The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 18, 2003
Filed:
Feb. 19, 1998
Richard James Evans, Underhill, VT (US);
Jeffrey Alan Kash, Pleasantville, NY (US);
Daniel Ray Knebel, Carmel, NY (US);
Phillip J Nigh, Williston, VT (US);
Pia Naoko Sanda, Chappaqua, NY (US);
James Chen-Hsiang Tsang, White Plains, NY (US);
David Paul Vallett, Fairfax, VA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A system and method for determining the location of a particular device on an integrated circuit chip is described. The system and method utilize apparatus for detecting the emission of light during switching events of devices in the circuit during the circuit's processing of an input calculated to actuate the device whose location is desired. Light emissions from the circuit can be temporally and spatially indexed so as to allow deduction, in combination with the a priori knowledge of the logical operation of the circuit, of the location of the desired element. In another embodiment of the invention, a series of images of the circuit can be accumulated, representing the circuit's response to a series of different input signals, each input signal being designed to result in the switching of the desired element. The series of images can be compared to determine the location of the desired element. Also in accordance with the invention, the elements to be located can be either actual functional circuit elements, or fiducials added to the chip for test purposes.