User-initiatable method for detecting re-grown fuses within a microprocessor
AssigneeVIA Technologies, Inc.
InventorsG. Glenn Henry, Terry Parks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microprocessor includes a first plurality of fuses, selectively blown with a predetermined value for provision to circuits of the microprocessor to control operation of the microprocessor. The microprocessor also includes a second plurality of fuses, selectively blown with error detection information used to detect an error in the first plurality of fuses such that a blown fuse of the microprocessor returned a non-blown binary value. In response to a user program instruction, the microprocessor is configured to determine whether there is an error in the first plurality of fuses such that a blown fuse returned a non-blown binary value using the error detection information from the second plurality of fuses.
Claims27
A microprocessor, comprising:
- a first plurality of fuses, selectively blown with a predetermined value for provision to circuits of the microprocessor to control operation of the microprocessor;
- and
- a second plurality of fuses, selectively blown with error detection information used to detect an error in the first plurality of fuses such that a blown fuse of the microprocessor returned a non-blown binary value;
- wherein, in response to a user program instruction, the microprocessor is configured to determine whether there is an error in the first plurality of fuses such that a blown fuse returned a non-blown binary value using the error detection information from the second plurality of fuses.
A method for performing a user program-initiated test of a microprocessor, the method comprising:
- executing a user program instruction during operation of the microprocessor;
- and
- determining whether there is an error in a first plurality of fuses of the microprocessor such that a blown fuse returned a non-blown binary value, wherein the first plurality of fuses is selectively blown with a predetermined value for provision to circuits of the microprocessor to control operation of the microprocessor;
- wherein said determining is performed using error detection information read from a second plurality of fuses of the microprocessor, wherein the second plurality of fuses is selectively blown with the error detection information;
- wherein said determining is performed in response to said executing the user program instruction.
A method for manufacturing a microprocessor having a capability to selectively perform tests at reset of the microprocessor on a plurality of fuses of the microprocessor to determine whether a blown one or more of the plurality of fuses is providing its non-blown value rather than its blown value when read, the method comprising:
- determining whether to perform tests at reset of the microprocessor on the plurality of fuses;
- and
- blowing a plurality of the plurality of fuses to indicate whether to perform tests at reset of the microprocessor on the plurality of fuses.
A method for field testing a microprocessor to determine whether a blown one or more of a plurality of fuses of the microprocessor is providing its non-blown value rather than its blown value when read, the method comprising:
- reading a predetermined one or more fuses of the microprocessor, in response to a reset of the microprocessor;
- determining whether the predetermined one or more fuses read indicate to perform a test on the plurality of fuses;
- performing the test on the plurality of fuses to determine whether a blown one or more of the plurality of fuses is providing its non-blown value rather than its blown value when read, if the predetermined one or more fuses read indicate to perform the test;
- and
- refraining from performing the test, if the predetermined one or more fuses read indicate not to perform the test.
A computer program product encoded in at least one computer readable medium for use with a computing device, the computer program product comprising:
- computer readable program code embodied in said medium, for specifying a microprocessor, the computer readable program code comprising:
- first program code for specifying a first plurality of fuses, selectively blown with a predetermined value for provision to circuits of the microprocessor to control operation of the microprocessor;
- and
- second program code for specifying a second plurality of fuses, selectively blown with error detection information used to detect an error in the first plurality of fuses such that a blown fuse of the microprocessor returned a non-blown binary value;
- wherein, in response to a user program instruction, the microprocessor is configured to determine whether there is an error in the first plurality of fuses such that a blown fuse returned a non-blown binary value using the error detection information from the second plurality of fuses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.