Built-in self test for one-time-programmable memory

Abstract

An apparatus and method of testing one-time-programmable memory provides one-time-programmable memory having one or more memory locations for storing data and corresponding programming circuitry for each memory location. In addition, each programming circuitry has a circuit element configured to permanently change state to store the data in the memory. The method also reads each memory location to verify that the memory location is unprogrammed and activates the programming circuitry for each memory location, which applies a test current to the programming circuitry. The test current is less than a threshold current needed to permanently change the state of the circuit element. The method then determines whether the programming circuitry is functioning properly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.