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US 2003/0154426 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for programmable BIST and an optional error counter
OwnerDavid Chow, Jan Frode Loennuminventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hardware or software to test a memory device by loading a value into a register and generating a test sequence in response to the value. Storing a signature of the result of the test sequence in a shift register. An optional error counter to detect the location and type of defect.
Claims22
A method comprising:
- loading a value into a register of a memory device;
- generating a test sequence in response to the value in the register during a self-test mode of operation of the memory device;
- testing the memory device with the test sequence;
- and
- storing a signature as a result of the test sequence into a shift register.
2 more elements
An article comprising:
- a storage medium having a plurality of machine readable instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a memory device, the instructions provide to:
- load a value into a register of the memory device;
- generate a test sequence in response to the value in the register during a self-test mode of operation of the memory device;
- test the memory device with the test sequence;
- store a signature as a result of the test sequence into a shift register.
2 more elements
An apparatus to test a memory device comprising:
- a register integrated within the memory device to load a value;
- a logic to generate a test sequence in response to the value during a self-test mode of operation of the memory device and to test the memory device with the test sequence;
- a shift register to store a signature as a result of the test sequence;
- and
- an error counter to tabulate the number of errors as the result of the test sequence.
2 more elements
A memory device comprising:
- a logic to support programmable built-in self-test (BIST) patterns;
- and
- an error counter to tabulate a number of errors detected as a result of at least one BIST pattern applied to the memory device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.