Patents by Inventor Jean-Francois Cote

Jean-Francois Cote 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: 11789487
    Abstract: A circuit comprises: a first clock gating device clocked by a first clock signal and configured to generate first clock pulses when a shift enable signal is active, a first transition detecting device clocked by a second clock signal and configured to generate shift gating pulses when detecting active transitions of the first clock pulses, a second clock gating device clocked by the second clock signal and configured to generate shift clock pulses based on the shift gating pulses to clock second scan elements for a shift operation with first scan elements clocked by the first clock signal, and a first retiming device triggered by active pulse edges of the first clock signal and configurable to hold a value for the shift operation. The circuit may further comprise a delay generating device configured to generate delayed shift gating pulses for generating the shift clock pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventors: Benoit Nadeau-Dostie, Jean-Francois Cote
  • Publication number: 20230297534
    Abstract: High Bandwidth IJTAG Through High Speed Parallel Bus A system in a circuit comprises: a first network (710) configurable to transmit data in parallel in the circuit, the first network (710) comprising circuit block interface devices, each of the circuit block interface devices being coupled to ports of one of circuit blocks in the circuit; a plurality of second networks (720, 725, 727), each of the plurality of second networks (720, 725, 727) configurable to transmit data in serial in one of the circuit blocks in the circuit; a third network (730) configurable to transmit data in serial in the circuit when being coupled to the plurality of second networks (720, 725, 727); and a plurality of network switching interface devices (740, 745, 747), each of the plurality of network switching interface devices (740, 745, 747) configurable to couple either the first network (710) or the third network (730) to one of the plurality of second networks (720, 725, 727) based on a control signal stored in the each of the pl
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Cote, Jan Burchard, Jonathan Gaudet
  • Publication number: 20230110161
    Abstract: A circuit comprises: a first clock gating device clocked by a first clock signal and configured to generate first clock pulses when a shift enable signal is active, a first transition detecting device clocked by a second clock signal and configured to generate shift gating pulses when detecting active transitions of the first clock pulses, a second clock gating device clocked by the second clock signal and configured to generate shift clock pulses based on the shift gating pulses to clock second scan elements for a shift operation with first scan elements clocked by the first clock signal, and a first retiming device triggered by active pulse edges of the first clock signal and configurable to hold a value for the shift operation. The circuit may further comprise a delay generating device configured to generate delayed shift gating pulses for generating the shift clock pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Benoit Nadeau-Dostie, Jean-Francois Cote
  • Patent number: 11614487
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a plurality of clock control devices. Each of the clock control devices is configured to generate a scan test clock signal for a particular clock domain in the circuit and comprises circuitry configured to select clock pulses of a fast clock signal as scan capture clock pulses for the particular clock domain based on a particular clock pulse of a slow clock signal and a scan enable signal. The order and spacing between the groups of the scan capture clock pulses for different clock domains correspond to the order and spacing of the clock pulses of the slow clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Cote
  • Publication number: 20220018902
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a plurality of clock control devices. Each of the clock control devices is configured to generate a scan test clock signal for a particular clock domain in the circuit and comprises circuitry configured to select clock pulses of a fast clock signal as scan capture clock pulses for the particular clock domain based on a particular clock pulse of a slow clock signal and a scan enable signal. The order and spacing between the groups of the scan capture clock pulses for different clock domains correspond to the order and spacing of the clock pulses of the slow clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Cote
  • Patent number: 11085965
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a clock gating device. The clock gating device comprises a multiplexing device and circuitry for generating multiplexer input signals. The selector input of the multiplexing device is coupled to a clock signal. The multiplexing device selects the first input signal to send to an output of the multiplexing device when the selector input is set to “0” and selects the second input signal to send to the output of the multiplexing device outputted when the selector input is set to “1”. The circuitry for generating multiplexer input signals is configured to ensure the timing of the transitions on the output are derived from the timing of the transitions of the clock signal and not by the timing of the transition of the first and second inputs of the multiplexing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Cote
  • Patent number: 11042181
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a burst clock control and gating device configured to generate a modified clock signal in a test mode by allowing a preset number of clock pulses of a clock signal to go through during each clock cycle of a reference clock signal, and a plurality of clock gating devices. Each of the plurality of clock gating devices comprises a multiplexing device, wherein the modified clock signal is coupled to a selector input of the multiplexing device, and input signal generation circuitry configured to ensure the timing of the transitions on the output are derived purely from the timing of the transitions of the clock and not by the timing of the transition of the first and second inputs of the multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Cote
  • Patent number: 10788530
    Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosed technology relate to streaming data to circuit blocks in a circuit. A system for streaming data in a circuit comprises a first network comprising first data channels and first interface devices and a second network comprising second data channels and second interface devices. Each of the first interface devices is coupled to ports of one of circuit blocks in the circuit and configurable to transport a plurality of equal-sized data packets consecutively. Each of the second interface devices is coupled to one of the first interface devices and configurable to transport configuration data to the first interface devices. The configuration data comprise data for determining whether or not a first interface device is activated and data for determining which bit or bits of each of the plurality of data packets to be captured, replaced, or captured and replaced by an activated first interface device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Cote, Mark A. Kassab, Janusz Rajski
  • Patent number: 10775436
    Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosed technology relate to using data throttling to generate streaming data for streaming networks in circuits. A plurality of equal-sized data packets to be transported consecutively in a network to the plurality of circuit blocks are generated. The number of bits in each of the plurality of equal-sized data packets assigned to a circuit block requiring longest data loading time is equal to the number of input ports of the circuit block, while the number of bits in each of the plurality of data packets assigned to each of the rest of the plurality of circuit blocks is equal to or smaller than the number of input ports of the each of rest of the plurality of circuit blocks, determined based on the longest data loading time and data loading time for the each of rest of the plurality of circuit blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Cote, Mark A. Kassab, Janusz Rajski
  • Publication number: 20200142442
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a burst clock control and gating device configured to generate a modified clock signal in a test mode by allowing a preset number of clock pulses of a clock signal to go through during each clock cycle of a reference clock signal, and a plurality of clock gating devices. Each of the plurality of clock gating devices comprises a multiplexing device, wherein the modified clock signal is coupled to a selector input of the multiplexing device, and input signal generation circuitry configured to ensure the timing of the transitions on the output are derived purely from the timing of the transitions of the clock and not by the timing of the transition of the first and second inputs of the multiplexer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Cote
  • Publication number: 20200141999
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a clock gating device. The clock gating device comprises a multiplexing device and circuitry for generating multiplexer input signals. The selector input of the multiplexing device is coupled to a clock signal. The multiplexing device selects the first input signal to send to an output of the multiplexing device when the selector input is set to “0” and selects the second input signal to send to the output of the multiplexing device outputted when the selector input is set to “1”. The circuitry for generating multiplexer input signals is configured to ensure the timing of the transitions on the output are derived from the timing of the transitions of the clock signal and not by the timing of the transition of the first and second inputs of the multiplexing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Cote
  • Patent number: 10476740
    Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosed technology relate to generating streaming data and configuration data for streaming networks in circuits. Configuration information for transporting data in a first network to the plurality of circuit blocks in a circuit is determined based on information of the plurality of circuit blocks, information of the first network, the data, user-provided information, or any combination thereof. Sets of data packets are generated from the data based on the configuration information. Each set of the sets of data packets comprises equal-sized data packets to be transported consecutively in the first network. Configuration data to be transported in a second network in the circuit is also generated based on the configuration information. The configuration data comprises data for configuring first interface devices comprised in the first network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Cote, Mark A. Kassab, Janusz Rajski
  • Patent number: 10473721
    Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosed technology relate to streaming data for testing identical circuit blocks in a circuit. The system for streaming data comprises a first network for transporting equal-sized data packets consecutively and a second network for configuring interface devices of the first network. Each of the data packets comprises bits of test patterns and bits of good-machine test responses. Comparison bits (pass/fail status bits) of an identical circuit block instance may be unloaded directly or may merge with those from other identical circuit block instances to generate accumulated comparison bits which are unloaded. A sticky pass/fail bit may also be generated for each of the identical circuit block instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: MENTOR GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Cote, Mark A. Kassab, Janusz Rajski
  • Patent number: 9389945
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to test access architecture for stacked dies. The disclosed test access interface for a die can function as a stand-alone test access interface, allowing both pre-bond testing and post-bond testing of the die. In a stack of dies, the test access interface of a die may be enabled/disabled by the test access interface of an adjacent die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Press, Etienne Racine, Martin Keim, Jean-Francois Cote
  • Patent number: 9389944
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to test access architecture for stacked dies. The disclosed test access interface for a die can function as a stand-alone test access interface, allowing both pre-bond testing and post-bond testing of the die. In a stack of dies, the test access interface of a die may be enabled/disabled by the test access interface of an adjacent die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Press, Etienne Racine, Martin Keim, Jean-Francois Cote
  • Patent number: 8619077
    Abstract: A pixel shader program for execution by a processing unit in a graphics processing module is designed to execute a color space processing function on individual pixels of a video image. The color space processing function is broken down into series of steps, each of which is amenable to representation by an individual instruction taken from an instruction set. The instructions cause the processor to load pixel color data into first memory elements, to read the first memory elements as well as second memory elements containing pre-loaded parameters representative of the color space processing function and to generate a processed set of color data for each pixel by manipulating the first and second memory elements. In this way, color space processing functionality, such as color space conversion and procamp controls, is provided without the need for specialized hardware and without encroaching upon the computational efficiency of the host CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Matrox Graphics Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-François Côté, Jean-Jacques Ostiguy
  • Patent number: 8516317
    Abstract: Methods for at-speed testing of a memory interface associated with an embedded memory comprise two write operations in succession, two read operations in succession, and a capture operation using scan cells. The write and read operations are performed during a single clock burst, two separate clock bursts in a clock signal, or two separate clock bursts in separate clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Benoit Nadeau-Dostie, Jean-François Côté
  • Publication number: 20120198294
    Abstract: Methods for at-speed testing of a memory interface associated with an embedded memory involves in general two write operations in succession, two read operations in succession, and a capture operation using scan cells. The write and read operations may be performed during a single clock burst, two separate clock bursts in a clock signal, or two separate clock bursts in separate clock signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Benoit Nadeau-Dostie, Jean-François Côté
  • Patent number: 7757135
    Abstract: A system for repairing embedded memories on an integrated circuit includes an external Built-In Self-repair Register (BISR) associated with every reparable memory. Each BISR is serially configured in a daisy chain with a fuse box controller. The controller determines the daisy chain length upon power up. The controller may perform a corresponding number of shift operations to move repair data between BISRs and a fuse box. Memories can have a parallel or serial repair interface. The BISRs may have a repair analysis facility into which fuse data may be dumped and uploaded to the fuse box or downloaded to repair the memory. Pre-designed circuit blocks provide daisy chain inputs and access ports to effect the system or to bypass the circuit block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Benoit Nadeau-Dostie, Jean-François Coté
  • Publication number: 20100037109
    Abstract: A method and a circuit of testing of a memory interface associated with an embedded memory in a semiconductor circuit involves writing to two memory locations in succession; reading the two memory locations in succession in the same order in which the two memory locations were written; capturing output data from the memory interface; and analyzing captured output data to determine whether said captured output data corresponds to expected data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: LogicVision, Inc.
    Inventors: Benoit NADEAU-DOSTIE, Jean-François CÖTÉ