Patents by Inventor Kevin L. Condon

Kevin L. Condon 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).

  • Sensor differentiated fault isolation
    Patent number: 7397263
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for diagnostically testing circuitry within a device. The apparatus and method incorporate the use of energy (e.g., light, heat, magnetic, electric, etc.) applied directly to any location on the device that can affect the electrical activity within the circuitry being tested in order to produce an indicator of a response. A local sensor (e.g., photonic, magnetic, etc.) is positioned at another location on the device where the sensor can detect the indicator of the response within the circuitry. A correlator is configured with response location correlation software and/or circuit tracing software so that when the indicator is detected, the correlator can determine the exact location of a response causing a device failure and/or trace the connectivity of the circuitry, based upon the location of the energy source and the location of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Condon, Theodore M. Levin, Leah M. Pastel, David P. Vallett
  • Sensor differentiated fault isolation
    Patent number: 7202689
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for diagnostically testing circuitry within a device. The apparatus and method incorporate the use of energy (e.g., light, heat, magnetic, electric, etc.) applied directly to any location on the device that can affect the electrical activity within the circuitry being tested in order to produce an indicator of a response. A local sensor (e.g., photonic, magnetic, etc.) is positioned at another location on the device where the sensor can detect the indicator of the response within the circuitry. A correlator is configured with response location correlation software and/or circuit tracing software so that when the indicator is detected, the correlator can determine the exact location of a response causing a device failure and/or trace the connectivity of the circuitry, based upon the location of the energy source and the location of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Condon, Theodore M. Levin, Leah M. P. Pastel, David P. Vallett
  • Methodology and apparatus using real-time optical signal for wafer-level device dielectrical reliability studies
    Patent number: 6788093
    Abstract: A method and structure tests devices on a wafer by applying an electrical bias to the devices and simultaneously monitoring emitted light from all of the devices. The emitted light indicates locations of defective devices and records time-based images of the emitted light across the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Aitren, Fen Chen, Kevin L. Condon, Mark F. Dionne, Gregory E. Nuttall
  • METHODOLOGY AND APPARATUS USING REAL-TIME OPTICAL SIGNAL FOR WAFER-LEVEL DEVICE DIELECTRICAL RELIABILITY STUDIES
    Publication number: 20040027149
    Abstract: A method and structure tests devices on a wafer by applying an electrical bias to the devices and simultaneously monitoring emitted light from all of the devices. The emitted light indicates locations of defective devices and records time-based images of the emitted light across the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Aitren, Fen Chen, Kevin L. Condon, Mark F. Dionne, Gregory E. Nuttall