Patents Examined by Thanh Yen Tran
  • Patent number: 7247567
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate comprising tungsten through use of a composition comprising a tungsten etchant, an inhibitor of tungsten etching, and water, wherein the inhibitor of tungsten polishing is a polymer, copolymer, or polymer blend comprising at least one repeating group comprising at least one nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring or a tertiary or quaternary nitrogen atom. The invention further provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition particularly useful in polishing tungsten-containing substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Vacassy, Dinesh N. Khanna, Alexander Simpson
  • Patent number: 7045386
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip superposed on and bonded to the surface of the first semiconductor chip. In the region on the first semiconductor chip where the second semiconductor chip is bonded thereto, connection pads are arranged in positions that fit a plurality of predetermined types of semiconductor chips. On the second semiconductor chip, connection pads are arranged in positions that fit the connection pads arranged on the first semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Hikita, Hiroo Mochida
  • Patent number: 6788551
    Abstract: A foldaway electronic device includes a base unit having opposing lateral surfaces and an end portion, a cover unit having opposing lateral surfaces, each of which corresponds to one of the lateral surfaces of the base unit, and an end portion that is rotatably attached to the end portion of the base unit, whereby the cover unit may be rotated between a folded position relative to the base unit and an unfolded position relative to the base unit, a locking mechanism in the base unit and cover unit that locks the cover unit in the folded position, a lock release mechanism in the base unit that releases the locking mechanism when the cover unit is in the folded position, and impelling means in the base unit for impelling the cover unit from the folded position to an unfolded position after the lock release mechanism has been actuated, wherein either lateral surface of the base unit has a guard portion that extends over and prevents contact by a user's thumb and fingers with a portion of the corresponding la
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Hisamitsu Takagi
  • Patent number: 6762941
    Abstract: A latching apparatus has a guide member, a circuit board attachment member which is configured to attach to a circuit board, and a control assembly. The control assembly is configured to (i) retain the circuit board attachment member within a retaining range of the guide member when the guide member is unlocked from a receptacle member, and (ii) un-restrict the circuit board attachment member such that the circuit board attachment member is movable outside of the retaining range of the guide member when the guide member is locked with the receptacle member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard F. Roth
  • Patent number: 6738263
    Abstract: A stackable FBGA package is configured such that conductive elements are placed along the outside perimeter of an integrated circuit (IC) device mounted to the FBGA. The conductive elements also are of sufficient size so that they extend beyond the bottom or top surface of the IC device, including the wiring interconnect and encapsulate material, as the conductive elements make contact with the FBGA positioned below or above to form a stack. The IC device, such as a memory chip, is mounted upon a first surface of a printed circuit board substrate forming part of the FBGA. Lead wires are used to attach the IC device to the printed board substrate and encapsulant is used to contain the IC device and wires within and below the matrix and profile of the conductive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Corisis, Jerry M. Brooks, Walter L. Moden
  • Patent number: 6724599
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device comprises a power switching element having two main electrodes and one control electrode, a metal electrode connected to one of main electrodes of the power switching element, and a protection circuit for controlling an operation of the power switching element so that a main current flowing between the main electrodes of the power switching element is detected and the main current is limited when the detected main current is determined to be an overcurrent. The protection circuit detects the main current flowing through the power switching element by detecting a voltage between predetermined two points of the metal electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouichi Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 6707677
    Abstract: A chip-packaging substrate and test method therefor. The chip-packaging substrate includes at least one package area and a connection area enclosed by and connected to the package areas. A test circuit is arranged within the connection area, passing through at least two wire layers and the insulation layer therebetween. The test circuit electrically connects the first electrodes. Failure of the chip-packaging substrate is detected when the test circuit is open between any two electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Silicon Integrated Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Han-Kun Hsieh, Wei-Feng Lin, Yi-Chang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6700789
    Abstract: There has been a problem that a mode (a high-order mode) different from a basic propagation mode occurs at a point of a through conductor and a transmission characteristic deteriorates greatly. The present invention is a high-frequency wiring board wherein L>&lgr;/4 and &pgr;(A+B)≦&lgr; are satisfied in which L is a length of a through conductor, A is a diameter of the through conductor, B is shortest distances between the through conductor and a plurality of ground through conductors, &pgr; is a circle ratio and &lgr; is an effective wavelength of a high-frequency signal transmitted by the through conductor. It is possible to inhibit a high-order mode which occurs at a point of the through conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Takayuki Shirasaki
  • Patent number: 6697260
    Abstract: An integrated high-speed package comprising a package housing having a housing lip and connector having a center pin abutting along a bottom surface of the housing lip. For signal registration of a first substrate to the signal lead, the substrate is “floated” up to the housing lip, which provides an alignment reference to ensure that the top surface of the first substrate is aligned and in direct registration with the signal lead. In another embodiment, the center pin to substrate registration is provided at a top surface of a housing base. The housing base preferably comprises a first portion of a first height and a second portion of a second height. Accordingly, the housing base can accommodate substrates of different thickness while allowing a top surface of the first and a second substrate to be coplanar to facilitate signal registration there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Big Bear Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Ju Chen, Thomas J. Sleboda, Michael Zhong Xuan Wong, Hui Wu
  • Patent number: 6690580
    Abstract: This disclosure describes use of dielectric islands embedded in metallized regions of a semiconductor device. The islands are formed in a cavity of a dielectric layer, as upright pillars attached at their base to an underlying dielectric. The islands break up the metal-dielectric interface and thus resist delamination of metal at this interface. The top of each island pillar is recessed from the cavity entrance by a selected vertical distance. This distance may be varied within certain ranges, to place the island tops in optimal positions below the top surface plane of the dielectric. Metallization introduced into the cavity containing the islands, submerges the island tops to at least a minimum distance to provide a needed minimum thickness of continuous metal. The continuous metal surface serves favorably as a last metal layer for attaching solder or for bump-bonding package to the IC; and also serves as an intermediate test or probe pad in an interior layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignees: AMD, Inc., Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Cindy K. Goldberg, John Iacoponi
  • Patent number: 6690582
    Abstract: In an electronic control unit mounting structure, electronic control units are mounted on a junction block, and printed circuit boards 4a and 4b of the electronic control units, each having a connector 41a, 41b of a through construction mounted thereon, are superposed in such a posture that these connectors 41a and 41b are disposed in registry with each other in an upward-downward direction, and connection terminals 31 of the junction block are inserted in the connectors 41a and 41b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Sumida
  • Patent number: 6678164
    Abstract: In a pressure sensor, a sensor element is mounted on a side of a first surface of a first case, and a second case having a cylindrical hollow portion is bonded to the first case to cover a part of a second surface of the first case, opposite to the first surface. Terminals are embedded in the first case to protrude from the second surface, and branch portions are branched from the terminals from an embedded portion in the first case to have exposed portions exposed to the second surface. A chip capacitor is mounted on the exposed portions on the second surface to be electrically connected to the exposed portions. In the pressure sensor, a diameter (D1) of the second surface of the first case is larger than an inner diameter (D2) of the hollow portion at a position where protrusion top ends of the terminals are positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Chikuan, Michitake Kuroda, Haruhiko Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 6674650
    Abstract: A card retention assembly for retaining one or more expansion cards within the chassis of an electronic device such as a computer system, server, photocopier, facsimile machine, printer, or the like includes a card retention assembly that engages the mounting bracket securing tab of an expansion card received in the chassis. In this manner, the card retention assembly at least partially restrains the tab for securing the expansion card in the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Gateway, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Davis, Paul Hooper, Jorge A. Moriel, John J. Daly, Allan L. Klink, Dirk Cosner
  • Patent number: 6674646
    Abstract: An output of a voltage regulator is a core voltage line that runs adjacent to a die attach area on a packaging substrate. An input of the voltage regulator is typically coupled to a power supply which, in one embodiment, is also an I/O voltage line that runs adjacent to the die attach area. In one embodiment, the core voltage line is shaped as a ring encircling the die attach area on the packaging substrate. In another embodiment, the I/O voltage line is also shaped as a ring encircling the die attach area on the packaging substrate. Further, a semiconductor die having at least one I/O Vdd bond pad and at least one core Vdd bond pad can be mounted in the die attach area. The I/O Vdd bond pad and the core Vdd bond pad can be connected, respectively, to the I/O voltage ring and the core voltage ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Khosrow Golshan, Siamak Fazelpour, Hassan S. Hashemi
  • Patent number: 6671181
    Abstract: A latch for selectively locking a bulkhead to a computer chassis. The latch includes a shoulder defining a longitudinal axis, a handle, an engagement body, and a biasing member. The handle extends outwardly from the shoulder and the engagement body extends from the handle opposite the shoulder. The biasing member extends outwardly from the shoulder and includes a compressible intermediate section and a trailing section. The latch is configured to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis between locked and unlocked positions. In the locked position, the engagement body locks the bulkhead to the chassis. Further, the intermediate section of the biasing member biases the trailing section to lodge against the chassis such that the biasing member resists movement from the locked position. In one preferred embodiment, the latch further includes a stop member extending outwardly from the shoulder and configured to contact the chassis in the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Kaminski
  • Patent number: 6667890
    Abstract: A hot docking mechanism enables a PCI type card with an edge connector to be inserted into an enclosure and docked in a card socket on the motherboard without operator access to the enclosure interior. A card holder carries the card and is supported on a card guide for sliding motion into the enclosure to a position at which the edge connector is aligned with the socket secured to the device motherboard. A camming assembly includes a cam lever extending outside the enclosure to convert horizontal or pivoting motion of the cam lever to vertical motion of the card into and out of the socket. The camming assembly, mounted above and proximate the mother board surface, increases mechanical advantage during docking and undocking. The card is supported within the card holder and the camming connection between the card and camming assembly is disposed intermediate the longitudinal ends of the socket to maximize mechanical advantage and minimize misalignment during card docking and undocking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis R. Barringer, Gregory H. Richardson, Harold M. Toffler
  • Patent number: 6661670
    Abstract: An assembly for use in providing EMI shielding for a circuit card. The assembly comprises a circuit card; a fastener; and, a shielding apparatus. The shielding apparatus comprises: a body providing EMI shielding and includes an attaching portion extending therefrom, wherein the attaching portion has a segment at a proximal end portion thereof which blocks an opening in the body for controlling EMI leakage and positions the attaching portion so that a fastener can fasten the attaching portion to a circuit card such that a first fastener end portion is engageable in juxtaposed relationship with a first card surface and a second fastener end portion terminates so as not to extend generally beyond a predetermined distance from a second card surface of the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Alan Eckberg, Michael Scott Good, David George Lund, Terry Leo Sobotta
  • Patent number: 6654253
    Abstract: An insertion extraction device (IED) (100) is suitable for use in attaching a movable object (40) to a fixed structure (20) with a limited amount of force. The IED (100) includes a mandrel (120) and a flexible sleeve (140). The mandrel (120) is constructed of a relatively hard material such as a metal and has a first section (126) with an elliptical, oval, or similar shape and a second section (128) for attaching to the fixed structure (20). The flexible sleeve (140) is constructed of a material such as nylon or urethane plastic. An operator is able to turn the mandrel (120) by turning the sleeve (140) with less than a certain amount of torque. When the operator applies an excessive amount of torque to the sleeve (140), the sleeve (140) slips over the mandrel (120), thereby limiting the maximum amount of force that can be applied to insert the movable component (40) into the fixed structure (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Mario DiMarco
  • Patent number: 6654256
    Abstract: An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield fills an aperture in a wall of a system unit housing. The electromagnetic interference shield is integrally formed from sheet metal (e.g. stainless steel). It comprises a perforated substantially planar portion with fingers defined around the periphery thereof. A plurality of first fingers are preformed to define abutments to abut against an outer surface of the wall and a plurality of second fingers are preformed to define sprung latches for latching within the aperture. The combination of first and second fingers means that the EMI shield can be located in the aperture in a removable manner without the use of tools. The perforations are configured to permit ventilation of the interior system housing while preventing EMI interference radiating from the system housing. A handle portion is also formed at the periphery of the substantially planar portion for facilitating the insertion and removal of the shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald Ronald Gough
  • Patent number: 6628529
    Abstract: A cartridge, including a housing, a substrate, a semiconductor element (e.g., a memory), and a shielding element, is detachably mountable to a game machine having a connector and a grounding terminal, and a recess. The substrate within the housing has an external connection terminal exposed through the open end, a circuit pattern, and a ground electrode. The shielding element within the housing substantially covers at least one principal face of the substrate and electrically connected to the ground electrode. The housing has an opening in a principal face facing the ground electrode on the substrate and the shielding element, through which the shielding element is partly exposed. The shielding element has a protruding shield convex exposed through the opening. When the cartridge is mounted in the recess, the shield convex is electrically connected to the ground electrode through the opening to remove unwanted radiation of electromagnetic waves on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Takamoto, Yasuhisa Kitano