Patents by Inventor Alex P Gerdemann

Alex P Gerdemann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9553446
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including ESD circuitry that is shared among more than one terminal segment of the integrated circuit to discharge current from an ESD event on any of the terminal segments. The shared ESD circuitry includes a clamp circuit that is coupled to power buses of each segment to discharge current from ESD events on each segment. The shared ESD circuitry includes a trigger circuit that is coupled to nodes coupled to terminals of each segment to detect an ESD event on each segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Alex P. Gerdemann, Melanie Etherton, James W. Miller, Mohamed S. Moosa, Robert S. Ruth, Michael A. Stockinger
  • Patent number: 9478529
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of I/O cells, each including a portion of the first power bus, a portion of the second power bus, and an I/O pad coupled between the portions of the first and second power buses. A first set of the plurality of I/O cells is arranged along a die edge of the integrated circuit. A second set of the plurality of I/O cells is arranged along the die edge between the first set and the die edge. For each I/O cell in the first set, the portion of the first power bus is physically connected to the portion of the first power bus of an abutting I/O cell of the second set at a boundary between the I/O cell of the first set and the abutting I/O cell of the second set. The integrated circuit includes an ESD clamp and a trigger circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: James W. Miller, Melanie Etherton, Alex P. Gerdemann, Mohamed S. Moosa, Jonathan M. Phillippe, Robert S. Ruth
  • Publication number: 20160126729
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including ESD circuitry that is shared among more than one terminal segment of the integrated circuit to discharge current from an ESD event on any of the terminal segments. The shared ESD circuitry includes a clamp circuit that is coupled to power buses of each segment to discharge current from ESD events on each segment. The shared ESD circuitry includes a trigger circuit that is coupled to nodes coupled to terminals of each segment to detect an ESD event on each segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: ALEX P. GERDEMANN, MELANIE ETHERTON, JAMES W. MILLER, MOHAMED S. MOUSA, ROBERT S. RUTH, MICHAEL A. STOCKINGER
  • Publication number: 20150349522
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of I/O cells, each including a portion of the first power bus, a portion of the second power bus, and an I/O pad coupled between the portions of the first and second power buses. A first set of the plurality of I/O cells is arranged along a die edge of the integrated circuit. A second set of the plurality of I/O cells is arranged along the die edge between the first set and the die edge. For each I/O cell in the first set, the portion of the first power bus is physically connected to the portion of the first power bus of an abutting I/O cell of the second set at a boundary between the I/O cell of the first set and the abutting I/O cell of the second set. The integrated circuit includes an ESD clamp and a trigger circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: James W. Miller, Melanie Etherton, Alex P. Gerdemann, Mohamed S. Moosa, Jonathan M. Phillippe, Robert S. Ruth
  • Patent number: 9076656
    Abstract: Boosted Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) clamp circuit with high effective holding voltage. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit may include a trigger circuit operably coupled to a first voltage bus and to a reference bus; a diode including an anode terminal operably coupled to a second voltage bus, the second voltage bus distinct from the first voltage bus; a transistor including a gate operably coupled to an output terminal of the trigger circuit, a drain operably coupled to a cathode terminal of the diode, and a source operably coupled to the reference bus; and an input/output (I/O) cell operably coupled to the first voltage bus, the second voltage bus, and the reference bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Melanie Etherton, Alex P. Gerdemann, James W. Miller, Mohamed S. Moosa, Robert S. Ruth, Michael A. Stockinger
  • Publication number: 20140327079
    Abstract: Boosted Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) clamp circuit with high effective holding voltage. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit may include a trigger circuit operably coupled to a first voltage bus and to a reference bus; a diode including an anode terminal operably coupled to a second voltage bus, the second voltage bus distinct from the first voltage bus; a transistor including a gate operably coupled to an output terminal of the trigger circuit, a drain operably coupled to a cathode terminal of the diode, and a source operably coupled to the reference bus; and an input/output (I/O) cell operably coupled to the first voltage bus, the second voltage bus, and the reference bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Melanie Etherton, Alex P. Gerdemann, James W. Miller, Mohamed S. Moosa, Robert S. Ruth, Michael A. Stockinger
  • Patent number: 8373953
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) or semiconductor device. This semiconductor device includes a number of I/O pads or bumps on an outer surface of the semiconductor device, a number of electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection cells and functional modules. Individual ESD protection cells couple to and are downstream of individual I/O pads. Functional modules coupled to and are downstream of individual ESD protection cells. The ESD protection cells protect circuitry within the functional module from electrostatic discharge events. A rail clamp may provide an ESD discharge path between a first power supply bus and a second power supply bus. The ESD protection cells may be collected in groups to form clusters (with linear or irregular placement patterns). These clusters may be distributed autarchically across the semiconductor device overlapping one or more functional modules or within spaces or gaps between the functional modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A Stockinger, Anthony G Dunne, Alex P Gerdemann, James W Miller, Daniel J O'Hare, Paul J Sheridan, Jeannie Han Millaway
  • Publication number: 20100165522
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) or semiconductor device. This semiconductor device includes a number of I/O pads or bumps on an outer surface of the semiconductor device, a number of electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection cells and functional modules. Individual ESD protection cells couple to and are downstream of individual I/O pads. Functional modules coupled to and are downstream of individual ESD protection cells. The ESD protection cells protect circuitry within the functional module from electrostatic discharge events. A rail clamp may provide an ESD discharge path between a first power supply bus and a second power supply bus. The ESD protection cells may be collected in groups to form clusters (with linear or irregular placement patterns). These clusters may be distributed autarchically across the semiconductor device overlapping one or more functional modules or within spaces or gaps between the functional modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Michael A. Stockinger, Anthony G. Dunne, Alex P. Gerdemann, James W. Miller, Daniel J. O'Hare, Paul J. Sheridan, Jeannie Han Millaway