Abstract: A termination impedance apparatus includes a variable pull-up resistor, a variable pull-down resistor, and a small-signal calibration circuit. The variable pull-up resistor is coupled between a first power supply voltage terminal and an output terminal. The variable pull-down resistor is coupled between the output terminal and a second power supply voltage terminal. The small-signal calibration circuit is for calibrating the variable pull-up resistor and the variable pull-down resistor to achieve a desired small-signal impedance.

Abstract: A termination impedance apparatus includes a variable pull-up resistor, a variable pull-down resistor, and a small-signal calibration circuit. The variable pull-up resistor is coupled between a first power supply voltage terminal and an output terminal. The variable pull-down resistor is coupled between the output terminal and a second power supply voltage terminal. The small-signal calibration circuit is for calibrating the variable pull-up resistor and the variable pull-down resistor to achieve a desired small-signal impedance.

Abstract: Various method and apparatus embodiments for training a delay for enabling a data strobe signal in a memory subsystem are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a memory controller configured to receive a data strobe signal. The memory controller includes a training circuit. The training circuit includes a first storage circuit coupled to receive the data strobe signal on a data input and an enable signal on a clock input, and a training unit configured to, based on an output signal received from the first flip-flop, adjust a phase of the enable signal until an assertion of the enable signal coincides with a preamble indication in the data strobe signal.

Abstract: Various method and apparatus embodiments for training a delay for enabling a data strobe signal in a memory subsystem are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a memory controller configured to receive a data strobe signal. The memory controller includes a training circuit. The training circuit includes a first storage circuit coupled to receive the data strobe signal on a data input and an enable signal on a clock input, and a training unit configured to, based on an output signal received from the first flip-flop, adjust a phase of the enable signal until an assertion of the enable signal coincides with a preamble indication in the data strobe signal.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The IC includes a first global voltage node and a second global voltage node. The IC further includes two or more power domains each coupled to the first global voltage node. Each of the two or more power domains includes a functional unit and a local voltage node coupled to the functional unit. Each of the plurality of power domains further includes a power-gating transistor coupled between the local voltage node and the second global voltage node, and an ESD (electrostatic discharge) circuit configured to detect an occurrence of an ESD event and further configured to cause activation of the transistor responsive to detecting the ESD event.

Abstract: Electronic component protection power supply clamp circuits comprising a plurality of p-type channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) and n-type channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistors are described. These clamp circuits use a feedback latching circuit to retain an electrostatic discharge (ESD)-triggered state and efficiently conduct ESD current that has been diverted into the power supply, in order to dissipate ESD energy. The feedback latching circuit also maintains a clamp transistor in its off state if the clamp circuit powers up untriggered, thus enhancing the clamp circuit's immunity to noise during normal operation. Passive resistance initialization of key nodes to an untriggered state, as well as passive resistance gate input loading of a large ESD clamping transistor, further enhances the clamp circuit's immunity to false triggering.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a clock that can be switched in phase within a reduced interval of dead time are disclosed.

Abstract: Electronic component protection power supply clamp circuits comprising a plurality of p-type channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) and n-type channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistors are described. These clamp circuits use a feedback latching circuit to retain an electrostatic discharge (ESD)-triggered state and efficiently conduct ESD current that has been diverted into the power supply, in order to dissipate ESD energy. The feedback latching circuit also maintains a clamp transistor in its off state if the clamp circuit powers up untriggered, thus enhancing the clamp circuit's immunity to noise during normal operation. Passive resistance initialization of key nodes to an untriggered state, as well as passive resistance gate input loading of a large ESD clamping transistor, further enhances the clamp circuit's immunity to false triggering.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a clock that can be switched in phase within a reduced interval of dead time are disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The IC includes a first global voltage node and a second global voltage node. The IC further includes two or more power domains each coupled to the first global voltage node. Each of the two or more power domains includes a functional unit and a local voltage node coupled to the functional unit. Each of the plurality of power domains further includes a power-gating transistor coupled between the local voltage node and the second global voltage node, and an ESD (electrostatic discharge) circuit configured to detect an occurrence of an ESD event and further configured to cause activation of the transistor responsive to detecting the ESD event.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving data from a second device in a first device, forwarding the data from an input/output (I/O) clock domain to a system clock domain of the first device, and providing the data to a functional unit of the first device at a deterministic time. In such manner, the two devices may operate in lockstep fashion. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: The available bandwidth of an Input/Output (I/O) communications link is increased by removing the need for retraining events on a communications link. This results in removing a potentially severe system performance degradation penalty that may occur from data traffic stoppage during the retraining events. The available bandwidth is further increased by removing a timing error which results in increasing a timing margin for other components. This results in an increase in the maximum speed of systems with high speed I/O and communication transceiver Integrated Circuits (IC)s.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a CPU, a graphical user interface coupled to the CPU, and a memory coupled to the CPU. The memory stores a bump map application and a data extraction application executed by the CPU. The bump map application displays a plurality of editable textual character groups representative of a plurality of bumps. The textual character groups are arranged on the graphical user interface according to a relative coordinate position of the bumps with respect to an origin. The data extraction application automatically extracts data from the bump map application for use by a router application.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gated diode overvoltage protection circuit. In one embodiment, the circuit includes: a terminal, a gated diode, and a bias circuit. The terminal is configured to convey a voltage signal. The gated diode has an anode, a cathode, and a gate. The gated diode is coupled between the terminal and a predetermined voltage node so as to enter a forward conduction mode during electrostatic discharge (ESD) events, overvoltage conditions, or transient signal excursions. The bias circuit is configured to establish a low-resistance path between the cathode and gate when the gated diode is in a forward conduction mode, and to eliminate the low-resistance path when the gated diode is not in the forward conduction mode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gated diode overvoltage protection circuit. In one embodiment, the circuit includes: a terminal, a gated diode, and a bias circuit. The terminal is configured to convey a voltage signal. The gated diode has an anode, a cathode, and a gate. The gated diode is coupled between the terminal and a predetermined voltage node so as to enter a forward conduction mode during electrostatic discharge (ESD) events, overvoltage conditions, or transient signal excursions. The bias circuit is configured to establish a low-resistance path between the cathode and gate when the gated diode is in a forward conduction mode, and to eliminate the low-resistance path when the gated diode is not in the forward conduction mode.

Abstract: An improved MOS IC is disclosed having a low standby current ESD voltage clamp for the power and ground pads. The ESD voltage clamp uses the vertical PNP transistors inherently available in CMOS device fabrication by using the P+ source drain regions as the emitter, the N+ source drains as base contacts, the N wells as bases, and the P substrate as collectors. Thus the advantages of rapid voltage spike protection may be obtained with no increase in the number of masking steps or device fabrication complexity. The vertical PNP bipolar transistors are arranged in a Darlington configuration with the last transistor in the chain having a base region connected to both a resistor charging network connected to the power supply, and a capacitive network connected to the ground potential. A PMOS transistor is attached across the emitter and base of the last bipolar transistor in the Darlington chain to reduce the voltage overshoot and regulate the charge on the capacitor network.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection technique protects a semiconductor device against electrostatic discharge events. The semiconductor device has a pad for receiving a signal. The technique uses an ESD protection circuit that includes a voltage limiter having an input to receive a control voltage that is independent of a pad voltage on the pad; an output to provide, in response to the control voltage, a limited voltage having a magnitude that is less than a magnitude of the control voltage when the control voltage is non-zero and in a steady state; an arrangement of stacked transistors interconnected between the input and the output of the voltage limiter; and a pull-up transistor that is interconnected between the pad and the output of the voltage limiter. A magnitude of the pad voltage is less than the control voltage when the semiconductor device is in a normal operating mode.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection technique protects a semiconductor device against electrostatic discharge events. The technique uses an ESD protection circuit that includes a two cascode-connected clamps between the protected pad and a reference voltage conductor and two inverter amplifiers for driving the clamps. A control signal that used to control the amplifiers is derived from a high-voltage pad through voltage limiting transistors.

Abstract: A tourque transmitting tool set has a set of drivers having similarly sized male member portions and differently sized driver portions, and a single female member with a hole sized to receive each respective male member portion and a torque wrench receiving exterior where with a driver received in the female member a plane bisects the female member wrench receiving exterior and the male member portion so that each respective driver with the female member transmits torque in a limited access space.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection technique protects a semiconductor device against electrostatic discharge events. The technique uses an ESD protection circuit that includes Darlington-connected clamps between the protected I/O pad and a reference voltage conductor with circuitry to prevent leakage. A control signal that is used to control the clamps is derived from another pad.