I had approximately 500 Pentium (P54CS) parts that uniquely failed the Weak Write Test Mode (WWTM.) In the lab I ran the test on an IMS debug tester to diagnose the failing cell location–engineers always want more data. I talked to engineering managers regarding additional tests. The resulting list would require help from other engineering…
Tag: Electrical Engineer
My First Patent–From the Weak Write Test Mode Saga
Not all great ideas turn into patents; they simply are not novel enough to warrant the effort. Some ideas are so great that a company decides to keep them as a trade secret. The following exchange I had with Greg Taylor instructed me on how to determine if an invention should be patented: “Would other…
Being Wooed as Opposed to Grilled–My Intel Interview
After hearing that I had interviewed for a position at Intel Corporation, my Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) classmate, Scott Robinson, remarked “I still have the grill marks.” Scott had joined Intel a year ahead of me and his comment referred to the intensive questioning he had experienced during his interview. While I was not puzzled…
Diagnosis–Exactly Where and What is that Needle?
At IBM, I became fascinated with finding defects in semiconductor devices. For most of my professional life I have focused on testing for defects in a manufacturing setting. When in this setting, you want to determine yes or no; often referred to as “no/go” testing. The test is run–and if “no,” you stop, if “yes,”…
When I Really learned Ohm’s Law
Doc Fry first taught me Ohm’s Law; V=IxR. As a high school senior I joined my younger sister Margaret in Introduction to Electronics. For labs we played with vacuum tubes, voltage sources, resistors. I recall the countless times we had a mess of wires on our breadboard and nothing worked. We quickly learned the first…
I Am My Parents’ Daughter–An Engineer
My parents, Betty and Ray, met in New York City at Newman Club, a Catholic social group for young adults. They also had a mutual interest in the nascent sport of downhill skiing. Some of the Newman Club members planned ski trips; it was not a formal club per my Dad’s recollection. My maternal grandmother,…