Patents by Inventor Philip R. Germann

Philip R. Germann 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: 9739825
    Abstract: A stub of a via formed in a printed circuit board is backdrilled to a predetermined depth. A capacitance probe is positioned within the via. Then the capacitance probe is used to obtain a test capacitance measurement. The test capacitance measurement is compared to a predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. Residual conductive plating material in the backdrilled stub causes the test capacitance measurement to exceed the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. An indication is made that the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement has been exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Matthew S. Doyle, Philip R. Germann, Mark O. Maxson
  • Patent number: 9612988
    Abstract: A device uses donor circuit blocks in a donor integrated circuit to replace defective circuit blocks in a recipient integrated circuit and create a functional integrated circuit. The recipient integrated circuit has a first number of cores, the first number including a recipient core, and the recipient core having a recipient circuit block, a switching element, and a recipient communication point, the first number of cores connected by a data bus. The recipient core has an intended function. The donor integrated circuit has a second number of cores, the second number smaller than the first number. The second number includes a donor core having a donor communication point electrically connected to a donor circuit block, the donor circuit block having the intended function. The recipient connection point is electrically connected to the donor connection point and the switching element switched to disable the recipient circuit block in the recipient core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9488690
    Abstract: A stub of a via formed in a printed circuit board is backdrilled to a predetermined depth. A capacitance probe is positioned within the via. Then the capacitance probe is used to obtain a test capacitance measurement. The test capacitance measurement is compared to a predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. Residual conductive plating material in the backdrilled stub causes the test capacitance measurement to exceed the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. An indication is made that the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement has been exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Matthew S. Doyle, Philip R. Germann, Mark O. Maxson
  • Publication number: 20160320443
    Abstract: A stub of a via formed in a printed circuit board is backdrilled to a predetermined depth. A capacitance probe is positioned within the via. Then the capacitance probe is used to obtain a test capacitance measurement. The test capacitance measurement is compared to a predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. Residual conductive plating material in the backdrilled stub causes the test capacitance measurement to exceed the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. An indication is made that the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement has been exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Matthew S. Doyle, Philip R. Germann, Mark O. Maxson
  • Patent number: 9341670
    Abstract: A stub of a via formed in a printed circuit board is backdrilled to a predetermined depth. A capacitance probe is positioned within the via. Then the capacitance probe is used to obtain a test capacitance measurement. The test capacitance measurement is compared to a predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. Residual conductive plating material in the backdrilled stub causes the test capacitance measurement to exceed the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. An indication is made that the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement has been exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Matthew S. Doyle, Philip R. Germann, Mark O. Maxson
  • Patent number: 9312199
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for thermal management is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores with a ratio of first enabled cores and first disabled cores. The IC stack device can also have a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC, and having a second set of cores with a second ratio of second enabled cores and second disabled cores, with the second ratio being less than the first ratio. The integrated circuit stack device can also include a cooling element located such that the primary integrated circuit is between the cooling element and the supplementary integrated circuit. The cooling element can be designed to facilitate heat dissipation of the first and second enabled cores of the primary integrated circuit and the supplementary integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9281261
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for thermal management is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores with a ratio of first enabled cores and first disabled cores. The IC stack device can also have a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC, and having a second set of cores with a second ratio of second enabled cores and second disabled cores, with the second ratio being less than the first ratio. The integrated circuit stack device can also include a cooling element located such that the primary integrated circuit is between the cooling element and the supplementary integrated circuit. The cooling element can be designed to facilitate heat dissipation of the first and second enabled cores of the primary integrated circuit and the supplementary integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9207275
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip may include a die having one or more circuits. The semiconductor chip may include a plurality of die bumps, each having a first geometry, a first vertical profile, and a first volume. The die bumps may be coupled to the die and in electrical communication with the one or more circuits. The semiconductor device may include a plurality of test bumps each having a second geometry, a second vertical profile, and the first volume. The test bumps may be coupled to the die and in electrical communication with the one or more circuits. The first geometry and the second geometry may be adapted for the plurality of test bumps to make connection with a wafer probe to the test bumps without making a connection to any of the die bumps during a die test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Publication number: 20150338457
    Abstract: A stub of a via formed in a printed circuit board is backdrilled to a predetermined depth. A capacitance probe is positioned within the via. Then the capacitance probe is used to obtain a test capacitance measurement. The test capacitance measurement is compared to a predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. Residual conductive plating material in the backdrilled stub causes the test capacitance measurement to exceed the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. An indication is made that the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement has been exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Matthew S. Doyle, Philip R. Germann, Mark O. Maxson
  • Publication number: 20150342057
    Abstract: A stub of a via formed in a printed circuit board is backdrilled to a predetermined depth. A capacitance probe is positioned within the via. Then the capacitance probe is used to obtain a test capacitance measurement. The test capacitance measurement is compared to a predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. Residual conductive plating material in the backdrilled stub causes the test capacitance measurement to exceed the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement. An indication is made that the predetermined baseline capacitance measurement has been exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Matthew S. Doyle, Philip R. Germann, Mark O. Maxson
  • Publication number: 20150162259
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for thermal management is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores with a ratio of first enabled cores and first disabled cores. The IC stack device can also have a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC, and having a second set of cores with a second ratio of second enabled cores and second disabled cores, with the second ratio being less than the first ratio. The integrated circuit stack device can also include a cooling element located such that the primary integrated circuit is between the cooling element and the supplementary integrated circuit. The cooling element can be designed to facilitate heat dissipation of the first and second enabled cores of the primary integrated circuit and the supplementary integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Publication number: 20150162250
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) stack device for thermal management is disclosed. The IC stack device can include a primary IC having a first set of cores with a ratio of first enabled cores and first disabled cores. The IC stack device can also have a supplementary IC interfaced with the primary IC, and having a second set of cores with a second ratio of second enabled cores and second disabled cores, with the second ratio being less than the first ratio. The integrated circuit stack device can also include a cooling element located such that the primary integrated circuit is between the cooling element and the supplementary integrated circuit. The cooling element can be designed to facilitate heat dissipation of the first and second enabled cores of the primary integrated circuit and the supplementary integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 9003559
    Abstract: Apparatus, method and program product detect an attempt to tamper with a microchip by determining that an electrical path comprising one or more connections and a metal plate attached to the backside of a microchip has become disconnected or otherwise altered. A tampering attempt may also be detected in response to the presence of an electrical path that should not be present, as may result from the microchip being incorrectly reconstituted. Actual and/or deceptive paths may be automatically selected and monitored to further confound a reverse engineering attempt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Paul E. Dahlen, Philip R. Germann, Andrew B. Maki, Mark O. Maxson, Carl-Otto Nilsen
  • Publication number: 20150032933
    Abstract: A device uses donor circuit blocks in a donor integrated circuit to replace defective circuit blocks in a recipient integrated circuit and create a functional integrated circuit. The recipient integrated circuit has a first number of cores, the first number including a recipient core, and the recipient core having a recipient circuit block, a switching element, and a recipient communication point, the first number of cores connected by a data bus. The recipient core has an intended function. The donor integrated circuit has a second number of cores, the second number smaller than the first number. The second number includes a donor core having a donor communication point electrically connected to a donor circuit block, the donor circuit block having the intended function. The recipient connection point is electrically connected to the donor connection point and the switching element switched to disable the recipient circuit block in the recipient core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 8823090
    Abstract: A field-effect transistor has a gate, a source, and a drain. The gate has a via extending through a semiconductor chip substrate from one surface to an opposite surface of the semiconductor chip substrate. The source has a first toroid of ion dopants implanted in the semiconductor chip substrate surrounding one end of the via on the one surface of the semiconductor chip substrate. The drain has a second toroid of ion dopants implanted in the semiconductor chip substrate surrounding an opposite end of the via on the opposite surface of the semiconductor chip substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K Bartley, Darryl J Becker, Philip R Germann, Andrew B Maki, John E Sheets, II
  • Patent number: 8796578
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and structure are provided for implementing selective rework for chip stacks. A backside metal layer to create resistive heating is added to a chip backside in a chip stack. A rework tool applies a predefined current to the backside metal layer to reflow solder connections and enables separating selected chips in the chip stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Darryl J. Becker, Philip R. Germann, Andrew B. Maki
  • Patent number: 8788748
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for implementing enhanced memory performance management with configurable bandwidth versus power usage in a chip stack of memory chips. A chip stack of memory chips is connected in a predefined density to allow a predefined high bandwidth connection between each chip in the stack, such as with through silicon via (TSV) interconnections. Large-bandwidth data transfers are enabled from the memory chip stack by trading off increased power usage for memory performance on a temporary basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, John M. Borkenhagen, Philip R. Germann
  • Publication number: 20140167808
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip may include a die having one or more circuits. The semiconductor chip may include a plurality of die bumps, each having a first geometry, a first vertical profile, and a first volume. The die bumps may be coupled to the die and in electrical communication with the one or more circuits. The semiconductor device may include a plurality of test bumps each having a second geometry, a second vertical profile, and the first volume. The test bumps may be coupled to the die and in electrical communication with the one or more circuits. The first geometry and the second geometry may be adapted for the plurality of test bumps to make connection with a wafer probe to the test bumps without making a connection to any of the die bumps during a die test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis
  • Patent number: 8642456
    Abstract: A method and structures are provided for implementing semiconductor signal-capable capacitors with deep trench and Through-Silicon-Via (TSV) technologies. A deep trench N-well structure is formed and an implant is provided in the deep trench N-well structure with a TSV formed in a semiconductor chip. At least one angled implant is created around the TSV in a semiconductor chip. The TSV is surrounded with a dielectric layer and filled with a conducting material which forms one electrode of the capacitor. A connection is made to one implant forming a second electrode to the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, Philip R. Germann, John E. Sheets, II
  • Patent number: 8639879
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for optimally placing memory devices within a computer system. A memory controller may include circuitry configured to retrieve or one or more performance metrics a plurality of memory devices connected thereto. Based on the performance metrics and one or more predefined rules for placing memory devices, the circuitry may determine an optimal placement of the memory devices in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald K. Bartley, John M. Borkenhagen, Philip R. Germann, William P. Hovis