Patents by Inventor George C. Reick

George C. Reick 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: 5436578
    Abstract: A configurable circuit for driving an integrated circuit output pad includes two differently-sized arrays of p-channel FETs and two arrays of differently-sized n-channel FETs for driving the pad. A circuit designer selects different ones of the FETs to produce a desired level of n-channel and p-channel drive at the pad. The nonselected p-channel FETs are maintained in a disabled condition by tieing them off to one side of a p-channel FET which is also connected to a n-type island in a substrate in which the circuit is formed. Electrostatic charge is drained from the gates of the disabled FETs through the n-type island when power is not applied to the integrated circuit thereby preventing failure of leakage tests. The nonselected n-channel FETs are similarly tied to one side of an n-channel FET which in turn is tied to a p-type island to achieve the same purpose for the n-channel FETs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Brown, George C. Reick, Charles E. Moore