Real-time temperture detection during test

A method for testing an integrated circuit comprising:

• providing an electrical test stimulus to the integrated circuit;
• sensing a temperature of an interior location of the integrated circuit during said providing of the electrical test stimulus;
• and
• setting a result bit to record a temperature violation if the sensed temperature violates a temperature limit;
• and
• reading an output pin coupled to the result bit to determine whether the result bit was set during said providing the electrical test stimulus.

A system comprising:

• an integrated circuit including:
• a register to store a temperature limit for the integrated circuit;
• a temperature sensor formed on the integrated circuit to sense a temperature of the integrated circuit, and output a signal indicative of the temperature sensed, based at least in part on the temperature sensed;
• testing logic coupled to the register and temperature sensor to record a temperature violation if at any time during a testing mode of operation the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor violates the stored temperature limit;
• a result bit, wherein the testing logic sets the result bit to record the temperature violation;
• and
• an output pin coupled to the result bit to facilitate reading of the result bit after the test mode of operation, to determine whether the result bit was set by the testing logic during the test mode of operation;
• and
• one or more mass storage devices coupled to the integrated circuit.