Patents by Inventor Larry Willis Petersen

Larry Willis Petersen 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: 5838046
    Abstract: A read only memory (ROM) array is disclosed which includes a) a voltage supply providing an operating voltage level, b) a plurality of word-lines, c) a multiplicity of ROM transistors, and d) a word-line clamper. The ROM transistors are divided into turned on and turned off transistors. Each ROM transistor has a gate connected to one of the word-lines, a gate oxide beneath the gate, whose thickness is less than 250 .ANG., and a channel beneath the gate oxide. The turned off transistors additionally have a ROM implant in their channel whose dosage is no larger than the amount which generates a predetermined desired minimal band-to-band tunneling current The ROM implant and gate oxide thickness define a threshold voltage for the tamed off tranistors, the threshold voltage being less than the operating voltage level. The word-line damper provides a word-line voltage to each of the word-lines, the word-line voltage being clamped to a voltage level no higher than the threshold voltage of the turned off transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignees: Waferscale Integration Inc., American Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rustom F. Irani, Boaz Eitan, Mark Michael Nelson, Larry Willis Petersen
  • Patent number: 5682353
    Abstract: A clock delay circuit for generating a delay for a sense amplifier release signal in an integrated circuit semiconductor memory device is disclosed. Rather than utilize traditional programmable capacitors that must be trimmed on a die by die basis, the novel clock delay circuit disclosed utilizes a small ROM, EPROM, EEPROM or FLASH array coupled to a bit line emulator to provide a clock delay matched to the larger main array. The size of the small memory array is on the order of 5 to 10 bit lines by 5 to 10 word lines. One cell within the small array is fixed to be continuously selected. The selected cell is coupled to the clock delay node along with the bit line emulator. The bit line emulator models the capacitance of the actual bit line used in the main array. However, the circuit is constructed so that a much larger signal is generated by the delay circuit such that sense amplifiers detect the correct signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignees: Waferscale Integration Inc., American Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Boaz Eitan, Larry Willis Petersen, Yaron Slezak