Patents by Inventor Paul Andrew Freeman

Paul Andrew Freeman 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).

  • Method and apparatus for circuit design
    Patent number: 7100138
    Abstract: A method for designing multi-layer electronic circuits includes defining a plurality of circuit blocks in terms of physical boundaries, the plurality of circuit blocks including a first circuit block with at least one port for connecting to a portion of inter-block routing having conducting material external to the first circuit block. The method further provides protective routing for the at least one port of the first circuit block in a region between the block and the inter-block routing, wherein circuitry within the first circuit connected to the at least one port is not in-circuit with the conducting material of the inter-block routing during processing steps involving the conducting material. The protective routing is a conducting layer which is higher in the multi-layer structure than the highest conducting layer used for routing the net containing the at least one port for inter-block routing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Neal Fitzhenry, Peter William Hughes, Simon Christopher Dequin Clemow, Paul Andrew Freeman
  • Method and apparatus for circuit design
    Publication number: 20040225991
    Abstract: A method for designing multi-layer electronic circuits includes defining a plurality of circuit blocks in terms of physical boundaries, the plurality of circuit blocks including a first circuit block with at least one port for connecting to a portion of inter-block routing having conducting material external to the first circuit block. The method further provides protective routing for the at least one port of the first circuit block in a region between the block and the inter-block routing, wherein circuitry within the first circuit connected to the at least one port is not in-circuit with the conducting material of the inter-block routing during processing steps involving the conducting material. The protective routing is a conducting layer which is higher in the multi-layer structure than the highest conducting layer used for routing the net containing the at least one port for inter-block routing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Neal Fitzhenry, Peter William Hughes, Simon Christopher Dequin Clemow, Paul Andrew Freeman
  • Method and apparatus for circuit design
    Patent number: 6766503
    Abstract: A method for designing multi-layer electronic circuits includes defining a plurality of circuit blocks in terms of physical boundaries, the plurality of circuit blocks including a first circuit block with at least one port for connecting to a portion of inter-block routing having conducting material external to the first circuit block. The method further provides protective routing for the at least one port of the first circuit block in a region between the block and the inter-block routing, wherein circuitry within the first circuit connected to the at least one port is not in-circuit with the conducting material of the inter-block routing during processing steps involving the conducting material. The protective routing is a conducting layer which is higher in the multi-layer structure than the highest conducting layer used for routing the net containing the at least one port for inter-block routing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Neal Fitzhenry, Peter William Hughes, Simon Christopher Dequin Clemow, Paul Andrew Freeman
  • Method and apparatus for circuit design
    Publication number: 20020184601
    Abstract: A method for designing multi-layer electronic circuits includes defining a plurality of circuit blocks in terms of physical boundaries, the plurality of circuit blocks including a first circuit block with at least one port for connecting to a portion of inter-block routing having conducting material external to the first circuit block. The method further provides protective routing for the at least one port of the first circuit block in a region between the block and the inter-block routing, wherein circuitry within the first circuit connected to the at least one port is not in-circuit with the conducting material of the inter-block routing during processing steps involving the conducting material. The protective routing is a conducting layer which is higher in the multi-layer structure than the highest conducting layer used for routing the net containing the at least one port for inter-block routing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Neal Fitzhenry, Peter William Hughes, Simon Christopher Dequin Clemow, Paul Andrew Freeman