Abstract: The present invention provides for disconnecting a capacitive path from a device when the capacitive path is no longer needed. Disconnecting a capacitive path when it is no longer needed is beneficial because the existence of a capacitive path limits the speed of the protected device. The device is separated from the capacitive path as a function of the current between the IO pad and a control device.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of automatically computing power consumption estimation of a chip are provided. The apparatus, system and method include determining all circuit blocks or macros embedded in the chip and retrieving from a file, into which pre-generated power consumption values of the macros are stored, the power consumption value of each macro. After doing so, the power consumption value of the chip is automatically computed. The apparatus, system and method also compute a desired power consumption estimation of the chip as well as a plurality of power densities. A desired power consumption estimation is based on a desired voltage and a desired frequency while a power density is power used in a certain area. Further, the apparatus, system and method reproduces the floorplan of the chip and represents each area within the chip by a different color to illustrate hot spots and cool spots.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of automatically computing power consumption estimation of a chip are provided. The apparatus, system and method include determining all circuit blocks or macros embedded in the chip and retrieving from a file, into which pre-generated power consumption values of the macros are stored, the power consumption value of each macro. After doing so, the power consumption value of the chip is automatically computed. The apparatus, system and method also compute a desired power consumption estimation of the chip as well as a plurality of power densities. A desired power consumption estimation is based on a desired voltage and a desired frequency while a power density is power used in a certain area. Further, the apparatus, system and method reproduces the floorplan of the chip and represents each area within the chip by a different color to illustrate hot spots and cool spots.

Abstract: An enhanced probe apparatus is provided for facilitating pin contact on a multi-pin integrated circuit or other high density connector-pin environment. The probe includes, in one exemplary embodiment, a magnification lens and an LED lamp which are both are mounted in various arrangements to an oscilloscope probe device. Both the lens and the LED are adjustable independently and each is movable in a plurality of directions to optimize the magnification and illumination of a pin contact area on one edge of an integrated circuit chip in order to facilitate pin identification and probe-to-pin contact for signal acquisition.

Abstract: Two daughter cards connected by bus connectors to a motherboard have integrated circuits connected to each other and to an integrated circuit on the motherboard through a bus network. The bus network is also connected by a bus cable connected at the top of the two daughter cards so as to form a loop within the bus network.