Digital overcurrent test

Details Digital overcurrent test Digital overcurrent test

2002-07-29

2004-09-14

Tang, Minh N. (Department: 2829)

Electricity: measuring and testing

Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components

Of individual circuit component or element

C324S1540PB

Reexamination Certificate

active

06791348

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The field of the invention is that of testing integrated circuits having on-chip power supplies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Testing integrated circuits, has become both more difficult and more important as the complexity of the circuits has increased.
The amount of resources spent in conventional burn-in and functional margin testing accounts for a non-trivial fraction of chip manufacturing cost. Sending a chip through a thermal cycle and testing it with a highly expensive automated tester is an expense that can be avoided if the chip can be eliminated by a less expensive method.
In addition, there is a class of latent defects that do not show up as fatal flaws in a conventional test, but have a high probability of causing the chip to fail.
In the past, excessive current draw has been tested by applying a voltage to the module or chip through a resistor and measuring the voltage drop across the test resistor. This procedure requires extra wiring on the chip that consumes space.
The art could benefit from a simple and inexpensive testing technique adapted to identify chips with a high probability of failing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to integrated circuits having an on-chip current measurement for identifying circuits that draw current above their design specifications.
A feature of the invention is use of charge pumps present on the chip.
Another feature of the invention is a digital measurement of current draw by counting cycles of the charge pump.
Another feature of the invention is the use of circuit elements already present in the chip for testing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5381373 (1995-01-01), Ohsawa
patent: 6462996 (2002-10-01), Ooishi
patent: 6577547 (2003-06-01), Ukon

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Digital overcurrent test does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Digital overcurrent test, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Digital overcurrent test will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3192253