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US6088823A
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US
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Circuit for efficiently testing memory and shadow logic of a semiconductor integrated circuit
Assignee: Synopsys Inc
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Filing: 1998-06-12
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Granted: 2000-07-11
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Expires: 2018-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A circuit for efficiently performing shadow logic testing and memory block testing within a semiconductor integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a memory block for storing data. A shadow logic circuit is coupled to the memory block for interfacing the memory block with external circuitry. The shadow logic provides inputs to the memory block and receives data outputs from the memory block. A test collar is coupled between the memory block and the shadow logic. The test collar receives the data inputs from the shadow logic and receives the data outputs from the memory block. The test collar is configured to both provide test inputs to the shadow logic and capture test outputs from the shadow logic independent of the memory block. The test collar is also adapted to both provide tests inputs to the memory block and capture test outputs from the memory block independent of the shadow logic. Thus, the built in test circuit of the present invention is able to perform precise isolated testing on the memory block and perform precise isolated testing on the shadow logic.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy Ayres
- 👤 Amitava Majumdar
- 👤 Ajay Khoche
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:04
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/317; G01R31/3181; G01R31/3185; G01R31/318522
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
In a semiconductor integrated circuit, a built in test circuit for performing shadow logic testing and memory block testing, comprising: a test collar coupled between a memory block and a shadow logic, the test collar coupled to receive data inputs from the shadow logic and to receive data outputs from the memory block; the test collar providing a first test input to the shadow logic and capturing a first test output from the shadow logic independent of the memory block; and the test collar providing a second test input to the memory block and capturing a second test output from the memory block independent of the shadow logic.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
In a semiconductor integrated circuit, a built in test circuit for performing shadow logic testing and memory block testing, comprising: a test collar coupled between a memory block and a shadow logic, the test collar coupled to receive data inputs from the shadow logic and to receive data outputs from the memory block; the test collar providing a first test input to the shadow logic and capturing a first test output from the shadow logic independent of the memory block; and the test collar providing a second test input to the memory block and capturing a second test output from the memory block independent of the shadow logic.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The circuit of claim 1 wherein the test collar further comprises: a data input interface coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic; a data output interface coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic via the data input interface and provide an isolated test of the shadow logic, wherein the data inputs from the shadow logic are scanned out as the first test output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
110 words
The circuit of claim 2, wherein the data input interface is coupled to receive test data from an external circuit and provide the test data to the memory block, the data output interface coupled to read the test data from the memory block and provide an isolated test of the memory block by comparing the test data read from the memory block with the test data received from the external circuit and by scanning out the result of the comparison in order to provide an isolated test of the memory block, wherein the result of the comparison is scanned out from the data output interface as the second test output.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
The circuit of claim 1 wherein the test collar further comprises: an address interface coupled to receive an address input from the shadow logic and provide the address input to an address generator, the address interface configured to provide an isolated test of the shadow logic by scanning out the address input received from the shadow logic after the address input propagates through the shadow logic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The circuit of claim 4 wherein the address interface is coupled to receive a test address and couple the test address to the memory block to provide an isolated test of the memory block.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The circuit of claim 1 wherein the test collar further comprises: a control interface coupled to receive a test control input from an external circuit and couple the test control input to the memory block to provide an isolated test of the memory block.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
166 words
A semiconductor integrated circuit having a shadow logic, a memory block, and a built in test circuit for performing shadow logic testing and memory block testing, comprising: a memory block for storing data; a shadow logic coupled to the memory block, the shadow logic for interfacing the memory block with external circuitry by providing data inputs from the shadow logic to the memory block and providing data outputs from the memory block to the shadow logic; and a test collar coupled between the memory block and the shadow logic, the test collar coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic and to receive the data outputs from the memory block, the test collar providing a first test input to the shadow logic and capturing a first test output from the shadow logic independent of the memory block, the test collar providing a second test input to the memory block and capturing a second test output from the memory block independent of the shadow logic.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
166 words
A semiconductor integrated circuit having a shadow logic, a memory block, and a built in test circuit for performing shadow logic testing and memory block testing, comprising: a memory block for storing data; a shadow logic coupled to the memory block, the shadow logic for interfacing the memory block with external circuitry by providing data inputs from the shadow logic to the memory block and providing data outputs from the memory block to the shadow logic; and a test collar coupled between the memory block and the shadow logic, the test collar coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic and to receive the data outputs from the memory block, the test collar providing a first test input to the shadow logic and capturing a first test output from the shadow logic independent of the memory block, the test collar providing a second test input to the memory block and capturing a second test output from the memory block independent of the shadow logic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
The circuit of claim 7 wherein the test collar further comprises: a data input interface coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic; and a data output interface coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic and provide an isolated test of a data portion of the shadow logic, wherein the data inputs from the shadow logic are scanned out as the first test output.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
110 words
The circuit of claim 8, wherein the data input interface is coupled to receive test data from an external circuit and provide the test data to the memory block, the data output interface coupled to read the test data from the memory block and provide an isolated test of the memory block by comparing the test data read from the memory block with the test data received from the external circuit and by scanning out the result of the comparison in order to provide an isolated test of the memory block, wherein the result of the comparison is scanned out from the data output interface as the second test output.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The circuit of claim 9, wherein the data input interface includes a multiplexer having an output coupled to the memory block and the data output interface, a first input coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic, and a second input coupled to receive the test data from a built-in test data generator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
The circuit of claim 9, wherein the data output interface includes a multiplexer having an output coupled to a data comparator and the shadow logic, a first input coupled to the memory block, and a second input coupled to the data comparator, wherein the data comparator provides either the test vector or the data input to the second input of the multiplexer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
The circuit of claim 7 wherein the test collar further comprises: an address interface coupled to receive an address input from the shadow logic and provide the address input to an address generator, the address interface configured to provide an isolated test of an address portion of the shadow logic by scanning out the address input received from the shadow logic after the address input propagates through the shadow logic.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The circuit of claim 12 wherein the address interface is coupled to receive a test address and couple the test address to the memory block to provide an isolated test of the memory block.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The circuit of claim 7 wherein the test collar further comprises: a control interface coupled to receive a test control input from an external circuit and couple the test control input to the memory block to provide an isolated test of the memory block.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
154 words
In a semiconductor integrated circuit including a shadow logic coupled to a memory block via a test collar, a method for providing an isolated test of the shadow logic and an isolated test of the memory block, the method comprising the steps of: interfacing a memory block to external circuitry using a shadow logic; providing a first test input to the shadow logic using a test collar coupled between the memory block and the shadow logic; capturing a first test output from the shadow logic using the test collar, the first test output captured independent of the memory block to provide an isolated test of the shadow logic; providing a second test input to the memory block using the test collar; and capturing a second test output from the memory block using the test collar, the second test output captured independent of the shadow logic to provide an isolated test of the memory block.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
154 words
In a semiconductor integrated circuit including a shadow logic coupled to a memory block via a test collar, a method for providing an isolated test of the shadow logic and an isolated test of the memory block, the method comprising the steps of: interfacing a memory block to external circuitry using a shadow logic; providing a first test input to the shadow logic using a test collar coupled between the memory block and the shadow logic; capturing a first test output from the shadow logic using the test collar, the first test output captured independent of the memory block to provide an isolated test of the shadow logic; providing a second test input to the memory block using the test collar; and capturing a second test output from the memory block using the test collar, the second test output captured independent of the shadow logic to provide an isolated test of the memory block.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 15, further including the step of: coupling the memory block to the shadow logic by providing data inputs from the shadow logic to the memory block and by providing data outputs from the memory block to the shadow logic via the test collar.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the test collar further comprises: a data input interface coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic; and a data output interface coupled to receive the data inputs from the shadow logic via the data input interface and provide an isolated test of a data portion of the shadow logic by comparing the data input with a test vector received from an external circuit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the test collar further comprises: an address interface coupled to receive an address input from the shadow logic and provide the address input to an address generator, the address interface configured to provide an isolated test of an address portion of the shadow logic by scanning out the address input received from the shadow logic after the address input propagates through the shadow logic.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
178 words
A built-in-test circuit for an integrated circuit comprising: a memory block comprising an array of integrated circuit memory cells; input shadow logic for supping signals to said memory block; output shadow logic for receiving signals from said memory block; and a test collar circuit coupled between said memory and said input and said output shadow logic, said test collar circuit comprising: an address generator circuit coupled between said input shadow logic and said memory block, said address generator circuit comprising a first sequential circuit used both for applying addresses to said memory block during testing of said memory block and for shifting-out test bits captured during testing of a first portion of said input shadow logic; and an data output interface circuit coupled between said memory block and said output shadow logic, said data output interface circuit comprising a second sequential circuit used both for receiving test data from said memory block during said testing of said memory block and for shifting-in test bits for application to said output shadow logic during testing of said output shadow logic.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
178 words
A built-in-test circuit for an integrated circuit comprising: a memory block comprising an array of integrated circuit memory cells; input shadow logic for supping signals to said memory block; output shadow logic for receiving signals from said memory block; and a test collar circuit coupled between said memory and said input and said output shadow logic, said test collar circuit comprising: an address generator circuit coupled between said input shadow logic and said memory block, said address generator circuit comprising a first sequential circuit used both for applying addresses to said memory block during testing of said memory block and for shifting-out test bits captured during testing of a first portion of said input shadow logic; and an data output interface circuit coupled between said memory block and said output shadow logic, said data output interface circuit comprising a second sequential circuit used both for receiving test data from said memory block during said testing of said memory block and for shifting-in test bits for application to said output shadow logic during testing of said output shadow logic.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
63 words
A built-in-test circuit as described in claim 19 wherein said test collar circuit further comprises a data input interface circuit coupled between a second portion of said input shadow logic and said memory block, wherein aid second latch circuit of said data output interface circuit is also for shifting-out test bits captured during testing of a second portion of said input shadow logic.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
A built-in-test circuit as described in claim 20 further comprising a bypass line coupled between said data input interface circuit and said data output interface circuit for bypassing said memory block during said testing of said second portion of said input shadow logic.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
A built-in-test circuit as described in claim 19 wherein said data output interface circuit further comprises a data comparator circuit coupled between said memory block and said second sequential circuit, said data comparator circuit for comparing data during said testing of said memory block.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
A built-in-test circuit as described in claim 19 wherein said testing of said first portion of said shadow logic and said testing of said output shadow logic are both performed independent of said memory block.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
A built-in-test circuit as described in claim 19 wherein said testing of said second portion of said shadow logic is performed independent of said memory block.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-11 | 2004-01-10 | 2004-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-11 | 2008-01-10 | 2008-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-11 | 2012-01-10 | 2012-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |