Integrated circuit and method of testing
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorJinn-Yeh Chien
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated circuit for testing a circuit includes a controller configured to select a loopback path of the circuit. The circuit includes a data path and an inverter, and each is electrically coupled to the selected loopback path. The integrated circuit includes a counter electrically coupled to the selected loopback path. The circuit is configured to receive a first voltage signal that is either a substantially low logic level signal or a substantially high logic level signal. The circuit is configured to generate an oscillating signal from the first voltage signal, and the counter is configured to count oscillations of the oscillating signal.
Claims20
A method of testing a circuit, the method comprising:
- selecting a loopback path from a plurality of loopback paths in the;
- receiving by a first input of a multiplexer, a first voltage signal, wherein the first voltage signal is a substantially low logical level signal or a substantially high logical level signal;
- generating, a second voltage signal from the first voltage signal and applying the second voltage signal to a second input of the multiplexer that has an output operationally coupled to the selected loopback path and the data path, and wherein the second voltage signal oscillates between the substantially low logical level and the substantially high logical level at an oscillation frequency;
- outputting the second voltage signal to a counter, wherein the counter is electrically connected the selected loopback path of the plurality of loopback path;
- and measuring, by the counter, the oscillation frequency of the second voltage signal.
A method of testing an integrated circuit, the method comprising:
- selecting a loopback path from a plurality of loopback paths in the integrated circuit, wherein a test circuit is connected to the integrated circuit, and the test circuit is configured to test a timing of the integrated circuit, and the selected loopback path includes at least an inverter;
- receiving, by a first input of a multiplexer, a first signal from a timing controller, wherein the first signal is substantially equal to a low logical level or a high logical level;
- generating, a second signal from the first signal and applying the second voltage signal to a second input of the multiplexer that has an output operationally coupled to at least the selected loopback path, wherein the second signal oscillates between the low logical level and the high logical level at an oscillation frequency;
- outputting, the second signal to a counter, wherein the counter is electrically connected the selected loopback path of the plurality of loopback path;
- and measuring, by the counter, the oscillation frequency of the second signal.
A method of testing an integrated circuit, the method comprising:
- selecting a loopback path from a plurality of loopback paths in the integrated circuit, wherein a data path of the integrated circuit is electrically coupled to the selected loopback path, the selected loopback path includes at least an inverter;
- receiving, by a first input of a multiplexer, a first signal from a timing controller, wherein the first signal is substantially equal to a low logical level or a high logical level;
- generating, a second signal from the first signal and applying the second voltage signal to a second input of the multiplexer that has an output operationally coupled to;
- at least the data path of the integrated circuit, wherein the second signal oscillates between the low logical level and the high logical level at an oscillation frequency;
- outputting, the second voltage signal to a counter, wherein the counter is electrically connected the selected loopback path of the plurality of loopback path;
- measuring, by the counter, the oscillation frequency of the second signal;
- and outputting the measured oscillation frequency of the second signal through an interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.