Patents by Inventor Clive D. Bittlestone

Clive D. Bittlestone 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).

  • Publication number: 20180307434
    Abstract: A memory area is protected from rowhammer attacks by placing an extra sacrificial row at the top and the bottom of the memory addresses defining the area to be protected. The sacrificial rows of memory are written with a known bit pattern that may be read periodically to detect any rowhammer attacks that may be in progress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Clive D. Bittlestone
  • Patent number: 10108365
    Abstract: A memory area is protected from rowhammer attacks by placing an extra sacrificial row at the top and the bottom of the memory addresses defining the area to be protected. The sacrificial rows of memory are written with a known bit pattern that may be read periodically to detect any rowhammer attacks that may be in progress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Clive D. Bittlestone
  • Patent number: 8102187
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes self-calibrating programmable digital logic circuitry. The IC includes at least one programmable digital logic cell, wherein the first programmable digital logic cell provides (i) a plurality of different accessible circuit configurations or (ii) a voltage level controller. A self-calibration system is provided that includes at least one reference device, a measurement device for measuring at least one electrical performance parameter that can affect a processing speed of the first programmable digital logic cell or at least one parameter that can affect the electrical performance parameter using the reference device to obtain calibration data. A processing device maps the calibration data or a parameter derived therefrom to generate a control signal that is operable to select from the plurality of different accessible circuit configurations or a voltage level output to change the processing speed of the programmable digital logic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Anuj Batra, Srinivas Lingam, Kit Wing S. Lee, Clive D. Bittlestone, Ekanayake A. Amerasekera
  • Patent number: 8051398
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for refining a design cycle for an integrated circuit. An integrated circuit design is generated. A plurality of non-critical paths within the integrated circuit design are identified. A set of at least one of the plurality of non-critical paths is modified to produce a modified design in which the sensitivity of each of the set of non-critical paths to at least one parameter is enhanced. Each parameter is either a design parameter or a process parameter. An integrated circuit is fabricated according to the modified design. The fabricated integrated circuit is evaluated to measure a set of timing data representing each of the plurality of non-critical paths. The value of the parameter is determined from the measured set of timing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Clive D. Bittlestone, Kenneth M. Butler, Mark E. Mason, Stephanie Watts Butler
  • Patent number: 7973557
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes at least one programmable digital logic cell that includes first dedicated digital logic cell having a plurality of transistors including at least one PMOS transistor and at least one NMOS transistor configured to perform at least one digital logical function. The first dedicated digital logic cell includes a plurality of nodes including at least one input node and at least one output node that reflects performance of a digital logical function. Programmable tuning circuitry includes at least one tuning input and at least one tuning circuit output. Circuitry for coupling or decoupling the tuning input or tuning circuit output to at least one of the plurality of nodes of the first dedicated digital logical cell is provided, wherein the coupling or decoupling is operable to change the processing speed for the first reprogrammable digital logic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Clive D. Bittlestone, Kit Wing S. Lee, Ekanayake A. Amerasekera, Anuj Batra, Srinivas Lingam
  • Publication number: 20090273367
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes at least one programmable digital logic cell that includes first dedicated digital logic cell having a plurality of transistors including at least one PMOS transistor and at least one NMOS transistor configured to perform at least one digital logical function. The first dedicated digital logic cell includes a plurality of nodes including at least one input node and at least one output node that reflects performance of a digital logical function. Programmable tuning circuitry includes at least one tuning input and at least one tuning circuit output. Circuitry for coupling or decoupling the tuning input or tuning circuit output to at least one of the plurality of nodes of the first dedicated digital logical cell is provided, wherein the coupling or decoupling is operable to change the processing speed for the first reprogrammable digital logic cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: CLIVE D. BITTLESTONE, KIT WING S. LEE, EKANAYAKE A. AMERASEKERA, ANUJ BATRA, SRINIVAS LINGAM
  • Publication number: 20090273361
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes self-calibrating programmable digital logic circuitry. The IC includes at least one programmable digital logic cell, wherein the first programmable digital logic cell provides (i) a plurality of different accessible circuit configurations or (ii) a voltage level controller. A self-calibration system is provided that includes at least one reference device, a measurement device for measuring at least one electrical performance parameter that can affect a processing speed of the first programmable digital logic cell or at least one parameter that can affect the electrical performance parameter using the reference device to obtain calibration data. A processing device maps the calibration data or a parameter derived therefrom to generate a control signal that is operable to select from the plurality of different accessible circuit configurations or a voltage level output to change the processing speed of the programmable digital logic cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: ANUJ BATRA, SRINIVAS LINGAM, KIT WING S. LEE, CLIVE D. BITTLESTONE, EKANAYAKE A. AMERASEKERA
  • Publication number: 20090037854
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for refining a design cycle for an integrated circuit. An integrated circuit design is generated. A plurality of non-critical paths within the integrated circuit design are identified. A set of at least one of the plurality of non-critical paths is modified to produce a modified design in which the sensitivity of each of the set of non-critical paths to at least one parameter is enhanced. Each parameter is either a design parameter or a process parameter. An integrated circuit is fabricated according to the modified design. The fabricated integrated circuit is evaluated to measure a set of timing data representing each of the plurality of non-critical paths. The value of the parameter is determined from the measured set of timing data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Clive D. Bittlestone, Kenneth M. Butler, Mark E. Mason, Stephanie Watts Butler
  • Patent number: 6771118
    Abstract: A method for reducing a leakage current in an integrated circuit is provided that includes controlling one or more inputs of an integrated circuit such that one or more logic elements within the integrated circuit are set to one or more selected values. The selected values produce a minimum leakage current associated with the integrated circuit when the integrated circuit is operating in a standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Clive D. Bittlestone, Vipul K. Singhal
  • Publication number: 20040085121
    Abstract: A method for reducing a leakage current in an integrated circuit is provided that includes controlling one or more inputs of an integrated circuit such that one or more logic elements within the integrated circuit are set to one or more selected values. The selected values produce a minimum leakage current associated with the integrated circuit when the integrated circuit is operating in a standby mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Clive D. Bittlestone, Vipul K. Singhal
  • Patent number: 5250852
    Abstract: A method and circuitry are provided for latching a logic state. A first signal (64) indicates a logic state of an input signal (D) in response to a first transition of a clock signal (72). A second signal (68) indicates a logic state of the first signal (64) in response to a second transition of the clock signal (72). An output signal (Q) indicates the logic state of the first signal (64) in response to the second transition and indicates a logic state of the second signal (68) in response to the first transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin M. Ovens, Clive D. Bittlestone