Test apparatus, test method, analyzing apparatus and computer readable medium

A test method for testing a plurality of memories under test, comprising:

• a plurality of test signal feeding steps that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of test signal feeding steps feeding a test signal designed to test a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test to the corresponding memory under test;
• a plurality of defect detecting steps that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of defect detecting steps detecting a defect in a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test when data read from the corresponding memory under test in response to the test signal is different from an expected value;
• a plurality of first calculating steps that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of first calculating steps calculating a remedy solution for a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test, the remedy solution remedying the defect in the corresponding memory under test by replacing a defective storage cell in the corresponding memory under test with a backup cell of the corresponding memory under test;
• and
• a second calculating step of taking over, from one or more of the plurality of first calculating steps in which the remedy solution calculations have not been finished, the unfinished remedy solution calculations, in response to a start of calculations in the plurality of first calculating steps for remedy solutions for a different group of memories under test, and performing the taken over remedy solution calculations.

A computer-readable medium including thereon a program for use with a test apparatus that tests a plurality of memories under test, the computer-readable medium that, by executing the program, causes the test apparatus to function as:

• a plurality of test signal feeding sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of test signal feeding sections feeding a test signal designed to test a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test to the corresponding memory under test;
• a plurality of defect detecting sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of defect detecting sections detecting a defect in a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test when data read from the corresponding memory under test in response to the test signal is different from an expected value;
• a plurality of first calculating sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of first calculating sections calculating a remedy solution for a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test, the remedy solution remedying the defect in the corresponding memory under test by replacing a defective storage cell in the corresponding memory under test with a backup cell of the corresponding memory under test;
• and
• a second calculating section that takes over, from one or more of the plurality of first calculating sections which have not finished calculating the remedy solutions, the unfinished remedy solution calculations, in response to a start of calculations by the plurality of first calculating sections for remedy solutions for a different group of memories under test, and performs the taken over remedy solution calculations.

A calculating apparatus for a test apparatus that tests a plurality of memories under test, wherein

• the test apparatus comprises:
• a plurality of test signal feeding sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of test signal feeding sections feeding a test signal designed to test a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test to the corresponding memory under test;
• a plurality of defect detecting sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of defect detecting sections detecting a defect in a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test when data read from the corresponding memory under test in response to the test signal is different from an expected value;
• and
• a plurality of first calculating sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of first calculating sections calculating a remedy solution for a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test, the remedy solution remedying the defect in the corresponding memory under test by replacing a defective storage cell in the corresponding memory under test with a backup cell of the corresponding memory under test, and
• the calculating apparatus takes over, from one or more of the plurality of first calculating sections which have not finished calculating the remedy solutions, the unfinished remedy solution calculations, in response to a start of calculations by the plurality of first calculating sections for remedy solutions for a different group of memories under test, and performs the taken over remedy solution calculations.

A computer-readable medium including thereon a program for use with a calculating apparatus for a test apparatus that tests a plurality of memories under test, wherein

• the test apparatus comprises:
• a plurality of test signal feeding sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of test signal feeding sections feeding a test signal designed to test a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test to the corresponding memory under test;
• a plurality of defect detecting sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of defect detecting sections detecting a defect in a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test when data read from the corresponding memory under test in response to the test signal is different from an expected value;
• and
• a plurality of first calculating sections that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of memories under test, each of the plurality of first calculating sections calculating a remedy solution for a corresponding one of the plurality of memories under test, the remedy solution remedying the defect in the corresponding memory under test by replacing a defective storage cell in the corresponding memory under test with a backup cell of the corresponding memory under test, and
• the computer-readable medium, by executing the program, causes the calculating apparatus to
• take over, from one or more of the plurality of first calculating sections which have not finished calculating the remedy solutions, the unfinished remedy solution calculations, in response to a start of calculations by the plurality of first calculating sections for remedy solutions for a different group of memories under test, and perform the taken over remedy solution calculations.