# US 2016/0258995 A1 · Sensor device and inspection method thereof

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- Number: US 2016/0258995 A1
- Document ID: US20160258995A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/058,875
- Filed: 2016-03-02
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-06
- Assignees: Sii Semiconductor Corporation
- Applicants: SII Semiconductor Corporation
- Inventors: Tomoki HIKICHI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160258995A1

## CPC

- G01R 31/2829: {Testing of circuits in sensor or actuator systems (testing of apparatus for measuring electric or magnetic variables G01R35/00; testing of indicating or recording apparatus G01D; in airbag systems B60R21/0173; checking gas analysers G01N33/007; monitoring or fail-safe circuits for electromagnets H01F7/1844)}
- G01R 31/2856: {Internal circuit aspects, e.g. built-in test features; Test chips; Measuring material aspects, e.g. electro migration [EM]}
- G01R 31/2875: {related to heating}
- H05B 2203/00: Aspects relating to Ohmic resistive heating covered by group H05B3/00
- H05B 2206/00: Aspects relating to heating by electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic fields covered by group H05B6/00
- H05B 2213/00: Aspects relating both to resistive heating and to induction heating, covered by H05B3/00 and H05B6/00
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

To provide a sensor device which is capable of high temperature detection using self-heat generation without providing a dedicated terminal and suppresses an increase in cost with an increase in chip occupation area due to the addition of a test pad. A sensor device is configured to include an active logic switching circuit for switching an active logic of an output driver and perform a heating inspection while switching the active logic of the output driver during an inspection process with the output driver as a heat generation source.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor device which is configured of a semiconductor device having three terminals as a power supply terminal, a ground terminal, and an output terminal and switches an ON/OFF state of an output driver according to a physical quantity applied to a sensor element, said sensor device comprising:
a sensor circuit which outputs a binary sensor output logic signal according to the magnitude of the physical quantity; and
an active logic switching circuit which is inputted with the sensor output logic signal and executes switching control for the ON/OFF state of the output driver,
wherein the active logic switching circuit switches the logic of the inputted sensor output logic signal according to an active logic switching signal generated thereinside.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the active logic switching circuit is equipped with a logic circuit which is inputted with the sensor output logic signal and the active logic switching signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sensor device according to claim 2, wherein the active logic switching circuit comprises:
a high voltage detection circuit which switches and outputs the active logic switching signal by a voltage at the power supply terminal, and
the logic circuit having a flip-flop circuit which holds the active logic switching signal outputted from the high voltage detection circuit, in accordance with the transition of the sensor output logic signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method for inspecting the sensor device according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:
applying a first voltage to the power supply terminal, applying a second voltage to the output terminal, and thereby setting the sensor device to a first state;
increasing the physical quantity in the first state and detecting the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted;
decreasing the physical quantity in the first state and avoiding detection in the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted;
applying a third voltage higher than the first voltage to the power supply terminal and thereby setting the sensor device to a second state;
increasing the physical quantity in the second state and detecting the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted; and
decreasing the physical quantity in the second state and avoiding detection in the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

A method for inspecting the sensor device according to claim 2, comprising the steps of:
applying a first voltage to the power supply terminal, applying a second voltage to the output terminal, and thereby setting the sensor device to a first state;
increasing the physical quantity in the first state and detecting the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted;
decreasing the physical quantity in the first state and avoiding detection in the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted;
applying a third voltage higher than the first voltage to the power supply terminal and thereby setting the sensor device to a second state;
increasing the physical quantity in the second state and detecting the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted; and
decreasing the physical quantity in the second state and avoiding detection in the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

A method for inspecting the sensor device according to claim 3, comprising the steps of:
applying a first voltage to the power supply terminal, applying a second voltage to the output terminal, and thereby setting the sensor device to a first state;
increasing the physical quantity in the first state and detecting the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted;
decreasing the physical quantity in the first state and avoiding detection in the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted;
applying a third voltage higher than the first voltage to the power supply terminal and thereby setting the sensor device to a second state;
increasing the physical quantity in the second state and detecting the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted; and
decreasing the physical quantity in the second state and avoiding detection in the physical quantity to thereby measure the physical quantity when the output of the output driver is inverted.