International Business Machines Corporation

Timothy Shawn Reny

Scott Whitney Gould

Terrance John Zittritsch

Allan Robert Bertolet

Kim P Clinton

Frank Ray Keyser, Iii

Joseph Andrew Iadanza

Steven Paul Hartman

Brian A Worth

Eric Ernest Millham

Christine Marie Fuller

Gulson Yasar

Voya Rista Markovich

Mark Vincent Pierson

Bahgat Ghaleb Sammakia

Anthony P Ingraham

Morris Anschel

Michael D Lowell

Scott D Reynolds

Richard Gerald Murphy

Wayne R Storr

Charles Robert Lamb

Frank Ray Keyser Iii

Wolfgang Mayr

Tamar A Powers

A method and system for defining, placing and routing kernels for a family of integrated circuits is provided. The integrated circuits are defined using repeatable row and column circuit types. Kernels are defined by the intersections of the row and column circuit types in the array. The kernels are placed and routed automatically for each member of the family of integrated circuit arrays, each member being generally characterized by a different size, i.e., a different number of repeatable row or column circuit types.

Method and system for layout and schematic generation for heterogeneous

A programmable logic cell has four cell input nodes and a plurality of combinational logic circuits. Four inverter circuits are provided for programmably inverting respective input logic signals, each inverter circuit having an inverter input node connected to a respective cell input node for accepting its respective input logic signal therefrom. Each inverter is programmable into a first state wherein a logic signal representing the complement of the input logic signal is provided to the inverter output node, and a second state wherein a logic signal representing the non-complement of the input logic signal is provided to the inverter output node. The inverter circuits buffer their input logic signals in both their first and second states. A first logic gate of the plurality of combinational logic circuits has first and second inputs each connected to a respective output node of one of two of the four inverter circuits, and a second logic gate has first and second inputs each connected to a respective output node of one of the other two of the four inverter circuits. The inverter circuits may be implemented as XNOR gates.

Programmable inverter circuit used in a programmable logic cell

A programmable logic cell has four logic gates, two of which are configurable. The two configurable logic gates are positioned near the logic cell inputs. Each configurable logic gate has two inputs, each input being connected to one of the four logic cell inputs. The remaining two logic gates receive the outputs of the configurable logic gates. Four independent logic cell input nodes are provided, each having associated therewith a programmable input multiplexer. Each input multiplexer can have inputs connected to at least two types of interconnect conductors. The cell also has two output paths, each having associated therewith an independently-controlled output multiplexer. The output of each output multiplexer is connected to an input of the other output multiplexer. Additional features include a multiplexer having inputs connected to two cell input nodes, a select input connected to a third logic cell input node, and an output connected to a cell output node; a system low-skew data (e.g., clock) input available to at least one of the input multiplexers; a flip-flop connected within the logic cell; and internal cell feedback. The preferred method of programming utilizes user-programmed SRAM memory cells.

Programmable logic cell

Programmable logic cell having configurable gates and multiplexers

A method of testing semi-conductor chips is disclosed. The individual semiconductor chips have I/O, power, and ground contacts. In the method of the invention a chip test fixture system is provided. The chip test fixture system has contacts corresponding to the contacts on the semiconductor chip. The carrier contacts have dendritic surfaces. The chip contacts are brought into electrically conductive contact with the conductor pads on the chip test fixture system. Test signal input vectors are applied to the inputs of the semiconductor chip, and output signal vectors are recovered from the semiconductor chip. After testing the chip is removed from the substrate.

Method and apparatus for testing of integrated circuit chips

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Underhill Center, VT, United States of America

Timothy Shawn Reny