Patent classifications
G01R31/3185
Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuit
A mixed-signal integrated circuit includes an analog circuit comprising at least one digital block embedded in the analog circuit, the at least one digital block comprising a plurality of functional bits and a plurality of configuration bits, the plurality of functional bits providing for a functionality of the analog circuit according to a designed functionality and the plurality of configuration bits being usable for configuring a plurality of operational modes of the analog circuit; and a digital circuit comprising a scan chain configured to scan at least part of the functional bits of the digital block embedded in the analog circuit with respect to the designed functionality, wherein the scan chain is further configured to set at least part of the configuration bits of the digital block embedded in the analog circuit according to a selected operational mode of the plurality of operational modes of the analog circuit.
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND SELF-DIAGNOSIS METHOD FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
A semiconductor device addresses to a problem in which a current consumption variation rate increases during BIST execution causing resonance noise generation in a power supply line. The semiconductor device includes a self-diagnosis control circuit, a scan target circuit including a combinational circuit and a scan flip-flop, and an electrically rewritable non-volatile memory. A scan chain is configured by coupling a plurality of the scan flip-flops. In accordance with parameters stored in the non-volatile memory, the self-diagnosis control circuit can change a length of at least one of a scan-in period, a scan-out period and a capture period, and can also change a scan start timing.
Root monitoring on an FPGA using satellite ADCs
Systems and methods for monitoring a number of operating conditions of a programmable device are disclosed. In some implementations, the system may include a root monitor including circuitry configured to generate a reference voltage, a plurality of sensors and satellite monitors distributed across the programmable device, and a interconnect system coupled to the root monitor and to each of the plurality of satellite monitors. Each of the satellite monitors may be in a vicinity of and coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of sensors via a local interconnect. The interconnect system may include one or more analog channels configured to distribute the reference voltage to each of the plurality of satellite monitors, and may include one or more digital channels configured to selectively route digital data from each of the plurality of satellite monitors to the root monitor as data packets.
Transition fault testing of functionally asynchronous paths in an integrated circuit
A circuit includes a test circuit in an integrated circuit to test signal timing of a logic circuit under test in the integrated circuit. The signal timing includes timing measurements to determine if an output of the logic circuit under test changes state in response to a clock signal. The test circuit includes a bit register that specifies which bits of the logic circuit under test are to be tested in response to the clock signal. A configuration register specifies a selected clock source setting from multiple clock source settings corresponding to a signal speed. The selected clock source is employed to perform the timing measurements of the specified bits of the bit register.
METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING DEFECTS ON AN ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY
A method of identifying defects in an electronic assembly, comprising, by a processing unit, obtaining a grid of nodes representative of a location of electronic units of an electronic assembly, wherein each node is neighboured by at most eight oiler nodes, wherein a first plurality of nodes represents failed electronic units according to at least one test criterion, and a second plurality of nodes represents passing electronic units according to the least one first test criterion, based on the grid, determining at least one first and second straight lines, and attempting to connect the first and second straight lines into a new line, wherein if at least one node from the new line belongs to the second plurality of nodes, concluding that an electronic unit represented by the node on the grid is a failed electronic unit, thereby facilitating identification of a failed electronic unit on the substrate.
IDENTIFYING CAUSES OF ANOMALIES OBSERVED IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIP
A method of identifying a cause of an anomalous feature measured from system circuitry on an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the IC chip comprising the system circuitry and monitoring circuitry for monitoring the system circuitry by measuring features of the system circuitry in each window of a series of windows, the method comprising: (i) from a set of windows prior to the anomalous window comprising the anomalous feature, identifying a candidate window set in which to search for the cause of the anomalous feature; (ii) for each of the measured features of the system circuitry: (a) calculating a first feature probability distribution of that measured feature for the candidate window set; (b) calculating a second feature probability distribution of that measured feature for window(s) not in the candidate window set; (c) comparing the first and second feature probability distributions; and (d) identifying that measured feature in the timeframe of the candidate window set as a cause of the anomalous feature if the first and second feature probability distributions differ by more than a threshold value; (iii) iterating steps (i) and (ii) for further candidate window sets from the set of windows prior to the anomalous window; and (iv) outputting a signal indicating those measured feature(s) of step (ii)(d) identified as a cause of the anomalous feature.
CALIBRATION DATA GENERATION CIRCUIT AND ASSOCIATED METHOD
The present application discloses a calibration data generation circuit and an associated method. The calibration data generation circuit includes: a first delay unit, having a first delay amount; and a first scan path, including: a first scan flip-flop, including: a scan data input terminal; a clock input terminal, arranged for receiving a clock signal; and an output terminal; and a second scan flip-flop, including: a scan data input terminal, coupled to the output terminal of the first scan flip-flop; a clock input terminal, arranged for receiving a delayed clock signal formed by the clock signal passing through the first delay unit; and an output terminal; wherein when the calibration data generation circuit operates, the first scan flip-flop and the second scan flip-flop are configured in a scan shift mode.
SINGLE "A" LATCH WITH AN ARRAY OF "B" LATCHES
An integrated circuit (IC) includes first and scan latches that are enabled to load data during a first part of a clock period. A clocking circuit outputs latch clocks with one latch clock driven to an active state during a second part of the clock period dependent on a first address input. A set of storage elements have inputs coupled to the output of the first scan latch and are respectively coupled to a latch clock to load data during a time that their respective latch clock is in an active state. A selector circuit is coupled to outputs of the first set of storage elements and outputs a value from one output based on a second address input. The second scan latch then loads data from the selector's output during the first part of the input clock period.
Reduced signaling interface circuit
This disclosure describes a reduced pin bus that can be used on integrated circuits or embedded cores within integrated circuits. The bus may be used for serial access to circuits where the availability of pins on ICs or terminals on cores is limited. The bus may be used for a variety of serial communication operations such as, but not limited to, serial communication related test, emulation, debug, and/or trace operations of an IC or core design. Other aspects of the disclosure include the use of reduced pin buses for emulation, debug, and trace operations and for functional operations.
METHOD OF CONVERTING A SERIAL VECTOR FORMAT (SVF) FILE TO A VECTOR COMPATIBLE WITH A SEMICONDUCTOR TESTING SYSTEM
Provided is a method for enabling a semiconductor test system for testing field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to operate as a device programmer by converting a serial vector format (SVF) file containing a bitstream and converting the file to a vector compatible with the semiconductor test system. When executed on an HP93K test system, as an example, the vector generates JTAG (Joint Test Action Group) signals, which program the bitstream into a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The inventive method eliminates the need for a separate computer system that is normally required to run FPGA programming software and also eliminates the need to use FPGA vendor provided JTAG programming pods. Eliminating the need for the vendor software, a separate computer system, and programming pods reduces equipment cost, maintenance, and streamlines the electrical test, evaluation, and characterization of FPGAs.