Apparatus and method for determining effect of on-chip noise on signal propagation
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorWilliam E. Corr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for dynamically testing the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on an integrated circuit having a core logic area. The method comprises measuring an inactive operating frequency for each of the plurality of test circuits, measuring an active operating frequency for each of a plurality of test circuits, and analyzing the plurality of inactive operating frequencies and the plurality of active operating frequencies to determine the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on the integrated circuit.
Claims9
A method for dynamically testing the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on an integrated circuit having a core logic area, the method comprising:
- measuring an inactive operating frequency for each of a plurality of test circuits;
- measuring an active operating frequency for each of said plurality of test circuits;
- and
- analyzing said plurality of inactive operating frequencies and said plurality of active operating frequencies to determine the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on said integrated circuit.
The method of claim 7 wherein measuring said inactive operating frequency for each of a plurality of test circuits step further comprises:
- deactivating said integrated circuit;
- counting the number of oscillations of a first test circuit having a first ring oscillator, said first ring oscillator constructed to mimic a data path within said integrated circuit;
- counting the number of oscillations of a second test circuit having a second ring oscillator constructed to have traces routed within said core logic area;
- counting the number of oscillations of a third test circuit having a third ring oscillator constructed to have plurality of cells randomly located within said core logic area;
- and
- counting the number of oscillations of a fourth test circuit having a fourth ring oscillator, constructed to mimic a data path within said integrated circuit, said fourth ring oscillator sharing a power source with said core logic area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.