Kelly D Taylor

US Patent:

7897410, Mar 1, 2011

Filed:

Dec 18, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/959080

Inventors:

Sean M. Collins - Austin TX, US
Jeffrey W. Ritchison - Plano TX, US
Richard L. Guldi - Dallas TX, US
Kelly J. Taylor - Allen TX, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G01N 33/00
G01N 27/00

US Classification:

436183, 422 681, 422 8201

Abstract:

Reducing chemical contaminants is increasingly important for maintaining competitive production costs during fabrication of electronic devices. There is currently no production floor capability for mapping chemical contaminants across an electronic device substrate on a routine basis. A scanning surface chemical analyzer for mapping the distributions of a variety of chemicals on substrates is disclosed. The analyzer includes an array of sensors, each of which detects a single chemical or narrow range of chemicals, a scanning mechanism to provide a mapping capability, an electrical signal analyzer to collect and analyze signals from the array of sensors and generate reports of chemical distributions, and an optical desorption mechanism to amplify detection. A preferred embodiment includes an array of miniature quadrupole mass spectrometers in the sensor array. Scanning modes include whole substrate mapping, region sampling, and spot sampling of known defect sites.

US Patent:

7931190, Apr 26, 2011

Filed:

Jul 13, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/777650

Inventors:

William C. Moyer - Dripping Springs TX, US
Kelly K. Taylor - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06C 29/00

US Classification:

235 60C, 708210

Abstract:

A circuit includes a plurality of selection circuits. Each of the plurality of selection circuits has a first input, a second input, a control input, and an output. Each of the first inputs receives one of a plurality of correlated signals. Each of the second inputs receives one of a plurality of uncorrelated signals. Each of the control inputs receives a correlation mode control signal, and each of the outputs provides the one of the plurality of correlated signals or the one of the plurality of uncorrelated signals based on the correlation mode control signal. The circuit further includes a population count circuit having a plurality of data inputs coupled to receive the outputs of the plurality of selection circuits. The population count circuit provides a population count for the plurality of data inputs. The population count may be an approximate count or an accurate count.

US Patent:

7958173, Jun 7, 2011

Filed:

Jul 13, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/777664

Inventors:

William C. Moyer - Dripping Springs TX, US
Kelly K. Taylor - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 7/00

US Classification:

708210

Abstract:

A circuit and method provides an estimate of a population count (popcount) of a plurality of input bit values. In one form the input bit values represent respective nodes of an integrated circuit. An approximation circuit uses an approximation input stage which receives a plurality of data inputs and has a plurality of logic circuits. Each logic circuit provides a single bit output. The approximation circuit provides monotonic accuracy. A reduction tree receives the single bit outputs of the plurality of logic circuits and provides an approximate count of how many of the plurality of data inputs are asserted. Size and speed are improved by providing the estimate as opposed to an exact value.

US Patent:

8261011, Sep 4, 2012

Filed:

Oct 29, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/608548

Inventors:

Timothy J. Strauss - Austin TX, US
Kelly K. Taylor - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 12/00

US Classification:

711103, 36518503

Abstract:

A portion of a programmable memory device is configured as a one-time programmable (OTP) memory, where in response to a write access to the memory device, a memory controller determines whether the write access is associated with a memory location designated as an OTP memory location. If so, the memory controller performs a read of the memory location, and allows the write access only if each memory cell of the memory location is in an un-programmed state. Thus, only a single write access to an OTP memory location is permitted, and subsequent write attempts are disallowed. Further, to enhance detection of programmed cells, the read of the OTP memory location is performed with a lower read voltage than a read voltage associated with a write access to a non-OTP memory location, thereby improving detection of programmed memory cells in the OTP memory location.

US Patent:

20130290797, Oct 31, 2013

Filed:

Apr 30, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/459500

Inventors:

Chen He - Austin TX, US
Kelly K. Taylor - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G11C 29/08
G06F 11/26

US Classification:

714718, 714E11159

Abstract:

A new, robust non-volatile memory (NVM) reset sequence is provided in accordance with at least one embodiment, which, after reading a Test NVM portion and overwriting NVM configuration registers' default values with the values read from the Test NVM portion, does a read integrity check. If the read integrity check passes, a reset process will conclude. Otherwise, if the read integrity check fails, the reset process will re-try reading the Test NVM and overwriting the NVM configuration registers' default values. If the read integrity check still fails after a maximum number of re-tries, a fail flag will be set, and the predetermined “safe” default values will be reloaded to the NVM configuration registers, thereby assuring that the NVM device is operational.

US Patent:

20160368765, Dec 22, 2016

Filed:

Sep 1, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/254828

Inventors:

- Dallas TX, US
Raul Enrique Barreto - Austin TX, US
Kelly J. Taylor - Allen TX, US

International Classification:

B81C 1/00
B81B 3/00

Abstract:

In described examples, a MEMS device is formed by forming a sacrificial layer over a substrate and forming a first metal layer over the sacrificial layer. Subsequently, the first metal layer is exposed to an oxidizing ambient which oxidizes a surface layer of the first metal layer where exposed to the oxidizing ambient, to form a native oxide layer of the first metal layer. A second metal layer is subsequently formed over the native oxide layer of the first metal layer. The sacrificial layer is subsequently removed, forming a released metal structure.

US Patent:

20160052778, Feb 25, 2016

Filed:

Aug 25, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/467521

Inventors:

- Dallas TX, US
Raul Enrique Barreto - Austin TX, US
Kelly J. Taylor - Allen TX, US

International Classification:

B81B 7/00
B81C 1/00

Abstract:

A MEMS device is formed by forming a sacrificial layer over a substrate and forming a first metal layer over the sacrificial layer. Subsequently, the first metal layer is exposed to an oxidizing ambient which oxidizes a surface layer of the first metal layer where exposed to the oxidizing ambient, to form a native oxide layer of the first metal layer. A second metal layer is subsequently formed over the native oxide layer of the first metal layer. The sacrificial layer is subsequently removed, forming a released metal structure.

US Patent:

20150067314, Mar 5, 2015

Filed:

Aug 30, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/015889

Inventors:

Timothy J. Strauss - Granger IN, US
Thomas Jew - Austin TX, US
Kelly K. Taylor - Austin TX, US

International Classification:

G06F 21/57

US Classification:

713 2, 713 1

Abstract:

A microcontroller that includes a secure firmware flash controller is provided. The secure firmware flash controller utilizes a hardware assisted boot sequence that performs a firmware code validation. If the firmware code fails validation for any reason, the firmware flash controller locks out access to the firmware RAM and firmware flash controller, and passes control back to the microcontroller for further measures that are protected by security protocols on the microcontroller.