Patents by Inventor Brian D. Chapman

Brian D. Chapman 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: 7575146
    Abstract: An apparatus for selective rework for surface mount components. A shield assembly encloses a circuit board on which Surface Mount Technology (SMT) modules are soldered. The shield assembly includes a top shield member having an opening over an SMT module to be removed from the circuit board, and a bottom shield member having an opening exposing the solder mount of the SMT module to be removed. An intermediate shield member is located in the opening in the top shield member and extends through the opening to the circuit board and surrounds the SMT module to be removed. A spring loaded mechanism is positioned over the intermediate shield member and grips the SMT module to be removed. The spring loaded mechanism applies removal force for removing the SMT module from the circuit board when heat is applied causing the solder holding the SMT module to the circuit board to reflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Chapman, Mary A. Emmett, Arden S. Lake, Wai Mon Wa, Nandu N. Ranadive, Michael Variano, John P. Weir
  • Publication number: 20090065557
    Abstract: An apparatus for selective rework for surface mount components. A shield assembly encloses a circuit board on which Surface Mount Technology (SMT) modules are soldered. The shield assembly includes a top shield member having an opening over an SMT module to be removed from the circuit board, and a bottom shield member having an opening exposing the solder mount of the SMT module to be removed. An intermediate shield member is located in the opening in the top shield member and extends through the opening to the circuit board and surrounds the SMT module to be removed. A spring loaded mechanism is positioned over the intermediate shield member and grips the SMT module to be removed. The spring loaded mechanism applies removal force for removing the SMT module from the circuit board when heat is applied causing the solder holding the SMT module to the circuit board to reflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian D. Chapman, Mary A. Emmett, Arden S. Lake, Wai Mon Wa, Nandu N. Ranadive, Michael Variano, John P. Weir
  • Patent number: 7472818
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for selective rework for surface mount components. A shield assembly encloses a circuit board on which Surface Mount Technology (SMT) modules are soldered. The shield assembly includes a top shield member having an opening over an SMT module to be removed from the circuit board, and a bottom shield member having an opening exposing the solder mount of the SMT module to be removed. An intermediate shield member is located in the opening in the top shield member and extends through the opening to the circuit board and surrounds the SMT module to be removed. A spring loaded mechanism is positioned over the intermediate shield member and grips the SMT module to be removed. The spring loaded mechanism applies removal force for removing the SMT module from the circuit board when heat is applied causing the solder holding the SMT module to the circuit board to reflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Chapman, Mary A. Emmett, Arden S. Lake, Wai Mon Wa, Nandu N. Ranadive, Michael Variano, John P. Weir
  • Patent number: 6511347
    Abstract: This invention relates to electrically connecting a first electronic component to a second electronic component wherein at least one of the electronic components must undergo modifications or repair when, for example, there is a floating signal generated from the first electronic component which can cause problems in operation of the electronic component assembly. For this type assembly an opening is provided in the second electronic component proximate the site or sites to be electrically connected to the first electronic component, which opening extends to an internal plane of the second electronic component desired to be connected to the first electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Chapman, Wai Mon Ma
  • Publication number: 20030003800
    Abstract: This invention relates to electrically connecting a first electronic component to a second electronic component wherein at least one of the electronic components must undergo modifications or repair when, for example, there is a floating signal generated from the first electronic component which can cause problems in operation of the electronic component assembly. For this type assembly an opening is provided in the second electronic component proximate the site or sites to be electrically connected to the first electronic component, which opening extends to an internal plane of the second electronic component desired to be connected to the first electronic component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Chapman, Wai Mon Ma
  • Patent number: 6059172
    Abstract: A method for establishing electrical communication between a first and second object, comprising the steps of 1) obtaining a first object in electrical communication with at least one BLM, each at least one BLM in contact with a high melting point solder ball coated with a low melting point solder, the low melting point solder contacting each solder ball over at least the portion of the solder ball not in contact with the BLM; 2) interacting a second object having at least one attachment point, each at least one attachment point corresponding to at least one solder ball on the first object where electrical communication is desirable, each solder ball and corresponding attachment point are proximally situated such that each solder ball is capable of forming an electrical communication with the corresponding attachment point; and 3) reflowing the first object and the second object while the first object and the second object are interacted, such that the first object and the second object are in electrical comm
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Chapman, James J. Petrone, Wai Mon Ma
  • Patent number: 6050481
    Abstract: A method of forming a solder ball structure comprising the steps of 1) obtaining a first object having at least one high melting point solder ball, each solder ball having a corresponding BLM containing a low melting point solder, each solder ball having an outer surface, top and bottom, each BLM having a top and bottom, the bottom of each solder ball in contact with the top of the corresponding BLM over a portion of the outer surface, the bottom of each BLM in electrical communication with the first object; 2) obtaining a template having a first surface; 3) applying a disjoint area of low melting point solder paste to the first surface of the template; 4) interacting the top of each solder ball and the solder paste; and 5) reflowing each solder ball and disjoint area of solder paste while each solder ball and disjoint area of solder paste are interacted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Chapman, James J. Petrone, Wai Mon Ma
  • Patent number: 6028373
    Abstract: A power supply system (300) provides a staged startup of multiple loads (303, 305). Preferably, the power supply (300) is a switching power supply that provides power, in the form of a primary output voltage to a first output terminal (319) and to a second output terminal (325). A first load (303) demands a first startup power from the switching power supply through the first output terminal (319). A voltage comparator (333) provides an enable signal (335) when a primary output signal, present at the first output terminal, exceeds a predetermined threshold (335). A load coupling device, preferably a gateable voltage regulator (331), is coupled to the second output terminal (325). The gateable voltage regulator (331) has an output (327) coupled to a second load (305).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hoon Kim, Brian D. Chapman
  • Patent number: 5872400
    Abstract: A solder ball structure having a first object and least one solder ball, each solder ball having an outer surface, top and a bottom and comprising a non-eutectic admixture of solder. The solder ball structure also having at least one BLM, each BLM having a top and a bottom and the top of each BLM in contact with the bottom of one of the at least one solder ball, each BLM containing a solder having a melting point sufficiently lower than the melting point of the corresponding solder ball such that each BLM can reflow without a significant portion of the corresponding solder ball reflowing, the bottom of each at least one BLM in electrical communication with the first object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Chapman, James J. Petrone, Wai Mon Ma
  • Patent number: 5084668
    Abstract: A transistor sense electrode (20) is coupled to the input branch (24) of a current mirror (22). The current mirror's branch (26) carries a current substantially equal to the current in the input branch to indicate the current flowing in the transistor. A preferred embodiment includes an amplifier (30) which senses the difference between the voltage at the sense electrode (20) and a reference voltage (Vx). The sensed difference in voltage causes the amplifier to apply a control signal to the current mirror to vary the current in the input branch so as to hold the sense electrode's voltage at the level of the reference voltage (Vx). A preferred package for the system's circuitry is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Kotowski, Brian D. Chapman