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AssigneeInfineon Technologies Richmond, LP
InventorsJoerg Vollrath, Philip Moore, Ulrich Zimmermann
Estimating the term…
A current measurement circuit and method for testing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a semiconductor integrated circuit device including a voltage regulating circuit, the voltage regulating circuit being activated as needed to maintain a required voltage level; monitoring the voltage regulating circuit to determine a number of times it is activated during a sample period; and comparing the number of activations to a predetermined limit whereby if the number of activations exceeds the predetermined limit the semiconductor device is defective. The current measurement circuit includes an external clock for providing a clock signal; a first counter for counting when the voltage regulating circuit is activated; a second counter for counting clock cycles of a sample period; and a register for storing the number of activations, wherein the number of activations represents a relative current consumption value of the semiconductor device.
A method for testing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
A semiconductor device including a circuit for determining the quality of the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device comprising:
The semiconductor device as in 14, wherein the current detecting circuit generates a signal indicative of the voltage regulating transistor being activated.
In a semiconductor device including a voltage regulating circuit for regulating an external voltage to a required internal voltage, the voltage regulating circuit being activated as needed to maintain the required internal voltage;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.