Patents by Inventor Daniel R. Grumbling

Daniel R. Grumbling 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).

  • Memory test mode for wordline resistive defects
    Patent number: 6085341
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting resistive defects in a memory device. A pulldown device is placed at the end of a wordline opposite the end of the wordline having a wordline driver. When the test mode is enabled the wordline pulldown device is turned on. By tailoring the on resistance of the pulldown device such that it is a few times larger than the wordline wire resistance, a resistive divider may be created between the wordline wire resistance and the pulldown device resistance. If a resistive defect exists in the wordline, the increased wordline resistance will create a voltage drop in the wordline when the pulldown device is turned on. This voltage drop indicates that a defect exists in the wordline, and the defect may be located by determining the area of the wordline in which the voltage drop occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey K. Greason, Daniel R. Grumbling
  • Memory test mode for wordline resistive defects
    Patent number: 5781557
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting resistive defects in a memory device. A pulldown device is placed at the end of a wordline opposite the end of the wordline having a wordline driver. When the test mode is enabled the wordline pulldown device is turned on. By tailoring the on resistance of the pulldown device such that it is a few times larger than the wordline wire resistance, a resistive divider may be created between the wordline wire resistance and the pulldown device resistance. If a resistive defect exists in the wordline, the increased wordline resistance will create a voltage drop in the wordline when the pulldown device is turned on. This voltage drop indicates that a defect exists in the wordline, and the defect may be located by determining the area of the wordline in which the voltage drop occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey K. Greason, Daniel R. Grumbling