Walter H Edmondson

Title: Innovations by Walter H. Edmondson

Introduction

Walter H. Edmondson is a notable inventor based in Morgan Hill, CA (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of integrated circuit testing, holding 2 patents that showcase his innovative approaches. His work has implications for both the design and testing of microelectronic devices.

Latest Patents

One of his latest patents is titled "Method and apparatus for generating test vectors for an integrated circuit under test." This invention describes a method for specifying a test function using at least one elementary function that encapsulates program code associated with the architecture of the integrated circuit (IC) under test. An engine is configured with device description data for the IC, and it is executed with the test function as parametric input to generate the test vectors. In one example, the IC under test comprises a programmable logic device (PLD), and the test vectors include configuration data for configuring a pattern in the PLD, along with at least one test vector for exercising the pattern. The test vectors may be applied directly to the device or through automatic test equipment (ATE), or alternatively, they may be applied to an IC design simulation of the device.

Another significant patent is the "Method for remotely testing microelectronic device over the internet." This innovation utilizes the Internet to test an integrated circuit chip equipped with boundary scan circuitry and plugged into a circuit board at a customer's location. A host computer at the manufacturer's site runs a web page server capable of remotely testing the customer's chip. The process begins when the customer connects the circuit board to their computer and logs onto the website. The customer transmits identification and other data to the web server, which then sends a downloader program and a JAVA program script to the customer's computer. The customer's computer uses the downloader program to transmit device data describing the chip's functionality to the host computer, which generates and sends a set of suitable test vectors. The customer's computer tests the chip using the boundary scan circuitry and test vectors, transmitting the results back to the host computer, which then evaluates and sends the results to the customer's computer.

Career Highlights

Walter H. Edmondson is currently employed at Xilinx, Inc., where he continues to develop innovative solutions in the field of integrated circuits. His work has been instrumental in advancing testing methodologies that enhance the reliability and performance of microelectronic devices.

Collaborations