Patents by Inventor Joel J. Graber

Joel J. Graber 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: 9103886
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Publication number: 20140157071
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 8683281
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 8356220
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Publication number: 20120204072
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 8185789
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Publication number: 20110289371
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 8015464
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 7795918
    Abstract: This invention operates to select a drive code for an adjustable drive strength transistor in a drive buffer. The drive code is determined employing a scaled-down drive transistor employing varying drive codes compared with a standard. The thus determined drive code is combined with an offset to generate the drive code for the adjustable strength transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Joel J. Graber
  • Publication number: 20090045845
    Abstract: This invention operates to select a drive code for an adjustable drive strength transistor in a drive buffer. The drive code is determined employing a scaled-down drive transistor employing varying drive codes compared with a standard. The thus determined drive code is combined with an offset to generate the drive code for the adjustable strength transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventor: Joel J. Graber
  • Publication number: 20080320351
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 7437639
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present invention improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 7325178
    Abstract: The pBIST solution to memory testing is a balanced hardware-software oriented solution. pBIST hardware provides access to all memories and other such logic (e.g. register files) in pipelined logic allowing back-to-back accesses. The approach then gives the user access to this logic through CPU-like logic in which the programmer can code any algorithm to target any memory testing technique required. Because hardware inside the chip is used at-speed, the full device speed capabilities are available. CPU-like hardware can be programmed and algorithms can be developed and executed after tape-out and while testing on devices in chip form is in process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Raguram Damodaran, Timothy D. Anderson, Sanjive Agarwala, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 7095671
    Abstract: Electrical fuses (eFuses) are applied to the task of memory performance adjustment to improve upon earlier fuse techniques by not requiring an additional processing step and expensive equipment. Standard electrical fuse (eFuse) hardware chains provide a soft test feature wherein the effect of memory slow-down can be tested prior to actually programming the fuses. Electrical fuses thus provide a very efficient non-volatile method to match the logic-memory interface through memory trimming, drastically cutting costs and cycle times involved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Manjeri Krishnan, Bryan Sheffield, Joel J. Graber, Duy-Loan Le, Sanjive Agarwala
  • Patent number: 6928011
    Abstract: Electrical fuses (eFuses) are applied to the task of memory performance adjustment to improve upon earlier fuse techniques by not requiring an additional processing step and expensive equipment. Standard electrical fuse (eFuse) hardware chains provide a soft test feature wherein the effect of memory slow-down can be tested prior to actually programming the fuses. Electrical fuses thus provide a very efficient non-volatile method to match the logic-memory interface through memory trimming, drastically cutting costs and cycle times involved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Manjeri Krishnan, Bryan Sheffield, Joel J. Graber, Duy-Loan Le, Sanjive Agarwala
  • Patent number: 6898749
    Abstract: Low power delay test capabilities in Scan and Scan-BIST architectures occur by inserting a first cache bit memory between the scan input lead and the serial input to a first scan path segment. When the first segment is serially loaded, the last test bit remains in the first cache bit memory. When a last scan path segment is serially loaded and when the last bit is loaded into the last scan path segment, the last bit in the first cache bit memory is simultaneously loaded into the first scan path segment. This presents the desired stimulus signals to the logic circuits. The next clock signal to the scan path segments then captures the response from the logic circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Publication number: 20020035712
    Abstract: Scan and Scan-BIST architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present invention improves upon low power Scan and Scan-BIST methods. The improvement allows the low power Scan and Scan-BIST architectures to achieve a delay test capability equally as effective as the delay test capabilities used in conventional scan and Scan-BIST architectures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Joel J. Graber
  • Patent number: 6065113
    Abstract: In a method embodiment (10), the method operates a microprocessor (110), and the microprocessor has an instruction set. The method first (11) stores an identifier code uniquely identifying the particular microprocessor in a one-time programmable register. The method second (12) issues to the microprocessor an identifier request instruction from the instruction set. The method then, and in response to the identifier request instruction, provides (18) from the microprocessor an identifier code. Other circuits, systems, and methods are also disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jonathan H. Shiell, Joel J. Graber, Donald E. Steiss
  • Patent number: 6061811
    Abstract: A microprocessor (10) operating in response to a clock signal (CLK) having a clock period. The microprocessor includes a readable memory (16), and this readable memory stores code (BIST) for performing diagnostic evaluations of the microprocessor. The diagnostic evaluations include a first evaluation to occur under non-failure operation at a first clock period (24) and a last evaluation to occur under non-failure operation at a last clock period (26). The microprocessor further includes circuitry (14) for issuing a series of addresses to the readable memory in order to address the code for performing diagnostic evaluations of the microprocessor. Still further, the microprocessor includes a conductor (D0) externally accessible and for providing a signal from the microprocessor. Lastly, the microprocessor includes circuitry (12) for outputting a diagnostic signal on the externally accessible conductor during performance of the diagnostic evaluations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James O. Bondi, Joel J. Graber, Donald E. Steiss, John M. Johnsen