Patents by Inventor Thomas B. Chadwick

Thomas B. Chadwick 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).

  • Publication number: 20080270962
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for analyzing and modifying a static timing slack of a timing path in a static timing analysis of a design of an integrated circuit (IC) with a transient power supply are disclosed. A static timing slack analysis is performed at a selected endpoint in an IC to obtain a candidate timing path leading to the endpoint with a worst static timing slack. A transient static timing slack is determined for the candidate timing path for each clock cycle of a clock signal under the transient power supply. The determined transient static timing slack is used to adjust the timing of the IC and to modify the static timing slack of the candidate timing path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas B. Chadwick, Margaret R. Charlebois, David J. Hathaway, Jason E. Rotella, Douglas W. Stout, Ivan L. Wempie
  • Patent number: 6920525
    Abstract: A local word-line redundancy architecture and method that implements both word-line and match-line steering for semiconductor memories and more particularly for content-addressable memories (CAM) are introduced. According to the present invention, the method of performing local word-line redundancy comprising: testing by using BIST, storing results, comparing failing read address data and failing match-line address data to determine if redundancy is possible and, if so, storing the redundancy repair data pattern and loading that patten upon initialization so that redundancy steering is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas B. Chadwick, Tarl S. Gordon, Rahul K. Nadkarni, Michael R. Ouellette, Jeremy Rowland
  • Patent number: 6711040
    Abstract: A method and structure for improving a content addressable memory array has a plurality of serially connected memory sub-arrays (which include at least one memory cell), a matchline connected to each of the sub-arrays, a valid memory cell, a comparator receiving input from the matchline and valid memory cell, a sinkline output from the comparator, and a precharge device. The sinkline and matchline are reset from a first voltage to a second voltage depending upon the results of a compare operation of the input data to the data in the storage device. When the second voltage appears on the matchline and the first voltage appears on the sinkline this indicates a match between the data within all of the sub-arrays and the input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas B. Chadwick, Tari S. Gordon, Eric Jasinski, Rahul Nadkarni, Michael R. Quellette
  • Publication number: 20040015651
    Abstract: A local word-line redundancy architecture and method that implements both word-line and match-line steering for semiconductor memories and more particularly for content-addressable memories (CAM) are introduced. According to the present invention, the method of performing local word-line redundancy comprising: testing by using BIST, storing results, comparing failing read address data and failing match-line address data to determine if redundancy is possible and, if so, storing the redundancy repair data pattern and loading that patten upon initialization so that redundancy steering is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas B. Chadwick, Tarl S. Gordon, Rahul K. Nadkarni, Michael R. Ouellette, Jeremy Rowland
  • Publication number: 20030112648
    Abstract: A method and structure for improving a content addressable memory array has a plurality of serially connected memory sub-arrays (which include at least one memory cell), a matchline connected to each of the sub-arrays, a valid memory cell, a comparator receiving input from the matchline and valid memory cell, a sinkline output from the comparator, and a precharge device. The sinkline and matchline are reset from a first voltage to a second voltage depending upon the results of a compare operation of the input data to the data in the storage device. When the second voltage appears on the matchline and the first voltage appears on the sinkline this indicates a match between the data within all of the sub-arrays and the input data. If the second voltage appears on the sinkline this indicates a mismatch between data within any of the sub-arrays and the input data, or an invalid status within the valid memory cell and maintains the sinkline at the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas B. Chadwick, Tarl S. Gordon, Eric Jasinski, Rahul Nadkarni, Michael R. Ouellette
  • Patent number: 6552920
    Abstract: A method and structure for improving a content addressable memory array has a plurality of serially connected memory sub-arrays (which include at least one memory cell), a matchline connected to each of the sub-arrays, a valid memory cell, a comparator receiving input from the matchline and valid memory cell, a sinkline output from the comparator, and a precharge device. The sinkline and matchline are reset from a first voltage to a second voltage depending upon the results of a compare operation of the input data to the data in the storage device. When the second voltage appears on the matchline and the first voltage appears on the sinkline this indicates a match between the data within all of the sub-arrays and the input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas B. Chadwick, Tarl S. Gordon, Eric Jasinski, Rahul Nadkarni, Michael R. Ouellette
  • Publication number: 20030002313
    Abstract: A method and structure for improving a content addressable memory array has a plurality of serially connected memory sub-arrays (which include at least one memory cell), a matchline connected to each of the sub-arrays, a valid memory cell, a comparator receiving input from the matchline and valid memory cell, a sinkline output from the comparator, and a precharge device. The sinkline and matchline are reset from a first voltage to a second voltage depending upon the results of a compare operation of the input data to the data in the storage device. When the second voltage appears on the matchline and the first voltage appears on the sinkline this indicates a match between the data within all of the sub-arrays and the input data. If the second voltage appears on the sinkline this indicates a mismatch between data within any of the sub-arrays and the input data, or an invalid status within the valid memory cell and maintains the sinkline at the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas B. Chadwick, Tarl S. Gordon, Eric Jasinski, Rahul Nadkarni, Michael R. Ouellette
  • Patent number: 6430072
    Abstract: A method and structure for content addressable memory structure having a memory array of words, each word having multiple memory bits and a plurality of matchlines. Each of the matchlines is connected to one of the words and a matchline compare circuit is connected to the matchlines and is adapted to test all of the words individually. The matchline compare circuit includes a plurality of comparators equal in number to a number of the words, such that each word is connected to a dedicated comparator to allow each word in the memory array to be individually tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas B. Chadwick, Rahul K. Nadkarni, Michael R. Ouellette, Jeremy P. Rowland
  • Patent number: 6341079
    Abstract: A content addressable memory device comprises a NAND-NOR chain comprised an alternating sequence of NAND and NOR stages; the NAND stages, each including a first CAM cell comprising a first memory cell that stores a first data bit and a first compare cell that compares the first data bit with a first compare bit and generates a first compare signal indicating whether the first data bit matches the first compare bit and a logical NAND gate that combines the first compare signals of other first CAM cells in the NAND stage; the NOR stages, each including a second CAM cell comprising a second memory cell that stores a second data bit and a second compare cell that compares the second data bit with a second compare bit and generates a second compare signal indicating whether the second data bit matches the second compare bit and a logical NOR gate that combines the second compare signals of other second CAM cells in the NOR stage; and the NAND-NOR chain generating a match signal indicating a match of all the compar
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas B. Chadwick