Patents by Inventor Christopher J. Berry

Christopher J. Berry 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: 9858377
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of performing physical synthesis in a chip design process using hierarchical wire-pin co-optimization, a system, and a computer program product are described. Aspects include providing an indication of candidate pins among a plurality of pins of a plurality of macros that may be moved, and providing constraints on a range of movement of one or more of the plurality of pins. Aspects also include performing macro-level physical synthesis at each of the plurality of macros based on the candidate pins and the constraints to generate pin locations and timing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Randall J. Darden, Adam R. Jatkowski, Joseph J. Palumbo, Shyam Ramji, Sourav Saha, Timothy A. Schell, Eddy St. Juste
  • Patent number: 9798847
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to cross-hierarchy interconnect adjustment. An aspect includes receiving chip layout data corresponding to a chip design, wherein a first portion of a metal stack of the chip design is assigned to a first hierarchy and a second portion of the metal stack is assigned to a second hierarchy based on a contract between the first and second hierarchy. Another aspect includes determining an unused portion of the first portion of the metal stack. Another aspect includes moving an interconnect of the second hierarchy from the second portion of the metal stack that is assigned to the second hierarchy to the unused portion of the first portion of the metal stack in the chip layout data. Another aspect includes performing power recovery on the chip layout data after moving the interconnect based on an amount of slack margin generated in the chip design by the moving of the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Ricardo H. Nigaglioni, Haifeng Qian, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9768124
    Abstract: A semiconductor package having a second semiconductor package or module integrated therein. The semiconductor package of the present invention typically comprises active and passive devices which are each electrically connected to an underlying substrate. The substrate is configured to place such active and passive devices into electrical communication with contacts of the substrate disposed on a surface thereof opposite that to which the active and passive devices are mounted. The module of the semiconductor package resides within a complimentary opening disposed within the substrate thereof. The module and the active and passive devices of the semiconductor package are each fully or at least partially covered by a package body of the semiconductor package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Amkor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Scanlan, Christopher J. Berry
  • Patent number: 9734268
    Abstract: A system and method to implement an integrated circuit design are described. The method includes obtaining a timing database of current timing slack values based on current cell selection, placement, and routing for a plurality of cycles defined by a plurality of cycle boundaries, each cycle representing devices between a corresponding pair of the plurality of cycle boundaries, identifying candidate cycle boundaries among the plurality of cycle boundaries for slack redistribution, every one of the candidate cycle boundaries being associated with a positive timing slack, and selecting redistribution cycle boundaries among the candidate cycle boundaries. A modified timing database is generated based on redistributing the positive timing slack associated with the redistribution cycle boundaries, and power recovery is performed using the modified timing database to reduce power at one of more of the redistribution cycle boundaries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Yiu-Hing Chan, Arjen A. Mets, Charudhattan Nagarajan, Ricardo H. Nigaglioni, Sourav Saha, Hameedbasha Shaik
  • Patent number: 9734270
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to power down processing including control path power adjustment. An aspect includes receiving, by a power down engine, chip layout data corresponding to a chip design. Another aspect includes determining a confluence point of a data path and a control path in the chip layout data. Another aspect includes determining the presence of a positive slack window in the control path of the confluence point. Yet another aspect includes powering up the control path to reduce the positive slack window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Kaustav Guha, Jose L. Neves, Haifeng Qian, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9715572
    Abstract: A method and system to perform physical synthesis in a chip design process using hierarchical wire-pin co-optimization are described. The method includes providing boundary conditions to each of a plurality of macros of the chip design from a unit level controller, the boundary conditions including initial pin locations and an indication of which of the pins are movable pins for each of the plurality of macros, performing macro-level physical synthesis at each of the plurality of macros, and providing feedback to the unit level controller based on the macro-level physical synthesis performed at each of the plurality of macros, the feedback including a proposed new location for the movable pins of each of the plurality of blocks. The method also includes performing hierarchical co-optimization at the unit level controller based on the feedback from each of the plurality of macros to determine locations for the movable pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Ajith Kumar M. Chandrasekaran, Randall J. Darden, Shyam Ramji, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9715565
    Abstract: A method of performing physical aware technology mapping in a logic synthesis phase of design of an integrated circuit and a system to perform physical aware technology mapping are described. The system includes a memory device to store a logic design of the integrated circuit, and a processor to subdivide a core area representing a sub-block of the integrated circuit into equal-sized grids, the core area including one or more input ports and one or more output ports, to determine a location of each latch in a logic design based on an algorithm, to determine a location of each combinational logic gate in the logic design, and to obtain the technology mapping based on the locations of the one or more latches, the locations of the one or more combinational logic gates, and associated path delays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Pinaki Chakrabarti, Lakshmi N. Reddy, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9711485
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a thin bonded interposer package are disclosed and may, for example, include bonding a semiconductor die to a first surface of a substrate, forming contacts on the first surface of the substrate, encapsulating the semiconductor die, formed contacts, and first surface of the substrate using a mold material while leaving a top surface of the semiconductor die not encapsulated by mold material, forming vias through the mold material to expose the formed contacts. A bond line may be dispensed on the mold material and the semiconductor die for bonding the substrate to an interposer. A thickness of the bond line may be defined by standoffs formed on the top surface of the semiconductor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Amkor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Roger D. St.Amand, Jin Seong Kim
  • Patent number: 9710585
    Abstract: A method of performing physical aware technology mapping in a logic synthesis phase of design of an integrated circuit and a system to perform physical aware technology mapping are described. The method includes subdividing a core area representing a sub-block of the integrated circuit into equal-sized grids. The method also includes determining a location of each of one or more latches in the logic design based on an algorithm, determining a location of each of one or more combinational logic gates in the logic design based on the locations of the one or more latches, and obtaining the technology mapping based on the locations of the one or more latches, one or more input ports, or one or more output ports, the locations of the one or more combinational logic gates, and associated path delays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Pinaki Chakrabarti, Lakshmi N. Reddy, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9703910
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to power down processing including control path power adjustment. An aspect includes receiving, by a power down engine, chip layout data corresponding to a chip design. Another aspect includes determining a confluence point of a data path and a control path in the chip layout data. Another aspect includes determining the presence of a positive slack window in the control path of the confluence point. Yet another aspect includes powering up the control path to reduce the positive slack window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Kaustav Guha, Jose L. Neves, Haifeng Qian, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9703920
    Abstract: A system and method of performing an intra-run decision during synthesis to determine a physical implementation of a system-on-chip (SoC) logic design are described. The method includes executing a stage of the synthesis with two or more scenarios, each scenario representing a unique combination of values of one or more parameters, and determining a quality measure associated with each of the two or more scenarios. The method also includes performing the intra-run decision by eliminating one or more of the two or more scenarios for execution in a subsequent stage of the synthesis based on the quality measure associated with each of the two or more scenarios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Lakshmi Reddy, Sourav Saha, Matthew M. Ziegler
  • Patent number: 9697322
    Abstract: A method and system to perform physical synthesis in a chip design process using hierarchical wire-pin co-optimization are described. The method includes providing boundary conditions to each of a plurality of macros of the chip design from a unit level controller, the boundary conditions including initial pin locations and an indication of which of the pins are movable pins for each of the plurality of macros, performing macro-level physical synthesis at each of the plurality of macros, and providing feedback to the unit level controller based on the macro-level physical synthesis performed at each of the plurality of macros, the feedback including a proposed new location for the movable pins of each of the plurality of blocks. The method also includes performing hierarchical co-optimization at the unit level controller based on the feedback from each of the plurality of macros to determine locations for the movable pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Ajith Kumar M. Chandrasekaran, Randall J. Darden, Shyam Ramji, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9690900
    Abstract: A system and method of performing an intra-run decision during synthesis to determine a physical implementation of a system-on-chip (SoC) logic design are described. The method includes executing a stage of the synthesis with two or more scenarios, each scenario representing a unique combination of values of one or more parameters, and determining a quality measure associated with each of the two or more scenarios. The method also includes performing the intra-run decision by eliminating one or more of the two or more scenarios for execution in a subsequent stage of the synthesis based on the quality measure associated with each of the two or more scenarios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Lakshmi Reddy, Sourav Saha, Matthew M. Ziegler
  • Patent number: 9684751
    Abstract: A system and method to implement an integrated circuit design are described. The method includes obtaining a timing database of current timing slack values based on current cell selection, placement, and routing for a plurality of cycles defined by a plurality of cycle boundaries, each cycle representing devices between a corresponding pair of the plurality of cycle boundaries, identifying candidate cycle boundaries among the plurality of cycle boundaries for slack redistribution, every one of the candidate cycle boundaries being associated with a positive timing slack, and selecting redistribution cycle boundaries among the candidate cycle boundaries. A modified timing database is generated based on redistributing the positive timing slack associated with the redistribution cycle boundaries, and power recovery is performed using the modified timing database to reduce power at one of more of the redistribution cycle boundaries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Yiu-Hing Chan, Arjen A. Mets, Charudhattan Nagarajan, Ricardo H. Nigaglioni, Sourav Saha, Hameedbasha Shaik
  • Patent number: 9684757
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to cross-hierarchy interconnect adjustment. An aspect includes receiving chip layout data corresponding to a chip design, wherein a first portion of a metal stack of the chip design is assigned to a first hierarchy and a second portion of the metal stack is assigned to a second hierarchy based on a contract between the first and second hierarchy. Another aspect includes determining an unused portion of the first portion of the metal stack. Another aspect includes moving an interconnect of the second hierarchy from the second portion of the metal stack that is assigned to the second hierarchy to the unused portion of the first portion of the metal stack in the chip layout data. Another aspect includes performing power recovery on the chip layout data after moving the interconnect based on an amount of slack margin generated in the chip design by the moving of the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Ricardo H. Nigaglioni, Haifeng Qian, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9672321
    Abstract: A system and method of performing physical synthesis of a chip design are described. The method includes performing a baseline physical synthesis to determine a timing slack associated with each device, the timing slack indicating a margin by which timing requirements for the associated device are exceeded, determining that a threshold has been exceeded, the determining based on an analysis of a histogram of the timing slack, and executing a stage-by-stage physical synthesis based on determining that the threshold has been exceeded. The executing the stage-by-stage physical synthesis includes running a stage of the stage-by-stage physical synthesis to determine real timing slack, mapping the real timing slack to virtual timing slack, and running a next stage of the stage-by-stage physical synthesis using the virtual timing slack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Kaustav Guha, Lakshmi N. Reddy, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9672322
    Abstract: A system and method of performing physical synthesis of a chip design are described. The method includes performing a baseline physical synthesis to determine a timing slack associated with each device, the timing slack indicating a margin by which timing requirements for the associated device are exceeded, determining that a threshold has been exceeded, the determining based on an analysis of a histogram of the timing slack, and executing a stage-by-stage physical synthesis based on determining that the threshold has been exceeded. The executing the stage-by-stage physical synthesis includes running a stage of the stage-by-stage physical synthesis to determine real timing slack, mapping the real timing slack to virtual timing slack, and running a next stage of the stage-by-stage physical synthesis using the virtual timing slack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Kaustav Guha, Lakshmi N. Reddy, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 9659140
    Abstract: A method and system to identify a region of a design block of an integrated circuit for redesign are described. The method includes dividing the design block into grids, each of the grids including a corresponding number of logic elements. The method also includes filtering each of the grids based on a specified criteria, the filtering including determining a number (B) of the corresponding logic elements among a total number (A) of the logic elements in each grid that meet the specified criteria. The region is a set of two or more of the grids based on a result of the filtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: George Antony, Christopher J. Berry, Ricardo H. Nigaglioni, Sridhar H. Rangarajan, Sourav Saha, Vinay K. Singh
  • Publication number: 20170132340
    Abstract: A first open path in a microprocessor design is identified. At least one modification to a design of that first open path is simulated. An updated arrival time at a pin is calculated based on the simulated modification or modifications. An updated path time is then calculated based on the updated arrival time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Chris A. Cavitt, Adam P. Matheny, Jose L. Neves, Jesse P. Surprise, Michael H. Wood
  • Publication number: 20170132341
    Abstract: A first open path in a microprocessor design is identified. At least one modification to a design of that first open path is simulated. An updated arrival time at a pin is calculated based on the simulated modification or modifications. An updated path time is then calculated based on the updated arrival time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Chris A. Cavitt, Adam P. Matheny, Jose L. Neves, Jesse P. Surprise, Michael H. Wood