A semiconductor unit is arranged between a motor and an inverter circuit that controls the motor. The semiconductor unit includes a transistor and a controller. The transistor is arranged between the inverter circuit and a positive electrode of a battery that supplies power to the inverter circuit, and controls supplying of power from the battery to the inverter circuit. The controller is connected to a control terminal of the transistor, and controls a control voltage that is a voltage applied to the control terminal. When power starts to be supplied from the battery to the inverter circuit, the controller controls the control voltage to intermittently operate the transistor and also decreases the control voltage, which is applied to the control terminal of the transistor, to be lower than the control voltage at which the transistor is fully activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mineo Miura, Masashi Hayashiguchi
  • Patent number: 12130334
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for improved determination of state of health (SoH) of a battery of a device can include determining that the device is in a charging state such that a charge of the battery is increased over a charge procedure; determining that a state of charge (SoC) metric of the battery reported by a battery gauge system has increased by a fixed SoC interval; determining a charge time interval over which the SoC metric of the battery has increased by the fixed SoC interval; and determining a SoH metric indicative of the SoH of the battery based at least in part on the charge time interval; wherein determining the SoH metric is based at least in part on a known relationship between a reference time interval representative of time required to increase a reference battery at full SoH by the fixed SoC interval and the charge time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: FITBIT LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence Shou-pung Pan
  • Patent number: 12131109
    Abstract: A partitioning method for partitioning a group of power-ground (PG) cells is disclosed. The method includes: placing at least one out-boundary PG cell on a substrate, wherein power strips of the at least one out-boundary PG cell are aligned with corresponding power rails on the substrate; and placing at least one in-boundary PG cell on the substrate, wherein power strips of the at least one in-boundary PG cell are aligned with corresponding power rails on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Hung Lin, Yuan-Te Hou, Chung-Hsing Wang
  • Patent number: 12124785
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) includes forming a first active region in a first cell. The method includes forming a plurality of second active regions in a second cell, wherein the second cell abuts the first cell. The method includes forming a third active region in a third cell, wherein the second cell is between the first cell and the third cell, and a height of the second cell is different from a height of the first cell or the third cell. The method includes forming a plurality of gate structures extending across each of the first active region, the plurality of second active regions, and the third active region. The method includes removing a first portion of a first gate structure at an interface between the first cell and the second cell between the first active region and the plurality of second active regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jia-Hong Gao, Hui-Zhong Zhuang
  • Patent number: 12124780
    Abstract: A method includes generating a plurality of input vectors based on input signals to an electric circuit, selecting a subset of the plurality of input vectors, and determining a plurality of datapoints based on the selected subset of the plurality of input vectors. Each datapoint of the plurality of datapoints indicates a power consumption of the electric circuit corresponding to an input vector of the selected subset of the input vectors. The method also includes generating, by a processor, a plurality of vector sequences based on the selected subset of the plurality of input vectors. Each vector sequence of the plurality of vector sequences includes a portion of the selected subset of the plurality of input vectors arranged chronologically. The method further includes training a machine learning model based on a first subset of the plurality of vector sequences and a corresponding first subset of the plurality of datapoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Chaofan Wang, Vaibhav Jain, Shekaripuram Venkatesh, Solaiman Rahim
  • Patent number: 12118285
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for designing electrical circuitry is disclosed which comprises: (a) determining types and number of parameters to be optimized and their respective upper boundaries (UB) and lower boundaries (LB) in binary and/or decimal formats for such electrical circuitry using a CAD/CAE/EDA module of a quantum emulator computer; and (b) optimizing the parameters in qubit formats using a quantum evolution optimization module constrained by the upper and lower boundaries; the quantum emulator computer includes the CAD/CAE/EDA program and the quantum evolution optimization module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHN
    Inventor: Trang Hoang