Patents by Inventor E. Keith Howick

E. Keith Howick 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).

  • Apparatus for optimized constraint characterization with degradation options and associated methods
    Publication number: 20030212964
    Abstract: A circuit-characterization system includes a computer. The computer uses a model of an operation of the circuit to characterize first and second constraints of the circuit and to select values for the first and second constraints, respectively. The computer modifies the values selected for the first and second constraints to obtain optimized values for the first and second constraints. The optimized values of the first and second constraints avoid an invalid region of operation of the circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: Silicon Metrics Corporation
    Inventors: Guruprasad G. Rao, E. Keith Howick
  • Apparatus for optimized constraint characterization with degradation options and associated methods
    Patent number: 6584598
    Abstract: A circuit-characterization system includes a computer. The computer uses a model of an operation of the circuit to characterize first and second constraints of the circuit and to select values for the first and second constraints, respectively. The computer modifies the values selected for the first and second constraints to obtain optimized values for the first and second constraints. The optimized values of the first and second constraints avoid an invalid region of operation of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Silicon Metrics Corporation
    Inventors: Guruprasad G. Rao, E. Keith Howick, Jr.
  • Apparatus and methods for constraint characterization with degradation options
    Publication number: 20020143516
    Abstract: A circuit-characterization system includes a computer that uses a degradation option to degrade a characteristic of the circuit in order to calculate a degraded characteristic of the circuit. The computer uses a model of an operation of the circuit to characterize a constraint of the circuit and select a value for the constraint. The selected value of the constraint depends, at least in part, on the degraded characteristic of the circuit. Another circuit-characterization system includes a computer that characterizes first and second dependent constraints of an electronic circuit. The computer characterizes the first dependent constraint according to a model of an operation of the circuit to select a value for the first dependent constraint at a prescribed initial value of the second dependent constraint of the electronic circuit. The computer characterizes the second dependent constraint according to the model of the operation of the circuit to select a value for the second dependent constraint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Guruprasad G. Rao, E. Keith Howick
  • Apparatus for optimized constraint characterization with degradation options and associated methods
    Publication number: 20020144214
    Abstract: A circuit-characterization system includes a computer. The computer uses a model of an operation of the circuit to characterize first and second constraints of the circuit and to select values for the first and second constraints, respectively. The computer modifies the values selected for the first and second constraints to obtain optimized values for the first and second constraints. The optimized values of the first and second constraints avoid an invalid region of operation of the circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Guruprasad G. Rao, E. Keith Howick