Patents by Inventor Otto Andreas Torreiter

Otto Andreas Torreiter 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: 20240019488
    Abstract: A method for testing at least one single chip in a wafer probing system, at least comprising: providing an adapter plate having an interface surface for contacting a vacuum chuck of the wafer probing system, the adapter plate being configured to accommodate the at least one single chip in a cutout with a chip rear surface being flush with the interface surface; loading the adapter plate with the at least one single chip into the wafer probing system; determining an exact position of the at least one single chip in the adapter plate in the search area; and testing the at least one single chip with test routines stored in a controller of the wafer probing system. A device and an adapter plate for testing at least one single chip in a wafer probing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas Gentner, Alejandro Alberto Cook Lobo, Otto Andreas Torreiter
  • Patent number: 11808808
    Abstract: A method for testing at least one single chip in a wafer probing system, at least comprising: providing an adapter plate having an interface surface for contacting a vacuum chuck of the wafer probing system, the adapter plate being configured to accommodate the at least one single chip in a cutout with a chip rear surface being flush with the interface surface; loading the adapter plate with the at least one single chip into the wafer probing system; determining an exact position of the at least one single chip in the adapter plate in the search area; and testing the at least one single chip with test routines stored in a controller of the wafer probing system. A device and an adapter plate for testing at least one single chip in a wafer probing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Gentner, Alejandro Alberto Cook Lobo, Otto Andreas Torreiter
  • Publication number: 20230176116
    Abstract: A method for testing at least one single chip in a wafer probing system, at least comprising: providing an adapter plate having an interface surface for contacting a vacuum chuck of the wafer probing system, the adapter plate being configured to accommodate the at least one single chip in a cutout with a chip rear surface being flush with the interface surface; loading the adapter plate with the at least one single chip into the wafer probing system; determining an exact position of the at least one single chip in the adapter plate in the search area; and testing the at least one single chip with test routines stored in a controller of the wafer probing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Gentner, Alejandro Alberto Cook Lobo, Otto Andreas Torreiter
  • Patent number: 11574695
    Abstract: A tool for performing a logic built-in self-test of an electronic circuit operating on a clock cycle basis. The tool stores a configurable test signature in a random-access memory together with a pattern counter for a test pattern, wherein a number of the at least one additional signature register corresponds to a number of entries in the random access memory. The tool determines an error based, at least in part, on a compare operation for a given test pattern, wherein the compare operation determines whether the test signature in the first signature register before a capture cycle of a next test pattern differs from the corresponding configurable test signature. The tool stores the error in a corresponding additional signature register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alejandro Alberto Cook Lobo, Thomas Gentner, Michael B. Kugel, Otto Andreas Torreiter
  • Publication number: 20230035157
    Abstract: A tool for performing a logic built-in self-test of an electronic circuit operating on a clock cycle basis. The tool stores a configurable test signature in a random-access memory together with a pattern counter for a test pattern, wherein a number of the at least one additional signature register corresponds to a number of entries in the random access memory. The tool determines an error based, at least in part, on a compare operation for a given test pattern, wherein the compare operation determines whether the test signature in the first signature register before a capture cycle of a next test pattern differs from the corresponding configurable test signature. The tool stores the error in a corresponding additional signature register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Alejandro Alberto Cook Lobo, Thomas Gentner, Michael B. Kugel, Otto Andreas Torreiter
  • Patent number: 11262381
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for positioning a semiconductor die in a wafer prober, the device comprising a carrier plate and a clamp on a front surface of the carrier plate, the dimensions of the carrier plate matching a standard geometry required by the wafer prober for receiving a semiconductor wafer to be probed by the wafer prober, the clamp being reversibly movable against a force of an elastic element between an open position and a closed position, the clamp being adapted for fixing the die on the carrier plate in the closed position and for releasing the die in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Otto Andreas Torreiter, Jörg Georg Appinger, Martin Eckert, Quintino Lorenzo Trianni
  • Patent number: 11239152
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit with an active transistor area and a plurality of wiring layers arranged above the active transistor area. At least one optical device is integrated in the active transistor area. The optical device is electrically connected with at least one of the wiring layers. At least one optical tunnel extends from the at least one optical device through the plurality of wiring layers to a surface of an uppermost wiring layer of the plurality of wiring layers facing away from the active transistor area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Otto Andreas Torreiter, Thomas Gentner, Martin Eckert
  • Patent number: 11209479
    Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention disclose a test device that includes a retaining element retaining one or more nuclear radiation sources for performing a nuclear radiation stress test of data storage structures of integrated circuits on a wafer in a wafer prober. The retaining element includes one or more apertures for applying nuclear radiation from the one or more nuclear radiation sources to the data storage structures. The retaining element is configured for controlling the nuclear radiation applied via the one or more apertures. The controlling includes a varying of relative positions of the one or more nuclear radiation sources and the one or more apertures. Additional aspects of the present invention disclose a testing method, computer program product, and computer system for performing the nuclear radiation stress test. In an example aspect, embodiments of the present invention disclose a test device for a wafer prober.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Eckert, Matthias Pflanz, Otto Andreas Torreiter, Juergen Pille
  • Publication number: 20210215738
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for positioning a semiconductor die in a wafer prober, the device comprising a carrier plate and a clamp on a front surface of the carrier plate, the dimensions of the carrier plate matching a standard geometry required by the wafer prober for receiving a semiconductor wafer to be probed by the wafer prober, the clamp being reversibly movable against a force of an elastic element between an open position and a closed position, the clamp being adapted for fixing the die on the carrier plate in the closed position and for releasing the die in the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Otto Andreas Torreiter, Jörg Georg Appinger, Martin Eckert, Quintino Lorenzo Trianni
  • Publication number: 20210123969
    Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention disclose a test device that includes a retaining element retaining one or more nuclear radiation sources for performing a nuclear radiation stress test of data storage structures of integrated circuits on a wafer in a wafer prober. The retaining element includes one or more apertures for applying nuclear radiation from the one or more nuclear radiation sources to the data storage structures. The retaining element is configured for controlling the nuclear radiation applied via the one or more apertures. The controlling includes a varying of relative positions of the one or more nuclear radiation sources and the one or more apertures. Additional aspects of the present invention disclose a testing method, computer program product, and computer system for performing the nuclear radiation stress test. In an example aspect, embodiments of the present invention disclose a test device for a wafer prober.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Martin Eckert, Matthias Pflanz, Otto Andreas Torreiter, Juergen Pille
  • Publication number: 20210066183
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit with an active transistor area and a plurality of wiring layers arranged above the active transistor area. At least one optical device is integrated in the active transistor area. The optical device is electrically connected with at least one of the wiring layers. At least one optical tunnel extends from the at least one optical device through the plurality of wiring layers to a surface of an uppermost wiring layer of the plurality of wiring layers facing away from the active transistor area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Otto Andreas Torreiter, Thomas Gentner, Martin Eckert
  • Patent number: 7650554
    Abstract: A method for performing a test of a high-speed integrated circuit with at least one functional unit and built-in self-test features by a low-speed test system. The method comprises the steps of transforming an external clock signal from the test system into a faster internal clock signal within the integrated circuit, generating a test pattern according to a predetermined scheme, and applying the test pattern to the functional unit, comparing a response from the functional unit with an expected test pattern. If the response differs from the expected test pattern, then an internal failure signal is generated and the internal failure signal is extended to a length, which may be recognized by the test system. Further the present invention relates to a high-speed integrated circuit with at least one functional unit and built-in self-test features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gottfried Goldrian, Otto Andreas Torreiter, Dieter Wendel
  • Patent number: 6774656
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a test for current leakage of driver/receiver stages, and in particular for bi-directional input/output stages (10) of a semiconductor chip. Two dedicated support transistor devices (56, 58) are added into the prior art switching scheme, together with a simple control logic (48, 50, 52, 60, 62, 64) for selectively controlling the two dedicated support transistor devices according to a predetermined test scheme. An on-chip self-test feature provides valid voltage levels which are convertible by the receiver (24) to predictable logic states at the evaluation line RDATA. The test can be performed autonomously on the chip without the requirement for an external test device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ulrich Baur, Otto Andreas Torreiter, Joseph Eckelman, David TinSun Hui
  • Patent number: 6725171
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for full parametric testing of the drive and receive capability of bi-directional driver/receiver-stages, and in particular of bi-directional input/output-stages of a semiconductor chip. Electrical properties, as for example DC-resistance, AC-impedance of a driver stage are tested by at least one test load implemented on the chip itself which causes a characteristic voltage drop usable for test evaluation. Advantageously, the output stage devices of P-type (50, 52) and N-type (54, 56), respectively, are split into at least two sub-devices P1, P2 and N1, N2, and are controlled separately by a control logic (60, 62, 64, 70, 72, 74). Then, for example N2 is used for testing the P device, and P2 is used for testing the N-device. Thus, devices already present on the chip are re-used for test purposes, which makes off-chip testing unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ulrich Baur, Otto Andreas Torreiter, Joseph Eckelman, David TinSun Hui
  • Publication number: 20020079915
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a test for current leakage of driver/receiver stages, and in particular for bi-directional input/output stages (10) of a semiconductor chip. Two dedicated support transistor devices (56, 58) are added into the prior art switching scheme, together with a simple control logic (48, 50, 52, 60, 62, 64) for selectively controlling the two dedicated support transistor devices according to a predetermined test scheme. An on-chip self-test feature provides valid voltage levels which are convertible by the receiver (24) to predictable logic states at the evaluation line RDATA. The test can be performed autonomously on the chip without the requirement for an external test device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ulrich Baur, Otto Andreas Torreiter, Joseph Eckelman, David TinSun Hui
  • Publication number: 20020078400
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for full parametric testing of the drive and receive capability of bi-directional driver/receiver-stages, and in particular of bi-directional input/output-stages of a semiconductor chip. Electrical properties, as for example DC-resistance, AC-impedance of a driver stage are tested by at least one test load implemented on the chip itself which causes a characteristic voltage drop usable for test evaluation. Advantageously, the output stage devices of P-type(50, 52) and N-type(54,56), respectively, are split into at least two sub-devices P1, P2 and N1, N2, and are controlled separately by a control logic (60,62,64,70,72,74). Then, for example N2 is used for testing the P device, and P2 is used for testing the N-device. Thus, devices already present on the chip are re-used for test purposes, which makes off-chip testing unnecessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ulrich Baur, Otto Andreas Torreiter, Joseph Eckelman, David TinSun Hui
  • Publication number: 20020043984
    Abstract: An apparatus for temporarily attaching an integrated circuit chip to a chip carrier for subsequent electrical testing of the integrated circuit chip is provided consisting of a support carrier and a compression adjusting device to apply a compressive force via the support carrier to the integrated circuit chip to be tested, whereby the support carrier is arranged between the compression adjusting device and the integrated circuit chip to be tested, as well as a method for temporarily attaching an integrated circuit chip to a chip carrier. Furthermore, the support carrier is adapted to function as a transport vehicle for the integrated circuit chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Otto Andreas Torreiter