Circuit for detecting damage to a peripheral edge on an integrated circuit die

A device, comprising:

• an integrated circuit die having a peripheral edge;
• a seal ring extending along the peripheral edge and surrounding a functional integrated circuit area;
• a test logic circuit located within the functional integrated circuit area;
• a transmit/receive (Tx/Rx) interface circuit located within the functional integrated circuit area and coupled to the test logic circuit by a communications bus;
• and
• a sensing conductive wire line having a first end connected to an output of the Tx/Rx interface circuit and a second end connected to an input of the Tx/Rx interface circuit, said sensing conductive wire line extending to surround the seal ring between the seal ring and the peripheral edge of the integrated circuit die;
• wherein the test logic circuit generates a multibit serial input data signal that is transmitted over the communications bus and interfaced by the Tx/Rx interface circuit for application at the output of the Tx/Rx interface circuit to the first end of the sensing conductive wire line, wherein propagation of the multibit serial input data signal over the sensing conductive wire line produces a sense signal at the input of the Tx/Rx interface circuit, said Tx/Rx interface circuit interfacing the sense signal to generate a multibit serial output data signal for transmission over the communications bus to the test logic circuit.

A device, comprising:

• an integrated circuit die having a peripheral edge;
• a seal ring extending along the peripheral edge and surrounding a functional integrated circuit area;
• a test logic circuit located within the functional integrated circuit area;
• a transmit/receive (Tx/Rx) interface located within the functional integrated circuit area and coupled to the test logic circuit by a communications bus;
• a sensing conductive wire line having a first end connected to an output of the Tx/Rx interface circuit to receive a test signal and a second end connected to an input of the Tx/Rx interface circuit to provide a sense signal, said sensing conductive wire line extending to surround the seal ring between the seal ring and the peripheral edge of the integrated circuit die;
• and
• a bypass circuit comprising a switched bypass path configured to selectively bypass the sensing conductive wire line in response to assertion of a bypass control signal generated by the test logic circuit so that the test signal at the output of the Tx/Rx interface circuit is applied to the input of the Tx/Rx interface circuit without passing through the sensing conductive wire line.