Patents by Inventor Steven R. Ferguson

Steven R. Ferguson 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: 7908536
    Abstract: Mechanisms for testing functional boundary logic at an asynchronous clock boundary of an integrated circuit device are provided. With these mechanisms, each clock domain has its own scan paths that do not cross domain boundaries. By eliminating the scanning across the boundaries, the requirement to have two clock grids in the asynchronously clocked domains may be eliminated. As a result, circuit area and design time with regard to the clock distribution design are reduced. In addition, removing the second clock grid, i.e. the high speed core or system clock, in the asynchronously clocked domains removes the requirement to have a multiplexing scheme for selection of clocking signals in the asynchronous domain. In addition to the above, the system and method provide boundary built-in-self-test logic for testing the functional crossing logic of boundaries between the clock domains in a functional mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan P. Chelstrom, Steven R. Ferguson, Mack W. Riley
  • Publication number: 20090083594
    Abstract: Mechanisms for testing functional boundary logic at an asynchronous clock boundary of an integrated circuit device are provided. With these mechanisms, each clock domain has its own scan paths that do not cross domain boundaries. By eliminating the scanning across the boundaries, the requirement to have two clock grids in the asynchronously clocked domains may be eliminated. As a result, circuit area and design time with regard to the clock distribution design are reduced. In addition, removing the second clock grid, i.e. the high speed core or system clock, in the asynchronously clocked domains removes the requirement to have a multiplexing scheme for selection of clocking signals in the asynchronous domain. In addition to the above, the system and method provide boundary built-in-self-test logic for testing the functional crossing logic of boundaries between the clock domains in a functional mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan P. Chelstrom, Steven R. Ferguson, Mack W. Riley
  • Patent number: 7500164
    Abstract: A method for testing an integrated circuit device with asynchronous clocks or dissimilar design methodologies is provided. With the method, each clock domain has its own scan paths that do not cross domain boundaries. By eliminating the scanning across the boundaries, the requirement to have two clock grids in the asynchronously clocked domains may be eliminated. As a result, circuit area and design time with regard to the clock distribution design are reduced. In addition, removing the second clock grid, i.e. the high speed core or system clock, in the asynchronously clocked domains removes the requirement to have a multiplexing scheme for selection of clocking signals in the asynchronous domain. In addition to the above, the method provides boundary built-in-self-test logic for testing the functional crossing logic of boundaries between the clock domains in a functional mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan P. Chelstrom, Steven R. Ferguson, Mack W. Riley
  • Patent number: 7478300
    Abstract: A method for testing functional boundary logic at an asynchronous clock boundary of an integrated circuit device is provided. With the method, each clock domain has its own scan paths that do not cross domain boundaries. By eliminating the scanning across the boundaries, the requirement to have two clock grids in the asynchronously clocked domains may be eliminated. As a result, circuit area and design time with regard to the clock distribution design are reduced. In addition, removing the second clock grid, i.e. the high speed core or system clock, in the asynchronously clocked domains removes the requirement to have a multiplexing scheme for selection of clocking signals in the asynchronous domain. In addition to the above, the system and method provide boundary built-in-self-test logic for testing the functional crossing logic of boundaries between the clock domains in a functional mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan P. Chelstrom, Steven R. Ferguson, Mack W. Riley
  • Publication number: 20070283205
    Abstract: A system and method for testing an integrated circuit device with asynchronous clocks or dissimilar design methodologies are provided. With the system and method, each clock domain has its own scan paths that do not cross domain boundaries. By eliminating the scanning across the boundaries, the requirement to have two clock grids in the asynchronously clocked domains may be eliminated. As a result, circuit area and design time with regard to the clock distribution design are reduced. In addition, removing the second clock grid, i.e. the high speed core or system clock, in the asynchronously clocked domains removes the requirement to have a multiplexing scheme for selection of clocking signals in the asynchronous domain. In addition to the above, the system and method provide boundary built-in-self-test logic for testing the functional crossing logic of boundaries between the clock domains in a functional mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Nathan P. Chelstrom, Steven R. Ferguson, Mack W. Riley