Scan Path Testing (e.g., Level Sensitive Scan Design (lssd)) Patents (Class 714/726)
  • Patent number: 11948653
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip with error detection and correction includes multiple pipes and each pipe is coupled to one or more ports on the semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip further includes a state machine coupled to the pipes to generate a number of events consisting of read- and/or scan-type events associated with a plurality of storage elements. The state machine is implemented in hardware and can centrally detect and correct erroneous memory entries across the plurality of storage elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited
    Inventor: Sachin Prabhakarrao Kadu
  • Patent number: 11947887
    Abstract: A system includes a memory that stores instructions and receives a circuit netlist, and includes a processing unit that accesses the memory and executes the instructions. The instructions include an EDA application that includes a test-point flop allocation module that is configured to evaluate the circuit netlist to determine compatibility of the test-point nodes in the circuit netlist. The test-point flop allocation module can further allocate each of the test-point flops to a test-point sharing group comprising a plurality of compatible test-point nodes. The EDA application also includes a circuit layout module configured to generate a circuit layout associated with the circuit design, the circuit layout comprising the functional logic and scan-chains comprising the test-point flops allocated to the test-point sharing groups in response to the circuit netlist. The circuit layout is employable to fabricate an integrated circuit (IC) chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishna Chakravadhanula, Brian Foutz, Prateek Kumar Rai, Sarthak Singhal, Christos Papameletis, Vivek Chickermane
  • Patent number: 11885867
    Abstract: A method for determining the distance between an authentication device carried by a user and a motor vehicle, each including a wireless communication module so as to exchange a data frame, the data frame being modulated by changing the phase of a reference signal. The method includes the following steps of: the vehicle receiving a modulated reference signal, sent by the device, demodulating the received signal in order to extract an in-phase component and a quadrature component therefrom, computing the power value of the signal on the basis of the maximum amplitude value of the in-phase component and of the maximum amplitude value of the quadrature component, and determining the distance between the device and the vehicle on the basis of the computed power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Martin Opitz
  • Patent number: 11861225
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed including a processing device operatively coupled to memory device. The processing device performs operations comprising generating a super management unit (SMU) memory access command; splitting the SMU memory access command into a plurality of management unit (MU) memory access commands; indexing, in an index data structure, each MU memory access command of the plurality of MU memory access commands; issuing, to the memory device, a sequence of MU memory access commands from the plurality of MU memory access commands; receiving an indication that a MU memory access command from the sequence of MU memory access commands is completed; and responsive to determining that the completed MU memory access command satisfies a criterion, issuing an available MU memory access command based on an index value of the available MU memory access command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yueh-Hung Chen, Jiangli Zhu, Chih-Kuo Kao, Fangfang Zhu
  • Patent number: 11790838
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a pixel array, a gate driver and a bias control signal driver. The pixel array includes a pixel unit. The gate driver is configured to generate a plurality of gate control signals. The bias control signal driver is electrically connected to the pixel unit and the gate driver. The bias control signal driver is configured to generate a bias signal to drive the pixel unit according to a part of the plurality of gate control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Hashimoto, Yi-Hung Lin, Kung-Chen Kuo
  • Patent number: 11790856
    Abstract: A display device can include a display panel configured to display an image through sub pixels, a first scan driver configured to supply a plurality of first scan signals to a plurality of first gate lines connected to the sub pixels, and an emission control driver configured to supply a plurality of emission control signals to a plurality of third gate lines connected to the sub pixels. The emission control driver includes a plurality of emission control stages configured to supply the plurality of emission control signals, respectively. Each of the plurality of emission control stages can include an output buffer including a first output transistor configured to output a clock signal to an output line by controlling a Q node, and a second output transistor configured to output a high potential power supply voltage to the output line by controlling a QB node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyelim Ji
  • Patent number: 11789073
    Abstract: A scan test device includes a scan flip flop circuit and a clock gating circuit. The scan flip flop circuit is configured to receive a scan input signal according to a scan clock signal, and to output the received scan input signal to be a test signal. The clock gating circuit is configured to selectively mask the scan clock signal according to a predetermined bit of the test signal and a scan enable signal, in order to generate a test clock signal for testing at least one core circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Po-Lin Chen
  • Patent number: 11726140
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for performing scan includes: entering scan mode; receiving a test pattern; applying the test pattern through a first scan chain by asserting and deasserting a scan enable signal to respectively perform shift and capture operations to the first scan chain; while applying the test pattern through the first scan chain, controlling a further scan flip-flop with the first scan chain without transitioning a further scan enable input of the further scan flip-flop; and evaluating an output of the first scan chain to detect faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Venkata Narayanan Srinivasan, Shiv Kumar Vats, Tripti Gupta
  • Patent number: 11727868
    Abstract: Disclosed are a pixel circuit, a driving method of the pixel circuit and a display device, the pixel circuit including a reset unit, a voltage writing unit and a light-emitting control unit, the reset unit is connected to a reset control signal terminal, and resets the pixel circuit under the control of the reset control signal; the voltage writing unit stores a data signal and a threshold voltage of a driving transistor under the control of the scan control signal; the light-emitting control unit is connected to a light-emitting control signal terminal and includes the driving transistor, and use the data signal and the threshold voltage to generate a current under control of the light-emitting control signal; the light-emitting control unit includes a first type transistor, the reset unit and the voltage writing unit include a second type transistor different from the first type transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Can Zheng
  • Patent number: 11727885
    Abstract: A scan driver includes a plurality of stages, each of the plurality of stages including: a first controller to control voltage levels of a first control node and a second control node in response to a first start signal and a second start signal, and to output a first carry signal; a second controller to control voltage levels of a third control node and a fourth control node in response to the first start signal and the second start signal, and to output a second carry signal; and an output circuit including: a pull-up transistor having a gate connected to the first control node; and a pull-down transistor having a gate connected to the third control node. The output circuit is to output a scan signal based on an on voltage output through the pull-up transistor and an off voltage output through the pull-down transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonghee Kim, Bogyeong Kim, Takyoung Lee, Boyong Chung, Byungseok Choi
  • Patent number: 11695396
    Abstract: A circuit, for generating ultrahigh-precision digital pulse signals comprises: a pulse edge control circuit used for delaying a signal on an input pin and accurately controlling positions of a rising edge and a falling edge of the pulse signal to accurately control the width of pulses and generate ultrahigh-precision pulses; a static calibration circuit used for calculating step size information representing the relationship between a work clock period of a system and a delay of delay cells in the pulse edge control circuit when the system is powered on to work, and storing the step size information, wherein the step size information is the number of delay cells through which the signal is propagated and passes within one system clock period; and a dynamic calibration circuit used for dynamically calculating step size information when a rising edge or a falling edge of each pulse in the input pin arrives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: HUNAN GREAT-LEO MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hu Chen, Ye Xu, Jianghua Wan
  • Patent number: 11675006
    Abstract: An example integrated circuit (IC) die in a multi-die IC package, the multi-die IC package having a test access port (TAP) comprising a test data input (TDI), test data output (TDO), test clock (TCK), and test mode select (TMS), is described. The IC die includes a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) controller having a JTAG interface that includes a TDI, a TDO, a TCK, and a TMS, a first output coupled to first routing in the multi-die IC package, a first input coupled to the first routing or to second routing in the multi-die IC package, a master return path coupled to the first input, and a wrapper circuit configured to couple the TDI of the TAP to the TDI of the JTAG controller, and selectively couple, in response to a first control signal, the TDO of the TAP to either the master return path or the TDO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: XILINX, INC.
    Inventors: Roger D. Flateau, Jr., Srinu Sunkara
  • Patent number: 11609270
    Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) includes a storage element and control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to select, responsively to a scan-enable control, between a functional-data input and a scan-data input to serve as an input to the storage element, to selectively disable toggling of an output of the storage element, responsively to a clock-enable control, by gating a clock signal provided to the storage element, and, while the clock-enable control indicates that the output of the storage element is to be disabled from toggling, to select the input of the storage element to be the scan-data input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: FNU Rajeev Kumar, Chandan Shantharaj
  • Patent number: 11555854
    Abstract: A system for testing a circuit comprises scan chains, a controller configured to generate a bit-inverting signal based on child test pattern information, and bit-inverting circuitry coupled to the controller and configured to invert bits of a parent test pattern associated with a plurality of shift clock cycles based on the bit-inverting signal to generate a child test pattern during a shift operation. Here, the plurality of shift clock cycles for bit inverting occur every m shift clock cycles, and the child test pattern information comprises information of m and location of the plurality of shift clock cycles in the shift operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventors: Yingdi Liu, Nilanjan Mukherjee, Janusz Rajski, Jerzy Tyszer
  • Patent number: 11558040
    Abstract: Circuits, systems, and methods are described herein for increasing a hold time of a master-slave flip-flop. A flip-flop includes circuitry configured to receive a scan input signal and generate a delayed scan input signal; a master latch configured to receive a data signal and the delayed scan input signal; and a slave latch coupled to the master latch, the master latch selectively providing one of the data signal or the delayed scan input signal to the slave latch based on a scan enable signal received by the master latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Campus, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seid Hadi Rasouli, Jerry Chang Jui Kao, Xiangdong Chen, Tzu-Ying Lin, Yung-Chen Chien, Shao-Lun Chien
  • Patent number: 11537309
    Abstract: In described examples, circuitry for saving and restoring a design block state includes first memories configured to receive, and store in different first memories in a first order, different portions of first data; and a second memory coupled to first memories. First memories with the most memory cells have N memory cells. First memories with fewer memory cells have M memory cells. When saving state, first data from different first memories is written in a second order to different corresponding regions of the second memory as second data. The second order repeats portions of the first data stored in sequentially first N mod M cells, determined using the first order, of corresponding first memories with fewer cells. When restoring state, second data is read from the second memory and stored, in the first order, in corresponding first memories; repeated portions are repeatedly stored in corresponding first memories with fewer cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Texas Instmments Incorporated
    Inventors: Puneet Sabbarwal, Indu Prathapan
  • Patent number: 11531061
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and apparatus of interleaved on-chip testing. The method merges a test setup for analog components with a test setup for digital components and then interleaves the execution of the digital components with the analog components. This provides concurrency via a unified mode of operation. The apparatus includes a system-on-chip test access port (SoC TAP) in communication with a memory test access port (MTAP). A built-in self-test (BIST) controller communicates with the MTAP, a physical layer, and a memory. A multiplexer is in communication with the memory and a phase locked loop (PLL) through an AND gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Praveen Raghuraman
  • Patent number: 11501047
    Abstract: A non-limiting example of a computer-implemented method for error injection includes executing a pre-silicon operation on a simulated chip verifying that a plurality of latches from a timing simulation set error checkers when run against a manufacturing test suite in order to generate a cross-reference file containing latch entries in a table. It executes a first post-silicon operation on a hardware chip based on the simulated chip to determine empirically that timing latches from logic built-in self tests (“LBIST”) trigger the same error checkers set by the plurality of latches verified in the simulated chip. The method updates the cross-reference file based on the results of the determination. The method executes a second post-silicon operation on the hardware chip to improve chip frequency by working around functional checkers using the cross-reference file and updating the cross-reference file based on the results of the improving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean Michael Carey, Richard Frank Rizzolo, Bodo Hoppe, Divya Kumudprakash Joshi, Paul Jacob Logsdon, Sreekala Anandavally, William Rurik
  • Patent number: 11495315
    Abstract: A scan network configured to transport repair information between memories and a controller for a non-volatile storage device comprises: repair registers coupled in parallel to repair information generation circuitry for one of the memories and segment selection devices that divide the repair registers into repair register segments. Each of the segment selection devices comprises: a storage element configured to store a segment selection bit and segment selection bit generation circuitry configured to generate the segment selection bit based on the repair information. Each of the segment selection devices is configurable to include or not include the corresponding repair register segment in a scan path of the scan network in a shift operation based on the segment selection bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zou, Benoit Nadeau-Dostie
  • Patent number: 11454671
    Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) includes a storage element and control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to select, responsively to a scan-enable control, between a functional-data input and a scan-data input to serve as an input to the storage element, to selectively disable toggling of an output of the storage element, responsively to a clock-enable control, by gating a clock signal provided to the storage element, and, while the clock-enable control indicates that the output of the storage element is to be disabled from toggling, to select the input of the storage element to be the scan-data input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: FNU Rajeev Kumar, Chandan Shantharaj
  • Patent number: 11443822
    Abstract: Testability of memory on integrated circuits is improved by connecting storage elements like latches in memory to scan chains and configuring memory for scan dump. The use of latches and similar compact storage elements to form scannable memory can extend the testability of high-density memory circuits on complex integrated circuits operable at high clock speeds. A scannable memory architecture includes an input buffer with active low buffer latches, and an array of active high storage latches, operated in coordination to enable incorporation of the memory into scan chains for ATPG/TT and scan dump testing modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SambaNova Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Ziaja, Uma Durairajan, Dinesh R. Amirtharaj
  • Patent number: 11442103
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided which comprises: a multi-bit quad latch with an internally coupled level sensitive scan circuitry; and a combinational logic coupled to an output of the multi-bit quad latch. Another apparatus is provided which comprises: a plurality of sequential logic circuitries; and a clocking circuitry comprising inverters, wherein the clocking circuitry is shared by the plurality of sequential logic circuitries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Amit Agarwal, Ram Krishnamurthy, Satish Damaraju, Steven Hsu, Simeon Realov
  • Patent number: 11408935
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus comprising: a host device or a System-on-Chip: a memory component having an independent structure and including at least an array of memory cells organized in sub-arrays with associated decoding and sensing circuitry; a JTAG interface in said at least an array of memory cells including a boundary-scan architecture; an instruction register in said boundary-scan architecture of the JTAG interface including at least a couple of Bits indicative of the presence of a Test Data Input (TDI) signal. The apparatus has an extended TDI functionality using the data IO to improve the overall performances. A method for improving the communication between a Host or SoC device and an associated independent memory component is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Antonino Mondello, Alberto Troia
  • Patent number: 11393195
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for augmented reality inventory tracking and analysis that identifies devices based on a combination of features, retrieves a configuration or other characteristics of the selected device and presents the configuration as a rendered overlay on a live image from the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Fortress Cyber Security, LLC
    Inventors: Roumen Kassabov, Peter Kassabov
  • Patent number: 11386253
    Abstract: Methods of a scan partitioning a circuit are disclosed. One method includes calculating a power score for circuit cells within a circuit design based on physical cell parameters of the circuit cells. For each of the circuit cells, the circuit cell is assigned to a scan group according to the power score for the circuit cell and a total power score for each scan group. A plurality of scan chains is formed. Each of the scan chains is formed from the circuit cells in a corresponding scan group based at least in part on placement data within the circuit design for each of the circuit cells. Interconnect power consumption can be assessed to determine routing among circuit cells in the scan chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ankita Patidar, Sandeep Kumar Goel, Yun-Han Lee
  • Patent number: 11361248
    Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosed technology relate to machine learning-based chain diagnosis. Faults are injected into scan chains in a circuit design. Simulations are performed on the fault-injected circuit design to determine observed failing bit patterns. Bit-reduction is performed on the observed failing bit patterns to construct first training samples. Using the first training samples, first-level machine-learning models are trained. Affine scan cell groups are identified. Second training samples are prepared for each of the affine scan cell groups by performing bit-filtering on a subset of the observed failing bit patterns associated with the faults being injected at scan cells in the each of the affine scan cell groups. Using the second training samples, second-level machine-learning models are trained. The first-level and second-level machine learning models can be applied in a multi-stage machine learning-based chain diagnosis process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Huang, Gaurav Veda, Kun-Han Tsai, Wu-Tung Cheng, Mason Chern, Shi-Yu Huang
  • Patent number: 11356656
    Abstract: To enable detection of occurrence of abnormality in a more preferable manner when the abnormality occurs in signal processing applied to pixel signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Koizumi, Masaki Murozuka, Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11353504
    Abstract: A first plurality of logic gates and a second plurality of logic gates may be associated with a symmetric configuration. A first output at a first value may be generated by the first plurality of logic gates based on a first portion of input signals. A second output may be generated by the second plurality of logic gates at the first value based on a second portion of the input signals. A subsequent first output at a particular value may be generated by the first plurality of logic gates based on a first portion of a second plurality of input signals and a subsequent second output may be generated by the second plurality of logic gates based on a second portion of the second plurality of input signals. A value of the subsequent second output may be complementary to the particular value of the subsequent first output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: CRYPTOGRAPHY RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Hutter, Matthew Pond Baker
  • Patent number: 11323422
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method for registering an IoT device with a DNS registry. The method can include obtaining, at a DNS server, an identifier, IP address, and a public key of an asymmetric key pair associated with the IoT device from a network gateway device that is in communication with the IoT device, wherein the asymmetric key pair is provisioned onto the IoT device and an associated private key stored within a memory of the IoT device at a time that IoT device is manufactured or during a predetermined time window after manufacturing; creating at least one DNS record for the IoT device; assigning a domain name associated with the internet protocol (“IP”) address to the IoT device; storing the identifier, IP address, the domain name, and the public key in the at least one DNS record; and providing confirmation of the registration to the IoT device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Daniel James, Daniel Schonfeld, Andrew Fregly, Eric Osterweil
  • Patent number: 11293980
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing customer-transparent logic redundancy in scan chains for improved yield of integrated circuits. More specifically, an integrated circuit structure is provided for that includes a plurality of combined latch structures. Each of the combined latch structures includes an original latch and a redundant latch. The integrated circuit structure further includes a plurality of combined logic structures. Each of the combined logic structures includes an original logic structure a redundant logic structure. Each redundant latch is a duplicate of each respective original latch within a combined latch structure and each redundant logic structure is a duplicate of each respective original logic structure within a combined logic structure such that a two-fold library of latches and logic is provided for one or more scan chains of the integrated circuit structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Igor Arsovski, John R. Goss, Eric D. Hunt-Schroeder, Andrew K. Killorin
  • Patent number: 11287472
    Abstract: A chip testing method including the following operations is disclosed: outputting a plurality of testing sequences to a plurality of scan chains by an encoding circuit; generating a plurality of scan output data according to the plurality of testing sequences by the plurality of scan chains; and determining whether an error exists in the plurality of scan chains or not according to the plurality of scan output data by a decoding circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sheng-Ping Yung, Pei-Ying Hsueh, Chun-Yi Kuo
  • Patent number: 11269008
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for improving the operation of a TAP architecture in a device through the use of Command signal inputs to the TAP architecture. In response to a Command signal input, the TAP architecture can perform streamlined and uninterrupted Update, Capture and Shift operation cycles to a target circuit in the device or streamlined and uninterrupted capture and shift operation cycles to a target circuit in the device. The Command signals can be input to the TAP architecture via the devices dedicated TMS or TDI inputs or via a separate CMD input to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11262404
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit including a logic circuit, and a plurality of scan flip-flop circuits that hold input data or output data of the logic circuit and are capable of forming a scan chain for executing a scan test of the logic circuit. Each scan flip-flop circuit includes a scan data input part that receives input of scan data for the scan test, a normal data input part that receives input of normal data different from the scan data, and a data holding part capable of separately holding the normal data and the scan data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Kimura
  • Patent number: 11250198
    Abstract: A safety analysis method is based on a safety-specific design structural analysis and cone of influence (COI) that does not require fault simulation. The method for performing a safety analysis of an integrated circuit based on a safety-specific design structural analysis and cone of influence comprises generating with a processor a computed set of basic design elements by intersecting two transitive cones of influence, wherein a first cone of influence is a transitive fanin cone of influence starting from a TO element and a second cone of influence is a transitive fanout cone of influence starting from a FROM element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: ONESPIN SOLUTIONS GMBH
    Inventor: Jörg Grosse
  • Patent number: 11244629
    Abstract: A scan driver includes: a plurality of stages, each stage including: a logic circuit configured to transfer an input signal to a first node in response to a first clock signal, and to bootstrap the first node in response to a second clock signal; a carry output circuit configured to output the second clock signal as a carry signal that is provided as the input signal for a next stage in response to a voltage of the bootstrapped first node; and a masking controller configured to receive a masking signal and the carry signal, and to output the masking signal as a scan signal provided to a pixel row corresponding to the each stage in response to the carry signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong Heon Cho, Hae-Kwan Seo
  • Patent number: 11237211
    Abstract: The invention relates to a microchip with a multiplicity of reconfigurable test structures, wherein the microchip has a test input (TDI) and a test output (TDO), wherein the multiplicity of test structures can be connected to the test input (TDI) and the test output (TDO), wherein one intermediate memory is provided for each of the multiplicity of test structures, wherein each of the multiplicity of test structures can be tested separately and concurrently with the aid of the respective intermediate memory and a corresponding individual control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Hochschule Hamm-Lippstadt
    Inventor: Rene Krenz-Baath
  • Patent number: 11232246
    Abstract: A circuit comprises: a register configured to be a linear finite state machine and comprising storage elements, injection devices, one or more input channels for injecting variables using the injection devices, and one or more feedback devices; a plurality of phase shifters, each of the plurality of phase shifters configured to receive signals from a unique segment of the register; scan chains, serial inputs of the scan chains configured to receive signals from outputs of the plurality of phase shifters, wherein the one or more input channels are coupled to the injection devices at injection points in the register, each of the injection points being assigned to one of the one or more input channels based on lifespan values for the injection points, the injection points being determined based on one or more predetermined requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Huang, Janusz Rajski, Mark A. Kassab, Nilanjan Mukherjee, Jeffrey Mayer
  • Patent number: 11223344
    Abstract: A scan flip-flop includes a multiplexer, a first latch, a second latch, an output buffer and a clock buffer. The multiplexer selects one of a data input signal and a scan input signal based on an operation mode. The first latch latches an output of the multiplexer. The second latch latches an output of the first latch. The output buffer generates an output signal based on an output of the second latch. The clock buffer generates a first clock signal and a second clock signal that control operation of the first latch and the second latch. The first latch, the second latch, and the clock buffer are sequentially arranged along a first direction. A first clock line supplying the first clock signal and a second clock line supplying the second clock signal have a cross couple connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Inventors: Raheel Azmat, Jaehyoung Lim, Taehyung Kim, Jinwoo Jeong, Jaeseok Yang
  • Patent number: 11222098
    Abstract: A dynamically obfuscated scan chain (DOSC) includes a control module designed to control memory loading, a linear feedback shift register (LFSR), a dynamic Obfuscation Key generator configured to use LFSR to generate a ?-bit protected Obfuscation Key, in order to confuse and change the test data into an output scan vectors when the Obfuscation Key update is triggered. The DOSC also includes a shadow chain, configured to input the ?-bit protected Obfuscation Key generated by the LFSR, and output k??×??-bit protected Obfuscation Keys, and obfuscated scan chains. The DOSC operating method includes: loading control vectors to LFSR from control module during initialization; generating the Obfuscation Key at an output of the LFSR; generating the Obfuscation Key bit by bit based at least in part on the shadow chain and the Obfuscation Key during a first scan clock after reset in order to confuse test patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mark M. Tehranipoor, Domenic J. Forte, Farimah Farahmandi, Adib Nahiyan, Fahim Rahman, Mohammad Sazadur Rahman
  • Patent number: 11209880
    Abstract: To individually control supply of the power supply voltage to circuits, a semiconductor device includes a CPU, a memory that reads and writes data used in arithmetic operation of the CPU, a signal processing circuit that generates an output signal by converting a data signal generated by the arithmetic operation of the CPU, a first power supply control switch that controls supply of the power supply voltage to the CPU, a second power supply control switch that controls supply of the power supply voltage to the memory, a third power supply control switch that controls supply of the power supply voltage to the signal processing circuit, and a controller that at least has a function of controlling the first to third power supply control switches individually in accordance with an input signal and instruction signals input from the CPU and the signal processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Koyama, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11199580
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a novel method and apparatus for inputting addresses to devices to select the device TAP for access. Further, the disclosure provides a novel method and apparatus for inputting addresses for selecting device TAPs and for inputting commands for commanding circuitry within the device. The inputting of addresses or the inputting of addresses and commands is initiated by a control bit input on TDI that is recognized during the Run Test/Idle, Pause-DR or Pause-IR TAP states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11201621
    Abstract: A clock gating cell (CGC) is provided. The clock gating cell includes two latches that can be configured as a flip-flop to use positive/negative edges of a first clock signal to store a value of an input terminal, and the clock gating cell also includes a selector used for the flip-flop to select from values of different input terminals for storing. In addition, in a non-scan testing mode, the clock gating cell can forcefully close an unused latch through an independent signal, and in a scan shift duration and a scan capture duration of a scan testing mode, the clock gating cell can further forcefully output the first clock signal as the gating clock signal according to two independent signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventors: Yu-Cheng Lo, Yu-Jen Pan, Wei-Chih Shen, Chien-Wei Shih, Jiunn-Way Miaw
  • Patent number: 11193974
    Abstract: A failure diagnostic apparatus includes a path calculation unit which calculates, for each input pattern to a diagnosis target cell, a path affecting an output value of the diagnosis target cell when a failure is assumed as an activation path, a path classification unit which classifies the activation path associated with the input pattern for which the diagnosis target cell has passed a test and the activation path associated with the input pattern for which the diagnosis target cell has failed the test, a path narrowing unit which calculates a first failure candidate path, a second failure candidate path and a normal path of the diagnosis target cell based on classified activation paths, and a result output unit which outputs information on the first failure candidate path, the second failure candidate path and the normal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihisa Funatsu, Kazuki Shigeta
  • Patent number: 11176030
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to conducting automated software testing using a centralized controller and one or more distributed test host servers. A computing platform may receive a test execution request. Subsequently, the computing platform may retrieve test specification details information and may identify one or more tests to execute. Then, the computing platform may generate one or more remote test execution commands directing a test host server farm to execute the one or more tests. In addition, generating the one or more remote test execution commands may include constructing one or more command line instructions to be executed by the test host server farm and inserting the one or more command line instructions into the one or more remote test execution commands. Thereafter, the computing platform may send the one or more remote test execution commands to the test host server farm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventor: Gedaliah Friedenberg
  • Patent number: 11143703
    Abstract: A method for scan chain testing a multi-chip module including a plurality of integrated circuit dice, some of the integrated circuit dice being of a first type and some of the integrated circuit dice being of a second type, includes separately applying a first boundary scan test stream to each die of the first type, and a second boundary scan test stream to each die of the second type. Testing apparatus includes a test interface that couples to each respective test access port, and a controller configured to separately apply the first boundary scan test stream to each die of the first type, and the second boundary scan test stream to each die of the second type. A multi-chip module includes a plurality of integrated circuit dice, each having a boundary scan register chain with a test access port, and a test access port for the module as a whole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Marvell Israel (M.I.S.L) Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Fridburg, Erez Menahem, Peter Brokhman
  • Patent number: 11144677
    Abstract: A fully digital integrated circuit apparatus (200) and method (300) are provided for generating a test mode enable signal with a digital non-resettable state retention storage circuit (210) connected to store an authentication control pattern for authorizing test mode access to a secure circuit, a digital safety interlock gate circuit (220) connected to store a safety interlock gate setting that may be accessed independently from a test mode enable signal, and combinatorial logic circuitry (205) for generating the test mode enable signal only when the interlock safety gate setting is set to a first value and the digital non-resettable state retention storage circuit stores the authentication control code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Doll, Thomas Henry Luedeke, Nikila Krishnamoorthy, Hubert Glenn Carson, Jr., Anurag Jindal, Hilario Manuel Garza, Kamel Musa Khalaf, Joel Ray Knight, Adrian Lee Carleton
  • Patent number: 11137446
    Abstract: A test apparatus is configured to test a DUT that does not support synchronous control from an external circuit. A main controller is configured based on an architecture that tests a device by synchronous control with the main controller itself as the master. A MIU is configured as an interface between the main controller and the DUT. The MIU establishes asynchronous control between it and the DUT with the DUT as the master, and establishes control between it and the main controller with the main controller as the master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Inage, Kazuhiro Iezumi, Tomoyuki Itakura, Keisuke Kusunoki, Yoshihiro Kato, Kazuhiro Tsujikawa, Naoya Kimura, Yuki Watanabe, Yuichiro Harada, Koji Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 11132483
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for forming an electronic circuit is provided including forming a netlist of an electronic circuit having a multiplicity of flip-flops, selecting groups of flip-flops from the multiplicity of flip-flops, providing, for each selected group of flip-flops, an error detection circuit for the flip-flops of the group and forming the electronic circuit based on the netlist to include the provided error detection circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Marco Bucci, Raimondo Luzzi
  • Patent number: 11120733
    Abstract: A display device includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a light emitting unit and a driving circuit. The driving circuit drives the light emitting unit in a pulse width modulation mode to present a first gray level lower than or equal to a predetermined gray level, and drives the light emitting unit in a current mode to present a second gray level higher than the predetermined gray level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11113444
    Abstract: Electronic design automation (EDA) of the present disclosure, in various embodiments, optimizes designing, simulating, analyzing, and verifying of electronic circuitry for an electronic device. The electronic device includes scan flip-flops to autonomously test the electronic circuitry for various manufacturing faults. The EDA of the present disclosure statistically groups the scan flip-flops into scan chains in such a manner such that scan flip-flops within each scan chain share similar characteristics, parameters, or attributes. Thereafter, the EDA of the present disclosure intelligently arranges ordering for the scan flip-flops within each of the scan chains to optimize power, performance, and/or area of the electronic circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventors: Sandeep Kumar Goel, Yun-Han Lee, Vinay Kotha, Ankita Patidar