Patents Examined by Steve Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8312332
    Abstract: A test apparatus includes a test input signal generator that generates a test input signal of word width N, and terminals that connect to inputs and outputs of an electrical circuit to be tested. The electrical circuit includes N digital test inputs and M digital test outputs. The terminals for the test inputs are connected to the test input signal and an electrical circuit is driven such that it outputs at its test outputs data with a macro clock cycle T of length L as test response. A compactor includes M inputs that are connected to the terminals for the test outputs of the circuit to be tested. The compactor compacts the test response with a micro clock cycle t of length l and outputs a data word of width m, where the length L is at least twice as large as the length l.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Leininger, Michael Goessel
  • Patent number: 8271841
    Abstract: A method for testing an integrated circuit to detect delay faults resulting from a signal path from a first block of the integrated circuit to a second block of the integrated circuit, wherein first and second blocks are running at different application speeds. The method may include shifting first data into scan memory cells of the integrated circuit at a first frequency; applying a launch test clock pulse to the first block at a second frequency; applying a capture test clock pulse to the second block at the second frequency, wherein the first edges of the launch and capture pulses are delayed with respect to each other by a period that is a reciprocal of the second frequency; shifting second data from the scan memory cells to an output at the first frequency; and comparing the second data at the output with expected values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Zhen Song Li
  • Patent number: 8261140
    Abstract: An apparatus having a memory module and an initialization module is disclosed. The initialization module may be configured to (i) mark a particular location in the memory module as an uninitialized location by writing a predetermined word into the particular location in response to an occurrence of an event, (ii) read a read word from an address in the memory module in response to a read cycle and (iii) generate an interrupt signal by analyzing the read word, the interrupt signal being asserted where the read word indicates that the address is the uninitialized location in the memory module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Yair Orbach, Assaf Rachlevski
  • Patent number: 8230278
    Abstract: A test system having a sub-system to sub-system bridge may be provided that utilizes the useful attributes of a plurality of circuit testing techniques, while reducing deficiencies associated with certain types of circuit testing. A bridged test system structure is utilized to facilitate circuit testing that is more effective and time efficient. The method analyzes performance data acquired by a first component for one or more circuits, and sends that performance data to a second test component. The second test component provides test signals to the circuits, using the performance date to enhance the use of the test signals, and also provides test response data for the circuits in response to the provided test signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, I, LP
    Inventors: Charles Lutz, Jason Spielvogel, Nicole Nall, Barron Cain, William Keyes, Gregory Irwin
  • Patent number: 8225152
    Abstract: A hierarchical test executive system comprising and including Procedure, Test, Measurement and Datapoint levels. A Procedure is an ordered list of Tests; a Test is a group of Measurements in a Procedure that share the same test algorithm, and thus the same software code; a Measurement is a configuration or setup for a Test, and provides parameters to a Test; and a Datapoint is a subset of a Measurement containing additional parameters that select a result when one Measurement generates multiple results. When initiated, the test executive system presents a list of models and the user selects a model to be tested. The program then uploads the test software corresponding to the selected model and presents a list and descriptions of Procedures to the user. The user selects one of the Procedures, and the program retrieves the selected procedure from the test software and expands it into Tests, Measurements and Datapoints as determined by the Procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher K Sutton
  • Patent number: 8205134
    Abstract: To identify errored bits in a binary data set, an ordered plurality of modulo-2 summations of respective selections of the data-set bits are compared with a target syndrome. The selections of data-set bits are defined by the connection of sum nodes to variable nodes in a logical network of nodes and edges where each variable node is associated with a respective data-set bit and each sum node corresponds to a respective modulo-2 summation. Any sum node for which the corresponding summation of selected data-set bits is found to be inconsistent with the target syndrome is identified as errored. Predetermined patterns of errored sum nodes are then looked for to identify one or more associated errored data-set bits. The identified errored data-set bits can then be flipped to correct them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Keith Harrison, William Munro
  • Patent number: 8196005
    Abstract: The method includes defining from all the check nodes at least one group of check nodes mutually connected through at least one second variable node defining an internal second variable node. The method includes performing for each group the joint updating of all the check nodes of the group via a Maximum-A-Posteriori (MAP) type process, and the updating of all the first variable nodes and all the second variable nodes connected to the group except the at least one internal second variable node. The method may include iteratively repeating the updates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics N.V.
    Inventors: Frank Kienle, Norbert Wehn, Torben Brack
  • Patent number: 8185788
    Abstract: A semiconductor device test system has an interface for use with a semiconductor device test method, and a semiconductor device test method. In a first mode of an interface, in reaction to test signals corresponding to a test standard, for example, a JTAG test standard, and received by the interface from a test device, the interface outputs signals corresponding to the test standard to a semiconductor device to be tested. In a second mode of the interface, in reaction to test signals corresponding to the test standard and received by the interface from a test device, the interface outputs signals that do not correspond to the test standard to a semiconductor device to be tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Harry Siebert
  • Patent number: 8181072
    Abstract: To provide a method and the like for testing a main memory in a multi processor system, which is capable of reducing a test execution time and accordingly a start-up time as compared with the case where a single processor is used for the test. The present invention provides a method for testing a main memory (MM) in a multi processor system (MPS) including a main processor (MP) and multiple sub processors (SP) each having a DMA transfer mechanism and a local store (LS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Dohji, Hironori Makimura, Minoru Kida, Nobuyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8176370
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention may be found in a method and system for testing an integrated circuit and may comprise an address selector, data selector and staging register coupled to a signal generator. The address selector may comprise a direct access memory test (DAMT) mode address control input and one or more output address pins coupled to an embedded memory device under test (DUT). The data selector may be coupled to at least one data pin and control pin of the signal generator and may comprise a DAMT mode data control input and at least one data output coupled to embedded memory DUT. A staging register comprising a first output clock rate which is one-quarter (¼) its input clock rate and matches a DUT burst write frequency may be coupled to an input of the data selector. A DAMT mode control may configure the memory DUT for DAMT operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Lee, Xiaogang Zhu, Andrew S. Hwang
  • Patent number: 8151149
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory apparatus according to the embodiment includes a test mode controller, a first data alignment unit, a decoder, a test executing unit and a second data alignment unit. The test mode controller is configured to generate test enable signals in response to a test mode setting signal and a read command. The first data alignment unit is configured to parallely align first input data that are input in series, generate first alignment data, and transmit it to the first data driver. The decoder is configured to decode the first alignment data in response to the test enable signal and generate the decoding signal. The test executing unit is configured to execute the preset test mode in response to the decoding signal. The second data alignment unit is configured to parallely align second input data, which are input in series, in response to the test enable signal, generate second alignment data, and transmit it to a second data driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Jeong-Hun Lee, Yong-Mi Kim, Jeong-Tea Hwang
  • Patent number: 8151150
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for writing test data to a memory. In one embodiment, the memory comprises a data register. First, test data is written to a memory space of the memory. A read-back command and a read-back address of the memory space are then sent to the memory to direct the memory to read the test data from the memory space to the data register. A copy-back command and a copy-back command in a test range of the memory are then sent to the memory to direct the memory to write the test data stored in the data register to the copy-back address. Finally, when the test range of the memory has not been filled with the test data, the step of sending the read-back command and the read-back address is repeated, and the step of sending the copy-back command and the copy-back address is repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Mau-Jung Lu
  • Patent number: 8136001
    Abstract: Techniques have been developed to introduce processor core functional pattern tests into a memory space addressable by at least one processor core of an integrated circuit. In general, such functional pattern tests can include both instruction sequences and data patterns and, in some embodiments in accordance with the present invention, are introduced (at least in part) into on-chip cache memory using facilities of an on-chip loader. Instruction opcodes used in functional test sequences may be efficiently introduced into a plurality of target locations in memory (e.g., at locations corresponding to multiple interrupt handlers or at locations from which a multiplicity of cores execute their functional tests) using facilities of the on-chip loader. In some embodiments, instruction selections together with a base address, extent and stride indications may be used to direct operation of the on-chip loader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Xu, Jen-Tien Yen, Robert Serphillips
  • Patent number: 8136000
    Abstract: When a test mode of a controller of a multi-chip integrated circuit package is activated, external signal lines coupled to the controller are re-mapped to signal lines of one of the integrated circuit devices of the multi-chip integrated circuit package to permit direct testing of the integrated circuit device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore T. Pekny
  • Patent number: 8127195
    Abstract: A destination node in a data network for transmission of real-time data by a data telegram, the data telegram including an identification, data and a transfer status, is provided. The destination node includes a device for receiving a first data telegram, a device for storing the data of the first data telegram and an assigned timer value, a device for receiving a second data telegram and a device for replacing the stored data of the first data telegram, wherein the stored data of the first data telegram is replaced with data of the second data telegram. Further, a method and a non-transitory storage medium are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dieter Brückner, Dieter Klotz, Karl-Heinz Krause, Jürgen Schimmer
  • Patent number: 8117508
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device including: a memory cell array storing an electrically rewritable resistance value as data in a non-volatile manner; a first cache circuit configured to hold program data to be programmed in the cell array; a second cache circuit configured to hold preprogrammed data read from an area of the cell array; and a judging circuit configured to compare and check the program data with the preprogrammed data, and judge whether there are one or more disagreement bits therebetween or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Naoya Tokiwa
  • Patent number: 8103918
    Abstract: A multiport memory is provided with multiple data access paths A, B, each having a respective independent clock signal CLKA, CLKB. During self test operation a duplicate clock enable signal DPCLKTESTEN is used to enable one of these clock signals CLKA, CLKB to be used as a shared clock signal by all data access paths A, B. An external memory adjust signal EMAA. EMAB is used to adjust one of these shared clock signals to form a modified shared clock signal for at least one of the data paths being tested. In this way, worst-case scenarios can be more readily investigated comprising clocks with the same frequency but small differences in phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventor: Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Patent number: 8099659
    Abstract: The invention provides a logic tester. In one embodiment, the logic tester is coupled to a plurality of tested devices, and includes a function generator and a pattern comparator. The function generator generates an initial code sequence as an input signal of the tested devices to fix output signals of the tested devices to a first value, and then generates a functional code sequence as the input signal of the tested devices to trigger the output signals of the tested devices to change from the first value to a second value. The pattern comparator converts the output signals of the tested devices to a plurality of bitstreams after the functional code sequence is generated, calculates numbers of bits corresponding to the first value in the bitstreams, estimates delay periods of the tested devices according to the numbers of bits, and outputs the delay periods of the tested devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Princeton Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Yu Wu, Huei-Huang Chen
  • Patent number: 8086916
    Abstract: A memory redundancy analyzing apparatus having a tester, a queue, and a redundancy analyzer is provided. The tester includes testing portions for different types of fails, and each of the testing portions performs multiple tests on the memory locations and outputs fail information for at least a part of the memory device. The queue stores the fail information. The redundancy analyzer processes the fails using the fail information and produces a plurality of repair solutions. The types of fails include must fails and sparse fails. The fail information is transmitted to the queue, and the fail information includes at least a part of the fail information for the entire memory device. The tester can operate asynchronously from the redundancy analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kristopher Kopel
  • Patent number: 8086913
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems pertain to performing READ, WRITE functions in a memory which is coupled to a repair controller. One such repair controller could receive a row address and a column address associated with the memory and store a first plurality of tag fields indicating a type of row/column repair to be performed for at least a portion of a row/column of memory cells, and a second plurality of tag fields to indicate a location of memory cells used to perform the row/column repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd Houg