Patents by Inventor Umberto Garofano

Umberto Garofano 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: 8521500
    Abstract: A method and device for measuring integrated circuit power supply noise and calibration of power supply noise analysis models. The method includes collecting power supply noise monitor data from an integrated circuit having one or more power supply noise monitors connected between a power supply and respective scan cells of a scan chain and one or more functional circuits connected to the scan chain by scanning a power supply noise generation pattern into the scan chain and scanning a resultant pattern out of the scan chain; converting the resultant data into actual values of selected power supply parameters; generating simulated values of the selected power supply parameters using a power supply noise simulation model based on design data of the integrated chip; comparing the actual values of the selected power supply parameters to the simulated values of the selected power supply parameters; and modifying the power supply noise simulation model based on the comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Igor Arsovski, Bruce Balch, Umberto Garofano, Nazmul Habib
  • Patent number: 8438520
    Abstract: Methods, systems, computer programs, etc., determine the required number of decoupling capacitors, and approximate locations for the decoupling capacitors, for a region of an integrated circuit. Switching elements of the region are entered into a simulation program running on a computerized device. Also, a power distribution model of the region is entered into the simulation program, and a power-supply voltage compression target is entered into the simulation program. These methods, systems, etc., generate an upper number of decoupling capacitors required to satisfy the compression target when all the switching elements concurrently switch. For each switching element, the methods, systems, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kurt A. Carlsen, Charles S. Chiu, Umberto Garofano, Ze Gui Pang, Eric W. Tremble, David Toub, Ivan L. Wemple
  • Publication number: 20130054202
    Abstract: Methods, systems, computer programs, etc., determine the required number of decoupling capacitors, and approximate locations for the decoupling capacitors, for a region of an integrated circuit. Switching elements of the region are entered into a simulation program running on a computerized device. Also, a power distribution model of the region is entered into the simulation program, and a power-supply voltage compression target is entered into the simulation program. These methods, systems, etc., generate an upper number of decoupling capacitors required to satisfy the compression target when all the switching elements concurrently switch. For each switching element, the methods, systems, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kurt A. Carlsen, Charles S. Chiu, Umberto Garofano, Ze Gui Pang, Eric W. Tremble, David Toub, Ivan L. Wemple
  • Patent number: 8302063
    Abstract: A method of integrated circuit design and, more particularly, a method and system to optimize semiconductor products for power, performance, noise, die area, and cost through use of variable power supply voltage compression. The method is implemented in a computer-based tool and includes: embedding relationships in an optimization tool running on a computing device, wherein the relationships are based at least partly on performance, power-supply noise, die area, and power; inputting a set of product data and a set of technology data in the optimization tool running on the computing device; and determining product design parameters including power supply voltage, switching-noise-induced power supply voltage variation, and decap area. The determining is based on the relationships, the product data, and the technology data and is performed using the computing device running the optimization tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeanne P. Bickford, Umberto Garofano, James E. Jasmin, Ivan L. Wemple, Tad J. Wilder
  • Publication number: 20120049947
    Abstract: A method and device for measuring integrated circuit power supply noise and calibration of power supply noise analysis models. The method includes collecting power supply noise monitor data from an integrated circuit having one or more power supply noise monitors connected between a power supply and respective scan cells of a scan chain and one or more functional circuits connected to the scan chain by scanning a power supply noise generation pattern into the scan chain and scanning a resultant pattern out of the scan chain; converting the resultant data into actual values of selected power supply parameters; generating simulated values of the selected power supply parameters using a power supply noise simulation model based on design data of the integrated chip; comparing the actual values of the selected power supply parameters to the simulated values of the selected power supply parameters; and modifying the power supply noise simulation model based on the comparing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Igor Arsovski, Bruce Balch, Umberto Garofano, Nazmul Habib
  • Publication number: 20110288829
    Abstract: A method of integrated circuit design and, more particularly, a method and system to optimize semiconductor products for power, performance, noise, die area, and cost through use of variable power supply voltage compression. The method is implemented in a computer-based tool and includes: embedding relationships in an optimization tool running on a computing device, wherein the relationships are based at least partly on performance, power-supply noise, die area, and power; inputting a set of product data and a set of technology data in the optimization tool running on the computing device; and determining product design parameters including power supply voltage, switching-noise-induced power supply voltage variation, and decap area. The determining is based on the relationships, the product data, and the technology data and is performed using the computing device running the optimization tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeanne P. BICKFORD, Umberto GAROFANO, James E. JASMIN, Ivan L. WEMPLE, Tad J. WILDER
  • Publication number: 20090112558
    Abstract: A method and a design structure. The method includes: generating a board model of a circuit board design; generating a impedance spectrum of the board model; generating a chip model of an integrated circuit chip design; performing a transient analysis of the chip model using an ideal board power supply to generate an initial chip noise signature; based on the transient analysis, adding noise generators to the board model to generate a modified board model and to generate a latest board power supply; performing an additional transient analysis of the chip model using the modified board model and the latest board power supply to generate a latest noise signature; determining if the latest noise signature is within a predetermined chip noise specification; and if the latest noise signature is not within the predetermined chip noise specification, adding at least one decoupling capacitor to the modified board model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Umberto Garofano, Faraydon Pakbaz
  • Patent number: 7110930
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for creating a simplified equivalent model for an IC that can be used for detailed analysis. The equivalent model takes into consideration the effects of all the I/O placement regardless of the non-uniformity of I/O placement. The equivalent model is generated, in part, by partitioning the IC into simulation windows and converting I/Os within each simulation window to a current source having the same current change rate, and then running a simulation on this intermediate model. A current change rate observed for a simulation window is then used to convert back to actual I/Os to create the equivalent model. The equivalent model can be simulated using conventional software, e.g., SPICE, for more detailed analysis such as signal integrity, timing of I/Os and noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles S. Chiu, Umberto Garofano, James E. Jasmin
  • Publication number: 20040098238
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for creating a simplified equivalent model for an IC that can be used for detailed analysis. The equivalent model takes into consideration the effects of all the I/O placement regardless of the non-uniformity of I/O placement. The equivalent model is generated, in part, by partitioning the IC into simulation windows and converting I/Os within each simulation window to a current source having the same current change rate, and then running a simulation on this intermediate model. A current change rate observed for a simulation window is then used to convert back to actual I/Os to create the equivalent model. The equivalent model can be simulated using conventional software, e.g., SPICE, for more detailed analysis such as signal integrity, timing of I/Os and noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles S. Chiu, Umberto Garofano, James E. Jasmin