Patents by Inventor Toan V. Le

Toan V. Le 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).

  • Fuse circuit and method therefor which minimizes fuse grow back effect
    Patent number: 6021078
    Abstract: A fuse circuit (30) uses circuitry (34, 36, 38) which is coupled between each terminal (A, B) of a fuse (32) for the purpose of maintaining each fuse terminal at the same voltage potential or within a predetermined voltage differential. When copper fuses are implemented, the fuse circuit eliminates the tendency for copper corrosion which may result in growth-back of the copper between the two fuse terminals (A, B). By fixing the voltage at each fuse terminal at a specific potential relative to the other terminal, effects of metal growth-back are eliminated. In another form, a bias scheme is used to place a fixed voltage between the fuse terminals to guarantee a minimum voltage differential across the fuse terminals after the fuse is blown. A differential in the voltage at the fuse terminals is sensed in order to indicate the status of the fuse's conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignees: Motorola, Inc., International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toan V. Le, Scott A. Taylor