Electricity: measuring and testing – Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components – Of individual circuit component or element
Reexamination Certificate
2006-12-12
2006-12-12
Hollington, Jermele (Department: 2829)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components
Of individual circuit component or element
Reexamination Certificate
active
07148717
ABSTRACT:
Methods and apparatus are provided for testing to determine the existence of defects and faults in circuits, devices, and systems such as digital integrated circuits, SRAM memory, mixed signal circuits, and the like. In particular, methods and apparatus are provided for detecting faults in circuits, devices, and systems using input control signals to generate controlled-duration, controlled pulse-width, transient power supply currents in a device under test, where said transient power supply currents are of controllable bandwidth and can be used as observables to determine faulty or defective operation. Additionally, methods and apparatus are provided to permit high bandwidth sensing of transient supply currents as need to preserve the narrow widths of these current pulses. These methods may include autozero techniques to remove supply current leakage current and DC offsets associated with practical current sensing currents. The sensed transient supply currents can be compared to single or multiple thresholds to assess normal or faulty or defective operation of the device under test.
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Binkley David M.
Chehab Ali
Makki Rafic Zein
Weldon Thomas Paul
Hollington Jermele
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
Nguyen Tung X.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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