Patents by Inventor Howard H. Smith

Howard H. Smith 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: 10467372
    Abstract: A method and system for implementing automated identification of optimal sense point (SP) and sector locations in various on-chip linear voltage regulator designs. A customized cost function is used along with predefined performance metrics to identify optimal SP and sector locations, under user-defined design constraints. The SP and sector locations are updated based on the identified optimization results, and the updated SP and sector locations are applied to an on-chip linear voltage regulator design to provide enhanced regulator performance and to ensure proper operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anurag P. Umbarkar, Erich C. Schanzenbach, Howard H. Smith, Raju Balasubramanian
  • Publication number: 20190034573
    Abstract: A method and system for implementing automated identification of optimal sense point (SP) and sector locations in various on-chip linear voltage regulator designs. A customized cost function is used along with predefined performance metrics to identify optimal SP and sector locations, under user-defined design constraints. The SP and sector locations are updated based on the identified optimization results, and the updated SP and sector locations are applied to an on-chip linear voltage regulator design to provide enhanced regulator performance and to ensure proper operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Anurag P. Umbarkar, Erich C. Schanzenbach, Howard H. Smith, Raju Balasubramanian
  • Patent number: 9607118
    Abstract: A linear circuit simulator can be supplied with a linear power distribution model of an integrated circuit (IC) and two sets of voltage regulator equivalent resistances. The linear circuit simulator can then be used to calculate two voltages, at a sense point of the IC, corresponding to the two sets of voltage regulator equivalent resistances. The two sets of voltage regulator equivalent resistances and the two voltages at the IC sense point can be used to interpolate a slope of a resistance versus voltage curve of the linear power distribution model. The slope can be used to calculate an updated set of voltage regulator equivalent resistances, which can be used by the linear circuit simulator to calculate a set of performance metrics and an updated voltage at the sense point of the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Raju Balasubramanian, Erich C. Schanzenbach, Howard H. Smith, Anurag P. Umbarkar
  • Patent number: 9582622
    Abstract: A linear circuit simulator can be supplied with a linear power distribution model of an integrated circuit (IC) and two sets of voltage regulator equivalent resistances. The linear circuit simulator can then be used to calculate two voltages, at a sense point of the IC, corresponding to the two sets of voltage regulator equivalent resistances. The two sets of voltage regulator equivalent resistances and the two voltages at the IC sense point can be used to interpolate a slope of a resistance versus voltage curve of the linear power distribution model. The slope can be used to calculate an updated set of voltage regulator equivalent resistances, which can be used by the linear circuit simulator to calculate a set of performance metrics and an updated voltage at the sense point of the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Raju Balasubramanian, Erich C. Schanzenbach, Howard H. Smith, Anurag P. Umbarkar
  • Patent number: 7971171
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electromigration analysis method and a system for analyzing one or more nets in a digital integrated circuit design that are at risk of electromigration. The method comprises the steps of providing at least one interconnect between a driver cell and at least one load cell; applying same extracted netlist data for noise and/or timing analysis and for electromigration analysis; modeling the driver cell by a train of trapezoidal voltage pulses transmitted from the driver cell to the one or more load cells through the at least one interconnect; extracting at least a slew rate of a driver voltage signal and/or timing information from a noise and/or timing analysis for the one or more nets; and comparing a locally measured current density in the at least one interconnect to an effective local maximum current density limit of the at least one interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joachim Keinert, Howard H. Smith, Patrick M. Williams
  • Patent number: 7844435
    Abstract: An integrated circuit chip has new Frequency dependent RLC extraction and modeling providing on chip integrity and noise verification and the extraction and modeling employs: A) 2D scan line algorithm for the collection of adjacent signal and power conductor coordinates; B) In core pair-wise frequency Dependent RL extraction; C) In core equivalent circuit synthesis; D) caching and partitioning RL extraction techniques for run time efficiency; and E) Techniques for synthesizing stable circuits to represent frequency dependent RL circuits for non-mono tonic R12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Bowen, Alina Deutsch, Gerard V. Kopcsay, Byron L. Krauter, Barry J. Rubin, Howard H. Smith, David J. Widiger
  • Publication number: 20090013290
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electromigration analysis method and a system for analyzing one or more nets in a digital integrated circuit design that are at risk of electromigration. The method comprises the steps of providing at least one interconnect between a driver cell and at least one load cell; applying same extracted netlist data for noise and/or timing analysis and for electromigration analysis; modeling the driver cell by a train of trapezoidal voltage pulses transmitted from the driver cell to the one or more load cells through the at least one interconnect; extracting at least a slew rate of a driver voltage signal (UD) and/or timing information from a noise and/or timing analysis for the one or more nets; and comparing a locally measured current density (if,rms,R32) in the at least one interconnect to an effective local maximum current density limit (irms,max) of the at least one interconnect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joachim Keinert, Howard H. Smith, Patrick M. Williams
  • Patent number: 7346877
    Abstract: This method for decoupling capacitance analysis improves upon existing techniques to attempt to give a more accurate representation of the power supply fluctuations on a chip while keeping runtime comparable. This method employs the following techniques; a) a method for descending through hierarchy and dividing the design into a variable sized grid; b) an algorithm to determine which grid locations of a design don't have enough decoupling capacitors for all of the devices in that grid location; c) an algorithm to determine which grid locations are subject to harmful neighboring effects; and d) a method to display the results of the calculations in a graphical manor to allow easy identification of problem areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Howard H. Smith, Richard P. Underwood, Alan P. Wagstaff
  • Patent number: 7319946
    Abstract: New Frequency dependent RLC extraction and modeling for on chip integrity and noise verification employs: A) 2D scan line algorithm for the collection of adjacent signal and power conductor coordinates; B) In core pair-wise frequency Dependent RL extraction; C) In core equivalent circuit synthesis; D) caching and partitioning RL extraction techniques for run time efficiency; and E) Techniques for synthesizing stable circuits to represent frequency dependent RL circuits for non-mono tonic R12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Bowen, Alina Deutsch, Gerard V. Kopcsay, Byron L. Krauter, Barry J. Rubin, Howard H. Smith, David J. Widiger
  • Patent number: 7269806
    Abstract: This method for decoupling capacitance analysis improves upon existing techniques to attempt to give a more accurate representation of the power supply fluctuations on a chip while keeping runtime comparable. This method employs the following techniques; a) a method for descending through hierarchy and dividing the design into a variable sized grid; b) an algorithm to determine which grid locations of a design don't have enough decoupling capacitors for all of the devices in that grid location; c) an algorithm to determine which grid locations are subject to harmful neighboring effects; and d) a method to display the results of the calculations in a graphical manor to allow easy identification of problem areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Howard H. Smith, Richard P. Underwood, Alan P. Wagstaff
  • Patent number: 7093206
    Abstract: A computer aided design (CAD) system. A template generation engine generates templates from interconnect configuration files. A field solver generates high frequency passive element relationships from the templates. A circuit builder generates circuit description files from device technology models and from high frequency passive element relationships. Parameterized circuit description models may be generated for large range of sensitivity analyses. A simulator simulates circuit responses for transmission line models from the circuit description files. Interconnect configuration files may be generated by a geometry and material definition module that receives process description data from a designer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Minakshisundaran B. Anand, Matthew S. Angyal, Alina Deutsch, Ibrahim M. Elfadel, Gerard V. Kopcsay, Barry J. Rubin, Howard H. Smith
  • Patent number: 7086026
    Abstract: This method for decoupling capacitance analysis improves upon existing techniques to attempt to give a more accurate representation of the power supply fluctuations on a chip while keeping runtime comparable. This method employs the following techniques: 1. A method for descending through hierarchy and dividing the design into a variable sized grid. 2. An algorithm to determine which grid locations of a design don't have enough decoupling capacitors for all of the devices in that grid location. 3. An algorithm to determine which grid locations are subject to harmful neighboring effects. 4. A method to display the results of the calculations in a graphical manor to allow easy identification of problem areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Howard H. Smith, Richard P. Underwood, Alan P. Wagstaff
  • Patent number: 6963204
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for analyzing the noise prediction within one or more electrical circuits, wherein the electrical circuits have a power mesh grid distribution system that feeds power levels to the electrical circuits that are connected by signal wires. After identifying a driver and receiver electrical circuit to be analyzed, a power block is generated that is associated with the driver and receiver electrical circuit by partitioning an area of a power mesh grid distribution system into a power block that can be modeled with lossy transmission line techniques. Next, signal wires situated between the driver and receiver electrical circuits are partitioned into signal blocks that can be modeled with lossy transmission line techniques. Lastly, the power blocks and signal blocks associated with the electrical circuits are analyzed in order to predict the noise performance within the electrical circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alina Deutsch, Gerard V. Kopcsay, Byron L. Krauter, Barry J. Rubin, Howard H. Smith
  • Publication number: 20040230926
    Abstract: This method for decoupling capacitance analysis improves upon existing techniques to attempt to give a more accurate representation of the power supply fluctuations on a chip while keeping runtime comparable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Berry, Howard H. Smith, Richard P. Underwood, Alan P. Wagstaff
  • Publication number: 20040078176
    Abstract: New Frequency dependent RLC extraction and modeling for on chip integrity and noise verification employs:
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Bowen, Alina Deutsch, Gerard V. Kopcsay, Byron L. Krauter, Barry J. Rubin, Howard H. Smith, David J. Widiger
  • Patent number: 6618843
    Abstract: A method of evaluating decoupling capacitor placement for Very Large Scale Integrated Chips (VLSI) is disclosed. Included in the method is an analysis of the usage for each decoupling capacitor, the distance from the devices, and the locations of the devices and decoupling capacitors. Also addressed are the orientations and size of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Allan H. Dansky, Wiren D. Becker, Howard H. Smith, Peter J. Camporese, Kwok Fai Eng, Dale E. Hoffman, Bhupindra Singh
  • Patent number: 6618844
    Abstract: A method of evaluating decoupling capacitor placement for Very Large Scale Integrated Chips (VLSI) is disclosed. Included in the method is an analysis of the usage for each decoupling capacitor, the distance from the devices, and the locations of the devices and decoupling capacitors. Also addressed are the orientations and size of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Allan H. Dansky, Wiren D. Becker, Howard H. Smith, Peter J. Camporese, Kwok Fai Eng, Dale E. Hoffman, Bhupindra Singh
  • Patent number: 6582012
    Abstract: A separator panel water management system is provided for a vehicle. The vehicle includes a separator panel positioned within an opening defined between a vehicle interior and a vehicle cargo box. The separator panel is pivotable between a closed position within the opening and an open position away from the opening to allow cargo to extend from the cargo box through the opening into the vehicle interior. A seal is positioned within the opening to seal the separator panel within the opening to prevent water leakage from the cargo box into the vehicle interior. A water management tray is positioned below the opening to receive any water which leaks past the seal into the vehicle interior. The water management tray has at least one channel formed therein to direct the water into at least one hole formed through the tray. A water discharge path is configured to receive water from the hole and to direct the water out of the vehicle interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Howard H Smith
  • Patent number: 6546529
    Abstract: Deterministic evaluation of coupling noise voltage is a function of many physical and electrical parameters such as wiring level, widths, spacing, net topologies, drv impedance and slew rates. This evaluation requires electrical modeling and subsequent circuit simulation to assess the sensitivities of these parameters. These sensitivities can be categorized as coupling guidelines that can be directly linked through extracted physical design data. This invention discloses the development and implementation of a technique for using a coupling guideline table early in the design of an integrated circuit when all the parameters generally required for coupling noise voltage calculations are not available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Allan H. Dansky, Michael A. Bowen, Peter J. Camporese, Alina Deutsch, Howard H. Smith
  • Patent number: D893625
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Inventor: Howard H. Smith