Patents by Inventor Richard Bruce Dell

Richard Bruce Dell 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: 8516408
    Abstract: Techniques for forming a first electronic circuit including a plurality of instances of a repeatable circuit element include the steps of: obtaining a total number of instances of the repeatable circuit element in a design of an IC including the first electronic circuit and at least a second electronic circuit; and configuring at least one functional parameter of the first electronic circuit as a function of the total number of instances of the repeatable circuit element in the IC to thereby satisfy a prescribed minimum composite manufacturing yield of the IC and/or at least one specification of the IC under prescribed operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Bruce Dell, Ross A. Kohler, Richard J. McPartland, Wayne E. Werner
  • Patent number: 7940594
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes multiple circuit elements arranged into multiple distinct subdivisions, each subdivision having a separate voltage supply connection for conveying power to the subdivision. The electronic circuit further includes a controller including multiple outputs, each of the outputs being connected to a corresponding one of the voltage supply connections. When a given one of the subdivisions does not include a weak circuit element, the controller supplies a first voltage level to the given subdivision via the corresponding voltage supply connection. When the given subdivision includes at least one weak circuit element, the controller is operative to supply at least a second voltage level to the given subdivision via the corresponding voltage supply connection, the second voltage level being greater than the first voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Bruce Dell, Ross A. Kohler, Richard J. McPartland, Hai Quang Pham, Wayne E. Werner
  • Patent number: 7872929
    Abstract: Techniques for accessing a memory cell in a memory circuit include: receiving a request to access a selected memory cell in the memory circuit; determining whether the selected memory cell corresponds to a normal memory cell or a weak memory cell in the memory circuit; accessing the selected memory cell using a first set of control parameters when the selected memory cell corresponds to a normal memory cell, wherein the selected memory cell provides correct data under prescribed operating specifications when accessed using the first set of control parameters; and accessing the selected memory cell using a second set of control parameters when the selected memory cell corresponds to a weak memory cell, wherein the selected memory cell provides correct data under the prescribed operating specifications when accessed using the second set of control parameters and provides incorrect data under the prescribed operating specifications when accessed using the first set of control parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Bruce Dell, Ross A. Kohler, Richard J. McPartland, Wayne E. Werner
  • Publication number: 20100301926
    Abstract: Techniques for forming a first electronic circuit including a plurality of instances of a repeatable circuit element include the steps of: obtaining a total number of instances of the repeatable circuit element in a design of an IC including the first electronic circuit and at least a second electronic circuit; and configuring at least one functional parameter of the first electronic circuit as a function of the total number of instances of the repeatable circuit element in the IC to thereby satisfy a prescribed minimum composite manufacturing yield of the IC and/or at least one specification of the IC under prescribed operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: Richard Bruce Dell, Ross A. Kohler, Richard J. McPartland, Wayne E. Werner
  • Publication number: 20100271891
    Abstract: Techniques for accessing a memory cell in a memory circuit include: receiving a request to access a selected memory cell in the memory circuit; determining whether the selected memory cell corresponds to a normal memory cell or a weak memory cell in the memory circuit; accessing the selected memory cell using a first set of control parameters when the selected memory cell corresponds to a normal memory cell, wherein the selected memory cell provides correct data under prescribed operating specifications when accessed using the first set of control parameters; and accessing the selected memory cell using a second set of control parameters when the selected memory cell corresponds to a weak memory cell, wherein the selected memory cell provides correct data under the prescribed operating specifications when accessed using the second set of control parameters and provides incorrect data under the prescribed operating specifications when accessed using the first set of control parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Richard Bruce Dell, Ross A. Kohler, Richard J. McPartland, Wayne E. Werner
  • Publication number: 20100238751
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes multiple circuit elements arranged into multiple distinct subdivisions, each subdivision having a separate voltage supply connection for conveying power to the subdivision. The electronic circuit further includes a controller including multiple outputs, each of the outputs being connected to a corresponding one of the voltage supply connections. When a given one of the subdivisions does not include a weak circuit element, the controller supplies a first voltage level to the given subdivision via the corresponding voltage supply connection. When the given subdivision includes at least one weak circuit element, the controller is operative to supply at least a second voltage level to the given subdivision via the corresponding voltage supply connection, the second voltage level being greater than the first voltage level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: AGERE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Richard Bruce Dell, Ross A. Kohler, Richard J. McPartland, Hai Quang Pham, Wayne E. Werner