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:
Jul. 27, 2004
Filed:
Jul. 19, 2002
Mark D. Frank, Longmont, CO (US);
Jerimy Nelson, Ft. Collins, CO (US);
Peter Shaw Moldauer, Wellington, CO (US);
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for verifying the proximity of signal return paths (e.g., ground metal or power) to signal traces in an integrated circuit package design. A package designer creates the package design using a package design tool. A proximity verifier verifies that there is a signal return path within a predetermined threshold distance of each specified signal trace in the package layers directly above and/or below the signal trace. The proximity verifier may notify the package designer of any signal traces which are not sufficiently close to signal return paths, such as by providing visual indications of such signal traces in a graphical representation of the package design. In response, the package designer may modify the package model to ensure that all signal traces are sufficiently close to signal return paths.