Patents by Inventor Robert William Koss

Robert William Koss 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: 6351134
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for simultaneously testing or burning in all the integrated circuit chips on a product wafer. The apparatus comprises a glass ceramic carrier having test chips and means for connection to pads of a large number of chips on a product wafer. Voltage regulators on the test chips provide an interface between a power supply and power pads on the product chips, at least one voltage regulator for each product chip. The voltage regulators provide a specified Vdd voltage to the product chips, whereby the Vdd voltage is substantially independent of current drawn by the product chips. The voltage regulators or other electronic means limit current to any product chip if it has a short. The voltage regulator circuit may be gated and variable and it may have sensor lines extending to the product chip. The test chips can also provide test functions such as test patterns and registers for storing test results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Marc Leas, Robert William Koss, Jody John Van Horn, George Frederick Walker, Charles Hampton Perry, David Lewis Gardell, Steve Leo Dingle, Ronald Prilik
  • Publication number: 20020003432
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for simultaneously testing or burning in all the integrated circuit chips on a product wafer. The apparatus comprises a glass ceramic carrier having test chips and means for connection to pads of a large number of chips on a product wafer. Voltage regulators on the test chips provide an interface between a power supply and power pads on the product chips, at least one voltage regulator for each product chip. The voltage regulators provide a specified Vdd voltage to the product chips, whereby the Vdd voltage is substantially independent of current drawn by the product chips. The voltage regulators or other electronic means limit current to any product chip if it has a short. The voltage regulator circuit may be gated and variable and it may have sensor lines extending to the product chip. The test chips can also provide test functions such as test patterns and registers for storing test results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: JAMES MARC LEAS, ROBERT WILLIAM KOSS, JODY JOHN VAN HORN, GEORGE FREDERICK WALKER, CHARLES HAMPTON PERRY, DAVID LEWIS GARDELL, STEVE LEO DINGLE, RONALD PRILIK
  • Patent number: 5929651
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for simultaneously testing or burning in all the integrated circuit chips on a product wafer. The apparatus comprises a glass ceramic carrier having test chips and means for connection to pads of a large number of chips on a product wafer. Voltage regulators on the test chips provide an interface between a power supply and power pads on the product chips, at least one voltage regulator for each product chip. The voltage regulators provide a specified Vdd voltage to the product chips, whereby the Vdd voltage is substantially independent of current drawn by the product chips. The voltage regulators or other electronic means limit current to any product chip if it has a short. The voltage regulator circuit may be gated and variable and it may have sensor lines extending to the product chip. The test chips can also provide test functions such as test patterns and registers for storing test results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Marc Leas, Robert William Koss, Jody John Van Horn, George Frederick Walker, Charles Hampton Perry, David Lewis Gardell, Steve Leo Dingle, Ronald Prilik