Patents by Inventor Smith E. Jeffrey

Smith E. Jeffrey 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: 6151257
    Abstract: An electronic circuit die is presented including a plurality of first and second input/output (I/O) pad buffer cells. The first I/O pad buffer cells include at least a latch for latching data signals received at a pad in the cell. Adjacent ones of these first I/O pad buffer cells are conductively coupled together using conductive trace pins. The second I/O pad buffer cells include a pad that receives clocking signal which are supplied to the latches of the first I/O pad buffer cells. Accordingly, data signals received at the pads of the die are latched in the pad as opposed to the core logic of the die. One benefit of providing the latching of data signals in the pad is that conductive traces between the latches and the core logic need not be precisely matched, thus reducing cost. Also, the first I/O pad buffer cells can be similarly constructed, thus reducing the complexity and cost of manufacture for the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Smith E. Jeffrey, Timothy W. Kelly, Stephen W. Kiss, Keith M. Self