Patents by Inventor Stephen Churcher

Stephen Churcher 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: 6239616
    Abstract: The invention provides a programmable delay element and a programmable slew rate element to allow post-fabrication adjustment and programming of input delay and output slew rate to iteratively alter input delay and output slew rate without redesign and refabrication of the circuit. The invention provides programmable memory cells coupled to a capacitive load via a plurality of switches. The capacitive load is coupled to a signal path and comprises a plurality of capacitors. The programmable memory cells selectively turn on the switches coupled to the capacitive load. In one FPGA implementation, the programmable memory cells are implemented in IOBs and are loaded with appropriate data during a device configuration stage. Delay equalization can be achieved by programming the memory cells such that the delays seen by device I/O pins are equal between IOBs and pads. The invention also provides a slew rate control circuit for an inverter or a buffer to provide an optimal slew rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Churcher, Simon A. Longstaff
  • Patent number: 6133751
    Abstract: The invention provides a programmable delay element and a programmable slew rate element to allow post-fabrication adjustment and programming of input delay and output slew rate to iteratively alter input delay and output slew rate without redesign and refabrication of the circuit. The invention provides programmable memory cells coupled to a capacitive load via a plurality of switches. The capacitive load is coupled to a signal path and comprises a plurality of capacitors. The programmable memory cells selectively turn on the switches coupled to the capacitive load. In one FPGA implementation, the programmable memory cells are implemented in IOBs and are loaded with appropriate data during a device configuration stage. Delay equalization can be achieved by programming the memory cells such that the delays seen by device I/O pins are equal between IOBs and pads. The invention also provides a slew rate control circuit for an inverter or a buffer to provide an optimal slew rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Churcher, Simon A. Longstaff
  • Patent number: 6034548
    Abstract: The invention provides a programmable delay element and a programmable slew rate element to allow post-fabrication adjustment and programming of input delay and output slew rate to iteratively alter input delay and output slew rate without redesign and refabrication of the circuit. The invention provides programmable memory cells coupled to a capacitive load via a plurality of switches. The capacitive load is coupled to a signal path and comprises a plurality of capacitors. The programmable memory cells selectively turn on the switches coupled to the capacitive load. In one FPGA implementation, the programmable memory cells are implemented in IOBs and are loaded with appropriate data during a device configuration stage. Delay equalization can be achieved by programming the memory cells such that the delays seen by device I/O pins are equal between IOBs and pads. The invention also provides a slew rate control circuit for an inverter or a buffer to provide an optimal slew rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Churcher, Simon A. Longstaff
  • Patent number: 5841296
    Abstract: The invention provides a programmable delay element and a programmable slew rate element to allow post-fabrication adjustment and programming of input delay and output slew rate to iteratively alter input delay and output slew rate without redesign and refabrication of the circuit. The invention provides programmable memory cells coupled to a capacitive load via a plurality of switches. The capacitive load is coupled to a signal path and comprises a plurality of capacitors. The programmable memory cells selectively turn on the switches coupled to the capacitive load. In one FPGA implementation, the programmable memory cells are implemented in IOBs and are loaded with appropriate data during a device configuration stage. Delay equalization can be achieved by programming the memory cells such that the delays seen by device I/O pins are equal between IOBs and pads. The invention also provides a slew rate control circuit for an inverter or a buffer to provide an optimal slew rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Churcher, Simon A. Longstaff
  • Patent number: 5657290
    Abstract: A sense amplifier is provided which is appropriate for reading memory cells which control N-channel transistors, and which can read single ended registers. The sense amplifier pulls bit and bitbar lines to a high voltage before reading, and interprets equal voltages on two legs as a logical 1. Several embodiments are illustrated, one of which latches the value read from a memory cell, and one of which includes two stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Churcher