Patents by Inventor Dale E. Carlton

Dale E. Carlton 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: 7321233
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 7164279
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 6987398
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 6803779
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween despite, for example, variable positioning of the device-probing ends of the network on the probing areas. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Publication number: 20030210033
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween despite, for example, variable positioning of the device-probing ends of the network on the probing areas. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 6608496
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween despite, for example, variable positioning of the device-probing ends of the network on the probing areas. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 6130544
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween despite, for example, variable positioning of the device-probing ends of the network on the probing areas. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 5973505
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred there-between despite, for example, variable positioning of the device-probing ends of the network on the probing areas. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 5869975
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective first, second and third device-probing areas arranged on an upper face of the base in spaced-apart relation so that first, second and third device-probing ends belonging to the measurement network can be simultaneously placed on these respective areas, a reference junction, and a high frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween despite variable positioning of the device-probing ends on the probing areas. Because the transmission structure uniformly transfers signals despite variable positioning of the device-probing ends, the measurement network can be accurately calibrated with reference, in particular, to the device-probing ends of the network by a reference unit connected to the reference junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 5659255
    Abstract: A method of evaluating the signal conditions in a probe measurement network of the type having a plurality of separate measurement channels, where each channel communicates through a corresponding device-probing end. The method includes providing an assembly which includes a conductive planar probing area on the upper face of a base and a reference junction connected to the probing area by a high-frequency transmission structure. The method further includes placing the respective device-probing end of a first one of the measurement channels into contact with the planar probing area, transmitting a high-frequency signal through both the measurement channel and the reference junction and, thereafter, measuring the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 5561377
    Abstract: An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween despite, for example, variable positioning of the device-probing ends of the network on the probing areas. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Strid, Jerry B. Schappacher, Dale E. Carlton, K. Reed Gleason
  • Patent number: 4994737
    Abstract: An adapter, having a dielectric substrate upon which are mounted an array of uniformly-spaced, coplanar conductive strips and impedance standards having similarly spaced coplanar leads, facilitates planar transmission line probe measurements of the high-speed electrical characteristics of a package or other interconnect structure for a high-speed integrated circuit. The conductive strips of the adapter are connected to the terminals of the package so as to simulate the integrated circuit connection, that is, with substantially identical length and spacing of bond wires. The planar probe, by contacting the conductive strips of the adapter, is able to measure the electrical characteristics of the package including the bond wires, thereby providing realistic measurements of the integrated circuit's environment. The impedance standards on the adapter are specially designed to enable the effects of the adapter to be removed from the measurements by calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Carlton, Keith E. Jones, Thomas A. Myers
  • Patent number: 4876655
    Abstract: The distribution with respect to time of an event defined by the waveform of a repetitive input signal having a magnitude that lies within a predetermined range of values is observed by generating a sample signal at least once during each repetition of the input signal, generating an n-bit digital timing signal representative of the time of occurrence of a sample signal relative to the time of occurrence of the trigger signal, and sampling the repetitive input signal and generating a memory enable signal in the event that the magnitude of the input signal at the time of sampling falls within the predetermined range of values. The memory locations of a memory having 2.sup.n separately addressable memory locations are allocated respectively to the 2.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Carlton, Clifford E. Baker, Ronald M. Henricksen
  • Patent number: 4719408
    Abstract: Apparatus for indicating proper compensation of an adjustable frequency compensation network comprises a signal source operable to apply a rectangular pulse train having a preselected peak magnitude to the frequency compensation network, and a peak detector circuit for comparing the output voltage of the frequency compensation network to at least one threshold value. The peak detector circuit is used to determine whether, at a time that follows a transition of a pulse of the pulse train by an interval that is less than one time constant of the frequency compensation network, the output voltage of the frequency compensation network bears a predetermined relationship to the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Dale E. Carlton
  • Patent number: 4580281
    Abstract: A self-arming, prescaling frequency counter system comprises an armable frequency counter, an envelope detector, a prescaling pulse-shaper, and a delaying means. The envelope detector detects occurrence of an oscillating signal to be frequency measured and transmits an arming signal to arm the frequency counter for the duration of the oscillating signal. The prescaling pulse-shaper is coupled to receive the oscillating signal burst and generate a pulsed test signal of frequency an integer fraction of the oscillating signal frequency. The delaying means couples the test signal to the armable frequency counter input, delaying receipt of the pulsed signal burst until after the counter is armed, and delaying termination of the pulsed signal until after counter is disarmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1986
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Dale E. Carlton
  • Patent number: 4253057
    Abstract: A circuit including a peak detector detects the distortion of the leading corner of a square-wave reference signal in the over-compensated condition of an attenuator probe and turns on an indicator light. The light turns off as the probe is adjusted to the properly compensated condition because the distortion is no longer detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1981
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Carlton, William G. Wilke