Patents by Inventor James B. Burr

James B. Burr 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: 7334198
    Abstract: Software controlled body bias. A target frequency is accessed. Using software, transistor body-biasing values are determined for the target frequency in order to enhance a characteristic of a circuit. The bodies of the transistors are biased based on the body-biasing values, wherein the characteristic is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Ditzel, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7332763
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device having a body bias voltage mechanism. The integrated circuit comprises a resistive structure disposed therein for selectively coupling either an external body bias voltage or a power supply voltage to biasing wells. A first pad for coupling with a first externally disposed pin can optionally be provided. The first pad is for receiving an externally applied body bias voltage. Circuitry for producing a body bias voltage can be coupled to the first pad for coupling a body bias voltage to a plurality of biasing wells disposed on the integrated circuit device. If an externally applied body bias voltage is not provided, the resistive structure automatically couples a power supply voltage to the biasing wells. The power supply voltage may be obtained internally to the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: James B. Burr, Robert Fu
  • Patent number: 7329928
    Abstract: A method and system of voltage compensated integrated circuits. Operating characteristics of integrated circuitry are enhanced by application of voltage compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Fu, Neal A. Osborn, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7323367
    Abstract: Diagonal deep well region for routing the body-bias voltage for MOSFETS in surface well regions is provided and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Mike Pelham, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7256639
    Abstract: Systems and methods for integrated circuits comprising multiple body bias domains. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, an integrated circuit is constructed comprising active semiconductor devices in first and second body bias domains. A first body biasing voltage is coupled to the first body bias domain, and a second body biasing voltage is coupled to the second body bias domain. The first and the second body biasing voltages are adjusted to achieve a desirable relative performance between the active semiconductor devices in the first and the second body bias domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Kleanthes G. Koniaris, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7211478
    Abstract: Diagonal deep well region for routing the body-bias voltage for MOSFETS in surface well regions is provided and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Mike Pelham, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7205758
    Abstract: Systems and methods for adjusting threshold voltage. A threshold voltage of a transistor of an integrated circuit is measured. A bias voltage, which when applied to a body well of the transistor corrects a difference between the threshold voltage and a desired threshold voltage for the transistor, is determined. The bias, voltage is encoded into non-volatile storage on the integrated circuit. The non-volatile storage can be digital and/or analog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Paul Masleid, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7180322
    Abstract: Systems and methods for closed loop feedback control of integrated circuits. In one embodiment, a plurality of controllable inputs to an integrated circuit is adjusted to achieve a predetermined value of a dynamic operating indicator of the integrated circuit. An operating condition of an integrated circuit is controlled via closed loop feedback based on dynamic operating indicators of the integrated circuit's behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Kleanthes G. Koniaris, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7174528
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing body bias connections to NFETs and PFETs using a deep n-well grid structure. A deep n-well is formed below the surface of a CMOS substrate supporting a plurality of NFETs and PFETs having a nominal gate length of less than 0.2 microns. The deep n-well is a grid structure with a regular array of apertures providing electrical continuity between the bottom of the substrate and the NFETs. At least some of the PFETs reside in surface n-wells that are continuous with the buried n-well grid structure. The grid and n-well layout is performed on the basis of the functionality of the PFETs contained in the n-wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: James B. Burr, William N. Schnaitter
  • Patent number: 7112978
    Abstract: Systems and methods for frequency specific closed loop feedback control of integrated circuits. In one embodiment, a plurality of controllable inputs to an integrated circuit is adjusted to achieve a frequency specific predetermined value of a dynamic operating indicator of the integrated circuit at the desired specific operating frequency. The predetermined value is stored in a data structure within a computer usable media. The data structure comprises a plurality of frequency specific predetermined values for a variety of operating frequencies. An operating condition of an integrated circuit is controlled via closed loop feedback based on dynamic operating indicators of the measured behavior of the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Kleanthes G. Koniaris, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7098512
    Abstract: Layout patterns for the deep well region to facilitate routing the body-bias voltage in a semiconductor device are provided and described. The layout patterns include a diagonal sub-surface mesh structure, an axial sub-surface mesh structure, a diagonal sub-surface strip structure, and an axial sub-surface strip structure. A particular layout pattern is selected for an area of the semiconductor device according to several factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Mike Pelham, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 7049699
    Abstract: Low RC structures for routing body-bias voltage are provided and described. These low RC structures are comprised of a deep well structure coupled to a metal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Paul Masleid, James B. Burr, Michael Pelham
  • Patent number: 7043596
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for computation is provided. A main cluster crossbar is connected to a plurality of statically scheduled routing processors. A first sub-cluster crossbar is associated with a first one of the plurality of statically scheduled routing processors where the first sub-cluster crossbar is connected to a first plurality of execution processors. A second sub-cluster crossbar is associated with a second one of the plurality of statically scheduled routing processors where the second sub-cluster crossbar is connected to a second plurality of execution processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. McWilliams, Jeffrey B. Rubin, Michael W. Parkin, Oyekunle A. Olukotun, Derek E. Pappas, Jeffrey M. Broughton, David R. Emberson, David S. Allison, Ashley N. Saulsbury, Earl T. Cohen, Nyles I. Nettleton, James B. Burr, Liang T. Chen
  • Patent number: 6965151
    Abstract: Structures for providing devices that include resistive paths specifically designed to provide a predetermined resistance between the bulk material of the device and a well tie contact. By providing a resistive path, an equivalent RC circuit is introduced to the device that allows the bulk material potential to track the gate potential, thereby advantageously lowering the threshold voltage as the device turns on and raising the threshold voltage as the device turns off. In addition, the introduction of the resistive path also allows the bulk material potential to be controlled and stabilize at an equilibrium potential between switching events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 6957318
    Abstract: A method for controlling a processor array by a host computer involves creating a graph of a plurality of nodes using a data connection component, configuring a broadcast tree from a spanning tree of the graph, propagating a first command from the host computer to a member of the processor array using the broadcast tree, configuring a reply tree from a spanning tree of the graph, transmitting a response from the member of the processor array to the host computer using the reply tree, and configuring the data connection component to send at least one message selected from the first command and the response on at least one run mode communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Emberson, Jeffrey M. Broughton, James B. Burr, Derek E. Pappas
  • Patent number: 6936898
    Abstract: Diagonal deep well region for routing the body-bias voltage for MOSFETS in surface well regions is provided and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Mike Pelham, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 6838328
    Abstract: A plurality of p-wells and n-wells are formed in a front side of a bulk material, and a plurality of n layers and p layers are alternately formed within the bulk material between a back side of the bulk material and the plurality of n-wells and p-wells. The plurality of n layers are electrically isolated from one another and respectively route different potentials to selected ones of the plurality of n-wells, and likewise, the plurality of p layers are electrically isolated from one another and respectively route different potentials to selected ones of the plurality of p-wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 6831494
    Abstract: A method and system of voltage compensated integrated circuits. Operating characteristics of integrated circuitry are enhanced by application of voltage compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Transmeta Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Fu, Neal A. Osborn, James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 6800924
    Abstract: Structures for providing devices that include resistive paths specifically designed to provide a predetermined resistance between the bulk material of the device and a well tie contact. By providing a resistive path, an equivalent RC circuit is introduced to the device that allows the bulk material potential to track the gate potential, thereby advantageously lowering the threshold voltage as the device turns on and raising the threshold voltage as the device turns off. In addition, the introduction of the resistive path also allows the bulk material potential to be controlled and stabilize at an equilibrium potential between switching events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. Burr
  • Patent number: 6784726
    Abstract: A method and structure for supply gating low power electronic components uses low threshold gating transistors. The low power components operate at supply voltages of less than one volt and typically in the range of 150 to 400 millivolts. Using low threshold gating transistors, the leakage current of the devices, and therefore the standby power dissipation, can be minimized by using any one, or a combination of, four methods including: overdriving the low threshold gating transistors on; overdriving the low threshold gating transistors off; combining very low threshold device transistors with low threshold gating transistors; and providing the low threshold gating transistors with back bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. Burr