Patent US4775229A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5973376A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5973376A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Architecture having diamond shaped or parallelogram shaped cells
Assignee: Bell Semiconductor LLC
•
Filing: 1995-08-21
•
Granted: 1999-10-26
•
Expires: 2015-08-21
Abstract
Abstract Several inventions are disclosed. A cell architecture using hexagonal shaped cells is disclosed. The architecture is not limited to hexagonal shaped cells. Cells may be defined by clusters of two or more hexagons, by triangles, by parallelograms, and by other polygons enabling a variety of cell shapes to be accommodated. Polydirectional non-orthogonal three layer metal routing is disclosed. The architecture may be combined with the tri-directional routing for a particularly advantageous design. In the tri-directional routing arraingement, electrical conductors for interconnecting terminals of microelectronic cells of an integrated circuit preferrably extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°. The conductors that extend in the three directions are preferrably formed in three different layers. A method of minimizing wire length in a semiconductor device is disclosed. A method of minimizing intermetal capacitance in a semiconductor device is disclosed. A novel device called a "tri-ister" is disclosed. Triangular devices are disclosed, including triangular NAND gates, triangular AND gates, and triangular OR gates. A triangular op amp and triode are disclosed. A triangular sense amplifier is disclosed. A DRAM memory array and an SRAM memory array, based upon triangular or parallelogram shaped cells, are disclosed, including a method of interconnecting such arrays. A programmable variable drive transistor is disclosed. CAD algorithms and methods are disclosed for designing and making semiconductor devices, which are particularly applicable to the disclosed architecture and tri-directional three metal layer routing.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael D. Rostoker
- 👤 James S. Koford
- 👤 Ranko Scepanovic
- 👤 Edwin R. Jones
- 👤 Gobi R. Padmanahben
- 👤 Ashok K. Kapoor
- 👤 Valeriy B. Kudryavtsev
- 👤 Alexander E. Andreev
- 👤 Stanislav V. Aleshin
- 👤 Alexander S. Podkolzin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:26
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/39; G06F30/392; G06F30/394; G11; G11C; G11C5/00; G11C5/02; G11C5/025; G11C5/06; G11C5/063; H; H03; H03K; H03K19/00; H03K19/02; H03K19/08; H03K19/094; H03K19/0944; H03K19/09441; H03K19/0948; H10; H10B; H10B10/00; H10B10/12; H10B12/00; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/10; H10D62/117; H10D84/00; H10D84/80; H10D84/82; H10D84/83; H10D84/85; H10D84/856; H10D84/90; H10D84/903; H10D84/907; H10D89/00; H10D89/10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/43; H10W20/495
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A microelectronic semiconductor cell architecture, comprising: a plurality of closely packed transistor structures on a semiconductor substrate, wherein at least some of the closely packed transistor structures form a non-rectangular diamond shaped cell; wherein the closely packed transistor structures on the semiconductor substrate are electrically interconnected using a first, second, and third layers of metal having metal wires extending in three directions which are angularly displaced from each other at angles of about 60 degrees.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
A microelectronic semiconductor cell architecture, comprising: a plurality of closely packed transistor structures on a semiconductor substrate, wherein at least some of the closely packed transistor structures form a non-rectangular diamond shaped cell; wherein the closely packed transistor structures on the semiconductor substrate are electrically interconnected using a first, second, and third layers of metal having metal wires extending in three directions which are angularly displaced from each other at angles of about 60 degrees.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
A microelectronic semiconductor cell architecture, comprising: a plurality of closely packed transistor structures on a semiconductor substrate, wherein at least some of the closely packed transistor structures form a non-rectangular parallelogram shaped cell; and wherein the closely packed transistor structures on the semiconductor substrate are electrically interconnected using a first, second, and third layers of metal having metal wires extending in three directions which are angularly displaced from each other at angles of about 60 degrees.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
A microelectronic semiconductor cell architecture, comprising: a plurality of closely packed transistor structures on a semiconductor substrate, wherein at least some of the closely packed transistor structures form a non-rectangular parallelogram shaped cell; and wherein the closely packed transistor structures on the semiconductor substrate are electrically interconnected using a first, second, and third layers of metal having metal wires extending in three directions which are angularly displaced from each other at angles of about 60 degrees.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
In a digital system having one or more components which incorporate one or more integrated circuits, an integrated circuit semiconductor structure having an architecture, comprising: a plurality of closely packed non-rectangular parallelogram shaped cells comprising transistor structures fabricated on a semiconductor substrate; and, electrical interconnections of the transistor structures extending in three directions which are angularly displaced from each other at angles of about 60 degrees using a first, second, and third layers of metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
In a digital system having one or more components which incorporate one or more integrated circuits, an integrated circuit semiconductor structure having an architecture, comprising: a plurality of closely packed non-rectangular parallelogram shaped cells comprising transistor structures fabricated on a semiconductor substrate; and, electrical interconnections of the transistor structures extending in three directions which are angularly displaced from each other at angles of about 60 degrees using a first, second, and third layers of metal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
A microelectronic integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; and each cell has a diamond shape and comprises first and second triangular devices having a common edge; the first triangular device is one of an NMOS device and a PMOS device; and the second triangular device is the other of an NMOS device and a PMOS device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
A microelectronic integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; and each cell has a diamond shape and comprises first and second triangular devices having a common edge; the first triangular device is one of an NMOS device and a PMOS device; and the second triangular device is the other of an NMOS device and a PMOS device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
A microelectronic integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; and each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; in which each of the cells comprises an interconnection terminal further comprising interconnect wiring for electrically interconnecting the terminals in a predetermined manner, the wiring comprising electrical conductors that extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
A microelectronic integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; and each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; in which each of the cells comprises an interconnection terminal further comprising interconnect wiring for electrically interconnecting the terminals in a predetermined manner, the wiring comprising electrical conductors that extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
A microelectronic integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; and each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; in which each of the triangular devices comprises an interconnection terminal further comprising interconnect wiring for electrically interconnecting the terminals in a predetermined manner, the wiring comprising electrical conductors that extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
92 words
A microelectronic integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; and each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; in which each of the triangular devices comprises an interconnection terminal further comprising interconnect wiring for electrically interconnecting the terminals in a predetermined manner, the wiring comprising electrical conductors that extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
114 words
An electronic system comprising an integrated circuit, and additional electronic elements that are operatively connected to the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit including: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; and each cell has a diamond shape and comprises first and second triangular devices having a common edge; the first triangular device is one of an NMOS device and a PMOS device; and the second triangular device is the other of an NMOS device and a PMOS device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
114 words
An electronic system comprising an integrated circuit, and additional electronic elements that are operatively connected to the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit including: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; and each cell has a diamond shape and comprises first and second triangular devices having a common edge; the first triangular device is one of an NMOS device and a PMOS device; and the second triangular device is the other of an NMOS device and a PMOS device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electronic system comprising an integrated circuit, and additional electronic elements that are operatively connected to the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit including: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; and each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; in which each of the cells comprises an interconnection terminal further comprising interconnect wiring for electrically interconnecting the terminals in a predetermined manner, the wiring comprising electrical conductors that extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electronic system comprising an integrated circuit, and additional electronic elements that are operatively connected to the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit including: a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; and each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; in which each of the cells comprises an interconnection terminal further comprising interconnect wiring for electrically interconnecting the terminals in a predetermined manner, the wiring comprising electrical conductors that extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
111 words
An electronic system comprising an integrated circuit, and additional electronic elements that are operatively connected to the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; and each of the triangular devices comprises an interconnection terminal, wherein said electronic system further comprises interconnect wiring for electrically interconnecting the terminals in a predetermined manner, the wiring comprising electrical conductors that extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
111 words
An electronic system comprising an integrated circuit, and additional electronic elements that are operatively connected to the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of substantially closely packed cells formed on the substrate, in which: each cell includes at least two substantially closely packed microelectronic triangular devices; each cell has the shape of a non-rectangular polygon with at least four sides; and each of the triangular devices comprises an interconnection terminal, wherein said electronic system further comprises interconnect wiring for electrically interconnecting the terminals in a predetermined manner, the wiring comprising electrical conductors that extend in three directions that are angularly displaced from each other by 60°.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3786319A
Cited
US4148046A
Cited
US5130767C1
Cited
US5130767A
Cited
US4737837A
Cited
US4918614A
Cited
US5095343A
Cited
US5222030A
Cited
JPH0423348A
Cited
US5323036A
Cited
US5300815A
Cited
US5341024A
Cited
US5399898A
Cited
US5329157A
Cited
US5358886A
Cited
US5631581A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-10-25 | 2003-04-26 | 2003-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-10-25 | 2007-04-26 | 2007-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-10-25 | 2011-04-26 | 2011-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |