Patents by Inventor Lee D. Whetsel

Lee D. Whetsel 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).

  • Publication number: 20230194604
    Abstract: In some examples, an integrated circuit comprises: a TDI input, a TDO output, a TCK input and a TMS input; a TAP state machine (TSM) having an input coupled to the TCK input, an input coupled to the TMS input, an instruction register control output, a TSM data register control (DRC) output, and a TSM state output; an instruction register having an input coupled to the TDI input, an output coupled to the TDO output, and a control input coupled to the instruction register control output of the TAP state machine; router circuitry including a TSM DRC input coupled to the TSM DRC output, a control DRC input coupled to the TSM state output, and a router DRC output; and a data register having an input coupled to the TDI input, an output coupled to the TDO output, and a data register DRC input coupled to the router DRC output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20230194603
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for providing a shadow access port within a device. The shadow access port is accessed to perform operations in the device by reusing the TDI, TMS, TCK and TDO signals that are used to operate a test access port within the device. The presence and operation of the shadow access port is transparent to the presence and operation of the test access port. According to the disclosure, the shadow access port operates on the falling edge of the TCK signal while the test access port conventionally operates on the rising edge of the TCK signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11680985
    Abstract: A falling edge controller includes a controller having an inverted TCK (Test Clock) input, a TMS (Test Mode Select) input, a shift register control output, an update register control output, and a shift output; a shift register having a TDI (Test Data In) input, a shift register control input coupled to the shift register control output, address inputs, a select input, address and select outputs, and a TDO (Test Data Out) output; an update register having address and select inputs coupled to the address and select outputs, an update register control input coupled to the update register control output, address outputs coupled to the address inputs, and a select output coupled to the select input; and address circuitry having address inputs coupled to the address outputs, and having an enable output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11680981
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a novel method and apparatus for inputting addresses to devices to select the device TAP for access. Further, the disclosure provides a novel method and apparatus for inputting addresses for selecting device TAPs and for inputting commands for commanding circuitry within the device. The inputting of addresses or the inputting of addresses and commands is initiated by a control bit input on TDI that is recognized during the Run Test/Idle, Pause-DR or Pause-IR TAP states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11675007
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a test architecture that supports a common approach to testing individual die and dies in a 3D stack arrangement. The test architecture uses an improved TAP design to facilitate the testing of parallel test circuits within the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20230176123
    Abstract: The disclosure describes novel methods and apparatuses for accessing test compression architectures (TCA) in a device using either a parallel or serial access technique. The serial access technique may be controlled by a device tester or by a JTAG controller. Further the disclosure provides an approach to access the TCA of a device when the device exists in a daisy-chain arrangement with other devices, such as in a customer’s system. Additional embodiments are also provided and described in the disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20230160958
    Abstract: This disclosure describes die test architectures that can be implemented in a first, middle and last die of a die stack. The die test architectures are mainly the same, but for the exceptions mentioned in this disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20230160959
    Abstract: Testing of die on wafer is achieved by; (1) providing a tester with the capability of externally communicating JTAG test signals using simultaneously bidirectional transceiver circuitry, (2) providing die on wafer with the capability of externally communicating JTAG test signals using simultaneously bidirectional transceiver circuity, and (3) providing a connectivity mechanism between the bidirectional transceiver circuitry's of the tester and a selected group or all of the die on wafer for communication of the JTAG signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11656278
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatuses for allowing a controller to select and access different types of access ports in a device. The selecting and accessing of the access ports is achieved using only the dedicated TDI, TMS, TCK, and TDO signal terminals of the device. The selecting and accessing of device access ports can be achieved when a single device is connected to the controller, when multiple devices are placed in a daisy-chain arrangement and connected to the controller, or when multiple devices are placed in a addressable parallel arrangement and connected to the controller. Additional embodiments are also provided and described in the disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11644482
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for improving silicon interposers to include test circuitry for testing stacked die mounted on the interposer. The improvement allows for the stacked die to be selectively tested by an external tester or by the test circuitry included in the interposer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11644503
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for testing TSVs within a semiconductor device. According to embodiments illustrated and described in the disclosure, a TSV may be tested by stimulating and measuring a response from a first end of a TSV while the second end of the TSV held at ground potential. Multiple TSVs within the semiconductor device may be tested in parallel to reduce the TSV testing time according to the disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Baher S. Haroun
  • Patent number: 11639963
    Abstract: The disclosure describes novel methods and apparatuses for controlling a device's TCA circuit when the device exists in a JTAG daisy-chain arrangement with other devices. The methods and apparatuses allow the TCA test pattern set used during device manufacturing to be reused when the device is placed in a JTAG daisy-chain arrangement with other devices, such as in a customers system using the device. Additional embodiments are also provided and described in the disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instmments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11635464
    Abstract: Testing of an electrical device is achieved by providing a test access mechanism within the device that can receive scan frames from an external tester. The received scan frames contain stimulus data to be applied to circuitry within the device to be tested, a command for enabling a test control operation, and a frame marker bit to indicate the end of the scan frame pattern. The inputting of scan frames can occur continuously and simultaneous with a commanded test control operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11630151
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a process and apparatus for accessing devices on a substrate. The substrate may include only full pin JTAG devices (504), only reduced pin JTAG devices (506), or a mixture of both full pin and reduced pin JTAG devices. The access is accomplished using a single interface (502) between the substrate (408) and a JTAG controller (404). The access interface may be a wired interface or a wireless interface and may be used for JTAG based device testing, debugging, programming, or other type of JTAG based operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11609269
    Abstract: A device test architecture and interface is provided to enable efficient testing embedded cores within devices. The test architecture interfaces to standard IEEE 1500 core test wrappers and provides high test data bandwidth to the wrappers from an external tester. The test architecture includes compare circuits that allow for comparison of test response data to be performed within the device. The test architecture further includes a memory for storing the results of the test response comparisons. The test architecture includes a programmable test controller to allow for various test control operations by simply inputting an instruction to the programmable test controller from the external tester. The test architecture includes a selector circuit for selecting a core for testing. Additional features and embodiments of the device test architectures are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11604222
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for improving the operation of a TAP architecture in a device through the use of Command signal inputs to the TAP architecture. In response to a Command signal input, the TAP architecture can perform streamlined and uninterrupted Update, Capture and Shift operation cycles to a target circuit in the device or streamlined and uninterrupted capture and shift operation cycles to a target circuit in the device. The Command signals can be input to the TAP architecture via the devices dedicated TMS or TDI inputs or via a separate CMD input to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instmments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Publication number: 20230058458
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a reduced pin bus that can be used on integrated circuits or embedded cores within integrated circuits. The bus may be used for serial access to circuits where the availability of pins on ICs or terminals on cores is limited. The bus may be used for a variety of serial communication operations such as, but not limited to, serial communication related test, emulation, debug, and/or trace operations of an IC or core design. Other aspects of the disclosure include the use of reduced pin buses for emulation, debug, and trace operations and for functional operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11585852
    Abstract: In some examples, an integrated circuit comprises: a TDI input, a TDO output, a TCK input and a TMS input; a TAP state machine (TSM) having an input coupled to the TCK input, an input coupled to the TMS input, an instruction register control output, a TSM data register control (DRC) output, and a TSM state output; an instruction register having an input coupled to the TDI input, an output coupled to the TDO output, and a control input coupled to the instruction register control output of the TAP state machine; router circuitry including a TSM DRC input coupled to the TSM DRC output, a control DRC input coupled to the TSM state output, and a router DRC output; and a data register having an input coupled to the TDI input, an output coupled to the TDO output, and a data register DRC input coupled to the router DRC output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11585851
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for improving interposers that connected stacked die assemblies to system substrates. The improvement includes the addition of IEEE 1149.1 circuitry within interposers to allow simplifying interconnect testing of digital and analog signal connections between the interposer and system substrate it is attached too. The improvement also includes the additional 1149.1 controlled circuitry that allows real time monitoring of voltage supply and ground buses in the interposer. The improvement also includes the additional of 1149.1 controlled circuitry that allows real time monitoring of functional digital and analog input and output signals in the interposer. The improvement also provides the ability to selectively serially link the 1149.1 circuitry in the interposer with 1149.1 circuitry in the die of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11579193
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for providing a shadow access port within a device. The shadow access port is accessed to perform operations in the device by reusing the TDI, TMS, TCK and TDO signals that are used to operate a test access port within the device. The presence and operation of the shadow access port is transparent to the presence and operation of the test access port. According to the disclosure, the shadow access port operates on the falling edge of the TCK signal while the test access port conventionally operates on the rising edge of the TCK signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel